9/7/14     YEAR OF EQUIPPING TO SERVE

LIVE IT!!  Alive - Not Dull

    WOW!!  That’s really living!!  What are the circumstances that cause people to say that?  Ask for response.
Fancy cars, mansions, private jets, a staff of personal servants, ???
German Company Develops $4,000 Toothbrush
    In January 2013, a team of “dental hygiene experts” and design gurus gathered in Germany and decided the modern toothbrush needed a makeover. The resulting product: a $3,200 Euro (about $4,300 USD), full-titanium toothbrush. The company’s website offers a video that likens its creation to a world-class sports car:
    Undulating curves of the sleek and slender body encompass elegance and sumptuousness. A unique design … German precision engineering … A decisively lightweight full-titanium body which has unparalleled durable strength. The accomplished silhouette captures elegance and timelessness where beauty, functionality and utility complement each other. A timeless luxury is now an option.
    Their entry-level “Premium” package price includes one “everlasting” titanium toothbrush in a color of your choice, one titanium toothbrush holder (with “anti-slip pad”), a bumper, and what they call “Fresh Service” for three years—every six months, they’ll send you six bristle heads (choice of soft or medium) and a new bumper. You can also personalize it with an engraving for an extra $540. But keep in mind that after the three year “Premium” plan runs out, you’ll need to pay a few hundred bucks for another upgrade. Who said luxury was cheap?
Adapted from Zachary Crockett, “The $4,000 Toothbrush,” Priceonomics blog (8-7-14)
    The December 2013 issue of GQ magazine quoted actor Matthew McConaughey, named GQ’s “Man of the Year,” argues, “I’m a fan of the word selfish. Self. Ish. When I say I have gotten a lot more self-ish, I mean I am less concerned with what people think of me … Selfish has gotten a bad rap. You should do for you.”
Jessica Pressler, “Man of the Year,” GQ (12-13)
    What do you think of that attitude?  Would you like to have that person as your best friend?  Do you think that would make a pleasant atmosphere to be in?  What about that toothbrush that cost more than my first car, which was brand new?  I wonder what happens when you lose it?
    As believers in Jesus, as Christians, we have a life in Jesus that is what the world is really seeking.  There are many times that might not seem to be true on the surface.  But the issues of serving Jesus and growing a strong personal relationship with him make the true Christian life the most awesome life possible.  The by-products of peace, hope, joy, etc. that come with following Jesus are amazing.
    As we enter this fall season, we are going to take some time to look at the life we have as Christians.  We are going to look at the thought of Live It!!  We are Alive -- Not Dull.  God has given us His power and Word and we are to be equipped to live this awesome Christian life.  The supernatural power of God has NOT diminished one bit.
    Here’s a challenging, as well as awesome, passage to start out.  These are the words of Jesus just before He was arrested and crucified.  These are some of His final parting words to His disciples.
John 14:12-14 NKJV
12 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
    This statement needs to get our attention.  Jesus said “greater things” would be done by His followers.
    It is Jesus’ plan that Christians do what He did.  The gospel will be  spread and people will be saved.  Miracles will continue to happen.  We have just spent several weeks going through the Book of Acts and we saw the supernatural was a normal part of the life of the church.  We can expect that many will come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.
    The power of the Holy Spirit will flow through believers and things beyond our belief will happen.  God will do amazing things.
    Jesus told us to ask in His name.  We recognize that He is fully capable of doing what His plan is.  We stand in His name and authority.  God’s power is greater than any other source.  Our faith must continue to grow.  There is no limit as to what God can do.  We pray with trust in God.
    We must take doubt out to the dumpster and get rid of it.  We must get beyond the thought, “I know God can do this, but He probably won’t”.
Ephesians 1:15-23 NKJV
15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
    One of Paul’s purposes for writing this letter to the Ephesian Christians is found here.  He longs for every believer to grow in their walk with Jesus.  To grow in faith, love and wisdom in what God has already done.  He wants them to know Jesus more and understand his purpose for them.  All believers need to learn to live a life that is worthy of identifying with Jesus the Leader of their lives.
    Paul wrote to strengthen their faith and spiritual foundation by showing a complete picture of God’s eternal purpose of  salvation in Christ.
    God has called us to LIVE the life that He gives when we make Him our Lord and Savior.  This means living it daily.
LIVE IT!!  Alive - Not Dull
APPLICATION & DISCUSSION
What has God done in our lives, in our fellowship?  Supernaturally?
Let’s talk about the miracles.  Let’s talk about the expectation of the awesomeness of God’s involvement in the challenges of life.  It is too often too easy to think that nothing really happens here.  That is a mentality that God wants us to dump.

PRAYER
What do we need to see that doubt would convince us can’t happen?  We need to pray for those things and ask God to help us increase our faith.

8/31/14 YEAR OF EQUIPPING TO SERVE

Eternal Priorities

    What are the most important things in life?  We probably all heard the story last January of a man visiting in Chicago when his cell phone fell on the ice.  In trying to retrieve it he fell in.  A friend tried to help and she fell in.  A third person fell in.  Two died because someone dropped their cell phone.  In their hindsight, I wonder their response to how important is a cell phone?
    Let me share a story of two brothers.
    Benjamin Kwashi, a Christian leader from Nigeria tells the story of how the gospel came to his part of the country:
    Missionaries came to my home area of Nigeria in 1907. One of them was a man named Reverend Fox. Reverend Fox was a professor at Cambridge University, and when he arrived his walk with Christ was so deep that he led many people to Christ. He founded a church and moved about 10 kilometers away to Amper, my own hometown, and founded the church there too. How a first-class person from the University of Cambridge was communicating to illiterates, I don’t know, but God suddenly gave him favor and people were turning to Jesus Christ. So many people came to Christ that he wrote to his younger brother, who was a physician also in Cambridge, and asked him to come and help him because medical practice was needed. As his brother started the journey from England, Reverend Fox fell ill and died. Soon after his brother arrived, he also fell ill and died.
    The Church Mission Society wrote to their father, who was also a pastor. When they told him he had lost two sons, he and his wife cried, but then they did something astounding. They sold their land and property, took the proceeds to the mission society, and said, “As much as we grieve the death of our two sons, we will only be consoled if the purpose for which they died continues.” They gave that money and walked away.
    Recently I looked through the profile of those two missionaries who came to my hometown. They both had first-class educations and degrees from the best schools. They died as young men—the oldest was only 32. They gave up everything to serve Jesus and bring the gospel to my country. Were they crazy? No, they had heard what Jesus had said, they believed it, and they were willing to stake their whole lives on the truth of Jesus’ words. These men wanted to end their lives well. No matter how long or short their life, it wasn’t going to be wasted, but they would invest it for eternity.
Benjamin Kwashi, “Where Do You Want to Finish Your Life?” PreachingToday.com
    To this family, their priorities were eternal.  When faced with challenges and difficulties, they kept the eternal focus.
    Earlier I asked the question: what are the most important things in life?  Another question that we must think about: what is the absolutely most important choice any person can make in life?  To receive Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord.
John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
    With this as the priority, we must be ready to help people know that they, too, can and must come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.
1 Peter 3:15 NIV
15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
    One more time in this series we want to look at the story of the early church in the Book of Acts.
    The short form of telling the background of this specific story is that Paul had been arrested for preaching the gospel of Jesus.  He had been taken to the beautiful sea-side of Caesarea, along the Mediterranean coast.  He was being brought for trial before Felix, who had the power to release him.
    The thing that stands out to me as I read this is that Paul didn’t go into a defensive mode.  He saw the need of these leaders to know Jesus. That was his goal.  We will read sections of these chapters to see the main points of the story.
Acts 24 NIV
1 Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor.
5 “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect 6 and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.”
10 When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 12 My accusers . . . 13 . . .  cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. 14 However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
22 Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. “When Lysias the commander comes,” he said, “I will decide your case.”
23 He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs.
24 Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”
26 At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.
27 When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.
Acts 25
1 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, 2 where the chief priests and Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. 3 They urgently requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
4 Festus answered, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. 5 Let some of your leaders come with me and press charges against the man there, if he has done anything wrong.”
7 When Paul appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove.
8 Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”
9 Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”
10 Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. 11 If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12 After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
13 A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 14 Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”
23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high ranking officers and the leading men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.
24 Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.
25 I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome.
Acts 26:1-32
1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: 2 “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,
4 “The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, . . . 5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee.
9 “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem.
12 “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20 . . . I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. 21 That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22 . . . I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen-- 23 that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.”
25 “I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. . .
27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”
29 Paul replied, “Short time or long--I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”
30 The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. 31 They left the room, and while talking with one another, they said, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.” 32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
DISCUSSION
What are the main points of this message?
What impact should John 14:6 have on us today?
John 14:6 NIV
6 Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Look at these verses.  See how they apply to this message.  Feel free to share your thoughts.
Jesus provided the only way out of a life of:
Spiritual Darkness     1 Peter 2:9 NIV
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Lostness       Luke 19:10 NIV
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
Slavery To Sin       Romans 6:6 NIV
6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--
Guilt         Hebrews 10:22 NIV
22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Condemnation     Romans 8:1 NIV
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
PRAYER
Lord, you called some believers to vocational ministry.  We see you have called us all to ministry to reach people for you.  Help us be burdened to reach the lost.

8/24/14 YEAR OF EQUIPPING TO SERVE

Spreading the Gospel to a New Continent

    It is easy to see the heroes of the Bible and think they were special people. They were ordinary people who were submissive to God and willing to be used by Him.  God is still using ordinary people who have a heart and desire to see the supernatural happen.  It is through the supernatural power of the Spirit of God that the world will be changed.  More than ever we need the power of God’s Spirit to work in and through us.  The battle is worse and worse.  The enemy wants us to quit and doubt that God can do anything.
    Let me share a few quick testimonies of what God is doing these days.
BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. Gustave Lefrère Tshimbalanga, National Youth Chairman, recently sent in this exciting testimony: “We have continued to pray for Holy Spirit revival in our meetings here in the CAR. And we continue the work of missions by planting new churches. God has answered our prayers, and a new church was established here in the city. And God answered another prayer. Last week we received the leaders of our Central Africa Assemblies of God. This will help to advance God’s kingdom in CAR and will reverse what the enemy wanted to do to end the work of God here. Each time we pray for the requests you send to us in the Intercessory Prayer Call, we see the Holy Spirit work in the lives of believers, especially the youth. We ask you to pray much for God’s work in Central African Republic.  Glory to God!”
UGANDA:  “Thank you for what God is doing through the ministry of Acts in Africa. I am encouraged to read what He is doing through the Acts 1:8 Conferences being conducted throughout Africa.  I have been personally blessed, and students are being filled with the Holy Spirit with miracles following their ministries. The Uganda Assemblies of God is engaged in reaching every village with the gospel through rapid church planting, and we are experiencing God’s faithfulness.” —Pastor Henry Elem
MASERU, LESOTHO:  “The Lesotho Assemblies of God has taken up the call of a Decade of Pentecost to the high level it deserves. Pastors in each of our 80 churches throughout the country are preaching about the Holy Spirit and how Christians can experience this wonderful gift of God. Our theme for the past national Easter Conference was “Preach The Word through the Empowerment of the Holy Spirit.” In the past year, the Lord has filled 253 people with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking with other tongues according to Acts 2:4.”
Rev. Gift Ntsonyane, General Supt, Lesotho Assemblies of God
PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN:  “Greetings in Jesus’ name from Peshawar, Pakistan. I join you in prayer for the Africa AG “Decade of Pentecost.” I pray that God will send revival and the rain of Holy Spirit upon Africa and the Arabic world.”
—Rev. Dr. A. R. Hashmat, Chairman, A/G, Pakistan
Info taken from the Decade of Pentecost newsletters.  Edited
    Awesome things are happening.  I trust the challenge of the last thought will stir you -- prayer for the Arab world.  Please, never write off anyone as a person Jesus can save.
    The last time I spoke we looked at the launch of missions.  Today we want to look at part of Paul’s second missionary journey.  It is the time of the church launching to Europe.  This Holy Spirit-guided step is a critical part of church history, literally impacting the rest of human history.  Look at map on powerpoint slide.
Read passage from my Bible and talk about it.
Acts 16:6-40
    We will see:
□    Paul and Silas’s call of the Holy Spirit to Europe.
□    The first convert in Europe, a woman named Lydia
□    The power of God to set a demon-possessed slave free
□    The persecution of Paul and Silas
□    God’s supernatural impact continued as people were saved and Paul and Silas were delivered.
Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
James 1:2-4 NKJV
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Romans 8:35-39 NKJV
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
DISCUSSION
What are the main thoughts that have jumped out to you today?
What are specific applications you can make that will impact western Wisconsin now?
What do we have to do to see the impact happen?
A question for you to ask yourself, not particularly for discussion:  “Do I really want to see the supernatural changes that God can make in our area?”  (Let’s take a moment to think about this.)
PRAYER
Lord, we pray for You to supernaturally touch lives in our area and let us see your power change people.