A Promise is a Promise

Sunday, I went to The Ark. Yes, it's true. I found Noah and we are traveling back in time. All those animals were pretty hungry, so Noah decided it was my job to feed them, uggh...not my cup of tea. The smell of the elephants and camels were too much for me to bear with my strong sense of smell. After I talked to God about it, he gave me one of those filtered masks to wear. It made it much easier for me to breathe. He told me to spend time with all of the animals, and not just the monkeys. Although I did like to look at the spider monkeys; they so fascinated me.

Even though God told me to spend time with ALL the animals, I would not go near anything that looked or smelled like a bug or reptile. I left that up to Noah. I had to draw the line somewhere. Well maybe that's why God didn't choose for me to be on the ark. I have way too many allergies and stubbornness. He probably thought, "Nope, I cannot picture Teensy (a.k.a. Tanya) on the Ark, she just wouldn't make it out alive”. Lol

Well actually my new church is called "The Ark." If you look up at the ceiling in the sanctuary, it may resemble of what Noah's ark might have looked like. I know the church just changed its name to the Ark so I am pretty sure the ceiling had nothing to do with it, but sometimes my imagination takes the best of me.

Okay, so I went to church Sunday and the pastor talked about covenants with God. He had mentioned about how God may make a promise with you personally, but you should wait on God’s timing for the promise to come to pass. He said don’t do like Abraham and Sarah did. Don’t try to make God’s promise come to pass in your own way.
   

I will start out with Genesis 12; God tells Abram that he will make him a great nation. But Abram’s probably thinking: I am 75 years old, childless, and how can I make a great nation without children or descendents. Sarai didn’t feel that God would make Abram a father through her so she tells her hubby, “hey I’m old and gray, and way, waaaay up there in years. God won’t let me have children, so here is my maidservant. Go marry her, and have a child like God said even though it’s not happening with me.” (Okay she probably said it a little differently).

Abram says "okay, if I must. I mean God said he would give me a son. Right? So I have to do my ‘duty.’ It’s not going to happen unless I do something about it.” (emphasis is mine, again.)  

Notice that he didn’t stop, and say: “I love you; I don’t want to “sleep” with anyone else.” He goes and marries the lovely Hagar. I am sorry, but with a name like Hagar, I am picturing an ugly witch with a wart on a long nose. Hagar doesn’t sound pretty to me. Lol Abram gets married, has a honeymoon with his new wife, than out pops a baby 9 months later.  Sarai is bitter, and hurting. I can almost understand her pain, of wanting a child so badly, yet seeing someone else with a baby. It is very hard. Although she did put it on herself when she told her hubby to go have a baby. But now she’s so bitter, that she is mistreating Hagar.

In Genesis 17, God tells Abram,

“As for me, this is my covenant with you; You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram, your name will be  Abraham. For I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful...As for you, you must keep my covenant... As for Sarai, your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai, her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations...” 

Here’s my favorite part.  Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “will a son be born to a man of 100 years old. Will Sarah bear a child at the age of 90?”

God told Abraham and Sarah that they would have a child. Well they weren't exactly at the childbearing age of 70, I mean 40 years or under. I mean Sarah may have been around 89 and Abraham about 99 years old. Can you imagine having a child at that age? I mean nowadays that's at your death bed, or umm...about to get your ticket to heaven, hopefully. If you know what I mean. Well they might have laughed, but maybe they were a little scared. Can you imagine a 90 yr old lady pregnant? She probably couldn't or didn’t want to think of it. I wonder if she still had the aches and pains of an older lady and dealing with pregnancy too! Was she having a hard time walking with a walker made out of rods and rocks? Being pregnant might have seemed like a big joke. Did they have C-section’s back then?  Probably not.

Genesis 21 it says that the Lord was gracious to Sarah and gave her what he promised. She became pregnant and bore a son to her hubby in his old age. He named him Isaac. I like what Sarah says: “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” So she finally gets her baby; she is 100 years old now, and breastfeeding. Yes, Sarah, we can laugh with you; it doesn’t seem possible, but what God promised, he had it come to pass.

So many times we try to do things on our own. When God promises us things, we do what we can to make it come to pass. It’s like when I bought an emergency window ladder the other day. I had priced some of them online for $100 -$200 dollars. Well I found one at the second hand store for $10.  Instead of saving my money and waiting to buy one, I saw what I thought was a great deal. Well I purchased this ladder. It only is for 2 story buildings. I live in a 3 story building. I figured, just maybe I can jump down the ladder one more story. It was actually a useless purchase for me and I wasted my money. There is no way I can use that ladder if there was a fire at my apartments. So instead of waiting and buying a better one, I am stuck with one that doesn’t do what I need it to do.
We need to wait on God’s promises. When God promises us something, He will do it. We just have to be patient, and not try to make the promise happen like Abraham and Sarah did by trying to have a baby through their maidservant or me trying to buy an emergency ladder that is one story too short.
Did God promise you something special? Something that is just for you? Or maybe did he promise something for your family? I know that God has personally promised me things in my own life that haven’t come to pass yet, but I have to do my best and wait and not try to make the promise happen on my own. We have to let them go, yet have faith and hope that they will come to pass, in God’s timing. Even if we have to wait until we are 100 years old for the promises to be fulfilled, it will be worth the wait, when God’s involved.  

What is Real Forgiveness?

A couple of weeks ago, I was sitting in church listening to a sermon called "What God was saying at the cross." I thought it would be the same kind of sermon you hear around Easter time when he was betrayed, tortured, whipped, crucified, etc... Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all that Jesus did and I need the reminders of what he did. It's just this time, something was said that I never really thought about.

I've always heard, and even read about, what happened before Jesus was on the cross. There were those 12 disciples and even three of them were Jesus' close amigos (Peter, James, and John). The amigos seemed to spend a lot of time with him. He walked with them, spent time with them, he had them close by when he was at the garden praying a heart wrenching prayer. They were always there...

I've always heard (and read) that Peter denies Jesus three times. Yet that is not the end of the story.

I believe that Peter loved Jesus. That was his friend, his mentor, his coach, his counselor...

Yet Jesus told Peter that Peter would deny him three times. Peter says: No way Jose, I would never do that. Jesus tells him that after he will do it three times, a rooster would crow. He probably thought: yah right, that's never going to happen.

Judas betrays Jesus by placing him in the hands of the soldiers; Peter stood up and tried to protect him. Well, I think that is what he was doing when he sliced the soldiers ear off. I think putting the sword in his heart might have done more damage, but hey the guy stopped doing what he was doing because he was in pain from his ear being sliced off. Even though, Jesus picks up the bleeding ear, and miraculously heals the soldier, I still believe that Peter showed that he loved Jesus, even though he should not have hurt the man.

So here we are later, Peter is nearby when Jesus is being accused, betrayed, etc... Peter had to be hurting so much to know that his friend Jesus was going through some really tough times that were about to get worse. Three people ask Peter if he knows this Jesus, and three times, he says no. (Wow, his good friend is being hurt and he says that he doesn't even know Jesus. They ask if he has spent time with him and he won't admit to spending time with his close friend and his soon to be savior.)

Maybe Peter was afraid that he would be tortured also. So three people ask Peter; three times, Peter denies him. Just for a moment, it's quiet, the earth stands still, and the rooster crows. Peter feels his skin crawling, and this chilling shiver runs down his back. He realized what he has done. This uncontrollable, heart wrenching painful sorrow bursts out of him. He remembers what Jesus said earlier, and he sobs in remorse. He realizes what he did. He betrayed Jesus. Jesus was at one of his weakest hours of his life He needed his friends to be there for them. BUT not one was there at his side.

Jesus dies, miraculously resurrects, and comes back to his disciples which are some of his good friends. He sees Peter. Peter sees Jesus. (I wonder what Peter is feeling at this very moment. Jesus could have said: in my weakest hour, you were not there for me. You abandoned me. You left me. You knew what I would go through, and you didn't even have the audosity to say you know me. What kind of friend are you? You really hurt me. I will never talk to you again. I am taking you out of any ministry and I do not forgive you. You may walk away;don't ever speak to me or ask for me,because I will not come. Jesus didn't say any of this to Peter.

Three times, Jesus calls his name in the most loving voice: "PETER" and talks to him and restores him. Jesus showed so much love to Peter and allowed him to feel this unconditional love. He restores him and leads him into ministry. WOW!!! What a testimony! What love!

Wow, have you ever thought about how someone you know has really hurt you. They might have done some horrible things to you. I thought I had forgiven some people all these years, but I was wrong. I didn't have true forgiveness in my heart. I honestly didn't know how to have it, but something clicked when I heard this sermon a few weeks ago and it has changed my life forever. I understand forgiveness so much more. I have been forgiven and I have forgiven others.

Thank you God, for sending me people to speak your words to my heart. I gave my life to Jesus at an early age of eleven and I stuck to what I was taught, yet I never truly understood what forgiveness was really all about, until now. I now understand true freedom, true forgiveness, and being transformed and having a newness of mind. I get it now. God, thank you for rescuing my soul.

some key points from sermon notes from April 12, 09

God welcomes the hurting.
God whispers your name, he knows your pain.
It's hard to see the plan of God when going through hard times and losses.

There are rocks in the road and disappointments. Have you lost hope?
Jesus wants to walk with us, through this road.
God wants to hold us in our life and say there is hope.

God IS the rock.
Find hope in Him.

He is God; what are you going to do about it!!!

Spiritual Warfare (sermon notes 4/19/09)

1) We don't fight for victory, we fight from victory that is already won.Be strong in the Lord. Christ's work "IT IS FINISHED". He finished His work on this earth.
The Enemy was defeated!!!! The enemy flees from the God is us.

2)We find our success in standing.
-to stand and after you've done everything, stand.
With all the hard times you go through, still stand and serve God.

3)Our best tactic is prayer
Most of our battle is in our heart and mind.
Praying in the Spirit always. God (our Papa, our Dad) has NOT abandoned us. He loves us!!!
He wants to talk with us, communicate with us.

Let the Holy Spirit use you. 
Pray for all the saints. 
Start giving. 
The center of the gospel is praying for others.

Getting Activated (sermon notes, April 26, 09)

Remember I am significant and important to eternity.
What is it that God wants with me?
Read Exodus 1:1-14

1) God favors the oppressed
We have a little bit of eternity in us. 
We are most like our Father God when we take care of the powerless. (We need to help others)

2) God incarnates His answers. (Exodus 2:1)
God made Moses to help with the answers for that time.
What you are going to do, has to do with what God has done to prepare you. 
For example: schooling, life experiences, skills you have had, etc...

When you are activated by God, everything you do is easier. 
You can even do hard work and feel light about it on your feet. For example: setting up for church each week can get tiresome, but when God activates you, it will be enjoyable.

There is joy in freedom- freedom in God
Do what God made you to do and you'll have joy.

So, What's your Story? - sermon notes from aug 5 2007

So WHAT'S YOUR STORY?
1. Everyone has a past
Ephesians 2:1-2 says "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sin, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at on time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath."

2. In Jesus, we have a present, a change from the past. (God gave us the present).
In Ephesians 2:4-5 it says that because of God's great love for us, he made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in sin...it's by grace you were saved.

In Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:12

HAVE YOU MET JESUS? "Knowing Jesus is different from meeting Jesus." What is your story? How did you meet Jesus?
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, but it is a GIFT OF GOD, not by works, so that no one can boast. - Ephesians 2:8-9

a. Everyone recognized that they needed Jesus, no one could do this whole life thing alone or on their own merit.
b. Jesus introduced himself to no one here personally. Someone introduced you to Christ...

3. Everyone has a future...introducing other people to Christ is part of our destiny.

Ephesians 2:6-10 " and God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Every trophy of God's grace in this room owes that introduction to someone else, someone who was not selfish with their faith.
So what's your story? What's your testimony?
(Pastor Jim had read different people's testimonies of how they met Jesus Christ. All of them had to do with someone inviting them either to church or to salvation.)

Here are reasons why we may not want to witness:
1. Fear of unworthiness (well, God says we are worthy to witness).
2. Fear of the worst thing could happen. (Everyone deserves God's presence).
Without people inviting us to church, none of us would be at Church.
If it wasn't for a parent, a teacher, missionette or Royal Ranger leader, youth leader, a prostitute's neighbor, a friend, a military worker, etc... none of us would be at church.
Someone took the time to be in an awkward situation of putting themselves on the line to invite you to church.

SO WHAT'S YOUR STORY...?

What Happens When You Pray... in You (sermon notes)

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PRAY...IN YOU

A*).PRAYER IS NOT: A magic wand (pray only to get what you want.-PRAYER IS NOT A VENDING MACHINE- you don't pop in a prayer and out comes whatever you want.
B*).PRAYER IS NOT: A first aid Kit (praying only when you have an emergency)
C*).PRAYER IS NOT: A Tug of War (fighting to get what you want- God is not going to give it to you when you are pulling and pushing your way to get what you want)
D*).PRAYER IS NOT: A Religious Duty (praying out of obligation or just because you think you ought to. It is not a duty; it's a priveledge)

1. YOU dedicate YOURSELF

{{*Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned... John 15:4-6 }}

(We need God's help. You have to be honest with God. If you cut a branch off of the tree, it will wither. It's like a Christian who cuts himself off from prayer. Without prayer you wither. Prayer is our source to God...

2. YOU connect WITH GOD 
{{*I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you... John 15:15}}
- I am a Friend of God. He chose me to be His friend. The people you love, you love to talk to. How much more will you love to talk to God, to connect with Him. Prayer is not a chore; it's NOT we HAVE TO pray. It's We "GET TO" pray. 

3. YOU activate HEAVEN
{{*If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH AND IT WILL BE GIVEN YOU. this is my father's glory; that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples... John 15:7-8 }}

Prayer activates Heaven. God will fulfill the desires of those who REVERANCE Him.
Ask that your joy may be full.

4. YOU cooperate WITH GOD
{{ Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it... John 14:11-14 }}


Prayer is God's design. We are cooperating with God when we PRAY FOR OTHERS. Spend time DAILY with God in prayer. When we work, we work...when we pray, God works...

Have I been praying and doing what God wants me to do? I am doing what Jesus does? Lately, Have people been healed and raised from the dead or healed from an illness because I prayed for them and God healed them. 
We are not limited by physical boundaries, time or space WHEN WE PRAY...

You've Got Mail - Sermon Notes from May 20, 2007

James 1:19-27 ...Everyone should be QUICK TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK, AND SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY, for MAN'S ANGER DOES NOT BRING ABOUT THE RIGHTEOUS LIFE that GOD DESIRES. Therefore, GET RID of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly ACCEPT THE WORD PLANTED IN YOU, WHICH CAN SAVE YOU. Do NOT merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. DO WHAT IT SAYS. Anyone who listens to the word BUT does NOT do what it says is LIKE a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
BUT THE MAN WHO LOOKS INTENTLY into the PERFECT LAW (THE BIBLE) that gives freedom, and CONTINUES to DO this, NOT FORGETTING WHAT HE HAS HEARD, BUT DOING IT —HE WILL be BLESSED in what he does.

If anyone considers himself religious and yet DOES NOT KEEP A TIGHT REIN ON HIS TONGUE, HE DECEIVES HIMSELF and HIS religion is WORTHLESS.
***RELIGION that GOD our Father ACCEPTS AS PURE AND FAULTLESS is this: to LOOK after ORPHANS and WIDOWS in their DISTRESS and to KEEP ONESELF from BEING polluted by the WORLD.

1. Receive God's Word ("...accept the word Planted in you." Receive the right word with a great attitude.
A) Be Careful: Be quick to listen, slow to speak.)
B) Be Calm: Be slow to become angry.
C) Be Clean: Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent. (Filth is like the wax in your ear. You need to get rid of it to listen.)
D) Be Compliant: ...Humbly accept the Word planted in you. Be teachable.

2. Reflect on God's Word . (God's Word is like a mirror. A mirror is used as a self-evaluation tool. You look into the mirror and correct things: such as: if your hair is sticking up, you fix it. What good is looking in a mirror, if we don't do what we need to do to change? Reflect on God's Word-the Bible- read it, and change.)
A) Read God's Word: (A Glance doesn't give you what you need. Look for the details in the mirror of the Bible))
B) Review God's Word (Meditation as used in the Bible is to think seriously of something over and over)
C) Remember God's Word (Memorize Scripture)

3. Respond to God's Word: ("Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. DO WHAT IT SAYS." What good is looking in the mirror, if you don't do anything about it-if you don't let what you see-change YOU.

BONUS:
THE TEST OF MATURITY IS CHARACTER.
DO THE SCRIPTURE
DO WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. LET IT BE YOUR LIFE. LET THE BIBLE BE YOUR LIFE.
LIVE THE WORD OF GOD, LET IT CHANGE YOU.
TAKE THE WORD OF GOD AND DO IT
THE greatest literature (THE BIBLE) has SUPERNATURAL POWERS.
The BIBLE is the acting and living - WORD of God
SEE YOUR LIFE through GOD'S WORD.
What is it that God wants me to HEAR?

5/27/07, 8:00 PM

"Hope" Sermon Notes from April 22

1. Remember the God you serve (remember God's power and promises) Read 2 Chronicles 20:1-4
"...O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule overall the kingdom of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you..."

2. Take an eyes open look at your situation.
Look at your inability to fight the battle on your own and realize that you may have enemies.

3. Focus on God
"WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT OUR EYES ARE UPON YOU."
(2 Chronicles 20:12b)

4. He Waits (meaning "you wait before God")
Even the men of Judah...STOOD BEFORE THE LORD" 2 Chronicles 20:13

5. Watch for God's Plan by listening for His voice and leading with worship. (read 2 Chronicles 20:14-21)
**"Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel-as he stood in the assembly...YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO FIGHT THIS BATTLE. Take up your positions; STAND FIRM AND SEE THE DELIVERANCE THE LORD WILL GIVE YOU, O Judah and Jerusalem. DO NOT BE AFRAID, DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED. GO OUT TO FACE THEM TOMORROW, AND THE LORD WILL BE WITH YOU."

"...Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful. After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER."

6. Enjoy God's victory. God's victories are bigger, better, and they last.
"...The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, FOR HIS GOD HAD GIVEN HIM REST ON EVERY SIDE."


REMEMBER -THE BATTLE- BELONGS TO GOD, NOT US...SO ALLOW GOD TO HELP YOU... 

What is Faith???- from sermon notes on Feb. 25

"Without FAITH it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

1) Faith is Believing when I don't see it. 
In Hebrews 11:1, it says "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." 
IT'S ONLY A DREAM UNTIL YOU BELIEVE. FAITH TURNS DREAMS INTO REALITY.

2) Faith is Obeying when I don't understand it. 
(read Hebrews 11:7-8) 

3) Faith is Giving when I don't have it (read Hebrews 11:4 & 2 Corinthians 9:6,8)

4) Faith is Persisting when I don't feel like it.
(do things you don't feel like doing)...Read Hebrews 11:27

5) Faith is Thanking God before I receive it.
(KEEP YOUR EYES ON GOD)
"When you pray and ask for something, believe that you have received it and you will be given what you ask for." 
-Mark 11:24

6) Faith is Trusting even if I don't get it.
"They were all commended for their faith yet none of them received what had been promised. 
GOD HAD PLANNED SOMETHING BETTER" Hebrews 11:39-40

"FAITH COMES FROM HEARING THE WORD OF GOD" - ROMANS 10:17
(READ THE BIBLE TO GROW IN FAITH)

"These trials are only to test your faith...and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold...it will bring you much praise and honor on the day of his return" -1 Peter 1:7