A New Season: Pray for Rain

Series: A New Season
“Pray for Rain”
5/2/10
Intro
 We are serving the Lord now in a new season
 A new season requires new direction, and a new approach to the same old stuff
 Not only are we breaking greed but breaking the seat of disobedience to God.
 A new season isn’t new if you are doing the same things over and over again
 Not only are giving everything as a people but God is calling us to pray for Rain.
 The spiritual rain that only He can send
Obj
 The same God that said it wasn’t going to rain for 3 years in 1 Kings 17 is the same God 3 years later that said it was going to rain again and to prepare.
 God is the author of the faucet of blessing in our lives.
 He can turn the spout on or off, and if you continue to follow God and His ways the spout stays on
Ex: the kids play with hose and leave the water on, but the nozzle is off, but water is available when ready to shoot
Elijah the prophet of God is called to stand before King Ahab
1 Kings 18:1-2 NLT
 Go present yourself to King Ahab and tell him I am sending rain.
Vs 17 Is that you, the troublemaker of Israel?
This is a great story of God revealing Himself
1 Kings 18:18-21
 How long will we waiver between 2 opinions?
 Will you trust God for yourself, or allow your mechanical irrigation to satisfy you?
Ex: Ashley says that people instead of trusting God trust in trees, bricks, metal.
 Instead of trusting God people would rather trust their money, their Homes, or what they drive
Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
 Whatever is pleasant and easy isn’t necessarily the Lord
 Please don’t wake up one day and realize that you have been worshipping a false God
Remember…
1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
 Elijah stood against 850 pagan prophets
 You take your bull prepare it, but don’t set fire to it
 I will take my bull prepare it, but not set fire to it.
 You call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord
The God who answers by fire is the true God, they agreed.
 From morning till evening the pagan prophets called on their gods.
 Their god, Baal, most popular Canaanite god, often made in the shape of a bull, representing strength, fertility, and reflecting lust for power and sexual pleasure
 Sounds like same demon entities that are worshipped today.
 How often we as Christians have trusted the same junk, being made to think that it is ok.
God loves to set your bull on fire! God mocks and laughs at the gods of this world
 Elijah began mocking as these pagan prophets danced around their sacrifice like a bunch of Indians calling on a pagan princess to appear
 Elijah mocked by saying “you’ll have to shout louder, surely he is a god,
 but maybe he is daydreaming, or going to the bathroom,
 maybe he is on vacation or a long trip or asleep and needs to be awakend.
 They shouted louder, danced harder, cut themselves with sword and knives until their blood gushed out
 But still no sound, no reply.
Then Elijah called them over to him
 He built an altar out of 12 stones, dug a trench around altar to hold 3 gallons water, and piled the wood and the sacrifice on the altar
 Fill 4 large jars with water and soak the altar and sacrifice, 3 times until the water filled the trench
 When things look impossible in the natural, that is when God gets the credit
1 Kings 18:36-40
 The fire always falls on the blood!
 God revealing himself was part of the process for the rain to return to the earth.
 Water wasn’t so easy to come by to soak the sacrifice
 But God was saying, use up what you have because I’m about to set it on fire
 Drought is there for God to reveal Himself to you in a greater dimension
 Drought is there to make you thirsty for the rain of Heaven
 Drought is there so that when the rain comes you can’t say you did it on your own
 You must say it is only the because of the Lord, the one who answers by fire, He is God.



 About time we allow the fire to fall
 Let the wood hay and stubble in our live burn, God come and set it on fire
 That we might be firebrands for you,
 People that have been tried in the furnace of affliction, but have come out not even smelling like smoke.
 Furnace of affliction is what purifies your faith
 Kill the junk in us that is not of faith, not of you, but the spirit of this world, the flesh, the devil.
 Power, status, appearance or material possessions, anything that causes us to depend on anything other than God himself
 When crisis hits these things can’t answer your problems, only Jesus can.
When the fire falls that’s a reason for the rain to come
1 Kings 18:41-45
Remember why it didn’t rain, Israel, through King Ahab was promoting idolatry, and intermarrying women from pagan nations, the people God detested
Vs 44 I saw a little cloud the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea
James 5:16-18 NLT
Seeking God and turning from your ways through repentance is what is going to get you there
Get to the top of Mt Carmel
Start seeking, asking, knocking and don’t stop till the blessing comes
Start praying for Rain, the rain makes the crops healthy and the fruit sweet.

A New Season: Give Everything

Series: A New Season
Message: Give Everything
4/25/10

Intro
 We are invited by the Holy Spirit to be a part of the greatest movements on Earth, The Church.
 Jesus is the builder of His church, the provider, the director
 Process can be difficult, however when you know that Jesus is large and in charge you can trust Him for anything.
Obj
No matter what you are facing, God can work it out
God is teaching us how in a troubled economy not to hoard or be in fear, but to give and be at peace
 The church seems to be in a wilderness right now…
 We are waiting to see what God is going to do for us during this critical time
 He takes you out of bondage and you find yourself in a wilderness
 Egypt you were provided for, work of your hands, in promise land you were provided for, the work of your hands, but in the wilderness God provides miraculously
 But in the wilderness God introduces you to a season of miracles
 Water out of the rock, walk thru red sea dry ground, no weakness or sickness, shoes don’t wear out, cloud by day, fire by night, manna in the morning noon and night.
God wants to make us distinct In this environment by providing miraculously for us on a regular basis;
 I will provide all your needs. Phil 4:19 my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus
 Wilderness in your life is there to show God’s miraculous provision
 Never a wilderness that God isn’t willing to perform miracles
 Wilderness: not in bondage, on way to the promise land, God performs miracles-ask Him
 The nation is in recession, the Kingdom is not.
 The nation needs a bailout, but let the citizens of Heaven know that the Kingdom is secure
 This world is not our home, we are on mission here!
Mark 12:41-44 NLT
1. Matthew 19:23-24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”)
2. Luke 12:21
“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
 The important thing to the Lord is not the amount of the gift, but the commitment and sacrifice it represents.
 He judges our gift not by how much we give, but how much is left over after we give
 Money is not the root of all evil, but the love of money.
 Not the amount you give but the heart behind what’s leftover.
 What’s leftover is either faith or your own ways.
Ex: Friend of mine giving: $2 million in debt, bank said what are you doing, nobody is selling, building, but he started tithing, and he started his business tithing too. Less than 1 year later he is totally out of debt, paid everyone back, and funding the Kingdom of God.

God begun to transform the heart, and as the heart changed God blessed him
 This woman’s giving was sacrificial and more that what anyone else gave based on what was left over.
 Someone told me that they couldn’t afford to give, and I said you can’t afford not to give
 Sometimes we give cheerfully, other times we give out of our need.
 This is not about money this morning, we are breaking hoarding, greed, fear, worry, the cares of this life.
Remember scripture calls it the deceitfulness of riches…mark 4:19, that make you unfruitful
Take a look at the unnamed woman in 1 Kings 17.
 There is a 3 ½ years of drought, no rain or dew
 God sends Elijah the prophet to this woman and her son
 He sees her and instead of saying hello, says “bring me a drink, and some of that bread in your hand”
 What are you Italian, this guy, who does he think he is? What is he a goodfella?
1 Kings 17:12-13 NLT Read
 Isn’t like an Italian to say all that they don’t have
 I’m Italian and Sicilian, botta bing, botta boom, the best of both worlds.
 She didn’t have anything, and God was asking her to give everything
1 Kings 17:14-16
 When the rain comes you’re not worried about what used to worry you
 When will the church get to the place where they will offer to God first, their best,
 When we offer our best, God in return pours out a blessing that there is not room enough to receive.
 But if you don’t have room to receive now God can’t pour more in till you let some out.
Its hard to give to someone with their hands closed, open your hand to God and let it go.
 This woman experienced God’s supernatural provision because she said yes to God
 What if she would of said no!
 But she didn’t and put God first, and she didn’t lack in times of drought
 God knows how to take care of his own.
 God’s ways are not our ways, His economy is not the world’s economy.
 Put God first in everything and your life will be in order, and God’s provision will flourish in your life!
What if you couldn’t receive a tax deduction for your giving to your church?
 That shouldn’t matter, because we are giving in response to obedience not on the basis of a gov’t tax credit
Giving breaks the greed and releases the funds for your needs
 You can’t buy a miracle, but when you give out of your need, the Lord recognizes sacrifice, and rewards it.
Hebrews 10:36
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Be patient and let God work
1 Kings 17:17-24 tell the story
 The womans boy died and she get bitter, starts blaming Elijah
 Elijah says, give me your son, and went to the upper room and prayed
 And raised the boy from the dead and gave him back to his mother
1 Kings 17:24
 The thing that activates your sustains your faith is you going to the upper room with Jesus
 It’s time the church starts praying
 Mat 26:41 pray that you enter not into temptation
 Prayer strengthens you, fills you, gives you God’s perspective and peace.
 Sometimes it seems like your dreams have died, but like Jesus told Peter, I have prayed for you.
Prayer allows things to live again, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
 This woman gave everything and her son died, where is the rejoicing in that?
 But as Elijah prayed life from the Spirit of God came back into him
 God wants to breathe life back into you, your dreams, your finances,
But we must follow God.
 Ex: God told me to give $7500, my wife confirmed it with me, $12,500 was handed to me less than 2 months later
 God will show you what to do in this economy to be blessed, sustained, and bless others
 God wants to breathe life back into you, your dreams, your finances
 But I want to encourage you to give everything of your life to God and not to leave any portion back-
 Give Jesus everything and He will breathe life into everything.
Philippians 4:6-7 (New Living Translation)
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

God Cares About Your Donkeys

God Cares About Your Donkeys
4-11-10

We are living in a time where the cares of this life and worries of tomorrow really hold us down
Those elements have the atomic potential to choke the Word out of our hearts and knock us off course
Cares and Worries are what keep you up at night, keeps you on edge with your family, can cause you to use that as an excuse to sin,
Cares and Worries of this life have the kinetic potential to drive you away from God, even causing you to blame God, for your own mess.
However cares and worries, viewed in the right perspective, and handled with the utmost prayer and integrity, can spill you into the reservoir of God’s purpose
Even though you feel like you are free falling into a bottomless pit,
God will float you right into your destiny, where you always wanted to be, His way.
Nothing like a good season of uncomfortableness and worry to lead you smack dab into the perfect will of God
Let’s see what God has to say about Cares and Worry…
Cares-serious attention; caution: protection;
1. Matthew 6:30
And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

2. Luke 8:14
The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.)
3. 1 Corinthians 6:13b
But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.

4. 2 -Corinthians 7:15
Now he cares for you more than ever when he remembers the way all of you obeyed him and welcomed him with such fear and deep respect.

5. Ephesians 5:29
No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.

6. Philippians 2:20
I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare.

7. 1 Peter 5:6-7
6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Worry-to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret. to seize, esp. by the throat, with the teeth and shake or mangle, as one animal does another. to harass by repeated biting, snapping, a cause of uneasiness or anxiety; trouble
8. Matthew 6:25
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?

9. Matthew 6:28
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing,
10. Matthew 6:31
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’
11. Matthew 6:34
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
12. Matthew 7:3
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
13. Matthew 10:19
When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time.
14. Luke 12:22
[ Teaching about Money and Possessions ] Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear
15. Luke 12:26
And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
16. Luke 21:14
So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you,

17. Philippians 4:6-7 (New Living Translation)
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
• Now that we know that God cares about the little things in our lives, consider Saul. Soon to be King Saul
1 Sam 8:10-20 NLT
• make your men soldiers and slaves for him and your women will work as slaves too
• He will take a tenth of your cattle and the best of your flocks.
• God wanted to be their King, but because they had rejected God as the only one to lead them, they wanted a king like the other nations
• God chose Saul to be king on a day that Saul wasn’t even looking for God’s purpose, he was just looking for his father’s donkey’s
1 Sam 9 -10.
Saul was the most handsome man among the children of Israel that stood head and shoulders above all of them-taller than any of them
• One Day Kish’s (Saul’s wealthy father) donkey’s strayed away and Saul’s father asked him to go get them
• God cares about the things that concern you, even the asinine things
The Donkey’s
• Saul’s donkey’s represents our concerns, worries
• Donkeys were all purpose animals, the pick up trucks of Bible times
• Used for transportation, hauling and farming, they were necessities
• Even the poorest families owned them.
• Many donkeys were a sign of wealth, and to lose them was a disaster
• Saul’s father was very rich and evidence of his wealth
Sometimes we think stuff happens, but God uses these common events to lead us into our purpose, where He wants us to be.
• Good and bad circumstances are there for you to consider God’s purpose in them
• Maybe He is building a quality in you or leading you to seek and serve Him in a new area?
• The donkeys straying away were considered a divine appt for Saul
• The donkeys have been lost for 3 days and as far as 15 miles from Saul’s hometown
Saul ends up in Zuph- honeycomb and overflowing
• He is about to give up and his servant says I know a seer, or prophet, and everything he says comes true, let’s go to him
• They brought a sacrifice of Silver.
• Their sacrifice that day unlocked the purpose of God despite their worries and cares about their donkeys.
• Saul stops to talk to some young women, and they give him directions and Saul enters the town
• As they entered the town, Samuel the seer, the prophet was on his way to the high place
1 Sam 9:15-24
• Saul was only looking for his father’s donkey’s
• God is leading you to Zuph, in the face of your journey,
• Get up to the high place
God has a spot at the head of the table for you with the choice cut of meat,
It has been set aside for you, saved for you
1 Sam 10:5-6-7
• God want to take your worries and concerns and turn you into another person as the Spirit of God comes upon you with power.
• What if Saul wouldn’t have listened to his father that day, and said no?
Later Saul runs into his uncle and the uncle says where have you been?
• Went to look for my dad’s donkeys and we went to a prophet and He told us they had been found
• But never tells uncle that he was just anointed to be the very first King of Israel!
• By the way, Saul never actually brings the donkeys home.
• The very thing that sent him on his journey didn’t worry him anymore, He is the King of Israel.
When God brings a revelation of who He is, you are not concerned with money, issues, circumstances, he reveals His royalty, deity to you!
• Is it possible that God allowed these donkeys to stray from Saul’s house?
• Is it possible that God allows your dreams and visions to stray from you for the purpose of you getting in a lifetime journey with God?
• Saul to the Israelites was a picture of what we want but not necessarily what God wants for us
• God wanted to rule over Israel as a theocracy Himself, not a democracy with other men sharing it with Him
• Israel was very disobedient to God and very selfish, they wanted to be treated like the other nations of the world, having a King rule over them
• God wanted those other nations to be defeated in Joshua’s time, and because they weren’t, Israel faced great opposition later in life because of that
• Saul to the Israelites is a picture of selfishness, worry, and concern of the flesh
Conclusion
• Saul was just looking for his fathers donkeys, but God was looking to change his mentality
• It’s time to get to the high place because God has been saving the best for you
• Your greatest success is when you obey God, your greatest failures will come when you act on your own
• Strength and abilities make us useful, but our weaknesses make us usable
• Our skills and talents make us tools, but our failures and shortcomings remind us we need a craftsman in control of our lives
• Who’s in control of you? You or God?
Later on in 1 Sam 10 Saul’s inauguration was taking place and they looked for him because he had disappeared
• They had to ask the Lord where he was, and God said, He is hiding among the baggage.
• They brought him out and said, here he is the man that the Lord has chosen to be your King.
You might hide from God and where He wants you to be, but God knows where you are and will exalt you in due time.
• Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead to give you a brand new life
• That life is filled with different turns and winding roads.
• Don’t be afraid of Him or allow the worry and concerns of this life to get you down
• The Holy Spirit will take the pathway of worry and concern and reveal your destiny to you
• The things that worried you, the things that kept you up all night, are about to change, and God is going to release unto you the Kingdom.
17. Philippians 4:6-7 (New Living Translation)
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

God cares about your donkey’s.