The Gifts That Keep On Giving

Notes: The Gifts That Keep On Giving

Ephesians 4 / Romans 12

Pastor Greg Laurie

SERIES: Live, Love, Fight

Thursday, April 9, 2015 — 7:00 p.m.

Ephesians 4:11 NKJV

[11] And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

1. Apostles- from the Bible, their words were given to them by God.

Acts 17:11 NKJV

[11] These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

The Bible tells us there will be false apostles in end times.

2 Corinthians 11:14 NKJV

[14] And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

2. Prophets - they have a message. In many cases they predicted the future.

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 NKJV

[21] And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?'- [22] when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

There will be false prophets in end times as well.

There are times when the Lord will speak through you. The Lord can give you the words to speak.

3. Evangelist- "bearers of good news"

You don't have to be a preacher to be an evangelist.

4. Pastor/Teachers - it is their job to feed the flock of God.

The greatest need in the church today is for practical clear Biblical exposition.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 NKJV

[2] Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. [3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; [4] and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

Tell us what the Bible says, not your opinion.

Harvest offers theology without apology.

Ephesians 4:12 NKJV

[12] for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

Right now about 1500 people at Harvest volunteer. This is a church of people that get involved.

"Equipping" is meant as to restore to original condition.

Romans 12:6-8 NKJV

[6] Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; [7] or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; [8] he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

If you have a gift, use it well.

There is a God-given gift of exhortation.

Acts 14:22 NKJV

[22] strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."

Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV

[24] And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, [25] not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

There is a spiritual gift of giving.

You don't have to be rich with money to give.

Jesus Christ said where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Malachi 3:10 NKJV

[10] Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

10% to 20% in a congregation give regularly.

1 Corinthians 16:2 NKJV

[2] On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

There is a spiritual gift of showing kindness and mercy.

There are those that give comfort to those in need.

Preaching is not the only gift out there. One is not better than the other.

Ephesians 4:15-16 NKJV

[15] but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ- [16] from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

We all have a part to play and everybody matters.

We were all babies at one time, but we grow up. Some Christians act like big babies still. It's time to grow up.

1. We know little kids can be fickle.

They can be unstable.

2. Babies - They want it now!

3. Children like exciting new things.

Hebrews 5:12 NKJV

[12] For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

The children must realize that they are children.

As a child, they must know that they are vulnerable.

You have to make sure they do not fall between the cracks,

Ephesians 4:14 NKJV

[14] that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

1 Peter 5:8 NKJV

[8] Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Our family is the church and Jesus Christ founded our organization.

We are a family in Christ!

You Are Who God Says You Are

Notes: Easter Message

Pastor JUD WILHITE

Central Christian Church

April 5, 2015

Las Vegas, NV

Easter seems to have the get too and the have too sides.

The get too, seemed to be the candy and the egg hunts as a child. The have too was the going to church in the uncomfortable clothes side.

Over time the pastor said he went from believing in God to becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. He said he isn't better then anyone else, but he was following someone, Jesus, that is better than everyone else.

Jesus Christ and Easter is all about what He can do in our lives.

Luke 24:1-6 NKJV

[1] Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. [2] But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. [3] Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. [4] And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. [5] Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? [6] He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,

These verses are the Easter story.

Over a billion people are celebrating this today. This is what divides our calendar.

You get to receive a new life from Jesus.

John 3:16 NKJV

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Jesus Christ doesn't come to fix you, He comes to make you new. It doesn't matter your past.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

[17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

It doesn't say a little better, it says new!

We now belong to Christ. Your past isn't fatal because Jesus Christ can set you free.

You are not the sum total of your mistakes; you are who God says you are.

That is the hope of Easter.

Are we going to live in our new life or get sucked back into our old destructive ways?

Jesus Christ came to bring life not, only to this life, but the one to come also.

As we get older, we can still find joy because Christ conquered death.

John 11:25-26 NKJV

[25] Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. [26] And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

That is the resurrection question.

Do you believe this? Only you can answer that.

Never Give Up!

Notes: Valor - Never Give Up

Pastor a John Collins

March 31, 2015

Harvest OC

Sometimes we take compromise for charity, and sometimes we decide to put up with what we should put out.

Acts 21:1-14 NKJV

[1] Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. [2] And finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. [3] When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo. [4] And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem. [5] When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed. [6] When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home. [7] And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day. [8] On the next day we who were Paul's companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. [9] Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. [10] And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. [11] When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" [12] Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. [13] Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." [14] So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done."

This would be the end of Paul's third missionary tour.

The end of chapter 20 marks the beginning of the final chapters of Paul's life. This was a crossroads moment for Paul. He had been on missionary tours for over 20 years now.  He has about 12 years left in ministry and his life at this point. This is when many of the books of the Bible were written.

The elders of Tyre during Paul's stay there said he should not be going to Jerusalem also. Paul didn't know what was going to happen but God was preparing him.

Some say the prophecies were a warning to Paul of what was coming.

Jesus Christ and Paul at different times were being driven to Jerusalem even though many warned them both.

God had a plan for Paul's suffering. His feet may have been bound but his hands were free to write. So in Paul’s suffering he produced many writings that are in the Bible.

2 Corinthians 4:17 NKJV

[17] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,

These people loved Paul and were trying to protect him, but Paul continued on. They saw it, as the will of the Lord will be done.

Paul was coming back to Jerusalem with monetary gifts for the poor there. He was also bringing back a great message.

When Paul was in Jerusalem he was staying with Phillip, this is 20 years later after Paul, as Saul, chased Phillip out of town as he persecuted Christians.

Acts 21:17-25 NKJV

[17] And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. [18] On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. [19] When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. [20] And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; [21] but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. [22] What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. [23] Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow. [24] Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law. [25] But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality."

Paul was getting the wind from his sails when he heard the Jews in Jerusalem were unhappy that he was preaching to Gentiles and not observing mosaic laws.

They wanted him to compromise and he chose to appease.

Observing the old law, no one will be justified.

We cannot achieve principles by observing compromise!

Paul's motive was correct, but it was a bad plan.

A spoonful of sugar does not help the "Gospel" go down. Mary Poppins Evangelism doesn't work!

We are sinners and the Gospel will sting and that is what makes us change our way.

You cannot go along just to get along and compromise the Gospel.

Love requires the truth.

If we fail to tell people that Jesus Christ came, was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life and suffered a horrible death then we have let them down and haven't loved them.

To walk the line in this world and to act as a Christian is a miserable existence. You are not being true to yourself.

Acts 21:26-30 NKJV

[26] Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them. [27] Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, [28] crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place." [29] (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) [30] And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.

This entire plan to hide Paul was completely exposed by these Jews from Asia.

The church in Jerusalem was week only 20 years later. Paul seemed to be alone defending the true Word.

God took this viscous crowd and turned them into the audience Paul was looking for.

Acts 21:31-40 NKJV

[31] Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. [32] He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. [33] Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done. [34] And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another. So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks. [35] When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. [36] For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, "Away with him!" [37] Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, "May I speak to you?" He replied, "Can you speak Greek? [38] Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?" [39] But Paul said, "I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people." [40] So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,

This crowd heard him speak in their native tongues.

God will redeem us in our failures.

If you fail don't give up.