Sermons Archives: March 2021

Victorious

Posted on Mar 26, 2021 | Download

Luke 1:37 "For the word of God will never fail." Other translations say, "For nothing is impossible with God." "Nothing is impossible. Every chain is breakable. With you, we are Victorious. -More Than Conquerors, Rend Collective. The truth is simple. God is able. He does not fail. He is faithful, slow to anger, rich in mercy. He is love. He is peace. He is just. He is real. His word, Jesus Christ, triumphed over sin and the grave. In so doing, You broke every chain and yoke of slavery of sin from Adam & Eve til forever. What must we do in light of this? Respond. "Mary responded, 'I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true.'" Luke 1:38a God, my heart is the same. Your way, over mine. Your plan, over mine. You, over me. I see the chains You have broken; help me not pick them up and carry them through my life as useless baggage. For I was bound by sin, shame, and wasting away. You offered me love and freedom. I believed. So, I now walk in Light and Hope with purpose and authority in Christ. Nothing is impossible, You do not fail. With You, I am, victorious. In Jesus name I pray, trust, and rest...selah...Amen

Driven and Tossed

Posted on Mar 26, 2021 | Download

Again they entered Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?” “I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!” They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. But do we dare say it was merely human?” For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone believed that John was a prophet. So they finally replied, “We don’t know.” And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.” Mark 11:27-33 Just a couple days before, Jesus had entered Jerusalem on a colt while people gathered to sing His praises. The following day, Jesus entered the Temple and drove out all the moneychangers and people buying and selling. The day after, as they come to the Temple area, the leaders are asking Him by what authority He does these things. It is sad to think that the religious leaders of the day had no standards by which to base their answers: they talked out of both sides of their mouths. They had to talk it over amongst themselves. They were afraid of the people and afraid to look bad, so they would not even take a stance. What happens to people who have NO standard? No plumb line? The Word of God is to be our standard and plumb line-our very foundation built on the Solid Rock! “I will test you with the measuring line of justice and the PLUMB LINE of righteousness. Since your refuge is made of lies, a hailstorm will knock it down. Since it is made of deception, a flood will sweep it away.” Isaiah 28:17 So many are living in houses built on the sand of lies and deception of the world. They are afraid of the people and afraid to look bad, so they have no values or beliefs and talk out of both sides of their mouths. There is a powerful remedy for this sickness of deception: it is the wisdom of God! “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea DRIVEN AND TOSSED by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:5-8 We shouldn’t expect to receive the remedy of God’s wisdom through unbelief. We must return to the foundation that is The Word of God, the plumb line, the standard, and BELIEVE! The waves are like the circumstances of our lives: they are unpredictable and ever-changing, and they’ll knock a house down FLAT that is built on the sand of lies and deception. If we build our beliefs on our perspective or the world’s perspective of life experiences, we will be swept out to sea. EVERY. TIME! Precious Father, thank You for the plumb line of Your Word that shows us as in a mirror where we’re not lining up. Continue to reveal to me my own heart and how it doesn’t measure up to Your standard because I long to be more like You! Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight oh Lord my Rock and my Redeemer! Oh I love You, Yeshua! Amen!

Time to Multiply & Pass It On

Posted on Mar 11, 2021 | Download

"And the Lord has given both him and Oholiah son of Ahisamach, of the tribe Dan, the ability to teach their skills to others. The Lord has given them special skills as engravers, designers, embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet thread on fine linen cloth, and weavers. They excel as craftsman and designers." Exodus 35:34-35 The Lord gives good gifts to His children. He gives talent, skills, and ability. Along with these gifts, He gives His children the ability to teach. They can pass on God's gifting to others! And not like "passing on" so that they are empty handed but teaching it forward to another. Not less for self, but more for all. That is amazing! Incredible, actually. That God would pass on His blessing/anointing on His people through His people...that gifting was designed by God to multiply & transfer like this is stunning. How do I live this? What gifting do I have? What are my talents, skills, abilities? Am I even aware that I have gifts from God? Do I live in such a way that promotes the teaching and passing on of the gifting, talents, and ability God has given me? Not in forced authority, but in the humility of a servant, like Jesus was a servant. Do I multiply God's gifts to me? God, reveal to me what I have shut my eyes to. Reveal what gifts You have given me. Reveal the talent and ability that I have deemed, natural. Help me find new ways to share, to pass on, to teach on. You have created this system of multiplication & transfer, forgive me for not working within it. God may you see a return on the gifts in these upcoming months and years, more than You have ever seen. I want to be a good steward and see others know You more & not lack in anything. In Jesus name I pray and trust, Amen

Faith Bears Fruit

Posted on Mar 11, 2021 | Download

Mark 11:12-14 "The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Then Jesus said to the tree, 'May no one ever eat your fruit again!' And the disciples heard him say it." Mark 11: 20-22 "The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, 'Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!' Then Jesus said to the disciples, 'Have faith in God.'" This tree was guilty of “false advertising”, as Guzik says: if a fig tree had leaves, it would normally also have figs; “This tree was cursed because it professed to have fruit, but did not”. Just after Jesus cursed the fig tree, they went into Jerusalem, entered the Temple and Jesus began driving out the people who were buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He turned over the tables of the money changers saying, “My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations, but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” This is often called the cleansing of the Temple. Jesus was turning the tables on their twisted traditions and beginning to usher in His New Covenant whereby any could come to Him through FAITH. The next morning, the disciples noticed the fig tree had withered “from the roots up”—this tree that professed to have fruit was deteriorating from its source: it had been planted in the poison of self-righteousness and pride. It would be destroyed from the inside out because of its faulty foundation. As soon as Peter brings attention to it, Jesus’ response is: “Have faith in God.” “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” Romans 3:22 The Pharisees and teachers of religious law wanted to be made right through their works-especially the works they determined were right. But Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “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.” “Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been FIRMLY ROOTED and now being built up in Him and established in your FAITH, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” Colossians 2:6-7 And this faith, firmly rooted in Christ, ALWAYS BEARS FRUIT, fruit that will last! Precious Father, thank You for the New Covenant in Jesus whereby we can come through faith in The Risen Savior! Just like the fig tree withered from its roots, what we are rooted in is so vitally important: help us never to trust in our own righteousness or rituals-it is through faith in Christ we are saved and through the Holy Spirit living in us that we bear fruit! Help us to be diligent to come continually to The Source through The Word of God and prayer and worship! We love You, Jesus! Amen!

Scar Check-Ups

Posted on Mar 4, 2021 | Download

"But if the area grows no larger and does not spread, it is merely a scar from the boil, and the priest will pronounce the person ceremonially clean...But if the infected area has not changed or spread on the skin, and has faded, it is simply swelling from the burn. The priest will then pronounce the person ceremonially clean, for it is only the scar from the burn." Lev 13:23 & 28 Have you ever been burned or had a blister? Have you ever scratched a scar? Depending upon on how recent the wound this can really do a number on you. Young scars, fresh scars can be easily reopened. Deep scars, from great wounds, can damage the nerves on the skin and result in loss of feeling in that area. When one of these deep scars are scratched there can be such a lack of awareness, remember you lost your feeling, that you walk around bleeding on everything you touch. New scar, old, or deep there are big reasons that we need regular scar check ups. God, here are my scars. Have any of them been scratched recently? Are You wanting to restore healing or feeling? Is there something growing under the scar that needs tending to, an infection, perhaps? Is that why I am sensitive there? Is that why I am unconsciously protecting that space from anything that gets close? Unseen infections may require a reopening & cleaning. Lord, I am going to be real honest; I don't want to do this. I don't want to revisit this wound. I hate the scar. Seeing it makes me feel shame and disgust with myself. Now you want to open and expose it to the air? God, the air hurts open wounds. I will feel everything. Why? You know I can't do this alone. Do I trust You to take care of me here, vulnerable, exposed? I am scared. What if....what if it is unclean-able. I want to be more than "ceremonially" clean. Okay Lord, You are the High Priest. You are the One who makes me white as snow. Take my scars. You are the Great Physician. I trust You will heal me. You are the only one who speaks, "You are clean!" I receive the healing. I receive the freedom. By Your stripes, I am healed. Help me walk like one who is Clean and look at my scars for their sacrality*. Amen. *For more on the *Sacrality of Scars listen to Pastor Tony's sermon from April 14th, 2020.

God is calling, trust His timing!

Posted on Mar 3, 2021 | Download

“One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:16-17‬ ‭ God has a call for all of us and he wants us to walk in it. I know for me, if I don’t know all the details of what to do next in my life, I can come to a place where I don’t do anything. I freeze because I just don’t want to miss what God has for me or I freeze because I’m scared, or because I think God might forget about me. I love this passage and how it paints a picture of the disciples doing something with their lives until Jesus calls them. I believe God uses every season of our lives to get us ready for the next. So even if we may not be doing exactly what we want to, we should still remain faithful, trusting that he will come through for us. He will guide us to our calling, we don’t have to freeze, be afraid, or fret.