10-11-04

A Cherokee Indian. He lives in South Dakota.

Luke 12:27

"Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.

The Book says look beyond the Book.

Little blue flowers blossom every 50 years on the Swiss Alps. Consider the Lillies was said by Jesus.

1 Kings 7:13-25

King Solomon then asked for a man named Huram to come from Tyre, [14] for he was a craftsman skilled in bronze work. He was half Israelite, since his mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father had been a foundry worker from Tyre. So he came to work for King Solomon.

[15] Huram cast two bronze pillars, each 27 feet tall and 18 feet in circumference. [16] For the tops of the pillars he made capitals of molded bronze, each 7 1/2 feet tall. [17] Each capital was decorated with seven sets of latticework and interwoven chains. [18] He also made two rows of pomegranates that encircled the latticework to decorate the capitals over the pillars. [19] The capitals on the columns inside the foyer were shaped like lilies, and they were 6 feet tall. [20] Each capital on the two pillars had two hundred pomegranates in two rows around them, beside the rounded surface next to the latticework. [21] Huram set the pillars at the entrance of the Temple, one toward the south and one toward the north. He named the one on the south Jakin, and the one on the north Boaz. [22] The capitals on the pillars were shaped like lilies. And so the work on the pillars was finished.

Who sees the lilies? GOD

God is a God who loves flowers.

John 3:16

"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.

Luke 13:11-17

he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. [12] When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are healed of your sickness!" [13] Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised and thanked God!

[14] But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. "There are six days of the week for working," he said to the crowd. "Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath."

[15] But the Lord replied, "You hypocrite! You work on the Sabbath day! Don't you untie your ox or your donkey from their stalls on the Sabbath and lead them out for water? [16] Wasn't it necessary for me, even on the Sabbath day, to free this dear woman from the bondage in which Satan has held her for eighteen years?" [17] This shamed his enemies. And all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did.

Jesus publicly put this man to shame.

1 John 2:6

Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.

Matthew 11:12

And from the time John the Baptist began preaching and baptizing until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people attack it.

What was Jesus really like? Mother Teresa or Crazy Horse, it depends. Jesus was gentle and kind to those in need or fired up against hypocrites.
God’s looking for eagles, not parrots.

Job 12:7-8

"Ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. [8] Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish of the sea speak to you.

Need the Holy Spirit to help interpret the Word.
Niceness is not a fruit of the spirit. Mothers want us to grow up nice. God wants eagles. Be angry but don’t sin.

Jeremiah 12:5

Then the Lord replied to me, "If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan?

Change comes violently.
Be brought to the Kingdom for such a time as this.
Restlessness is what called us into the kingdom.
The Biblical portrait of a world view: Is a warfare world view. It’s not against flesh in blood.
Repentance – change of mind so as a change of action

Acts 17:30

God overlooked people's former ignorance about these things, but now he commands everyone everywhere to turn away from idols and turn to him.

Humility – willingness to be known for your true character

Did Jesus know that he was humble? YES
God gives grace to the humble. If you receive grace, than you are humble.

Romans 12:1

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?

If you want to know the Lord, bring your body before the Lord.
Warfare for the minds of men. Done by proclaiming the nature of God.

2 Cor. 4:4

Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don't understand the message we preach about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

Enemy comes to blind the mind. How you think about God.
Who will I blame for the pains of the world, God, Devil, or Man?

Jude 1:3

Dearly loved friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the truth of the Good News. God gave this unchanging truth once for all time to his holy people.

I must have a Theology of War so that I will be affective for fighting for the Kingdom.
Local church has no theology of missions.
The churches will disappear in Revelations.
1 in 20 people ever lead someone else to Christ. What are the rest of the people doing? No theology of missions and warfare make it difficult to approach mankind in boldness so we don’t see the results we want.

3 things God will do: Give greater hunger for God’s word, more affective in prayer life, greater revelation of God.
Revelation is progressive.

Isaiah 28:9-10

They say, "Who does the Lord think we are? Why does he speak to us like this? Are we little children, barely old enough to talk? [10] He tells us everything over and over again, a line at a time, in very simple words!"

Psalm 107:9

For he satisfies the thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things.

Acts 17:9-12

But the officials released Jason and the other believers after they had posted bail.

[10] That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the synagogue. [11] And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to check up on Paul and Silas, to see if they were really teaching the truth. [12] As a result, many Jews believed, as did some of the prominent Greek women and many men.

God has brought me here for greater depth in him. God desires intimacy.

Ephes. 5:31-33

[31] As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." [32] This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. [33] So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

This what God desires for us to do with Him.
I need God to change the way I think.
The Bible is not God.
The Word is God, the spirit that inbreeds is God.

John 5:39-40

"You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! [40] Yet you refuse to come to me so that I can give you this eternal life.

The Bible leads us to the Lord.

John 16:13-14

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. [14] He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me.

Hebrews 10:6-7

No, you were not pleased with animals burned on the altar

or with other offerings for sin.

[7] Then I said, 'Look, I have come to do your will, O God—

just as it is written about me in the Scriptures.' "

The Bible is about Jesus. The revelation is about Him.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t come to challenge us.
God doesn’t come to challenge us but to change us.

Romans 8:28-29

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. [29] For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters.

This a change and not a challenge. God comes to overwhelm us. Does this by teaching who Jesus was like.
The cost of the old is the new.

John 8:19

"Where is your father?" they asked.

Jesus answered, "Since you don't know who I am, you don't know who my Father is. If you knew me, then you would know my Father, too."

They were lacking the Spirit to understand the Scriptures.

The most important fact about man, is what God thinks of that man. CS Lewis

John 6:51-66

I am the living bread that came down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; this bread is my flesh, offered so the world may live."

[52] Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they asked.

[53] So Jesus said again, "I assure you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. [54] But those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them at the last day. [55] For my flesh is the true food, and my blood is the true drink. [56] All who eat my flesh and drink my blood remain in me, and I in them. [57] I live by the power of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, those who partake of me will live because of me. [58] I am the true bread from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever and not die as your ancestors did, even though they ate the manna."

[59] He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

[60] Even his disciples said, "This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?"

[61] Jesus knew within himself that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, "Does this offend you? [62] Then what will you think if you see me, the Son of Man, return to heaven again? [63] It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. [64] But some of you don't believe me." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who didn't believe, and he knew who would betray him.) [65] Then he said, "That is what I meant when I said that people can't come to me unless the Father brings them to me."

[66] At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.

· Disciples deserted him and didn’t follow Jesus because they were offended by what Jesus said.

· The way I see his character and nature of God determines how I respond to Him.

· What is the greatest commandment? Commandment to listen to hear is first and then loving. To listen is intimacy.

Mark 12:28-31

One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

[29] Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. [30] And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' [31] The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."

Deut. 6:4-5

"Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. [5] And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.

· Jesus adds mind. He can do this because He is God.

· First 3 commandments deal with idolatry.

1 Cor. 8:1-13

Now let's talk about food that has been sacrificed to idols. You think that everyone should agree with your perfect knowledge. While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church. [2] Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn't really know very much. [3] But the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for.

[4] So now, what about it? Should we eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God and no other. [5] According to some people, there are many so-called gods and many lords, both in heaven and on earth. [6] But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we exist for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life.

[7] However, not all Christians realize this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. [8] It's true that we can't win God's approval by what we eat. We don't miss out on anything if we don't eat it, and we don't gain anything if we do. [9] But you must be careful with this freedom of yours. Do not cause a brother or sister with a weaker conscience to stumble.

[10] You see, this is what can happen: Weak Christians who think it is wrong to eat this food will see you eating in the temple of an idol. You know there's nothing wrong with it, but they will be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been dedicated to the idol. [11] So because of your superior knowledge, a weak Christian, for whom Christ died, will be destroyed. [12] And you are sinning against Christ when you sin against other Christians by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong. [13] If what I eat is going to make another Christian sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don't want to make another Christian stumble.

· What is the emphasis in our life? What do I pray for?

Psalm 115:8

And those who make them are just like them,

as are all who trust in them.

· We become like our Gods.

· Is my God, the God of the Bible?

Col. 1:9

So we have continued praying for you ever since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what he wants to do in your lives, and we ask him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom.

· Can I see as God sees and think what God thinks?

· What is worship by Joe Church?

Rev. 1:17

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last.

· Pouring out the whole soul in adoration is worship.

1 Cor. 13:12

Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.

· Our revelation of God is limited but we do know.

· Kingdom of God is about intimacy.

· Our thoughts are not comprehensive and exclusive.

· It cost something to Know GOD.

· Can I stand in front of the nations and tell them what God is like?

Romans 3:10-18

As the Scriptures say,

"No one is good—

not even one.

[11] No one has real understanding;

no one is seeking God.

[12] All have turned away from God;

all have gone wrong.

No one does good,

not even one."

[13] "Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.

Their speech is filled with lies."

"The poison of a deadly snake drips from their lips."

[14] "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."

[15] "They are quick to commit murder.

[16] Wherever they go, destruction and misery follow them.

[17] They do not know what true peace is."

[18] "They have no fear of God to restrain them."

· God is seeking man. Man is not seeking God.

Hold doctrines with an open hand. Man who has faith in Christ has to think every day.

Philip. 4:7

If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Peace is something that we feel.

1 Peter 1:8

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

Many don’t experience God’s Joy.

Ephes. 3:19

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Experience Christ’s love

Romans 5:5

And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Seeking God for Himself.

Hebrews 11:6

So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Isaiah 64:4

For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!

1 Cor. 2:9

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard,

and no mind has imagined

what God has prepared

for those who love him."

Paul changed the scripture bc divinely inspired. Those who wait on the Lord, love him.
Hardest lesson in life is to wait on the Lord.
I need to practice waiting on the Lord.

· St Augustine – laying on death bed, closed eyes, long sigh. “I have seen the Lord, and all that I have written is straw.”

I will be tempted to magnify an attribute of God over another attribute. Must be careful. Don’t fall in the trap.

Psalm 137:9

Happy is the one who takes your babies

and smashes them against the rocks!

· This is God.

· Jesus came to reveal the God of the Old Testament.

Malachi 3:6

"I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already completely destroyed.

God doesn’t change. Can’t modify God. A child can know what God is like. 70% of believers can’t read.
Need to walk in humility and holiness.
I don’t have to sin every day.

Matthew 1:21

And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

Blood of Jesus is continuing washing me as I walk in the Lord.

1 John 2:1

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely.

Hebrews 12:14

Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.

· Without holiness you cannot see the Lord. It’s about how you finish not how you started.

· Walk in humility, holiness, obedience

John 14:21

Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them."

· How many people lose their lives because of a wrong understanding of God?

· 100000 Arameans

1 Kings 20:23-29

[23] After their defeat, Ben-hadad's officers said to him, "The Israelite gods are gods of the hills; that is why they won. But we can beat them easily on the plains. [24] Only this time replace the kings with field commanders! [25] Recruit another army like the one you lost. Give us the same number of horses, chariots, and men, and we will fight against them in the plains. There's not a shadow of a doubt that we will beat them." So King Ben-hadad did as they suggested. [26] The following spring he called up the Aramean army and marched out against Israel, this time at Aphek. [27] Israel then mustered its army, set up supply lines, and moved into the battle. But the Israelite army looked like two little flocks of goats in comparison to the vast Aramean forces that filled the countryside!

[28] Then the man of God went to the king of Israel and said, "This is what the Lord says: The Arameans have said that the Lord is a god of the hills and not of the plains. So I will help you defeat this vast army. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

[29] The two armies camped opposite each other for seven days, and on the seventh day the battle began. The Israelites killed 100,000 Aramean foot soldiers in one day.

· Signs and wonders do not convince men. Men must be born again. Do you know God or known of GOD.

Rev. 2:17

"Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Everyone who is victorious will eat of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.

· Serve God faithfully and he gives a stone.

· Names express the personality of the person.

· Lives are like skipping stones. One opportunity and lost forever. What will do with the stone God gives me?

· Go to the stream and drink.

Lord what do you think of me? Then listen.

That I should see God’s kingdom sprout and grow. I am very small. The growth is very massive. That I am a little boy that will have my tears wiped away. That I am radical and free man that will reach out to Him.

What will it be like when I see you? Then listen.

The Lord’s presence is very bright and shining. He brings warmth to my face and coolness in my inner being. There is great expectation, energy, excitement with all wanting to see Him too. The beauty of sounds echo from a great host. It is very loud and creative.