Monday, November 28, 2005

Message 10: FAITH Affirmations

“Look among the nations and watch. Be amazed and astonished. I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if it were reported to you.” Habakkuk 1:5 GWT

Around the world – TODAY – God is doing things that fulfill the word of the prophet Habakkuk:

In South America…
"The largest event in El Salvador's history took place in February 2005 when American evangelist Mike Francen spoke. One pastor estimated the attendance at 190,000 on the second evening; the nation's highest officials were present, including President Antonio Saca and Head of Police Mr. Menesses. A number of miracles occurred; on the first evening, three people who had been blind since birth gained their sight; on the second evening, three invalids stood up from their wheelchairs, able to walk again. The events were broadcast live on television and radio throughout the nation. Many healing wonders occurred in the preparatory conferences: the blind gained their sight, deaf could hear, tumours vanished and the lame could walk. It was just like Acts!"

In Asia…
In the country of Laos, a man comes to know Christ as His Savior and Lord. He tells this story: Soon our faith was put to the test. I was arrested by the police, along with two of the other new Christians. They wanted to force us to sign a declaration recanting our faith. We refused, and were sent to a labour camp. We had to work hard during the day, and at night, our feet were locked into painful stocks, preventing us from sleeping. After several weeks, twelve Christians were called forward at the morning roll-call. To our astonishment, the camp chief said "You're good people and can go home. But I warn you: don't talk with others about your faith, or you'll be back here soon." Back in our village, the oppression continued; the police came almost every day to force us into a confession. After a while, one of our younger Christians could no longer stand the pressure, and signed the declaration. To remove all traces of his Christianity, he tied his New Testament to a stone and threw it into the river. Three days later, a group of men from our village went fishing. When they drew in their nets, they were surprised to find a book instead of fish. To their even greater astonishment, the book was dry and undamaged! They immediately started reading, and were excited by the message. It was the supposedly disposed-of New Testament. Through this miracle, 24 families from our village started a personal relationship with Jesus."


In Europe…
France is one of the most secular countries in the Western World. But, something is up there. "Bible sales are currently at an all-time high in France," reports the French Bible Society's Christian Bonnet. Completely unexpectedly, 100,000 Bibles and 50,000 New Testaments were sold in 2003. La Bible Expliquée, a Bible with explanations for seekers, sold 80,000 copies in the first month, even in secular bookshops and supermarkets. "God, your shares are on the rise!" wrote a business magazine in a 72-page report on the sudden rise of religious interest in the post-materialistic age. Since 1950, the number of Evangelicals in France has multiplied sevenfold, from 50,000 to 350,000.”

In Africa…
Tabea Geipel works as a missionary among children living on the streets of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and often sees Muslim boys regularly come to Christ. On New Year's Day, Rama, who was baptized two days after giving his life to Christ, dared to tell his devout Muslim relatives about his newly-found faith in Jesus, and even about his baptism - despite knowing that his family may disown him and deny him his inheritance. After three days of praying and fasting, Gaspar, another street kid, went with some of his believing schoolfriends into a region known as an Islamic stronghold, to bring the Gospel to several villages. They experienced strong resistance, particularly from the witch doctors, but many people were healed and delivered by the children's prayers. Over seventy Muslims gave their lives to Christ, and are now being cared for by existing churches.

In the Islamic world…
Baptist missiologist and author David Garrison says "More Muslims have come to Christ in the past two decades than at any other point in history. In North Africa, 16,000 Muslim Berbers turned to Jesus; in a central Asian republic, 4,000 Muslims have found Christ; 15,000 Kazakh Muslims found Christ in the past 15 years. In an appearance on Al Jazeera, Sheikh Ahmad Al Qataani, a leading teacher of Islamic clerics in Libya, said 'Every hour, 667 Muslims turn to Christianity, 16,000 every day, 6 million each year!' Those numbers are certainly exaggerated, but show that Islamic experts recognise what is happening: a massive missionary movement of Muslims to Christ."

In North America…
"The number of house churches in the USA has probably doubled in the past 18 months, from 2,500 to 5,000," according to participants at a symposium organized by Church Multiplication Associates' Neil Cole in Los Angeles from 25-28 April 2005. "The main growth comes from missionary groups aiming to reach the unchurched with the Gospel and involve them in multipliable discipleship structures," says Cole. "We're expecting up to 1,000 participants at the next national House Church conference.”

Source: http://www.jesus.org.uk/dawn/index.html

Clearly – God is up to something BIG for the 21st century.

What does that have to do with us here at SUMMIT Church? WE NEED TO GET READY!

Now, this fall I’ve shared a series of messages that I’ve called the NEW Christian – where we’ve examined SEVEN key characteristics of what God is doing in the 21st century.

I’ve preached these messages as a part of the season of preparation we are in. I believe that if you and I will apply these truths to our lives – they will revolutionize us – individually, in our families and as church.

I understand that we must begin where we are. We aren’t going to be raising the dead until we believe it is possible. We aren’t going to be changed until we embrace God’s agenda. And that’s what I want us to do today.

Today – I believe God would have us – here at SUMMIT Church – AFFIRM what He is doing, and AFFIRM our desire to be involved with Him in His purposes for this church. I believe this is the agenda of God for this church in the coming months and years – He wants you and I to cooperate with Him in this preparation process, in order that we will be ready as He reveals His specific agenda.


I affirm…
1. Christ has given me a new identity! I am a saint of God, chosen by Him, a royal priest, a full-fledged member of His holy people and I belong to God – and I’m going to live like it!

• The Bible has 330 places where unsaved people are called sinners.
• The Bible has 240 places where saved people are called saints.
• And I found exactly ZERO places where saved people are called sinners!

It is time to shake off the false identity that the world has put upon you and to receive with joy the truth of who God has made you to be.

You’ve believed false things about yourself:

That we CAN’T do what is needed.
That deep down we are BAD.
That we LACK what it takes.

But that’s false. God’s Word needs to be affirmed: FOR HE SAID:

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2:9, 10

WILL YOU AFFIRM THIS WITH ME?

Secondly – we need to affirm:
2. Christ has filled me with His Holy Spirit! Daily, I will welcome the power of the Holy Spirit to fill me and to overflow into every area of life, enabling me to do the impossible in Jesus Name!

We do not walk in the flesh. We do not live out of our soul. We are spiritual people. And His Spirit living within us enables us to do His will!

Most of what we’ve seen modeled to us within Western Christianity is a Holy-Spirit-less brand of Christianity. I call it the “Try-Harder Gospel”. But – that’s why I’ve been sharing the stories I’ve been sharing with you – there is another way to life as Christians! We have the power to do what is needed – when we choose to believe it!

Jesus said:
"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 14:12-14

Will you affirm your need for the Holy Spirit and for a new way of thinking?

Thirdly-
3. Christ has given me a new responsibility! Everything I possess is a gift from Him, so I’ll use it all for His purposes and glory!

Christ gives you exactly what you need to do exactly what He desires for you to do. Everything we have is a GIFT. That’s why we must get over the selfishness that says: “MINE!” and learn to use all that we have for His Name’s sake!

God was looking for someone who would do His will – searching throughout Israel for one person who would be used for His purposes. Isaiah 6:8 says:

"Then 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!"" Isaiah 6:8

Who here will respond the same way? Who here is willing to affirm that we have a priviledge to be used as His representatives on earth? We have a responsibility to be His voice and His hands.

Will you affirm that you accept this responsibility?

Fourth – we affirm that…
4. Christ has set me free! I’m no longer in bondage to my past, to Satan or to the religious regulations of man. Instead, I’ll live in outrageous freedom fulfilling every one of God’s plans for my life!

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

In the land of the free – it’s tough to accept true freedom. We are used to legalism, perfectionism, conditional love – and when we see the offer for freedom we doubt.

But it is the truth. Christ has set you free. And we must simply choose to let Him do the deep work in our lives to show us how to live as free men and women.

Your past does not control you – when you allow Jesus to lead you!
Satan cannot have his way with you – when you follow God’s plans!

Christ calls you to join Him in living ‘outrageously free’ to fulfill His plans! Will you affirm your desire to be set free?

Fifth – we affirm…
5. Christ has shown me the truth of the Gospel! I’m fully alive in Christ and I will live this life to worship Him!

We take seriously Christ’s promise in John 10:10
“ I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

If something doesn’t offer life – it isn’t from Christ! And if it isn’t from Christ, well, guess who the author is? And don’t you know that you have the right to rebuke the liar and enemy in the name of Jesus in order to live more fully?

If Christ has made you alive in Him, isn’t it time to tell your face?
And if you are alive in Christ, isn’t it time to put aside the childish behaviors of jealousy, envy, competition and all those other things that reflect death?
And if you are alive in Christ, when something comes along – like illness, sickness, disease and harm – isn’t it time to ask Jesus for healing, expecting Him to do what is truly best for you?

LET’S TAKE JESUS’ OFFER SERIOUSLY. Let’s affirm that we are alive in Him – and then learn how to live that way!

And to do so, we affirm that..
6. Christ had given me a new family! Christ’s church provides me the support I need to carry out my journey, as I give others that same support in return!

Everything in the world tells me to live this way is crazy. Even our families. That’s why Christ created a spiritual family – to help you live out the truth of who Christ has made you!

Look at Hebrews 10…
"Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:22-25

In this scripture we hear five statements that begin with “let us…”
1. Let us draw near to God
2. Let us hold on to hope
3. Let us find ways to help each other live godly lives
4. Let us meet together
5. Let us encourage one another

Why do we need these ‘let us’ statements? Because by doing so we are supported in our spiritual journeys into Christ!

Which leads us directly to the 7th affirmation:
7. Christ has called me to be mature! Putting aside lesser things, I’m getting into the fight and moving forward in the things of God’s kingdom with the goal of becoming like Jesus!

It is God’s will that you become spiritually mature. Every one of you. Period.
That’s why Paul wrote this…
"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." Ephesians 4:11-15

In this spiritual family – we anticipate and expect that each of us will become more mature in Christ. It’s okay to be a spiritual baby if you are new to Christ – it’s not if you’ve been a Christian for 30 years. Will you affirm that it’s time to grow up and become like Jesus?

I believe God has shown me a big part of what our agenda is to be over the next year or so – we are to take these seven truths and apply to our lives. We are to become a spiritually fit church. And as we do so, He will show us how to reach more people with the Gospel. You grow – He builds.

“But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don't loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!” Romans 13:11-14 Message Translation

Jesus – do in my life the things that I do not expect and that will truly amaze! And do it that Your Name will be exalted! Amen

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