I found an old file entitled: “Kids on Love & Marriage”
Concerning the Proper Age to Get Married
"Once I’m done with kindergarten, I’m going to find me a wife." -Bert, Age 5
"Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then." -Camille, age 10
"No age is good to get married at. You got to be a fool to get married." -Freddie, age 6
The Great Debate: Is it Better to be Single or Married?
"It’s better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need somebody to clean up after them." -Anita, Age 9
"It gives me a headache to think about that stuff. I’m just a kid. I don’t need that kind of trouble." -Will, Age 7
Confidential Opinions About Love:
"I’m in favor of love as long as it doesn’t happen when Spongebob is on television." -Anita, Age 6
"Love will find you, even if you are trying to hide from it. I have been trying to hide from it since I was five, but the girls keep finding me." -Bobby, Age 8
"I’m not rushing into being in love. I’m finding fourth grade hard enough." -Regina, Age 10
Will you bow with me for a Word of Prayer?
This morning, as we continue into our New Year, I’d like to take a look at a verse that I think we ought to read every day of the year. As a reminder of just WHO our God is:
Turn with me over to Ephesians 3:20
“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.”
With this verse in our minds, I want us to take a moment to focus on one particular area of that verse – “unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think…”
We talked a little last week about how we should approach the New Year – about turning our focus around and getting Jesus back on the top of our priorities for 2005. Looking at every event, every word, every trial, joy, EVERY moment through our Lord’s eyes. You and I both know we will probably fail miserably at the “EVERY” part – but if we can somehow turn from our carnal selves and begin to look through Jesus – then we can have the best year we have ever had on this earth. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, & temperance…
Ask yourself: “What has envy, worry, anger, strife, short temper, anxiety, lust and all these things ever brought my life?” Have they brought me happiness?
Jesus is able and willing and ready to do abundantly MORE than we could ever hope to think or ask. I think if you take a quick look back in your life you will find this to be true. I believe there are many testimonies in this room as to time wasted worrying, being anxious – whining – only to find that God had something in mind that even our feeble mind could not comprehend.
There are times in our lives that we can remember being very self focused – self centered – worried about our own problems –
Do you remember a time like that in your life? One struggle after another – you climb one hill only to be faced with another, even larger hill…constantly letting the enemy come in and discourage you – do you remember a moment when you were overcome – totally overcome with unexplainable loneliness – completely convinced that God has shut you out and shut you off. He’s pulled His hearing aides out and “he ain’t listening”!
You cry out – “God! Where are You?? I pray, I study Your Word, I seek after You! All I want is to be close to You! WHY WON’T YOU DELIVER ME FROM THIS???”
David Wilkerson spoke of reaching a time such as this – and talked about how at times when we face such things we seem to approach God with our heads down, discouraged, and weak.
We pray, “Lord, I don’t blame you. You are good and kind to me – I just know the problem is me – I’ve failed you so much.”
All God hears from us is how unprofitable we are in His sight. How bad we are. How unworthy we are – we think we are being humble – but I want to say something about this – praying and putting yourself down like this just HAS to be a complete and utter insult to God – a God who has adopted us with a covenant PROMISE to love and support us through a LIFETIME – “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think!!!!”
If you want to keep praying that way – then you just go ahead – but in essence what you are telling God is: “Father, all Your past dealings with me – all the revelations you’ve given me – all you have done for me – all the loving moments we have shared, the times I felt Your presence – all the times You have led me to share with someone – or witness to them – or extend mercy and grace – Well, God, those have all been in vain.
All these things have had no impact on me – no lasting effect….”
All because we don’t FEEL right! All because things don’t LOOK right!!! We allow DISCOURAGEMENT to convince us that ALLLLLL the things God has done in our life – are nothing. Yet, each and every one of us in this room have time after time that we can recall God bringing us out of the depths and getting us back on track.
Why do we allow this? Why are we so quick to forget? How is it that we allow Satan to come in and steal such a glorious thing from us? Are we really that weak? Why do we allow anger, worry, strife – why do we pick at one another as if we have no love? Why do we allow the slightest setback in relationships – in our work – our play – our finances – why do we allow the slightest trial or misspoken word to set us off and discourage us from running the race that Christ has set for us? Are we really this weak?
We only have to look to the Israelites and countless others in the Bible to see that we are not alone. Israel – what an AWESOME testimony they had! God delivered them time and time again – He parted the waters – He allowed them to walk on dry land in the midst of the sea…and for a moment they danced and rejoiced and shouted with glory and honor and praise – they lifted up their hands and worshipped Him with all their heart.
Just like us. Those moments after God has rescued us – or brought peace in our life – or given us an answer we sought – we sing – we lift our voice – we praise – we walk around telling anyone and everyone that will listen to what we have to say about how great and mighty is the God we serve – you know what I’m talking about???
Hey! Let me tell you what God did for me! WOOOOOOO! Is He good or what??????
And then we run into a little problem…looks big in our eyes…just like the Israelites when they had no water in the desert – 72 hours after they had their great miracle – God PARTED THE WATERS – 72 hours later and they are GRUMBLING!!!!
Psalm 106:7 says “Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea.”
What is the deal Phil???? What is it we just don’t get????? God MADE the water – He CONTROLLED the water to the extent that He made it turn back so that they could walk through – and they had the audacity to complain about being THIRSTY???????? They didn’t think He could get them a drink?????
When I was reading this the other day this is exactly how I reacted. What is WRONG with these people???
And then the Lord asked, “What is wrong with YOU?”
OUCH!
Yeah, what is wrong with YOU, big boy?
What’s your problem? What are you griping about? What are you whining about?
Why are you complaining???
“Let the peace of Christ RULE in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. AND BE THANKFUL.” Colossians 3:15
That one hit me too – I, as a believer in Jesus Christ, I am a member of ONE BODY – JESUS lives in me. Jesus is the author and the finisher of my faith. I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me – if God be for me who in the WORLD can be against me, the name of Jesus is above all names – my God is an awesome God – He reigns from Heaven above – UNTO HIM that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think – according to the POWER that works IN us!!!!
Complain? I ought to be shouting with joy from the tops of my lungs!!! There is no power – no principality - no name in this world that can come against me – I have Jesus Christ living in me – He who is “far above all principality, and power and might and dominion, and EVERY NAME that is named, NOT ONLY IN THIS WORLD, but also in that which is to come”
HE that “hath put all things under his feet”
I am above all these things and have no excuse for forgetting WHO I AM IN CHRIST JESUS!!!!
I’m telling you this morning that it is high time we get up and understand WHO we are! It’s time to remember what God has brought us through – it is time to quit complaining and whining and making up excuses for letting Satan rob, steal, and lie to us and it is TIME for us to stand up and take it back!
It’s time for you to tell Satan – “Get behind me Satan! I am shaking you off and I am coming back to get the things you stole! Move over! You are under me! By the blood of the Lamb I am here to shake you off!”
This year – I’m telling you - we are going to take back family members who have been led astray by Satan – we are going to take back relationships that Satan has stolen from us - we are going to take back health and finances he has duped us out of – we are going to get rid of envy, anger, and strife within our own body - and we are going to LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH!
We’ve had plenty of time to sit and be comfortable and now it is time to take Knox City back!! It is time to take back what Satan has stolen! It’s time to quit believing the lie he has told this town for 50 yrs and watch God perform miracles beyond our human scope of mind and turn over the lie that this town is beyond redemption! The clock is ticking – and we ain’t standing for his foolishness no more!
Church, the time for sitting is over. The time for standing is upon us. There is no name or power of the air that can come against us – Jesus Christ is able and willing to do abundantly more than we can even ask or think and I am asking you to stand with me this morning and declare war – right here in Knox City – we are taking our town back! We are taking our families back!
God wants to prosper us not to harm us!
He has a plan for us! He says that we are the head and not the tail!
We are blessed in the city and blessed in the country!
We are blessed going in and blessed going out!
He wants to bless our storehouse and everything we set our hand to!
He says He will defeat our enemies!
WE ARE WHO GOD SAYS WE ARE AND WE CAN DO WHAT GOD SAYS WE CAN DO!
I want you to say this with me this morning – and I want you to say it loud so I can hear you!
I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM.
I CAN DO WHAT GOD SAYS I CAN DO.
I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST.
I AM GOD’S WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST TO DO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED IN ADVANCE FOR ME TO DO.
Do you believe what you just said? It’s time for us to stand up on God’s Word. I am asking you – are you ready to shake Satan off and get on with God’s work?
Will you bow with me for a Word of Prayer?
