Why? Series

WHY?

Powerful Passages

SO – good morning Maple Grove!

MAN – it is so good to be standing before you all today.

I MEAN – it has been a minute, right?

LIKE – the last time I stood up here was back on July 18th

9 weeks ago when we were kicked off our series ‘Powerful Passages’ by looking at a chapter in Philippians about how you and I can ‘Stand Firm In The Lord.’

NOW – I gotta be honest, I am running at about 50-60% right now (which is much better than 5%, AMEN?!)…

SO – I have…

• this chair up here, in case I need to sit down, and also,

• and I know it will break your heart, but there is a very real probability that my MSG this morning will be shorter than my normal…

AND - at this time all I can say is ladies and gentlemen is it is time to place your bets on whether this MSG will be over or under my usual 40+ minutes, (person next to you/hands)

PLACE YOUR BETS

OKAY – let’s do this, let’s…

• READ - the powerful passage that we are going to unpack this morning September 19th 2021, and let’s

• PRAY - that the Holy Spirit will move powerfully in and among us during our time of study…

SO THAT – we all leave here in (O/U 40+ minutes)

DETERMINED – to live more fully the life that He created us to live!

BECAUSE – right now, like… right at this very moment (as many of read this past Friday in Revelation chapter 4)

THERE IS – this power scene going on around the throne room of God… GOD – is on His throne… and His surrounded by 24 other thrones on which 24 elders.

There are flashes of lighting and peals of thunder.

AND – there are these for living creatures… one is like lion, another like an ox, a 3rd like the face of man and the 4th like a flying eagle… and these 4 creatures have 6 wings and they are covered with eyes all around, even under their wings and day and night, they never stop saying… LIKE - they are saying even now, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say:

Our Lord and God,

You are worthy to receive

glory and honor and power,

because You have created all things,

and because of Your will

they exist and were created.

- Revelation 4:8-11

UNDERSTAND B/S – it is really good for us at times to remind ourselves whose presence we are in and who we have gathered to worship – and whose words we are about to hear… ?! AMEN

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation.

I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. – Genesis 12:1-4

Prayer

MAPLE GROVE – the message I want to share with you this morning is one that God began to impress upon me, as I was lying in a hospital bed at Sentara, Martha Jefferson.

NOW - I think, most of you know…

• On August 10th after being sick with COVID for 2 weeks I was went to the ER across the street for the 2nd time because I was having a very hard time breathing.

• Unfortunately – an ER visit 8 days earlier, and 4 o5 5 calls to primary care doctor, did bring me any help or any early treatments.

• SO – by the time they were willing to help me out… I had full blown COVID Pneumonia, and 2 blood clots in my lungs, needing 6 liters of Oxygen to breathe.

• B/L - it was not looking good

• “Some get better/some do not”

• I made a Facebook post, asking people for prayers

Praying healing over you brother is Jesus name. This is the 100th comment/prayer for you in 1 hour! He is hearing all these prayers and you are in His Hands.