Helping the Hurting

Luke 4:35 Jesus cut him short. "Be silent!" he told the demon. "Come out of the man!" The demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it left him without hurting him further. 

o    We want to leave people better than they came to us.

1.        Be Friendly: It seems obvious, but many people get so focused on the task in front of them that they miss the people and possible relationships passing them by. Grab each opportunity to build new relationships by doing the small things that make it happen. Say hello introduce yourself or simply smile. Make the first effort by showing yourself friendly.

o    Proverbs 18: 24 “There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.”

2.                 Focus on others: People want to talk about things that matter to them. If you spend 4 hours talking about what’s going on in their world then listen. Make the effort to find out what you can do to help if it’s listen then listen if it’s financially then do what you can God will bless you, if it’s encouragement which is 80% of what they need

o    Psalms 35:27 “But give great joy to those who have stood with me in my defense. Let them continually say, "Great is the LORD, who enjoys helping his servant."

3.                 Proverbs 31:20 “She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.” 

a.                  Do kind things without looking for credit: The simple principle of sowing and reaping workings in friendship too. If you begin to go out of your way to sow into the lives of people, you will begin to reap the kind of friends that you want.

o    Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.”

o    Matthew 12:30 “Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.” 

4.                 Prayer

o    Proverbs 15:22 “Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many counselors bring success. 23 Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!” 

Growth Barriers

1. When it comes to moving a church forward, being proactive is the name of the game. You have to make a decision right now not to let your church or ministry get stuck at any point. 
a. We must learn to adjust when needed so we can move through growth barriers.

2. We must ask ourselves the right questions to stay on course.
a. In his book, “The Purpose Driven Church”, Rick Warren explains the right and wrong questions to ask in dealing with growth.
i. The wrong question:  How do I get my church or ministry to grow?  Starting with this question can lead to wrong, even dangerous, conclusions.  Here is a tip that will take a lot of pressure off of you.  

1. You are not supposed to grow your ministry.  You make bad decisions when you think that the growth is completely dependent on what you do or don’t do. Such a mind-set often leads to trying to grow a church at any cost.  If you find yourself slipping into that kind of thinking, re-examine your priorities. Remember why you became a minister.

ii. The Right Question:  What is keeping the church or ministry from growing?  

1. Healthy organisms grow, and that includes our church.

2. If there is stagnation setting in, our job is to identify the barriers and remove them.

3. The question is supported by making two important decisions.
a. First, God wants to grow our church.  

Matthew 16:18 we must know without a doubt that it is God’s will for us to continue to grow, thereby expanding his kingdom.

i. 2 Peter 3:9 God is being patient for mans sake.  He doesn’t want any to perish.
ii. God is on our side.
iii. As we grow criticism will come. “Jealously."

b. Second decision is that we want to see our church and ministries grow.
i. If thinking about the next phase drains you, be encouraged!  God will not give us vision without supplying what we need to fulfill it. 
ii. We are not to give out before his job is completed.

c. As a leader I am saying, “Whatever it takes!” Whatever it takes within God’s will.
i. That’s why He called us!
ii. Knowing in our hearts that both God and us want the church to grow, nothing can stop us.

4. Some barriers we must contend with.
a. Space:  (share space)
i. We just can’t keep packing them in. 
b. Self-development.
i. A ministry or church cannot outgrow its leader.
ii. In the book "21 irrefutable laws of leadership", John Maxwell defines the Law of the Lid.
iii. When the lead pastor isn’t growing.

1. The church stops growing, when ministry gets stale, and/or the staff and volunteers stop growing.  The passion for ministry wanes.
iv. Have a plan for praying, studying the word, reading good books, attending conferences, and having great friends to call upon.
v. Become the best possible leader you can be.

Live out Loud

"Live out loud"

Jesus is the reason to live out loud

I believe as you do that this church has been designed, blueprinted, and destined to:

*To create an atmosphere to convince the unconvinced.

*Offer healing to hurting and broken people. 

*Lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ. 

1. Love is the mark.

2. Your life bringing glory and honor to God is the sacrifice.

3. Leading people to Jesus is the purpose.

4. Today: Jesus is the reason to live out loud

Romans 1:1-5 (NLT)

"This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. [2] God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. [3] The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David's family line, [4] and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. [5] Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name."

•    Jesus is the reason to live out loud.

•             His life.

•             His mission.

•             His heart.

•             His sacrifice.

•             His death.

•             His resurrection.

Mark 10:45-52 (NLT)

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." [46] Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. [47] When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" [48] "Be quiet!" many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" [49] When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, "Tell him to come here." So they called the blind man. "Cheer up," they said. "Come on, he's calling you!" [50] Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. [51] "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked. "My rabbi," the blind man said, "I want to see!" [52] And Jesus said to him, "Go, for your faith has healed you." Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road."

•    What do you want me to do for you?

•             Really Jesus?

•    I want to see.

•    I believe just like Jesus we need to be able to offer assistance and life alteration.

•             Christ is the hope of the world.

•             The bible says he followed Christ down the road, I believe so that he could share his story, his hope, his confidence, his testimony to any and every one he would ever come in contact with.

•    This became his vision, his new mission, his new addiction, his new life.

Luke 1:26-38 (NLT) "In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, [27] to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. [28] Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!" [29] Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. [30] "Don't be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favor with God! [31] You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. [32] He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. [33] And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!" [34] Mary asked the angel, "But how can this happen? I am a virgin." [35] The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. [36] What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she's now in her sixth month. [37] For nothing is impossible with God." [38] Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." And then the angel left her."

•    Jesus Christ born of a virgin in a town called Bethlehem.

•             Luke 1 God interrupted a genealogy to birth His son to save the world.

•    Think about this indescribable, impossible, black ops, behind enemy lines, covert operation.

•             A never ending Kingdom.

•    Impossible task.

•    Through the genealogy of Joseph, Christ was born.

•             When Jesus was born hope was born, life was born, healing was born, eternal life was born, prophecies were fulfilled through so many historians both secular and Christian.

Luke 2:11 (NLT) "The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord-has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!"

•             He was just a child but still called a Savior.

Savior: one that saves from danger or destruction/one who brings salvation;deliverer, redeemer, rescuer, defender, protector.

•    A Savior-not One who shall be a Savior, not one who could be, not one that has the potential to be but "born a Savior."

Isaiah 9:6 (NLT) "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

•    He was called all these things and declared all things before He had ever even done anything.

•    There has never been another man so compassionate, so concerned, so purposed, so willing to lay down His life for all of humanity.

•             No other man served like this, gave like this, prayed like this, healed like this, encouraged like this, calmed storms like this, raised the dead like this, preached like this, or lived like this.

•    This live out loud individual was, is and always will be one of a kind.

Genesis 7:13 “That very day Noah had gone into the boat with his wife and his sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—and their wives.14 With them in the boat were pairs of every kind of animal—domestic and wild, large and small—along with birds of every kind.15 Two by two they came into the boat, representing every living thing that breathes.16 A male and female of each kind entered, just as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD closed the door behind them.

•    God chooses who goes, who stays, who’s worthy of grace and mercy.

•    Our job is to be the difference.

•             The church’s business summed up in one word is…people.

•    The church’s mission summed up in one word is…people.

•    Jesus Christ’s sole mission summed up in:“died for people.”

•             Jesus died for people not programs, facilities, ideas, or business deals, but people.

•    Jesus did not die for religion, or a philosophical system of ethical behavior, or rules and regulations, or the next big event, or this church or that church, or rituals and good works.

•    Jesus didn’t lay His life down for your personal preference of music, carpet color, chairs or pews, preaching, teaching or worship, He died for people.

•    People are what mattered to Him, people are what He surrendered to, and people are what He laid down His life for.

•             He lived out loud. Jesus is the reason we live out loud.

John 3:16, 17"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”

•             God loves people, Jesus loves people, the Spirit of God empowers people, not programs, ideas, curriculums, events, or handouts but people.

•    Good people, bad people, people who lie, people who cheat, people who steal, people who mistreat other people and some who have even killed people.

•             Jesus lived out loud.

1 John 3:11 “This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 14 If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 18 Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”

•             Live it out loud.

•    People who are nice, people who are mean, people you can't stand and people who can't stand you.

•             People who didn't deserve it, people who couldn’t purchase it, people who couldn't earn it, and people who won't accept it He.. died…for…them…all.

•             God did not tell Noah to pick and choose through the animals.

•    He didn’t say I want you to kill the mosquitoes cause they are annoying and they suck no pun intended.

•    Leave off the skunks’ cause they stink.

•    Don’t load the raccoons or badgers because they fight.

•    Refuse the big cat family, panthers lions, tigers, bears oh my, cause they eat everybody up with their mouths.

•    Keep the peacock’s from boarding cause they walk around with their beautiful tail stuck up in the air saying I’m better than you, more beautiful than you, and everybody wants to be me.

•    The anteater’s with their long snouts sticking their nose into everything or their sticky tongue.

•    Those big eared elephants wanting to hear all that gossip everyone’s passing around.  

•    The bug eyed tree frog’s are too nosey, got those shifty eyes staring at everybody making them nervous.

•             God said to load them all.

•    We have to live our lives in a “Load All” mentality.

•             Jesus is the reason to load all.

Ezekiel 34:21 “For you fat sheep pushed and butted and crowded my sick and hungry flock until you scattered them to distant lands.”

•    If you always come to church and hear the Word of God and you feed your Spirit but you never release that word into the life of another than you will become spiritually fat, spiritually obese, and good for nothing in the Kingdom of God.

•    Jesus lived out loud.

•             I am sick of the church talking about evangelizing the world yet not doing it.

•             Church is not always about you it's about the people who have not got here yet.

•    Who are you sharing the Gospel with?

•    Who are you discipling?

•    Who are you rescuing from hell and destruction?

•    Who are the people God has chosen, commanded, and blueprinted you to minister to?

•    The world can not read our minds nor our spirits, they will see our lives, they will hear our words if we have validity and respect in their eyes.

•             When we love people as Christ loved them and gave Him self for them then we will live out Loud Christ's mission.

•    Thanking God is an action.

•             You have to speak it, act it out, declare it, and live in it with a sincerity about you.

•             A healthy Christian community attracts people to Christ.

•    Like a moth to a flame.

•    Like kids to candy.

•    Like a magnet to metal.

•             A healthy, loving church will grow in numbers.

•    What are you doing to make your church, every ministry in/out of the church the kind of place that will attract others to Christ?

•             We each have to ask the question in and of ourselves what am I doing or not doing to grow myself, grow others, and grow the global church by proclaiming Jesus as the reason?

•             We can each make excuses, we can each choose to be connected or disconnected, we can each choose what our attitude will reflect but ultimately it's the world that suffers.

•    It's our family that suffers, it's our peers that suffer, heaven suffers, and it will eventually make us suffer.

•             God continues to remind me that He is able.

•    He continues to remind me that He is able to do the impossible.

•             God spread the good news of Jesus Christ's sacrifice to a world without smart phones, Internet, Facebook, twitter, or email.

•             God did it without speakers, flyers, concerts, conference, guest cards, electricity, planes, trains or automobiles.

•             He used His Spirit.

•    Maybe we should rethink our strategy, plans, programming, and structure.

•             God refuses to close heavens mercy, refuses to close heavens grace so that all may come to know Him.

•    God "so loved the world, John 3:16" not God so hated us, not God is so displeased with us, not God can't wait to catch you doing something wrong but God "so loved" us that His Son chose to trade His perfect existence for our imperfect one.

•             Christ's attitude was of overwhelming, confusing difference to culture, society, religion and law than that of any other king since the beginning of time. Exuding character, compassion, forgiveness, humility, servitude and vision.

Acts 4:32-33 (NLT) "All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. [33] The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great blessing was upon them all."

•             God's great blessing was upon them all.

•    God's great favor and protection was upon them all.

Philippians 2:4 (NLT)

"Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too."

•             This was the life of Jesus.

•    Love is the Mark

•    Glory & Honor to God is the Sacrifice

•    Leading others to Him is the Purpose

•    Jesus is the reason to live out loud

•             Jesus had to overcome ridicule, murder, unbelief, anger, disappointment, frustration, and fear, all to save mankind.

•    Jesus is the reason, He is my motivation, He changed my life, He believed in me when no one else did, He rescued me when no one else would, and He's coming back for me like no one else can.