2022.01.30 - Vision

2022.01.30 - Vision 

Saturday, January 29, 2022

7:43 PM

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision , the people perish KJV

 

1.     Vision . . .

a.     OT:2377 chazown (khaw-zone'); from OT:2372; a sight (mentally), i.e. a dream, revelation, or oracle: KJV - vision. 

                              i.         OT:2372 chazah (khaw-zaw'); a primitive root; to gaze at; mentally, to perceive, contemplate (with pleasure); specifically, to have a vision of: -behold, look, prophesy, provide, see.

2.     Perish . . .

a.     OT:6544 para` (paw-rah'); a primitive root; to loosen; by implication, to expose, dismiss; figuratively, absolve, begin: KJV - avenge, avoid, bare, go back, let, (make) naked, set at nought, perish, refuse, uncover.  

                              i.         The children of Israel did not have a "vision" of what it was going to be like in the Promised Land and so each time things  became hard they wanted to go back to Egypt - to what they had known.  They heard about it but could not SEE it.

3.     Enlarge - Your Vision

a.     Isaiah 54:1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. 2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; KJV

                              i.         By faith you move forward into what is not seen - known, but what you are called into

4.     Set In Order

a.     1 Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order. KJV

                              i.          in order means a fixed succession 

1.     There are things that must be done before other things will happen

5.     Ministries

a.     Easter - Creed

b.     2-3 Waves per year

                              i.         Followed by discipleship series

                             ii.         Followed by water baptisms, baby dedications, etc

                             a.         Department Directors

                             a.         Be on time

                             b.         Lead  your team - lead in huddles

                             c.         Be mindful when calling, texting

                             d.         If you don’t know ASK

                             e.         Follow the set rules of the house

1.     Kids

a.     Who does what

b.     Who to ask

 

2022.01.26 - God Is The Only Thing That Makes Sense

2022.01.26 - God Is The Only Thing That Makes Sense

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

12:53 PM

 

Isaiah 44:1-23

Isaiah 44

 

44:1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:

2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.

3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

5 One shall say, I am the LORD's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.

12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.

13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.

15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.

16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:

17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.

18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?

20 He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. KJV

 

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

 

2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

 

3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

 

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

 

5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

 

6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

 

7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

 

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

 

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

 

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

 

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

 

 

KJV

 

2022.01.23 - Honour

2022.01.23 - Honour 

Saturday, January 22, 2022

3:43 PM

 

1.     Honour 

                I.         Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. KJV

2.     Don’t Go Alone

                I.         Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. KJV

              II.         Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. KJV

3.     Bible Examples

                I.         Moses  - Aaron & Hur

              II.         David  - Jonathan

            III.         Esther - Mordecai

            IV.         Namaan  - Little Servant Girl 

2022.01.19 - Leaving On A Jet Plane

Godly Resignation

• How many people do you know that remain in one ministry for a

  lifetime?

• Chances are at some point you will resign and move to another

  ministry or another Church.

• When, less likely if, this happens, do so with honor.

• Glorify God in your departure as you did with your arrival and

  ministry.

• When you leave is not the time to unload all you have been

Reasons To Leave

holding back and blast those who you can
• Ifyouaimintoacrowdwithashotgun–youwillhit

more than a couple of people
• Don’t say from the pulpit or public platform what

needs to be said in a private meeting of two or three people

• When instructions come from the Lord to do so
• Often The Lord is moving a person and as their burden shifts, conflict

may develop. Those around a person need to be aware of God is transitioning them, to pray for them and assist in making that transition as smooth and peaceful as it can be.

• Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. KJV

• When a burden shifts

• Do not allow that to foster hard feelings.

• If God is moving you, that is the only excuse you need. Don’t grow

  hard towards your current position and decide to “come against”

  those there and allow that as an excuse to leave.

• You may have less grace for people and circumstances than you have

  had in the past

  

• When there is a major doctrinal deviation in the ministry

• If at some point your views/beliefs/vision change from that of the ministry you have been a part of and you are not able to reconcile those changes, it

  may be time to leave

• When there is significant and chronic moral deviation

• Make sure you hear from God on leaving under these circumstances

• Make sure you hear from God on leaving under ANY circumstances!

• Acts 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea. KJV

Leave With Honor

• The way you leave can leave a more lasting impression that what you have done!

• Ministers may spend years building a ministry only to tear it to the ground in one final sermon because of a few people they are angry with.

  • Chance are, if you are leaving because of moral issues or are no longer on board with the vision of the leadership, not everyone in the Church will need to know that. Don’t stir up questions about your leaving. Leave well.

  • Leave well and be honored or don’t leave well and that may follow you into your next position.

    How To Leave

• Give ample notice

• Start with your immediate leader which will likely be the pastor.

• Work out with your leader an exit strategy and a time line of when

  others will be made aware of your plans of change

• Resignation should be in a written, signed document

• NOT via a text, email or phone call
• Resignation should be given to the person who hired you unless

otherwise directed
• Not the board

     

• Not the congregation

• Not your peers

• Resignation should never be a surprise move

  • Even in instances of breakdown of morality, there will still be those who could be hurt by your departure. Be a minister of peace and goodwill, not a sower of strife and discord

  • The person who hired you should be the first, not the second or last to know of your resignation

• Resign alone

  • Resignation is not the time to begin a proselyting ministry

  • Just because God has called you to leave does not mean He has

    called others to leave

  • Ministries built in this way are “houses built on the sand” and WHEN,

    not IF the storm comes, very few will stand.

 

• Avoid

• Do not try to win the hearts of those around you before you leave,

  people will not understand what is happening, or why.

• Ezekiel 34:18 Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet? KJV

• Many want to make a scene, and to be heard and vindicated as they leave or after they have done so. This is a wrong action.

• Some ministers simply disappear after they leave because they bring upon themselves a curse from the manner in which they leave.

• Genesis 31:20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead. 22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled. KJV

• Just the grace of God saved Jacob from wrath about his awful departure. Just because Laban was not honest, gave Jacob no reason to follow suit, we are not to render evil for evil

• Genesis 31:29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto

confusion

me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. KJV

• Be grateful
• Proverbs 17:13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart

from his house. KJV
• There was a reason you joined this ministry in the first place,

be thankful for what you have learned in that time to now

The Right Way

• Exodus 4:18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. KJV

• After leaving the right way, when a later encounter happened between Jethro and Moses, there was help from Jethro. His leaving the right way was followed, years later, by blessings

• Exodus 18:7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. KJ

• Not only did Jethro offer advice – but Moses took his advice – there was still mutual loyalty and respect between two great men/leaders

• Exodus 18:18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. 19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to Godward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: KJV

2022.01.16 - Realistic Relationships

2022.01.16 - Realistic Relationships

Saturday, January 15, 2022

7:59 PM

 

1.     Healthy VS Unrealistic

a.     Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. KJV

                            i.         Sharpeneth - OT:2300 chadad (khaw-dad'); a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) sharp or (figuratively) severe: KJV - be fierce, sharpen. 

1.     Literally grinding the rough parts away

a.     Not always fun

b.     Sometimes downright painful 

b.     What does healthy look like?

                            i.         John 6:60-68 

1.     Hard sayings

2.     Some left some stayed

                          ii.         David & Jonathan

1.     1 Samuel 18:1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. KJV

a.     I thought you were mad as opposed to just picking up where you left off 3 months ago

c.     Friends VS Fathers & Feeders

                            i.         Naaman was not friends with the little girl who told him how to get healed

1.     There are those will pour into you but may not do life with you 

2.     Ground Rules & Boundaries 

a.     Does our relationship glorify God

                            i.         Do we build others up or with our words tear them down when we are together?

                          ii.         What has our relationship done to build His Kingdom?

                         iii.         Are we a private club that no one else can get into?

                         iv.         Look back on the times you have failed and the times you have grown, who was there for each time? Did they cause the failure or attribute to it or where they pushing you towards victory?

 

 

 

 

2022.01.12 - People You Can't Help (from article by Joseph Mattera)

People Who Do Not Take Responsibility For Themselves

1 Corinthians 11:28 But let a man examine himself KJV

·      Excuses ·      Blame others ·      complain about others/spouses/leaders/past ·      Martyr syndrome

 

 

People Who Do Not Have A Heart To Seek God

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. KJV Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;  KJV

·      Jesus said, follow Me not get on my back and let me carry you ·      If The Word is not put in and relationship is not built even when freed a person likely will fall back into the old life

 

 

People Who Operate At A Distance And Avoid Accountability

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. KJV

·      Building walls protects you from being protected ·      Walls are not the same as boundaries  ·      Church hoppers ·      You will never outgrow accountability  ·      Hardly ever does a person “get there” by themselves, we need each other

 

 

People Who Are Always Negative

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. KJV

·      Who do you give praise to? ·      Does our testimony say how good God is or how bad the devil is? ·      What a person thinks in his heart he actually is

 

 

 

People Who Refuse To Have A Vision For Their Own Future

Proverbs 29:18Where there is no vision, the people perish: KJV

·      If you don’t know where you are going how can I help you get there? ·      Completely ok with surviving and fail to reach for abundant life

 

 

People  Who Live In Self Deception

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth , and the truth shall make  you free. KJV

·      My marriage is fine ·      I don’t have a problem ·      I am being picked on  ·      We are “just friends” ·      Denial = deception = death  ·      Cut and dry lines become blurred ·      Pornography, affairs, white lies, justifying wrong feelings or emotions = distorted reality

 

 

People Who Fail To Pay The Price For Success

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. KJV

·      Many want the perks of success but not the price to get it  ·      Close relationships with God will cost you something

 

 

People With A Self Oriented Agenda VS Kingdom Minded

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.    Isaiah 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:  14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. KJV

·      What is the agenda, my kingdom or His? ·

 

 

People Who Will Not Keep Covenant

Psalms 15:3 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. KJV

·      A tiny bit of unfaithful = altogether unfaithful

 

 

People Who Lack Transparency, Integrity and Humility

Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. KJV

·      Those who will not admit faults will not have the relationship it takes to grow ·      Secret battles are usually lost battles ·      If you don’t trust them to confess to you won’t trust their advice . . .