Sermon Title and Outline courtesy of Lifechurch.tv, Open.church, and Pastor Craig Groschel

GET YOUR EDGE BACK: RIDICULOUS RECOVERY

The company of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.” And he said, “Go.” 3 Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?” “I will,” Elisha replied. 4 And he went with them. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. 5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!” 6 The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. 7 “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it. 2 Kings 6:1-7
GOD KNOWS HOW TO HELP YOU FIND WHAT YOU DIDN’T MEAN TO LOSE.
HOW HAVE YOU LOST YOUR SPIRITUAL EDGE?
HOW DO YOU GET YOUR EDGE BACK?
BE HONEST ABOUT WHERE YOU LOST IT.
6 The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” 2 Kings 6:6
WITH GOD’S HELP, TAKE BACK WHAT YOU LOST.
When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. 7 “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it. 2 Kings 6:6-7
You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. Rev 2:4-5

3 God, your God, will restore everything you lost; he'll have compassion on you; he'll come back and pick up the pieces from all the places where you were scattered. 4 No matter how far away you end up, God, your God, will get you out of there 5 and bring you back to the land your ancestors once possessed. It will be yours again. He will give you a good life and make you more numerous than your ancestors. Deut 30:3-5 MSG
GOD CARES ABOUT WHAT YOU LOST.
 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 12:6
The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. Nah 1:7
GOD CAN HELP YOU RECOVER WHAT YOU LOST.

Jonathan Edwards, Anglican Pastor lived in the 1700’s wrote:
“Not one concern of ours is small if we belong to Him.
To teach us this, the Lord of All once made an ax head swim.”

Elisha
Digging Ditches
Mathew Cotner
05.25.2019

YOUR GREATEST NEED BECOMES A BLESSING WHEN IT DRIVES YOU TO DEPEND ON GOD.

2 Kings 3:9-12
9 So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them. 10 “What!” exclaimed the king of Israel. “Has the Lord called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?” 11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?” An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” 12 Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

2 Kings 3:13-14
13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Why do you want to involve me? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” “No,” the king of Israel answered, “because it was the Lord who called us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moab.” 14 Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you.

2 Kings 3:15
15 But now bring me a harpist.

2 Kings 3:15-16
Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, "Thus says the Lord: 'Make this valley full of ditches.

2 Kings 3:17-18
17For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. 18This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also deliver Moab into your hands.”

TWO PRINCIPLES OF FAITH THAT WORKS
ONLY GOD CAN SEND THE WATER, BUT SOMETIMES HE WANTS YOU TO DIG A DITCH.



James 2:26
6 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works

TWO PRINCIPLES OF FAITH THAT WORKS
ONLY GOD CAN SEND THE WATER, BUT SOMETIMES HE WANTS YOU TO DIG A DITCH.

REAL FAITH BELIEVES BIG BUT IS WILLING TO START SMALL.


Zechariah 4:10
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin…

2 Kings 3:20
20 The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was—water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.

YOUR GREATEST NEED BECOMES A BLESSING WHEN IT DRIVES YOU TO DEPEND ON GOD.

Elisha
Get Your Call On
Mathew Cotner
05.19.2019

1 Kings 19:19-21
19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, he said, and then I will come with you. Go back, Elijah replied. What have I done to you? 21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant. 1 Kings 19:19-21

1 Kings 19:19
(Elisha) was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair.


1 Kings 19:19
Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.

TWO PRINCIPLES OF RIDICULOUS COMMITMENT
YOU DON'T HAVE TO UNDERSTAND FULLY TO OBEY IMMEDIATELY.

1 Kings 19:20
20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, he said, and then I will come with you.

TWO PRINCIPLES OF RIDICULOUS COMMITMENT
YOU DON'T HAVE TO UNDERSTAND FULLY TO OBEY IMMEDIATELY.

THOSE GOD USES THE MOST ARE THE ONES WHO HOLD ON TO THE LEAST.

1 Kings 19:21
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.

Luke 9:62
62 Jesus replied, No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

TALKING TO THE DEAD.

Impossible Faith

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

You’ve Got To Kill Your Doubt To Raise Your Dead!

John 11

21“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;26and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

28After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

32When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34“Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

35Jesus wept.

1. Cry For The Dead _____________ .

36Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

37But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39“Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

40Then Jesus sa

Your Secret Sauce 

Unity + Diversity = Anointings

Psalm 133 

1Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!

2It is like the precious oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, 

Even Aaron’s beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes.

3It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; 

For there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forever.

1 Corinthians 12

12Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by c one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  18But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

TIME ~ TROUBLE ~ TESTIMONY

Revelations 12:11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King (NIV)  Intro: https://youtu.be/NxgWccCgnoY  
Luke 19:28-40
28After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30“Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”
 
32Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
 
35They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 
 
39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Philippians 2:3-11 (NASB)
3Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; 4do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 

6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

9Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

OVERLY NEEDY PEOPLE - DIFFICULT PEOPLE SERIES 04.07.19

EMOTIONAL VAMPIRES
Incurably insecure 

Drama queens 

Blabbers 

Financial freeloaders 

THE TENSION
…when (Jesus) saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Matthew 9:36 NKJV

“moved with compassion” -  splagchnon (splangkh'-non); from the intestines or bowels; sympathy; inward affection, tender mercy.

JESUS CARED MORE THAN ANYONE WHO HAS EVER LIVED. 

JESUS DID NOT HEAL EVERYONE OR GRANT EVERY REQUEST. 


HELPING WITHOUT ENABLING

1) OFFER WHAT THEY NEED NOT WHAT THEY WANT.
Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up… Acts 3:6-7

Identify the real need. 

Pay attention to actions, not words. 


2) SET HEALTHY BOUNDARIES.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" Mark 1:35-37

Time boundaries 

Resource boundaries 


3) ALLOW THEM TO FACE THEIR CONSEQUENCES.
Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow!  Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. Galatians 6:7-8 NLT

Rescuing isn’t always helping. 

Jesus is the savior, not you. 


Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” Luke 5:31

DEALING WITH CRITICAL PEOPLE - DIFFICULT PEOPLE SERIES.  03.30.19

PRAISE AND CRITICISM – WINDOWS TO THE HEART

It is better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool!  Ecclesiastes 7:5 NLT
Praise –  often reveals what you value most.                                                                       
Criticism –  often reveals your deepest insecurities. 
How can you think of saying, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Matthew 7:4 NLT

WRONG RESPONSES - 1) FIGHT           2)   FLIGHT         

RIGHT RESPONSES:
1) LISTEN.
When their motive is to help not hurt.   
When the person can help.                  
If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject criticism, you only harm yourself…Proverbs 15:31-32 NLT

2) ANSWER. 
When the person is missing information that would change his perception. 
When the person is open to change.  
The Ephraimites asked Gideon, ‘Why have you treated us like this?...’ And they criticized him sharply. But he answered them… Judges 8:1-2a

3) DISMISS. 
When the person is characterized by being overly critical. 
When this person emotionally unhealthy or wounded. 
Jesus replied, ‘Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be rooted up, so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind…they will both fall into a ditch.’  Matthew 15:13-14 NLT