Pastor Tony Ashmore begins the series "The Divine Flow" in this Sunday morning celebration.The Divine Flow Part 1
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, June 12, 2012
www.mylifegatechurch.com
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Sermon Notes:
The Divine Flow
Key Verses:
Matthew 9:35-38 “Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
The Divine Flow—Jesus is moved by the compassion flowing from Heaven into Him. Then He challenges His followers to be moved by that same Divine Flow. The Harvest becomes an adventure fueled by love instead of a fearful, laborious task. We simply recognize the flow, and respond to it. “I just felt like calling you.” “I had you on my mind.” “You don’t know me, but I was wondering if there is something I can pray with you about.” All a response to love welling up inside of us and then being allowed to flow instead of being ‘dammed up’.
2 John 6 (NLT) “Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.”
(AMP) “…This is the commandment, as you have heard from the beginning, that you continue to walk in love [guided by it and following it].”
When we are motivated by love, guided by love, follow love, we will express His personality, exhibit His power and extend His Kingdom. We will be drawn by that love to people who need us and to people we need. When we learn to recognize, be guided by, and follow the Divine Flow we will see His life released in and through us. We connect with mentors, models, partners and friends (the 4 levels of deep relationship we need in our lives) and we become mentors, models, partners and friends to others as a result of the Divine Flow that draws us to each other. (talk about how the Lord orchestrated these connections in your life, but you had to be guided by and follow the Divine Flow, even when it made you step out of your comfort zone)
The 4 Deep Relationships the Divine Flow will find for every person:
Mentors: a wise and trusted counselor or teacher, someone to whom we give authority to speak into our lives, a spiritual ‘father or mother’ (Paul: many teachers but not many fathers)
Proverbs 5:9-14 (MSG) "...Why be exploited by those who care nothing for you? You don't want to end your life full of regrets, nothing but sin and bones, Saying, "Oh, why didn't I do what they told me? Why did I reject a disciplined life? Why didn't I listen to my mentors, or take my teachers seriously? My life is ruined! I haven't one blessed thing to show for my life!" Sin doesn't seek to mentor you. It seeks to master you. Learn to recognize, be guided by, and follow the Divine Flow. Note there is a counterfeit divine flow-just do a google search for 'divine flow. (Example of following my own 'flow' instead the Divine Flow: me and Steve P., who I chose to mentor me in finances. Result: disaster!)
James 5:10-11 (MSG) "Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You've heard, of course, of Job's staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That's because God cares, cares right down to the last detail."
Models: Models are those you may or may not know personally but who you admire and imitate. We might just imitate ‘specific’ areas and not every area. Example: Ed Young, Jr., Andy Stanley, Seth Godin.
Jeremiah 10:2-3 (MSG) "Listen most carefully: "Don't take the godless nations as your models. Don't be impressed by their glamour and glitz..."
Hebrews 6:11-12 “Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.” (note the Divine Flow leads us to models)
Partners: In the ‘boat’ with you and pulling in the same direction. “With you”, not just “for you”. Sharing, participating, not just observing and cheering. The outcome effects them too.
2 Corinthians 1:24 (MSG) "We're not in charge of how you live out the faith, looking over your shoulders, suspiciously critical. We're partners, working alongside you, joyfully expectant..."
2 Corinthians 6:14-15 (MSG) "Don't become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong?..."
Friends: Not just cheerleaders, but those that are for you and will speak truth into your life. Proverbs 27:6 & 17—friends will tell you the truth even when it hurts and will make you stronger and better.
Psalm 16:3 (MSG) "And these God-chosen lives all around— what splendid friends they make!"
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (MSG) "By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped."
An Example of the Divine Flow in the Bible:
Esther 2:17 “Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.”
Saul didn’t follow the Divine Flow when God ordered him to destroy every Amalekite, including women and children. (1 Samuel 15) He followed the human flow instead of the Divine Flow (which we often don’t understand and may not see it ourselves). In the book of Esther, it is Haman who is orchestrating the total genocide of the Jews. Haman is a direct descendant of the Amalekites who were supposed to be destroyed by Saul. His failure to be guided by and follow the Divine Flow has endangered all of God’s chosen people 500 years later.
David refused to follow the human flow and was guided by and followed the Divine Flow when he would not have Shimei killed even though he continually cursed the King. (2 Samuel 16). It is Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, who convinces her to become queen and position herself to save the Jewish people. Mordecai is a direct descendant of Shimei! Had David killed Shimei, the Jews would have been slaughtered by Haman’s plan. Had Saul obeyed, there would have been no Haman to develop the plan.
Now Esther, guided by and following the Divine Flow, is used by God to save His people from destruction.
All this a result of the Divine Flow (Grace) overcoming the mistakes of the human flow (self-will and works). Also a great example of why we don’t have to understand every move God asks us to make. We simply have to trust that God is good and is for us.
Finding the Divine Flow:
John 7:38 “Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” The Divine Flow is available to anyone for whom Jesus is Lord. (Note, He is everyone’s Savior and Lord to some. Acts 2:36. It’s all about choice again.)
2 Kings 4:6 “Soon every container was full to the brim! “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing.” We are the vessels of the Holy Spirit and as long as the vessels are available there will be a divine flow of His love through us to others. 2 Corinthians 4:7 “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”
So What:
Making sure we are available vessels:
Philippians 2:1 [Have the Attitude of Christ] Guard your heart and keeping it clear from blockages to the Divine Flow. Just like we can experience blockages to the flow of blood to our physical heart, we can create blockages to our spiritual heart, stopping the flow of His love to us and through us. Paul gives us some key questions to ask ourselves continually for a ‘heart health checkup’. Note: here’s where the 4 deep relationships help us—people who will give us honest answers to these questions because we will deceive ourselves. How’s your flow? “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Do we look for hope in every situation? Are we obnoxiously optimistic? Do we offer encouragement to others or add to their discouragement? Are constantly having to be encouraged by others? Any comfort from his love? Do we find peace and comfort in His presence no matter what is going on around us or in us? Do we provide comfort to others or are we always the one being comforted? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are we friendly, reaching beyond our discomfort to make intentional connections with other believers (note: “in the Spirit”)? Do we seek out Dinner Groups, Reel Life Groups, plan on attending the ManUP Sports Challenge this Saturday? Do we move beyond what is convenient to accomplish what is helpful and healthy? Or do we complain about not having friends, where are my visitors when I am sick, why don’t I ever get invitations? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?” Are we easily moved by the hurts and needs of others or have we become cynical and suspicious? What is your thought process when you see a guy standing on the side of the road with a sign “Hungry”? Note our 1st verse: Jesus was moved by the needs of people He knew would reject Him, betray Him, and crucify Him. Guard your heart, have people in your life who will tell you when you are not, be guided by and follow the Love of God and the Divine Flow will always flow to you and through you, releasing the “rich and satisfying life” Jesus came to give us.
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