The key to *HOLINESS* is *SUBMISSION!!*

1 Peter 1:13-16

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

James 4:7-8 

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 

Verse 7 does not say just *resist the devil.* 

We cannot be holy or hope to do holy on our own strength. 

We have to humble ourselves before God and admit that we cannot do it without his help. 

**By submitting ourselves to God we recognize that He is holy and we are not. 

**By submitting ourselves to God we recognize that without Him we can do nothing. 

**By submitting to God we put ourselves in position to be strengthened by Him. 

**By submitting to God we put ourselves in position to be changed by Him. 

**By submitting to God we put ourselves in position to become more like Christ everyday. 

According to Peter....holiness is...

A matter of the will.....A matter of difference....A matter of submission!! 

Whose will are you submitting to?

Are you willing to be different?

Are you daily humbling yourself before God?

**WHAT IF YOUR TOMORROW WAS CANCELLED?*

Luke 12:16-21

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down MY barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all MY fruits and MY goods.

19 And I will say to MY soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, [and] be merry.

20 But God said unto him, [Thou] fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

21 So [is] he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

James 4:13-14

13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

14 Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

As I write this...it is 11:55 PM and I am on the brink of another tomorrow...but then I could have a massive heart attach and be gone before the new day. Not one minute is guaranteed. Garth Brooks sang a song that spoke to the issue of our mortality. The lyrics are curious if the singer made sure that his wife was aware of his love for her and if he had prepared her to live without him. 

Death is one subject no one really wants to talk about. We always live as if it happens to everyone else...but IF it happens to us, it will happen many....many years from now. I remember one of my friends brag that he would live to be a hundred. He made it to fifty. I am now 46 soon to be 47. 

I see that the clock has gone to 12:03 AM so I made it into that tomorrow....which is now today so tomorrow still may not come and if it does there will be a day when it does not. What will I have to show for my life? What will men say about me? Who will truly mourn my death? 

What will God say when I stand before Him? Will His evaluation of my life be greatly different than my own or other men’s estimation? While some may praise my achievements...other will curse my failings and God will judge both. Praise Him that I will be judged in relation to receiving Jesus by His mercy in saving me and not as a man with no Savior. Still...it will be a somber time and maybe a sad time and maybe a time of great loss and tears. 

We live for such fleeting things and waste our time on things that are destroyed while we are still here...left behind when we go or will be destroyed when He comes. I am in the preparing even at 46...why? 

Because what.....

**IF MY TOMORROW IS CANCELLED**

**WHAT IF YOUR TOMORROW WAS CANCELLED?**

Imagine this scene (scenario) if you would: It is evening, and you have just finished supper. You decide to sit in your recliner and relax for a few moments. You and your family tune into the Cosby show for some reruns and humor. Suddenly, right in the midst of your laughter, you hear a voice from the news center saying, “we interrupt this program to bring you a very important announcement. TOMORROW HAS BEEN CANCELLED.”

How ridiculous, you may say, but is it? For you see, that announcement comes to millions of people in the course of every day life.

For all you and I know, this announcement could be for you and me today. 

In the past year how many do you know who have heard those same words, YOUR TOMORROW HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

For many of you, who are sitting here today and listening as I preach, this announcement has almost become a reality in your life. A near heart attack, a near fatal accident, brushing death with cancer or pneumonia – those things and others have almost brought the announcement – YOUR TOMORROW HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Every one of us is only a breath away from this announcement, that our tomorrow has been cancelled.

James tells us that we should live our lives with the realization that our plans, our very lives, are not certain. What seems to us so stable and sure is what we have “in this present world.” Yet what we have in this “present world” may crumble and fall today.

To many people this is the “real world.” To them there is no other world. To them this is all that life has to offer.

Most people say – “Yes, it’s the real world and you only go around once so you’d better grab all the gusto you can get.”

The tragic thing is, that we Christians often buy into this philosophy. But according to God’s Word, it’s a lie. This is not the real world; there is a world beyond this one, a world where there is no pain, sickness, or tears. A world with gates of pearl and streets of gold. A world where death is not allowed to exist.

Be careful how you get attached to this present world.

If we get too friendly, too attached – possessive of our possessions to the point that they possess us – then we become a friend to this world and an enemy of God.

I ask you, WHAT IF YOUR TOMORROW WAS CANCELLED?

Tomorrow was cancelled for this rich man in Luke’s gospel chapter 12. This is a parable that Jesus is sharing but for many this parable has become a reality.

The world’s philosophy is “Take care of number one!” Notice the repeated word “my” which points to this man’s ingrained selfishness.

He was concerned only about himself and nobody else. He didn’t care to help the poor and needy. He wanted to get all he could in this life for himself so he could just sit back and enjoy it.

This man had success, satisfaction and security. What more could he possibly want. You could say that as far as this world was concerned he had it made, he was enjoying life.

We need to be careful about having a false confidence in things or in people.

2 Kings 18:21

Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, [even] upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so [is] Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

Psalm 30:6 

And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.

Obadiah 1:3 – “The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; you who say in your heart, ‘who will bring me down to the ground?’”

Jesus made it clear that life does not come from an abundance of things, nor does true success or security. This man had a false view of both life and death.

There are a lot of people that are like this rich man. In this world they feel secure, invincible, that they will live to be 100 years old. They refuse to think of death; they refuse to think of eternity; they refuse to think of judgment. As far as they are concerned this world is all that there is. But how foolish to think this way, death will come to all. All will face eternity either in the presence of God or expelled from his presence eternally. All will face the judgment one-day.

But this man’s tomorrow was cancelled with the words of verse 20 – “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you.” 

Death caught this man when he least expected it.

We would be tempted to say, “Too bad this fellow dies just when he had everything going for him! How tragic that he could not finish his great plans.” But I tell you, the great tragedy of this story is not what this man left behind but what laid before him: eternity without God!

Death has no favorites. It doesn’t respect age, position, importance, prosperity or anything else. Young people hear me, just because you are young and have your whole future ahead of you don’t think you can’t hear those words, YOUR TOMORROW HAS BEEN CANCELLED! There may be some here today who would say, I’m a good person, I treat people fair so I should live a while yet but you could also hear those words, YOUR TOMORROW HAS BEEN CANCELLED!

This man lived without God and he died without God. What a tragedy.

But, what if you and I had a guarantee? Let’s say tomorrow is not cancelled. How are we going to live? Are we going to live as if this is the real world? Or as if there is something beyond this world?

John said: “This world and all its desires is passing away. But, they who do the will of God will abide forever” (1 John 2:15-17). 

James said: “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). Life is short. Listen to the Word of God:

Job 14:1-2 – “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; he flees like a shadow and does not continue.”

Proverbs 27:1 – “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

1 Peter 1:24 – “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away.”

James could have easily said, “Today or tomorrow I’ll travel the world…I’ll buy that house…I’ll write that book…I’ll finish that project…I’ll…I’ll.” All of this presumes that tomorrow will not be cancelled.

We are a presumptuous people. We presume that we will have a tomorrow to deal with our sin or to do what we have been putting off for some time now.

But what if tomorrow was cancelled and you were not able to take care of that sin that you have been dealing with?

God’s favorite word is today. Now is the accepted time; Today is the day of salvation, not tomorrow. Listen to Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:2 from the Living Bible: “For God says, ‘Your cry came to me at a favorable time, when the doors of welcome were wide open, I helped you on a day when salvation was being offered.’ Right now God is ready to welcome you. Today he is ready to save you.” We Christians & sinners, presume that we have a tomorrow & will take care of that thing, but God says, “Don’t put it off, do it now, get help, open your heart to someone, spend time in prayer. Do it! Tomorrow might be cancelled. Don’t presume that you will have a tomorrow.”

Closing...........

Augustine made this statement: “God has promised us forgiveness for our repentance, but God has not promised us a tomorrow in which to repent.”

Now, today is the only time you have. Don’t put God off anymore. Your tomorrow may be cancelled before the close of this service.

Then look at the other side of the coin. Think of all the good and right and loving things you intend to do. All the loving acts of justice, mercy, kindness and mission. Good intentions. There are many in the church who have intentions to work for the Lord but never do. We presume that we’ll have a tomorrow in which to do those things. But what if tomorrow is cancelled?

What if all the things you intended to do or say to your spouse never get done or said?

What about all the loving actions you intended towards your neighbors and friends?

What about all the great things you intended to do for the church?

WHAT IF YOUR TOMORROW WAS CANCELLED?

How easy to forget that this is not the real world. It’s not going to last forever.

I want to close with these few thoughts.

Each one of our lives hangs by a thread.

Anyone of us could be called upon at any time to stand before God and give an account of himself. What if tomorrow were cancelled for you? For me?

The good news is this – that if tomorrow is cancelled, and you are in Christ – don’t worry about it. Because the day after tomorrow has already been planned for you. You will spend eternity in heaven before the Lord. 

The bad news is that if tomorrow is cancelled and you aren’t ready to meet God then you will have to spend eternity in hell, banished from the presence of God. Don’t put off what you must do today, now.

The choice is yours and you must make it before your tomorrow is cancelled.

*I Ask You, Will You Be A Rope Holder?*

Acts 9:23-31

23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let [him] down by the wall in a basket.

26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

27 But Barnabas took him, and brought [him] to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

30 [Which] when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

You see, here we find (Saul) Paul in great need. His life is threatened. He must get out of the city of Damascus or be killed. In the darkness his Christian friends put him in a basket and lowered him over the city walls to safety. In this story we see a great example of people enabling someone else to do what they themselves cannot do.

Paul was the greatest teacher, preacher and missionary the world has ever known. No one could have taken his place. He could do what no other believer in Damascus could have done. Yet he would be unable to do it if he were caught and killed, and by himself he could not get out of the city to continue the great work God had given him.

Phil 4:13 *I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me* 

We teach this to be a faith verse as we encourage others that are struggling....but Paul.....in this verse....He wrote actually meaning he could from experience....he was shipwrecked, snake bitten, beaten, imprisoned, stoned, left for dead and driven from one city to another!! 

Sometimes we have to experience the Perils=Dangerous times like Paul....to realize that * We can do all things through Christ which strengthens us* 

But if it wasn't for a few good friends ...he wouldn't have went through those things but rather would have died thus no Phil 4:13 

So, we find a group of fellow believers, none of whom could have done what Paul could do, placing him in a basket and lowering him over the wall to safety. The fact is, if these believers had not done what they did the ministry of the greatest missionary the world has ever known would have been over. 

There is a great parallel here for many of us that become discouraged because they can no longer do what they once did in the church, or feel that their best days of service have passed them by. Just because you are not the great missionary doesn’t mean you are useless. The great missionary would never have been able to accomplish the task that God had for him if there hadn’t been some people willing to hold the ropes.

Lets look at those who held the ropes for Paul and see what we can learn form them.

I. THEY HELD THE ROPES INCONSPICUOUSLY (not noticed)  

A. We don’t know their names.

B. We don’t know anything about them.

C. We don’t know where they came from.

D. We don’t know their occupations.

E. What we do know is that they held the ropes for Paul so   

        that the Gospel could continue to be spread.

F. Maybe you aren’t the leader in the church you once were

        .......maybe you can’t do what you once did....maybe the 

        newer (younger) people in the congregation don’t even

        know of your great past contributions. But you can still 

        have a vital part of the future by holding the ropes for the

        next generation.

2. THEY HELD THE ROPES GALLANTLY (with bravery) 

A. Those who held the ropes for Paul did so in the darkest hour of the night.

B. At a time when they probably felt they needed to be resting they were on the city wall holding the ropes of Paul’s basket.

C. Even though there was a danger that they would be caught, they held the ropes.

D.     Rather than being concerned for themselves they held the ropes so the Gospel could go on after them.

E.      Veterans, you have been the leaders of this church for many  years. Some of you have poured your lives into this church, and maybe now you feel that you are on a shelf and a new generation of leaders has moved into place. But remember, it is not to your glory that you have worked it is to the Lord’s, and even now when you deserve a rest, you are needed to hold the ropes so the new generation can carry on the work of Christ.

3. THEY HELD THE ROPES OPTIMISTICALLY ( with hope and confidence)

A. Those who held the ropes did so without knowing the future.

B. They did not know what Paul would accomplish.

C. They did not know he would write almost 2/3 of the New            Testament.

D. They didn’t know that some day he would take the gospel as far away as Rome and Spain.

E. They had no idea what great things God would use Paul to do, but they held the ropes.

F. Before grabbing the ropes they did not quiz Paul to make sure he was going to do things just like they would have, they simply grabbed the ropes and held on trusting God for the outcome.

G. Veterans, you have carried the torch passed to you from the last generation well. You have indeed been faithful stewards, and now the new generation has moved into leadership, grab the ropes and hold on as they lead us into the future, without you holding the ropes, how will they continue the work?

4.      THEY HELD THE ROPES PATIENTLY

A. They stayed at the task until it was complete.

B. They didn’t let the basket half way down and drop it.

C. They held on until Paul was safely at the bottom, out of the basket             

        and on his way.      

D. They stayed with the task until it was complete.

E. When is our task complete?

F. When God calls us home.

***CLOSING***

Veteran saints, you have served well, and I know you may think you deserve a rest, but there is still work to be done. God may have raised up a new generation to lead this church into the future, just as Paul was destined to do great things for the kingdom of God. But those things would never have been accomplished if some people hadn’t held the ropes that night.

If the church is to move forward winning their community to Christ we must have some faithful rope holders who aren’t concerned if anyone knows their name, who will hold on no matter the cost, who hold on not worrying about the future but trusting a sovereign God to bless their humble efforts, and who will hold on until the task is completed. 

I ask you tonight,  will you be a rope holder? 

**Take Your Eyes Off The Pool, Your Miracle Stands in Front Of You**

  **Take Your Eyes Off The Pool, Your Miracle Stands in Front Of You**

                                       It’s My Turn Now

John 5:1-9

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 

2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep [a]market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?'

7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.'

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

 I want to tell someone........Like this man at the pool of Bethesda, you’ve been overlooked, crowded out, passed over, outran and pushed out.

 But you’re getting ready for your Miracle

You’ve been like this man, you’ve been looking at it, dreaming about

it, talking about it, and singing about it (but you’re getting ready to get

it).

 I can imagine this man staring at the water, watching for the slightest

ripple, saying to himself. (don’t miss it this time)

 For hours and days and weeks, months, and years he watches the

water then for a minute he dozes off, or something caught his

attention and he misses it.

 Shouts ring out .......as a once lame man cries out I can walk I can walk.

 His heart sinks as he realizes (I missed it again, somebody got ahead

of me again).

 I’m talking to someone today who has watched other people get

blessed, get healed, get promoted, get their new car.

And it looks to you from all natural evidence that it will never be you.

But the Lord said to tell you, it’s coming.

Be not weary in well doing for in due season you shall reap if you

faint not.

The Lord said to tell you to take the limits off him, don’t restrict him

to past methods or past experiences or past manifestations.

 He says: Behold I will do a new thing.

For years the sick, the afflicted, the feeble would come to this pool and wait for a move of the water, but on this particular day God chose to move in a new way.

  **Take Your Eyes Off The Pool, Your Miracle Stands in Front Of You**

Jesus stood in front of this man (Jesus the Word, Jesus who is health and healing, and blessing and prosperity).

Jesus who is the full manifestation of everything he ever dreamed of is standing right in front of this man.

Yet the impotent man’s mind is still on the pool.

He could believe for his miracle, his breakthrough, but he couldn’t see

beyond past glory.

God is bigger than that.

  **Take Your Eyes Off The Pool, Your Miracle Stands in Front Of You**

Yes, Gods spirit was in the pool, but the pool was not God.

God is bigger than the last method he used.

For one blind man he touched his eyes and said according to your

faith be it unto you, for another blind man Jesus spit in the dirt and

made mud and rubbed it on his eyes.

This man almost missed his miracle because his faith was still

attached to the pool, he was expecting his miracle to come in the

water.

He almost missed his miracle because it didn’t come in the way he

expected it.

  **Take Your Eyes Off The Pool, Your Miracle Stands in Front Of You**

When you need a miracle from God you have to give God the latitude to use whatever means he desires to get it to you.

If you are not careful you can miss the glory, the blessing, the miracle you need simply because it doesn’t come in the package you expected.

Remember God can use a dirty bird to bless you, God used a raven to feed his prophet Elijah.

Some of you: If God was to send your blessing by raven express, you’d shoot the raven before the blessing got to you.

There are some folk that are so caught up on king James pronunciation that if a prophecy comes to them and it’s not in King James English they won’t receive it.

Many times it’s not the devil that keeps us from receiving our miracle, it's our narrow minded religious attitudes that try to tell God how to do his business.

Bless me God, and here’s how I want it, and when I want it.!!!

This man almost missed the person with his blessing because he was

still attached to the pool.

His breakthrough had come, but it didn’t come the way he expected it

and he almost missed it.

He was so locked into the experiences of the past that he thought the

only way he could get his breakthrough and his miracle was, to get in the crowd and push and kick and crawl and cry and fight and work his way into the pool.

 He could not fathom that it be as simple as just receiving.

Your miracle your blessing and your breakthrough is here and it’s not in the pool, it’s in the person and it’s not in your works it’s in your faith.

Yes faith has works (faith without works is dead).

But you can wear yourself out trying to work your way into a

blessing, or a miracle.

You can wear yourself out trying to make things happen, trying to get

people to recognize you, trying to open doors for yourself, trying to

get a platform for your gift.

Trying to convince God that you deserve a blessing, that you deserve

a breakthrough, that you deserve a promotion.

Yes faith has works, but faith culminates not in (trying) but in (trusting).

Not in (wrestling) but in (nestling).

Somebody needs to quit wrestling with God, and start nestling with

God.

 I want to encourage somebody today who is on the verge of quitting, not turning your back on God per se’ but shutting down, turning off the switch of faith, you’ve questioned if it’s even worth it.

Somebody’s dream is on life support and your about to pull the plug, you’ve been in the fight of your life and you just don’t feel like you’ve got any fight left.

To you I say: Hold on, faith never quits, (quitters never win, and winners never quit).

The difference between success and failure is just getting up one more time than you fall.

Faith never quits, (your money may run out, your feelings may run out, your friends may run out).

But your faith will carry you through.

 Never give up, never quit, never say die,.

You never know when the break through is coming; you never know

when the manifestation will come.

  **Take Your Eyes Off The Pool, Your Miracle Stands in Front Of You**

You never know when the door will fly open, or when the power of God will show up in your behalf and turn the whole thing around.

One of the main ingredients of this mans miracle was his persistence, even though he had missed his miracle time and time again, and he had watched other people get in the water ahead of him, he kept coming.

He had something the old folks called (gumption) it’s kind of a old fashioned way of saying (grit) or (guts) or backbone.

Gumption is a good thing to have, It will get you up and get you moving, it’s the kind of thing that is a part of your character that won’t let you just lay around and be lazy and feel sorry for yourself.

Gumption made him keep coming, it made him press through his pain, press through his disappointment and discouragement.

Everybody needs some gumption (But gumption alone is not enough)

It’s one thing to have gumption, it’s another thing to have unction,

Unction is another word for the anointing.

Acts 1:8 Jesus said: But ye shall receive (power) unction after that the

Holy ghost is come upon you.

When gumption and unction come together, you’ve got some power

to function.

He had been a long time in that case, but he never gave up.

He woke up this particular morning and everything was the same....         he went thru the same routine as every other day.

What he didn’t know was that this was his day for a miracle.

Tell your neighbor: It’s closer than you think.

Now was this man just a random choice, or was there a principle at

work here?

Did it just so happen that Jesus was in that place, and did it just so happen that out of all the people there that Jesus came only and specifically to him?

No: Jesus came to him because according to this mans own words (he kept coming) he may have been outran, he may have been ran over, he may have been crowded out, but his persistence kept him coming and his persistence got God’s attention.

He kept coming:

He kept coming through his pain, through his discouragement.

 Let me make it a little plainer (he kept coming through his bankruptcy, through his confusion, through his betrayal, through his rejection, he kept coming.

Tell your neighbor: I’m coming,

I’m wounded but I’m coming.

I’m hurting but I’m coming.

I’m confused but I’m coming.

I’m battling depression but I’m coming.

I’m dragging my leg, but I’m coming.

I may even have to crawl, but I’m coming.

To be honest sometimes I don’t feel like coming, it’s a challenge just to get up and get moving, but I know that if I don’t keep moving I’ll die.

And I made up my mind, If I’m going to die I’m going to die moving in the direction of my miracle.

I’m going to die like the little woman with the issue of blood, with my hand stretched out for the hem of his garment.

Tell your neighbor: Just keep moving.

Movement is a sign your still alive.

If you can’t move your legs, move your arms, if you cant move your

arms, move your head, if you can’t move your head wiggle your toes, and if you can’t wiggle your toes stick out your tongue, or roll your eyes, just do something to tell the devil your still here and you're alive and you're still moving!!! 

Now tell your neighbor: I don’t won’t to discourage you, but I’m next.

 I want to tell you (God is God and he doesn’t always do things the

same way) he can change the procedure anytime he wants.

 All of these people were gathered around the pool waiting for their turn.

 They were following the pattern of the pool method, they were waiting for the moving of the water.

But Jesus completely bypasses the pool procedure and comes to this man.

 Jesus didn’t walk through the crowd, checking numbers, to see what order they were in, and who was next in line.

 Let me say right here (Somebody’s getting ready to go to the front of the line).

Somebody’s getting ready to experience some divine favor.

Favor can do for you what no amount of education can do.

Favor can open doors, favor will elevate you, favor will change

peoples minds about you.

Favor will cause money to come to you, Favor is a magnet that draws

the blessings of God to your life.

Favor will cause people to bless you that don’t even like you.

Favor will put you in the front of the line, when others are more

qualified, and when others have been there longer.

Favor took Esther from a humble peasant girl to the queen of a nation.

Favor took Joseph from the pit to the palace.

Favor can completely reverse situations.

Wicked Haaman, plotted to destroy the whole Jewish race including

Esther, But God gave Esther favor with the King, and Hamans Plot was completely reversed.

Jesus said to the man: Rise take up thy bed and walk.

And Immediately = without hesitation or delay, he was made whole.

Is there anybody who has some immediate faith?

Some right now faith?

Not when I get to heaven...

Not one of these days...

Not 6 months from now, or 2 weeks from now, but right now.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things

not seen.

Like this man, like Paul and Silas, Like Joseph in the prison, like Daniel in the lions den, like the 3 Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace...

You may be in a midnight hour, it may be the darkest hour of your life, But what I really like about midnight is no matter how bad it is, how dark it is, It is gone in 60 seconds.

Weeping may endure for the night but Joy comes in the morning.

Somebody said: when is it going to be my turn?

The line is so long and I’m so far back I don’t know if I’ll ever reach

the place of blessing, the place of promotion, the place of breakthrough, the place of miracles.

Just look over and tell your neighbor: God is getting ready to flip the script.

  God is getting ready to turn things around.

  Somewhere I remember reading a scripture that said: Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due season.

 Then I remember another scripture that said, “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.”

 Touch 3 people and tell them: I feel a turn around coming.

 There’s something about God, that when it’s your turn, it doesn’t

matter where you’re standing in line, it doesn’t matter where you're at education wise, and it doesn’t matter where you're at socially, or economically.

It doesn’t matter if you're not the prettiest one or most handsome one, and it doesn’t matter if you’re the most qualified one from man’s perspective.

It doesn’t matter if you were voted the least likely to succeed.

It doesn’t matter if you’re the biggest one and the strongest one

In fact God gets pleasure out taking the little things, and using them in

big ways.

In fact the bible says: 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

And again the bible says: 2 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

When it’s your season, You move to the front of the line.

In fact when it’s your turn, things other people are struggling with, for

you will just come to you.

A multitude was waiting for the moving of the water, but his miracle came to him, his blessing found him.

**Take Your Eyes Off The Pool, Your Miracle Stands in Front Of You**

David was out in the fields tending sheep (out of sight out of mind).

From all natural perspective he was not even in the line up, his name

was not even on the sign up sheet.

Samuel tried to anoint Jessie’s sons but the anointing refused them.

But when the Holy Ghost said: It’s your turn, David went from

obscurity and insignificance to the person of interest and the center of attention.

Send for him, for we will not sit down until he come.

And the bible says: Samuel anointed David in the midst of his

brethren.

When it’s your turn, God is going to bless you and he is going to do it

in such a way that you will be an example of his goodness, and his

faithfulness.

He’s going to raise you up, and he’s not going to do it in the closet,

he’s going to anoint you in the midst of your brethren.

Because God is not ashamed of his anointed ones.

I Believe Somebody is coming into their anointing right now.

Something you have been waiting for and pressing for and struggling

for, is getting ready to come to you.

You know what God is saying to some right now? 

**Take Your Eyes Off The Pool, Your Miracle Stands in Front Of You**

God said: I’ve been watching you, and you may have been overlooked by others, and you may have been left out by others.

But you’re my choice, and it’s your turn now. 

It’s your turn now to shine.

It’s your turn now to prosper.

It’s your turn now to be healed,

It’s your turn now for doors to open for you.

It’s your turn now for a fresh and increased anointing.

Tell your neighbor: Don’t be angry with me, I don’t mean to crowd you but it’s just my turn now.

**Take Your Eyes Off The Pool, Your Miracle Stands in Front Of You**

**He must increase, but I must decrease**

I hear a lot of people say this or quote this.  I started thinking about what does this really mean. I have even heard songs about this.  Do we really get this?  My fear is that this has become one of those "Christian" buzz phrases that we use yet don't fully understand the full reality of what it really means.

John 3:30  - He must become more important while I become less important.

He must increase, but I must decrease. KJV 

Otherwise heard as he must increase, he must become greater.  The list goes on. I started to think about this the other day as this verse, as some verses do sometimes, just occupied my mind and space. 

Surely you have had one of those days where you are walking along, minding your own business and then, all of a sudden, out of the clear blue, BAM a verse jumps up out of nowhere, grabs one of your arms, throws you to the ground and puts you in a headlock 

that you havent seen since your sibling got you after dinner for spilling the beans about where they hid their mashed potatos and makes you yell "Uncle" for everyone to hear.  Yea, this happened to me the other day with this verse.

So anyway, I was thinking... What does it take to become less, after all we live in a world where less is more, right? Did you know there are over 287,000,000 entries in Google for "How to become number one". Then I got a surprise and found out that there were 529,000,000 results for "How to become less" See there is hope in the world. There was even a Youtube video on how to become less popular on YouTube.  Hmm.  We really needed a video to tell us that?

Back to thinking... If I need to become less important and He needs to become more important then... I must become last..servant..If anyone wants to be first he must be last and servant of all.  Less is more

If I need to be less important and He needs to be more important then... There must be less of me in my life and more of Him.  I must surrender.

So now I need to be a surrendered servant.  

When I think of a surrendered servant I immediately think of Jesus.  Jesus gave all so that we could have all.  If I replace my attitude and life style with the example Jesus gave us to follow in the Bible, then in reality becoming more like Jesus and less like me would indeed make Him more important and me less important.

******How to Show Love to Others******

A couple that had been married for 50 years sat reflecting one day. The wife said,  Things have really changed over the years. You used to sit real close to me. But you haven’t done that for a while.  Well I can fix that said the man as he got up and moved closer to his wife.

You used to hold me real tight. said the wife. So the man wrapped his arms around his wife and asked, How’s that?

She continued to say, You used to nuzzle my neck and nibble on my ear lobes. At that the man jumped up from the couch and dashed out of the room. When he returned she asked him where did you go?   He said,  I had to go get my teeth.

This morning we are going to look at the first chapter of Ruth and see five practical ways that you can show love. The love that we are talking about this morning is not the love between a husband and a wife – romantic love. It is the love of friendship – in this case between a mother and her daughter-in-law. We will be looking at the love between Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi.

Tell the story of Ruth and Naomi.

Famine

Move

Husband dies

Sons marry

Sons die

Naomi is left alone – bitter and heart broken. Naomi tells her daughters-in-law to pack up and leave. There is no reason for them to stay with around. Naomi can see no hope for the future. No hope for marriage for the two young ladies. No future in sight for any of them. Naomi develops a pessimistic view of life. One daughter-in-law leaves but Ruth says:

16"Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.” 

Ruth 1:16-17 (NKJV)

1. You show love by sticking with someone through tough times.

Ruth said she would stick with Naomi through thick or thin. No matter what happened, Ruth would stay by Naomi’s side.

FACT: Love has Sticking Power.

“Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.” Proverbs 18:24 (MSG)

2. You show love by adjusting to others.

“Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” v.16

I never realized how much adjusting there is in life until I married Cathy. When a couple gets married there are lots of adjustments that take place and there should be. Your whole outlook on life should change. You are no longer single – two have become one. You have become a family. Things adjust; from what you eat, to what you wear. One of the big adjustments in my life was the adjustment that happens at Christmas time. Our families handled Christmas completely different from each other. (Explain)

There was a fantastic adjustment that happened about two years after we were married. You see when we got married I was not a Christian. (Explain) Through her silent witness – her faith she had an influence on my life to lead me to Christ. Literally in our case – “her God became, my God.”

3. You show love by reaching beyond your comfort zones.

“Where you die, I will die.” v.17

At this point I can’t help but thinking about the marriage vows. 

You know the vows they go like this: I promise to stay with you:

- For better or worse; richer or poorer. In sickness and in health, till death do us part.

Maybe I’m old fashioned but to me that vow says, “I’ll reach beyond my comfort zone to stay with you.”

Jesus said it this way,

"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23 (NKJV)

Reaching beyond our comfort zones means self sacrifice.

4. You show love by offering encouraging words.

"Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go." v.16

Ruth was telling her – you’re not in this alone. Where ever you go – what ever happens to you – I’ll be there. You’ll always have someone by your side.

Proverbs 25:11 from the Message Bible says this, "The right word at the right time is like a custom made piece of jewelry."

FACT: Words of encouragement and love need to spoken - because they can have a great impact.

5. You show love by putting their needs above your needs.

“When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.” v. 18

Let me give you a little insight into this verse. This verse doesn’t mean that Naomi stopped talking to Ruth completely. What it means is when Naomi saw how determined Ruth was – she stopped trying to persuade her. Ruth was determined that she was going with Naomi and no amount of talking was going to stop her from doing just that. 

It didn’t matter how uncomfortable the journey was going to be. It didn’t matter whether there was going to be food to eat. Ruth was determined to stick with Naomi – because she needed a friend.

"(Love) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NKJV)

This story is a picture of God’s love for you.

"There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV)

Who is this friend - Jesus.

1. He’ll stick with you through tough times.

2. He’ll accept you just as you are.

3. He’ll reach beyond His comfort zone for you.

4. He’ll offer you words of comfort and hope.

5. He put your needs first when He went to the cross for you.

Through Jesus Christ you can have salvation.

**THANKS TO CALVARY**

                            **Thanks to Calvary**

LUKE 23:33

AND WHEN THEY WERE COME TO THE PLACE WHICH IS CALLED CALVARY THERE THEY CRUCIFIED HIM AND 

THE MALEFACTORS ONE ON THE RIGHT HAND AND THE OTHER ON THE LEFT.

THERE WAS THREE CROSSES......

A.ONE DYING IN SIN.

B,ONE DYING TO SIN.

C.ONE DYING FOR SIN.

THE ONE THAT DIED FOR SIN WAS JESUS THE SON OF GOD.

HE WAS SUBMITTED TO GODS PLAN. 

PHILLIPIANS 2:8 

AND BEING FOUND IN FASHION AS A MAN HE HUMBLED HIMSELF AND BECAME OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH EVEN THE DEATH OF THE CROSS.

JESUS DID NOT HIDE.....RUN OR PUT UP A FIGHT.

LOOK AT THE TREATMENT JESUS FACED......

A.THEY SPIT ON HIM.

B.THEY SLAPPED HIM.

C.THEY SHAMED HIM.

D.THEY BEAT HIM.

E.THEY WHIPPED HIM.

SOME ONE SAID, WHEN YOUR BACK IS TO THE WALL,

REMEMBER HIS WAS TO THE CROSS.

**I WANT TO SAY SOME THINGS ABOUT CALVARY**

1. CALVARY.....WHERE WE SEE MAN AT HIS WORST AND GOD AT HIS BEST.

2. CALVARY....WHERE EVERY PERSON MUST COME IF THEY EXPECT TO BE SAVED.

3. CALVARY.....WHERE JESUS SHED HIS BLOOD.

4. CALVARY.....WHERE WE COME WITH OUR SORROW AND LEAVE WITH HIS JOY.

5. CALVARY....WHERE JESUS DIED THAT THE WE MIGHT LIVE.

6. CALVARY....WHERE WE HEAR THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD.

7. CALVARY.....WHERE SINNERS PLUNGED BENNEATH THAT FLOOD LOSE ALL THEIR GUILTY STAINS.

8. CALVARY....WHERE WE COME WITH OUR RUIN AND RECIEVE HIS PEACE.

9. CALVARY....WHERE WE COME WITH OUR BITTERNESS AND RECEIVE HIS BLESSINGS.

10. CALVARY....WHERE A SAVIOUR DIED AND SALVATION WAS BORN.

11. CALVARY....WHERE WE COME WITH OUR DARKNESS AND RECIEVE HIS LIGHT.

12. CALVARY.....WHERE WE COME WITH OUR HELL AND RECIEVE HIS HEAVEN. 

NO WONDER THE SONG WRITER SAID MY RANSOMED SOUL CAN ONLY SING OF CALVARY.

LITTLE GIRL LOST HER WAY HOME.....POLICE MAN SAW HER AND SAID CAN I HELP YOU, SHE SAID JUST POINT ME TO THE CROSS AND I CAN FIND MY WAY HOME....SHE LIVED NEAR THE CHURCH WERE THE BIG CROSS COULD BE SEEN. SHE FOUND HER WAY HOME.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:18 

FOR THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS IS TO THEM THAT PERISH FOOLISHNESS BUT UNTO US WHICH ARE SAVED IT IS THE POWER OF GOD.

THERE IS STILL ROOM AT THE CROSS FOR YOU.

THE GROUND IS LEVEL AT THE CROSS.  PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!!!!! 

THANKS TO CALVARY I AM NOT THE MAN I USED TO BE.

**A GOOD FATHER** Part 10

PREPARE YOUR CHILDREN

Proverbs 23:24 - “The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise son will be glad in him.”

You are preparing your children to leave home … PLEASE! Some day, they’ll take what they’ve learned from you, and begin to apply it out in the real world. You’ve only got approximately 18 years to get them ready.

Preparing them for life away from you is only part of the picture. If you haven’t spent your time preparing them for eternity, you have failed as a father. God didn’t give you your children just to prepare a doctor, a teacher, or a plumber. God gave your children to Christian fathers to prepare them for eternity.

You can’t choose which eternal path they will take … but you CAN choose to show them the way to Heaven … OR … you can choose to just ignore their spiritual destiny. They have to decide for themselves the path they’ll take … but you can have a Godly influence on their choice.

BE A GOOD FATHER … prepare your children … for eternity.

It’s not easy being a good father … BUT … it’s NOT IMPOSSIBLE either. It takes hard work, hard praying, and making hard decisions. You can’t do it alone.... God doesn’t expect you to....God doesn’t want you to.....Don’t leave Him out of your fatherhood.

**A GOOD FATHER** Part 9

BE A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL

Proverbs 22:6 - “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

You are a role model for your children … like it or not … good or bad … they will, to one degree or another, model their lives after you. You have inherited some of your father’s characteristics … your children are inheriting some of yours. 

Whether you know it or not (or mean to or not), you are influencing the lives of your children, and your children’s children. 

You ARE a role model … A GOOD FATHER will be a GOOD role model.

It’s not easy being a good father … BUT … it’s NOT IMPOSSIBLE either. It takes hard work, hard praying, and making hard decisions. You can’t do it alone.... God doesn’t expect you to....God doesn’t want you to.....Don’t leave Him out of your fatherhood.

**A GOOD FATHER** Part 8

PRAY FOR YOUR CHILDREN

Psalm 55:17 – “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.”

You can’t be with your children all the time … God can. You can’t protect them wherever they go … God can. You can teach them right from wrong, but you can’t be there when it’s put to the test … God can.

Pray for your children! Lift them up to God to do for them what you can’t do. As parents, we aren’t perfect, and we make mistakes. If we had to do it all over again, we would do things differently. Maybe we’ve done the best we could … we did what we thought was right … we raised our children the best we knew how. 

NOW … PRAY FOR THEM … because your Heavenly Father loves them as much as you do … and He has more experience than you do. Pray that God the Father will take your well-intended efforts at fatherhood … and use them to bring your children into His loving arms.

BE A GOOD FATHER … pray for your children.

It’s not easy being a good father … BUT … it’s NOT IMPOSSIBLE either. It takes hard work, hard praying, and making hard decisions. You can’t do it alone.... God doesn’t expect you to....God doesn’t want you to.....Don’t leave Him out of your fatherhood.

**A GOOD FATHER** Part 7

PRAY FOR YOURSELF 

1 Chron. 16:11 – “Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.”

You don’t have all the answers to their questions … you can’t solve all their problems. You don’t have all the wisdom, love and patience to be the father you ought to be. Without God’s help, you can never be the father God wants you to be.

You need help! You can’t do it by yourself … 

BE A GOOD FATHER … pray for yourself.

It’s not easy being a good father … BUT … it’s NOT IMPOSSIBLE either. It takes hard work, hard praying, and making hard decisions. You can’t do it alone.... God doesn’t expect you to....God doesn’t want you to.....Don’t leave Him out of your fatherhood.

**Carry The Cripple Till The Miracle Happens**

        Post from Bro Netterville

When a brother or a sister falls is not a time for anger, judgment, or condemnation. (2 Corinthians 2:5-8) "But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him." (A Spirit of Gentleness) and (Love) When we allow this to come forth from within we begin to share there burden, this requires of our time, pray, lifting up, and listing!

The lady who at the barbershop gave her testimony the other day. She said that she gave 3 days a week she would substitute with the paid care taker. Taking care of an older lady that needed a sitter she did it for free what a burden to bear. Although she did not sit with her on Sunday she would get up and go and dress this dear lady and take her to church. Our Lord Jesus Christ also was a substitute in death! He was our substitute for our sin, sorrow, and shame. If Jesus did this for us, and He did! How then we say we're too busy to help others. Thank God He wasn't. I though of this when I pickup a lady for church.

          **Carry The Cripple Till The Miracle Happens**

Acts 3

King James Version (KJV)

1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Proverbs 17:17

King James Version (KJV)

17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

A faithful friend is good like a medicine for a wounded self-image!! 

F- ORGIVING          To excuse for a fault 

R- EAL                    True and actual

I-  NTERESTING     Holding attention

E- NTHUSIASTIC    Having and showing great excitement 

N- ICE                     Courteous, pleasant Pleasing character

D- EPENDABLE     Trustworthy, reliable, consistent 

**Disloyal friend is only a friend when everything is going great**

                           **Real Friends**  

Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

King James Version (KJV)

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

*Accepting a Friend*

1. **Recognizing that he or she will make mistakes and forgiving them when they do*** 

2. **A true friend is not necessarily someone who agrees with us all the time**

3. ** A friend will challenge our ideas in a corrective loving way**

 4. **A friend helps us by listening to our problems and sharing our burdens as well as our joys** 

 5. **Friends are a valuable resource** 

 6. **Chosen carefully and treated with love and respect they could last a lifetime** 

                                  **The Man With 10 Legs** 

Luke 5:17-26

King James Version (KJV)

17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of  every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this  which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?

23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.

25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

It wasn't the SICK MANS FAITH that impressed Jesus but the Faith of his FRIENDS!! 

Jesus responded to THEIR faith and healed the man. 

We cannot make another person a christian, but we can do much through our WORDS, ACTIONS and LOVE to give him or her a chance to respond.

Look for opportunities to bring your friends to Christ. 

                **Carry The Cripple Till The Miracle Happens**

Acts 3

King James Version (KJV)

3 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

The Comfort of Death

Sometimes we face great loses in our lives. It's hard losing someone we care about. We must face it, people die. They die unexpectedly, they die needlessly, they die after a long battle. they die naturally.  People we always thought would be around then one day we get the news. How many of you have lost a loved one, someone close to you? Death is not an easy subject to talk about for many. Sometimes the only time we discuss or talk about death is when a loved one dies and we go to their funeral.

Hebrews 9:27 *And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.*

Although you and I can’t be fully prepared when someone close to us passes away we need to continue to live our lives the way God meant for them to be lived.  We were not made to live forever here on this earth but we were made to live forever in perfect fellowship with our Creator. God made Adam and put him in a perfect environment. But Adam had some boundaries. Boundaries are a good thing. Boundaries keep us in check and help us maintain our relationship with God. A boundary God put in the Garden was this .......

Genesis 2:16-17 *The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the free of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.*

1 Corinthians 15:21-22 *For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.*

Death is a blessed release from an imperfect world for the Christian. For those of us who hope in Christ we look forward to death in the sense that we know what is on the other side of death. It is not a mystery to us. God has made it clear. Jesus has prepared a place for us. Our hope is secure in him because Christ died for our sins. He has defeated death! One minute in heaven you will not want to come back. You will not want to settle for anything else. Christians have great hope when they die. But that doesn’t mean death is not painful. It does not mean we are not to miss the person who has passed and have a hard time with it. The Bible teaches us to,

Romans 12:15 *Rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn.* 

(surround ourselves with godly people) 

When we experience loss we don’t need someone to come up to us and say, “Hold your chin up” or “Be brave.” That’s the last thing we want to hear. Sometimes we need to just show up and say, “look I don’t know what you are going through and I don’t know what to say, but I am here and I love you and we’ll walk with you through this. Remember we will see them again.............1 Thessalonians 4:16 *For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.*

**To Receive Your Crown, You Must First Drink From The Cup**

Matthew 26:36-42

³⁶ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
³⁷ And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
³⁸ Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
³⁹ And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
⁴⁰ And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
⁴¹ Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
⁴² He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

2 Timothy 4:7-8

⁷ I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.


PAUL, means Small or little one  
    Yet no other figure in church history stands as high or has had such a far reaching influence!
****As Christ died for us, we should suffer and die daily****

Wherever Paul went you could either look for revival or a riot !!

2 Corinthians 11:23-27

²³ Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
²⁴ Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
²⁵ Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
²⁶ In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
²⁷ In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Paul endured every species of hardship. Encountered every extreme danger!
 *To receive your crown, you must first drink from the cup*

Acts 16:19-24

¹⁹ And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
²⁰ And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
²¹ And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
²² And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
²³ And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
²⁴ Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Assaulted by the populace, Punished by the Magistrates!
 **You must first drink from the cup**!!
Beaten, stoned and left for dead!
**You must drink from the cup**

Acts 13:50-51 Acts 14:5-7,21
Driven from one city he went to another and continued preaching!

Acts 9:16
*Paul was warned of many things he would suffer for Christ sake*

Paul never sighed never moaned!

Philippians 4:13

¹³ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Paul in prison, back full of open wounds, hands and feet in stocks!
 He knew he must first drink from the cup to receive his crown!!

Now today granted, at least in this country it is not common for a christian to be beaten as Paul was.  But there is still a cup we must drink from!!

You may have to walk through:
  Tear stained eyes
  Pain and Sufferings
  Dark Clouds
  Times of questioning

But remember, as you are drinking from the cup your crown awaits you!

God has a tremendous plan and a purpose for your life and it includes
experiencing the cup of Christ.

There will come a time when you will go through things, and you don't understand
what God is doing.
But *This Cup** IS ALWAYS PREPARING YOU FOR A PROMOTION, FOR THE
CROWN, FOR THE HIGH PLACE THAT GOD HAS FOR YOU!

The cup always precedes the crown!

Anytime you go through a struggle (the cup represents, trials, struggles, adversities
in life) Anytime you go through this you might as well know and realize that always---He
promises if we endure the cup a crown awaits you!
We must endure to the end!!

ALWAYS BEFORE THE CROWN, THERE WILL BE A CUP!!

God uses adversity to develop us!
God is more interested in developing your character than He is solving your problems.

There will be times when you go through things and you don't understand what God is doing.
But remember the cup is always preparation for the crown!!

Matthew 26:39
³⁹ And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Matthew 26:42

⁴² He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
What Jesus was saying ........was If i could pass on this cup of pain, trials, hurt, difficulties,
sickness.......But, I'm willing to drink from this cup if it is your will and I know there is a crown awaiting!!

If Jesus our example took the cup before His crown.....We must realize that in our life
the cup must be served to us sooner or later!
This gospel has 3 parts ...DEATH, BURIAL, RESURRECTION!
 First two parts seems like bad news but the third part is when we want to stand to our feet
and begin to shout!
But let us not forget Jesus had to drink from the cup Death and Burial before the
crown (resurrection)

This cup is the bad side before he good side
experience!

If I could just make it through the cup, I know i will soon receive my crown of victory!


Job......His cup experience!

He had everything, but in just a few short days he lost it all !!!

Lost his oxens
Fire consumed his sheep
Caldeans took his camels
Tornado wiped out his home
Health failed
Wife turned against him!

Job 13:15
¹⁵ Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

^{Job 23:10
10} But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

In other words ....after I drink from this cup I shall come forth as gold!!


Satan, have you considered my servant_________________?


When you are drinking from the cup ........That's when the Lily of The Valley shows up, Rose of Sharon
shows up!! JESUS rises with healing in His wings!!!
It's time to realize who Christ is, not on the mountain top but when you are drinking from
the bitter cup.

This is not a tragedy it is a trust!

(CLOSING)

Some of you may be drinking from that cup today.....Just know that God trust you just as He trusted 
Job!

God trust's you when the hedges are down!

Anybody can serve when wearing the crown...but can you serve during tough times? Difficult times? When you are drinking from the cup?

Don't quit in the middle of the cup!!

Say. I'm gonna take it all!! Because it's time fro a new level!! This cup is letting me know I'm getting closer
to my crown!!

Don't give up is what I'm preaching!! Don't give up!! Don't shut up!!! Don't sit down!! But stand up proudly and drink from the cup!!!

1 John 4:4
⁴ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

This is not a cruise ship we are on ....we are on a battleship, we are in a spiritua; warfare, we are warriors in the spiritual kingdom!!

Job said My redeemer Lives!!
              When this cup passes I'll receive my crown!!

This cup is designed to draw you close to the King!! So He can reveal to you His great Love, Mercy and Grace!!!

Are you drinking from the cup tonight??
Don't let it get you down, know tonight can be your night to receive your personal crown!!

Tonight can be your night to go to that higher place in Christ!! 

Come Receive your crown!!!!

*Give up! Just give up! Give up your guilt for His grace!*

If we could somehow step on a scale today that measured the weight of our spiritual baggage, some of us would break the machine. So many people are groaning under the strain of the baggage in their spirits. That weight is called guilt. We all have it to some degree, and some are in the super heavyweight division. Your guilt is like a cancer eating you up on the inside, unless you do something about it. Some of you have become numb to the pain and energy your guilt causes you, and you have gotten used to dragging your stuff around, into every relationship, every challenge to try something new, and every chance to move forward with your life. Guilt holds you down, and guilt holds you back. It’s kind of like wearing ankle weights at first, you’re aware of the extra weight, but after awhile, you forget that you’re wearing them, even though it slows you down. You just get used to the new normal. I'm sure there's a lot of guilt from those reading this.  I just know that to be true because we’re all human, and we all have done stuff to make us guilty. 

 

Well, here's some good news..........Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Romans 8:1 (NIV) 

Webster’s dictionary says this about condemnation....... it means “to declare guilty, to inflict a penalty upon, to doom, to declare unfit for use.” The Word of God says NO condemnation for those who are in Jesus, who have trusted Him to remove their sin and guilt.

Any time you read the word therefore, you should ask yourself,  What’s it there for?  the first seven chapters of Romans lays it all out.......holy God, sinful man, coming wrath, perfect Savior, Jesus Christ crucified and risen, made right by faith, made holy by faith. Then Paul says in view of all that he sums up the message of God’s love....... Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. That’s the essence of who Jesus is and what He did. That’s the foundational message of God’s love to the world. This is the good news we have. This is what we share, with everyone. No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

 How does that sound? I bet that sounds really good to those of us who are ridden with guilt. 

     How do you get past your guilt from your past?

1. Stop beating yourself up

You know what they say..... guilt is the gift that keeps on giving. We keep guilting ourselves, and we make ourselves feel lousy. We condemn ourselves, and criticize and berate ourselves and say, "I shouldn’t have done that!" And we condemn and condemn ourselves. We even try to pay for our own guilt, but it just doesn’t work.... it backfires. 

Psalm 38:4   For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. 

  

There are a lot of forms of self-punishment. Illness is one.....you can make yourself sick. Depression can be a form of self-inflicted punishment. You wallow in your pity until you can’t get out. Maybe this is you.....you setting ourselves up for failure, because you feel this is your just reward. 

You say........ I don’t deserve to succeed. That’s saying, I’m guilty, therefore I’ll fail.  

 The ultimate form of self-punishment is suicide. Suicide is now the number one killer of college students and the number two killer of high school students. Why? Because people feel condemned even at that young age.

We have to begin by seeing that we can be our own worst enemy. Beating yourself up doesn’t fix your pain. It just reopens the wound. Through Christ, we can find the relief we’re looking for. We don’t need to beat ourselves up. Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross so you could stop nailing yourself to a cross. Jesus Christ was crucified so you could stop crucifying yourself. Ask God to help you stop hurting yourself.

2. Stop letting others beat you down

Is there one person or several in your life that is keeping you stuck in your guilt? If you have someone like that in your life, you won’t have to look far to find that person. It’ll be someone close......chances are it’s a parent, a sibling, a girlfriend or boyfriend, a spouse or ex-spouse.

You have the authority and the ability to end the misery. The may never change what they say or do to you, but you can change how you respond to them. Determine today that you will not let anyone steal what rightfully belongs to God which is the determination of your value. Only God can say what you’re worth, because He is your Creator, and He says you are His own. 

God gave His best because you are worth it, regardless what anyone says. Who are they in comparison to the Almighty God? Don’t give anyone permission to determine your worth. God demonstrated how much you are worth. He died on the cross for you. How dare anyone devalue you! 

You can decide to let other’s attacks roll right off of you. Tell yourself, That won’t work on me any more. I will not give them the ability to do what only God can do. I will not let them make me feel I am inferior. Ask God to give you a strong mind and spirit to withstand people who attack you. Ask God to give you a new response.

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

Guilt and blame will try to shame, but Christ declares I’m worthy.

Maybe you’re thinking, I wish I could believe that. I feel so unworthy. I know what I’ve done.

3. Stop resisting God’s love for you

Guilt only serves one good purpose, and that is to drive us to repentance. After that, nothing else good can come of it. Instead of letting your guilt drive you away from God in embarrassment and shame, let it do what it is supposed to do: drive you to the embrace of a loving God who wants more than anything else to free you from your sin, your shame, and your painful memories.

John 3:16-17  For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

It’s not about what you’ve done....it’s about what God’s done. He’s made the first move, and He waits for you to respond to His love. He knows who you are and He still loves you......that’s the amazing grace we sing about! No one deserves to be declared not guilty! We deserve to be declared guilty, but instead, there is no condemnation. Stop resisting His love for you. Stop feeling like you can’t go to Him because of your shame. What are you thinking, that you’re going to surprise Him with the dark secrets of your life?

Romans 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

You have no chance of being declared “not guilty” in God’s eyes unless you are in Christ. You will never be able to get rid of your guilt unless you are in Christ. You will never be able to stop beating yourself up unless you are in Christ. You will never be able to stop letting others beat you down unless you are in Christ.

“Therefore now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Your life is free and clear from every thing....everything once you trust Jesus Christ to be your Forgiver and Savior.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!  (message bible)

That’s far better than living with the old guilt. So where are you? In Christ, or outside Christ? Free from condemnation, or under condemnation? You don’t have to stay under condemnation. Christ is the Way.  Christ is the Truth. Christ is the Life.

Where do you need to start today? Maybe you need to stop resisting God’s love.  Give up! Just give up!  Give up your guilt for His grace! 

Say, Jesus, I need you to take away my sin and replace it with your grace. Forgive me and heal me, even for eternity.nMaybe you need to ask God’s help to stop beating yourself up.  He’s already forgiven you, why can’t you? Maybe you need to ask God for the strength to stop letting someone beat you down. Ask God for a new vision of who He created you to be.