What You Don't Know Will Hurt You

Notes: What You Don't Know Will Hurt You

Ephesians 6:10–18

SPEAKER:

Greg Laurie

WORSHIP TEAM:

Harvest Worship Band

SERIES:

The Good Fight: Winning the Spiritual Battle

Sunday, January 24, 2016 — 10:00 a.m.

Harvest America Special on TBN Monday at 7pm

Temptation is everywhere...it will follow you till your last breath.

Christians are a lot like tea bags, you don't know how they are until you put them in hot water.

Mike Tyson said one time, "Everyone is a fighter until they get hit."

Why does the devil do what he does? He knows his time is short.

Revelation 12:12 NKJV

[12] Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."

Knowing that Christ is coming is a good thing for Christians. For the devil it has a whole other meaning, his end will be here.

Matthew 8:29 NKJV

[29] And suddenly they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"

In the past there was a time that had a social advantage to being a Christian. Those days are gone.

We need to wake up, sober up and suit up!

1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 NKJV

[6] Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. [7] For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. [8] But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

We need to know the tactics of our enemy.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV

[11] lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

The Devils tactics are the same as they have always been. He comes as a lion, sheep, or snake, what ever the situation calls for.

The right creature can do just about anything. You give the devil an inch and he will take a mile.

Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV

[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. [13] Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. [14] Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, [15] and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; [16] above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. [17] And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; [18] praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-

Roman armor was several pieces and every piece was important.

1. We need to stand in God's strength, not our own!

Ephesians 6:10 NKJV

[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

We are not fighting for victory; we are fighting from victory.

The Devils chief aim is to separate us from God.

2. We need to put on the whole armor of God.

We don't pick and choose the pieces to put on, we put it all on.

The armor speaks of what God has done for you and what you do for God.

An unguarded strength is a double weakness.

Pride goes before a fall.

The utility belt of truth;

Ephesians 6:14 NKJV

[14] Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Girding your waist with truth;

Exodus 12:11 NKJV

[11] And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover.

It means you should be in a constant state of readiness.

The utility belt of truth represents a life that is pulled together and is ready to serve for the glory of God.

It also speaks of personal integrity.

If you're a hypocrite then all the other pieces of armor don't matter.

The worst thing you can do is to put on an act of being a Christian, but let your children see the real you that doesn't reflect a real Christian.

The Breastplate of Righteousness:

This is not what we have done for the Lord, but what the Lord has done for us.

The imputative righteousness of God. We are righteous because God is righteous and He gave us that.

We can approach God not because of the good I've done, but because of what God has done for me.

God has not given you a license to sin, what he has done for you should make you want to not sin.

2 Timothy 2:22 NKJV

[22] Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

You could be keeping yourself in a self imposed prison of sin and addiction. God has given you freedom! Don't stay in the cell of addiction and misery. You can walk through the prison door. Jesus said "It is finished".

Pastor Saeed is free, Greg had a chance to speak to him the other day. Saeed told him they tortured him and they had very good tactics of trying to break him. 

Saeed stayed strong in his faith and helped bring other prisoners in Iran to faith.

God is faithful!

Current Events and How They Relate to End-Times

Notes: Special guest Joel Rosenberg discusses current events and how they relate to end-times. 
Joel Rosenberg
Daniel 7
SPEAKERS:
Jeff Lasseigne
Joel Rosenberg
MUSICAL GUEST:
Steve Wiggins
WORSHIP TEAM:
Harvest Worship Band

Sunday, January 17, 2016 — 10:00 a.m.

Joel is telling us about his new book The First Hostage.

Radical Islam is a very serious threat. They want to attack us, Apocalyptic Islam is even worse, they don't want to just attack us, they want to kill all of us to usher in the end times as they see it. 

Joel has moved to Israel, he is now a dual citizen.

Joel is going to meet with Pastor Greg's tour  to Israel this year and help guide the participants. He thinks that as a Christian that this is a perfect time to visit Israel.

We are talking about the difference between Bible Eschatology and Islamic Eschatology. There are big differences.

27% of the Bible is prophecy, 1 in 4 verses. Many have come to pass but many are also yet to come and pass.

Joel says that a lot of the people who preach Bible prophecy are crazy, and many people think that is everyone that teaches it. But that is not true of all of the teachers.

Israel as a country right now is fulfilled prophecy.

What's the difference between Apocalyptic Islam Eschatology and Biblical Eschatology? 

John 10:10 NKJV
[10] The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

This verse describes to us exactly the opposites that Jesus and Satan represent.

Radical Islam wants to attack while Apocalyptic Islam wants to eliminate us. Radicals want us out of the Middle East, Apocalyptic want us dead.

All Muslims believe that the world will end, but only 10% believe it can be ushered in with violence.

With 1.3 billion Muslim in the world, that means over 100 million believe in the violence it takes to usher in the end of world times.

Daniel 7:13-14,22-27 NKJV
[13] "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. [14] Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed. [22] until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. [23] "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces. [24] The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings. [25] He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time. [26] 'But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever. [27] Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.'

Jewish people that believe the Bible believe that God is coming to establish His kingdom.

Jeremiah 23:5-6 NKJV
[5] "Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. [6] In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Isaiah 9:6 NKJV
[6] For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

As followers of Jesus, we see that Jesus came to fulfill these prophecies.

Matthew 3:2 NKJV
[2] and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

Matthew 4:12,17,23-24 NKJV
[12] Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. [17] From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." [23] And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. [24] Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

In Syria there is a war raging today, the Islamic people have been expecting this through their Islamic prophecies.

The Christian Church is to loive their neighbors and enemies.

John 6:15 NKJV
[15] Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Jesus had no intention of becoming a geopolitical King on his first coming.

John 3:3 NKJV
[3] Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

You can't enter the Kingdom unless you receive and are adopted into the kingdom by Jesus Christ.

The similarities are we both believe that our books have prophecies to the end of days, we both believe the messiah will be king.

Islam teaches that their prophecies are correct. Islam teaches a violent physical battle, the Bible teaches a spiritual battle. Islam teaches to kill the enemy, the Bible teaches to love your enemy.

We know that the Islamic prophecies are false and the Biblical prophecies are correct.

Are you living the way the Bible teaches? Are you engaging others to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them?

Pastor Saeed has been released yesterday. He has shared the gospel with the prisoners he was in prison with in Iran and many have come to faith.

The Events of the End Times

Notes: The Events of the End Times
SPEAKER:
Greg Laurie
SPECIAL GUEST:
Don Stewart
WORSHIP TEAM:
Harvest Worship Band
Thursday, January 7, 2016 — 7:00 p.m.

Don Stewart wrote a book series called the Afterlife series.

Terrorism is rampant. ISIS is recruiting via social media, something no one has ever done yet. ISIS wants to slaughter thousands in the new year.

Caliphate is an idea of Muslim ruling over the whole world. Sunni's are fighting Shiites and they both want to eliminate Christians.

Matthew 24:2 NKJV
[2] And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

Fear is in the air.

Ezekiel 37-39 is writings of prophecy that could be describing our current times.

Ezekiel 37:1-28 NKJV
[1] The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. [2] Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. [3] And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know." [4] Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! [5] Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. [6] I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD."'" [7] So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. [8] Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. [9] Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live."'" [10] So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. [11] Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!' [12] Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. [13] Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. [14] I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it," says the LORD.'" [15] Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, [16] "As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: 'For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.' Then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.' [17] Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand. [18] "And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, 'Will you not show us what you mean by these?'- [19] say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand."' [20] And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes. [21] "Then say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; [22] and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. [23] They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God. [24] "David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. [25] Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children's children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever. [26] Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. [27] My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. [28] The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore."'"

Ezekiel 38:1-23 NKJV
[1] Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, [2] "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, [3] and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. [4] I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. [5] Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; [6] Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops-many people are with you. [7] "Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them. [8] After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. [9] You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you." [10] 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: [11] You will say, 'I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates'- [12] to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. [13] Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, 'Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?'"' [14] "Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "On that day when My people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it? [15] Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. [16] You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes." [17] Thus says the Lord GOD: "Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them? [18] "And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel," says the Lord GOD, "that My fury will show in My face. [19] For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: 'Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, [20] so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.' [21] I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains," says the Lord GOD. "Every man's sword will be against his brother. [22] And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. [23] Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD."'

Ezekiel 39:1-29 NKJV
[1] "And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal; [2] and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel. [3] Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand, and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand. [4] You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. [5] You shall fall on the open field; for I have spoken," says the Lord GOD. [6] "And I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in security in the coastlands. Then they shall know that I am the LORD. [7] So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. [8] Surely it is coming, and it shall be done," says the Lord GOD. "This is the day of which I have spoken. [9] "Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years. [10] They will not take wood from the field nor cut down any from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons; and they will plunder those who plundered them, and pillage those who pillaged them," says the Lord GOD. [11] "It will come to pass in that day that I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel, the valley of those who pass by east of the sea; and it will obstruct travelers, because there they will bury Gog and all his multitude. Therefore they will call it the Valley of Hamon Gog. [12] For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land. [13] Indeed all the people of the land will be burying, and they will gain renown for it on the day that I am glorified," says the Lord GOD. [14] "They will set apart men regularly employed, with the help of a search party, to pass through the land and bury those bodies remaining on the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search. [15] The search party will pass through the land; and when anyone sees a man's bone, he shall set up a marker by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog. [16] The name of the city will also be Hamonah. Thus they shall cleanse the land."' [17] "And as for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, 'Speak to every sort of bird and to every beast of the field: "Assemble yourselves and come; Gather together from all sides to My sacrificial meal Which I am sacrificing for you, A great sacrificial meal on the mountains of Israel, That you may eat flesh and drink blood. [18] You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, Drink the blood of the princes of the earth, Of rams and lambs, Of goats and bulls, All of them fatlings of Bashan. [19] You shall eat fat till you are full, And drink blood till you are drunk, At My sacrificial meal Which I am sacrificing for you. [20] You shall be filled at My table With horses and riders, With mighty men And with all the men of war," says the Lord GOD. [21] "I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them. [22] So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day forward. [23] The Gentiles shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they were unfaithful to Me, therefore I hid My face from them. I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. [24] According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them, and hidden My face from them."' [25] "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name- [26] after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid. [27] When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, [28] then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer. [29] And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord GOD."

The alliance of Iran and Russia could be the alliance described in Revelation.

The Golan Heights has just been found to have a massive reserve of oil there.

Genesis 12:1-3 NKJV
[1] Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. [2] I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. [3] I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

New conflict between Saudi Arabia who are Sunni and they are  in a dispute with Iran.

North Korea and Iran are in alliance together and both of them are against the U.S.

Order of events of the End Times:
First the Rapture, , Armageddon, Ant-Christ, then the Great Tribulation period, then Abomination of Desolation, then judgement and wrath of God, then Tribulation Saints, then an awakening.

Armageddon is a battle that will be fought in the valley of Megiddo.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 NKJV
[17] Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 NKJV
[9] For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Why do people want to destroy Israel? It is super natural.

We are all going somewhere for all of eternity we just don't know where.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 NKJV
[18] Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Death is a loss, but those of us with Christ have hope. 

Someday all of the wrongs will be made right.

There will be rewards for the faithful in Christ. Judgement seat of Christ as a Christian is more of a reward ceremony then a Judgement.

God sends no one to Hell, people send themselves there.

If you live everyday as it is your last, one day you will be right.

Hebrews 9:27 NKJV
[27] And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV
[7] For we walk by faith, not by sight.

1 Samuel 2:30 NKJV
[30] Therefore the LORD God of Israel says: 'I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.' But now the LORD says: 'Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

2 Timothy 4:7 NKJV
[7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

1 John 5:12-13 NKJV
[12] He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. [13] These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

To have the Son is to believe in Jesus Christ.

You can't be born a Christian, you have to be born again.

It's All How You Look at Things

Notes: It's All How You Look at Things

Numbers 13

Joshua 14

SPEAKER:

Greg Laurie

WORSHIP TEAM:

Harvest Worship Band

Welcome to Harvest Sunday Morning!

Sunday, January 3, 2016 — 10:00 a.m.

You are in a spiritual battle as a believer, do you want to advance or retreat?

It's 2016!! Where's my spaceship?

Time passes at the same rate always, yet as we get it older it seems to go faster. We actually have less new experiences as we get older, and it is said that is why it seems to go faster.

We don't know what the new year holds but we know who holds the year.

This year there will be opportunities as well as obstacles.

God has a plan, He always has a plan.

Daniel 4:35 NKJV

[35] All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"

With our eyes on the Lord we can rest assured that He will do great things.

We can make this our best year ever!

Hebrews 12:1 NKJV

[1] Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

What may be a weight to one, may not necessarily be a weight to another.

There are relationships or an activity that may not be bad in general but they are holding you back spiritually.

Are the things you doing a wing or a weight?

Where should you be looking? If you are driving, you can should be looking ahead. As a Christian you should be looking towards Jesus. Where I look affects how I live.

How we view God determines how we view life. There is no area of your life that this view does not affect you.

Numbers 13:25-28 NKJV

[25] And they returned from spying out the land after forty days. [26] Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. [27] Then they told him, and said: "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. [28] Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.

Numbers 13:30-33 NKJV

[30] Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." [31] But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." [32] And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. [33] There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."

Numbers 14:1-2 NKJV

[1] So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. [2] And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!

All these 12 men saw the same thing, yet they saw it differently.

The majority saw all kinds of problems. They have a small god. The minority have a big God and saw all the opportunity available to them.

Do you look at things with faith or with concern?

God will always honor His word when it goes out.

Why they didn't enter the land of Milk and Honey:

1. They focused their attention on the obstacles instead of their objective.

Numbers 13:28 NKJV

[28] Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.

2. When you allow fear to grip you, everything is affected.

Numbers 14:2-4 NKJV

[2] And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! [3] Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" [4] So they said to one another, "Let us select a leader and return to Egypt."

Had they forgotten how bad things were in Egypt?

God can do more with 300 believers the he can with 10,000 half hearted followers.

4. God does not want us to run from our giants, He wants us to attack them!

Numbers 14:9 NKJV

[9] Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them."

Addiction, gluttony, fear, or a threat, we are to attack them with our faith in God to be with us.

Force your giant into the light of day! Call on God and pray for his power. You don't negotiate with giants, you cut off its head.

1 Samuel 17:51 NKJV

[51] Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

How do we attack our giants? You attack the power that controls the person, satan. God will hear your prayers.

Your don't have to live in a wilderness, you can enter the land of milk and honey:

Joshua 14:7-12 NKJV

[7] I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. [8] Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God. [9] So Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children's forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.' [10] And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the LORD spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. [11] As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. [12] Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the LORD said."

When God gives you the strength, you can do whatever the Lord calls you to do. Louie Zamparini is a perfect example of this.

Even though Caleb was older, he had not lost his strength.

Caleb's secret to spiritual longevity was his complete faith in the Lord.

No matter what you are facing, God is stronger than your obstacles, with your faith in Him you can overcome them.

The Talk

Notes: The Talk

SPEAKER:

Jeff Lasseigne

WORSHIP TEAM:

Harvest Worship Band

Welcome to Harvest Sunday Morning!

Sunday, December 27, 2015 — 8:00 a.m.

Pastor Jeff wants to speak to us about money today.

Someone once wrote, they say money talks, mine is always saying goodbye.

The Money Talk… about savings and not being foolish. God’s word has given us wisdom to practice with money. There are over 2000 verses in Bible discussing money.

Proverbs 24:3-4 NLT A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

1- Tithing
Proverbs 3:9 NLT Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.

Haggai 1:6 NLT You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!

You can do more with the Lord and 90% then you can do alone with 100%.

Look to discover the blessings of tithing. If you sow sparingly then you will reap sparingly.

2- Stewardship

Nothing truly belongs to us.

Job 1:21 NLT He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”

1 Corinthians 4:2 NLT Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.

Honor the Lord and seek Him in every major financial decision. Pray to the Lord about everything. Nothing belongs to you so ask the Lord what He wants to do with His things.

Do not follow the typical American way of living beyond your means.

3- Contentment

1 Timothy 6:6 NLT Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.

Contentment helps us not to waste time seeking riches.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 NLT Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!

Proverbs 23:4 NLT Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.

Do not make the critical mistake in sacrificing the family in order to make more money in order to buy more things. Dinner time, school plays, sports games with you family is not only priceless but also irreplaceable.

4- Low Debt

Romans 13:8 NLT Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.

Buying a house to build equity can be wise, running up your credit card debt is a really bad idea.

Proverbs 22:7 NLT Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.

Eliminate or minimize the debt that is in your life.

Financial freedom is not just keeping your debt low, but also living below your means.

Money makes a good servant, but a terrible master.

5-Wisdom

Knowing to live within you means.

6-Savings

Proverbs 21:20 NKJV There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.

Proverbs 22:3 NKJV A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.

We need to put away for difficult times and retirement.

Proverbs 13:16 NKJV Every prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool lays open his folly.

2 Peter 3:9 NKJV The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

7-Life Insurance

James 4:13-14 NKJV Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

When you purchase life insurance, you have the ability to leave a house and income for your family.

8- Will/Living Trust

If you do not decide how to spend your money after your death, then the government will at a very high cost.

Being a good steward calls us to do these things.

Proverbs 13:22 NKJV A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

Proverbs 30:8-9 NLT First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.

If you love God then you love His word.

2 Timothy 3:16 NLT All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

When you read God’s word, you are inhaling what the Holy Spirit exhaled thousands of years ago.

As we spend time reading and studying scripture, we receive huge returns. It will pay huge spiritual dividends in your life.

God’s word, makes us complete in our faith and it equips us for good work.

BASIC TIPS: for improving your devotional time;

1- Foundational - Commit to daily devotions.

We need to be in the word everyday, it is as important as eating food or drinking water.

2- Make a plan

There are so many ways to study God’s word, like reading through the Bible in a year.