Alternate Endings “Destined for Success” by Pastor James Boyd (notes/video)
Alternate Endings – week 6
Title: Destined for success
By: Pastor James
Video scroll to the bottom of this post
Intro:
• I know that there have been some things that jumped out at you in this series that you can work on. Last week’s message seemed to jump out at a lot of you, and we had conversations with many of you about getting on track for your Alternate Ending.
• Let me say this, it is good to recognize things in your life that you can work on. We should be in a constant progress of growth throughout our whole life. But, today we’re going to also flip some things over in your thinking to see how God really feels about you.
• You see, this series rang a bell for a lot of us, but in actuality, God never saw you in need of an Alternate Ending. Alternate doesn’t mean that something in God’s plan has to change for you. His plan stayed the same from the day you received Jesus. You were destined for success from that day forward.
• If God needed an Alternate due to your position in life, that would mean that your decisions and choices superseded His Son. The Law, or behaviors, never supersede the work of Jesus.
• Nothing that you’ve done, or the place you find yourself in can supersede Jesus and the plan that God has for you.
• You are Destined for Success.
• Today, we’ll be unpacking some things that maybe you’ve never seen before. We’re going to hang out in a couple of Old Testament stories to see how God is always working on your success plan. He’s not held back by your position that perhaps you even got yourself into.
• If we can coach you into seeing God’s love and grace bigger than your actions and behaviors and position, then you’ll be able to see God for whom He really is. You’ll be able to move from glory to glory, and never find yourself stuck in a position that you can’t get out of.
• Abraham story (the blessed liar)
o This is the “father of faith” as referenced in the scriptures. Abraham lies a second time (first time in Genesis 12 to Pharaoh) and says that his wife is his sister. Actually, it wasn’t a huge lie, because it was a partial truth. She was actually his dad’s daughter, but not his mom’s daughter. So sister, yes, but he didn’t mention that she was his wife. Big problem for Abimelech, because he took her for his own. Here’s what God says to Abimelech:
• Genesis 20:3 – …you’re a dead man…
• If you’re Abimelech, you now need a clean pair of shorts at this point.
• A conversations starts between Abimelech and God. Abimelech let’s God know that He’s got the wrong guy. This was Abraham’s problem, not mine. I’m sure he’s thinking, ok now that God knows Abraham screwed up, He’s going to change the “your a dead man” to point at Abraham.
• He’s mistaken…here’s what God says:
o Genesis 20:7 – Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
• But God in His conversation with Abimelech calls Abraham a prophet. If I were God, I would have withdrawn the title of “prophet”…God doesn’t remove a calling from a person.
• first time prophet is mentioned in the scriptures
o God not ashamed of calling Abraham His spokesman, even after he lies about his wife
• A person may put it on hold, but God never does.
o Genesis 20:17 – So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abrahams wife.
• Abraham had one thing going for him that is challenging to most – he believed in God’s love/grace. He prays for Abimelech and God answers his prayer.
• We withdraw by what we think God is thinking, but most of the time we’re wrong. We judge by the outward appearance and by our own actions. God shows us in Abraham, that isn’t the case.
• God’s call didn’t change in the least.
o Your behavior can’t change God’s mind.
o Your Alternate Ending is only an alternate to you. It’s been God’s plan all along!
o You’ve seen yourself in need of change, and that’s true. But, God never withdrew His calling on your life. He never saw an Alternate that was necessary. He’s been plugging along with blessing you in mind. He still hears your prayer. He’s there, and He’s never left.
• You treat yourself different than God does.
o You’re Destined for Success and your future looks great!
Breakdown:
• Many times we look at our situation/choice instead of Jesus
• Jeep example: Jeep pulled out truck – FB message “have fun fixing your tranee” – I rejected it first thing…I’m a tither, and I have rights. Promised, and guaranteed.
• Sounds really small, but it happens a lot.
• Abraham was always God’s “prophet” even when he messed up. God hasn’t chanted His mind about you, because of your choices that led you to destruction. Jesus is your Savior from even those things you screwed up.
• Tradition:
• God doesn’t use tradition to save you, He uses His Son.
• Communion – its a tradition, but it’s not the tradition that heals you. It’s you remembering your position in Christ.
• Tithing – it’s not the money or tradition that saves you, it’s the reminder of who is in control of your life.
• Prayer – it isn’t the act that gets God motivated, it’s the reminder of who is on top of your situation.
• Serving – it isn’t the act of serving that sets you free, it’s the reminder of why you serve that aligns you with God’s intentions for you.
• Church attendance – it’s not the attending that rescues you, it’s the inflow of Jesus that allows you to be reminded of your right standing through Christ.
God’s tradition: God traditionally blesses the insufficient. He traditionally doesn’t look for those that have it all put together. Your sin or mistakes don’t hold back God’s blessing. He is looking to bless anyone that has Jesus. Period!
• His objective with tradition was to have you see yourself like He does.
Your Alternate Ending is scheduled, because you are in Christ! No other reason.
You are Destined for Success. God is working to get you there because of His Son, and not because you’re in His way of doing it. God is continually working on your behalf!
Jonah story:
It’s not in your serving or doing good that you find grace. It’s in your salvation…Gods heart for you from the beginning.
Set up the story:
Jonah 4:2 – So he prayed to the LORD, and said, “Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
• Jonah knew who God was and what God’s heart was, but he couldn’t get over the fact that Nineveh deserved to be destroyed.
o 2 Kings 14:25 – 36 years prior to the book of Jonah, God sent a word of restoration through Jonah to Israel.
• Jonah knew what God was all about. He didn’t want Ninevah to get away with their sin. God wanted restoration.
• Jonah 1:5 – Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.
o Jonah somehow knew that he was protected from the storm. Much like Jesus sleeping in the boat when the storm came up and the disciples were freaked out.
o Jonah had an uncanny trust in God. Even though he was fleeing from Him.
• You know God is good and you even say “All the time” in church when I say God is good; but you have a hard time believing it.
• Perhaps you were called to something big in the past, but you failed it. You’ve put it on the back burner or completely given up.
• God’s call for your life didn’t change. He didn’t withdraw it. He’s been working overtime to get you back in the game, and it has a lot to do with how you see your position in Christ Jesus.
o Jonah’s call didn’t change, it just took a runaway ship ride and another ride in the belly of a whale to get back to it.
o Jonah is giving up twice in this text. One because he doesn’t want to be a part of the grace that God had in store for Nineveh. And another time because he was getting scorched by the sun.
• His judgmental attitude nearly wrecked his call. He was judging himself harder than God was.
• Many of us fall into this and our call suffers, not because God put it on hold…but, because we don’t see ourselves the way He does.
• He was also judging the people harder than God was.
• Now, we have to remember that Jonah is in the OT. Crazy that even back then he knew God as the God that we now know in the NT.
o Jonah 4:2 – for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
Jonah knew what God was all about. He knew that the storm couldn’t get him, and he knew that God wanted to restore Ninevah, but he wanted to see them suffer like they deserved. God never relents. He is attracted to His people like a magnet of success.
God is attracted to you, because you have Jesus. You are Destined for Success.
Peter – John 21:15-17
• “Simon son of Jonah”
• There was more that Jesus was saying to Peter after his denial of Christ 3 times…
• The meaning of the name Jonah is “dove” – a dove stands for unconditional love and purity.
• The way God sees us. “Peter, you are the son of my unconditional love!”
• Was there more? Perhaps Jesus was using a play on words here. Peter was the son of Jonah, but looking it up in the Strongs Concordance, you’ll see that both are mentioned. The dad and Jonah from the OT.
• Jonah from the OT is referenced many times in the gospels as a sign of the Messiah. Remember, Jonah didn’t die in the whale, which was the only difference. Jesus was saying, “Peter, you’re not the son of my death (which Peter might have concluded due to his betrayal), but you are the son of my resurrection!”
• 3 times stated: 3 = Divine Perfection – “You are divinely perfect”
• You didn’t make me die, that was my choice. You are why I live.
• He didn’t just die for you, He lives for you!
• Jesus calls this planet home, in those that believe. He was the greatest success story ever written, now it is written through you.
You’re Alternate Ending resides in Jesus, and He resides in you. You are Destined for Success!
Your ending was predestined, and it’s successful. Your Alternate Ending depends on you getting on the same page as God. Seeing yourself blameless. The blame game isn’t God’s game. It’s the human game. The blame was put on Jesus back, not on yours any longer.
If we can get you to see that, and operate as if it’s so…you will see the Alternate come into existence.
Pastor Sarah’s story – Alternate Endings
• Ready to kill herself due to not knowing the Love of God
- It showed up on the other end of a TV screen
- He’s not done with you yet “Little Mama” – Mama Lasala
- Put the pills down and start searching out God
- Started a Bible study
o Not educated, just knew the love of God
o Turned into a church…and then another …and then another
- It looked really bad and worth throwing in the cards, but God’s love found her. It found her with a bottle of pills, and He didn’t walk away.
o Your worst spot is God’s best place to get in touch with you.
o Your very worst ending that might be in front of you, this is where God shows Himself in your life.
- Who would have known that an uneducated person could lead so many. 4 churches and growing.
- We have a gift in Pastor Sarah, but the biggest gift is seeing that it doesn’t take someone special, it takes a willing vessel.
- Even on your worst day, God is excited about tomorrow in your life.
What she knew about God was taught to her through the tradition that read the scriptures incorrectly. She knew a judgmental God that didn’t want her. He showed up on the other end of the TV and said, “I want you, I need you, you don’t have to be perfect, you don’t have to have it all together. If I can get you my Son, He will take care of that in my view.”
You are destined for success when you receive Jesus. That’s the Alternate Ending.
• Abraham wasn’t counted out, Jonah wasn’t disregarded, Ninevah wasn’t destroyed, Pastor Sarah wasn’t banished, and neither are you!
Action:
• Get around the Word.
• Get in a Dream Team.
• Get connected in a small group this fall.
• Show up to services to stay sharp on your understanding.
There’s your Alternate Ending. There’s your relief. In Jesus is your answer. Thank God that He made a way, where there was no way!
the prayer fix
I have a testimony for you:
My computer got a virus and was acting very funny, like a human being when the prince of darkness invades his soul, mind and heart. Nothing was working. Obviously, I felt frustrated because I depend on it to work every day. All my files and clients information was on there and I couldn’t retrieve it. My first thought was to call a computer person to clean up the virus but then I thought: Since I have learned at Life Christian Church how important it is to put God first in every challenge that we face, what if instead of calling a computer tech, I pray so God will take care of it.
Several days have passed and my computer continued dancing with the forces of darkness while I continued praising and praying to God so He would release His powers…Then, this morning when I turned it on, BINGO, my computer was working perfectly. PRAISE HIM because he listens to us when we pray in faith, even if it seems like a small request.
Alternate Endings series “Small Steps” by Pastor Tracy (notes & video)
Alternate Endings: Small Steps that Lead to Big Destruction
Sunday, July 22, 2012 Pastor Tracy Boyd
Review: Although we may not be where we want to be right now, we can have an alternate ending:
- OATS has shaped our choices, which determine our destiny. Our OATS have been manipulated by the enemy who pushes for lust of the eye, flesh and pride of life.
- God had a great plan for Samson’s life to truly lead and help the people of Israel but he cooperated with “I want it, I deserve it, I can handle it” which led to his down fall.
- Samson was emotionally led instead of spirit led; we’ve been given the privilege to pull on the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome anything negative attacking our life
- Failing forward; failure is an event not a person! Your mistake may be your stepping stone to your next level.
This week we are going to show that it is small steps that lead to big
destruction.
- Whether positive of negative, where we are today did not happen over night. There were small choices that led to small steps. How many of us have replayed in our minds, “If I only would have done this instead of that.” Samson’s down fall did not happen all at once; there were small steps that led to his big destruction.
- We know he was given instruction how he was to conduct his life to be the most successful leader. We see however he did not follow.
Patterns in the Word:
David:
Small steps that led to His success- a worshiper in the fields, lion a bear then Goliath, refusing to touch the anointed to king even though he was trying to kill David, dancing wildly before the ark of the covenant that his clothes fell off!
- Called a man after God’s own heart, extremely successful
Small steps that led to destruction: didn’t go to war when suppose to, was bored and looked at a woman bathing, knew she was married but took her anyways, killed her husband and then tried to cover it all up.
- Samuel 11:1-11
- Somehow there was a shift from God dependence to self- preservation.
- Nathan the prophet exposes David and David quickly repents/he doesn’t make excuses as his predecessor did.
- Samuel 12: 13-14
So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.
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- Grace: death was required by the law for both murder and adultery, however, because of David’s deep repentance with out excuses, God’s grace was available. His family, however, would experience the effects of his sin (Amnon rapeing Tamar, Absalom killing Ammon, Absalom trying to overthrow his father and eventually dying- David did not deal with his kids mistakes either!)
- More Grace: Samuel 12:24 “then David comforted Bathsheba his wife and he went into her hear and lay with her. So she bore a son and he called his name Solomon. Now the Lord loved him.
Solomon:
Small steps- asked for wisdom to lead God’s people, worshipper, fair
Deut. 17:16-20
6 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself(or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” 17 He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulatelarge amounts of silver and gold.
2 Chronicles 1:14
Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 1:16
Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue —the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.
1 Kings 11:1-2
But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— 2 from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.
Ecclesiastes 2:8
I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man.
This is what we do! We know in our heart, “This is not good for me…” yet we still do it. Nothing happens so we do something else. We keep doing this then the hammer comes down!
James 1:13-15
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires (lured away from the place of self restraint) and enticed (wanting something forbidden). 15 Then, when desire has conceived, (made you a prisoner) it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Example of Seeds of separation
If this works in the negative, it works in the positive as well
- The woman at the well.
- What’s your small step towards God?
Our faithful God
I just have to give my God a little glory here. I was just entering all of my business info this week as I usually do, and thought I would see how we were doing in comparison to last year at this time. Before I tell you how awesome we are doing, I just want you to know that we have always been faithful tithers for the most part. Once we became Lifer’s, we increased our faithfulness to tithing and also began giving an offering most weeks.
We have been speaking prosperity and fruitfulness over our lives and confessing the following scriptures: Proverbs 8:18 With me (God) are riches, honor, enduring wealth and prosperity and Psalm 35:27 Let the Lord be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
Well I’m magnifying Him today as much as I can, because He is definitely doing his part so now I’m doing mine! So the facts are this; just this month alone my business increased 73%!!!! Holy cow! We only gave 10% plus an offering, and He totally out gave us!! So my curiosity drove me to see how much we increased for the year thus far…. 58.6%!! Yes that’s right He increased us more than 5x’s the percentage that we gave. The word works, and I cannot wait for the end of the year to see the complete work! I have to also add that my work is extremely seasonal and we made more this month which is usually a very, very slow month than we did in December which is high season in Naples. Another 58% increased difference! Hallelujah!! Glory to God, He is so faithful.
Alternate Endings series “Failing Forward” by: Pastor James (video/notes)
Alternate Ending
“FAILING FORWARD” by: Pastor James
Review:
- Last week we talked about being emotionally driven or spiritually driven. What a great message by Pastor Tracy last week which everyone should listen to or watch online if you missed it.
- Pastor Tracy also touched on OATs again. Observations, associations, and teachings. These are the things that will show up when you are at the end of your rope, when you don’t have any answers, when you have failed for potentially the last time. When you don’t know what to do and your thinking about throwing in the chips for the last time and giving up. Your OATs will lead you, if you’ve put in the right ones…you’ll succeed.
- It’s so important that we continue to feed on the Word of God, because these OATs show up when you need them. You’ll know how to respond to situations that otherwise would take you down.
Overview:
- Today we will be talking about failing forward. But, we won’t be talking about it as a negative thing. That seems impossible, but failure doesn’t have to be something that holds the believer back. However, most of the time…it does.
- If you’re under the impression that you will never come up against a struggle or even have some setbacks, then you’ve convinced yourself that you already live in heaven.
- It’s not a matter of if you fail, it’s how you react to it and move forward.
- Suichi Honda story
- Not hired by Toyota Motor Company
- Encouraged by his neighbors to continue making motorcycles
- Honda Motor Company
Suichi exercised the “failing forward” notion, and you can too.
- A MAN’S GREATEST FEAR IS FAILURE.
- God has a plan for you. Your failures have kept you down. Your job isn’t what you had intended. Your family life isn’t going well. Your feeling regret from the road that you took, and failure is eating at your core.
- Very similar to the story of Samson that we’ve been reviewing in this series.
- A FAILURE IS AN EVENT, NOT A PERSON.
- “I’m a failure”…NO. It was a failure, I’m not.
Failing is nothing more than a learning experience. Fail forward instead of back.
- Two types of blocks
- Stumbling blocks and Starting blocks
- Don’t let your failure be a stumbling block, but rather a starting block
- If the Olympians didn’t have a starting block, they wouldn’t be able to win the 100 yard dash.
- We have to detach ourselves from the failure and look at it as an event rather than part of us. You are not a failure, perhaps you have failed like all of us, but don’t let it define you.
- What God sees
- Romans 8:28 NKJV- And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to Hispurpose.
- God sees your failure as a starting block, not a stumbling block
- Read on your own: Romans 3:21-31
- Your sin/failure is less significant to God than your life.
- Romans 3:24-26 NKJV – being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
- Romans 3:25,26 – He passed over the sins previously committed to demonstrate His righteousness
- Break Down: through Jesus, God made a “new covenant” way to get past the sin and failure of His people, so that He could demonstrate His righteousness.
- Every time God looks past your failure and blesses, He is showcasing His righteousness.
- Why wouldn’t He want to do that all the time?
- Break Down: through Jesus, God made a “new covenant” way to get past the sin and failure of His people, so that He could demonstrate His righteousness.
- Romans 3:25,26 – He passed over the sins previously committed to demonstrate His righteousness
- Stumbling blocks and Starting blocks
God isn’t looking forward to your failure, but He’s looking forward to showcasing His righteousness. – Fail Forward
- Propitiation (G2435 – cover of Ark of the Covenant/Testimony)
- Mercy seat – defined in Hebrews
- a means of appeasing
- A discretionary pardoning
- the cover of the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies
- Leviticus 16:14 – sprinkled the blood 7 times on the Mercy seat
- The number 7 means – completion, spiritual perfection, God’s seal, holiness
- Seven is the second perfect number. In Hebrew seven is shevah (shebah) from the root shava (shaba or sheba), meaning “to be full.”
- Full of His blood, not full of your sin.
- “your full of it…”
- Exodus 37:6-9 – the Mercy seat built
- Cherubim looking at the blood on the Mercy seat not the sin
- Example of what God is looking at in you.
- Seven is the second perfect number. In Hebrew seven is shevah (shebah) from the root shava (shaba or sheba), meaning “to be full.”
- The number 7 means – completion, spiritual perfection, God’s seal, holiness
SAMSON’S STORY SHOWS US
Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, “Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.” 24 When the people saw [Samson], they praised their god, saying, “Our god has delivered our enemy into our hands, the one who laid waste our land and multiplied our slain.” 25 While they were in high spirits, they shouted, “Bring out Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them. Judges 16:23-25
- Not only did Samson look bad, but God looked bad through Samson
- God was getting a black eye on this. Now, Samson had to separate himself from his own personal failures and realize that God will have the last say. He needed to realize that God would still use him, even though he failed. His regrets and remorse were probably more than he could bare, but he had to step past them and allow God to still have the last say through him.
- God wants to use you for His good purpose. No matter how bad you’ve failed and messed up. You must know this. Don’t sit back in your failure, stand up in God’s success.
- Samson had some pillars to push down in himself prior to the ones that he pushed down on the Philistines.
- He had to push down the failure and the ridicule. He had to push down the regret of making the wrong choices on his way to captivity.
- He had to push down the fact that God is alive and well and always looking to bless.
Push down the pillars of failure…Fail Forward
TWO RESPONSES TO FAILURE
- THE NATURAL RESPONSE IS REMORSE.
- Remorse is the reminder of your failure.
- After forgiveness, there is no more reminder for God outside of your reminding Him. “But God, I have fallen short so many times.”
- God’s response, “And when was that again?”
- THE BETTER RESPONSE IS accepting His love and forgiveness.
…When they stood him among the pillars.26 Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them…” 28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “O Sovereign Lord, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more… Judges 16:25-26, 28
- Samson decided that this was his end. But, more importantly, he also decided that the victory was the Lord’s. He allowed God to use his hands to get the glory.
- Not for one second do we see in this story that God looked down on Samson. Of course, God would have rather had a different plan, but he won’t invade our will. I’m sure the angels were celebrating when Samson cried out to God “just one more…”
- Katherine Kuhlman (great revivalist)- fill me up one more time
- Getting past her insufficiencies and failures and walking in the grace.
- Surfer on the beach - well known speaker story
- Ready to give up
- “Hit the wall one more time.”
- Katherine Kuhlman (great revivalist)- fill me up one more time
- In your time of need, you have God’s full attention no matter what got you there in the first place.
- John 17:23 NKJV – I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
- God sees opportunity to show Himself to this world…through you.
WHEN A MAN IS DOWN, HE’S NOT OUT!
- He’s only out when he talks himself into it.
EVEN IN OUR FAILURES, GOD CAN STILL ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSES.
Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, 30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived. Judges 16:29-30
- With all his might – Hebrew: koach-
- Human strength, animal strength, strength of angels, and the power of God
- Throughout Samson’s life, “the Spirit of the Lord came upon Him”
My story:
- Hired into the auto industry at a young age (right after high school)
- It went well for quite some time, but realized that I needed a degree to get past the ceiling for promotion.
- Raised in a lower class household, and not following God very closely
- I was looking for a review/raise/promotion, but my boss told me that I was at the ceiling without a degree. I felt like praying but knew that my relationship wasn’t what it should be with God.
- I prayed, but wasn’t sure that it would work, because what would make God want to promote someone that had backslidden.
- Romans 3:25,26 – He passed over the sins previously committed to demonstrate His righteousness
- God had a Failing Forward mindset for me… Like Samson
- God wanted to demonstrate His righteousness through me.
- Romans 3:25,26 – He passed over the sins previously committed to demonstrate His righteousness
- A week or so later, my boss called me back into his office. He wanted to let me know that he went to the president of the billion dollar company that I worked for and got approval to restart a college tuition program that had been stopped years ago.
- I got my tuition paid.
- Don’t let your failure and regret define your future.
- Every great man has failed. He wouldn’t be a success without his failure. However, many average men wouldn’t be average if they would have been able to get past their failure and see the opportunity.
- Back in the starting blocks instead of the stumbling block
- I had some pillars to push down just to pray. God pushed the other pillars down because I prayed.
- God will always take an opportunity to show His righteousness
MOVING FORWARD
Get back into the starting blocks. God doesn’t see your failure, He sees the blood.
He wants to demonstrate His righteousness in you.
Fail forward into your Alternate Ending
Alternate Ending “Emotions or Spirit: which one is leading?” (video/notes)
Alternate Endings: Emotions or Spirit: which one is leading?
Sunday July 8, 2012 Pastor Tracy Boyd
Review:
John 10:10
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Through Christ’s death and resurrection the potential for abundant life has been released and provided for every follower of Christ. The minute we receive Jesus this is available! However there is an obstacle that we have to overcome- our mind! Our mind determines our choices our choices determine our destiny or endings!
- When we come to Christ, our OATS (observations, associations and teachings) ,which have been shaped by a negative world that manipulates toward the Lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, have already been shaped!
1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world
- These operated in Samson’s life and it brought his destruction
- Anything that we cooperate with of the enemy’s will destroy our lives.
World: this is not physical creation, but the sphere of evil operating in our world under the dominion of satan
- If our oats are not reshaped by the Word, by default we will be shaped by a negative world.
- I want, I deserve, I can handle will continue in our lives and will lead to destruction.
- We don’t have to be destroyed; we can have an alternate ending. Our first step is letting the Word reshape our thinking. We shared:
Proverbs 4:20-23
My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words 21 Do not let them out of your sight keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
This week: Being emotionally led or Spirit led.
Samson did what He felt like doing- he was emotionally driven:
We are too! We
- Vote, shop, eat, give and change jobs emotionally
- Being emotionally lead leads to chaos!
We’ve been given the privilege to be led by our human spirit which is connected to the Holy Spirit who is the source of all wisdom
Galatians 5:16-17 (NIV)
16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
Romans 8:12-13 (NLT)
12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.
Bring it back to the Word: The Holy Spirit wants to lead us toward those things that bring life. We are wired to hear His voice. However his language is the Word.
Two emotions that bring us down
Anger:
Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJ)
Be angry, and do not sin”:[ do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. (don’t act out on your anger or habor stuff)
Proverbs 16:32 (NKJ)
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
Proverbs 29:11 (NKJ)
A fool vents all his feelings,But a wise man holds them back.
Proverbs 19:11 (NLT)
Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
Solution
- James 1:19: (NIV)
19 My dear brothers and sisters take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
(listen 2x as much as we speak; listen to the situation from another perspective, listen to God)
Pride:
Proverbs 16:18 (NIV)
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Examples: keep up with the Jones, jeans we bought because of the name, Mom staying up all night to sow a dress, not letting anyone know we are struggling in any area because of image.
Solution
- James 4:6-7 (NKJ)
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:“ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
- If Gods word says forgive we submit to it, if it says not to get offended we submit to it, if it says to tithe we submit to it….
- PRIDE HINDERS POWER
You’ve been qualified to use the Holy Spirit’s power!
Colossians 1:12-13 (NKJ)
….giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
Jesus delivered us from the dominion of Lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and the pride of life. We are delivered from: I want it, I deserve it, I can handle it
In this new kingdom they are replaced:
I want it: with Contentment
I deserve it: with Thankfulness
I can handle it: with total dependence on God’s supply
Faith is recognizing our complete emptiness and utter need of God then going to Him knowing and believing He wants to release all the supply we need!
Romans 6:16( NKJ)
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
This is how you can cooperate/release help from the Holy Spirit; say, “Sin will not have dominion over me, I am content, I am thankful and I am completely dependent on God.”
Romans 8:37 (NKJ) we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
God always provides
Last week, I was struggling with my finances, but despite that I decided to
give my mom a little bit of money because she is going through some financial
struggles herself. I also took her, my little brother, and my daughters to
the movies, because they had been looking forward to watching a movie that was out at the theater.
Sunday came and even though i was really short with my money, I have my
tithe and left it all in God’s hands. I prayed to the Lord to help me
provide until my next paycheck, and I knew he would.
Well, God answered my prayers really quick!!
When Monday came I got an envelope in the mail, and it was a check for a
little over $300! The glory of God is AMAZING!!!
I immediately shared my testimony with my brother and friend, so they can
know that God never leaves us alone, he always provides for his
children!!
