1.Because God is better than I think I must change my thinking

I must readjust my thinking to his ways

Doesn’t bother God that we’re unsettled as long as we’re relying on Him

When he allows us to follow him we arrive in His time

We want what we want as we want it

Millennial Mikes

No correction, no rebuke

2. Isaiah “My house will be called a house of prayer”

Isaiah 56:7 I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations (people)

Make them joyful for your house is a house of prayer

My House will be a house of “intervention”

Where someone stands in front of or the middle of

When you intervene someone who steps in the middle

The intervention happens in our hearts and minds

We the church are the house of intervention

Intercessory prayer

Prayer means “intervention”

You stand in the way of something happening

3. Burn Offerings are voluntary offering that surrenders everything and complete devotion

You will not have mercy AND grace with religion

God’s call for us is to function in grace

Jesus never debated with religious leaders...he usually used questions they had to answer

The church has to get the burnt offerings to God down

a. Burn them

b. And go on with God

c. If we become all huffy and puffy our sacrifice becomes tainted and blemished

d. God's law required perfect unblemished sacrifices to receive his blessing

Jesus said he's coming back for a church without spot or wrinkle

2Cor10

Casting down vain imaginations

Casting down arguments, imaginations, moving on our own reasonings

Strongholds begin and are made on one thought

Satan will watch your patterns, then try and make his move

Strongholds are protection for an army

Patterns of behavior is what Satan is observing

People who debate the Pastor, build strongholds in their mind

Jesus temptation: Three areas satan always attack people (similar to Jesus)

Matt 4 

-3 attacks

1. Gods Provision

Stones to loafs

Attacks our Identity

If you’re a Christian you’d be this or that 

You would have this or that

2. Attack against provision which is also protection of God

-Once we get our identity established and fixed the whole characterization of the battlefield changes (for you)

3. God’s Service

Our service describes our purpose for being on the planet in the first place

Your identity then must be established

Then fixed (cemented)

You won’t be easily moved if you get this far

When it comes to service to the Lord is where most get lost

The few who find it (their service to the Lord) will find their identity

Mark 8: The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod

He charged them saying, “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and leaven of Herod”

Thayer's Greek dictionary:

-Mental and moral corruption viewed in its tendency to infect and affect others

In religion, God is impersonal and powerless

1. Leaven of the Pharisees

a. Puffing up of knowledge

b. Tendencies toward the worship of knowledge

c. Have the need to be right or correct in winning arguments

d. Calling it spiritual without the presence of God

e. Correctness on the Word without the Presence of God

2. Leaven of Herod

a. Political Systems

b. Getting caught up in politics

Jesus the bread Mk8:16

-They (disciples) reasoned among themselves (even after the feeding of the 4 and 5000)

-The disciples still reasoned how are we going to do this?

-Jesus interestingly ends the dialog with a question. “Do you still not understand?”

07Feb21 Sunday

Today's message is about persistent faith.

Every response we have to deal with life's problems it’s either out of love or fear (think about that)

1. Lk18:8 faith here means persistence

When Jesus returns he asked if will he find faith on the earth?

2. Acts 4:29 -30

29And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.

When we withdraw from the world we are withholding God’s blessing to them

Are you pursuing what’s precious to God or to you

Prov 9:8  rebuke a scoffer and he’ll you, rebuke a wise man and he’ll love you

What you see me do it comes from the Father who tells me

3. Nehemiah 's Persistent faith

Enduring Faith produces character

4. Mark 9: Another example of Persistent Faith

The boy with the unclean spirit

“However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

-Jesus was giving a parable about the Unjust Judge and the widow woman

The woman persisted with the Unjust judge and she prevailed

-Here he is talking about “Persistent Faith”

-3 kinds of faith

1. Little Faith

Mark 9:24

Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Even in this event the Jesus moved on the boys father’s little belief

May not be the place we want to be in, but Jesus still moved on his action

2. Reaching or medium Faith

Matthew 9:20–22, Mark 5:25–34, Luke 8:43–48

She said “If I can only touch the hem of His garment”

This is an example of Reaching faith

Better

3. Great Faith

Matthew 8:5-13

The Roman Centurion

“Just say the Word faith”

One of the only places in the Bible where Jesus was “amazed” at his faith

He wasn’t even a Jew but a Roman Gentile

His miracle was granted, his servant was healed that hour

Ephesians

Sit Walk Stand, Watchman Née

Think about this: The least seated in the Kingdom of God -the most immature Christian who is seated with Christ, is greater than anyone who might be considered great in this world.

1. Eph2:6 Sit

We are seated in heavenly places at the right hand of the Father

Getting rid of things, are not sitting in heavenly place

Every Christian has to begin their life from a place of rest

The place of rest starts before walking

Seating position experience

We are seated at the right hand of the Father

What does this mean as far as our stance with God

We have to learn how to sit before we can walk run or stand

Psalms: Be still and know that I am God

2. Eph4:1 Walk

-Walk worthy of your calling

He didn’t say go our and get a decent job, and carry on with life (in the world)

3. Eph6:14 Stand

Flesh and blood is not your enemy

“Take a stand” means to dig in and not be pushed back

To have that peace your have to give up your right to understanding everything

If and when God instructs you to do something, he may be actually be willing to obey

If you try to understand may be when you lose your peace of God

Enemy can take you out

Stand forth in the Gospel not in your own doctrine

Prayer has the power to overcome temptation

Our spirit has an appetite to pursue the spirit, but our flesh can shut it down

What is the opposition there doing?

He doesn’t take it away (opposition), but he causes a way for you to go thru around or above your effects of opposition

The supernatural is motion-activated

Lesser laws give way to greater laws

If you don’t run towards your opposition, your opposition will run over you

Why would we run towards our opposition unless you know something your opponent doesn’t

Acts 27:14 Pauls Shipwreck and dealing with overcoming his opposition and pursue towards his purpose. Amazing story

3Jn2 Beloved I wish above all things that you would prosper as your soul prospers and be in good health

Prosperity: all things...not talking

Health:

What does a prosperous soul look like?

The prosperity soul mirror the kingdom

A prosperous soul is a joyful soul

Joy comes much easier when we value what he values

Bitterness and regret have a negative effect on the soul and cause illness and diseases

We get joy from rejoicing in the kingdom

From thanksgiving to the Lord

90pct of mental illness is caused by attempts to avoid pain

There is something to be said about being able to rise up and praise above the opposition causing you problems

This something is praise flowing out of joy

Not praise for the negative, but praise of who He (God) is

Is54:17 No weapon formed against me will prosper. Every tongue that rises up against me

:14 in righteousness you will be established -(fixed prepared prosperous and certain)

Our prayers usually are rooted in fear

Pr18:9

The complacent believer is the same as an opponent to the gospel

We’re accountable to prove testimony for God’s miracles

Prayer should change things

Prayers of a son or daughter are different than the prayers of a servant

Prayers without action are the same as faith without works is dead

Prayers without changing anything is the same as 

Consumer venue vs relationship venue is where the church is today

Authority

God has given us authority

The little things will make the big difference

It takes faith to get healed

Church has to wake up and start serving God again

Those who will, will be blessed

Elijah, 1Kings 18

I hear the sound of the abundance of rain

Restoring the Tabernacle of David 1Sam6, Amos 9: 11-12, Acts 15

The Tabernacle of David? Praise and worship

David praised like no other person

At the point we celebrate we understand what God has done for us

Jesus expects us to change the world around us, not to accept it and just to live in it the way it is

God is trying to get into the earth when most are trying to get out of it

Galatians 5:5 Amp

-For we [not relying on the Law but] through the [strength and power of the Holy] Spirit, by faith, are waiting [confidently] for the hope of righteousness [the completion of our salvation].

God's Will, purpose and mission for you and those around you

Action causes us to hope

Our declaration needs to be in line with his plan and his word

If it is through co-laboring with Christ

Jesus: Say what I said

Stop praying and start declaring

Jn 16:14

He will glorify me for what is mine and declare what it is to you

Jesus Spoke to the Storm

The turmoil could not stop the peace that Jesus was declaring to it

Praise

To verbally give credit to that one to exalt that one for His works, to express admiration

-We prophesy our our own doom through our own declarations

Decrees

Say, "Pain be gone in Jesus name"

The person or thing you give mouth to is who you’re giving praise to

If you talk negatively that’s who you’re giving praise to

If you talk positively that’s who you’re giving praise to

Overcome procrastinations in 2021

1. Hard-pressed means “troubled” 2Cor4:8-9

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

There’s a process of time in there

Find out from God what your purpose is

Have that purpose with all you got

And watch life come to you 

2. Acts 20:24

None of these things trouble me

The Holy Spirit should be the only thing that moves us

People at this hour should focus on their call and purpose on this planet

3. Be willing to stand up to authority

1Kg22:5-6; 2Ch18 

Micaiah prophesied the word of the Lord to Ahab, was punched in the face by another false prophet in front of the kings (Ahab & Jehoshephat)

When you’re in your hiding you will then know whose word is true

Put this fellow in prison and feed him the bread of affliction

Micaiah said to Zedikiah, “If he returns, I have not spoken from the Lord correctly"

4. Pursue and Receive Wisdom and Understanding

Pr2:1-5

My son if you receive my word, and incline your ears to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding. If you seek her as silver and understand her as a hidden treasure

What does it take to overcome your problems. Problems are a part of life

What am I willing to do to become an Overcomer?

Does your affliction become more of a god than He is?

5. Look back over the year 2020

What happened these last 10 years 2010-2020?

How do you characterize them?

How do you see the next 10 years? In your life?

2021 is the start of a new decade how do you get into the game?

From today's message

What can I do to change my circumstances that can make it favorable to elevate the success of my purpose?

One of the main keys: Forgiveness

The Lord's (Apostles Prayer) example and your prayers being effective if you're in forgiveness

Never lower exceptions to the level of your experience

As in Gideon's example, God let him go near the camp of the enemy and hear the enemies words before beginning their attack. Gideon ran back to his 300 men. They broke the pots (old man), lit their torches (new man), and were able to run off and defeat the enemy.