March 6 2016 The Word Of Humanity

THE WORD OF HUMANITY

John 19:28-30

Verse 28 – I thirst.

1. Truth: It was the cry of humanity.

John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

John 1:14 – The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us.

Hebrews 2:18 – Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

2. Truth: It was the cry of healing.

2 Corinthians 5:14 – Because we are convinced that One (Christ) died for all.

Hebrews 4:15 – For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin.

1 Peter 5:7 – Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

3. Truth: It was the cry to act.

Matthew 25:37 – Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink?  And He will tell them, I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you were doing it to Me.

Proverbs 25:21 – If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat.  If they are thirsty give them water to drink.

4. Truth: It was the cry to drink.

John 7:38 – He who believes on Me out of him shall flow rivers of living water.

How to form the union with Christ

• Realize what you’re thirsty for.

Psalm 63:1 – O God, you are my God and I long for You.  My whole being desires You.  Like a dry worn out and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for You.

• Realize that Jesus understands your pain.

Isaiah 53:4-5 – He took our suffering on Himself and felt our pain for us.  He was wounded for the wrong we did and crushed for the evil we did.  The punishment which made us well was given to Him and we are healed because of His wounds.

• Stop looking for satisfaction everywhere else.

John 7:37-38 – On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “If you are thirsty, come to Me!”  “If you believe in Me, come and drink, for the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within.

July 12 2015 Renewing The Inner Passion

Renewing The Inner Passion

2 Kings 2:19-22 – The men of the city said to Elisha, “Look our Lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.” “Bring me a new bowl, he said, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.  Then he went to the spring and threw salt in it saying, “That is what the Lord says,” I have healed the water.  Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive and the water has remained whole to this day.

THREE STEPS TO INNER PASSION

1. Notice the condition.

Verse 19 – This town is well situated, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.

The people were confronted with what Jericho could be and what it was.  (This is sometimes symbolic of our lives.)

Matthew 23:25-26 – Jesus said, “Woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!  You clean the    outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. First clean the inside of the cup and dish and then the outside also will be clean.”

Matthew 15:9 –“These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.”

2. Notice the cure.

Verse 20 – Bring me a new bowl, he said, and put salt in it, so they brought it to him.

Hebrews 12:1-2 – Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and Perfector of our faith.  

3. Notice the conclusion.

Verse 21 – Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive and the water has remained wholesome to this day.

Ezekiel 11:19-20 – I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them.  I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.  Then they will follow my decrees.

Acts 15:9 – Peter said, “He made no distinction between us and them (Gentiles) for He purified their heart by faith”.  

John 7:37-39 – If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink, and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

January 19 2014 Six Reasons To Believe The New Testament Is True

Six Reasons To Believe

Why You Can Believe the Bible part 3

THERE ARE FOUR BASIC QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ANSWER IN THE AFFIRMATIVE TO SAY THAT THE BIBLE IS TRUE.

1. Does truth exist?

The Bible can’t be true if truth doesn’t exist or if it’s just relative...

Matthew 7:1 “Judge not lest ye be judged. By the same standard you judge others you’ll be judged by that standard. So before you try to take the speck out of your brother’s eye take the log out of your own eye first. Then you’ll be better able to help your brother.”

cf John 7:24; 1 Corinthians 5:12; 1 John 4:1

2. Does God exist?

The Bible can’t be true if there is no God.

"For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountain of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries." -Robert Jastrow, God And The Astronomers

3. Are miracles possible?

The Bible can’t be true if miracles are not possible.

4. Is the New Testament true

The Top Six Reasons We Know the New Testament Writers told the Truth.

1. Early Testimony.

2. Eyewitness Testimony.

3. Embarrassing Testimony

4. Expected Testimony.

Homework: Read Isaiah 52:13 to the end of Isaiah 53.

5. Extra biblical Testimony.

6. Excruciating Testimony.

January 15 2015 Principles Of Courage For Opposition

Principles Of Courage For Opposition

Nehemiah 6:11-16

1. Courage is in doing our duty.
Verse 11 - O Lord, please hear my prayer. Help me now as I go in and ask the King for a great favor.
John 7:21 - Jesus said, not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Farther in Heaven.

2. Courage is putting our trust in God.
6:9 - Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
Isaiah 12:2 - Surely God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord is my strength.

3. Courage is standing steadfast (unmovable.)
Verse 11 - Should such a man as I flee? 
Ph. 1:29 - Do not be frightened in anyway by those who oppose you, for they will be destroyed and you will be saved, and that by God.
Eph. 6:10 - Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

4. Courage is serving in silence.
Verse 15-16 - So the wall was finished and the enemies were cast down in their own eyes, for they perceived that this work was wrought by God.

5. When faced with opposition you refuse to quit.
Ne. 6:15 - When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work.
Ne. 6:21 - So we continued to work from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.

POEM
I want to let go, but I won’t let go.
There are battles to fight by day and by night for
God and the right, and I’ll never let go.

I want to let go, but I won’t let go.
I’m sick ‘tis true and worried and blue and worn out through and through. 
But I won’t let go.

I want to let go, but I won’t let go.
I will never yield, won’t lie down in the field and
surrender my shield.
No, I’ll never let go.

I want to let go, but I won’t let go.
May this be my song, may in legions of wrong, oh, God, keep me strong, so I’ll never let go.

April 3 2011 The Word Of Healing

THE WORD OF HEALING

(John 19:28-30)
(Verse 28 – I thirst.)

1. Truth it was the cry of a human being.

(John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.)

(John 1:14 – The Word became flesh and lived for awhile among us.)

(Hebrews 2:18 – Because He Himself suffered when)

(He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.)

2. Truth it was a cry for the human race.

(II Cor. 5:14 – Because we are convinced that One (Christ) died for all.)

(Heb. 4:15 – For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin.)

(I Peter 5:7 – Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.)

3. Truth every person needs to respond.

(Matthew 25:37 – Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give You something to drink? And He will tell them, I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you were doing it to Me.)

(Prov. 25:21 – If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty give them water to drink.)

4. Truth we can drink freely from Christ.

(John 7:38 – He who believes on Me out of him shall flow rivers of living water.)

(Psalm 63:1 – O God, you are my God and I long for You. My whole being desires You. Like a dry, worn out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for You.)

(Isaiah 53:4-5- He took our suffering on Himself and felt our pain for us. He was wounded for the wrong we did and crushed for the evil we did. The punishment which made us well was given to Him and we are healed because of His wounds.)

(John 7:37-38 – On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds. “If you are thirsty, come to Me!” “If you believe in Me, come and drink, for the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within.”)