On The Brink: A Favorable Position

On The Brink: A Favorable Position

Favorable Position= Mindset that acknowledges the presence of God’s plan @ all times.

This is the story of a CONQUEST (territorial, geographical, mental, spiritual, theological and personal).

I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Josh 1:3

You set your foot i.e.

• Tuition reimbursement (you get a B ave & you’ll be reimbursed)
• Jump and I catch you.
• God “I promise & I fulfill...you must walk it out!”

God basically tells Joshua... “just go...I’m with you!!”

☀Favor is a serious thing with God because it is NEVER personal...only!!!

• God is very concerned about the development of the individual being used
• God doesn’t pick favorites arbitrarily

☀A person who desires to walk in favor needs to discern the times (seasons, needs, harsh realities, impending dangers, etc.

☀When God’s call comes...things are already in motion. Time is of the essence.

• The Favorable Position is the last big step into our promised land/destiny

• This will either be internal or how you internally process the external. This MAJOR step of victory is totally up to you!!!

• In Joshua..those who hid idols refused to receive the true blessing of the promised land...which was to be freed of idolatry and worship God

• They went as far as they could...then God showed up! Favor=the last step of the physical crossing.

Favor=God’s provision for God’s task. Otherwise, God is reduced to a fickle parent and a God of favoritism. This leads to discord and rivalry. True favor is designed for Godly gain, not human devices. (Segue into Joseph’s Story)

People confuse being the favorite and being favored!

Story of Joseph The Dreamer: Blessing or Curse?

• Favored by his father (Colorful coat)
• Bratty towards his brothers
• Ambushed and thrown in a hole
• Sold into slavery (Midianites)
• Sold to Ishmeelites
• Sold to Potiphar, Captain of Egyptian Army
• Framed by Potiphar’s wife
• (Test of Character...favor vs. favorite...entitlement vs. discipline and respect for God and man)

• ☛Because favor is at God’s discretion, it is given on the basis of their usefulness to God...not their maturity, ability or talent.

• ☛In the case of Joseph, he demonstrated immaturity and brattiness and as a result he suffered things that allowed his character to catch up with his favor!

• ☛It was several years before he was ready to experience the full power of God and to fulfill the purpose for which he was created, chosen and favored.
• ☞Human nature is blame God for the delay...= we still lack maturity!

• ™What impedes your brinking is your refusal of the breaking from the things on which you're banking that aren’t God-centered...hence toxic to your purpose!

™True FAVOR emerges when individuals grasp that theirs and God’s destinies intertwine into what is called PURPOSE.

Challenge for this week: 1. Read about Esther, David, Rahab positioned themselves to be blessed by God. 2. Where are you NOT setting your foot and how is that limiting God? 3. What Character issues is God currently addressing in your life (fear, honesty, integrity, anger, discipline)? 4. Study: Romans 12:2 Don’t be conformed...be transformed by the renew of your mind; 2 Cor 10.5 Cast down imaginations and reasonings that compete against truth;

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Gen 50.20

Get To Stepping'

On The Brink Series

Sermon Title: Get To Steppin’ (Extending Your Territory)

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Background Points:

Joshua took steps towards favor...he wasn’t merely lucky (The Cost Ex 17, Num 14)

He believed; He aligned himself with God’s leader;

God Almighty:

Moses is dead! “I am not!” (Consider...really consider your Source!)

I am about to give you the Land

I am keeping my promise to Moses (Abraham and Isaac)

No one will be able to stand against you.

I will continue the covenant with you

I will never leave you

Be courageous

Be ☛Strong (Legs...in face of opposition) and ☛Courageous (Grip: God’s values, plans, purposes. Phil 3.12)

Other people’s blessings rested on Joshua’s obedience.

Obey the laws of Moses so that success will surely happen.

Meditate on the word so that you’re careful to walk in it

Again, be strong and courageous

Don't be afraid or discouraged

I will be with you wherever you go. (This is a promise that can’t be broken!)

Joshua:

Get you provisions ready! We’re about to cross!

Favor is not for your purpose. It is for God’s Purpose:

A person of purpose must understand this

“I will give you the places where you step” (He’s gone ahead of you)

No one will be able to stand before you (God enemies are yours and your enemies are God’s)

Favor requires more obedience; not less

The people agreed to obey

Joshua sent 2 spies out to Rahab

God will give you unlikely allies when you walk in purpose

The king of Jericho and others heard about the victory of Israel and how God had fought for them.

Chapter 3 Crossing

Follow the Ark (Evidence of God existence and God’s co-existence with Israel).

Understand why God gives miracles. (Make them last!)

Demonstrates His ability, might and concern.

Memorialize Acts of Favor☑

They took 12 stones from the Joran and carried them over to the camp & set them up as a memorial.

Why the Memorial? (Deut 6)

Humans are fickle and forgetful

God made it His duty to:

Give promises

Remember His promises

Deliver His people

Give his people a miracle

Help His people to memorialize His miracle so that it lasts. (Doggy bag!)

What do these stones mean?

Tell them about the dry ground

He treated the Jordan like the Red Sea

He did this it to show his might

He wanted people to always remember Him.

The enemies were frightened

Circumcision was reinstated

If you want the blessings of old promises, you must realign yourself with God.

Fear, pride, disobedience

Challenge: 1. Which of the spiritual disciplines have you left? 2. What steps will you take right now to realign with the Covenant? 3. Are you surrounding yourself with others who understand the urgency of this season?

Familiarity Breeds Complacency: What You Know Can Destroy You!

I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Joshua 1:3

On The Brink Series

Sermon Title: Familiarity Breeds Complacency: What You Know Can Destroy You!

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Theme: Breaking Old Ties, Remembering Covenants & Building New Strategic Alliances for the Future!

The Fall of Jericho: ¹³ Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”¹⁴ “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”¹⁵ The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Book of Joshua is about Conquest.

• Land of Promise (Abraham, Moses, Caleb)
• However, its capture involves retention, distribution & disposing of the wicked (w/i & w/o)

• The people needed to have their trust put in God (Hear O Israel...Dt 6/Mark 12*)

➢Breaking Old Ties: (...But we’ve always done it that way!)

Human beings are creatures of habit

• We want what’s familiar because it resonates with our senses
• Our senses were not given to us from God to replace God...but rather to grasp the beauty of God’s handiwork around us.
• When we use our sense to predict our future outcomes, we become our own god

Example #1 Children of Israel during the exodus

• Looked back to Egypt longingly and wished for its resources & security*
• Preferred a decent burial in bondage than a good living with God in the wilderness
• God granted their preference and all men military age & older died in the wilderness

Example #2 Descendants of the Children of Israel during the Jordan Crossing

• “Moses is Dead*!”...The Lord was trying to get His people to recognize the leadership shift; the positional shift; the resource shift; location shift.

• The people needed to have their trust put in God (Hear O Israel...Dt 6/Mark 12*)

✩MOSES IS DEAD!!! (2 MSGS: 1. I’M GOD, 2. TREAD LIGHTLY...MOSES SLIPPED!)

✩I’m with you as I was with Moses

✩Joshua lost it in Chapt 7 (God helped him by telling him to consecrate)

➢Remembering Covenants: (Back to the basics...Chapt 5)

• They crossed in the Canaan
• Take off your shoes
• Then they re-instituted a few things: Circumcision (Gilgal= rolling); Passover
• Manna Ceased

➢Building New Strategic Alliances for the Future!:

• When the Covenant was observed, God sent Heaven Military Might
• *Rahab was also a new ally was introduced in Chapt 2

Challenges:

• Define your default (familiar) weakness when you’re frightened by success?
• Define your default (familiar) strength when you’re threatened with failure?
• Are you familiar with God’s Covenant with us? Familiarize yourself with every detail.
• Is God for you or against you today??

Sermon Title: An Inopportune season; An Opportune Moment: Preparing for God’s Next Suddenly

Deuteronomy 32:36 (NIV)

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Title: An Inopportune season; An Opportune Moment: Preparing for God’s Next Suddenly

36 The LORD will vindicate his people and relent concerning his servants when he sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free.

Overview of 2 Kings (Divided Kingdoms)

The second series of stories, once again, consists of those in which Elisha acts in international affairs (Healing Naaman). In each, the northern kingdom is under Syrian (or Aramean) attack. 2Ki 6:8-23, to begin with:

• Prophet amusingly revealing Syrian war strategies to the Israelite king.
• Out of frustration, the Syrians attack anyway, but they are miraculously blinded and captured.
• 2Ki 6:24-7:20:
• records yet another struggle with the Syrians. Encircled by enemy soldiers,
• Samaria is plagued by an ever-worsening famine.
• As a result, the famine passes, the prophetic word is substantiated, and the example of the lepers is preserved.

Note, Unbelief is a sin by which men greatly dishonour and displease God, and deprive themselves of the favours he designed for them. The murmuring Israelites saw Canaan, but could not enter in because of unbelief.

The Attack: Whether the noise was really made in the air by the ministry of angels, or whether it was only a sound in their ears, is not certain; which soever it was, it was from God, who both brings the wind out of his treasures, and forms the spirit of man within him. The sight of horses and chariots had encouraged the prophet’s servant, 2 Kgs. 6:17.

The noise of horses and chariots terrified the hosts of Syria. For notices from the invisible world are either very comfortable or very dreadful, according as men are at peace with God or at war with him. 2 Kgs 6.17

1. Hearing this noise, they concluded the king of Israel had certainly procured assistance from some foreign power: He has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians.

• So they imposed upon themselves by the interpretation they made of it.
• How could the king of Israel, who was closely besieged, hold intelligence with those distant princes? What had he to hire them with? It was impossible but some notice would come, before, of the motions of so great a host; but there were they in great fear where no fear was.

None of them had so much sense as to send out scouts ... The wicked flee when none pursues.

• The watchmen on the walls were not aware of the retreat of the enemy, so silently did they steal away.
• But Providence employed four lepers to be the intelligencers, who had their lodging without the gate, being excluded from the city, as ceremonially unclean...
• They therefore determine to go over to the enemy, and throw themselves upon their mercy:
• They feasted in the first tent they came to (2 Kgs. 7:8) and then began to think of enriching themselves with the plunder;
• But they corrected themselves (2 Kgs. 7:9): “We do not well to conceal these good tidings from the community we are members of, under colour of being avenged upon them for excluding us from their society; it was the law that did it, not they, and therefore let us bring them the news. Though it awake them from sleep, it will be life from the dead to them.” Their own consciences told them that some mischief would befall them if they acted separately, and sought themselves only.
• Selfish narrow-spirited people cannot expect to prosper;
• Let not those who, like him, are unstable in all their ways, think to receive any thing from God; nay, a guilty conscience fears the worst and makes men suspicious.

1. The wealth of the sinner laid up for the just (Job 27:16, 17)

2. The wants of Israel supplied in a way that they little thought of, which should encourage us to depend upon the power and goodness of God in our greatest straits.

➢A measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel; those that spoiled the camp had not only enough to supply themselves with, but an overplus to sell at an easy rate for the benefit of others, and so even those that tarried at home did divide the spoil,

➢God’s promise may be safely relied on, for no word of his shall fall to the ground.

Isaiah 33:23 ²³ Your rigging hangs loose: The mast is not held secure, the sail is not spread. Then an abundance of spoils will be divided and even the lame will carry off plunder.

The Lord/Advisor?

He saw the plenty, for the silencing and shaming of his unbelief, corn cheap without opening windows in heaven, and therein saw his own folly in prescribing to God; but he did not eat of the plenty he saw.

1.) How deeply God resents out distrust of him, of his power, providence, and promise. When Israel said, Can God furnish a table? the Lord heard it and was wroth.

God never promises the end without knowing where to provide the means.

He whom the king leaned upon the people trod upon; he who fancied himself the stay and support of the government was trampled under foot as the mire in the streets. Thus hath the pride of men’s glory been often stained.

Let all men fear before the great God

Question/Challenge: How are you preparing for the next suddenly? Are you aware of the nature of God? Do you know his promises? Do your children? Is your expectancy dependent upon your strength? Is your faith limited by your failure? Is God really God to you? Can you stand to be blessed? God is UP to something really big this season! Will you be like the lepers in 2 Kings 2 or the trusted & wise royal advisor. Will you taste victory in this season?

The Theatre of the Cross

Resurrection Sunday 2011

Title: The Theater of the Cross (phrase coined by the theologian, Calvin)

18 I pray 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 his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, (Ephesian 1.18-20 NIV)

The tomb is empty...Christ is risen!!

How did we get here?

☛Garden/Fall/Flood/Tower/New Family/Covenant/Bondage & Exodus/The Law & Moses/New Nation/Judges/Prophets/Monarch/New Kingdom/New Tribe/Corporate Neglect/Destruction/Reformation/Promise of God’s visit...

☛Christ’s birth...Christ’s ministry...Christ’s claims & deeds...Christ’s Cross.

Cross: Displayed the Self-Humiliation of God (began with incarnation & ended with crucifixion)

• In my humble opinion, the self-humiliation continues as God lives in me!!

Cross has 4 major benefits by demonstrating 4 facets of God’s Divine Plan & Nature:

1. The JUSTICE of God
1. Execute justice against wrongdoers needed to happen
2. Cross=place of great shame & is a deterrent to others

1. The LOVE of God
1. 1 John 4.10 (He would send Jesus to die in our place...bearing our punishment)
2. God wanted to die for us rather than live without us!!
3. Gladys: “I’d rather live in his world than to live without him in mine”

1. The WISDOM of God
1. The ability of God to expertly carry out justice against our sin and love for our souls.
2. God’s needs for justice were met
3. Our spiritual needs were met

1. The POWER of God
1. Saved those who believed by restoring our fellowship & increasing our position!

Why? God’s plan was ALWAYS imputation vs. amputation.

• According to Gal 2:13-15 (Titulus): free us from bankruptcy by paying out dept and destroying incriminating documents
• Cancelled our debt or bond
• Wiped the slate clean...
• By nailing to Christ’s cross (Raynor story: made me take my finances more seriously)

☛Resurrection:

• Empty tomb symbolizes: Just as Christ’s crucifixion was ours too; so was his resurrection.

• Christ’s bodily resurrection/Our Spiritual Resurrection/Ultimate Raising of the Dead in Christ

There were many resurrections: Shunamites’s son, Jairsu’s daugher, Widow of Nain’s son, Lazurus, Eutychus by Paul, etc.

• They all have graves!!!
• They were brought to life; not raised to POWER!

☛Jesus’ resurrection:

• God’s Approval (Check out lanes)
• When I grow up..... In my next life...
• Who are you in light of Resurrection?
• Accepted by God
• Resourced with Christ
• Undefeatable by the devil

God IS glorified in:

• Christ’s cross
• Christ’s resurrection
• Our Christ-centered lives
• We have now become a part of the sphere where God rules.

Challenge:

#1 You’ve been raised from the dead...what graves clothes are you still wearing?

#2 God continues to be glorified as we lay down our lives to His purposes.

#3 Live Christ-centered, Heaven-resourced, Love-fueled lives!!

#4 Allow your life to reflect a Christ who experienced hell, escaped the tomb, is seated in heaven next to the Father & who lives to make intercession for us.

Know Your Place

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Know Your Place!: A Message to Misfits

Recap: Paul describes God’s gift of grace, then prayed for the ability to grasp and apply it.

Chapter 1: God’s plan concerning us

Chapter 2: God’s strategy to rescue us by and for lavishly loving on us

Knowledge= information

Wisdom= Power. Why? Wisdom= the application of knowledge. Putting it to practice.

(*Paul prays for wisdom so that the mind of God (knowledge) is put on display)

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions (offsides) and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air (influence of dark powers of this world), the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh (our un-renewed mind) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Ephes 2:1-3)

*Triple Threat (past sins, our sins, our own self-centered mindset) God freed us from all 3!! (This is one of scripture’s clearest definitions of salvation)

Remedy

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show (display upon us) the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork (poem...masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Eph 2.12-13 NIV) *Christ gave us the benefit of his righteousness just as were give the penalty of Adams violations. Therefore, Christians mustn’t apologize for the Centrality of Christ.

Ahas in Chapter 2

• Risen Christ in Heaven isn’t prone to forget us, our plight or our assignment
• Since we are in Him...let’s act like Him
• Horizontal reconciliation & vertical reconciliation
• God is Rich in mercy!------> Made Us Alive in Christ

Theological Insights

• Christ is central to salvation (why...not to compete...he claims divine origins therefore could deliver)

• When Christ was raised, it changed the status of every person who’d choose to identify with Him.
• God’s plan was to invite us into a salvation which was inaugurated without our help!!

• God’s workmanship: Product of God’s labor... we are not a perversion of good...we are the example of it. We are something that God takes pride in. We are not a mistake or an afterthought.

• Reconciliation is a cosmic reality: Earthly (with each other) & Heavenly (with Christ)

• Christ destroyed the dividing wall (elements of the law that separated Jewish community from the Gentile (non-Jewish) community.

• We are members of God’s Household
• We are not house-guests!
• When we work, it isn’t service, it’s chores!

Applications

• Pray that Paul’s prayer would come true in your life
• Seek out the reality of God’s presence in your life by seeking out reconciliation
• “If you don’t know how to act at home...you won’t know how to act out in public”
• Acts 19: Seven Sons of Sceva faked their position and withstand the evil forces of society. You cannot influence others POSITIVELY until you know who you REALLY are in Christ.

Assignments for the next 2 weeks:

• Read Acts 19 to look at examples of unity and spiritual authority, then read Ephesians 3-6
• Pray for your mind & and the minds of seekers to opened to the truth of God’s love & provision for them.

Purge

(Poem that accomponies my sermon Gideon's Purge from Judges 6-7)

I think I heard the Lord say “purge”

To cleanse, remove, deny the urge...

To allow my light & this world's sin to merge

Sin says "you’ve been good & deserve to splurge"

Sin goes on to say "God’s too good to scourge"

"Shoot if you fall, you’ll emerge..."

"This is America, respect the urge."

I think I heard the Lord say verge

Of where wisdom and power and revival emerge

Of when God’s word & love & will converge

Baptizing us in the Spirit’s surge

Filling us with love’s overwhelming gurge

Till God’s ways and my ways soon diverge

To live like this, Lord, I’ll need your “curge”

‘Cause I know I heard the Lord say to purge.

©Alexander Gee Jr 2011