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Run for Your Life. Hebrews 12:1-3. Last Sunday we talked about one of the greatest reasons for thanksgiving. The fact of God’s grace. We saw that when we keep the grace of God in perspective, most difficulties can be overcome and burdens are easier to bear. The only way to look at life against the backdrop of God’s great scheme of things, and Christ’s great victory over sin and death. The conditions of this world would consume us with despair were it not for the fact that we can fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and the keeper of our faith. As we come to God in gratitude for His very life that lives through us and enable us in spite of what appears to be very real, we fix our minds on those things that cannot pass away. We focus upon His word which is always with us. The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of the Lord stands forever. We focus upon His presence. Lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the age. We focus upon His power. Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 2 Cor. 12:9 But he said to me, \”My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.\” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ\’s power may rest on me. This is the blessing of grace. Today we see how that same principal of keeping our eyes on Jesus enables us to press on in our pursuit of godly character and Christ like consecration. Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. The writer is speaking to those who have already entered the event. They have been to the scratch meet, and their names are on the starters sheet. And every Christians name must be on this list. Christianity is not a spectator sport where there are grandstands full of people cheering on a small group of participants. Each one is called to run in the event. To run with endurance. But there are many professing Christians who are in the grandstands. There are many who are on the track, but not running the race There are some who are simply jogging along without any real dedication. A little girl woke her parents up in the middle of the night because she had fallen out of bed. Her mom asked her what happened. She replied, \”I guess I stayed to close to the place where I got in. Many people who profess faith in Christ never move on from the place they got in. They never really enter the race, and consequently, they fall out of bed, so to speak. The text says, \”Run the race.\” In fact it would be accurate to say, \”Run for your life\” The word for race is the word agwna which is the same word from which we get the word agony. Church, I believe in these days that Jesus is looking for disciples that would dare to be different. He calls for forceful, dedicated commitment. He only occupies that which is vacant. He picks up that which is laid down. He fills that which is empty. He wants complete abandonment to Himself and His cause. To run this race is painful and costly, but the rewards are out of this world. If you speak to my son, Sean, he will tell you that running track is hard work. You don\’t hear of anyone saying they play track. You play football, you play baseball, you play tennis, you play soccer, but you run track. In other words you really have to work hard at track. The walk of faith is not really a walk at all. It is a run. It is agwna. Something at which you have to persevere in order to make it to the finish line. There are several observations that we must take into account in order to run the race well. First of all, notice that although it is difficult, we are not alone. I. The Encouragement we Can Expect Hebrews 12.1 \”Therefore, since we are surrounded by a greater crowd of witnesses. Here the writer is obviously referring to what he has written in the previous chapter. That chapter deals with all of the heroes of the faith that have gone before us. It is the story of these heroes that spurr us on in our faith. One of the greatest, most effective motivators in a foot race, is the encouragement of someone that\’s already been there. These witnesses are not passive spectators sitting in the grandstand, rather they are believers who have been there before. And they are not cheering from afar off. They are all along the way through the memory of their example set before us. We remember them well. There\’s Moses. He opposed Pharaoh. He forsook all the prerogatives and pleasures of his court for the sake of the race. He sure knows how to run. And there\’s that group that shouted down the walls of Jericho. What a lot we can learn from them. And isn\’t that the fellow who shut the mouths of Lions? Yes. Daniel was his name.  And look at all of those people with those scars

Romans 5. Perfect Mercy, Perfect Grace. One of the most exciting passages of Scripture. Not miracles on the outside, but something that is far better. Far more eternal, as wonderful as they are. God’s revelation of His heart. How you can know how to get from Columbine Ave to Heaven. No matter how lost you may be. A clear expression of how to find peace with God for eternity. As we come to this we must recognize that there is an underlying Premise. God’s Mercy is perfect, but God’s wrath is also perfect. Before we can understand anything of the magnitude of this great mercy we must be smitten in our hearts with some understanding of His perfect wrath. Some theologians refer to this as the “unfriendly side of God” There are some principles that will guide our understanding of this, and the first is: Principle # 1. The wrath of God is against ALL sin. It would not be perfect. It would not be complete if it were not against all sins and if there were some sins which were acceptable to Him. His wrath is perfect because it means His is angry against all sins. You may say that is not how I understand God to be. I understand God only as a forgiving God full of mercy and love. Then you need to read your bible. The greatest message of God’s grace is the message of the Old rugged Cross. But to encounter the message of the cross and recognize it ONLY as a message of God’s mercy and grace is to miss the point. The message of the bloody old cross is also a message about God’s wrath. If you can pass by the cross and with a sentimental curtsy acknowledge His expression of love alone, and miss the fact that this was a message declared in the blood of the only begotten son, the only pure man that ever lived, that God is just and He judges all sin then you have missed the point. The motivation for the Cross in the heart and mind of God was His perfect wrath and his hatred towards sin alongside His great love for you and me, measured by the fact that He substituted immediate and permanent judgment against us by placing that judgment square upon the shoulders of His Son who became our sin, so that the requirement of a just God may be satisfied. Principle #2. Not only does God in His perfect wrath deal with all sin, but he deals with all sinners. Ch 2 & ch 3. God is Holy, hates all sins, and He is also the judge of all sinners. Religious sinners with their marked bibles that sit in a church pew Sunday after Sunday. Pagan, rebellious, unbelieving sinners that would never darken the door of the church. All are the same in God’s eyes. If rich sinners were excluded. If smart sinners were excluded. If certain classes or colors would be exempt, his wrath would be imperfect and his justice unjust. So Paul says Jew and Gentile are all alike in God’s eyes. (Rom 3:9-18 NASB) What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;  as it is written, \”there is none righteous, not even one;  there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.\” \”their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving,\” \”the poison of asps is under their lips\”; \”whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness\”;  \”their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their paths,  and the path of peace have they not known.\” \”there is no fear of God before their eyes.\”  (Rom 3:9-18 NASB) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  (Rom 3:23 NASB) All sin, all sinners, and thirdly, Principle # 3 For all eternity. Luke 16:19 God’s wrath includes all eternity. Does not change his mind in the middle. There is no purgatory. (Rev 20:13-15 NASB)  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. {14} And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. {15} And if anyone\’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. If your name is not in the book you are lost for all eternity. No other options. God is perfect in his love, in his power, in his knowledge, but also in his wrath. All sinners. Religious sinners. Smart sinners, dumb ones, skinny ones and fat. All. That’s the bad news this morning. But thank God there is good news! The good news. God is not only perfect in his wrath, he is also perfect in His mercy. Perfect Wrath, but also Perfect Mercy: In the same way that his wrath and judgment would not be perfect if it did not cover all, sin, all sinners, for all eternity, it would not be perfect mercy if it did not cover it all. Not like a term life insurance that only runs till you’re 60. Presupposes that we are all guilty and ALL require mercy. Vs 6, Includes the helpless. (Acts 4:9 NASB)  if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, “sick” Same word as “helpless” Acts 3: “A certain man who had been lame” God’s mercy is not for the strong and the well. The strong never have a sense that they need God’s mercy. It includes all especially the helpless. Those

Knowing God Better: Ephesians 1:15-23 Somehow we have the idea that once we have received Christ into our lives, there is something more that we have to receive. That praying to receive Christ is just the beginning of some eternal quest, or the doorway to God\’s treasure hunt. Warren Wiersbe tells a story in his commentary on Ephesians about the late newspaper publisher, William Randolph Hearst. Hearst was known to have amassed a fortune in art which he kept in a large warehouse. One day he read about an incredibly valuable piece of art. Determined to own it, he sent his agent to look for it. Months went by before the agent reported that he had found it. When Hearst asked him where it was, he told him that he had found it in Hearst\’s own warehouse. He had purchased it years before. (Wiersbe – Ephesians) In Ephesians 1 Paul is trying to spare Christians the frantic search for something that we already possess. Ephesians 1:15-23 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, [16] I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. [17] I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. [18] I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, [19] and his incomparably great power for us who believe. In spite of the truths revealed to us here, there are millions of Christians today who would profess to know God, and yet are desperately looking for something else to satisfy their empty lives. In the meantime, we have all that we need. It was purchased for us on Calvary 2000 years ago, but we just don\’t realize it. 2 Peter 1:3 \”His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.\” The Biblical view of the doctrine of salvation is that believers are granted everything there is of Christ at their salvation. To believe anything different is to deny the claim of Christ on the cross when he cried tetelestai \”It is finished.\” Which is better translated, \”It is fulfilled\”, or \”It is completed.\” Paul knew the absolute truth of this. He addressed this same principal in the Colossian controversy when he reminded them of the sufficiency of Christ alone. Colossians 2:9-10 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, [10] and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. How can we be both full and empty at the same time? And then again in Colossians 1:13-19 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. [15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [16] by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, For visible invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; and all were created by him and for him. [17] He is before all things, things and all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, in him the he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so church; that in everything he might have the supremacy. [19] For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.\” Paul is saying that Christ is everything, and that is his message in Ephesians 1. So the question is, \”Do you know God in this way? Do you know Him in the fullness and all sufficiency of His Son who through salvation dwells within you in all His power? Or do you feel that there is something missing in your life? Perhaps we will talk today to three different groups. One group who may know Him in the Christian sense of the word, yet not fully understand the powerful implications of that. Another group who may know Him in the sense that Paul is speaking of here, and then a third group who may know of Him, believing that your knowledge of Him is sufficient, yet missing out on the sufficiency of Christ because He does not truly dwell in your heart. It is our desire just as it was Paul\’s that you know His power, His grace and His glory. To know Him better. You see, without a saving knowledge of God: 1. Hope has no substance. It is but a mist which evaporates into hopelessness. 2. Peace has no permanence. It is defined only by the absence of chaos having nothing to do with the state of the heart. 3. Joy is momentary. Being determined by people, places and things. In knowing God by the means of His Son, Jesus Christ, all that changes. And this is the thrust of Ephesians 1:17-23. Paul prays for spiritual insight and wisdom into the deeper things about knowing God because there are some incredible truths that are revealed to us that can only be fathomed with spiritual hearts and eyes. The first truth that is revealed when we know God better is: I. The Glorious Hope vs. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you Paul\’s prayer is that we would understand who we are, and what God has prepared for us. Notice that Paul speaks of this understanding as coming not only from the mind, but that the eyes of our heart may be opened to this

Knowing God Better: Ephesians 1:15-23 Somehow we have the idea that once we have received Christ into our lives, there is something more that we have to receive. That praying to receive Christ is just the beginning of some eternal quest, or the doorway to God\’s treasure hunt. Warren Wiersbe tells a story in his commentary on Ephesians about the late newspaper publisher, William Randolph Hearst. Hearst was known to have amassed a fortune in art which he kept in a large warehouse. One day he read about an incredibly valuable piece of art. Determined to own it, he sent his agent to look for it. Months went by before the agent reported that he had found it. When Hearst asked him where it was, he told him that he had found it in Hearst\’s own warehouse. He had purchased it years before. (Wiersbe – Ephesians) In Ephesians 1 Paul is trying to spare Christians the frantic search for something that we already possess. Ephesians 1:15-23 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, [16] I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. [17] I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. [18] I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, [19] and his incomparably great power for us who believe. In spite of the truths revealed to us here, there are millions of Christians today who would profess to know God, and yet are desperately looking for something else to satisfy their empty lives. In the meantime, we have all that we need. It was purchased for us on Calvary 2000 years ago, but we just don\’t realize it. 2 Peter 1:3 \”His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.\” The Biblical view of the doctrine of salvation is that believers are granted everything there is of Christ at their salvation. To believe anything different is to deny the claim of Christ on the cross when he cried tetelestai \”It is finished.\” Which is better translated, \”It is fulfilled\”, or \”It is completed.\” Paul knew the absolute truth of this. He addressed this same principal in the Colossian controversy when he reminded them of the sufficiency of Christ alone. Colossians 2:9-10 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, [10] and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. How can we be both full and empty at the same time? And then again in Colossians 1:13-19 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. [15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [16] by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, For visible invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; and all were created by him and for him. [17] He is before all things, things and all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, in him the he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so church; that in everything he might have the supremacy. [19] For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.\” Paul is saying that Christ is everything, and that is his message in Ephesians 1. So the question is, \”Do you know God in this way? Do you know Him in the fullness and all sufficiency of His Son who through salvation dwells within you in all His power? Or do you feel that there is something missing in your life? Perhaps we will talk today to three different groups. One group who may know Him in the Christian sense of the word, yet not fully understand the powerful implications of that. Another group who may know Him in the sense that Paul is speaking of here, and then a third group who may know of Him, believing that your knowledge of Him is sufficient, yet missing out on the sufficiency of Christ because He does not truly dwell in your heart. It is our desire just as it was Paul\’s that you know His power, His grace and His glory. To know Him better. You see, without a saving knowledge of God: 1. Hope has no substance. It is but a mist which evaporates into hopelessness. 2. Peace has no permanence. It is defined only by the absence of chaos having nothing to do with the state of the heart. 3. Joy is momentary. Being determined by people, places and things. In knowing God by the means of His Son, Jesus Christ, all that changes. And this is the thrust of Ephesians 1:17-23. Paul prays for spiritual insight and wisdom into the deeper things about knowing God because there are some incredible truths that are revealed to us that can only be fathomed with spiritual hearts and eyes. The first truth that is revealed when we know God better is: I. The Glorious Hope vs. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you Paul\’s prayer is that we would understand who we are, and what God has prepared for us. Notice that Paul speaks of this understanding as coming not only from the mind, but that the eyes of our heart may be opened to this

Becoming Cosmic Christians.  Acts 2. (GLG Addressing Transformation Prayer Gathering, South Africa 2001) This event was planned several weeks before the events of Sept 11 in NY and Washington. Yet in the light of those events we realize more than ever that there is an urgent need for the Church in South Africa and throughout the world to be drawn together in unity. How we long for God’s blessing upon our nation. Yet the scriptures tell us in Psalm 132 that there is one place where God is in a sense obligated to command His blessing and that is where the body of Christ is at a place of unity. As we have come together today in a unified declaration of confession, repentance and a commitment to work together for peace and justice it is important for us to realize the extent to which oneness is required for this to be accomplished. Jesus prayer. Father let them be one so that the world may see that we are one. I believe that unity in the body of Christ ought to be characterized by a cosmic spirituality. By that I man that the spirituality of Body of Christ united is a world-conscious, world impacting spirituality. After all, this was the gospel of Christ. He was concerned for the whole world, with all of it’s needs. Cor. 5:17-20 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men\’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  20We are therefore Christ\’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ\’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. Jesus in Luke 4:18-19 tells us that He has come because the Father has sent Him to preach good news…proclaim freedom…recover sight for the blind. release the oppressed and declare the day of the Lord’s favor. And then in John 20:21 He makes His mandate our mandate when He says, “as the Father has sent me, so send I you.” The first church members in Acts knew what this meant and they grasped the principal as some wonderful formulae for well being that they were compelled to give to a horribly sick society. We read the historical account of that early Jerusalem church and we are amazed at the awesome power which was ushered into their midst on the day of Pentecost. We marvel at the miracles, we wonder at the signs, we are struck by their compassion and generosity. Yet these are the signs that follow the united church of any generation. And for the church today to come back to that place of effectiveness in the communities there are 3 primary characteristics found in that historic event in the early church that must define our Christianity once again. Characteristics of a unified Bride of Christ. This is not a unified institution or organization. This is a unified bride. The first observation is that a unified, cosmic minded church is characterized by a: I. Contemplative Spirituality. Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles\’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. The word used here for “devoted” is the word “pros_ku_tereo” which means “to carry on in.” The Word that was passed on to them by the apostles governed their lives. They contemplated the deeper things of God. They devoted themselves to the Word. They desired the fellowship of other believers in reflection of the Lord’s suffering. They dedicated themselves to prayer. These activities relate to the disciplines of faith. The things of the heart. The things that matter to the Father. The things out of which transformation is born. They kept the main thing the main thing. For us to become world Christians, before any of the other characteristics of a world Christian can emerge, we must learn to be contemplative in our faith. This is something we have lost over the years in our tendency towards a herd mentality. We want to do things in a crowd. We want to do things in great numbers. Church, the place where it matters most is in the closet. When no one is around to hear our eloquent prayers or our distinguished vocabulary. When we don’t have a public platform to receive recognition. When it is Just Jesus and me. That is where God really does His work in our hearts. Contemplation is more related to listening to God than it is to praying to Him. Some one else said that becoming world Christians will require a seeing that goes beyond looking, a listening that goes beyond hearing, and a perceiving that goes beyond thinking. It will require pushing open the doors and flinging back the shutters of hearts and minds to let God’s love flood our inner chambers, drive out our fears, and quicken our understanding”[1] It will require people becoming so transformed to His likeness that we would cry out against a society afflicted with racism, violence, poverty, and all sorts of injustices. When we devote ourselves to Him in this way. When every part of our being desires to be in His presence, practicing it daily, His heart will become our heart and then we will truly know His love and the world will know that we are one. And this is what will drive us to the second characteristic of a World Christian. The characteristic of: II. A Compassionate Spirituality. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. In order to become world Christians, our compassion will have to go way beyond the idea of feeling. It is easy to gather in a meeting such as this and become impassioned

There is a song that we used to sing that says it only takes a spark to get a fire burning. There is a tremendous need for a fire to burn in these days. When we think of the word fire in the spiritual sense, there are several images that may come to mind. We may think of the fire of God\’s judgement, or the fire of God\’s wrath. We may think of God\’s refining fire, that is able to purify our hearts. We may think of the fire of the Holy Spirit, described in the book of Acts as tongues of fire. Today I want to speak to us about a fire which is unlike these immages. It is the fire of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which ought to continuously burn within the heart of every believer. This is a fire that cannot be contained. In the Old Testament when Jeremiah attempted to quit the ministry he said, Jeremiah 20:9 But if I say, \”I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,\” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. When the French philosopher, Blaise Pascal was converted, he described his conversion experience as one word, \”Fire\” James Stewart, one of the greatest Scottish preachers in this century once said, \”When all is said and done, the supreme need of the church is the same in the 20th Century as it was in the first: that men be on fire for Christ. I think he might have been thinking about the apostle Paul, because he was a man like that. In Romans 1:14-16 he describes this fire that was in him and gives a model of what every Christian’s experience should be. Romans 1:14-16 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.  15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. 16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. What Paul is speaking about here is a fire that is burning within his heart. This may not be immediately apparent from this passage, but if you study the content a little more closely, you will discover that Paul is a man with a Holy heartburn. In vs. 15. \”I am eager to preach the gospel.\” This phrase is really two words in the original Greek text. prothumon euangelitzesthai. The first of these words is a very active word, and it comes from the same stem as a Greek word for \”fire\” or \”burning\” The second word means to share the gospel. It is the word from which we get our word, \”evangelist\”. In other words, Paul is saying, \”I have a burning within my heart to tell the good news. There is a fire that ablaze within my being that compels me to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.\” Family, everyone of us has had that spark applied to our hearts when we were filled with the Holy Spirit and I pray that today we would not suppress that spark, but that we would allow the Holy Spirit to fan it into flame until it becomes a roaring fire of passion for a lost and dying world. Paul had a good reason for feeling the way that he did, and each of us who are Christians have the same reason. The first reason we are compelled to share the gospel is because of: I. The Call from Above. Paul says that the reason he must go and tell others about Christ is because of the call of God on his life. Paul starts out that chapter in Romans by saying, \”Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.\” In Acts 26:16 he describes this call. He speaks about his conversion experience on the road to Damascus. The Lord Jesus on that day said to Paul. \”I have appeared to you …\” read vs. 16-19 Paul speaks of a commissioning. He speaks of orders from the commander in chief. Look again at 2 Cor. 5:17. Our lord\’s orders are very clear. When we come into that life changing experience with Jesus Christ, He immediately appoints us His ambassadors, to speak out His message of reconciliation. He does not give us the option of waiting until someday when we might have more time, or when the circumstances are more fitting, or when we are in the right neighborhood, or when our health improves, or when our kids have graduated and moved out, or when we are more mature spiritually. He does not give us that option. He requires of us immediately to be obedient to Him. The woman at Samaria was a spiritual baby, yet she ran and told the whole village about this one who had given her living water and changed her life. And when it comes to not having the time, look at Jesus own example. He was never too busy. He always had time to invite the little children to sit on His knee. In the middle of a busy itenery, the disciples tried to shoo them away, but Jesus found the time. He had time to heal a woman who touched the hem of His garment when thousands thronged about Him. She saw how busy He was, and thought, \”He will never have time for me, but if I could just touch His clothes\” and what did Jesus do? He stopped the procession. He canceled the parade so that He could minister to that one shy little lady in her personal moment of need.  Jesus always had time for those who needed Him, and in John 20:21 His words echo throughout the

There is a song that we used to sing that says it only takes a spark to get a fire burning. There is a tremendous need for a fire to burn in these days. When we think of the word fire in the spiritual sense, there are several images that may come to mind. We may think of the fire of God\’s judgement, or the fire of God\’s wrath. We may think of God\’s refining fire, that is able to purify our hearts. We may think of the fire of the Holy Spirit, described in the book of Acts as tongues of fire. Today I want to speak to us about a fire which is unlike these immages. It is the fire of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which ought to continuously burn within the heart of every believer. This is a fire that cannot be contained. In the Old Testament when Jeremiah attempted to quit the ministry he said, Jeremiah 20:9 But if I say, \”I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,\” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. When the French philosopher, Blaise Pascal was converted, he described his conversion experience as one word, \”Fire\” James Stewart, one of the greatest Scottish preachers in this century once said, \”When all is said and done, the supreme need of the church is the same in the 20th Century as it was in the first: that men be on fire for Christ. I think he might have been thinking about the apostle Paul, because he was a man like that. In Romans 1:14-16 he describes this fire that was in him and gives a model of what every Christian’s experience should be. Romans 1:14-16 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.  15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. 16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. What Paul is speaking about here is a fire that is burning within his heart. This may not be immediately apparent from this passage, but if you study the content a little more closely, you will discover that Paul is a man with a Holy heartburn. In vs. 15. \”I am eager to preach the gospel.\” This phrase is really two words in the original Greek text. prothumon euangelitzesthai. The first of these words is a very active word, and it comes from the same stem as a Greek word for \”fire\” or \”burning\” The second word means to share the gospel. It is the word from which we get our word, \”evangelist\”. In other words, Paul is saying, \”I have a burning within my heart to tell the good news. There is a fire that ablaze within my being that compels me to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.\” Family, everyone of us has had that spark applied to our hearts when we were filled with the Holy Spirit and I pray that today we would not suppress that spark, but that we would allow the Holy Spirit to fan it into flame until it becomes a roaring fire of passion for a lost and dying world. Paul had a good reason for feeling the way that he did, and each of us who are Christians have the same reason. The first reason we are compelled to share the gospel is because of: I. The Call from Above. Paul says that the reason he must go and tell others about Christ is because of the call of God on his life. Paul starts out that chapter in Romans by saying, \”Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.\” In Acts 26:16 he describes this call. He speaks about his conversion experience on the road to Damascus. The Lord Jesus on that day said to Paul. \”I have appeared to you …\” read vs. 16-19 Paul speaks of a commissioning. He speaks of orders from the commander in chief. Look again at 2 Cor. 5:17. Our lord\’s orders are very clear. When we come into that life changing experience with Jesus Christ, He immediately appoints us His ambassadors, to speak out His message of reconciliation. He does not give us the option of waiting until someday when we might have more time, or when the circumstances are more fitting, or when we are in the right neighborhood, or when our health improves, or when our kids have graduated and moved out, or when we are more mature spiritually. He does not give us that option. He requires of us immediately to be obedient to Him. The woman at Samaria was a spiritual baby, yet she ran and told the whole village about this one who had given her living water and changed her life. And when it comes to not having the time, look at Jesus own example. He was never too busy. He always had time to invite the little children to sit on His knee. In the middle of a busy itenery, the disciples tried to shoo them away, but Jesus found the time. He had time to heal a woman who touched the hem of His garment when thousands thronged about Him. She saw how busy He was, and thought, \”He will never have time for me, but if I could just touch His clothes\” and what did Jesus do? He stopped the procession. He canceled the parade so that He could minister to that one shy little lady in her personal moment of need.  Jesus always had time for those who needed Him, and in John 20:21 His words echo throughout the

Isaiah 43:18-21 Most of us got something new for Christmas. Don’t you love getting new things? They always smell so good. I love new things. New clothes. New car. They always smell so good. They bring excitement – enthusiasm. The New Year ought to do the same. – a chance to begin again – a new page in the book of history -what will we do with it? What is The Goal of our Christianity? Is it to be missionaries? Evangelists? Preachers? Church Planters? Most Christians know that they are saved from something. Few understand the equally important fact that we are saved FOR something. We are saved for heaven and our focus from the moment we become Christians ought to turn away from what we have escaped from, to what we are moving towards. Jesus came, not to establish an organization on earth. He came to purchase and prepare for himself a bride. This preparation involves a constant quest to be more like Him. More like Jesus would I be, Let my Savior dwell in me; Fill my soul with peace and love, Make me gentle as a dove. More like Jesus while I go, Pilgrim in this world below; Poor in spirit would I be; Let my Savior dwell in me. Fanny Crosby 2 Corinthians 5:9 We make it our aim…to be well pleasing to Him. Before, in our previous state of being we could not do that even if we tried. Our nature was against us. “We make it our aim” implies that it is a conscious decision. Day in day out, year in year out. We do not take time off from this quest of being “well pleasing” to Him. This business of “backsliding” ought to be foreign to the Christian life. The Scriptures identify backsliding with “a dog going back to it’s own vomit” When God gets your heart, that ought not happen. This is the highest priority.. to know Him in such a profound intimate way that nothing else will cloud our vision of who He is. The priority is not revival. The priority is not missions, The priority is not establishing churches and winning souls. The priority is being well pleasing to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. A Whole Hearted New Years Resolve Jesus had something to say about spiritual newness. Luke 5:37 (New King James Version) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined This is a warning that we cannot participate in the new things of the spirit without a fundamental change of our being taking place. If we do, our experiences, no matter how powerful or even life changing they may be will be short lived, resulting in spiritual tension and crisis. The problem we have is the old wine skins. The old forms and structures will never contain the new things that God is longing to do in each of our lives. Paul reminds us of a vital principal of the new life in Christ: 2 Corinthians 5:17 (New King James Version) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (are becoming new) This quest for the new life in Christ must never stop. It can never stop. The rose that stops growing while in bud will die. I am going to invite you to do something courageous and even outrageous at the eve  of this New Year. I am going to ask you to invite Father to produce a New Work in your Hearts. A New Work in your Church. A New Work in your community. In your City. And I am going to invite you to accommodate that New Work by giving up the Old Wine Skins and asking Father first to create in you a new heart. To put to death anything that is too stagnant and too perished and insufficient to hold what He is pouring out. Isaiah 43:18-21 \”Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  [19] See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.  [20] The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,  [21] the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise. Some “Wine Skin” renewal principles out of Isaiah I.Forget the Former. 21 \”Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. There are several aspects involved here. 1. Forget the Former Glory. The Israelites were presuming upon God because of His previous faithfulness to them. They had become apathetic as they dwelt upon the past events. So He speaks to them.  Vs. 16. \”Forget the former things.\” Some this next year will seek to glory in yesteryear’s accomplishments. Each new day should bring a new experience with the Father – A new revelation of His glory and His power in our lives. If you have not got something to thank Him for that is fresh and special in your life, perhaps it is because you have been satisfied to live with yesterday’s glory. God says, \”Behold, I am doing a new thing.\” \”Do you not see it?, Do you not want it? There is something greater that He has in store for you. Next He says that in order for us to Him in a new way, we must: 2. Forget the former system. Those that were trying to maintain a daily relationship

Orphans at the Gate I read this story this week about a honeymoon disaster. A young couple arrived at the hotel to begin their honeymoon. They were given the keys and escorted up to their room. When they entered, they were quite surprised. Instead of what they expected, they found a rather small room with very little furnishing. No flowers, No windows. A tiny little bathroom, not even big enough to swing a cat. Instead of the King-size double bed, there was a sleeper couch with a very uncomfortable mattress. What a disappointment it was. Well. the next morning the sore-necked groom stormed down to the reception desk to ventilate his anger. After listening patiently for a few minutes, the clerk interrupted him and asked, \”Did you open the door? What door?  The door in your room? Admitting he hadn\’t, the groom returned and opened the door that he had mistaken as a closet, and there before his eyes was the most magnificent room he had ever seen. Fruit baskets, chocolates, flowers, you name it. Can you imagine them standing in the doorway of the room they had overlooked? How nice it would have been. A comfortable bed instead of a sofa. A curtain framed window rather than a blank wall. A fresh breeze in place of stuffy air. An elaborate rest room instead of a tight toilet. But they missed it. Why didn\’t you try? we may ask. And that would be a good question. not just for the couple but for everyone that stands before a door of opportunity but misses the blessing of what is behind. ISAIAH6.DOC  7/12/95 Have you ever had the experience where you have missed a great opportunity and regreted it? There is much talk of revival. But no matter how much we talk about it and dream about it, revival will not come to America apart from God’s people crossing the threshold of mediocre Christianity and entering into the throneroom of God our Father who has invited us to be there with Him as his adopted heirs. Richard Owen Roberts on Revival suggest there are several congregational obstacles to revival. Read pp. 137-143 I believe for the church in America to become the powerforce that it needs to be we will have to be done with our own agenda and get in touch with the power and the purpose of God. God has a very specific purpose for His church, and if I was to ask the question, most would respond that the purpose for which we have been saved is to serve God. To reach the lost. And that would be a noble purpose, but my brothers and sisters, this is not the primary purpose for which we have been saved, and it is because of this fundamental error that I believe we have become anemic as an army of God in these days. When Jesus was asked in Matthew 22:36-38 \”Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?\” 37Jesus replied: \” \’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.\’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. He had a reason for saying so. It was the first purpose of God for His church throughout the ages. It is out of obedience to this commandment that all other concerns would follow. Once again we look to one of the most striking examples of this principle found in the OT in Isaiah 6. The reference speaks specifically in it\’s context of the making of a true prophet.  However, the principle is the same. Isaiah 6:1-9 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.  2Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.  3And they were calling to one another: \”Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.\” 4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.  5\”Woe to me!\” I cried. \”I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.\” 6Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7With it he touched my mouth and said, \”See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.\”  8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, \”Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?\”And I said, \”Here am I. Send me!\”  9He said, \”Go and tell this people: Isaiah was not commissioned to preach until he had had a dynamic worship encounter with the living God. The church in America today will not receive an annointing from God for evangelism or a Holy Ghost revival until we have had a fresh encounter with the living God. There are four principles that Isaiah shows us about having a fresh encounter with God. I We see God Powerfull. We see ourselves Pitifull, We see our sins Pardoned, and we see our world Passionately. Firstly, I. We See God Powerful – when We Move Beyond the Symbolism of Worship into His Presence. vs. 1-4 An encounter with the living God is more than entering into the sanctuary. It is more than arriving Sunday after Sunday in order to practice the traditions of our faith. It is something which has the potential to be alive and vital, provided we are prepared to stretch beyond the mundane. There were many present in that sanctuary with Isaiah, who were there for the sake of the tradition. Expl. This was a familiar celebration. Dr. G.D. Kilpatrick writes in his commentary on Isaiah, \”The

Orphans at the Gate I read this story this week about a honeymoon disaster. A young couple arrived at the hotel to begin their honeymoon. They were given the keys and escorted up to their room. When they entered, they were quite surprised. Instead of what they expected, they found a rather small room with very little furnishing. No flowers, No windows. A tiny little bathroom, not even big enough to swing a cat. Instead of the King-size double bed, there was a sleeper couch with a very uncomfortable mattress. What a disappointment it was. Well. the next morning the sore-necked groom stormed down to the reception desk to ventilate his anger. After listening patiently for a few minutes, the clerk interrupted him and asked, \”Did you open the door? What door?  The door in your room? Admitting he hadn\’t, the groom returned and opened the door that he had mistaken as a closet, and there before his eyes was the most magnificent room he had ever seen. Fruit baskets, chocolates, flowers, you name it. Can you imagine them standing in the doorway of the room they had overlooked? How nice it would have been. A comfortable bed instead of a sofa. A curtain framed window rather than a blank wall. A fresh breeze in place of stuffy air. An elaborate rest room instead of a tight toilet. But they missed it. Why didn\’t you try? we may ask. And that would be a good question. not just for the couple but for everyone that stands before a door of opportunity but misses the blessing of what is behind. ISAIAH6.DOC  7/12/95 Have you ever had the experience where you have missed a great opportunity and regreted it? There is much talk of revival. But no matter how much we talk about it and dream about it, revival will not come to America apart from God’s people crossing the threshold of mediocre Christianity and entering into the throneroom of God our Father who has invited us to be there with Him as his adopted heirs. Richard Owen Roberts on Revival suggest there are several congregational obstacles to revival. Read pp. 137-143 I believe for the church in America to become the powerforce that it needs to be we will have to be done with our own agenda and get in touch with the power and the purpose of God. God has a very specific purpose for His church, and if I was to ask the question, most would respond that the purpose for which we have been saved is to serve God. To reach the lost. And that would be a noble purpose, but my brothers and sisters, this is not the primary purpose for which we have been saved, and it is because of this fundamental error that I believe we have become anemic as an army of God in these days. When Jesus was asked in Matthew 22:36-38 \”Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?\” 37Jesus replied: \” \’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.\’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. He had a reason for saying so. It was the first purpose of God for His church throughout the ages. It is out of obedience to this commandment that all other concerns would follow. Once again we look to one of the most striking examples of this principle found in the OT in Isaiah 6. The reference speaks specifically in it\’s context of the making of a true prophet.  However, the principle is the same. Isaiah 6:1-9 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.  2Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.  3And they were calling to one another: \”Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.\” 4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.  5\”Woe to me!\” I cried. \”I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.\” 6Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7With it he touched my mouth and said, \”See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.\”  8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, \”Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?\”And I said, \”Here am I. Send me!\”  9He said, \”Go and tell this people: Isaiah was not commissioned to preach until he had had a dynamic worship encounter with the living God. The church in America today will not receive an annointing from God for evangelism or a Holy Ghost revival until we have had a fresh encounter with the living God. There are four principles that Isaiah shows us about having a fresh encounter with God. I We see God Powerfull. We see ourselves Pitifull, We see our sins Pardoned, and we see our world Passionately. Firstly, I. We See God Powerful – when We Move Beyond the Symbolism of Worship into His Presence. vs. 1-4 An encounter with the living God is more than entering into the sanctuary. It is more than arriving Sunday after Sunday in order to practice the traditions of our faith. It is something which has the potential to be alive and vital, provided we are prepared to stretch beyond the mundane. There were many present in that sanctuary with Isaiah, who were there for the sake of the tradition. Expl. This was a familiar celebration. Dr. G.D. Kilpatrick writes in his commentary on Isaiah, \”The