It’s in God’s hands testimony

Praise report!

On Sunday, September 9th, Pastor James delivered a strong message about things, people and/or circumstances in life that make us feel “Overwhelmed” and what we could or should do about them. During that message we were to write the things that make us feel overwhelmed on a piece of paper. After doing so, at the end of the service we were to rip it up and throw it away on our way out, representing that it is God’s battle not ours. So, I did as was instructed. Letting go and leaving it in God’s hands.

This is when the good stuff started happening!

I have been unemployed for 1 ½ years…and as in many weeks prior, I sent my resume to employers looking for an assistant, a secretary, a data clerk, anything.  The Tuesday after the sermon, I got a call from a law office looking for someone to assist the Controller in the accounting department. (Many of the tasks I was already familiar with because of my prior experience) But, I was new to the industry. So, taking a “chance” with me they hired me…I started the very next day making more money per hour than I ever have!

There’s more…

On the 5th day on the job I was asked to do something that I wasn’t very sure of. I started to become very “Overwhelmed” my eyes wailed up in tears…I felt the urge to leave and never come back. Those feelings/voices were telling me I had no business there and that I should just leave before they got to know me…they would never miss me if I left right then…Wiping a tear I took a deep breath, I prayed “God, if this is where you want me then I’m gonna need your help! You’re going to have to show me how to do this job.” Wiping another tear, the FIND tab appeared in my vision and I was able to research and complete the task just as it was required of me. Currently, my job is going very well and I am catching on quickly.

But that’s not all!

My daughter called me that week (after we heard the sermon on “God’s going to “Overwhelm” us with his love and blessings IF we do our part). I have always believed in this principle, however, since moving to Naples I have to be honest…I haven’t completely fulfilled my end of the bargain. But on Sunday, I did! I did it with a cheerful heart, with no abandon and with total excitement. I couldn’t wait to pay my tithe to the house that is feeding my soul! AND, look what happened. I hadn’t spoken to my daughter since April. Our relationship has been void for over 2 years…She called me out of the clear, blue sky telling me she was sorry that she has kept our grandson away from us for the past 21 months and that she was working on a way for us to see them. I feel that God is telling me that there is still hope and that he is trying to do a work in her and for me to be patient just a little while longer.

God is a good and faithful God! I will continue to be faithful to his word! I will continue to hold up my end of the bargain! I will continue to believe that God only wants the best for me…and that the Best is Yet to Come!!!!!

Thank you for your obedience in delivering His word.

Eyes wide open – testimony

I had a problem with my right eye. It started hurting and watering. My

vision started to get blurry. I had the problem for 3 days and it was

getting worse. It even hurt to touch it. By Sunday service, it was throbbing

with pain. After our group morning prayer before service, I just knew I

needed to get Pastor Sarah Marie to pray for me. I ran over to her after

prayer and asked her to pray. She put her hands over my eye and prayed. I

received the healing in the name of Jesus. During Pastor Tracy’s teaching,

the throbbing stopped and my vision began to clear. By evening it was 75%

better. When I woke up the following morning,  it was all gone and my eye was healed.

Thank you Jesus! I praise God for my healing!

Feardom “Fear of the Unknown” by: Pastor Sarah Gardner

Sunday October 21, 2012

Pastor Sarah Gardner

Title: Fear of the Unknown

FEAR is false evidence that appears real.

When we were at the other building, I spoke on faith and fear. I said that fear will work faster than faith, because the enemy will push fear on us.

God doesn’t push faith on us. We have to pull it from above. It requires our cooperation. Fear works faster because it is already here on earth all around us.

A person may feel they are in a dead end job, but afraid that if they leave they may find a worse job. They stay. The fear of the unknown feels so real that they make no move.

My son was afraid of marriage. His fear was that he was not going to be happy with one woman for the rest of his life, so he would get engaged, and the fear of the unknown would grip him, and he would break the engagement.

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

My son was tormented. After he got married, he enjoys perfect love.

That’s the benefits of serving God. We know that God is stronger than any natural forces.

We know that He turns around all things together for good for those who love Him.

We start taking chances and we have faith in God that He’s got our back. We lose the fear of the unknown.

When we learn to cooperate with God we will be free from the fear of the unknown.

Why? Because we know God will not make a bad decision concerning us.

When we devote our self to God, He takes full responsibility for our lives.

Abraham believed God. Hebrews 11:8

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place, which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

I live my life like Abraham, I never know where God is taking me, but I know His taking me somewhere better than I can think or even imagine.

When God told me to come to Florida, I had no idea where God was taking me. I liked Florida is warmer than Michigan, I started making plans.

But I had no idea that God had better plans than I had thought or even imagined.

Eph 3:20

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

Not only did He bring me to better weather, He gave me a church, and so much more, all in one year. I can truly say – look what the Lord has done.

Was I afraid of the unknown? Yes. But I did it afraid. While I was making decisions I was saying…

2 Tim 1:7 – For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

I can do all things through Christ who gives me wisdom.

And now, I have heaven on earth.

Even the people in the Bible were afraid of the unknown.

We read that Timothy was afraid of the unknown. Timothy was a young pastor inexperienced. He did not know if he could succeed as a pastor.

He probably was questioning his own calling as a pastor. Maybe he was comparing himself to Paul.

Paul writes Timothy a letter to remind Timothy that he could fulfill his calling.

2 Tim 1:6 – Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Paul said,  “Stir yourself up, Timothy”. You received a gift when I laid hands on you

And 2 Tim 1:7 – God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Notice Paul didn’t say “Timothy, call a prayer meeting. Let people pray for you”. No, he said “stir yourself up”.

So, I am advising you like Paul advised Timothy if you feel fear, stir yourself up. Say, “God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind”.

No one can stir you up better than yourself. Others can try to stir you up, but as soon as you are alone, you grow fearful again.

This is why we encourage you to declare the promises to stir up your own faith and keep yourself encouraged.

If we do what God tells us to do in His Word, God will always do the supernatural in our lives.

What have we learned today?

That fear will not leave us just because we want it to go. We fight fear with the Word of God in our mouth.

God told me “I will bless any one on earth according to what I hear from them”.

We must keep on the front of our eyes that God is the supernatural power; we are the natural channels on earth

We work together with Him through grace by faith. We can obtain supernatural freedom.

This is why we emphasize to find a prescription from the Bible and say it out of your mouth.

Psalm 27:1

The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them (fear and obstacles), because He who is in you is greater than he (fear) who is in the world.

Overwhelmed series “Wealth” by: Pastor James Boyd (video & notes)

Overwhelmed – wk3

“Wealth” By: Pastor James

Tough topic, because there are two camps within Christendom regarding “wealth.”

• Whatever God’s will is, that’s what you’ll get
  • This doesn’t motivate us to pray or believe
• God wants you well supplied
  • This gets us closer to God, because we connect with Him due to the way we believe about Him

God wants His people prosperous.

• It’s not been God’s promise that was off, it’s been our believing.
  • “Jesus was poor”
    • Anytime He had need of anything, it was provided. What is the definition of “poor” to you? It’s not that.
    • How many of us have a treasurer that follows us around?

God intended money to come to and thru you!

You’re God’s way in.

• Scripture references for knowing His will.
  • Defining God’s will
    • Scripture
    • Holy Spirit
    • Romans 12:2 NKJV – And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
      • That you may prove: to approve; to deem worthy; to see whether a thing is genuine or not
        • Your example here on earth was meant to prove God’s good and perfect will to others.
        • You were meant to be pointed at for your substance here.
        • You were created to prove the goodness of God to others as the approval of the promise to His people. You deem God worthy by the way He blesses you.

You were created for money to come to and thru to prove His will.

• Colossians 1:26, 27 NKJV – The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
  • This says it all. Christ in you is where the riches for your life exist.
  • That need that you have resides in you already. You already have the potential to see it in the natural, because it exists in you.
    • Example: When you cash out at the grocery store, what do you do? Reach to your back pocket and pull out your wallet. This is the same concept.
    • How do you pull it out and use it?
      • Pull out Colossians 1:26,27 – “What I need is in you, Jesus. And you are in me. I pull out your blessing on my situation right now.”
      • This is believing without seeing yet. Faith. This pleases God.

You can have it, as long as it doesn’t have you. ~ Pastor Sarah

Psalm 112:2-3 NKJV – His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever.

• Generation of the upright – the generation of Jesus. It’s defined better in NT now, because we know Who the upright is. Jesus. In us.
• House- receptacle -
  • Like a soap dispenser. God adds, and it’s always full for others to use
• Righteousness- of Davidic King Messiah
  • “and His Son endures in you forever”
• What’s being said here: You will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be at your disposal, and He endures in you forever!

God’s intent is to get it to you so it can go thru you and prove Him.

The natural (human) principles work

• Luke 6:38 – Give and it will be given…don’t give, and the blessing (covenant) still exists, however you will only have the one promise not both.
  • God won’t allow His principles to go without fulfillment.
  • Sometimes things get held up in the spirit realm or in the human realm. Wouldn’t you want the ability to still receive when the enemy is holding something up? Then, put the principles to practice.
• You attract the blessing of God when Jesus lives in you. What about the blessing here on earth? There’s an earthly part to this. God wants you to sow here on earth to bless His people.
  • Stats: 7% of Christians “tithe”.  The average amount that Christians give equals 2.5%.
    • Christians aren’t putting to practice the principles, and can’t seem to answer the bigger question of “why am I behind?”

The Solomon “if” principle:

• Solomon prays
  • 1 Kings 3:9 NKJV – Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?
• God answers
  • 1 Kings 3:13, 14 NKJV – And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. So ifyou walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.
    • God gave him more than he asked. In wisdom and discernment is where Solomon found wealth.
      • Sometimes we might be over focused on wealth, because the problem is our finances. We need to get our focus on the right things, and God will add the rest. If the problem is your finances, we’re still supposed to look at the answer instead of the problem. Jesus in you is the answer.
        • Focused on the problem Example: hijacking God
          • Guy in Seattle
          • Guy at church office
          • God isn’t moved by need, He’s moved by faith! ~ Pastor Sarah
        • “If” – Solomon gets off to a great start. God mentions at least three times the benefits that He gave Solomon for such a request. The “if” shows up again in 1 Kings 9:4. His reminder.
• Then chapter 11comes around. In short, Solomon put his women and their gods in his kingdom and they became an idol to him.
  • God gives wisdom to get wealth, but its still up to us to remember the “if“. We see that the “if” is the over abundance that God wants to get to us here on earth.
  • This is the portion that brings you into the picture. God will bless because you have Jesus (the full blessing already inside you), you attract blessing and wealth already. The “if” is the human things that we can do to put God first instead of idols that pop up in our life.
    • Giving plays into your wealth here in the “if“.
  • Solomon loses control of his kingdom. The “if” was out of place. He lost sight.
• Interesting that God still blessed in 1 Kings 11:13 because of David, Solomon’s father. Because of David, God blessed, but it wasn’t as big as He wanted.
  • Same picture of Jesus in us. David is known as the blood line of Christ. This presents a picture of Jesus and the blessing that God tracks us down with just due to His Son.
  • The “if” is our part to stay on point here and attract blessing on us due to our own will and choice.
  • There are two sides to the promise. God’s side and our side.
    • The big human “if” turns into God’s huge promise
      • Malachi 3:10 NKJV – Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this, Says the Lord of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That  there will not be room enough to receive it.
        • Receptacle; dispenser - Psalm 112
        • God’s “if” has promise!

God always intended money to come to you so it can go thru you.

Story of wisdom for wealth in the givers life:

• Testimony of big investment that went wrong
• A giver receives wisdom to save him.
• Wealth isn’t always new money, sometimes it’s saved money.

Some of the blessing takes activation to receive…faith activates

• Ways to get there:
  • Remember all the resources are in you already
  • Prayer of who He is that lives in you
  • Praise before you see the victory
  • Practice what He’s called us to do in scripture

• He’s still lining you up right now.
  • He still has a plan to show His covenant in you, even if it doesn’t seem like the plan is taking affect.
  • He’s working it. You might even look behind in the natural, but God is working His plan. The worst thing you could do is get negative, complain, and give up.

Application:

• Do something different – put a seed in the ground so your “if” promise can grow.
• Dedicate some prayer time to just glorify God that His plan is taking place for you. He is coming around the bend in your situation, because Jesus lives within you!
  • As Pastor Tracy said last week, “The blessing is attracted to Jesus in you.”

The Word Will Profit You by: Pastor Sarah (video/notes)

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 Pastor Sarah

The Word Will Profit You

Romans 1:8 – First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout Naples.

This church is great because of your giving of yourself, because of your serving. You have truly taken ownership of your church.

You are truly living what we preach. This is the reputation that every Christian has to have.

I am in the room with the most powerful people because you are a giver. I am a great believer that when we give, our faith grows.

Baby Christians want instant gratification.

No, we prayer then we expect a miracle. We witness first then we look for a change in people. We invest before we see a return.

James 1:22 AMP –

22 But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth].

You see, salvation is totally free. But to obtain other things from God we need to learn to cooperate with God.

Become doers of the Word and we will profit you.

And then you can influence others to profit too.

I have profited and I have helped others to profit.

There was a girl in our church who had Crones disease. The doctors had taken out quite a bit of her intestines. This disease kept eating up the intestines and the doctors had given up

After the third surgery, she was not recuperating. She was unresponsive. The mother called for prayer. Tracy and I went and we prayed and did not see any change. It was 1am in the morning.

We were just leaving when the Holy Spirit said to me, “If Mark 11:23 would be obeyed, she doesn’t have to die, she can live”.

Mark 11: 23

23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

I talked to the mother to say, “My daughter shall live”. The mother stayed up all night long saying, “My daughter shall live, my daughter shall live”.

After she had been saying, “My daughter shall live” another scripture came to her during this time.

Psalm 30:5 “Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning”.

In the morning, joy came, because she started to see a sign of life in her daughter. In 2 weeks she went home and got free from that terrible disease. God restored her body and she is alive today.

Pastor Sarah, “Why did she have to say it so many times?”                I’m glad you asked.

When you start declaring the promises, you really don’t have faith. You are in doubt. You are wavering.

James 1:7 – For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

We need to offer sacrifices of our words to God. Why is it a sacrifice? Because our natural mind doesn’t want to do that.

Hebrews 10:36 – For you have need of endurance (patience), so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

Notice “after you have done the will of God” – you receive the promise.

If you show God faith and patience, God will come on the scene.

He is waiting on you to build your faith. When you do, He joins you.

God said to me, “I will bless anyone on earth according to what I hear from them”.

God needs you and me. We need Him. He is the supernatural power; we are the natural channels He uses.

We work together with God.

A man had a vision and saw the devil.  He was so scared and Jesus appeared and stood in the middle of them.  The man thought that Jesus was going to fight the devil, instead the man looked at Jesus and he saw that Jesus’ feet came into his feet, his arm came into his arm, Jesus whole body took over his whole body. Then the man said to the devil, “Bow to me”.  And the devil bowed to the man. Then the man said, “Go from me”, and the devil fled from him.

When you repeat certain promises, your faith grows. Then somehow, your faith matches God’s faith and God joins your voice and He Himself speaks through you to the mountain and the mountain is removed and the miracle takes place.

Remember that without faith, it is impossible to please God.

Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

How many want to please God?

We do not want to close the service without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus your Lord. Just say “Jesus I repent of my sin, come into my heart. I make you the Lord of my life”.

If you said that prayer for the first time, please raise your hand. We want to celebrate with you.

Have you ever felt “Overwhelmed”…series coming Sept.9

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, you’re not as alone as you think.  Most people have some spot in their life that they feel overwhelmed.  You’re a part of a larger group than you think.  However, you don’t have to stay overwhelmed.  In this series, we’re going to be talking about how we can overwhelm our emotions and feelings in a better way.  We overwhelm ourselves with:

• Righteousness
• Favor
• Wealth
• Health

Come join us to learn how to overwhelm your overwhelming situations with what God has promised us through His Word.  We believe that this series will help you greatly, and you’ll be able to walk out refreshed and ready for the next challenge that lies ahead in your life!

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.

• • 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?

Alternate Ending series “A Yielded Will” by: Pastor James Boyd

Alternate Ending “Choices Matter” By: Pastor Tracy (notes & video)

Alternate Ending series: Choices Matter

Promo video below (full message video at the bottom of this post):

Sunday June 24, 2012            Pastor Tracy Boyd

Intro: Everybody explores the would of could of should of’s! We wish in many cases there were some alternate endings to situations in our life. But what if we could really have alternate endings.

We can look at the life of Samson; great start, bad ending

• Chosen from birth to be a nazarite (refrain from eating anything unclean, fermented drink or cutting his hair) who would deliver and judge Israel
• Israel would choose to not follow God, fall into oppression from enemies, cry out to God for deliverance, and God would answer!

This week  out title is: Choices Matter

Bottom line most of the time our choices have gotten us where we are today

• God has given us a free will to choose
  • Adam and Eve freely chose to eat of the tkge
  • Cain

Genesis 4:6-7 (NKJ)

⁶ Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? ⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.’

• Deut. 30:19-20 (NIV)

¹⁹ This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ²⁰ and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

• God’s plan was for the Israelites to go to the promise land; they choose to wander 40 years.

Numbers 14:22-23 (NV)

²² not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times – ²³ not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it.

• There are laws that govern life and laws that govern death; they are unseen yet exits. We determine by our choices what is released in our life.

Choice (which laws we cooperate with) is determined by observations, associations and teaching

• Example: a young girl raised in oats where there

• The oats of our world are slanted toward: Lust of the eye the lust of the flesh pride of Life- Do what I feel like doing

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

World: this is not physical creation, but the sphere of evil operating in our world under the dominion of satan

• The enemy operates with the above 3 because they all have destructive endings
  • Eve: Genesis 3:6 she saw that it was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.
  • The Above three led to Samson’s horrible ending
    • Lust of the flesh: He slept with Harlots, ate honey that was in the carcass of a dead lion he had killed with his bare hands
    • Lust of the eye & the pride of Life

Judges14: 2-3

So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.”

³ Then his father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?”

And Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”

( this phrase in Hebrew is similar to the phrase “everybody did what was right in their own eyes”)

• Samson did what He felt lie doing what was right in his eyes even though his parents tried to talk with him

• The enemy uses veils in our soul to convince us we won’t be happy unless…. Lot’s wife was convinced she would be missing out by leaving Sodom.
• Let’s be real…I’ve had those thoughts especially as a teenager because I wasn’t presented the gospel correctly.

Choices can be changed

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.

• Samson’s Generation got away from the ways given by God:

Judges 2: 7, 10, (NJK)

So the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord which He had done for Israel.

¹⁰ When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.

Judges 17:6(NKJ)

⁶ In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

• This is the generation that we are living in today! Previous generations fought to take the Bible and prayer out of our culture. With out it we are not equipped to fight the pull of sin that leads to destruction.

• Violent crimes chart: following the court’s decision to remove the Bible, violent crimes soared 470%. US became  the world’s leader in total crimes committed.
• Divorce chart: Divorce skyrocket- us found itself number 1 in divorce
• Unmarried couples living together chart: increased 1000%
• Sat chart: Sat scores plummeted after being stable for decades
• Birth rates of unwed mothers chart:  soared 460% America has the highest teen pregnancy rate of any nation in the industrialized world
• Sexually transmitted disease chart: Soared

• As we keep the Word around and in us we begin to reshape our oats

My story: I would have ended up just as my dysfunctional family if my Oats did not change.

Psalm 119:11 (NKJ)

Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You

Romans 6:14(NKJ)

 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

The Word and the revelation of our right standing with God is a supernatural empowerment to curb the temptation of sin.

My example of God asking me not to date in college: He was reshaping my history! I had patterns of going from one relationship to the next trying to reduce the sense of rejection and acceptance.

The Word will shape your choices and give you an alternate ending

• Example: trying out for cheerleading, got hurt, built a case with the Word, prayed, made the team with out trying out!

• The enemy likes to repeat history- alcoholic, divorce, infidelity, pride. You can have an alternate ending!

• Samson was suppose to be a great judge, instead he was a loner who did great exploits. It did not have to end the way that it did! We can learn form his life and realize we can have alternate endings. God will readjust our GPS!

Conclusion: Speak what you want your ending to be!

What God thinks about you…

I went about finding what God has to say about us and so far have this list:

Loved
More than a conqueror
Have life and that more abundantly
Victorious
Brought into a broad place
Rescued
Kind
Blameless
Astute
Pure
Saved from affliction
Healed
Rewarded
Delighted in
Never alone
Lamp oil full and lit
We can run upon troops
We can leap walls before us
He is our shield and our rear guard
He girds us with strength
He is our rock
He makes our ways blameless
He makes our feet like hinds feet, sure and swift
He trains our hands for battle
He makes our arms strong to bend a bow
His shield of salvation protects us and keeps us
His right hand upholds us
He makes us great through His gentleness
He enlarges our steps
He gives us rest
Our feet will not slip because of Him
We will overtake our opponents and we do not turn back as they are consumed
We shatter our opponents and they don’t get back up – they fall under our feet
He girds us with strength for battle
He makes our opponents turn their back to us and we destroy those who hate us, they can find no help
We are delivered from contentious people
We are placed as heads of nations
People we don’t know serve us
As soon as they hear our order, they obey
Foreigners submit to us and fade away. They come trembling out of their fortresses
Our prayers and praise are arrows that attack our opponents
He executes our vengeance for us
He subdues people under us
We are delivered from our opponents
He lifts us over those who rise against us
He rescues us from the violent man
He delivers us GREATLY
He shows us and gives us lovingkindness
He grants our heart’s desires
He fulfills all our council
He fulfills all our petitions
He saves us because He anoints us
He answers us from His Holy Heaven
We stand upright because of Him!

He is so worthy to be praised! He drops our ill-fitting yolks and gives us His abundance of grace, a perfect fit that is ever so light!
One by one and by the 10’s of dozens, we will see our opponents fall away because His right hand saves us! We are complete and we are whole because of Him. He gives us wisdom. Our life is new and we fly with eagles wings! He hears our cries and He bottles our tears. He lifts us up and calls us His! THIS is what it means to be a King’s kid!! And just a partial list at that! We already have all these things. Our job is just to take hold of them, to receive them, in Jesus name.