Who has ever wore a new piece of clothing? And when noticed, and someone ask if your outfit was new, the reply you gave was “this whole thing!” Because really, you say you didn’t want to be noticed, but yet you really did and you love the fact, that you were noticed!
How’s come, whenever we get something new, we want to show it off, and we really do want to be noticed, for having gotten something new? We act like we don’t, but yet we revel in being noticed, for having and admired for having something new!
How’s come we crave the attention and admiration in the natural setting, but don’t give a second thought, to being noticed in a spiritual sense and for our relationship with have with Jesus?
If people were to notice something new about you, because of your relationship with Jesus, what would you tell them? Oh Nothing. Nope, nothing new here, just the same old me!
2nd Corn. 5:17 HCSB.
17. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.
Notice the TBS LOOK! That tells me that God intends for our relationship and walk, we claim to have with Jesus, to be noticed!
Illus.
Saw a guy with his new car the other day, or at least it sure seemed new the way he admired it walking away backwards from it almost to the point of stumbling over the curb.
You know one thing we like to do, is show off the new. I could relate with the man, he couldn’t stop looking at the shiny black convertible.
I know we’ve all been there and it’s something we like doing. Even years after the item we once had has come and gone we still talk with love and admiration about the relationship we have or had with that vehicle, or that guitar, or that special possession we once had.
Our relationship with Jesus should be the same way! In every way, shape, form and meaning of the word, should always be met with the same enthusiasm and excitement! Amen?
Telling and leading someone to the option of trading in their old life for the new and improved life, God has prepared and has waiting for them to experience. Is one of the most exciting things a person can ever do or be part of the experience!
If you haven’t had the privilege of doing so, when you do receive the privilege of doing so, you will find out, why all of heaven rejoices, when a new convert comes to Jesus! Because you will be rejoicing right along with them!
The salvation experience is undoubtedly, the most important experience one will ever have with the Lord! Because, it’s in that moment that you know for sure, where you are going to be spending eternity.
It’s also in the same moment every other blessing God has for you stems from and instantaneously becomes available, to be received and experienced!
Why is it, something so important, becomes something so routine in our lives for far too many, in such a short time? What I mean is. Why is it that most Christians are on fire for God one minute living the life and so easily distracted by just about everything the next?
Our salvation experience is chapter 29 of the book of Acts, just waiting to be written about our journey and our relationship with our Saviour just as the first 28 chapters described the amazing things God accomplished through Paul and the disciples who walked the road of relationship, with the quest of the great commission.!
Our go into all the world and be witnesses for the Gospel command Jesus left us with, hasn’t changed not even one time! We have and society has. But God has not changed and the assignment of the great commission has not changed either! Paul described things pretty accurately in Acts 28!
Acts 28:26,27 NKJ
26 ‘Go to this people and say:
“Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand;
And seeing you will see, and not perceive;
27 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”
What is it that the scripture is describing? It’s the power of the Holy Spirit of God, Jesus said would come, that’s available to every man, woman, boy, and girl! The same power that showed up on the day of Pentecost and enabled all who received the gift, to do the miraculous and carry out the great commission!
How else could have the disciples did the impossible task, Jesus asked them to do? Lest they should see with their own eyes and hear, with their own ears, of what I want to do in their lives, and how I want to heal them, the scripture says!
And how do they see and hear, of the power that’s being described here? Because they’re supposed to see it in our lives, demonstrated!
The same gift of the Holy Spirit of God,
the same infilling,
the same act of receiving,
the noticeable change in a believers life of new,
is still what’s empowering
and propelling the gospel around the world today,
Some two thousand years later!
Far too many believers are experiencing a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof, in their lives! The gifts of the spirit or Many, do you possess them all, why not!
1st Corinthians 12:4-11NKJ
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
NOTICE SCRIPTURE SAYS “TO EACH ONE!” NOTICE SCRIPTURE DOESNT SAY “Not to only one” The gifts of the spirit are available for pursuit of one or all of them, just like they are available to one and all, as in everyone!
Everybody says they want revival, if we could just get revival we would fill these churches up, if we could just get revival we would change the world! Oh God send us revival the church cries!
Oh, God, help us to learn to receive and use the power of what you have given us, for such a great task of evangelizing the world!
TBS in Second Chronicles 7:14 NKJ
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Yes I’m just like you when I hear a word and a promise that makes me think of revival. Wouldn’t that be nice, revival would solve everything! Thing is, God already sent the power of revival! Revival has a name and it’s Jesus!
Jesus already left revival and the power of God for revival and for all times and it’s called the act of receiving the Holy Spirit of God in one’s life!
The problem is TBS “Faith without works is dead” and 2 Chrn. 7:14 is exactly the same thing.
Until you’re willing to draw a circle around yourself and apply this scripture to yourself and experience revival for yourself and what it’s talking about, how are you going to contribute for revival to happen in your family, or your church, let alone across the country and world wide?
Because that’s what revival is really all about, each persons undeniable relationship, with Jesus Christ the Savior of the world and the Holy Spirit journey, which is Gods continuous presence in us, that we take with Him, through life!
God never intended our salvation to be, the beginning and end of our getting to know Him, or telling others about and sharing our experiences! Salvation is just a starting point, in our relationship with Him, an introduction so to speak of.
Far to many times we, as in Christians and those who claim to have a spiritual relationship, never make it to the growing period, the continual praying and seeking God’s face (2 Chrn. 7:14) in our walk and never ending relationship!
All we have to do is get others to believe what we believe, how could something so easy be so hard for so many?
Jim Jones did it at Jonestown, It happened as well with the Moonies, Harry Krishna, pulled it off… Mohammed, Buddha, and many others have done the same thing! And so has some 5,000 self claimed religions, to date!
Why can’t we do the same, we who profess a relationship with JESUS, the One True Living Son of God!
So many church?s in every community, practically one on every corner,
So many opportunities to worship the Great creator, So few in society willing to make a commitment to a new life and to be found faithful!
If we Christians, would wake up realize what we have been given! I believe the world would wake up and realize, it’s also everything they’re looking for, as well! I’m talking about….
*happiness
*contentment
*love
*joy
*peace
*wealth
*knowledge
*wisdom
*favor and opportunity
All those things and more, can be found in and only through the one who created them, why would anyone look anywhere else, but to the source it originates from?
3 reasons come to mind…
*Because they don?t know,
*they know and refuse to believe.
*Or they hear us telling them one thing, but see us living something different, than we’re telling them!
John 10:6-10 MSG
6-10 Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. “I’ll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
Jesus came so we could experience abundant life and all that God has to offer us, which is everything, including a real and eternal life, a more and better life than we have ever dreamed of!
Why wouldn?t everyone want to Know Jesus and completely experience all God is offering? That?'s a question that has been asked all down through history!
And here’s another question for the ones who do claim to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Why wouldn't ?they want to know more of Him and strengthen their relationship with Him on a daily basis, through the Holy Spirit of God?
Because the more we get to know of Him, the less it becomes about us! And the more of the control in our lives we turn over to God, the less control we have to hang on to.
The more of Jesus we get in the circle, in our own circle. The more it will become impossible to keep Jesus and what we become exposed to, only in the circle! Amen???
So many times we make sharing the gospel harder than it is. TBS (the Bible says) if Jesus is lifted up, He will draw all men and women to Himself!
The Gospel story and message will always reap results! If presented, God will do the work through the timeless story of His willing Son Jesus and His ultimate sacrifice!
2nd Corn. 5:14-15 NASB.
14. For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15. and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
Does turning over control of our lives and destiny to God, mean that we have lost control? I think sometimes and far too often people think and feel that way!
Most would never admit it, but our control issues,? keep us from receiving everything that God has for us!
I would suggest if being out of the control of my life means having God?s goodness, blessings and unmerited Favor showered on and all over my life, wouldn’t I be foolish not to give God total control of everything including my most important possession of myself?
Isn't it about time we let God drive the car and we ride shotgun for good! No, here’s one better! Isn’t time we got in the back seat of the car and just let Gods goodness and willingness chauffeur us around!
And let Jesus take us to the high places of favor and blessings He has created for us and wants to take us too in this life we’re living in the right here and now?
You see, the Power of God in your Life, should be and is, ?a Life Changing Experience?! No one can ever be in His Presence and remain the same!
Each time someone comes to church and experiences the Presence and Power of God, they should never leave the same as they were when they came in! Amen??
If you come to worship God in Praise and Worship and you leave the same, as when you came in, then you've got a control issue going on and it’s one that’s unwinnable!
What draws others to Salvation is when they see you no longer have control, but God does! That’s a visual of the scripture if Jesus be lifted up He will draw all men unto Himself!
That’s when someone says, I don’t know exactly what it is about them...but what ever it is, I want want they have! And that something they see isn’t the person, it’s God shining through the person!
Gods life changing ?Power? is available to all who will choose to experience it, and that being the key word, (Will).
Its amazing how much our ?will? influences what we do and what we become,
not only in life but our spiritual walk too!
Are you willing to draw a circle around yourself and pray through and become the spark to start the fire of revival you’ve both talked and heard others talk about for years? First inside your circle, until it’s uncontainable and then so powerful it’s witnessed by anyone and everyone you come into contact with?
All the great revivals and great moves of God started with a core group that first started with (2 Chrn. 7:14) themselves!
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Some people don?t want to experience anything new in their life or walk with the Lord, because their stuck on the way things are, and have always been in their comfort zone!
If thats you this morning, How's that been working out for yah?
My question is, why in the world would any one stay at the same place and level of relationship they’re at, when God clearly has a plan available for your life!
A plan that the creator of the universe was willing to sacrifice His only Son and go to such great earth shaking lengths so you could have?
Matthew 11:20-30 The Message (MSG)
The Unforced Rhythms of Grace
20 Next Jesus let fly on the cities where he had worked the hardest but whose people had responded the least, shrugging their shoulders and going their own way.
21-24 “Doom to you, Chorazin! Doom, Bethsaida! If Tyre and Sidon had seen half of the powerful miracles you have seen, they would have been on their knees in a minute. At Judgment Day they’ll get off easy compared to you. And Capernaum! With all your peacock strutting, you are going to end up in the abyss. If the people of Sodom had had your chances, the city would still be around. At Judgment Day they’ll get off easy compared to you.”
27 Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. “The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to myself; I’m ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.
28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
What Jesus is saying here’s I know life’s been hard, but it doesn’t have to be! Trust me, I love you, I have always loved you! Even before you were born I knew you and loved you!
Come away with me, and learn how to really live! Freely, lightly, and abundantly! Jesus is calling you from the ordinary, into the extraordinary life and blessings He wants to give you!
Jesus not only wants to take you to new levels, He is willing and wants to take you and everyone you will ever come to know, to new heights in their life as well, as they see Him and His likeness, living in and through you!
This world in which we live, is changing so fast around us, we can hardly keep up with the changes. There has never been a time in the history of the church, that has been closer to the second coming!
And at times it seems never has there been a time, society has been less ready for such an event to take place! Today is the day of Salvation! The harvest is plentiful and ready to be harvest, but yet the laborers are few, to help Jesus work and bring in the harvest
Revival will never reach the masses until it starts with those humble enough to pray and seek Gods face to have and embrace revival starting with themselves first!
Let our prayer be change the world Lord, but first change my world so I can help change your world!
