Pastor Michael Adams continues the series "Reel Life" with part 3, "Despicable Me" in this Sunday morning celebration.
Reel Life PT3
Pastor Michael Adams
Sunday, July 24, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
07/24/11 - Reel Life Part 3 - Pastor Michael Adams
Despicable Me - Finding Your Purpose
2 Kings 6:17
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2 Kings 6:17 (NLT)
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Then Elisha prayed, “OLord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.
Open our eyes...
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* Open our eyes to the mission God has planned for our lives!
* Open our eyes to see the extraordinary life beyond the wardrobe!
* Open our eyes to the greater purpose for which we were created!
1. Your Purpose will Bug You
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Scene #1
Starts- Girls knock on the door to sell Gru cookies
Ends- Gru says “ We are going to steal the moon”
Acts 9:1-2
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Acts 9:1-2 (NLT)
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Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
Acts 9:20
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Acts 9:20 (NLT)
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And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”
1. Your Purpose will Bug You (continued)
===============
* Saul’s purpose in life was around him the whole time, Gru’s purpose was knocking at his door and we might find God’s purpose for our lives in the thing that bugs us the most.
* God’s purpose for our lives is within our reach.
2. Your Purpose is Found in the Small Things
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* There are defining moments in your life where you feel like you slammed into your purpose but God wants us to discover our purpose in each day
Jeremiah 29:11-14
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Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NLT)
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For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”
2. Your Purpose is Found in the Small Things (continued)
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* When we intentionally seek the Lord wholeheartedly we will discover God’s purpose in the smallest details of our lives.
* Real relationships are built in the small things.
3. Life Without Your Purpose Stinks
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Scene #2
Starts: The Doctor and Gru meet in the hallway
Ends: Gru rolls over on the toys in the bed
John 4:27-36
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John 4:27-36 (NLT)
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Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.”
But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”
“Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other.
Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike!
3. Life Without Your Purpose Stinks (continued)
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* Gru thought his greatest purpose was to steal the moon and like him we can get easily distracted in this life to pursue things other than our purpose
* He had the moon but was still empty
4. Your Purpose will Cost Something
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Scene #3
Starts: Gru walks in the bedroom to tuck the girls in bed
End: Gru closes the book
Luke 14:26-31
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Luke 14:26-31 (NLT)
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“If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’
“Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him?
4. Your Purpose will Cost Something (continued)
===============
* Life is full of check points. God calls us to a higher place with him but it requires that we let go – personal rights, comfort zones, past, sin.
* When we lose more of our lives we discover more of our purpose
* God created all of us with a greater purpose and that purpose will always be intertwined with people- Jesus paints a perfect picture of His purpose and ours in Luke 15 ( the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son)
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
07/17/11 - Reel Life Part 2 - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Reel Life" with part 2, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" in this Sunday morning celebration.
Reel Life PT2
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, July 17, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
Reel Life: The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
2 Kings 6:17 “Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” The “beyond belief” life we all want is surrounding us. We have been given life and life abundantly, rich and satisfying life, more and better life (John 10:10). Too often we let life, as dictated by our circumstances, hide from our eyes the real life Jesus died to give us. There is a great adventure awaiting us every day in the Kingdom of God. Let’s ask God to open our eyes to it.
Facts on Lewis and Book:
* Almost wasn’t published due to criticism of overt Christian allegory and violence
* Idea came from a picture of the faun he remembered seeing as a boy
* Lewis began the book during WWII while hosting 3 young girls sent from London to escape the blitz bombings
* Aslan is an allegory of the substitution and the ransom work of Christ
* Time magazine lists the book as one of the 100 most important English works
Ephesians 3:20 “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (NKJV—exceedingly, abundantly above all we might ask or think)
Psalm 8:4-6 “what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority”
1. Scene where children back through the wardrobe and enter Narnia:
The ordinary can be the entrance to the extraordinary. The children were faced with tough circumstances, shipped off due to escape the ravages of war, separated from parents, afraid of new caregivers. All the ‘ordinary’ things of life—those daily circumstances and the daily grind. Those things can lull us to sleep—close our eyes and ears to the extraordinary life surrounding us in the Kingdom of God.
(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.”)
(Romans 8:15 MESSAGE “This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!”)
David’s example of looking for the extraordinary opportunities in the ordinary:
1 Samuel 17:45 (Message) “David answered, "You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel's troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day God is handing you over to me. I'm about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there's an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that God doesn't save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to God—he's handing you to us on a platter!" David’s ordinary skills—able to accurately use a slingshot—opened the door for the extraordinary. He honed those skills in everyday, mundane, sometimes even boring, duties of shepherding. He was easily forgotten—note his dad didn’t even present him to Samuel as a son when Samuel came looking for a king. But God knew exactly where he was and what he was doing. David was on the backside of nowhere practicing—much like a little boy throwing a ball against a wall pretending he is in the World Series. God also knew David’s heart—that he would make reckless mistakes but also that he would recklessly love and honor God. The ordinary became the door for David to become the greatest king in the history of Israel and the world.
2. Scene where children are crowned as royalty next to Aslan the Lion:
We are created to have dominion. Creation, circumstances within creation, should not rule over us or determine what our life looks like. God created us to express His personality (in Our image), exhibit His power (in Our likeness), and extend His Kingdom (have dominion over).
Revelation 1:6 NKJV “(Jesus) has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Philippians 4:10 MESSAGE “I'm glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess…Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”
So What?
1. Quit thinking like a ‘mere man’ (1 Corinthians 16:13 KJV)—You are made in the image of God—His thoughts and ways are higher—an HNL! Start getting His thoughts, speaking His Words, doing His actions in your ordinary days.
2. Do your best, even in the mundane. Proverbs 22:29 “Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.”
3. Raise your expectations—people usually get what they expect. Expect the miraculous, expect the extraordinary, expect the supernatural God to intervene in our natural lives. Live the adventure. 2 Corinthians 3:8-9 “Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!”
Reel Life PT2
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, July 17, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
Reel Life: The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
2 Kings 6:17 “Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” The “beyond belief” life we all want is surrounding us. We have been given life and life abundantly, rich and satisfying life, more and better life (John 10:10). Too often we let life, as dictated by our circumstances, hide from our eyes the real life Jesus died to give us. There is a great adventure awaiting us every day in the Kingdom of God. Let’s ask God to open our eyes to it.
Facts on Lewis and Book:
* Almost wasn’t published due to criticism of overt Christian allegory and violence
* Idea came from a picture of the faun he remembered seeing as a boy
* Lewis began the book during WWII while hosting 3 young girls sent from London to escape the blitz bombings
* Aslan is an allegory of the substitution and the ransom work of Christ
* Time magazine lists the book as one of the 100 most important English works
Ephesians 3:20 “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (NKJV—exceedingly, abundantly above all we might ask or think)
Psalm 8:4-6 “what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority”
1. Scene where children back through the wardrobe and enter Narnia:
The ordinary can be the entrance to the extraordinary. The children were faced with tough circumstances, shipped off due to escape the ravages of war, separated from parents, afraid of new caregivers. All the ‘ordinary’ things of life—those daily circumstances and the daily grind. Those things can lull us to sleep—close our eyes and ears to the extraordinary life surrounding us in the Kingdom of God.
(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.”)
(Romans 8:15 MESSAGE “This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!”)
David’s example of looking for the extraordinary opportunities in the ordinary:
1 Samuel 17:45 (Message) “David answered, "You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel's troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day God is handing you over to me. I'm about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there's an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that God doesn't save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to God—he's handing you to us on a platter!" David’s ordinary skills—able to accurately use a slingshot—opened the door for the extraordinary. He honed those skills in everyday, mundane, sometimes even boring, duties of shepherding. He was easily forgotten—note his dad didn’t even present him to Samuel as a son when Samuel came looking for a king. But God knew exactly where he was and what he was doing. David was on the backside of nowhere practicing—much like a little boy throwing a ball against a wall pretending he is in the World Series. God also knew David’s heart—that he would make reckless mistakes but also that he would recklessly love and honor God. The ordinary became the door for David to become the greatest king in the history of Israel and the world.
2. Scene where children are crowned as royalty next to Aslan the Lion:
We are created to have dominion. Creation, circumstances within creation, should not rule over us or determine what our life looks like. God created us to express His personality (in Our image), exhibit His power (in Our likeness), and extend His Kingdom (have dominion over).
Revelation 1:6 NKJV “(Jesus) has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Philippians 4:10 MESSAGE “I'm glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess…Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”
So What?
1. Quit thinking like a ‘mere man’ (1 Corinthians 16:13 KJV)—You are made in the image of God—His thoughts and ways are higher—an HNL! Start getting His thoughts, speaking His Words, doing His actions in your ordinary days.
2. Do your best, even in the mundane. Proverbs 22:29 “Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.”
3. Raise your expectations—people usually get what they expect. Expect the miraculous, expect the extraordinary, expect the supernatural God to intervene in our natural lives. Live the adventure. 2 Corinthians 3:8-9 “Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!”
Sunday, July 10, 2011
07/10/11 - Living On Mission - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches "Living On Mission" in this Sunday morning celebration.
Living On Mission
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, July 10, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
1 Samuel 15:18 "And the Lord sent you on a mission..."
We are on a mission, either one of our choosing or the one He has chosen us for and for us. (Esther 4:14; Ephesians 2:10)
2 Kings 6:17 “Then Elisha prayed, “OLord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.”
Ephesians 4:1 "Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God."
Living on Mission
John 17:13-19 Message "Now I'm returning to you. I'm saying these things in the world's hearing So my people can experience My joy completed in them. I gave them your word; The godless world hated them because of it, Because they didn't join the world's ways, Just as I didn't join the world's ways. I'm not asking that you take them out of the world But that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world Than I am defined by the world. Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth. In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. I'm consecrating myself for their sakes So they'll be truth-consecrated in their mission."
Jesus is giving keys to living a life filled with His joy-a life of 'completed joy'-and one of those keys is to discover your mission and pursue it.
* Everybody is living on mission
* The mission you are living is either one of your choosing or The One He chose for you.
* Real life, full and abundant life, rich and satisfying life, is only found in The Mission. Every other mission will eventually lead to "kill, steal, destroy".
So What?
* Get honest with yourself-Whose mission are you living?
- Are you satisfied or is it 'never enough'?
- Are you experiencing persecution or roadblocks?
- Whose kingdom does your mission benefit 1st and foremost?
* Find your mission:
- You have 'bumped into' your mission sometimes along the way in your journey (an inner knowing, pointed out by others, the things that attract you, the skills you have developed) Your mission is all around you. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to it. (2 Kings 6:17)
- Your mission is a 'service mission'-who needs serving in your circle of influence? What fuels your compassion? (Luke 10-Parable of the Good Samaritan is about mission. 1st two had their mission confused. Last understood how easy it is to find your mission.)
* Engage in your mission:
- 'Cross the road and get in the ditch'.
- Embrace the interruptions.
- Invest your time, talent and resources.
- Don't come off your 'ladder'. (Nehemiah 6:3)
Living On Mission
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, July 10, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
1 Samuel 15:18 "And the Lord sent you on a mission..."
We are on a mission, either one of our choosing or the one He has chosen us for and for us. (Esther 4:14; Ephesians 2:10)
2 Kings 6:17 “Then Elisha prayed, “OLord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.”
Ephesians 4:1 "Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God."
Living on Mission
John 17:13-19 Message "Now I'm returning to you. I'm saying these things in the world's hearing So my people can experience My joy completed in them. I gave them your word; The godless world hated them because of it, Because they didn't join the world's ways, Just as I didn't join the world's ways. I'm not asking that you take them out of the world But that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world Than I am defined by the world. Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth. In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. I'm consecrating myself for their sakes So they'll be truth-consecrated in their mission."
Jesus is giving keys to living a life filled with His joy-a life of 'completed joy'-and one of those keys is to discover your mission and pursue it.
* Everybody is living on mission
* The mission you are living is either one of your choosing or The One He chose for you.
* Real life, full and abundant life, rich and satisfying life, is only found in The Mission. Every other mission will eventually lead to "kill, steal, destroy".
So What?
* Get honest with yourself-Whose mission are you living?
- Are you satisfied or is it 'never enough'?
- Are you experiencing persecution or roadblocks?
- Whose kingdom does your mission benefit 1st and foremost?
* Find your mission:
- You have 'bumped into' your mission sometimes along the way in your journey (an inner knowing, pointed out by others, the things that attract you, the skills you have developed) Your mission is all around you. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to it. (2 Kings 6:17)
- Your mission is a 'service mission'-who needs serving in your circle of influence? What fuels your compassion? (Luke 10-Parable of the Good Samaritan is about mission. 1st two had their mission confused. Last understood how easy it is to find your mission.)
* Engage in your mission:
- 'Cross the road and get in the ditch'.
- Embrace the interruptions.
- Invest your time, talent and resources.
- Don't come off your 'ladder'. (Nehemiah 6:3)
Sunday, July 3, 2011
07/03/11 - Blood Spirit and Water - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches on "Blood, Spirit, & Water" in this Sunday morning celebration.
Blood, Spirit, & Water
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, July 03, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
The Blood, the Spirit, the Water
In 1776, with America's hard-won battle for freedom behind them, the people of our country wanted a national flag that would symbolize not only their independence, but their spirit of unity. The Continental Congress responded by passing the first "Flag Act" which established the first official flag for our nation. It stated: "Resolved that the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes alternate red and white: that the union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field." The significance of the colors was defined thus: White signifies purity and innocence; Red, hardiness and valor; Blue, vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Our national anthem—the Star Spangled Banner, was written by Francis Scott Key. He was being held prisoner on a British ship during the War of 1812. He was participating in a prisoner exchange but overheard the plans for an invasion, so he was held until the battle was done. As the darkness grew, his only sign that the Americans were still standing firm was a glimpse every now and then of the battered flag above their fort. At dawn, the tattered flag had been replaced by a new, larger flag and Key knew his country had withstood the onslaught.
Just as the red, white and blue signified to Key that the attack had failed, God has given us 3 witnesses to affirm we are winning. If we will learn to embrace these witnesses, nurture their place in our lives, they will always be there, even in the midst of an all-out assault against us, to confirm we have life and God’s promises to us are true.
There are lots of things that want to tell us we have life, lots of influences and influencers that want to define what life is and what it looks like. We have been given 3 witnesses that confirm we have life, and are living it. It’s so easy to be seduced, deceived, or just fall asleep at the wheel. So if we seek these 3 witnesses in our personal lives, we will know we are in “The Way.”
Nehemiah 9:20 “You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst.” Jesus is the manna from Heaven, his flesh and blood. (John 6:57-58)
1 John 5:7 “So we have these three witnesses—the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree.”
The Blood:
Leviticus 17:11 "for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible."
Leviticus 17:14 "The life of every creature is in its blood. That is why I have said to the people of Israel, ‘You must never eat or drink blood, for the life of any creature is in its blood.’ So whoever consumes blood will be cut off from the community." We must be cut off from the community of sin (not sinners). The 'community of sin' has death to expect (the wages of sin is death). There is only one blood that can do that--the blood of a perfect sinless man--Jesus.
John 6:53 "So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you." The Jews would struggle with this because of the prohibition in the Mosaic law of eating blood.
The Spirit:
John 6:63 “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Romans 8:11 “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”
1 Corinthians 2:12 “And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.”
2 Corinthians 1:22 “and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.” The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is God’s guarantee that Jesus is alive and we are born again.
The Water:
Ephesians 5:25-26 “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.”
Jeremiah 2:13 “For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me—the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!” Cisterns are stagnant holding ponds used when there is no fresh water. Jesus challenges us to seek fresh, flowing water—living water—was the term used in His culture to describe a clean, flowing spring of refreshing water.
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.” Note it is drink, not think—it is an action of trust. The word drink here does not denote a little sip, like we were testing its goodness, nor does it denote a little sip as if we were not really thirsty. It is a gulping drink of a thirsty person who has found fresh, cool water.
There is an alternative to each of these offered by the kingdom of darkness designed to dilute the power of each or place them in the category of fables.
Blood:
The perversion of this is the idolatry practices of drinking the blood of an animal or another human to take on their attributes. The myth of vampires is the perversion of this. The danger with these seemingly harmless fables are the same danger with any fable that takes God's attributes or actions and imitates them--they become the stuff of "fables". 'Next generation' has a harder time believing because all the other examples are lies. Another is the constant exposure to blood spilling—causing us to become desensitized to the power of His blood.
Spirit:
being 'spiritual', witchcraft, rituals-even so-called Christian rituals. (exorcism, redeeming the curse, etc)
Water:
cisterns of our own rather than living water (springs of Dan), how to books, formulas-even those based on the Word, other words placed in the "holy" realm--not just those so easily recognizable such as the Koran, the book of Mormon, etc., but also those that trump God's Word in our lives: fashion and cultural mags that define the way we dress, look, talk, the stuff we invest our time talent and resources into, the tv show that we imitate, the celebrity whose life and words are our model, the business model that compromises God's Word, the economic indicators that dictate our money decisions, the scarcity worldview that causes us to be protectionists and hoarders, the fear that tells us to drive the 'stranger' from our land (remember, had Rahab or Ruth been deported there would be no Messiah)
So What:
* Recognize our continual need for the fellowship of the Blood—our connections empower the Blood work of Jesus in our lives. (1 John 1:7 “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”)
* Treat the Holy Spirit like He is real and present. Embrace His presence daily. (Acts 13:52 NASB)
* Thirsty people act thirsty. Drink the Word like you drink physical liquid. There is not drought. (Psalm 42:1 “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.”)
Conclusion:
Hebrews 10:22 “let us go right into the presence of God (the Spirit) with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”
When we protect the witness of the Blood, the Spirit and the Water in our lives, we live in the presence of God where we find mercy, grace and help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:13)
Just as the red, white and blue of our flag mean we belong—the Blood, the Spirit and the Water are our witnesses that we belong—regardless of what our own doubts or our enemy tell us.
Blood, Spirit, & Water
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, July 03, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
The Blood, the Spirit, the Water
In 1776, with America's hard-won battle for freedom behind them, the people of our country wanted a national flag that would symbolize not only their independence, but their spirit of unity. The Continental Congress responded by passing the first "Flag Act" which established the first official flag for our nation. It stated: "Resolved that the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes alternate red and white: that the union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field." The significance of the colors was defined thus: White signifies purity and innocence; Red, hardiness and valor; Blue, vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Our national anthem—the Star Spangled Banner, was written by Francis Scott Key. He was being held prisoner on a British ship during the War of 1812. He was participating in a prisoner exchange but overheard the plans for an invasion, so he was held until the battle was done. As the darkness grew, his only sign that the Americans were still standing firm was a glimpse every now and then of the battered flag above their fort. At dawn, the tattered flag had been replaced by a new, larger flag and Key knew his country had withstood the onslaught.
Just as the red, white and blue signified to Key that the attack had failed, God has given us 3 witnesses to affirm we are winning. If we will learn to embrace these witnesses, nurture their place in our lives, they will always be there, even in the midst of an all-out assault against us, to confirm we have life and God’s promises to us are true.
There are lots of things that want to tell us we have life, lots of influences and influencers that want to define what life is and what it looks like. We have been given 3 witnesses that confirm we have life, and are living it. It’s so easy to be seduced, deceived, or just fall asleep at the wheel. So if we seek these 3 witnesses in our personal lives, we will know we are in “The Way.”
Nehemiah 9:20 “You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst.” Jesus is the manna from Heaven, his flesh and blood. (John 6:57-58)
1 John 5:7 “So we have these three witnesses—the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree.”
The Blood:
Leviticus 17:11 "for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible."
Leviticus 17:14 "The life of every creature is in its blood. That is why I have said to the people of Israel, ‘You must never eat or drink blood, for the life of any creature is in its blood.’ So whoever consumes blood will be cut off from the community." We must be cut off from the community of sin (not sinners). The 'community of sin' has death to expect (the wages of sin is death). There is only one blood that can do that--the blood of a perfect sinless man--Jesus.
John 6:53 "So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you." The Jews would struggle with this because of the prohibition in the Mosaic law of eating blood.
The Spirit:
John 6:63 “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Romans 8:11 “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”
1 Corinthians 2:12 “And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.”
2 Corinthians 1:22 “and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.” The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is God’s guarantee that Jesus is alive and we are born again.
The Water:
Ephesians 5:25-26 “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.”
Jeremiah 2:13 “For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me—the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!” Cisterns are stagnant holding ponds used when there is no fresh water. Jesus challenges us to seek fresh, flowing water—living water—was the term used in His culture to describe a clean, flowing spring of refreshing water.
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.” Note it is drink, not think—it is an action of trust. The word drink here does not denote a little sip, like we were testing its goodness, nor does it denote a little sip as if we were not really thirsty. It is a gulping drink of a thirsty person who has found fresh, cool water.
There is an alternative to each of these offered by the kingdom of darkness designed to dilute the power of each or place them in the category of fables.
Blood:
The perversion of this is the idolatry practices of drinking the blood of an animal or another human to take on their attributes. The myth of vampires is the perversion of this. The danger with these seemingly harmless fables are the same danger with any fable that takes God's attributes or actions and imitates them--they become the stuff of "fables". 'Next generation' has a harder time believing because all the other examples are lies. Another is the constant exposure to blood spilling—causing us to become desensitized to the power of His blood.
Spirit:
being 'spiritual', witchcraft, rituals-even so-called Christian rituals. (exorcism, redeeming the curse, etc)
Water:
cisterns of our own rather than living water (springs of Dan), how to books, formulas-even those based on the Word, other words placed in the "holy" realm--not just those so easily recognizable such as the Koran, the book of Mormon, etc., but also those that trump God's Word in our lives: fashion and cultural mags that define the way we dress, look, talk, the stuff we invest our time talent and resources into, the tv show that we imitate, the celebrity whose life and words are our model, the business model that compromises God's Word, the economic indicators that dictate our money decisions, the scarcity worldview that causes us to be protectionists and hoarders, the fear that tells us to drive the 'stranger' from our land (remember, had Rahab or Ruth been deported there would be no Messiah)
So What:
* Recognize our continual need for the fellowship of the Blood—our connections empower the Blood work of Jesus in our lives. (1 John 1:7 “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”)
* Treat the Holy Spirit like He is real and present. Embrace His presence daily. (Acts 13:52 NASB)
* Thirsty people act thirsty. Drink the Word like you drink physical liquid. There is not drought. (Psalm 42:1 “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.”)
Conclusion:
Hebrews 10:22 “let us go right into the presence of God (the Spirit) with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”
When we protect the witness of the Blood, the Spirit and the Water in our lives, we live in the presence of God where we find mercy, grace and help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:13)
Just as the red, white and blue of our flag mean we belong—the Blood, the Spirit and the Water are our witnesses that we belong—regardless of what our own doubts or our enemy tell us.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
06/29/11 - Winepress or Threshing Floor - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches on "Winepress or Threshing Floor" in this Wednesday evening celebration.
Winepress or Threshing Floor
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
Judges 6:11-14 “Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. 12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” 13 “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” 14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”
2 vital tools to the agricultural community of Israel:
* Threshing floor: a large flat rock with a thin covering of hard soil situated on top of a hill for exposure to the wind. Harvested wheat was placed there; a large piece of wood or stone would be dragged over the wheat to thresh out the grain. Then the mixture of chaff and grain would be tossed into the wind using a winnowing fork and the wind would blow away the chaff leaving behind the treasured grain.
* Winepress: giant, hallowed out rock, usually in a low-lying area, where the grapes were brought and stamped with the feet to release the juice to make the wine
The Biblical significance of the threshing floor and the winepress:
* The threshing floor is a place of cleansing and separation. Matthew 3:12 “He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”
* Ruth and Boaz fell in love at the threshing floor. Ruth 3
* God instructed David to have Solomon build the temple on a threshing floor. 2 Chronicles 3:1
* The winepress is a place of wrath and judgment. Revelation 14:9 “So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and loaded the grapes into the great winepress of God’s wrath.”
* The eyes of those on the threshing floor are focused upward (on the wind and its effects on the grain).
* The eyes of those in the winepress are focused downward (on the grapes being crushed).
Gideon was hiding. God wanted him to face the enemy.
Gideon was worried about his stuff being taken; God wanted him “others-focused”.
Gideon was focused on what he couldn’t do. God wanted him to just do what he could. “Bring me what you have.”
* The threshing floor does not depend on man’s strength. Oxen do the threshing and the wind does the winnowing. The wine press is dependent on man’s strength and endurance.
* In our low places, our “hide-outs”, we forget who we are. Gideon was no mighty hero in his eyes, but he was a “sent by God” mighty hero in God’s eyes.
* Many of our problems, our dire circumstances, our dilemmas, are of our own making. We are the common denominator. Hiding just results in judgment. We judge ourselves, others judge us, evil finds us again and again. Even in those circumstances such as abuse, betrayal, etc, hiding and denial just keep us in the victim cycle. When we quit hiding, go to the top of the hill and face the enemy, we confront the character issues within ourselves. We are able to lift them up to God and allow His Holy Spirit to cleanse us. So instead of continually ending up in the same hole (winepress), we are able to move forward and we impact the lives of others.
Winepress or Threshing Floor
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
Judges 6:11-14 “Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. 12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” 13 “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” 14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”
2 vital tools to the agricultural community of Israel:
* Threshing floor: a large flat rock with a thin covering of hard soil situated on top of a hill for exposure to the wind. Harvested wheat was placed there; a large piece of wood or stone would be dragged over the wheat to thresh out the grain. Then the mixture of chaff and grain would be tossed into the wind using a winnowing fork and the wind would blow away the chaff leaving behind the treasured grain.
* Winepress: giant, hallowed out rock, usually in a low-lying area, where the grapes were brought and stamped with the feet to release the juice to make the wine
The Biblical significance of the threshing floor and the winepress:
* The threshing floor is a place of cleansing and separation. Matthew 3:12 “He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”
* Ruth and Boaz fell in love at the threshing floor. Ruth 3
* God instructed David to have Solomon build the temple on a threshing floor. 2 Chronicles 3:1
* The winepress is a place of wrath and judgment. Revelation 14:9 “So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and loaded the grapes into the great winepress of God’s wrath.”
* The eyes of those on the threshing floor are focused upward (on the wind and its effects on the grain).
* The eyes of those in the winepress are focused downward (on the grapes being crushed).
Gideon was hiding. God wanted him to face the enemy.
Gideon was worried about his stuff being taken; God wanted him “others-focused”.
Gideon was focused on what he couldn’t do. God wanted him to just do what he could. “Bring me what you have.”
* The threshing floor does not depend on man’s strength. Oxen do the threshing and the wind does the winnowing. The wine press is dependent on man’s strength and endurance.
* In our low places, our “hide-outs”, we forget who we are. Gideon was no mighty hero in his eyes, but he was a “sent by God” mighty hero in God’s eyes.
* Many of our problems, our dire circumstances, our dilemmas, are of our own making. We are the common denominator. Hiding just results in judgment. We judge ourselves, others judge us, evil finds us again and again. Even in those circumstances such as abuse, betrayal, etc, hiding and denial just keep us in the victim cycle. When we quit hiding, go to the top of the hill and face the enemy, we confront the character issues within ourselves. We are able to lift them up to God and allow His Holy Spirit to cleanse us. So instead of continually ending up in the same hole (winepress), we are able to move forward and we impact the lives of others.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
06/26/11 - Winners Principle 2 - Jay Mann
Jay Mann teaches on "Winner’s Principle # 2 “Winners are Lovers” Loving Others" in this Sunday morning 11:15 am celebration.
Winner’s Principle # 2 “Winners are Lovers” Loving Others
Jay Mann
Sunday, June 26, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
Winner’s Principle # 2 “Winners are Lovers” Loving Others
Bremen Update:
1) The word says the world will know you are my disciples by the love you show one another.
a. This is a church full of disciples!!!
b. Your time, you talents, your resources have been given freely in love.
c. Your love for others is transforming lives in Bremen
d. Your love for others has allowed Amanda and I to truly live in our purpose and follow our destiny.
2) Others are discovering their purpose and destiny!
a. People like AJ Skidmore
b. People like Tommy Skidmore
c. People like Joe and Jenifer Barfield
d. People like Melissa Wilson
e. TJ and Nicole Freeman
3) Your love for others is amazing!!!
a. Statistics
Recap:
1) Last Month “Winners Must Have Vision”
a. Not just vision, God inspired vision
2) This month “Winners are Lovers”
a. Winners love God
b. Winners love themselves
c. Winners love others
d. Winners love life
Last week we talked about Loving Yourself
1) Before we can love others we have to love ourselves
a. To love ourselves, we have to have the winner inside of us. JESUS!
b. We love others out of the overflow of love in us
c. To have that overflow, we must stay hooked up to the source of life and love!
d. The source that never runs out!
Foundational Verse for this series- 1 Corinthians 13:1-3(NLT)
1) WINNERS ARE LOVERS!!
This week we will be talking about loving others
In verse 2 it says “if I had such faith that I could move mountains”
1) We can work up enough faith to move a mountain
a. Man made faith/works based
b. If it’s not powered by the love of God it means nothing!
2) Here at LGC we are a grace church!
a. You couldn’t do anything to get saved, and you can’t do anything to get any better once you get saved
b. Jesus gave it all to you when you got saved
c. It was done once and for all at the cross over 2000 years ago
d. Jesus doesn’t love you any more if you fast and pray all week than if you don’t
i. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fast and pray, you should.
ii. That’s one of the keys to a winners life
iii. Doesn’t have anything to do with your salvation
e. Your Sin doesn’t have anything to do with entrance to heaven.
i. Jesus didn’t say lets count up your sins and see if you get into heaven.
ii. One way and only one way to heaven, Jesus!
iii. A relationship with Jesus Christ!
3) The word says those who have been forgiven much, they are big forgivers.
a. Who in here hasn’t been forgiven much?
i. Doesn’t matter what you’ve done
ii. If the worst thing you ever did was shoot a spitball at your teacher, you’ve been forgiven
iii. Greater than that you have been forgiven for not having a relationship with the maker of the universe.
iv. We should all be great lovers of others, because we are so loved!!!
We were created to do 3 things:
1) Express his personality
2) Exhibit his power
3) Extend his kingdom
We were created to express his personality
1) So it is so important that we understand the nature of God
a. If you think God’s out to get you, you’ll be out to get other people
b. If you think God keeps score, you’ll keep score
c. If you think God’s love is conditional, your love will be conditional
d. If you think there are some things you just can’t get over, well aren’t you glad there wasn’t anything that God couldn’t get over.
e. We are quick to say “well God hates homosexuality”
i. Also says he hates divorce and lying and backstabbing and greed
ii. If we are going to start picking out what he hates, let’s get in line we’re all in that line
iii. What we’ve done is picked out one nation, one people group and say let’s set them apart and pick on them.
iv. What we have done is drove them away from the very place they need to be, the body of Christ
v. He loves me and I’ve lied, he loves me and I have sin in my life
vi. He doesn’t measure one against the other, sin is sin is sin
f. He doesn’t hate any of these people
i. He hates what these things do to our lives
We were created to exhibit his power
1) When things happen we are supposed to have the answer
a. May not have the answer, but do have the solution
b. The solution to every problem is Jesus
c. You can pray with them
d. You have something to give you can exhibit the power of God through prayer
e. Don’t give them the answer before they ask the question
We were created to extend his kingdom
1) We do that by, expressing his personality and exhibiting his power
a. Read Galatians 5:13 (NLT)
b. Romans 5:5 says we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the holy spirit to fill our hearts with love
i. The ability of God to love has been put in us
ii. The ability to love people know matter what they look like
iii. The ability to love people no matter what they have done
iv. The ability to love the unlovable has been put in us
v. We have to recognize it and not put up with anything but the love of God flowing out of us
vi. If you recognize hey this is not the love of God flowing out of me take authority over it
c. We have been made masters over life
i. Not masters over life and death
ii. Not death givers, life givers
iii. The first Adam was a death giver, a taker
iv. The second Adam (Jesus) was a life giver
v. My wife, my kids, my friends, my neighbors, my associates are supposed to be lifed by me
vi. I am the master of life
vii. People get frustrated because they try to be masters in areas they haven’t been given authority
viii. When you are feeling frustrated, look at what you are trying to be masters over
Story from 2 Kings 7
1) Armeans have put the city of Samaria under siege and are outside the city gates letting them starve
2) Food inside the gates is getting scarce and what’s left is selling for super high prices
3) Elisha prophesies to the king that the next day flour will sell for next to nothing and be plentiful
4) 4 lepers are huddled up in the foyer to the gates to the city, not in the city and not out
a. They decide that the next morning they will just surrender to the army outside the city. There is no food in the city so they will die and the army may take them captive and they might eat. Worst thing that could happen is they will be killed.
5) They go to the camp the next morning and the army is gone, but all of their tents and food and drink are there. They ate and ate, then decide it wasn’t right not to let the city know. So they go to tell the gate keeper. Outside the wall is everything you need.
6) The king sends some scouts to check it out and it was found to be true. That day flour sold for next to nothing just as Elisha had prophesied.
Life lessons from this text
1) The walls that we build to protect ourselves are keeping us from blessing.
a. Maybe the way we’ve been treated, the way we’ve been raised or trained,
b. Walls that have separated us from certain people groups
c. A wall doesn’t just protect you, it keeps things out too
d. You have to come outside of you walls to get your blessing
e. You have to go out and love people, people are his glory, his glory is in people outside of your wall too
2) The most difficult people in your life often have exactly what you need.
a. The thing you need to learn, the thing you need to grow in, the love you need
b. If you shut them off and say I don’t like dealing with difficult people, you’re going to miss out on something God’s got for you. There is a treasure in everyone.
3) Diversity brings completeness
a. We are afraid of diversity a lot of times
b. God wants us to celebrate diversity
c. One of my greatest spiritual mentors is a black man
d. Some think that God divided the races for a reason, when in fact the truth is God divided by language, not skin color
e. Martin Luther King said the most divided hour of the week is worship on Sunday morning
f. What do you think heaven’s going to look like?
We have got to tear our walls down, reach out and embrace people the creator of love is inside of us.
Winner’s Principle # 2 “Winners are Lovers” Loving Others
Jay Mann
Sunday, June 26, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
Winner’s Principle # 2 “Winners are Lovers” Loving Others
Bremen Update:
1) The word says the world will know you are my disciples by the love you show one another.
a. This is a church full of disciples!!!
b. Your time, you talents, your resources have been given freely in love.
c. Your love for others is transforming lives in Bremen
d. Your love for others has allowed Amanda and I to truly live in our purpose and follow our destiny.
2) Others are discovering their purpose and destiny!
a. People like AJ Skidmore
b. People like Tommy Skidmore
c. People like Joe and Jenifer Barfield
d. People like Melissa Wilson
e. TJ and Nicole Freeman
3) Your love for others is amazing!!!
a. Statistics
Recap:
1) Last Month “Winners Must Have Vision”
a. Not just vision, God inspired vision
2) This month “Winners are Lovers”
a. Winners love God
b. Winners love themselves
c. Winners love others
d. Winners love life
Last week we talked about Loving Yourself
1) Before we can love others we have to love ourselves
a. To love ourselves, we have to have the winner inside of us. JESUS!
b. We love others out of the overflow of love in us
c. To have that overflow, we must stay hooked up to the source of life and love!
d. The source that never runs out!
Foundational Verse for this series- 1 Corinthians 13:1-3(NLT)
1) WINNERS ARE LOVERS!!
This week we will be talking about loving others
In verse 2 it says “if I had such faith that I could move mountains”
1) We can work up enough faith to move a mountain
a. Man made faith/works based
b. If it’s not powered by the love of God it means nothing!
2) Here at LGC we are a grace church!
a. You couldn’t do anything to get saved, and you can’t do anything to get any better once you get saved
b. Jesus gave it all to you when you got saved
c. It was done once and for all at the cross over 2000 years ago
d. Jesus doesn’t love you any more if you fast and pray all week than if you don’t
i. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fast and pray, you should.
ii. That’s one of the keys to a winners life
iii. Doesn’t have anything to do with your salvation
e. Your Sin doesn’t have anything to do with entrance to heaven.
i. Jesus didn’t say lets count up your sins and see if you get into heaven.
ii. One way and only one way to heaven, Jesus!
iii. A relationship with Jesus Christ!
3) The word says those who have been forgiven much, they are big forgivers.
a. Who in here hasn’t been forgiven much?
i. Doesn’t matter what you’ve done
ii. If the worst thing you ever did was shoot a spitball at your teacher, you’ve been forgiven
iii. Greater than that you have been forgiven for not having a relationship with the maker of the universe.
iv. We should all be great lovers of others, because we are so loved!!!
We were created to do 3 things:
1) Express his personality
2) Exhibit his power
3) Extend his kingdom
We were created to express his personality
1) So it is so important that we understand the nature of God
a. If you think God’s out to get you, you’ll be out to get other people
b. If you think God keeps score, you’ll keep score
c. If you think God’s love is conditional, your love will be conditional
d. If you think there are some things you just can’t get over, well aren’t you glad there wasn’t anything that God couldn’t get over.
e. We are quick to say “well God hates homosexuality”
i. Also says he hates divorce and lying and backstabbing and greed
ii. If we are going to start picking out what he hates, let’s get in line we’re all in that line
iii. What we’ve done is picked out one nation, one people group and say let’s set them apart and pick on them.
iv. What we have done is drove them away from the very place they need to be, the body of Christ
v. He loves me and I’ve lied, he loves me and I have sin in my life
vi. He doesn’t measure one against the other, sin is sin is sin
f. He doesn’t hate any of these people
i. He hates what these things do to our lives
We were created to exhibit his power
1) When things happen we are supposed to have the answer
a. May not have the answer, but do have the solution
b. The solution to every problem is Jesus
c. You can pray with them
d. You have something to give you can exhibit the power of God through prayer
e. Don’t give them the answer before they ask the question
We were created to extend his kingdom
1) We do that by, expressing his personality and exhibiting his power
a. Read Galatians 5:13 (NLT)
b. Romans 5:5 says we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the holy spirit to fill our hearts with love
i. The ability of God to love has been put in us
ii. The ability to love people know matter what they look like
iii. The ability to love people no matter what they have done
iv. The ability to love the unlovable has been put in us
v. We have to recognize it and not put up with anything but the love of God flowing out of us
vi. If you recognize hey this is not the love of God flowing out of me take authority over it
c. We have been made masters over life
i. Not masters over life and death
ii. Not death givers, life givers
iii. The first Adam was a death giver, a taker
iv. The second Adam (Jesus) was a life giver
v. My wife, my kids, my friends, my neighbors, my associates are supposed to be lifed by me
vi. I am the master of life
vii. People get frustrated because they try to be masters in areas they haven’t been given authority
viii. When you are feeling frustrated, look at what you are trying to be masters over
Story from 2 Kings 7
1) Armeans have put the city of Samaria under siege and are outside the city gates letting them starve
2) Food inside the gates is getting scarce and what’s left is selling for super high prices
3) Elisha prophesies to the king that the next day flour will sell for next to nothing and be plentiful
4) 4 lepers are huddled up in the foyer to the gates to the city, not in the city and not out
a. They decide that the next morning they will just surrender to the army outside the city. There is no food in the city so they will die and the army may take them captive and they might eat. Worst thing that could happen is they will be killed.
5) They go to the camp the next morning and the army is gone, but all of their tents and food and drink are there. They ate and ate, then decide it wasn’t right not to let the city know. So they go to tell the gate keeper. Outside the wall is everything you need.
6) The king sends some scouts to check it out and it was found to be true. That day flour sold for next to nothing just as Elisha had prophesied.
Life lessons from this text
1) The walls that we build to protect ourselves are keeping us from blessing.
a. Maybe the way we’ve been treated, the way we’ve been raised or trained,
b. Walls that have separated us from certain people groups
c. A wall doesn’t just protect you, it keeps things out too
d. You have to come outside of you walls to get your blessing
e. You have to go out and love people, people are his glory, his glory is in people outside of your wall too
2) The most difficult people in your life often have exactly what you need.
a. The thing you need to learn, the thing you need to grow in, the love you need
b. If you shut them off and say I don’t like dealing with difficult people, you’re going to miss out on something God’s got for you. There is a treasure in everyone.
3) Diversity brings completeness
a. We are afraid of diversity a lot of times
b. God wants us to celebrate diversity
c. One of my greatest spiritual mentors is a black man
d. Some think that God divided the races for a reason, when in fact the truth is God divided by language, not skin color
e. Martin Luther King said the most divided hour of the week is worship on Sunday morning
f. What do you think heaven’s going to look like?
We have got to tear our walls down, reach out and embrace people the creator of love is inside of us.
06/26/11 - A Church Full of Crazy Folks - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches on "A Church Full of Crazy Folks" in this Sunday morning celebration.
A Church Full of Crazy Folks
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, June 26, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
Big Idea: The local church, God’s plan for the world per Ephesians 3:10, is supposed to change the city in which it is located. It must gain influence and to do so, it must be healthy, life-giving, strategic and outsider-focused.
Jeremiah 29:7 “And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”
Jeremiah 29:7 (NCV) “Also do good things for the city where I sent you as captives. Pray to the Lord for the city where you are living, because if good things happen in the city, good things will happen to you also."
Mark 2:1-12 1 When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. 2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, 3 four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”
6 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, 7 “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” 8 Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 9 Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 11 “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” 12 And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”
* Church is built by Jesus to be significant. Matthew 16:18
* Church is not a hobby, not a “part” of our life, not something we do. Ephesians 1:20 (Message) “The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church.”
* We don’t go to church, we are the church—His body in action, His bride. (Ephesians 1:23; 5:31-32)
* We, the local church, as the Body of Christ, are to reproduce His ministry—so the things we “see Him do” in the Gospels are models of what we do in our cities (John 14:12)
What can we learn about “being the church—the body of Christ who does what He does” from this story in Mark 2?
* Vs. 1: Make sure Jesus feels at home
* Vs. 2: When Jesus is in the house (church—1 Timothy 3:15) there will be growth
* Vs. 3: Our homes, church, and city have those who are paralyzed: physically, mentally, socially, spiritually
* Vs. 4: The crowd, those in the house, are “insider-focused”. They do not see the paralytic trying to get in or, if they do, they don’t make room for him. 4 “Crazy Friends” are outsider-focused and they will not be stopped by any obstacle.
* Vs. 5: Their faith (the friends’) touches Heaven and changes Earth. Our homes, our neighborhoods, our circle of influence, our churches, our cities are full of people who don’t have faith to push past the obstacles—we must exercise ours in spite of the crowd!
* Vs. 5: The paralytic didn’t want to hear “Your sins are forgiven.” He wanted to hear “rise up and walk”. Jesus knows what we need, we know what we want. Our mission is not to provide all the answers, or take the pressure to have the answers. We don’t even know what they need, what we need. We see the wants, the symptoms. He knows the need that will heal the disease instead of treating the symptom. Our mission is to get them to His presence where those needs are met.
* Vs. 6-8: interlude to address the “That’s not the way we do it” group. “We’ve never seen it done like this before”, “That’ll never work”. “Wait and see” before I jump in. Note the paralytic waits for the touch of God during this. The mission of the church is put on hold while we debate. (I think Jesus gives him a wink to reassure him everything is going to work out fine) Gather around mission, not doctrine or theology.
* Vs. 9-12: Everybody wins except the critics. When “…good things happen in the city, good things will happen to you also”.
So What?
1. Love the church, be the church. Let Jesus bring wholeness to our “church dysfunctions”.
2. Stay “outsider-focused”—see the Harvest
3. Tear off “the roof”—what separates the lost, the hurting and the next generation from the presence of Jesus? Be a crazy friend who challenges every obstacle that stands between people and Jesus.
4. Make Jesus “at home”—create environments that honor and please Him. Be a church full of people who don’t judge, who love recklessly, and who worship with heart, soul, mind and strength.
One more story: Jesus (our model for what the church does) on the cross and the criminal next to Him is promised a place with Him for eternity. Grace is the trademark of the church.
A Church Full of Crazy Folks
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, June 26, 2011
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
Big Idea: The local church, God’s plan for the world per Ephesians 3:10, is supposed to change the city in which it is located. It must gain influence and to do so, it must be healthy, life-giving, strategic and outsider-focused.
Jeremiah 29:7 “And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”
Jeremiah 29:7 (NCV) “Also do good things for the city where I sent you as captives. Pray to the Lord for the city where you are living, because if good things happen in the city, good things will happen to you also."
Mark 2:1-12 1 When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. 2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, 3 four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”
6 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, 7 “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” 8 Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 9 Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 11 “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” 12 And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”
* Church is built by Jesus to be significant. Matthew 16:18
* Church is not a hobby, not a “part” of our life, not something we do. Ephesians 1:20 (Message) “The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church.”
* We don’t go to church, we are the church—His body in action, His bride. (Ephesians 1:23; 5:31-32)
* We, the local church, as the Body of Christ, are to reproduce His ministry—so the things we “see Him do” in the Gospels are models of what we do in our cities (John 14:12)
What can we learn about “being the church—the body of Christ who does what He does” from this story in Mark 2?
* Vs. 1: Make sure Jesus feels at home
* Vs. 2: When Jesus is in the house (church—1 Timothy 3:15) there will be growth
* Vs. 3: Our homes, church, and city have those who are paralyzed: physically, mentally, socially, spiritually
* Vs. 4: The crowd, those in the house, are “insider-focused”. They do not see the paralytic trying to get in or, if they do, they don’t make room for him. 4 “Crazy Friends” are outsider-focused and they will not be stopped by any obstacle.
* Vs. 5: Their faith (the friends’) touches Heaven and changes Earth. Our homes, our neighborhoods, our circle of influence, our churches, our cities are full of people who don’t have faith to push past the obstacles—we must exercise ours in spite of the crowd!
* Vs. 5: The paralytic didn’t want to hear “Your sins are forgiven.” He wanted to hear “rise up and walk”. Jesus knows what we need, we know what we want. Our mission is not to provide all the answers, or take the pressure to have the answers. We don’t even know what they need, what we need. We see the wants, the symptoms. He knows the need that will heal the disease instead of treating the symptom. Our mission is to get them to His presence where those needs are met.
* Vs. 6-8: interlude to address the “That’s not the way we do it” group. “We’ve never seen it done like this before”, “That’ll never work”. “Wait and see” before I jump in. Note the paralytic waits for the touch of God during this. The mission of the church is put on hold while we debate. (I think Jesus gives him a wink to reassure him everything is going to work out fine) Gather around mission, not doctrine or theology.
* Vs. 9-12: Everybody wins except the critics. When “…good things happen in the city, good things will happen to you also”.
So What?
1. Love the church, be the church. Let Jesus bring wholeness to our “church dysfunctions”.
2. Stay “outsider-focused”—see the Harvest
3. Tear off “the roof”—what separates the lost, the hurting and the next generation from the presence of Jesus? Be a crazy friend who challenges every obstacle that stands between people and Jesus.
4. Make Jesus “at home”—create environments that honor and please Him. Be a church full of people who don’t judge, who love recklessly, and who worship with heart, soul, mind and strength.
One more story: Jesus (our model for what the church does) on the cross and the criminal next to Him is promised a place with Him for eternity. Grace is the trademark of the church.
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