Dealing with disappointment - Gen 39-40

Dealing with Disappointment

April 17, 2011

Gen 39-40

Introduction

Today is Palm Sunday

This morning we looked at the triumphal entry into Jerusalem

We saw how it was a time when they were sick of the occupying Roman army

They were looking for a Messiah

Prophecy had told that Messiah would come at this time

Their expectation was that Jesus would be the one to take power away from the Romans, and set up the kingdom of God, at that time

They hailed him as the Messiah and threw down palm branches and clothing in front of him as he proceeded from Bethany to Jerusalem

They called out Hosanna, Hosanna, to the Son of David and wanted to make him their king

But their expectation did not match God's plan

6 days later, Jesus was arrested by the Romans

Suddenly, Jesus seemed not to be the answer to their expectations

Suddenly their hopes were dashed

Their disappointment turned to anger, and they now called out, Crucify him, Crucify him

What are our disappointments?

Job, sickness, loneliness

We wanted something better, but God has not yet seen fit to give it

The disciples must have been disappointed too

Giving 3 1/2 years of their lives to follow Jesus, and then it all turns bad

But Easter is a time of hope, that Jesus not only died but was resurrected, and is alive and well and at the controls of the universe

Today we will look at some keys from the life of Joseph to see how he defeated disappointment

God will not desert us

Gen 39:20-23

In such a situation another man would have become angry and bitter

Joseph instead used the situation to become a stronger person

CS Lewis - "The Problem Of Pain - "God whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but he shouts in our pain"

So where is God when Joseph is thrown into jail? Is he absent? Is he ignoring Joseph?

No, v23 says God was with Joseph, both when he was with Potiphar, and now in prison

Only sin separates us from God

False accusations put Joseph in prison, but God stayed with him, even in the bad circumstances

God helped him through this

When we go through our situations, which seem like prison, we are quick to think God is far away, and that God has forgotten us

But he hasn't

Deut 31:6, Josh 1:6, Heb 13:5 "I will never leave nor forsake you"

God is with us in our painful times

He was with Jesus as he walked the Via Dolorosa, he was with Joseph in prison, and he is with us in our trials

Spiritual maturity is learning to continue walking in faith, no matter what the circumstances may be

Use each situation as an opportunity to serve

Gen 40:1-8 Joseph served the butler and baker

Gen 40:4 "Shawrath" = he ministered to them, not just doing menial tasks

He saw the expression on their faces

He asks what is going on and then he asks God to provide the answer

He ministers to them, even in his own prison time

And God honored his prayer and gave the interpretation to the dreams

His ministering to them, helped him in two ways

1. It stopped him feeling sorry of himself, he was still useful to God

2. Ultimately, his ministry to these men was the means God used to set him free

Choose to trust God despite the circumstances

After years of waiting in prison, Joseph thought he was about to be released
But instead, he was forgotten by the butler

Real life can be cruel

People cannot be trusted, only God is totally faithful

People let you down

But God comes through with the goods

There was a reason for the delay - that was that a bigger opportunity for service lay around the corner

God is God, and God is good

Rom 8:28 - God works ALL things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose

This is a promise

God is faithful (Psa 33:4, 57:10)

Story of a stonemason

“Billy Graham tells of a friend who went through the Great Depression, losing a job, a fortune, a wife, and a home. He was a believer in Jesus Christ and tenaciously held to his faith even though he was naturally depressed and cast down by circumstances. One day in the midst of his depression he stopped to watch some men doing stonework on a huge church in the city. One was busy chiseling a triangular piece of stone. ‘What are you going to do with that?’ he asked. The workman stopped and pointed to a little opening near the top of the spire. ‘See that little opening up there near the top?’ he said. ‘Well, I’m shaping down this down here so that it will fit up there.’ The friend said that tears filled his eyes as he walked away from the workman. For it seemed that God had spoken to him personally to say that he was shaping him for heaven by the ordeal through which he was passing.” [as quoted by James Montgomery Boice. Genesis : An Expositional Commentary. Vol. 3 p. 76]

Conclusion

Perhaps your prison is the process of waiting for healing

Perhaps you are waiting for a job

Perhaps you are waiting for God's call on your life to become reality

Just as Jesus walked the Via Dolorosa

Just as Joseph endured prison and hardships

1. Believe that God will never leave or forsake you

2. Use the situation to serve

3. Choose to trust God, no matter what the circumstances

There is no formula

Just do it

Healing and the Word - 2 Pet 1:4

Healing and the Word

March 6, 2011

2 Peter 1:4

Introduction

• I grew up in a church that believed in healing
• The odd thing was that we were not spirit-filled
• As a kid I remember being bitten by a spider, being prayed for, and the bite did not swell up or cause problems
• I remember stepping on a rusty nail and getting blood poisoning, being prayed for, and my life was spared
• I once had blood poisoning in a finger, and the red line was racing to my heart and it stopped halfway up my forearm
• One time my first wife had an abcess and was in excruciating pain. After praying for God's intervention the infection was totally healed
• A woman in our small group had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and after prayer, she was healed and got her driver's license back
• Someone had x-rays taken and there was a spot on the x-ray, the size of a quarter, right around the appendix. We prayed, and after tests and surgery it was determined that there was nothing there
• The same person went to Renown and was told his aorta, the main artery into the heart, was 75% blocked. After prayer he went back and the doctor said the blockage had mysteriously gone.
• Another person was in the agonies of methodone withdrawal. Our home group prayed for him and he slept peacefully and the withdrawal symptoms had left, overnight
• I know the Lord heals from personal experience
• But God's Word is more real than my experiences
• There is power in God's Word to heal
• Tonight we will look at some of God's promises to heal, and hopefully they will help to bolster your faith

Is sickness normal?

• Many believe that God sometimes heal the sick, but they don't believe God wants to heal them personally
• They feel they need a special revelation of His will for them personally
• If it is not God's will for you to be healed, then it would be wrong for you to seek healing through natural means
• If it is God's will to heal you, it would seem the best way to go about this is through divine healing
• God is as concerned about your physical as your spiritual problems
• Psa 103:2-5
• He wants our sins to be forgiven and our diseases to be healed
• Sin is unnatural and a result of the fall of Adam
• Sickness also is a result of the fall - man was created "very good" Gen 1:31
• It is only after man was evicted from the Garden, that the curse went into effect
• If sin is unnatural and needs a divine remedy, then sickness also requires a divine intervention
• So the answer to the two problems of sin and sickness, is to be found in the single remedy, Jesus our savior

The bronze serpent

• The Israelites were complaining about God, and as a result, punishment came in the form of poisonous snakes
• Num 21:4-9
• They cried to God, and he told Moses to raise up a bronze serpent on a pole
• This serpent was a type of Christ
• John3:14-15
• As the Israelites fixed their eyes on the serpent, they were healed
• As we today fix our eyes on Jesus, we too are healed of our sins and sicknesses
• We are not to be looking at the symptoms
• Instead, we are to look to Jesus, our Savior
• When they were healed they received both forgiveness of their sin (complaining about God), and physical healing from the snakebite
• They were a physical people inheriting physical blessings
• We are a spiritual people, inheriting eternal blessings
• John 3:16
• They as a physical people, looking to a physical forerunner of the Savior, received physical healing
• When we look to the reality of Jesus for healing we should reap at least as much blessing as they did
• If they were healed, we should be healed
• The condition is that we must believe

We must believe

• If we believe that Jesus died to save our sins, personally, whenever we turn to Him, we can also believe that he will heal us, personally
• The removal of our sins and the removal of our sicknesses are both included in what Jesus did on the cross
• Isa 53:4-5
• It takes faith to believe in Jesus' sacrifice for us personally
• Some may say, that the healing referred to here is our spiritual healing from sin
• But Jesus shows it refers to actual physical healing
• Matt 8:16-17
• God's will for us is that we be protected by Him and kept healthy even in the midst of pestilence
• Psalm 91 (whole psalm)
• When we believe in Jesus, healing is promised for us

Conclusion

• If we believe that Jesus died for us, so that our spiritual condition is healed, and our sins are forgiven
• In the same way, in Jesus' atoning sacrifice, his stripes were for our healing
• God's will for us is that we be healthy in every part of us, body soul and spirit.
• But that discussion will have to wait till a further sermon

A Man for All Seasons - Heb 12:2

A Man for All Seasons

March 6, 2011

Heb 12:2

Introduction

• In the 1970's there was a movie about Sir Thomas More
• He was the lord Chancellor under Henry VIII, in the 1500's, and he was responsible for the judiciary in England
• The plot of the movie is based on the true story of Sir Thomas Moore, the 16th-century Lord Chancellor of England, who refused to endorse King Henry VIII's wish to divorce his aging wife Catharine of Aragon, who could not bear him a son, so that he could marry Anne Boleyn, the sister of his former mistress. The play portrays More as a man of principle, envied by rivals such as Thomas Cromwell and loved by the common people and by his family
• Thomas More lived as a man of principle, and did not veer either to the right or the left in his responsibilities as the Chancellor of the English judiciary
• More represents "a man for all seasons", because he remains true to himself and his beliefs under all circumstances and at all times, despite external pressure or influence
• This character trait is something we all need to develop
• Today we will look at how Jesus was truly a man for all seasons, and how he lives his life through people who are similarly true to their beliefs

Jesus had a clear understanding of his mission

• Jesus was very clear about his mission
• Isa 61:1-3
• Jesus came to bring healing to a broken world
• This is a foundation stone of our beliefs
• This is why people come to Jesus, they want change in their lives, change back to the way things should have been all along
• Jesus invites us to be a part of this
• He tells us, as the Father sent me, I am sending you
• We go out with the same mission statement as Jesus
• What was that mission?
• Luke 4:18
• This means that we are ready at a moment's notice to be an instrument of Jesus' intervention in someone's life
• When we speak to a neighbor and find out her marriage is falling apart, we point her to Jesus and pray with her
• When a colleague at work is broken up because someone has passed away, we tell that Jesus is ready to comfort through this difficult time
• When our own life seems to fall apart, we turn to Jesus
• Why do we turn to Jesus?
• Because he is the same yesterday today and forever
• With him there is no inconsistency or ambivalence
• He is there for us, if we turn to him

Jesus did not allow pressures to distract him

• Sometimes when the waves of doubt and pain wash over us, we lose sight of Jesus
• The world around us seems so real, and yet it is only such a small part of the whole spectrum of existence
• When we see light, it seems so simple - just white light
• But when we pass that light through a glass prism, it is broken up into its seven constituents - red, orange, yellow, green, blue indigo and violet
• But this is only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum
• There are radio waves, sound waves, x-rays, all of which we cannot see
• It is the same with the creation
• There is a spirit world out there which is every bit as real as what we see with our eyes
• there are angels in this room right now
• The Holy Spirit is here at this moment, blowing through this church like an invisible wind
• Sometimes he becomes visible as the shekinah glory of God
• Don't allow the cares of this world to crowd out the place where our focus wants to be, on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith
• Don't be distracted by the pressures of life, allow Jesus to carry your burden

Jesus was a man of principle

• Jesus said in the OT, I am the LORD I change not
• The principles Jesus stands for were the same in the OT as in the new, and they still have not changed
• He inspired David to write Psalm 15
• He inspired it because this is how God is
• These are the principles he lives by
• A man who swears to his own hurt
• God himself will keep his promises
• This evening we will be talking about some of God's promises about healing, part of our Foursquare heritage
• we stand firm on the mission on which God has sent us
• Jesus has not changed, he still has the same mission, to bring healing to a hurting world, and draw all men unto himself
• We too want to be consistent in our walk with God, not on again off again
• God desires people who walk together with him in spirit and in truth and sincerity
• Be a man or woman of principle
• People know us for who we are, because the fruits of our life will be evident

Conclusion

• Thomas More was known for being a man of principle who would not weaken under pressure
• Jesus set us an example as one who does not change, who promised to always be with us
• The mission he started continues in us, he has invited us to partner with him
• The principles of that mission have not changed
• We too have been called to be men and women of God, standing as lights in the world
• We too have been called to be men and women for all seasons, never changing, always standing for what we believe

Humility in God's Presence - Isa 66:2

Humility in God's Presence

February 27, 2011

Isaiah 66:2

Introduction

• A truly humble man is hard to find, yet God delights to honor such selfless people.
• Booker T. Washington, the renowned black educator, was an outstanding example of this truth.
• Shortly after he took over the presidency of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he was walking in an exclusive section of town when he was stopped by a wealthy white woman.
• Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her. Because he had no pressing business at the moment, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to do the humble chore she had requested.
• When he was finished, he carried the logs into the house and stacked them by the fireplace. A little girl recognized him and later revealed his identity to the lady.
• The next morning the embarrassed woman went to see Mr. Washington in his office at the Institute and apologized profusely.
• "It's perfectly all right, Madam," he replied. "Occasionally I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it's always a delight to do something for a friend."
• She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and gracious attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart.
• Not long afterward she showed her admiration by persuading some wealthy acquaintances to join her in donating thousands of dollars to the Tuskegee Institute. - Our Daily Bread.
• Why is humility such an issue for God?
• Is God after our accolades?

We are reminded of God's greatness

• He owns everything, and made everything
• He doesn't need me
• Psalms 50:10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
• It would be like me expecting an ant to praise me
• Psalms 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
• Psalms 92:1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praise to your name, O Most High
• In praising God I am reminded of my place
• When I know my place I am working in unison with my Master
• There is harmony
• This is not culturally acceptable, today we feel a need to be all we can be, top of the heap, in charge
• But it is good to know our place and be able to function at different levels
• Lamentations 3:27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke of his youth.
• Jesus was servant to all
• Jesus exemplified humility when he washed the disciples feet
• If Jesus, being God, can show humility to the ants he created, I too need that same attitude

We recognize our need to be teachable

• I will listen and obey
• One is the teacher and one is the student
• Psalms 86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
• Psalm 119 - many verses about teach me
• Verse 12, 26, 33, 64, 66, 68, 108, 124, 135
• He is the potter I am the clay
• Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand

Accepting God's sovereignty

• When we accept God's sovereignty and Lordship over our life, the conflict between God and ourselves, ceases
• Peace enters
• Isaiah 45:9 Woe to him that strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashions it, What are you making? or your work, He has no hands?
• Psalms 104:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
• Isaiah 25:1 O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
• Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Conclusion

• Humility makes it possible for us to have intimate contact with God
• It moves pride, rebellion and enmity out of the way
• It makes personal revival possible
• Is there any who would want that intimate contact with God?
• Pray to remove pride and self-will
• Let's relax in God's presence
• Be happy to be humble

Revival in Susanville! - 2 Chron 7:14

Revival in Susanville

February 27, 2011

2 Chronicles 7:14

Introduction

• What is revival?
• Why does the church from time to time, look for and seek revival?
• What is our perception of revival?
• Why is the church growing enormously in third-world countries, while it is barely keeping up here in the United
• I cannot answer all these questions, and only God knows the answer to the health of the church
• But what is our perception of revival?
• Revival is possible, and it is happening in various places around the world
• But it can also happen here in Susanville
• Last week I visited the Low Desert prison, and I witnessed revival happening in prisoners lives
• There were around 60 people at a chapel service, and the Holy Spirit was present and active
• Around ten people were slain in the spirit, and prisoners were praying at the altar, and for each other
• I wish we were experiencing revival in this church, and I believe it is God's will and purpose for this to happen
• But God gives us certain conditions, for revival to happen
• David had collected materials for the Temple
• Solomon his son took these materials and built an magnificent building, to be the physical home for God
• Next week we will look at what happened at the dedication of this Temple.
• But we sometimes wonder what it would take to experience revival
• God spells it out for us, after coming to dwell in this magnificent, but still physical building

Revival starts with Christians

• 2 Chron 7:14
• When we turn to God, and invite Him into our life, we become His children
• He gives us a new name
• Gen 32 - When he wrestled with Jacob all night, and Jacob prevailed, God changed his name to Israel, meaning he who prevails with God and man
• When we become God's children, he gives us a new name too
• Rev 3:12 - Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
• We are now called by God's name, a child of God
• So when he says in 2 Chron 7:14 "my people, called by my name" he is referring to us, as well as the Israelites

What is the land God refers to?

• For the Israelites, it was the land of Israel
• It was the territory where they lived, worshiped, did business
• For us personally, our land is our spirit soul and body
• As a church, our land is this sanctuary, our activities as a church, our responsibilities to our part of the body of Christ
• As a city, our land includes all our residents, inside and outside our prison walls

• If our land is to be healed, there are three conditions:

The first condition is that we humble ourselves

• The importance of humility is what we will be speaking about this evening
• Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word.
• God is seeking worshipers who will worship him, in spirit and in truth, as we discussed last Sunday evening
• When I am humble, I am ready to listen to God and act on it

The second condition is that we pray and seek God's face

• This ties in directly with the first point
• When I feel I have it all together, or I can manage on my own, there will not be a meaningful relationship with God
• It takes humility to turn to God in prayer and seek His presence in our life
• By seeking his presence I do not mean he is not in our life now.
• But we may have sidelined God, and be more focused on our own activities than on what God is doing
• Revival will not happen in our life, without us being intentional and actively seeking Him

The third condition is that we turn from our wicked ways

• We may think that we are not wicked, we are God's children, and we would be right
• The wicked are those who do not have God in their lives
• But this verse is speaking about people who had a relationship with God
• It is speaking of wicked ways, not our identity
• Our definition of wicked ways, and God's definition may be two different things
• We may consider not paying God his full tithe to be a minor issue, but God sees it as robbing Him
• We may consider skipping church to not be so important, but the Bible tells us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together
• We may be consumed with our own worries and concerns, but God tells us to seek first the Kingdom of God
• We may not see it as such a big deal to skip doing our devotions, but God mourns when he is relegated to second third or last place in our lives
• Each of us knows where our own wickedness is
• How can we expect God to bless us with revival, personally, as a church, and as a city, if we are not taking Him seriously?
• It is time to repent before God
• I know that repentance is necessary, because God's blessing is being withheld from this body
• If you have areas in your life that you want to confess before God, the altar is open now
• God wants to bring revival in our lives, but we must comply with His conditions

True Worshipers - John 4:4-24

True Worship

February 20, 2011

John 4:4-24

Introduction

• Jesus came to Samaria
• He was listening to thye Father
• The reason he came was a divine appointment with a lady
• This lady had problems
  • She had had poor relationships which had not lasted
  • She had been abused because of her religious beliefs
  • She was being used by a man who did not want to marry her
  • She needed a true relationmship with God
• Jesus came to bring transformation to her life
• "Some go to church to take a walk. Some go to church to laugh and talk. Some go to church to meet a friend. Some go to church, their time to spend. Some go to church to meet a another. Some go to church, a fault to cover. Some go to church for speculation. Some go to church for observation. Some go to church to doze and nod. The wise go there to worship God".- Author Unknown
• Jesus discusses with this Samaritan woman what God looks for in worship

Worship in the Spirit - verse 24

• Phil 3:13
• The Spririt produces life
  • 2 Cor 3:6
  • When we worship in the Spirit there will be life
  • Life in the message
  • Life in our singing
  • We will be alive to what God is doing
  • Samaritan religion was dead - Jesus came to bring life
  • Our services need to be alive and vibrant, just like the early church
• The Spirit provides liberty
  • 2 Cor 3:17
  • Free from the past
  • Free from fear
  • Free from past abuse
  • This woman needed freedom
  • Our church services need to be be places were people are freed from bondages, freed from sin
• The Spirit operates in love
  • 2 Tim 1:7
  • Rom 5:5
  • A love of God's house
  • A love of the body of Christ
  • A love of God's Word
  • A love of the lost

Worship in Truth - verse 24

• Truth here particularly includes sincerity
• God seeks people who are true, through and through
• Being true, sincere, without ulterior motives
• Sincere in motivation
  • Matt 6 - not like the hypocrites
• Sincere in presentation
  • Worshiping as taught and illustrated in Bible
  • Glorifying God, not ourselves
  • Rom 15:5-6
  • Michael W Smith - Coming back to the heart of worship
  • Following the Spirit, or the flesh?
• Sincere in our praise
  • Psa 24:3-4
  • Praise starts in the heart , a pure heart
  • We can praise God loudly in church but forget about him the rest of the week
  • Matt 15:8
  • Our praise needs to well up from the depths of our heart

Conclusion

• God is waiting for us
• Revelation 4
• He is longing for a totally true and sincere relationship with us, in our worship
• He is looking for worshipers who worship both in Spirit and in truth

Follow Your Dream - Joshua 3:5

Follow Your Dream

February 20, 2011

Joshua 3:5

Introduction

• God spoke to Abraham and promised that his descendents would become a nation and live in The Promised Land
• The promise was repeated to Abraham's son Isaac
• It was repeated again to his son Jacob
• One of Jacob's sons was Joseph
• God gave Joseph dreams of his future
• His brothers were jealous of him
• Joseph was sold as a slave into Egypt
• The dreams became real, and he was followed by the rest of his family
• They settled in Egypt, in the best of the land
• But they were still not in the Promised Land
• As times went on, the locals became jealous and fearful of their growing power
• They were enslaved and built pyramids and treasure cities for their captors
• They continued to dream, of a Promised Land
• We all have dreams
• Take your two slips of paper, and on each of them write your dream
• It may only be one or two words, meaningless to anyone else, but for you it is the key to your heart
• On the back of each slip, write your dream for this church
• We dream of being a doctor, or a missionary
• We dream of starting a rehab center, or a buying a log cabin
• We dream of being all God wants us to be
• Write it down
• Today we will look at some key aspects in following our dream

There is a right time

• God's timing may be different than ours
• God knows when we are ready
• Heb 6:10-12 - God's timing may be longer term than we expect
• So continue waiting and working expectantly
• James 1:4 - Not receiving immediately, creates something of value
• Wealth quickly gotten is quickly gone
• Keep your eyes on God
• He is creating something of value in you
• Rom 1:18-22 Abraham - the father of the faithful

Persevere

• Former New York Giant George Martin
• Walked 3000 miles across USA to raise money for 9/11 workers
• Took 10 months, 4 months longer than planned
• Lost 40 lbs - 24 pairs of shoes - 80 pairs socks
• Weather, changed course but stayed on track
• Raised $2 million
• 1 Sam 17:45 - David and Goliath
• Do we see a giant to big to overcome, or too big to miss?
• Rom 8:35-39 - We are more thank conquerors

Stay close to God

• Joshua 3
• Follow the ark
• Leaders to take step of faith
• Takes connection with God
• We may like other options than prayer and Bible study
• But these are God's options for us
• v.5 consecrate yourself
• This removes barriers to God's power, and fellowship
• Our faith is built up so we put our feet in the water
• and we start across to follow our dreams

Pray over dreams