Expand Our Influence

I spent some time in prayer and thought today.  I was seeking a word from God.  This prayer was put on my heart, "God expand our influence."

Personally I want God to expand my influence with those people who do not know Christ.  I pray I would have more influence with those who are hurting.  I pray I have more influence with those who would be new leaders through Living Hope.  I pray I am better influence with the people I am already connected with.

I pray we would have more influence in our families.  I pray we would have more influence at work and school.  I pray we would have more influence in our community.

Please join me this week in praying, "God expand our influence."  

Crab Mentality

Teach us, Lord, to deny ourselves for the sake of your kingdom. Help us distinguish self-righteous suffering from the suffering that comes from bearing our crosses as we follow you. Amen.

God's government/rule means I must rethink everything that every system has tried to teach me(deny myself).  That is not easy to do cause many of those things are good, but they are not God.  I try to get out from them but they pull me back, like a crab trying to get out of bucket of crabs.  Our friends just keep pulling us back down.

Self-righteous suffering. Suffering for the things I want and for whatever reason I am denied.  Suffering because I got what I wanted and it turns out it was not good for me.  

Suffering that comes from bearing a cross.  Death, burial, to my self.  Being a servant and not being upset when I am treated like one.  Dying to self is the only way to live, resurrection.  Death, burial, resurrection.

Statement of faith, let it be so.

7 Things To Like About God Unless You Are Wicked.

^{Psalms 145}

⁹ God is good to one and all;
    everything he does is suffused with grace.

^10-11 Creation and creatures applaud you, God;
    your holy people bless you.

They talk about the glories of your rule,
    they exclaim over your splendor,

¹² Letting the world know of your power for good,
    the lavish splendor of your kingdom.

¹³ Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal;
    you never get voted out of office.

God always does what he says,
    and is gracious in everything he does.

¹⁴ God gives a hand to those down on their luck,
    gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.

¹⁵ All eyes are on you, expectant;
    you give them their meals on time.

¹⁶ Generous to a fault,
    you lavish your favor on all creatures.

²⁰ God sticks by all who love him,
    but it’s all over for those who don’t.

1. Everything God does is covered by grace.  Not some things, everything.  He is good to one and to all.  To the individual and the group.

2. God has power and it is for good.  Most people who have power it is for their good or for their groups good(it's called politics).  But God looks out for "the good."

3. God ALWAYS does what he says.  I do about 90% maybe 85% or is it 70% of the time, anyway the point is I am not God.  Neither are you.  With our best intentions we can not always follow through with what we intended, but God ALWAYS does.

4. God gives a hand to those who are down.  We evaluate why they are down. We will help them, but they must help themselves.  But God is not like that.  I am glad of that, cause most of the time I can not help myself.

5. God hits the restart button for those who are at their end.  God restores those who are at their game over.  To the losers he let's them try again.  To the defeated, He cries out, "New Game."

6. To the big eyed needy people, he prepares them a hearty meal.  Our plates are empty and we are holding them like beggars, and God sets the table with every good bit of food.  I don't have to struggle for daily bread I can ask for, and expect it.

7. God is generous to a fault.  We think there should be a limit on generosity.  Our generosity cart can only hold so much and if we use all of it, especially on those who haven't earned our generosity, I will  just be rolling with an empty cart with one bad wheel all of my days.  But God, if He has one fault, it is that He is just too generous.  I am kindof glad of that, how about you?

The wicked reject these 7 traits about God.  They want God to be the opposite of these things.

1. The wicked want God to only cover them in grace.  Or just give us what we deserve.

2. The wicked want God to do good for just them and not look out for everyone's good.

3. The wicked think God does what he says only when it is convenient.

4. The wicked want God to make sure the down stay down.

5. The wicked do not want God to give anyone another chance.

6. The wicked do not want God to provide for the hungry.

7. The wicked want God to limit His generosity, to them.

God rejects the wicked and the wicked do not like God.

      

5 things I run towards to keep growing.

St. Gregory of Nyssa “Sin happens whenever we refuse to keep growing.”

2 Timothy 2:21-22 NLT If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. 22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

When you become complacent sin creeps in and we are fighting against God's grace to be used.  We should run from the things that cause us to wither and run towards the things that cause us the grow

If I want to get in shape I need to run from Dr. Pepper(Lord help) and run towards, well running.

5 things I run towards to keep growing.

1. Run towards things that are right in God's eyes.
2. Run towards being faithful to God, family, church, nation, my values.
3. Run towards love and away from accusing, unforgiveness, and us verses them mentality.
4. Run towards peace, a life of wholeness that is not looking for a bloody outcome with those I disagree with.
5. Run towards those who say Jesus is Lord, who do right, are faithful, are loving, are peaceful.

Go From Your Country

Genesis 12:1  The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

We have lost our sense of destiny.  The sense of fate that lead Odysseus to leave father, wife, and son for a second journey.  This is the same sense that Jesus calls us to when he says that anyone that comes to me without leaving his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes even his own life cannot be my disciple.  Jesus was bad at focusing on the family.

What lead so many saints to seek the will of God above their own?  What has lead so many Peace Corps workers, missionaries, and skilled people to leave their own countries for difficult lands and challenges?  I would assume it is a sense of further journey, an inivitation from their soul, or even a deep obedience to God.

When Jesus calls his disciples, it is an invitation to leave your father and your nets.  Jesus is talking about further journeys to people who are already happily settled and religiously settled.  He is not calling us to a new security system.  We cannot miss this.  

Let's go to a land He will show us.

    

Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners sums up the kingdom of God.

Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners sums up the kingdom of God.



Bill Hybels “Most people who find themselves in the kingdom of God can trace their salvation back to one single life-changing conversation with a Christ follower.
 

Jesus gives people their name, their humanity not their label.  See people for who they are and should be connected with Jesus

What if they pull me into sin? You set up boundaries for yourself in the areas where you are weak, but you do not set boundaries to stay away from non Christians.

Have dinner with a non Christian this month. Listen and love people, if the door is open, go for it.  Share your relationship with Jesus with them.  What can I do for the church.?  Do that. That may be the most Christ like thing you can do.

The most Christlike Christian will be ineffective unless they get near those who are far from God.

1.  Pray for 3 people this week that they would be saved.

2.  Be interested in an unchurched person this week by asking normal questions and listening to their answers.

3.  Look past a persons lostness and see their humanity.  What could this person be like connected with Christ?

4.  This month have a meal with someone who is unchurched.

Is anything too difficult for the Lord?

Genesis 18:14  Is anything too difficult for the Lord?

God offered Sarah a chance to have a baby at 90 years old, not to mention the fact that she was barren.  Is that too great of a challenge for the Lord?  It is an amazing story and I believe it happened.

I believe that story because God has done some things that were way to difficult for me to do in my own life.

1. He softened my horrible attitude that hated my life.  I use to say everything "sucks."  That word is not   part of my life anymore.

2. He gave me a family.  I never thought I would have my own family.  I always had a loner spirit, born a rambling man.  But I have a wife and daughter, He put that desire in me.

3. I have overcome and I am overcoming my handicap, legally blind.  My handicap use to define me, but it is not that way anymore.  I still have my challenges for sure, but they have become just that, challenges, and not blockades.

So I ask you, "Is anything to difficult for the Lord?"  

Blessed Are Those Who Are Not Very Good At Being Spiritual

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The opposite of poor in spirit is rich in spirit. Jesus’ announcement is not for those who are good at being spiritual. If you haven’t mastered being super spiritual, cheer up you are going to like Jesus' kingdom.

Most people are poor at being spiritual, just good at faking it.  People who are good at spirituality pray over the meal, (I am usually called on to do that).  Most people would rather be thrown into a pit of snakes than to pray in public.  Hey, all of you who are not good a public prayer, Jesus has got a kingdom for you. 

The non experts had never been invited in, until Jesus. Outside of Jesus the non experts are still not invited in. But, Jesus invites the ordinary folks into his kingdom. Pros and experts didn’t like Jesus.  The non experts do.

The super spiritual are the one’s in good with God, everybody knows that, until Jesus announces otherwise. Jesus announces that the favor of God is indiscriminate. Jesus announces, "Let’s just open this up to everybody." Is that good news to you?

Jesus isn’t telling you to be poor at being spiritual. He is not telling you do anything. He is just making an announcement about his kingdom.  Jesus' way of doing things is for those who are not rich in spirit.  And I accept that. 

The Wrong Way to Get Blessed

Genesis 27:1-35

1. Dressing up like someone you are not is the wrong way to get blessed.

Jacob became like somebody else. He hid himself by dressing up like his brother.

To get blessed he thought he could not be himself. He couldn't be himself to be blessed by the most important/significant person in his life.

2. We play dress up as well.

We don't let others see who we are: our flaws, weaknesses, and sins. We dress up like someone else in our appearance, clothes, mannerisms, and it is not who we truly are. We do anything to get our parents, spouse, children, friends, coworkers approval. We dress a certain way or lower our moral standards for a dating relationship. We dress up like a great husband, father, mother, wife, worker, doctor, teacher, etc. We even dress up like really good Christians. We dare not be ourselves at church. What will they think of me if they really know me.

3. Outside we are fine, but inside we are like a kid, crying, "Bless me.”
Jacob got close enough to his Father, to kiss him and finally he saw the look of pride in his father’s eyes. Heard the words he longed to hear. He was blessed but he wasn’t blessed at all because it wasn’t him. Anyone who dresses up and is blessed for dressing up does not experience blessing at all. If someone hides their sin, flaws, weaknesses they are not really blessed because they have dressed up.

4. Humbly be your yourself with the right people, with yourself, and most importantly with God. 

Now do not brag about your sins and flaws, but at the right time with the right people be yourself.  Be honest.  Especially with God and yourself.  Stop playing dress up.

The Blessed Life Part 2
 

4 Truths For a Blessed Life

Genesis 12:1-3 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. 2 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 want a blessed life, a life defined by God's favor and protection.  In order for that to happen these truths must be a part of my life.

1. I have to get out of comfort zone.
-Abraham had to leave the comforts of home.  He had to leave what he had always known, the things that were always comfortable for him.  He had to trust God to care for him.  He couldn't trust the things that had always meet his needs if he wanted to be blessed.

2. I have to desire something new.
-My imagination must be for something new, something good.  A land that God will show me.  I cannot be stuck in the endless cycle of sunrise, sunset if I want to be blessed.  Nothing new under the sun, no.  It is what is, no.  God has something new to show me.

3. Believe God is great and has something great for me.
-God told Abraham he would make him into a great nation.  In order to do that God must be great.  Do I believe God is that great?  Have I put a limit on God?  Can he do something great in and through little ole me? Can I have a great marriage, family, job, attitude, outlook on the future?

4. Know I am blessed so I can bless others.
-Many see God's blessing as something self focused.  It is all about their time, money, schedule.  That is not how God's blessing works.  God's blessing flows.  His blessing flows from Him to us then from us to others.  Let God's blessing flow through you to others.  Give every chance you get.  Listen to others dreams and concerns.  Pray for others needs.  Mourn with those who are mourning.  Weep with those who weep.

That's a blessed life.     

Sermon: The Blessed Life Part 1