Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Initiate
































Initiate-cause an action or process to begin

To cause an action or a process to begin.

I.       Initiate a challenge.
A.     Initiate a challenge in yourself.
B.     Initiate a change and start it with you.
1.      Initiate a move a God through a hunger for God in your own life.
2.      Cause others around you to be jealous of your relationship with Him.
a)     Jealous of the closeness, the blessing, the time you spend together, and the strength of relationship you have with one another.
3.      Cause others to initiate a worship encounter with Him because they see yours.
a)     If our lives are a testimony, what is your saying?
b)     Stop being so passive and initiate a difference.
II.   Initiate a change.
A.     Initiate a change in your attitude.
1.      People who have amazingly horrible and destructive attitudes generally have no friends or at most a few.
2.      Don't you get tired of having no friends?
3.      Don't you get tired of trying to make things always go your way?
4.      Initiate a change.
a)     Start with you, go ahead press the button!

Numbers 14:19-24 NLT "[19] In keeping with your magnificent, unfailing love, please pardon the sins of this people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt." [20] Then the Lord said, "I will pardon them as you have requested. [21] But as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with the Lord's glory, [22] not one of these people will ever enter that land. They have all seen my glorious presence and the miraculous signs I performed both in Egypt and in the wilderness, but again and again they have tested me by refusing to listen to my voice. [23] They will never even see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have treated me with contempt will ever see it. [24] But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land."

B.     Caleb the bible says, "initiated, and lived with a different attitude."
1.      God chose to bring Caleb into the land because he has been faithful but it's his descendants that will posses their full share of the land.
2.      They got to reap the benefits of what their father, grandfather, planted. 
3.      What will you plant that your children will inherit, your children's children?
a)     My son Alec serves about 17 hours a weekend, God is gonna bless his service, his attitude, his loyalty to the Kingdom, and his initiation into the lives of so many.
b)     My son Chase, initiated a mission to at the age of 16 raise $3600 for an 11 day missions trip that will alter him forever, alter a nation forever, alter a people forever.
c)      Brooke, Hannah, Sydney, Madison, Amber, Chase, Kassie, Mark, Mike, Kristen, Chad, Stacy, Lindsey. 
C.     Initiate a change in your work ethic.
D.    Initiate a change in your words.
E.      Initiate a change in your actions.
III.   Initiate a challenge in the lives of others.
A.     Cause a chain reaction of events to take place that will forever change you, those around you, and those you come in contact with forever.
1.      Hunger for God is a process, passion for God is a process, discipleship is a process initiate a change.
2.      Initiate growth, initiate spiritual growth, initiate discipleship, initiate change! Press the start button.
a)     You press it!

Hebrews 12:1-4 NLT "[1] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. [2] We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. [3] Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up. [4] After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin."

IV. Become nothing to become everything.
A.     Strip off every weight, initiate growth in God by letting go of the past, letting go of your current sin, and let go of the stress of the future.
B.     Jesus our champion who initiates our faith and He perfects our faith.
1.      Faith is a complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
2.      He initiated our faith and He will finish our faith.
a)     What will you do with Him?
C.     A lot of people start well with Jesus but finish off weak, disinterested, dysfunctional, and disappointed.
D.    Then you have the group that goes back and forth between their faith and their sin.
1.      Back and forth from shame to joy shame to joy shame to joy and never really finding true freedom because the bible teaches that whom the Son hath set free is free indeed.
E.      Then you have that group that might not have initiated strong, they might not have pressed the trigger but realized that through a daily walk in God, a consistency of prayer, a habit of bible reading, a life of serving that they have encountered a faith that has overtaken them.
1.      Listen I have a confidence in God so strong that no matter what I've faced, what I'm facing, or what I will ever face I choose to trust God!
a)     I will initiate a mission.
b)     Initiate a cause.
c)      Initiate a change.
d)     Initiate love.
e)     Initiate joy.
f)        Initiate long suffering.
g)     Initiate life change.
h)     Initiate training.
i)        Initiate an iserve project.
j)        Initiate a revolution.
k)     Initiate a rebellion against culture, against hell, and the Devil!
(1) C'mon initiate a revival.
(2) Initiate an awakening.
(3) Initiate a Spirit filling.
(a) Go ahead I dare you, pull the trigger, do it now what are you waiting on?
(b) God is always waiting on you, you are never waiting on Him.
i)        He is waiting on your step of faith.
ii)      He is waiting on your simple prayer.
iii)   He is waiting on your worship encounter with Him.
iv)   He is waiting for you to connect with Him through His word! He wants to speak to you.

v)     He wants you to initiate an encounter!

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

ascend



Ascend-rise-climb-soar-go up-come up-lead. To take an upward direction-to proceed from an inferior to a superior-rise from a lower to a higher level-to attain.

­ Colossians 4:2-3 "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ ..."


1. "Devote yourselves to prayer . . ."

­ 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Keep on praying. 
(appeal-plea-request-desire-hope-wish)

­ 1 Timothy 2:1-2 “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon them, and give thanks. 2Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity.”


  • Devote yourselves to pray for the leaders of your campus, community, and country, that they would be filled with the knowledge of God and do His will.
  • As you pray for the strength of your leaders Christian and Non-Christian God says He will have mercy on them.
  • God also says that because of your prayers that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. (pride self-esteem-self-respect)

“Bad habits are like comfortable beds--easy to get into but hard to get out of.” Source Unknown


2. ". . . being watchful and thankful."
2 Thessalonians 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful; he will make you strong and guard you from the evil one. 4 And we are confident in the Lord that you are practicing the things we commanded you, and that you always will. 5 May the Lord bring you into an ever deeper understanding of the love of God and the endurance that comes from Christ.”

  • Pray that God will protect you from the evil one, who will try to discourage you.
    • To Ascend we also must let God take us into a deeper understanding of the love of God and the endurance that comes from Christ.
1 Chronicles 16:8 “Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.“

  • Thank the Lord for who He is and what He can do through you.
    • To Ascend we must thank the Lord for who He is and what He can do through me!

3. "And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ . . ."

1 Peter 3:13-16 “Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't be afraid and don't worry. 15Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 16But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak evil against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.”

­ Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes--Jews first and also Gentiles.”

­ Luke 9:26 "If a person is ashamed of me and my message, I, the Son of Man, will be ashamed of that person when I return in my glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.
"

­
  • Thank You for ascending your relationship with Christ! 
  • Thank You for not being ashamed of Christ!
  • Thank You for sharing Christ with others!
  • Thank You for living in the power of Christ!
  • Thank You for walking in the Spirit and not after the flesh!
  • Thank You for standing out!

­ Christians stand out!
  • If you are really living Christ like then you are standing OUT!
Mark 16:15 “And then he told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. 16Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned."

Revelation 16:15 “Take note: I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their robes ready so they will not need to walk naked and ashamed."


  • -Make prayer a habit in your life-

The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken. Samuel Johnson.

  • -Make prayer a habit in your life so strong it cannot be broken!-
    • Listen Being a leader requires that you ASCEND!

Ascend- rise-climb-soar-go up-come up-lead. To take an upward direction-to proceed from an inferior to a superior-rise from a lower to a higher level-to attain.

Psalms 24:1-6 "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to Him. 
2 For He laid the earth's foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. 3 Who may climb the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place? 4 Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. (Idols are anything that comes before God) 5 They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have right standing with God their savior. 6 They alone may enter God's presence and worship the God of Israel." 

Explain-pure hands and pure hearts

  • Pure hands-we can only rescue others when we have pure hands because it takes the Spirits power.
  • Pure hearts- Job 17:9 "The righteous will move onward and forward, and those with pure hearts will become stronger and stronger." 
Matthew 5:8 “God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.”

  • God wants to be an awesome, intricate, part of your life.
  • We can’t communicate with God if we don’t have pure hands and a pure heart.
    • To begin a relationship with God you have to believe on Him.
    • While using your faith, your heart, and your mouth.

­ Matthew 5:8 “God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.”




Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Discipleship

Discipleship is so important, because it is the fundamental task of the church.

Fundamental-Base or the core.

We have read and understood the scripture text of the Great Commission to read as an evangelistic text when in fact it's about disciple making and not evangelizing.

  • Disciple making and disciple forming is a life long endeavor in the lives of Christians. 
  • We've built a whole movement on evangelizing the world and in the scripture it doesn't say that it says, 
Matthew 28:18-20 NLT "[18] Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. [19] Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. [20] Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."


  • If we are to go into all the world and make disciples and that is our mandate then we need to get on with it, the problem is most of don't know how to do it. 
    • We live our lives thinking and believing we'll just evangelize and that's good enough, well according to scripture, it's not nor ever will be.
      • Evangelizing happens when disciples live their lives to their fullest potential in Christ, then through relationship.
        • It's a process. 
      • Evangelism takes place in the context of relationship not the other way around. 
        • Evangelism is not sharing certain facts about Jesus as if we have a certain obligation before or afterwards. 
        • But actually evangelism takes place in the context of a relationship which is called discipleship that can go a whole lifetime. 
    • If our fundamental mission is to become more and more like Christ every year, every day, every hour, every moment then I believe this is the most valued thing we can possibly do, disciple. 
      • Discipleship is by far the most strategic thing we could possibly do in the church. 
        • If we fail at that then we fail at everything else. 
We have to have Values.

  • Value God-Integrity First
  • Value Others-Service before self
  • Value the Mission-Excellence in all we do
Will you intentionally care? Will you intentionally connect? Will you intentionally teach, correct in truth, love without limits.  

1. Treat each other in a spiritual way. 

Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT "[1] Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. [2] Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God."

1 Corinthians 3:1-6 NLT "[1] Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn't talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. [2] I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren't ready for anything stronger. And you still aren't ready, [3] for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren't you living like people of the world? [4] When one of you says, "I am a follower of Paul," and another says, "I follow Apollos," aren't you acting just like people of the world? [5] After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God's servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. [6] I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow."


  • There is a right way to treat others, the bible teaches us those ways. 
    • Imparting those ways to others is difficult, making those changes personally is hard, and many times painful. 

2. Invest my time and talent into making a difference in the life of others. 

1 Corinthians 9:19 NLT "[19] Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ."

Slavery-a condition of having to work very hard without proper remuneration or appreciation.

3. Be impeccable with my words. (Without sin)

Matthew 5:37 NLT "[37] Just say a simple, 'Yes, I will,' or 'No, I won't.' Anything beyond this is from the evil one."

James 1:22,26 NLT "[22] But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 
[26] If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless."


  • You can make or break any relationship with your words. 
    • Words of condemnation or words of affirmation.

James 3:1-12 NLT "[1] Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. [2] Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. [3] We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. [4] And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. [5] In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. [6] And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. [7] People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, [8] but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. [9] Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. [10] And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! [11] Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? [12] Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty spring."


  • The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing. 
    • Stay focused on truth. 
    • Stay focused on Christ. His life, death, burial, resurrection and the modeling of that life for all of Christianity. 
  • Allow relationship to happen, allow discipleship to happen, allow influence to occur. 
    • Time is one of the greatest things you could ever give someone. 

Discipleship is a process, processes take time.







Wednesday, October 16, 2013

All the answers

How Can You Say Jesus Is the Only Way to God?

1 Corinthians 8:2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn't really know very much.
People are only willing to accept one way if they believe it is appropriate, and to listen to authority when it is in their best interests or they have confidence in the authority. They don't promote pluralism regarding to breathe or not to breathe (the only one way to keep someone living). They follow their employers' way of doing things to keep their jobs. They follow detour signs held by orange-jacketed construction workers. When it comes to religion, however, suddenly pluralism is an absolute and anyone, such as Jesus, who is so narrow, minded as to say His religion is the only way to God, is convicted of prejudice.

Job 40:2 "Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God's critic, but do you have the answers?" 

How does a Christian respond?
o      First, show the skeptic that he is himself, intolerant of at least one religious view -- Christianity, which makes exclusive claims about salvation.
o      Then, show him that consistent pluralism is meaningless because by giving the same truth value to conflicting claims, it denies truth to any claim.

Proverbs 26:5 When arguing with fools, be sure to answer their foolish arguments, or they will become wise in their own estimation.
Job 40:4 "I am nothing--how could I ever find the answers? I will put my hand over my mouth in silence.

Job 35:12 "And if they do cry out and God does not answer, it is because of their pride.

o      If there is only one God who is eternal, all-powerful, all-good, all-loving, all-knowing, and fully just; and He creates us in His image, we would be completely fulfilled if we related to Him the way He wants us to, in harmony with His will. As the creator from concept to production line, he would know the most about the perfect purpose of his creations. No one else could compete with him regarding his creations' functions or destiny.
o      If He were to say one's destiny is determined by how many slices of pizza he can consume, no one could bring greater authority or knowledge to dispute him.
o      If He were to say that one's destiny is determined by how he responds to God's loving sacrifice of His Son on behalf of all who are separated by sin from God, He cannot be disputed.


There is not one teacher who knows everything about his or her subject.
There are more questions than there are answers and this is also true when it comes to Christianity, the Bible, heaven, hell and eternity or the “afterlife.”

If we were to test each plan of salvation, all would fail except Christianity. To test each plan would be incredibly useless.
o      It would be like having five thousand cars in a parking lot, only one of which has an engine, and trying every single one to find the one that worked. You could try 4,999 unsuccessfully and know without even turning the key that car 5,000 works.
o      However, if the person who put the cars in the parking lot and chose the one with the engine were to tell you where that car is, pointed it out, led you to it, sat you in the seat, and even turned the key for you, people would call you a fool to insist, "You're too narrow-minded and intolerant. I'd rather try a few other cars first. I have my own ideas about where the engine is."
o      Christianity is the car with the engine.
o      It fits the facts, makes sense, perfectly reflects God's nature and character, and tells the truth about human nature and our predicament separated from God by sin.
o      If we are created in the image of the God described in the Bible, if we are separated from Him by our own sin, and if He loves us so much that He would provide Himself a sacrifice for human sin that reconciles His justice and mercy, wouldn't it make sense for Him to come Himself, demonstrate His identity and authority through His words and works, and then point us to the only way?

Luke 20:26 So they failed to trap him in the presence of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they were silenced.

He is not an ancient ideal but a real person here and now, ready to barge in and transform our lives. . . . The love of God is the answers not only to (1) the quest for the extreme value. . . and to (2) the quest for the ultimate reality. . . but it is also the answer to the third quest, the quest for life's deepest meaning and purpose."(3)

Psalms 17:6 I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray.
 
Psalms 91:15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them.

Proverbs 16:1 We can gather our thoughts, but the Lord gives the right answer.

Paul said, Romans 7:25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. 


Proverbs 8:17 "I love all who love me. Those who search for me will surely find me.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Discover what you can do



Proverbs 18:16 promises, A mans gift makes room for him and brings him before great men. 

Believe it or not, God has put special gifts of ability in your life. Here are 4 ways you can find out what they are.

1.     SEEKING GOD IN PRAYER, ASKING HIM TO REVEAL YOUR ABILITIES.
Jeremiah 33:3 tells us when we call upon Him, Hell show us things to come.

Jeremiah 33:3 "Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come." 

2.     ASK PEOPLE CLOSE TO YOU

   Solicit the evaluation of friends, parents, teachers, coaches, and others you trust to give their observations on your gifting.

   Allow the truth to speak deep into your heart and let it change you. 

3.     GO AFTER THINGS YOU HAVE IN YOUR HEART

   Never be afraid to step out and attempt something youve never done.

   I love this quote, "I will do today what others won't so tomorrow I can do what others can't."

   I read this on twitter today, "What's ironic is that those who don't have the courage to take risks, & those who do, experience the same amount of fear in life."
   John Maxwell


4.     FAITHFULLY DO THE LITTLE THINGS YOU ARE ASKED TO DO THE THINGS YOU DONT LIKE MUCH. 

   God promises to give you bigger things when we do the small stuff well.
   Stay on task, stay faithful to Christ. 

Matthew 25:23 NLT
   [23] "The master said, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'