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Acceptable worship is that which allows you and me to be shaken.<< MORE >>

We stand on the edge before blessings but miss them because we do not enter into the presence of God.  God has a specific purpose for his church.  The purpose of the church is to worship God and love Him completely.

Matthew 22:37-40
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it:  ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”


Isaiah 6:1:8
Isaiah Called to Be a Prophet

 1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:

      “ Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
      The whole earth is full of His glory!”

 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 So I said:


      “ Woe is me, for I am undone!
      Because I am a man of unclean lips,
      And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
      For my eyes have seen the King,
      The LORD of hosts.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said:


      “ Behold, this has touched your lips;
      Your iniquity is taken away,
      And your sin purged.”

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:


      “ Whom shall I send,
      And who will go for Us?”

Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

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Hebrews 6:1
...Let us go onto maturity...


What is Maturity?

1. Maturity is not age.
2. Maturity is not appearance.
3. Maturity has nothing to do with achievement

God says maturity is attitude, attitude is what makes the difference.


5 marks of maturity

1. Positive under pressure - James 1:2-4
   2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.   
   
2. Sensitive to people - James 2:8
   8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture,  “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
   
3. A mature has mastered his mouth - James 3:2
   2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
   self control controls the tongue
   Eph 4:29
   29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
   
4. A mature is a peacemaker not a troublemaker - James 4:1
   11 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
   
5. A mature person is patient and prayerful - James 5:7-11, 16
   7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
   9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! 10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
   16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
   
   

Download | Duration: 00:27:10

Acts 8:4-13

Christ Is Preached in Samaria
  
4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to the[a] city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.

The Sorcerer’s Profession of Faith
  
9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

Luke 14:15-24

The Parable of the Great Supper
  
15 Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ 23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’”

Download | Duration: 00:23:22

John 9:1-11

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight

 1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”
He said, “I am he.”

10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”

11 He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”

The Pharisees Excommunicate the Healed Man
  
13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.”
Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.

17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a prophet.”

18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”

25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”

30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.

True Vision and True Blindness
  
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?"

36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”

38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.

39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”

40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”

41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

Download | Duration: 00:23:51

2 Samuel 21:15-22 Philistine Giants Destroyed
  
15 When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. 16 Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels, who was bearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”
18 Now it happened afterward that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the sons of the giant. 19 Again there was war at Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
20 Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant. 21 So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.
22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

1. We don't lose our value by losing an ability.  (v. 17)
2. We should expect the enemy to be continually on the attack.
                 Judges 3:2    2 (this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it),
   
   God left enemies so they would understand conflict.  God sues conflict to teach us.
3. We should be alrt that the enemy attacks us when we are weak.
        
   1. physically tired
   2. emotionally, discouraged, etc.
   3. spiritually
4. We should  be alert to an old enemy with a new weapon.
         - the devil will use anything.
5. We need the help of others in the battle.
6. We need to develop the power of a Godly Influence.  (v. 18)
         - train others in the work so when we can't carry on, others can step in.

We face spiritual warfare.  We have to train & nurture the next generation.
    

Download | Duration: 00:29:49

Matthew 7:28-29
28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.


Jesus taught as one who had authority. 
What gave Jesus the authority?  It came out of His compassion.


Authority in Calling
Mark 8:34
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Authority over Fasting

Jesus tests of spirituality
1. Alms to the poor
2. Prayer - in private, not for show in public
3. Fasting - also in private

Authority over the Sabbath
Mark 2:27-28
27 And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”


Authority to Forgive Sin
Mark 2:5-7
5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”


Jesus is still calling you to Him!

Download | Duration: 00:28:12

The Value of Jewels

Malachi 3:16-18

This is a crisis time in the lives of God's people. 

Malachi 3:13
The People Complain Harshly
    13 “ Your words have been harsh against Me,”
      Says the LORD,

      “ Yet you say,

      ‘ What have we spoken against You?’


Malachi 3:16-18
A Book of Remembrance
    16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another,
      And the LORD listened and heard them;
      So a book of remembrance was written before Him
      For those who fear the LORD
      And who meditate on His name.
       17 “ They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts,

      “ On the day that I make them My jewels.[a]
      And I will spare them
      As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
       18 Then you shall again discern
      Between the righteous and the wicked,
      Between one who serves God
      And one who does not serve Him.

This is not threatening, it is an encouragement to those who had been faithful to God.  His jewels or prized possessions.

Trust God beyond your current conditions.

A jewels value

1. Genuineness - being honest with ourselves

2. Rarity - unique before God -
Psalm 139:14
 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;[b]
         Marvelous are Your works,
         And that my soul knows very well.

3. Usefulness - 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

4. Cut and Formed - God is not finished with use, He continues to mold and shape us. 
Philippians 1:6 
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;


5. Appearance -  How do we appear in others minds?
Matthew 5:14-16 
You are the light of the world... let your light shine before others.

6. Enhanced by their setting - Are you content where you are geographically, financially, job, etc.  God puts us in places to enhance us.

7. Enduring Quality - God has enough fair weather friends.  Persevere, continue to worship & serve God in all aspects of our lives.


How do I make sure I am one of God's jewels?
Be able to point to a time in your life where there was a significant change.

Download | Duration: 00:25:18

Agreement and harmony in the trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  God moves in unity. 

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The ways of the universe all yield to God's plan to persevere, to refuse to struggle goes against God's law.<< MORE >>

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Daniel 10:1

Vision of the Glorious Man

 1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long; and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision.


Psalm 137

Longing for Zion in a Foreign Land

 1 By the rivers of Babylon,
         There we sat down, yea, we wept
         When we remembered Zion.
 2 We hung our harps
         Upon the willows in the midst of it.
 3 For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song,
         And those who plundered us requested mirth,
         Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
        
 4 How shall we sing the LORD’s song
         In a foreign land?
 5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
         Let my right hand forget its skill!
 6 If I do not remember you,
         Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—
         If I do not exalt Jerusalem
         Above my chief joy.
        
 7 Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom
         The day of Jerusalem,
         Who said, “Raze it, raze it,
         To its very foundation!”
        
 8 O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed,
         Happy the one who repays you as you have served us!
 9 Happy the one who takes and dashes
         Your little ones against the rock!


Daniel 10:2-20

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
4 Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the Tigris, 5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.
7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 8 Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. 9 Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.

Prophecies Concerning Persia and Greece
  
10 Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.
12 Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”
15 When he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. 16 And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, “My lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. 17 For how can this servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me.”
18 Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. 19 And he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!”
So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”
20 Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come. 21 But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.

Download | Duration: 00:26:23

Easter Sunday 2008

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