Taking The Next Step

Taking the Next Step

Pastor Glenn Newton, November 21st, 2010

Text: 2 Corinthians 6:11- 2 Cor. 7:1

11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.

Warning against Idolatry

14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God,

and they will be my people.” 17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

18 And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,

says the Lord Almighty.”

2 Corinthians 7

1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

How many of you here this morning can say with all your heart, “We serve an Amazing God?” He is amazing in so many ways, He is the Healer….the Great Physician, as we have been witness to again this week in our own family, but He is so much more….

We could literally talk for hours this morning about the different ways that He has “acted” in our lives….how He has shown himself to each of us in some form or fashion that has helped bring us to this conclusion: God lives, God loves me and He Knows my situation and wants to be involved in my life…… pretty amazing.. Amen?

This morning, because we can agree that God is worthy of our devotion, He is worthy of our Praise, He is worthy of our Faithfulness, He is worthy of our attention this morning….because God is Who He says He is in His Word….because we know all these things to be true plus so much more, it’s time for us to take some action steps to move to the next level in our relationship with Him. Are you ready to move past where you are in your relationship with God; are you ready to experience God on a whole new level? This morning I want to share what God’s Word says about moving up in our spiritual life.

This message just flows from where I am spiritually. God has more than proved Himself to me and I want to get past any immaturity in my walk with God, I want to experience God’s power, His Grace, His Holiness in a new way, and to do so I have come to realize that there is only one thing keeping that from happening…..it’s not God, it’s me.

Has anyone else come to the conclusion that God is not the problem in my spiritual life? Unfortunately there is only one other option to place the blame, no it’s not your spouse, it’s not your kids, it’s not your job or lack of a job……it all falls on us. This personal relationship that God has called us to brings with it, personal responsibility, personal accountability, I know those are two words that we all love to hear, but it’s right on this morning. I am accountable and responsible for my relationship with God, if I’m not going where I know I need to be going, where I want to be going, it’s on me… amen?

So, what steps can I take to Take the Next Step Forward?

First Step: Always Remember that God’s Will for you is to be Free

God has called you to Freedom. For us to live in any other condition is not His will for our lives.

I know you probably don’t know this about your pastor this morning, but I have extensive experience when it comes to rescuing POW’s. Not only have I seen these missions carried out in some really cool and real to life war movies, I have literally led hundreds of special ops missions to rescue captured soldiers, and to be honest, I’ve become very good at it. You ask where, the answer is all over the world……now it may be in the playstation video game world, but hey…. It’s pretty realistic.

Can I tell you what I have learned in all my years of rescuing POW’S? As you make your way past the enemy, as you move in stealth mode and get past all those guards, once you finally get to the POW’S, I’ve never once decided to get inside the prisoners cell with him and close the door and say, “Nice to meet you, I’m going to stay here with you and help you make it through this horrible situation.” Not once did I ever decide to try that. Why not?