11/29/2010 Manifesting FaithScriptures: Luke 17:11-19
In these verses, Jesus heals ten lepers, but only one leper found out why he was healed: "Thy faith hath made thee whole." He returned after his healing to give glory to God, the Word says he: "with a loud voice glorified God." Faith is manifested through our actions, James expressed it this way: "I will show you my faith by my works." So how do we manifest our faith? Through three actions: 1) The first action is identifying our needs. The lepers said to Jesus: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us;" they made it known that they needed His touch. We must define what we want God to do in our lives. The lepers received what they needed "when he saw them," we must also be ready when God is ready to move! 2) The second action is to do exactly what God tells us to do. He told the lepers to "go show yourselves unto the priests." (The priest would declare them clean). Jesus did not say "come to me", He told them to go! They acted in faith before there was evidence it would work. 3) The third action is to learn from experience. Only one leper returned to thank Jesus and Jesus said to him: "Arise, go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole." This man had a part in his healing. Jesus had the power and his faith was the connection to that power. This man learned a major lesson: it was not the priest who provided his healing, it was not the nine other leper's faith or actions, but it was his faith in Jesus! Its time to manifest our faith by taking action. Identify the need in your life. Follow God's word to the letter and learn about the power of faith! 11/22/2010 Take a LookScriptures: Psalm 95:1-11
Today we are going to study three directions to "take a look" at during this Thanksgiving season: First, take an upward look. The Bible tells us that "The Lord is the rock of our salvation," "the Lord is a great God," and that He is "king above all." It tells us that He holds in His hands the deep places, the hills, seas and dry land belongs to Him. Everything is created and belongs to Him. Its important that instead of looking down and focusing on our problems, we look up at the God who can solve them! When we worship, we look up with our hands raised towards Heaven allowing Him to take hold of everything we've been clutching close. Second, take an outward look. The Word tells us that we are the people of His pasture. A pasture is ground on which vegetation grows: we are living and surviving on God's land! He then says: "we are the sheep of His hand," sheep in this verse symbolizes the meek and submissive. If you will hear His voice then are you meek and submissive to His direction. Finally, take an inward look. Verse eight of the Psalm tells us "do not harden your hearts," especially in the days of trial. For forty years God grieved with a generation who hardened their hearts and He said "people can go astray in their hearts...They shall not enter my rest." During this season of Thanksgiving take the time to look upward to God and thank Him for your salvation. Look outward to the world and thank God for His provision. And look inward into your heart and thank God for all He has done in your life. 11/18/2010 Beyond the NaturalScriptures: 1 Samuel 6:7-13
The Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant and had beaten Israel in a battle, but they soon learned no one defeats God. They were shown this when: the image of Dagon was destroyed, God smote them with emerods, and there was deadly destruction throughout the city. So the Philistines devised a plan to send the Ark back to Israel. They took two cows, who had recently had calves, and tied them to a cart. (Also these cows had never pulled a cart before.) Then they took the calves and put them in a barn, and let the cows decide where they would go. The Philistines said: "if the cows head to Israel these events were of God...if not it was just by chance." Where did the cows head? They went straight to Beth-Shemesh, Israel. "Lowing as they went," they cried for their calves and they could hear those calves calling, but something supernatural and tremendous was pulling them! They were not doing the natural or normal thing. They were commissioned by God to bring His presence back to Israel. You are commissioned and called for God for this hour to bring God's presence to the people. This old world is going to pull at you, but God has called you to take another path. He has called you to: think different, act different, look different, respond different, and treat people different. The Philistines, who were unbelievers, would only believe when they saw something happen beyond the natural. Israel rejoiced when they saw the Ark of the Covenant coming home and the Philistines knew who the real God was. Will you decide now to go beyond the natural? 11/11/2010 Mankind's Condition Requires a MessengerScriptures: Isaiah 6:1-8
In these verses God asked the question: "whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Isaiah responded to the Lord saying: "here am I, send me." Today we are going to look at the three reasons that prompted Isaiah to offer himself: 1) He recognized the need: Qualification for God's call is a burden. Isaiah's burden was birthed because of his condition: the condition of separation. He says in the Word: "woe is me, for I am undone...I am a man of unclean lips...I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips." His condition became apparent when he was in God's presence: "for mine eyes have seen the king, the Lord of host." 2) He realized his condition required a messenger- Isaiah experienced God's mercy in his condition. The Word says that a coal from the altar's fire was placed on his lips: his condition required a painful cleansing process. Isaiah was told that his sins were forgiven. "God's mercy conquers sin quickly." People need a messenger: they need hope! 3) He saw how fast God responded to his condition: Sin separates a person from God, but God has a provision for the soul: "His mercy endures forever." So how does this relate to us? We must recognize how great our God is and recognize how sinful we are. We recognize the extent of His forgiveness towards us and then we are able to receive His power to do His work. We must get people into the presence of God. He is asking: "who shall I send, who will go?" Will we answer: "Here am I." |
Archives
April 2020
Categories |