Get Connected to God’s Kingdom
(Due to technical difficulties audio is not available.)
8/1/09
Introduction
Today many people would confess that life is busy.
If we were honest w/ourselves, we would admit that we are overextended- no margin/space in our lives.
Jan- talked about how we have no margin- financially.
Today people are (Rick Warren) …
financially stressed,
emotionally overwhelmed,
physically exhausted, and
spiritually disconnected.
Spiritual Connections
Connections are an important part of life.
Being connected to God should be- primary concern.
Also important- we are connected to- Body of Christ.
That is why our mission statement is …
Encounter God, Love People, Share Life
To Encounter God- speaks of connection with God.
To Love People- speaks of connection with those who love us and with the Body of Christ.
End result of- Encountering God and Loving People, should be- desire to Share Life w/others.
R Warren talks about- importance of being connected-
1. Connections are essential for life
The organs in our body must be connected together for us to live physically.
Our bones are connected together so we have a frame and can function in a physical world.
(Transformer-everything connected together)
Life- about connecting w/God and other people.
Life w/o connections is merely existing and not living.
2. Man was created for connections
Gen 2:18 … "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." NASU
The pain of loneliness points to God’s design for man to be in relationship with God and other people.
God is real and He wants a personal connection w/us.
3. Connections empower us
TV- will not work w/o being connected to a/c outlet.
If you disconnect one wire, your car will not operate.
If we are disconnected from God we lose the benefit of His life, love, power, and purpose for our lives.
4. Connections increase our fruitfulness
Eccl 4:9-12
The third strand is God.
We are better together than alone.
The greater our connection to God/others, the more we will be encouraged to live God’s life fully.
We will bear fruit and Share God’s Life w/others.
Being Connected to God
I believe God wants us to Encounter Him.
The message of the Gospel- the Good News- not just the message of salvation, but the message of the Kingdom of God.
You and I have been placed on this earth to …
live in,
experience,
Encounter,
… the King and His Kingdom
Francis Frangipane says this …
Since time began, the Kingdom of Heaven has been an interactive reality in man’s destiny.
Today there is much effort given to developing computer games/virtual worlds that are interactive.
(2nd world, SIMS 3, World of Warcraft)
Man was not created to be passive, he wants to interact with the world around him.
Unfortunately, many times, interaction w/virtual world becomes a substitute for the real world and consumes our energy and creativity.
It is fulfilling a need in man that only God can fulfill.
God is the Creator of the largest virtual world there is- Bible calls it- Kingdom of God, realm of the Spirit.
However, it is not a virtual world, it is the true reality of the life that God intends for you and I to live.
The Kingdom of God
Look at how God has interacts w/man from Heaven- God and Angels speak to men from Heaven
Gen 22:11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." NASU
God gives promises and blessings from Heaven
Gen 49:25-26 It is your father’s God who helps you, The Almighty God who blesses you With blessings of rain from above And of deep waters from beneath the ground, Blessings of many cattle and children, 26 Blessings of grain and flowers, Blessings of ancient mountains, Delightful things from everlasting hills ... GNT
God brings judgments from Heaven
Gen 19:24 Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, NASU
Realm- we call Heaven is as real as- earth we live on.
Psa 145:13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations. NASU
Men come and go, nations rise and fall, generations march through time, but God’s Kingdom is forever
We are living in the Fullness of Time
OT- gives us insight into- K of G/reality of Heaven.
God sent prophets to Israel w/words from Heaven and they had their times of divine visitation …
Moses encountered God on Mt Sinai,
Jacob wrestled with the angel of God,
Elijah experienced God’s power on Mt Carmel,
But Heaven was inaccessible to the common man.
When the Messiah came, He came to make the Kingdom of God available to all men.
John Baptist came as a forerunner of Jesus Christ.
Both John the Baptist/Jesus came w/same message …
Mk 1:15 … "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." NASU
The Kingdom of God is a reality today- it is at hand.
That reality becomes clear as we look at Jesus’ life …
-every manner of sickness and disease was healed at the touch of Jesus Christ.
-all those tormented by demonic spirits- set free
Why- Heaven was at hand/Jesus was- Heavenly Man.
So often however, this is where we end the story …
-it worked then because Jesus was God, or
-we say it was for that time and not our time, or
-we allow-experiences/unbelief-block our view.
As the HS empowered Christ, so He has empowered/commissioned His disciples today.
God is raising up men/women to move in the authority of heaven- as Jesus …
-had power to heal, we have power to heal,
-had power over demonic spirits, we have power over demonic spirits,
-raised the dead, we can raise the dead.
Mtt 10:1, 5, 7-8
The Kingdom of Heaven is available to men/women who will surrender their lives to Him.
Jesus demonstrated for us what the life of the church is to look like- healing, deliverance, power of- HS.
The End of the Age
We are living in the End-Times- the end of the age.
Jesus knew there would be a great falling away.
False prophets/teachers would come to deceive.
Even though this is true, Jesus said …
Mtt 24:10-14
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God is real and will be preached to the whole world.
Conclusion
The Gospel message is not just- gospel of salvation.
We cannot access- Kingdom of God w/o …
- faith in God and
- salvation that comes through Christ.
However, the fullness of the Gospel includes the message of the Kingdom of God.
Today we see many watered down versions of-Gospel - doctrines that deny power of God.
Mark 16:17-18
The more we become like Him, the less we see of our ambition- the more He will entrust us w/His power
Our understanding of God/Word has been affected by too much by unbelief and religious traditions.
It is time we start believing what the Bible says over our own thoughts, feelings, experiences …
-Jesus healed every kind of disease.
-Jesus delivered men from every type of demonic oppression/possession
-as Jesus had power- heal, we have power- heal,
-as Jesus had power over demonic spirits, we have power over demonic spirits,
-as Jesus raised the dead, we can raise the dead.
We must learn to …
2 Cor 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight
We must, as believers …
Read the Word,
pray the Word,
meditate on the Word, and
reject every thought contrary to God’s Word.
Why? To build faith in our hearts.
Psa103:1-5
Benefits- FWM treatment- we do not forget how God treats us as His children.
The Bible is filled with testimony upon testimony of the goodness of God and the way He treated men.
One last comment- God has deposited His power in the church, not a single man.
Together, as one man, we will exhibit the operation of the HS and the power of God.
As much as we need God, we need each other to exhort and encourage and walk beside.
GET CONNECTED!
