PRAISE THE LORD GOD’S CHILDREN…
BECAUSE…
THIS IS THE DAY…
THAT THE LORD HAS MADE
AND
WE WILL CONTINUALLY REJOICE…
AS WE SPEND OUR TIME
WITH OUR LORD…IN TOTAL
GRATITUDE…
FOR WHAT JESUS DID FOR US…
ON THE CROSS
…AND…
WE WILL BE GLAD IN IT…
WE ARE GRATEFUL AND PRIVILEGED TO WORSHIP OUR LORD…AND RECEIVE HIS LOVE…HIS GLORY… AND… HIS PEACE!
***
WELCOME TO
THE MASTER’S TOUCH
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE
WE ARE TREMENDOUSLY BLESSED!! TO BRING THESE
WORSHIP SERVICES
TO YOU…
WE WANT TO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO
GLORIFY GOD…
…AND…
We
always look forward… with GREAT EXPECTATION
OF GOD…
Doing Miraculous things through US…
****
It’s our… HOPE and PRAYER
that…
YOU…TOO…
are EXPECTING to experience God’s Miraculous power…in
ALL of HIS GLORY!
DID YOU COME EXPECTING TO RECEIVE FROM GOD TODAY...?
WELL…IF YOU DIDN’T COME EXPECTING TO HAVE AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD… AND…TO RECEIVE FROM HIM… YOU WON’T !!!
SO … BEGIN BY
ELEVATING YOUR EXPECTATION LEVEL…
HOW?
EXPECT TO RECEIVE THE GOODNESS…
KNOWLEDGE…
WISDOM… AND…
ABUNDANT BLESSINGS …OF GOD…
AS YOU ENTER INTO …AND…PRACTICE HIS PRESENCE…
WHEN YOU DO…
YOU’ll BEGIN TO GROW IN
THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD…
…AND…AS A RESULT…
YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST…
WILL EXCELL WITH ABUNDANT LIFE…
…AND…BLESSINGS…
FROM GOD!!
***
As we begin our worship service today...
Take a second …to assemble a small piece of bread …A cracker
…or…
a small bite of some kind of food
…and…
a swallow of some sort of beverage…
It can even be Water…
…set those all aside…
These are the elements of the covenant…
******
LET’S INVITE
THE HOLY SPIRIT
TO JOIN US…
Please… pray with me…
EAVENLY FATHER… WE COME INTO YOUR GLORIOUS PRESENCE…
IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR…
WE ENTER YOUR COURTS…
WITH PRAISE… AND… THANKSGIVING POURING
FROM OUR HEARTS THROUGH OUR LIPS…
******
LORD…
OUR SINCERE LOVE AND DEVOTION FOR YOU...
IS …AS ALWAYS…
ANCHORED…
DEEPLY IN OUR HEARTS
…AND…
WE THANK AND PRAISE YOU FOR OUR ABILITY…
TO SHARE THAT LOVE AND DEVOTION WITH OTHERS …AS A TESTIMONY…A WITNESS… OF YOUR UNFAILING LOVE!
WE LOVE…YOU MAGNIFY...YOU.
.. AND…
PRAISE YOUR HOLY NAME…
***
LORD… WE THANK AND PRAISE YOU… THAT…
AS WE LIFT UP THOSE THAT ARE IN NEED…AND THOSE WHO REQUIRE YOUR HELP….
YOU ARE ALWAYS ON THE SCENE HEALING…HELPING…
COMFORTING…
ENCOURAGING…LOVING AND BLESSING EACH ONE…
WE THANK YOU FOR THE HEALING POWER OF GOD… THAT… YOU HAVE GIFTED TO US
…AND…
SHOWN US… HOW TO USE
***
WE THANK YOU FOR…
STRENGTHENING US THROUGH YOUR WORD
…AND…
OUR EXPERIENCES…
WE THANK YOU FOR HEALING OUR NATION…
FOR RESTORING US TO PEACE…CONTENTMENT AND HAPPINESS…
***
WE THANK… PRAISE AND GIVE GLORY
TO YOU LORD…
THAT OUR HEARTS ARE CULTIVATED… FERTILE GROUND…
… AND…
ARE …PREPARED…
… AND….
READY TO RECEIVE YOUR WORD SEED…
WE PATIENTLY WAIT ON YOU… LORD…
IN FERVENT EXPECTATION… OF…
OUR MIGHTY HARVEST…
WE THANK… AND… PRAISE YOU… THAT… WE
BELIEVERS…
DWELL IN THE SECRET PLACE… OF THE MOST HIGH…
IN CHRIST JESUS.
WE THANK YOU… AND REJOICE… BECAUSE…
YOU’VE ALREADY HEARD OUR PRAYERS...
AND…
WE KNOW FROM YOUR WORD…
THAT…
ALL OF YOUR ANSWERS FOR THE BELIEVER’S PRAYERS…
ARE …
“YES AND AMEN.”
WE THANK YOU…
FOR…
GIVING US YOUR POWERFUL GIFTS…
YOUR RESURRECTION POWER…
YOUR CREATIVE ABILITY…
TO USE… HERE ON THIS EARTH…
AND... WE BLESS YOU LORD…FOR TEACHING US
HOW TO DILIGENTLY APPLY THOSE GIFTS TO OUR DAILY LIVES.
THANK YOU LORD…
FOR YOUR GIFTS OF UTTERANCE… AND…
THE RHEMA WORD OF GOD…
THANK YOU… THAT… THE HEALING POWER OF GOD…
IS PRESENT TO HEAL … ALL… WHO COME TO YOU IN FAITH
…AND…IN NEED.
WE GIVE YOU THANKS AND PRAISE… FOR YOUR
ONLY BEGOTTEN SON…
JESUS…THE CHRIST…
AND…
HIS FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS…
ON OUR BEHALF
WE THANK YOU… THAT…WE ARE TOTALLY HEALED…
MADE WHOLE…AND… COMPLETELY RESTORED
TO
YOUR DIVINE DESIGN…
WHICH POSITIONS US…
TO WALK IN YOUR GIFT…OF…DIVINE HEALTH
WE GIVE YOU THANKS… AND...PRAISE…
FOR YOUR GOD-GIFTED
BLESSINGS AND POWERS
WHICH WE RECEIVED
ON YOUR BREATH…AT OUR CREATION…
WE THANK YOU THAT…THESE GIFTS…
EQUIP US…
TO BE THE OVERCOMERS OF THE ENEMY…
IN THIS NATURAL WORLD
WE PRAISE YOU… LORD…
WE WORSHIP YOU…AND...WE BOW DOWN BEFORE YOU…
AS
WE GIVE YOU…
ALL HONOR…ALL GLORY…
AND
ALL PRAISE…AS WE PRAY
IN THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES…
THE MIGHTY AND POWERFUL NAME…
…OF…
OUR LORD AND SAVIOR…
JESUS THE CHRIST
AMEN!
***
NOW…PLEASE…
Welcome
The Trinity…
MUSIC: DOXOLOGY
PRAISE FATHER SON PRAISE FATHER SON PRAISE FATHER SON
AAND…
HO-LY GHOOOOST
ALL PEOPLE THAT ON EARTH DO DWELL
SING TO THE LORD WITH CHEERFUL VOICE
HIM SERVE WITH MIRTH HIS GRACE FORTH-TELL
COME YE BEFORE HIM AND REJOICE
OOH ENTER THEN HIS GATES WITH JOY
WITHIN HIS COURTS HIS PRAISE PROCLAIM
LET THANKFUL SONGS YOUR TONGUES EEEMPLOY
OH BLESS AND MAGNIFY HIS NAME
BECAUSE THE LORD OUR GOD IS GOOOD
HIS MERCY IS FOR-EVER SURE
HIS TRUTH AT ALL TIMES FIRMLY STOOD
AND SHALL FROM AGE TO AGE ENDURE
EN-DURE
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOOW
PRAISE HIM ALL CREATURES HERE BELOOW
PRAISE HIM ABOVE YE HEAVN’LY HOSTS
PRAISE FATHER, SON AND HO-LY GHO-ST
A-A-MEN A-A-MEN A-A-MEN
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BELSSINGS FLOW
PRAISE HIM ALL CREATURES HERE BELOW
PRAISE HIM ABOVE YE HEV’ANLY HOSTS
PRAISE FATHER …SON AND HO-LY GHOOOOST
PRAISE FATHER SON… PRAISE FATHER SON … PRAISE FATHER SON A-ND HO-LY GHOOOOOST
AAAAAA-MEN
*****
AND NOW…
DEAR FRIENDS…
WITH
OPEN HEARTS
… AND…
MINDS AND SPIRITS PREPARED
TO RECEIVE…
WE WORSHIP OUR LORD…
IN SPIRIT…TRUTH…AND SONG!
****
MUSIC#1: RISE
"Rise"
Lead us to You
Show us Your mer-cy
Your-majesty lifted up on high
It tells of Your good-ness
Your name is true
Your name is ho-ly
Your-splendor is writ-ten in the skies
It tells of Your great-ness
[Chorus:]
We will rise
To praise You
Offer our lives…
before You
Let every nation
All of creation
We will rise
You are worthy
Lift up our eyes
to Your glory
Let every nation
All of creation
We will riiiiiiiise
We will riiiiise
We stand in awe
You won the victory
Your-enemies tremble at Your name
It speaks of Your tri-umph
You clothe the poor
You mend the broken
You heal our hearts
You take our shame
It speaks of Your kind-ness
We will rise
To praise You
Offer our lives…
before You
Let every nation
All of creation
We will rise
You are worthy
Lift up our eyes
to Your glory
Let every nation
All of creation
We will riiiiiiiise
[Bridge:]
We will cry out Your renown
You are the God who has saved us
We will-- rise to praise You
We lift a glorious sound
You are the one who redeemed us
We will- rise to praise You
We will cry out Your renown
You are the God who has saved us
We will-- rise to praise You
We lift a glorious sound
You are the one who redeemed us
We will- rise to praise You
We will rise
To praise You
Offer our lives…
before You
Let every nation
All of creation
We will rise
You are worthy
Lift up our eyes
to Your glory
Let every nation
All of creation
We will riiiiiiiise
We will riiiise
Yeh-yeh yeh-yeh
We will riise to you!
fade out…
MUSIC#2: CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST
WHEN I LOOK BACK
On WHAT I THOUGHT
WAS LIVIN
I’M AMAZED AT THE PRICE
I CHOSE TO PAY
AND TO THINK
I IGNORED WHAT REALLY MATTERED
CAUSE I THOUGHT THE SACRIFICE
WOULD BE TOO GREAT
WHEN I FINALLY REACHED THE POINT
OF GIVING IN
I FOUND THE CROSS WAS CALLING
EVEN THEEEN
EVEN THOUGH IT TOOK DYING TO THE SON
I NEVER FELT SO MUCH ALII-IVE
FOR I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIIIST
AND YET I LIVE
NOT I BUT CHRIST THAT LIVES WITHIN ME
HIS-CROSS WILL NEVER ASK FOR MORE
THAAAN I CAN GIIIIVE
FOR IT’S NOT MY STRENGTH BUT HIIIS
THERE’S NO GREATER SACRIFIIICE
FOR I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIIIST
AND-YET I LIIIVE
AS I HEAR THE SAVIOR CALL
FOR DAILY DYIN
I WILL BOW BENEATH THE WEIGHT OF CALVARY
THEN-MY HANDS SURRENDER TO
HIS PIERCING PURPOSE
THAT HOLDS ME TO THE CROSS
YET SETS ME FREE
I WILL GLORY IN THE POWER OF THE CROSS
THE THINGS I THOUGHT WERE GAIN
I COUNT AS LOOOSS
AND THRU THE SUFFERING I - IDENTIFY
AND BY HIS RESURRECTION POWER
I AM ALIIIVE
FOR I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST
AAAND YET I LIVE
NOT I BUT CHRIST THAT LIVES WITHIN ME
HIS-CROSS WILL NEVER ASK FOR MORE
THAAAN I CAN GIVE
FOR IT’S NOT MY STRENGTH BUT HIIIS
THERE’S NO GREATER SACRIFIIICE
FOR I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIIIST
AND-YET I LIIVE
AND-I WILL OFFER ALL I HAAVE
SO THAT HIS CROSS IS NOT IN VAIN
FOR-I’VE FOUND TO LIVE AS CHRIST
AND TO DIE IS TRULY GAAAIIIN
FOR I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST
AND YET I LIIVE
NOT I BUT CHRIST THAT LIVES WITHIN MEEEE
HIS-CROSS WILL NEVER ASK FOR MORE
THAN I CAN GIVE
FOR IT’S NOT MY STRENGTH BUT HIIIS
THERE’S NO GREATER SACRIFIIICE
FOR I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIIIST AND-YET I LIIIIIVE
FOR I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIIIIST AND-YET I LIIIIIIVE
MUSIC: #3 THERE IS A KING
There Is A King
There is a king…
seated among us…
Let every heart…
Re-ceive him now…
Where there is… praise…
He will in-hab-it…
N’There will be grace…
And-mer-cy all around…
Every bur-den
Will-be-lifted in His
pres-ence
Every tro-phy
Will-be-laid down at His feet
There is a naaame
That-reigns above all
oth-ers
Jesus Christ…
the King above all kings
MINI… MUSICAL INTERLUDE
Unto the Lamb…
honor and glo-ry
Worthy-is He
who ov-er-came
Buried in shaaame
risen in pow-er
He is alive-
and-the-stone
is rolled a-way
All our wor-ship
Will-be-long to Him for-ever
Death is conquered
And-our Savior holds the keys
There is a naaame…
That-reigns above all
oth-ers…
Jesus Christ
the King above all kings
FULL MUSICAL INTERLUDE
It won't beee long
we will behold him
And-every tear
He'll wipe a-way
We'll be at …home
the war will be ov-er
Soon-we-will meet
Our Savior face to face…
And…Every bur-den
Will-be-lifted in His
pres-ence
Every tro-phy
Will-be-laid down at His feet
There is a naaame…
That-reigns above all
oth-ers…
Jesus Christ
the King above all kings
And All our wor-ship will belong to You forever
Holy ho-ly
for aaall etern-i-ty
Yours is the naaame
that reigns above all oth-ers
Jesus Christ
the King
above allll kings
Jesus Christ
the King above alll kings
*************
Stop…
What you’re doing…Pull up a chair…
And Get Comfortable…
As we prepare to Receive from the Word of God!!!
***
HEAVENLY FATHER...
MAY YOUR WORDS…BE MY WORDS …
AND…MY WORDS BE YOURS...
And
MAY MY WORDS CONTINUALLY GLORIFY YOU…
…And…
MAY THOSE WHO COME IN CONTACT WITH ME…
SEE ALL OF YOU…AND …NONE OF ME…
IN JESUS’ NAME… AMEN
*****
TODAY… WE CONTINUE FORWARD IN OUR QUEST TO
GAIN PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORD OF GOD ... ON OUR
LIVING IN THE RESURRECTION POWER-DAILY …AND…
HOW THAT RELATES TO US…
For one… the resurrection matters today… because… as born again believers we can live totally forgiven lives.
Every person lives with the consequences of sin…
We all experience brokenness… shame… and… guilt… because sin destroys everything… and… everyone… in its path.
Romans 6:23 says:
“For the wages of sin is death,
but… the free gift of God…IS…
eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord.”
The resurrection means… I
can be unchained from the bondage of sin
…and… delivered from its power.
The first words Jesus stated from the cross… are words of forgiveness. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”
(Luke 23:34).
He lived… died… and… rose again… so that WE… can be forgiven.
His blood… cleanses from
sin… and… the risen Redeemer… now
guarantees… that… He has conquered sin…
death… and… hell.
Because of the resurrection… we know God has accepted the
Savior’s sacrifice… and… we are forgiven.
Every sin… and all the
shame… are forever gone… because… they are
buried in an empty tomb!...
Jesus carried our sins to the cross… and then…to the grave.
The burial of Jesus… is a part of the Gospel:
“For I delivered to you… as of first importance… what I also received… that… Christ died for our sins…in accordance with the Scriptures…
that he was buried…
that he was raised on the third day… in accordance with the Scriptures”
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Our sin… is forever buried in the grave of God’s forgetfulness…
He remembers our sin no longer…It was eradicated…annihilated completely washed away…never to be seen again.
Why? Because Jesus is ALIVE!
…And…because HE LIVES…
“ I have been crucified with Christ...
It is no longer I who live… BUT… Christ who lives in me….
…And…
The life I now live… in the flesh…
I live by faith… in
The
Son of God… who loved me… and… gave himself for me.”
The Bible says… in Romans
1:4… that
Jesus is shown to be
the Son of God… with power… by His resurrection from the
dead…
The mighty power that
raised Jesus from the dead… is the same
resurrection power …that… lives in US
today.
So… the resurrection means… we are forgiven… and…
transformed… by the power of the Living Lord.
Sin… and… death …have no power over us.
We can overcome every temptation… and… endure every trial… because of the resurrection.
The risen Christ… lives in us… day by day… enabling us to walk in victorious faith… and obedience.
SO…If YOU want to live for CHRIST… you will have to realize the necessity of “DYING TO SELF.”
It IS… a necessity.
Jesus said so… in Matthew
16:24-25…
Jesus told his disciples…
“If anyone would
come after me…. let him deny himself…and…
take up his cross… and… follow me.
For… whoever would save his life… will lose it…
But… whoever loses his life… for my sake…
will find it.”
Jesus expressed the idea of “dying to self”… in the
Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew… chapters 5–7...
If you haven’t read it recently… review it again… and notice the
various ways in which Jesus taught the necessity of dying to self.
ow is it possible to have the “characteristics
of the righteous”
… that…
are described in the Beatitudes…in Matthew 5 vs’s 1-12…without
dying to self and wholeheartedly
following Jesus?
How is it possible to demonstrate a Christ-like life…
mentioned in the
Sermon on the Mount… without picking up your cross each day…
and…
laying aside self-interest…in order… to follow Christ… and…
His example?
s most
of you know…I seldom share commentaries with you…since the
Word of God speaks
TRUTH…in volumes by itself… HOWEVER…
On
occasion… I run
across a really good commentary…and share it… BECAUSE… it speaks to the issues
well…As does…
Dr.
Martin Lloyd-Jones… in his commentary on the
Sermon on
the Mount…
He said this…
“The first thing we must do… is… to face this whole
problem of the self
in an honest manner.
We must… cease to make excuses…
Cease trying to evade… and… circumvent it.
It’s to be faced honestly and squarely.”
He goes on to state…
“IF we say…WE BELIEVE in the Lord Jesus Christ …
And… BELIEVE… that… He has died for our sins… IT MEANS…
that…
OUR GREATEST DESIRE SHOULD BE…TO DIE TO SELF.”
Dying to self is A glaringly obvious pre-requisite… to
growing in
Christ…
But… it’s NOT something…
that begins…
AFTER one comes to know CHRIST.
It’s actually… the way a person initially comes TO CHRIST.
As well known Minister… Charles Spurgeon noted…
“Learn this lesson…
NOT… to trust Christ… because you repent…
BUT… trust Christ… to make you repent…
NOT… to come to Christ because you have a broken heart…
UT… to come to Him… that…He may give you a broken heart…
NOT… to come to Him because you are fit to come…
BUT… to come to Him… because… you are unfit to come.
Our fitness is your unfit-ness.
Your qualification is your lack of qualification.”
This lack
of qualification is what God looks for… in using His servants
fully…as we’re
told in
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
26 For… you see your calling…
brethren…
that not many… wise according to the flesh… not many… mighty…
not many… noble… are called. 7
But… God has chosen the foolish
things of the world… to put to shame…
the wise… and…
God has chosen the weak things of the world…
to put to shame… the
things which are mighty… and…
the base things of the world… and…
the things which are despised…
God has chosen… and…
the things which are not… to bring to nothing…
the things that are…
that… no flesh… should glory in His presence.
But… of Him… you are in Christ
Jesus… who became for us…
wisdom from God…and… righteousness… and…
sanctification…
and… redemption…
That… as it is written…
“He who glories… let him glory in the Lord.”
It was that way in New Testament days
… and… has remained a hallmark trait… throughout history…
for those… who have a vibrant walk with Christ.
LISTEN to this same scripture from a more modern translation…
1 Corinthians 1:26-31…
For consider your calling… brothers…
not many of you were wise according to worldly standards…
not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
But… God chose what is foolish in the world… to
shame the wise…
God chose what is weak in the world… to shame the strong…
God chose what is low and despised in the world…
Even things that are NOT… to bring to nothing… things that ARE… so that… NO HUMAN BEING might boast in the presence of God.
…And…
because of HIM you are in Christ Jesus… who became to US… wisdom from God…
righteousness and sanctification and redemption…
so that…as it is written…
“Let the one who boasts… boast in the Lord.”
One
servant exhibiting these Christ-like characteristics…and…
used dynamically by God…
Was… George Mueller… who lived in the 19th Century.
Speak of George Mueller a lot…because of his profound faith…
He is
primarily known… because of his orphanage ministry …and…
his practice of praying
for financial support… without ever announcing
a need.
What you may not know… is… Mr. Mueller’s view of himself…
He
recognized a need for total dependency on God… and…
total indifference to self.
He actually wrote about his death to self in these words…
“George Mueller and his opinions… preferences…
Tastes… and Will… died to the world… its
approval… or censure
… died
to the approval or blame of even my
brethren…
and friends…and… since
then…
I have
studied only to show myself approved unto God.”
Is George Muller’s description of himself a description of your life?
It has to be if you’re going to be fully conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
This dying to self is NOT a morbid introspection.
Instead… IT FOCUSES ON THE PERSON OF
JESUS CHRIST…
as the Apostle Paul related in…
Galatians 2:20…
I have been crucified with Christ.
It is no longer I who live… but Christ who lives in me... And…
The life I now live… in the flesh…
I live by faith in the Son
of God… who loved me…
and… gave himself for me.
The writer of the New Testament book of
Hebrews gives similar encouragement.
Hebrews 12:1-3…
Therefore, since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud of witnesses…
let us also lay aside every
Weight… and sin which clings so
closely… and let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us… looking
to Jesus… the founder and
perfecter of our faith… who for the joy that was set
before him…
endured the cross… despising the shame… and is seated at the right
hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself…so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
As you study the New Testament… you will recognize the necessity of being totally dependent on Jesus …
As you cooperate with Him to make Christ-like changes in your life…
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in
me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit,
for apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son, in
order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Romans 8:29
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to
walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which
you have been called.
Ephesians 4:1
IS… dying to self a necessity… for you
to mature in Christ?
YES IT IS!
I HEARD IT PUT THIS WAY… “IF…you DO NOT die to self…
YOU will live for self.
IF you live for self… you CANNOT…KNOW THE FULLNESS of
Jesus Christ
in your life.”
HY? BECAUSE…living for self results in a believer’s spiritual immaturity…
SO…ASK the LORD… to help YOU… live for Him by dying to self.
MY FRIENDS…I promise you
…That…If
you get serious about this exchange… rest assured…that…
God will direct the process…BEGINNING
RIGHT NOW…AND…bring it to complete Fruition … just as Philippians CHAPTER1
verse 6 promises…
And… I am sure of
this… THAT… HE who
began a good work in
YOU… will bring it to completion… at the day of Jesus Christ
The first step in the journey of dying to live IS…to maximize Christ in your life.
In this passage, Jesus makes it perfectly clear that we are following Him. Christ is the focus. Our eyes are to be fixed on Him
(Heb. 12:2).
Our minds are to be set on Him
(Col. 3:1-2).
Jesus is our great and glorious Savior …WHO IS… worthy of worship… and… worthy of our best attention and affection.
The BEST… The HIGHEST… The most MAGNIFICENT THOUGHT you could have in any given day… is to think about Christ?
That is maximizing the Savior.
Recognizing the greatness
of Christ… who is the life-giving Savior…
is the first step in the journey into Christ-honoring discipleship.
The second IS… to minimize self…die to self…as
we seek to follow Christ.
A well known colleague once said…
“You discover genuine life… when you
understand it’s not
about you.”
The
terms in the passage illustrate a willingness to subject
our small and
insignificant desires… to the greater goal of following
Christ. We are called
to “deny self
and pick up a cross.”
This concept is difficult to practice for several reasons.
First… we struggle with the spiritual perception. Obviously… Jesus is
referring to spiritual concepts not physically carrying an instrument of
capital punishment around with you all the time.
Jesus is not advocating
denying basic needs necessary to maintain
physical life.
ARE WE…SO…dominated by materialism…
NOT… so much BY the accumulating of stuff…
THAT... IT IMPEDES…OUR ABILITY TO SEE SPIRITUAL THINGS?
The apostle Paul was certainly better at this than most as he was able…
“to fix his eyes on what was unseen”
(1 Cor. 4:18)
Second… we struggle with this concept of dying to self because we are selfish!
We fight against the Lordship of Christ.
We falsely believe that we can do a better job
with our life…
than trusting His plan.
Jesus has what we desperately desire… but we keep seeking
to satisfy our selfish desires through worldly lust… instead
of through humble
submission to Christ.
However… only through
surrender can we experience all that Jesus
offers.
He said by seeking Him first… we can expect to
receive all the other
things we desire
(Matt. 6:33).
By grace… through faith… we acknowledge the Lordship of Christ and abandon our futile attempts to build a satisfying life without Christ.
Notice a third characteristic of Christ-honoring
discipleship is
energized
service.
What do I mean by that?
Well… Following Christ is NOT…a passive lifestyle… nor is it just a sanctified resignation.
We’re NOT just eliminating desires…
Following Christ is igniting devotion.
Spiritual surrender… isn’t resignation.
We’re not called to
embrace Buddhism… which consists of emptying
oneself of all desire to achieve
perfect nothingness.
Christ-like surrender
shouldn’t be confused with just quitting bad stuff…
IT’S allowing God to transform your life with new desires…
new mercy… new life… and… new songs to sing… in
your …
new heart.
Don’t make the mistake of
thinking that self
is the enemy… because
it’s being denied.
We’re called to present our self to Christ as a gift or as…
a “living sacrifice… which is your spiritual gift of worship”
(Rom 12:1).
And…this presentation… is a passionate choice… NOT a passive concession.
Because we die to self… we’re no longer looking for “man’s empty praise.”
We don’t serve to be recognized by the luminaries of our communities…
We’re not seeking to rub shoulders with the “movers and shakers.”
If God opens that door…
then we definitely… should walk
through it…
BUT…Christ-like
service is an energetic resolve… to serve out of compassion… for those
… who often get neglected.
You may not be recognized
by the Rotary Club or the Chamber
of Commerce for teaching a 4th grade boys
Sunday School class…
or working with orphans in Mexico.
However… that’s ok for a follower of Christ.
After all…Why does a dead man need recognition?
*********
Music: LOVE CAME FOR ME
IF You had not come
Tender baby King
And - humbly left Your throne
To reach someone like me
If You had not walked
Upon this broken ground
Where on earth would I… be now?
If You had not come
If You had not come
To seek the sick and lame
To set the captive free
To break the prisoners chains
I’d still be in the dark
Grappling for the door
Longing for some way… somehow
but…
Love came for me
Love rescued me
Love called my name
Love took my place
Sweet Lamb of God
I’m bow-in do-wn
My eyes have seen
I’m finally free
Love came… for - me
If You had not come
Willing, spotless Lamb
My-sin would be too much
For-You to take me as I am
But, oh, the blood of Christ
That washes over me
Flowing from Your hands-your feet
I-Don’t have to worry where.. I’d be
Cause…
Love came for me
Love rescued me
Love called my name
Love took my place
Sweet Lamb of God
I’m bowin down
My eyes have seen
I’m finally free
Love came… for me
This manger King
My everything
Love came…… for me
*****
MY FRIENDS…
IF Its your desire…To come into
... and…
Dwell in...the GLORIOUS … miraculous presence of…
Jesus our Lord and Savior...
IF you
desire to
“BE” IN CHRIST...
THAT… STATE OF BEING…
TO ADOPT…CHRIST’S LIFESTYLE…
And…LIVE under
GOD’S IDEAL… GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM…
To avail yourself of… His marvelous wisdom
… and…
OPERATE DAILY…
IN HIS WONDERFUL GIFTS...
YOU MUST GIVE YOUR LIFE TO HIM…AND DIE TO SELF…
It’s very simple … and…IT’s pain free…
JUST
PRAY this prayer with me
Lord Jesus...I come to you as a sinner and surrender my life to you.
I
believe that you are the only begotten Son of God,
I believe that YOU died for me…AS ME… and set me free for
all
eternity from all sin…
I believe that…on the third day…
you rose from the dead and
sit at the right hand of God the Father…
As the scriptures tell us
Lord… please…
Take over my life…
and
cleanse me of all unrighteousness.
I thank you… and… I receive you as my Lord and Savior.
I praise you… and… I renounce the devil...and ALL SIN…
Lord...I
thank you… and receive from you...All the promises to me in
your covenant…
The gift of righteousness…
Total forgiveness of all my sins... past… present… and… future...
Divine Health… wholeness… and restoration...
Your Protection… direction...
Your Provision …
your peace...
…and…
The
gift of everlasting life.
I am yours...come into my heart… and…
take over my life!
In Jesus name...I pray… AMEN!
MY DEAR FRIENDS…If you haven’t decided to give your life
to Christ…
THEN… you will simply remain a CREATION of God…
However…If you prayed that prayer with me...and believe
what you
prayed…
you are…Born Again… and have become a
CHILD OF GOD!
***
ONE OF THE GREATEST GIFTS…
THAT WE RECEIVE…
FROM TAKING HOLY COMMUNION…
IS… HEALING OF OUR
BODIES AND MINDS.
AS WITH EVERYTHING…WE MUST PREPARE BEFORE WE PARTAKE…
THE BIBLE TELLS US WHAT WE MUST DO…
FIRST… WE MUST… DISCERN THE BODY OF CHRIST.
THIS MEANS THAT YOU…BELIEVE AND
ACKNOWLEDGE … THAT THE BREAD…OR
FOOD ITEM YOU
ARE USING AS THE BODY OF CHRIST… IS:
THE VIBRANCY OF THE LIFE WITHIN JESUS
HIS SUPERNATURAL HEALING AND WHOLENESS...
THE LORD SHOWED ME THAT IT
BECOMES EASY WHEN You think
of it as a
pill…that’s glowing with the Shekeenah glory of God…
and as it travels through
your mouth… down into your body….
it’s healing you…it’s pushing out all darkness …
ALL SICKNESS AND
DIS-EASE from the inside out.
WHATEVER THE AILMENTS ARE…SEE
THEM ON JESUS’ BODY…
THERE’S NO PLACE FOR GUILT HERE SINCE HE ALREADY
TOOK ALL
SICKNESS AND DIS-EASE AT THE CROSS.
SO…WHAT’S HAPPENING?
THE ENEMY’S TRYING
TO TRICK YOU INTO
TAKING SICKNESS...
BY DECIEVING YOU INTO THINKING THAT
YOU’VE GOT IT…THROUGH LYING SYMPTOMS…
BUT REMEMBER …THAT JESUS
TOOK IT AT THE CROSS…
SO…YOU WERE HEALED AND MADE WHOLE…AT THE CROSS!
THEREFORE:
SEE YOURSELF WITH THE SOLUTION…
SEE YOURSELF WITHOUT THE
PROBLEM…THIS IS CALLED
SPIRITUAL VISUALIZATION.
T’S VITAL YOU BEGIN PUTTING THIS INTO PRACTICE IN YOUR LIFE !
***
THE NEXT THING WE DO IN PREPARATION...IS…
DISCERN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST…
WE DISCERN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST AS…
THE FORGIVENESS OF ALL YOUR SIN… PAST… PRESENT AND FUTURE.
AS…CONTINUALLY USING THE CREATIVE ABILITY OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE DAILY…TO MANIFEST THE PLAN OF GOD… ON EARTH… AS THAT BLUEPRINT IS… IN HEAVEN.
AS RESTORATION OF THE BLESSING TO YOUR LIFE…WHICH IS…GOD’S
CREATIVE ABILITY TO SPEAK AND HAVE WHAT WE SAY COME TO PASS INSTANTLY
IT’S GOD’S DOMINION
…HIS…
DUNAMOUS…EXTREME POWER…
GOD’S RESURRECTION POWER…
GOD’S ALL ENCOMPASSING CREATIVE SUPER POWER…
AND…
GOD’S EXOUSIA AUTHORITY…
HIS PERMISSION… TO USE ALL OF HIS GIFTS...
AND THOSE GIFTS ARE ALL IN FULL OPERATION IN YOUR LIFE.
·
DISCERN
THE BLOOD OF CHRIST… AS…
RECEIVING THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM CHRIST JESUS.
· THAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN ETERNAL LIFE…LIFE EVERLASTING...
AND…
AS A BORN AGAIN BELIEVER…
YOU NO LONGER LIVE
UNDER THE LAW…
YOU LIVE UNDER
GOD’S GRACE.
****
Now… PLEASE …place your focus on the elements of the Covenant…
These are the items I asked you to assemble at the beginning of the service…As I pray…
Father God… we praise you and worship you
with these elements
of the covenant… We thank you that Your only begotten son
Jesus…
gave his life sacrificially…AS US… so that we may live… and have
life
more abundantly.
We thank you now… as these elements of the
covenant…like this
bread… becomes our
portion… of His Healing body …and the vibrancy
of HIS life… within us…
We thank you…that… as we partake of the body of Christ… we become healed and made whole... completely restored...
We thank you…that…this beverage… becomes
our portion… of His
cleansing blood.
That we are constantly washed in the
waterfall of His precious blood
… and…renewed within… as we continually remember
His act
of love on the cross on our behalf.
n the name above all names…the matchless
name of Jesus…
the Christ… We pray…
AMEN.
The Word of God commands us to continually "eat the bread and drink the cup"
ALL in the rememberance of Jesus…
However… Paul didn’t give us instruction on the celebration frequency
He implys…
it’s to be done often…
In order to continually keep Christ’s Victory… of…
our redemption…from all Sickness…Dis-ease
… and…
All Sin
in the forefront of our mind…
So…My friends…
Do it as often as
you want to and
need to.
***
…As we’re instructed…
We
discern the Body
and the Blood of Christ…
as we prepare to partake…
***
On the night that He was betrayed…
the Lord Jesus took bread… and…
when He had given thanks…
He broke it…
Saying …
'Take… eat…
THIS…is my body which is broken for you'…
'DO THIS…in remembrance of Me.'
“The body of our Lord Jesus Christ…
broken for you…
My Friends…
so that…
you…ARE
… and…
remain… healed… made whole… and… totally Restored
TO GOD’S DIVINE DESIGN…
In the name of Jesus the Christ we pray…” AMEN.
Partake of the Body of our Lord and Savior
In the same manner…
He also took the cup
after supper…
saying…
“This cup…IS…
The
New Covenant…
In My blood
DO THIS… as often as you drink it…
In remembrance of me.”
For… as often as you eat this bread…and…drink this cup…
you proclaim the Lord's death
until He comes"
My Friends…
“THE BLOOD OF OUR LORD JESUS…
SHED FOR YOU…
FOR THE REMISSION OF ALL YOUR SINS…Past,
Present, and Future”
And
For your
COMPLETE REDEMPTION
In the name of
Jesus… the Christ
we pray…
AMEN
Partake of the blood of our Lord and Savior
***
ONE MORE REMINDER…
When we receive
Jesus as our Lord and Savior…the bible tells us…
that… we are made a
New Creation…
a new Creature…
IN CHRIST JESUS!
The emphasis here… is on the
IN CHRIST JESUS
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and savior...
We move into Christ.
He surrounds us completely…
Now… with that in
mind… formulate this picture using your
spiritual visualization…
We are in Him…and…
He is in Us… visualize
a kind of hollogram…when you move
one way you see Jesus…move the other…you see
YOU…
Or…think about it this way…
You can put Jesus on like a suit of clothes.
Your hands into his hands like gloves...
your arms into his arms like sleeves…
Your body into his body like the torso of your shirt… your legs into his like trousers… and…
your feet into his feet like shoes…
Where ever YOU go…
HE goes...
Where ever HE goes… YOU go.
***
We have also been given the MIND OF CHRIST… Your head goes into Christ’s head.
We find our EVIDENCE in Deuteronomy 28:13
Where it tells us…THIS…
And… the LORD will make you the head and NOT the tail…
YOU shall be above ONLY… and NOT beneath…
IF… you heed the commandments of the LORD your God… which I command you today… and… are careful to observe them.
DEAR FRIENDS…
The result of this union…IS…
ALL of the vibrancy of CHRIST’S Life…
ALL of His divine health and wholeness…
ALL of His perfection are…YOURS!!!
HE is in YOU…and…YOU are in HIM…NEVER TO BE SEPARATED AGAIN!
***
OUR NEW BIRTH…is called THE GREAT EXCHANGE…
We make a
LEGAL… SPIRITUAL TRANSACTION…
As we MOVE INTO CHRIST…
***
We are Spiritually born again.
Remember that we are speaking spirits made in the image and likeness of God.
However…in our spiritual exchange…
WE ARE MADE A NEW CREATION… THAT REMAINS IN CHRIST FOR ALL OF ETERNITY
HOW DOES THIS EFFECT WHAT THE ENEMY
CAN or CAN NOT DO…TO YOU?
WELL…BECAUSE…OF THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS…
ON THE CROSS…
WE WERE
HEALED…
AT THE CROSS.
…And…
BECAUSE WE ARE
IN CHRIST…
BY MAKING JESUS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR…
NOTHING EVIL
Can ever touch us!
***
We can NOT be sick…
Satan can TRY to get us to take sickness and
dis-ease …
By tempting us
to come into agreement with what the he SAYS ABOUT US…
This means…
agreeing with what we see
with our physical eyes and hear with our physical ears…
in this natural realm
***
When Jesus went to the cross… and… conquered... sin… hades and…death…he
triumped over satan…
Jesus stripped satan of ALL of THE
STOLEN God-gifted powers …Given to Adam on God’s Breath….
Jesus... THEN…
restored…
and re-activated The RESURRECTION POWER…WITHIN US
…and…
THOSE POWERS are grouped under THE BLESSING…
So…Jesus restored US to THE BLESSING.
The scriptures tell us… In 1 Peter 5:8 that… satan…our advesary… NOW … ROAMS ABOUT…LIKE a roaring lion… looking for whom he may devour.
THAT…WHO…
IS…
Anyone who believes that satan HAS power…
HOWEVER…God’s word says… that…satan no longer has ANY POWER…
As a born again believer satan no longer has any power over YOU…
So this feckless…devil…
satan… Roams around roaring LIKE A LION…
in language that you understand…
in order to FRIGHTEN YOU… into believing… that he is powerful…and… to give you the impression… that… HE… is even more powerful than GOD ALMIGHTY...
LISTEN CLOSELY NOW These are the only things satan can do… since Jesus stripped him of all power.
He can …
Distract you...move your focus off of the
things of God… by tempting you to agree with what you see with the physical eyes
and hear with the physical ears in this natural world. Then… you begin to
FOCUS…on the cares of this world…
****
HE CAN…
Deceive you...He is the father of all lies…and liars… he’s extremely stealthy… in tempting you with his disceptions.
HOWEVER…
Here’s the real truth that you need to see…in this…
satan will always attack you where you lack knowledge and
understanding of God’s Word.
So… if you lack knowledge and understanding of what God says …about… healing and Christian finance … satan will attack you in your health… and…in your wallet…WHY? Because you have weakness there.
****
satan’s game plan… is always the same... distraction & disception
BUT… GET THIS…
satan didn’t do anything
WELL THEN…IF satan DIDN’T DO ANYTHING WHO DID? …YOU DID…
YOU CHOSE…
where you placed your focus…and…
YOU employed IT.
So you can see that… satan’s a master at moving your FOCUS off of God… and… over onto the cares of this world...
LISTEN…
satan CAN NOT read your mind…
He CAN’T hear what you are thinking.
He CAN’T GIVE you anything.
He has no power over you at all!.
PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THIS…
The only thing he… CAN DO… is…
OFFER IT TO YOU…that is known as a temptation…
You make the choice in your response.
Remember…WE ARE ALWAYS IN SOME KIND OF FAITH…
Everything we do… starts with a thought…then…we
put action to it.
When we do that… it will become
WHAT WE BELIEVE…
So… when the enemy offers you a temptation here in the natural realm…
IF you take that thought… THEN… put action to it…you will receive the consequences…
Do you accept the evil report and CHOOSE DEATH?…
Do you…Receive the sickness … the dis-ease or lack… by Agreeing with what the enemy is saying about you here in the natural?… IF SO… you are agreeing with the picture that the enemy has painted for you to see… with your physical eyes… and… hear with your physical ears…
IT’S IN THAT AGREEMENT …that…you manifest the negative outcome.
OR…
Do you ...CHOOSE LIFE
BY acknowledging the facts that… you’re seeing in the natural…with your physical eyes…and hearing with your physical ears…
Which…are merely facts…
(anything in this natural world… is factoid…which means… it’s
subject to change.)
THEREFORE…
YOU…
ONLY AGREE with what God’s Word …and
promises… say about you!
THAT MY FRIENDS …IS CHOOSING LIFE!
IT’S ONLY BELIEVING WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYS ABOUT YOU!
Now…I know… you’re
saying... “well I’m sick... and I’m in pain.”
However…what you are doing is rehearsing the problem… and… speaking sickness…
and… pain into existence… in your body… and… life…
so that…they never go away
…and…
eventually those symptoms… may worsen…and…even… rob you of your life.
Now…you know that because of a temptation from the enemy…YOU… are
allowing lying symptoms to take over
in your life…
I want you to see this…
satan only suggested… that you listen to…and… see… that convoluted picture he painted… complete… with audio.
So…
those symptoms… and… painful things…may be torturing you…
However… they… are STILL… just LYING SYMPTOMS…AND…THEY were sent to you… by the enemy… as a gift…
TO tempt you… into believing his evil report
…and…
when you DO…
the pain… and… sickness manifest… and… continue to do so … as long as you keep thinking and saying it…
IF that’s what’s been happening to you… then…you’re in agreement with the enemy.
Remember this…
The enemy always works from the outside in.
God always works from the INSIDE OUT.
Where God IS… the enemy simply CAN NOT be.
Some will say… we’re in denial…
HOWEVER…My friends
We are NOT IN DENIAL!
We’re not denying the symptoms...
We’re denying the symptoms legal right… to be there… Because we who are born again…are IN CHRIST...
Here is your EVIDENCE:
1st JOHN 4:17 TELLS US
THAT…
AS JESUS IS…
SO ARE WE…
IN THIS WORLD!
Well…How is Jesus?
Perfect...
Full of divine health… and wholeness...
Full of the vibrancy of life.
Able to do miracles!
Full of confidence in God
…and… His word… and in himself… and… what he is able to accomplish for God
AS JESUS IS…
SO ARE WE…
IN THIS WORLD!
THAT BELONGS TO YOU!
***
·
EVERY MORNING…
THE FIRST THING…
BEGIN YOUR DAY BY THANKING GOD FOR THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS ON YOUR BEHALF… AS YOU…ON THE CROSS. AND...THANK
HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST.
· THROUGHOUT THE DAY… AS YOU THINK OF IT… GIVE GOD GLORY FOR ALL HE IS DOING AND HAS ALREADY DONE FOR YOU … AND AGAIN… THANK HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST.
· AT NIGHT BEFORE YOU RETIRE…
GIVE GOD THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL HE IS…
AND HAS DONE FOR YOU AS YOUR SAVIOR
AND…
THANK HIM FOR THE POWER OF GOD THAT’S WITHIN YOUR BODY… COMING AGAINST ALL ATTACKS OF THE DEVIL
KEEPING YOU
HEALED
…WHOLE... and WELL.
THANK HIM AGAIN THAT YOU DWELL IN THE SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH ...
IN CHRIST JESUS!
***
NOW…
RAISE YOUR HANDS FOR THE BLESSING…
***
MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU.
MAY THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON YOU… AND…
BE GRACIOUS UNTO YOU.
MAY THE LORD LIFT HIS COUNTENANCE UPON YOU
…AND…
GIVE YOU HIS PEACE.
***
MAY YOU OPEN UP YOUR MOUTH
AND CONTINUALLY DECLARE
WHO YOU ARE
IN CHRIST JESUS…
THANKING GOD FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED…AND…
GIVE HONOR… GLORY… AND… PRAISE TO THE LORD MOST HIGH.
MAY THE LORD CONTINUALLY BLESS YOU…WITH…
DIVINE HEALTH… AND… WHOLENESS… AND… MAKE YOUR WAY PROSPEROUS…
AS YOU WALK IN HIS LOVE and LIGHT.
***
REMEMBER THIS:
BECAUSE WE ARE IN CHRIST…
1st John 4:17 applies to US
SO BEGIN TO LIVE IT!
AS JESUS IS…
SO ARE WE…
IN THIS WORLD!
GOD BLESS YOU!
****
