What's your price?

Intro: “Let’s make a deal.”
Illustrate here: Challenge students to do different things even crazy things for a dollar as an opener to the sermon. 

In life—the enemy will continuously try to find out your price.

• What do I mean when I say “Price?”
• The point at which you exchange (or sell out) your destiny for a lesser, more convenient calling or lifestyle.

Bible says: “Count the cost!”

Example of the wedding ring: There’s something more important than monetary value…it’s the purpose
and meaning!!

Genesis 39:2-12 “The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he refused, “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants were inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.”


4 requirements in Resisting Temptation to sell out in your life’s journey.

1. As a Christian living life’s journey:
You must not be weakened by your situation!

• Joseph had it made!
• Economically, he was secure.
• Vocationally, he was trusted and respected.
• Personally, he was handsome and charming.
• He could have said to himself…”Do I really want to ‘Rock the Boat’ and risk losing all this?”
• You may be popular, influential and everybody’s friend—but one thing I've found out:

“If everyone likes you and you have no enemies –You probably aren't taking a stand for much of anything!”

Even Jesus has enemies!

Problem with most Christians: They never want to “Rock the boat” with their lifestyles or cause any problems in their life’s journey because they love their compromised existence too much.

Joseph said to himself… “I love my life, but my price is much higher!”

2. As a Christian living life’s journey:

• You must not be deceived by the persuasion!
• Your Tempter, temptress or the voice in your mind will say all the right things!
• “Just this once, never, never again.” (Pregnant example-drug example-drinking example-sex example-fight example)
• “All my friends get away with it.”
• “It doesn't really affect me.”
• “I’m so terribly lonely-God understands. That’s why he brought you in to my life.”
• “What’s grace all about if it won’t cover something as meaningless as this.”
• “Look, we’re gonna get married soon, why wait. What does it matter?”
• “Who will ever find out?”
• “I will still be happy.”
• “I will still go to Heaven.”
• “I can still be successful and not pay the price of purity.” 
• WRONG!

The enemy will bait you things, people, or situations that feel very right!

Don’t be deceived by the persuasion, no matter how beautiful and appealing the offer or the words may sound.

Remember that it is all a lie!

• If you believe that somehow temptations, once resisted, will vanish. YOU are deceived!
• Day after day Joseph was tempted!!

The enemy wants influential people to fail he desires our complete annihilation!

• Realize; there is no sin in the bait, the sin is in the bite!
• Sources of bait: TV, Internet, opposite sex, same sex, friends, career, sports, magazines, and coworkers.

3. As a Christian living life’s journey:

• You must not be gentle with your emotions!
• Your inner feelings will plead to take the road of least resistance and self-satisfaction!
• Your emotions are where rationalization resides.

American Heritage Dictionary- “Rationalize” – to devise reasonable, but untrue explanations. To justify one’s weakness or failures.

It is the process of telling yourself “its okay” so many times, that you actually condone or believe a lie!

• What did Joseph do? He ran!!!
• He didn’t linger in her presence!
• He didn’t take time to pray for a sign!!
• HE RAN!!

4. Finally, as a Christian living life’s journey:
You must not be confused with the immediate results!

Genesis 39:16-21 “She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the King’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in prison, the Lord was with him.”

Remember: Joseph obeyed God and was thrown into prison!

• “God may not pay on Friday, but He always pays on time.
• Realize; things may not all “line up” immediately after you obey, but in time, the payoff will come.

I Peter 2:20 “Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.”


AT WHAT PRICE will you sell out?

• The enemy never offers things that won’t destroy you! 
• He will always lead you down a path of addiction.
• He will leave you in the height of your life.
• He will desert you just when you need him.
• His addictions will never run out.
• He always offers things and promises things but always delivers death.
• His promises and all his earthly things will only last a season.
• The enemy doesn’t care about your future, your family, or your agenda he just cares about your complete annihilation.
• He’s selling and you are bartering with him.
• The only thing he accepts is your surrender and your soul.

You can’t win against him alone.

You have to realize that the battle is not yours but it is the Lord’s and He always wins!


Join us next week for our series final: 

Character

This is a Pastoral Staff Leadership Lesson from my Pastor Joe Skiles Sr. Very powerful information for newly called ministers, and for those that have been serving in the trenches of ministry for decades.

Character: God’s proof of ownership!


When we truly belong to God, our character will reflect His ownership.


Character Development: God’s #1 priority “Character 
Development involves getting the who before the do.”


God is more interested in your character than your accomplishments.


Who you are is always more important than what you do!
We live in a “performance –driven” culture.
We are evaluated in our lives by what we do, do, do. Home, work, school, church.

Fruitfulness is important to God and to others.

What we do should not be minimized, but if we are not careful the do becomes more important than the who, and we end up a hollow shell of performance without any substance of character.


Matthew 7:22-23 NKJV
Who is Jesus referring to here? Those who put the do before the who. Doing for Jesus cannot be more important than knowing Jesus.


Example of the rich young ruler.

Luke 18:18-23 Jesus shot through the accomplishments and hit the character issues. Accomplishment won out over character and the rich young ruler walked away.
No matter how far our culture and our country tilts toward accomplishment, the Kingdom of God will tilt the other way.

“Your ability will only take you as far as your character will keep you.”


God is more interested in your character than your anointing.

We hear so much about the anointing, and indeed the anointing is important in the Christian life.

Here are a few definitions for the anointing.
Power for service
God’s purpose lived out through obedience.
That measure of the Holy Spirit we put into practice.


Isaiah 10:27 “the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.”


Dangers to the anointing.
God’s anointing can cause us to feel good about ourselves. We preach better. We sing better. We serve better. We give better. The anointing is fun. It builds our self-esteem and confidence. (Example of Esther). Just because God graces us with His anointing doesn’t mean we have his intimacy. The anointing doesn’t keep us from sin, it empowers us for service!


God’s anointing can be used for the pursuit of man’s approval. (The purpose of the anointing is not to attract mankind to us, but to attract the King to us.)

Esther did not bathe in the anointing for her friends, but for the King.
Unfortunately, too many in the ministry are not experiencing intimacy with the King because they are having lapses of character.


“The anointing breaks the yoke of bondage, but character keeps us out of bondage.”

Example of Aaron Exodus 32:1-7

Aaron was the associate pastor of approximately three million people. He was the priest of God co-pastoring with Moses.

Notice his sin:
#1 He entertained sinful thoughts.
#2 Acted upon those sinful thoughts.
#3 Built an idol.
#4 Built an altar to the idol.

Exodus 32:21-24
Leviticus 10:1-3 Aaron sins were witnessed in his family.


God’s #1 priority is the development of character. Ministry or anointing is not.

1st Timothy 4:12 “set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.”

All of those things have to do with character.
They have to do with getting the “who” before the “do”.

A leader should bring more to his people than a bright smile. A leader should bring proof of Godly character.


Join us next month as we concentrate on amazing young leaders in the bible. 

Purity (Guest blog post by Kassie Milner)

Purity, what does it mean to be pure: freedom from any admixture or modifying addition, freedom from guilt or evil; innocence, physical chastity; virginity.
Importance of purity:
1. Obedience: God has created someone specifically for you and He has told you to save yourself for them.
2. Patience: “Love is patient, love is kind, love is slowly losing your mind…” No, I’m just playing but love is patient and good things come to those who wait.
• We live in a society today where we want it and we want it right now! We got to live the “American Dream” the bigger the better, so and so just got and ipad well I want one bigger and better and I want one right now
• But patience is key, don’t be in a rush to give that certain part of you away BE PATIENT…
3. Wait: Good things come to those who wait; good things are worth waiting for!
• Wait for the one that God has created for you! Maybe you already found them, okay now wait until after you’re married… Oh but we are in love…
• Oh please, I know how high school relationships work…Jill was with this guy this week and next week she will be with another guy and she LOVED all of them and Jack he’s a little player, he has like five girls
• But if you are truly in love you guys would have enough respect for one another and wait until after you get married, I don’t care if you know that you know that you know that this is the person you are going to marry you need to wait and leave that part of your relationship a secret, save it for the honeymoon alright!
Sex was meant to be for one man and one women, it wasn’t meant for you to just hand it out to anyone (Cup of candy illustration)
• If you slowly, a little bit here and a little bit there, start giving your secrets away to every, not only are there chances of you getting pregnant or getting some kind of disease but when you do that, when your giving yourself away like that you barley have anything left to give the right person when they come along, the one you know want to be with forever
• BECAUSE you started sharing your secrets instead of keeping it, holding it and cherishing it.
• And when you open the door to that temptation, when you expose yourself to that, it’s really hard not to be thinking about it all the time or wanting it all the time
• When you get those impure thoughts and you have those impure desires it’s very clear that your actions will be impure also
• Galatians 5:19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
• Job 14:4 who can bring purity out of an impure person? No one!
4. Fellas: Treating ladies with respect is very important, don’t look at us as something you can just get with to satisfy your needs or to show up your homies or whatever. We have feelings too and their needs to be respect!
- Timothy 4:19 “Treat older women as you would your mother and treat younger women will all purity as you would your own sister”
- Now, I know you wouldn’t walk around saying “wooow, did you see the booty on that blondie?” and your friend is like “dude that’s your sister!!”…”I know man but dannnng!!”
- You wouldn’t do it, you wouldn’t say something like that about your sister or to your sister, you wouldn’t think sextual thoughts or lust after your own sister so you need to have that respect for all these beautiful ladies around you. Respect them like they were your own momma or sister
5. Ladies: Same goes for you, respect!
- Ladies don’t go flaunting your stuff, “Heeey, I’m cute in my jeans!” model walking around the hall ways, don’t tempt these fellas, respect yourselves, keep yourself covered up, if you don’t have respect for yourself how do you expect anybody else to??
- Girls don’t be teasing the guys and guys don’t be teasing the ladies
- Let’s have respect for yourselves and others and not even open that door of temptations because once it’s open its very hard to shut!
Let’s make the decision to wait and to stay pure!
Volunteers, 3 guys and 3 girls (empty cup, half empty cup and full cup)
1. Do you want to be that someone who didn’t wait, they gave it all away and when they found the one they had nothing left to give?
2. Do you want to be that someone who shared some, maybe you fell into temptation here and there, not all the time but sometimes and when they found the one they still didn’t have much to give left to give
3. Do you want to be that someone who waited and waited and cherished that special thing waiting for that special someone and when the right time came they were able to give them everything that they were because they waited and they saved themselves for that ONE special person
Do you want to be someone who gives the one you love an empty cup, a half empty cup, or do you want to be that someone who is able to give a full cup, everything that you are to the one they love?
How would you feel if you were the one who shared it with whoever whenever and the person you marry waited for you. They cherished you; they respected you before they even knew who you were because they wanted to give something special, something whole, something that didn’t have any missing piece to you!?
Don’t be that person who gives all of their secrets out! Respect yourself, respect others and wait, wait until marriage!
If you wait, it will be greater than sleeping with all the guys or all the girls that you could have gotten within the time period that you were waiting!!
And if you already made that mistake, maybe you already fell into that temptation but you want to be pure again, maybe not physically but spiritual you can be. There is forgiveness, you don’t have to live in the past anymore, you don’t have to make those same mistakes anymore, you can make the decision right now to wait for the one person that you are going to marry. You can make that decision right now!!

Magnify the solution

Galatians 3:23-26 (NLT)

"Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. [24] Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. [25] And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. [26] For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus."

1.Magnify the problem.

•      The testimony, the proof of changed lives, is in your own words.

•      Through belief in Jesus Christ.

Illustrate here: magnifying glass to show how we magnify EVERYTHING but God.

•      Our God came to us.

•                  Didn't have to.

•                  Wasn't paid to.

•                  Gave no thought for His own life, gave no demands.

•                  Gave no ultimatums, produced no stereotypes, just laid down His life to rescue mankind.

•      Hatred has many faces.

•                  It wears anger and intolerance, pride and impatience, insults and gossiping.

•                  The same seed that blossoms into murder begins with small bits of jealousy, rudeness, and neglect.

•                  The same root that makes us argue with our neighbors is what matures into war and genocide.

•                  The same lack of love that causes abuse and slavery comes from those simple, quiet, but hateful thoughts in our heads.

•                  While few of us will ever commit murder, all of us carry the seed from which it springs.

•      Peace will only rule our lives when the love of God finds a place in our hearts, our homes, and our relationships.

•                  So let us begin the process of changing hate to love.

•      We can start with a kind word or an honest apology.

•      We can start with humbleness or respect.

•                  But wherever we start, love is the medicine for our lives and the prescription for our predicaments.

•                  Talk with God.

•      Forgive my lack of love, God.

•      Help me to love others as you have loved me.

•      God remind me that love is an action, a verb, a lifestyle.

•                  Magnified problems.

•                  God my past is too bad.

•                  God my situation is too hard.

•                  My parents didn't love me enough.

•                  My parents love me too much.

•                  My situation is too different.

•                  My circumstances are just too difficult.

•                  God I prayed a prayer and it wasn't answered the way I wanted it, or thought it should be so now I'm mad at the world.

•                  I'm not talented enough.

•                  I'm too talented.

•                  He broke up with me for another girl.

•                  I'm not that smart, rich, or gifted.

•                  But my parents deserted me, but my friends forgot about me, but, but, but.

•                  When we magnify the problem, essentially we're saying with our mouth, our life, and our faith, and belief, God you're not strong enough, God you're not wise enough, you're not big enough, to handle my problem.

•      I can't trust You.

•      I refuse to trust you.

•                  I would rather handle it on my own, carry it by myself, and concoct a solution of my liking because you are incapable.

2. Magnify the solution.

Psalm 34:1-4 (NLT)

"I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak His praises. [2] I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. [3] Come, let us magnify the Lord's greatness; let us exalt His name together. [4] I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears. [5] Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces."

•                  Jesus Christ is the solution, magnify Him!

•      He is our reason, magnify Him.

•      He is the creator, magnify Him.

•      He is the forgiver, the fire baptizer, the rescuer, magnify Him.

•                  Magnify His soon return and encourage each other with these words.

•      Magnify His greatness, magnify His power over death, hell, and the grave.

•      Magnify His blessings over your life, and His mercy over your soul.

•      Magnify His forgiving, rescuing work in mankind.

•      Magnify His life, His miracles, His love.

•                  Magnify Him instead of your problems, your lack, your situation and circumstances.

Illustrate here: Cardboard testimonies begin. (Live music with Alec, Marissa)

Stacy to finalize the cardboard testimonies with reading hers.

Altar: Pastor Mike

•      God let us magnify You above all things, magnify You above all problems, above all sickness, above all lack, above all inabilities, above all powers, above all authority, above all talents, above all sin, above all death, above all enemies, God we magnify you, we focus on You.

•                  God You are greater.

•                  God You are wiser.

•                  God nothing is too big for you, nothing is too hard for You.

•                  God You gave Your life in exchange for mine.

•                  God You offer eternal life to mankind.

•                  God You heal sickness.

•                  You restore.

•                  You redeem.

•                  You rescue.

•                  You give, you fill, you overflow.

•                  Resources are nothing to You.

•                  Problems are solved by You.

•      I magnify You.

Joshua 3:5,7 (NLT)

"Then Joshua told the people, "Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you." [7] The Lord told Joshua, "Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses."

5 ways others can tell if your a Christian

  

1.  2 Corinthians 6:14-18—”… come out from them and be separate.”

·       Being separate means that your life style is different than that of culture and society.

                                                             i.      We do not, can not, will not, choose to live exactly the way everyone else does.

                                                          ii.      I choose to be different, make fun all you want, I choose to live for God!

                                                        iii.      I choose to make right decisions that won’t destroy my marriage, my family, my destiny and the ministry God has given to me. 

2.  Romans 1:16—”I am not ashamed of the gospel…”

·       Being separate means--Not being ashamed of the Gospel.

                                                             i.      I am not embarrassed to know Jesus Christ.

                                                          ii.      I don’t feel guilty that I have a relationship with him and I don’t care if the whole world knows about it.

                                                        iii.      He saved me. In my worst condition, when the rest of the world turned their backs on me Jesus picked me up, stood up for me, and died in my place.

Evangelism- the winning or renewal of personal commitments to Christ.

·       There are no synonyms to this word, evangelize.

·       You are to personally have life altering effect on the lives and souls of others. (repeat)

3.  I Peter 2:11—”...abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.”

·       Being separate means--Being an example

                                                            i.      Sinful desires war against my soul.

                                                          ii.      The devil wants control of me and he is willing to pay any price to gain my allegiance to him.

                                                       iii.      He used to run me but I realized that all he wanted was to steal from me, tell lies about me, destroy my friends, my future, and he was trying to kill me.

                                                       iv.      So I dropped him.

                                                         v.      So now he’s mad!

4.  John 13:35—”By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

·       Being separate means—having a genuine, indisputable, Love for others.

                                                             i.      Have you ever tried to love someone that hated your guts? I don’t mean put up with them, I mean loved them.

                                                          ii.      Not just people, who love us, not just people who give us nice things or do nice things for us but all people.

                                                        iii.      How many people? All PEOPLE!

                                                       iv.      The good, the bad, and the ugly!

                                                          v.      Red, yellow, black, white, big, little, mean or nice we are to love all of God’s children!

5.  I Peter 3:15—”Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…”

·       Being separate means-- Not Denying Christ

                                                             i.      Not denying His life changing, life altering power in your life.

                                                          ii.      Not denying Him in front of others.

1.   He is my hope.

2.   He is my best friend.

3.   He is my shield and my strength.

4.   He is my deliverer and my guide.

5.   He is my rock, my fortress, and my refuge.

6.   He is my hiding place, my savior, and my peace.

7.   He is the way the truth and the life.

8.   He is my Jesus.