Rags To Riches

I. PROMISES OF GOD MUST BE UNDERSTOOD WITH THE PROCESS OF GOD

A. ENEMY WANTS TO DESTROY/DISCOURAGE YOU IN THE PROCESS SO YOU DON’T INHERIT THE PROMISES

B. PROCESS HELPS US TO BECOME WHAT GOD HAS PREDESTINED US TO BE SO WE ARE PREPARED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS WITH THE PROMISE

C. EXPENSIVE TO BE EFFECTIVE

D. INSTANT, MICROWAVE OVEN, DRIVE THRU CHRISTIANS SO THAT IF WE DON’T GET IT IMMEDIATELY, WE THROW A TEMPER TANTRUM AT GOD AND LEAVE THE CHURCH, BACKSLIDE, GET DIVORCED, GIVE UP, ETC.

E. GOD IS NOT MOVED AT OUR TEMPER TANTRUMS. THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE MUST GO THROUGH TO BECOME WHAT GOD HAS PREDESTINED FOR US.

F. YOU DON’T GET THERE BECAUSE YOU ARE TALENTED

1. THERE IS SOMEONE DRUNK UNDER A BRIDGE THAT HAS MORE GIFTS AND COULD OUT PREACH OR SING YOU

2. GOD PUTS A RICH DEPOSIT IN YOU IN THE FURNACE OF AFFLICTION THAT TRANSCENDS GIFTED-NESS TO ANOINTING

G. ANOINTING IS A COMPOSITE OF EVERYTHING YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH WITH HIM AND CAN’T BE DUPLICATED OR IMITATED. IT IS ORIGINAL — UNCTION OF THE LORD MANIFESTED THROUGH YOUR LIFE STORY

H. ELISHA INHERITED ELIJAH’S ANOINTING BY GOING WITH HIM THROUGH THE SAME EXPERIENCES

I. THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS. IT COSTS WHAT IT COSTS AND IT DOES NOT GO ON SALE.

II. CELEBRATION OF CROSS

A. WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US. ALL OF THE BIBLE CELEBRATES THE CROSS

B. GOD’S ABILITY TO TRANSCEND EVIL FOR US

C. IT TOOK 39 BOOKS, FEASTS, THOUSANDS OF PROPHETS, SHADOWS, SACRIFICES, ALTARS, PRIESTS, TABERNACLES TO SHOW WHAT GOD WOULD DO IN 1 MAN’S LIFE

D. 1ST SEEN AS AN ANIMAL SLAIN TO COVER ADAM’S NAKEDNESS — NOT SPECIFIC

E. LATER HE IS SEEN AS THE SPOTLESS LAMB SLAIN BY FAITHFUL ABEL

F. THEN WE SEE HE IS WITHOUT SPOT OR BLEMISH, A MALE CHILD

G. WE SEE THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB APPLIED TO THE DOORPOSTS (PERSONAL EXPERIENCE) — YOU CAN’T JUST LOOK AT IT, YOU’VE GOT TO BE SMEARED WITH IT

H. GOD COULDN’T GIVE US THE WHOLE PLAN AT ONCE, IT IS TOO AWESOME

I. ISAIAH IDENTIFIES THE LAM AS A MAN (53:7) “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. “

J. JOHN POINTS OUT WHEN STANDING IN THE MUDDY JORDAN “BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD THAT TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD”

K. JOHN DECREASED AS THE LAMB OF GOD MOVES TO THE CENTER OF THE STAGE

L. ALL THE OLD TESTAMENT LOOKS FORWARD AT HIM, THE GOSPELS DESCRIBE HIM, THE EPISTLES EXPLAIN HIM AND REVELATION EXPLORES HIM.

M. WORKS THAT CHRIST DID

1. IF JESUS IS LORD AT ALL, HE IS LORD OF ALL

2. WALKED ACROSS THE SEA WITHOUT A BRIDGE

3. SPAT IN THE EYE OF A BLIND MAN UNTIL HE COULD SEE — HE TESTIFIED, I ONCE WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE

4. SPOKE 3 WORDS TO A DEAD MAN UNTIL HE CAME HOBBLING OUT OF THE TOMB, STILL MUMMIFIED

5. BROKE 2 FISH AND 5 LOAVES INTO PIECES SO THAT IT FED 5000

6. INTERRUPTED A FUNERAL PROCESSION BY TOUCHING THE COFFIN SO THE DEAD WOKE UP

7. SPOKE 1 WORD TO A MAN THAT COULD NOT BE BOUND WITH CHAINS AND DROVE THE DEMONS FROM THE MAN INTO THE PIGS

8. HE HEALED THE SICK, RAISED THE DEAD, TURNED THE WATER INTO WINE, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT HE CAME TO DO

9. THAT WAS WHAT HE DID TO OCCUPY HIS TIME WHILE HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO HIS PURPOSE. THAT WAS HOW JESUS CHILLED.

N. HE CAME TO DIE — I LAY MY LIFE DOWN, NO MAN TAKES IT FROM ME

III. AGONY OF THE CROSS

A. WE PREACH THE CROSS FROM A HUMAN PERSPECTIVE AND REFER TO THE TERROR AND AGONY BEING THE PHYSICAL PAIN

B. THE TERROR THAT AGONIZED CHRIST IN GETHSEMANE WAS NOT THE PHYSICAL PAIN.

1. HE COULD HAVE NOT CREATED THE STEEL WHICH MADE THE NAILS

2. HE COULD HAVE CAUSED THE TREE NOT TO BE PLANTED

3. HE COULD HAVE CAUSED THE SOLDIER TO HAVE BEEN STILL BORN

4. HE DIDN’T HAVE TO CREATE THE DAY OF HIS CRUCIFIXION

5. HE CAUSED IT ALL AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL

6. ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE THAT BELIEVE

7. GOD IS ORCHESTRATING ALL THE EVENTS OF YOUR LIFE TO BRING YOU TO YOUR DIVINE PURPOSE.

8. THAT IS WHY WE DON’T RENDER EVIL FOR EVIL FOR OUR ENEMIES ARE BEING USED TO BRING OUR GOOD

9. IT IS GOOD FOR US TO HAVE BEEN AFFLICTED — WE GLORY IN TRIBULATION