Tuesday, September 23, 2008

• Gen 13: 11 We all live under a borrowed authority. We live under borrowed anointing.
• "Lot chose for himself" - Lot was a selfish man. He lived only for himself, not the vision of his father.
• Honour your father and your mother - this extends to your spirtual father!
• To be a man of authority, you have to submit to authority.
• Abraham loved Lot and Lot was closer to Abraham than anyone else. But Lot did not adopt Abraham as his father. God's house can only be built on those who share the same genetic code as their pastor!

2. The son serves the vision of the house

• Gen 14:14 Abraham had 318 servants, but they got his spiritual DNA.
• Phil 2:20 Paul had Timonthy as a spiritual son.
• "like-minded" means carrying the same spirit.
• V21 Sonship requires a dying to self - "not my will, but yours be done"
• V22 Timonthy had proven worth. Being a son is not by confession, but sonship is proven under extreme pressure when serving. A son serves the father by interpreting his dreams.

3. The son shares the pride in the house

• Provb 17:6 Fathers take pride in their children.
• "And the glory of children is their father" - that is a healthy pride.
• Be proud of the house you were planted in.

4. The son accepts discipline in the house

• Hebrews 12:5-7 "For whom the Lord loves He chastens"
• It is the willingness to be disciplined that qualifies us to be sons and daughters.
• Hebrews 12:11 The true son receives correction with humility.
• Psalms 51:7 God desires a broken spirit and a contrite heart. Only broken people can God use.

5. The son gives birth to children

• True sons and daughters are givers of life.
• Love: desire to give at the expense of self.
• Lust: desire to take just to please self.

The truest of all sons is Jesus. Hebrews 12:2 Jesus gave His life to build God a house!

Leaving a foot step - 9:24 AM

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

• A biological son/ daughter carries the genetic code of their parents.
• A spiritual son/ daughter carries the spiritual quality of the house (in terms of attitude, faith and values).

1 Cor 15 What is true in the natural is true in the spiritual.

If you don't hold the values of your pastor etc, you are not a citizen of the church, but merely a guest.

Phil 2:19-23 "that as a son with his father" Likeminded = carrying the same spirit, attitude, outlook of life. Timonthy will instinctively care for people like what Paul did. He carried Paul's spiritual DNA!

A servant needs to be told what to do. The son doesn't; he just does it.

Phil 2:21 Paul says that sons are rare because "all seek their own". The heart of man is naturally self-interested (as long as I'm paid, I work. Otherwise, I don't). But a son, "not my will, but your will be done". Sonship requires the dying to self, flesh, ego, career, life.

Luke 16

Recall: 3 ways that promotion will come:

1. By being faithful in the little things

• How faithful are you when nobody tells you what to do?

2. By being faithful with money

• Tithes, pledges
• Luke 16:11 When wer are faithful with our money, we will get the true riches of Heaven.

3. By being faithful in your (spiritual) Father's vision

• Eventually, our Father will give us a vision
• Luke 16:12

Timonthy did not know Paul until later in his life. He became a son by choice. Adoption works 2 ways!

John 6

Many are servants, but sons are hard to find. Servants can be water baptised and baptised in the spirit, but sons are baptised in the spirit of the house.

Genesis 12:7-8 "Bethel": house of God. First time Bethel was mentioned

Genesis 13:1-4 Second time Bethal was mentioned.

Genesis 28:10-12

• The house of God is the place of visions and dreams.
• V12 The angels are bringing requests to God and visions and dreams to us.
• The house of God is the gate of Heaven.
• V18
• The house of God is the altar of God on earth.
• Abraham gave a tenth, so did Jacob.

Leaving a foot step - 9:50 AM

• Don't think: What is the least I can do to pass school? Instead, we ought to think: How can I be better in my school work?
• Think prosperous, victorous thoughts!

2. Critical thoughts

• If you are nit-picking all the time, there will be no joy in your life.

3. Negative thoughts

• Thinking the worst about people all the time.
• We need to remove the thought that God is waiting to punish us!

We are much greater on the inside than ont he outside because we have the Holy Spirit with us.

We need to change the way we think about:

A. Who we are in God

• Matt 14:25-32 "if it is You, command me to come to You on the water" - why did Paul say that?
• Let's look back into history.
• 1st level of education - Beit Sefer (first 5 books of the Bible) House of books.
• 2nd level of education - Beit Talmund (rest of the books) House of learning.
• 3rd level of education - Beit Midrash (learn from the Rabi)
• The best of the best, will be chosen by the Rabi with the words "come, follow me".
• When Jesus said "come, follow me", the apostles immediately followed Him. This availability meant that they were not under any Rabi and were not the cream of the crop.
• Every Rabi has his own interpretation of the Bible, called the yoke. When Jesus said that His yoke is light, He was speaking that as a Rabi.
• When the apostles knew that they could cast out demons, they were excited because they knew that they were becoming like Jesus.
• Paul was thinking: If my Rabi could do this, I can do that too. When the winds came, he was not doubting Jesus - Jesus was standing on the water in front of him! - he was doubting himself.
• The Rabi will not choose those who he believes is not worthy. .: As much as we have faith in God, He has faith in us! We have tremendous faith to do change in the world!

B. What is important to God

• We can be busy doing the good things that we miss out the best.
• Story of the boy, his shells, and a starfish. From here.
  
  "I close with a story from Rob Bell I just heard this week. He tells of a time when he was walking on the beach with his wife and two boys. The boys were picking up seashells along the beach and carrying them. Suddenly, the older son saw a huge starfish floating in the ocean. He ran out in the water to get it, went about up to his knees and then came running back. He was crying, and his family encouraged him to go get the starfish. He ran out again, seeking the big prize, and got about waist high in the water, closer to the starfish, but then came running back again. Encouraged by his family, he made a third trip out, got right up next to his prize, but came crying back without it. His family could not understand why he had returned without it. In tears, as he held up both of his fists clenching all that he had picked up along the beach, he replied, "I couldn't get it, because my hands are full of shells."

C. Our giving to God

• Do we really care for the poor and needy?
• What is the reason behind the giving?
• We should tithe not forgetting the needy.
• More than anything else, God wants our hearts.
• Psalms 50 God says, if I were hungry, I will not tell you.
• Cor We should give what we have decided to give in our hearts.
• If you know the thoughts of God, you will know your future.
• Work WITH God, not against God!

Leaving a foot step - 9:32 AM

• If you are not plugged in, you won't be able to download God's 'free applications'.

• Even Jesus faced storms! But He had faith!
• The negatives are not from God, but God gives us the ability to face Satan.
• Romans 8:18-21
• Gal 3:13-14 "Blessings of Abraham" Abraham is the father of faith!
• Romans 4:17 "calls those things who do not exist as though they did"
• Romans 4:18-21 Faith is believing that God's promises will come to past! What God puts in our hearts, He is able to perform.
• Mark 11:22 Have the faith of God! Faith is in our hearts and mouths. You are commanded by God to have faith!
• Matt 8:5-13 As you have believed, so let it be done unto you. Don't buy into this world, use faith to change the negatives!

3. Faith will frame your future

• Hebrews 11:1-6 Faith is the tangibility of what you are hoping for. Faith brings visions to pass.
• Provbs. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. Many people want something, but they become hopeless and helpless.
• 2 Cor 4:13 "I believed and therefore I speak" David used his faith to overcome. We should have the same spirit of faith!
• 2 Cor 4:16 When we focus on the spiritual things, things in nature change. Focus on the internal and the temporary changes!

Leaving a foot step - 9:17 AM