God Demands Your Best

“Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” Psalms 40:5 (KJV)

^“…Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury.” Mark 12:41-44 (KJV)  

Out of these two passages, we can discern the nature of God and God’s requirements for man.

First, we can discover that God goes above and beyond the expectations of man.  God’s good works are more than can be numbered.  Second, even the poorest among us can do more than can be expected, even after comparing them to the greatest works of others.  The operative word in both of these passages is MORE.  God does more, God wants us to do more.  

More is not a self-determined, independent word.  More is a comparative word.  We do not judge our best by some arbitrary standard.  We do our best by the little word MORE.  The two words BEST and MORE are intrinsic to each other. 

I have some hard questions for you today. 

Are you doing your best?  Really?  Are you the best worker in your office, factory or labor pool?  Are you the best mother or father you can be?  Are you the best son or daughter you can be?  Are you the best student, the best teacher, the best singer, the best writer you can be? 

Are you the best worshipper you can be?  Are you the best giver?  The best shopper?  That doesn’t mean if you love to shop the best, it means can you get the best bargain for your money?!  

Why ask these questions?  Some people might actually be offended by them.  After all, they ask, who’s watching?  Who’s counting?  It’s not anyone else’s concern how I do.  Well, it really is all of our concern.  If no one does their best, then the whole community, the whole family, the whole church is dramatically affected. 

The phrase “doing your best” has become so clichéd that it hardly means anything anymore.  Our educational system now rewards mediocrity and non-achievement so much that that exactly what society has produced.  Our best is called our best even when it is little more than our worst.  We’ve labeled our nothings as somethings until we have managed to fool ourselves into thinking it is true.  Study after study shows that American students are falling farther behind in the math and science fields than students in other countries.  China, Japan and even small countries like Finland and Estonia do much better than we do.  

Doing our best has come to mean just getting by.

Our minimums have become our maximums.

We have lowered our standards to make them more attainable for us, not understanding that others are keeping their standards high—or even setting them higher—and reaching them. 

This is not to disparage American young people, but it does suggest that there is a systemic failure in either their education or their motivation.  All of us have something at stake here.  Why, because the strangest and most ironic thing is that while we accept the lower standards for ourselves, we demand higher standards in others.  

When it comes to brain surgeons, we want the best.  When it comes to airplane pilots, we want the best.  When it comes to financial advisors and building contractors, we want the best. It is important to understand that God has a judgment system in place. 

¹² Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
¹³ Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
¹⁴ If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
¹⁵ If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (KJV)

My mother’s favorite story was about the woman who stood in front of the cashier for a long time and counted her change.  The clerk became a little irritated and finally asked, “What’s the matter?  Didn’t I give you the correct change?”  She answered, “You just barely did!” 

¹⁸ And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
¹⁹ Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 1 Peter 4:18-19 (KJV)

I have a message for you today.

It may not be the message you want to hear.  It is this:  God is still demanding your best!  He did not invest Himself into you, He did not give His grace to you, He did not spend His all for you just to have you waste it. 

Matthew 25:24-30 (KJV)
²⁴ Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
²⁶ His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
²⁷ Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
²⁸ Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
²⁹ For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
³⁰ And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

If you are not demanding the best from yourself, you cannot expect the best from God. 

It is time for us to impose the same standards on ourselves that we place on others around us. 

You may not be capable of equaling the efforts or successes of others, but you can focus on doing better than you have ever done.  What is the standard of excellence that you should set for yourself?  It is found in one word:  MORE!  The McDuff Brothers quartet used to sing this song: 

More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me. 

More about Jesus I would know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.  

More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me. 

More about Jesus, in His Word,
Holding communion with my Lord;
Hearing His voice in every line,
Making each faithful saying mine. 

More about Jesus on His throne,
Riches in glory all His own;
More of His kingdom’s sure increase;
More of His coming, Prince of Peace. 

You may resent being compared to anyone else.  The fact is, however, that God is looking at the kind of sacrifice you give to Him.

Hebrews 11:4 (KJV)
⁴ By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

More excellent! 

There is a story in the Bible about the prophet Elisha on his deathbed, meeting with the King of Israel, Joash.  Israel was under siege from Syria at the time, and Joash was desperate for a word from the Lord.

2 Kings 14:10-19 (KJV)
¹⁴ Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.
¹⁵ And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.
¹⁶ And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands.
¹⁷ And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
¹⁸ And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.
¹⁹ And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.

Here was the sad case of doing just enough to get by.  But it is also a very revealing illustration of the way God thinks.  You might look at this story and say that Joash did nothing wrong.  The prophet didn’t tell him how many times to strike the ground with the arrows.  How was Joash supposed to know? 

There is a secret here.  You may be saying that your reward is up to God.  You may think that it is all written down ahead of time.  If you are going to succeed, God already knows it and there is nothing you can do about it. 

This incident tells me something different.  What happens to you in your life, and even in your relationship to God is more about your response to the opportunities that God has given you than some predetermined result that is out of your control. 

The true servant’s heart always leans toward MORE!  More than is expected.  More than is required.  Just a little more praying, fasting, reading, sacrificing, giving, worshipping, loving, witnessing, serving, believing, teaching and helping.  Philippians 1:9 (KJV) And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;  

Proverbs 4:18 (KJV)
¹⁸ But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Matthew 5:38-48 (KJV)
³⁸ Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
³⁹ But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
⁴⁰ And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
⁴¹ And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
⁴² Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
⁴³ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
⁴⁴ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
⁴⁵ That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
⁴⁶ For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
⁴⁷ And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
⁴⁸ Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 

God Understands Children

Mark 10:13-16 (KJV)
¹³ And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
¹⁵ Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
¹⁶ And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

A storeowner was tacking a sign above his door that read “Puppies for Sale.” Signs like that have a way of attracting small children, and sure enough a little boy appeared under the storeowner’s sign. “How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” the little boy asked. The storeowner replied, “Oh, anywhere from $30 to $50.” The little boy reached into his pocket and pulled out some change. “I have $2.37” he said. “May I please look at them?” The storeowner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur.

One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said, “What’s wrong with that little dog?” The storeowner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered that it didn’t have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame. The little boy became excited. “That is the puppy I want to buy.” The storeowner said, “No, you don’t want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I’ll just give him to you.”

The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner’s eyes, pointing his finger, and said, “I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I’ll pay full price. In fact, I’ll give you $2.37 now and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for.”

The storeowner countered, “You really don’t want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies.”  To his surprise, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the storeowner and softly replied, “Well, I don’t run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands.”  www.petplace.com

This story is a perfect illustration of how God understands the needs of us who don’t run so well, and especially the children whom the world either idolizes or ignores.  Children are not to be worshipped, coddled or put on a pedestal, but neither are they to be pushed to the margins of our lives and treated as nuisances.  God has a way of understanding their true needs so that they will become responsible grown-ups in the future. 

God understands that children need love. 

It is amazing to me the things that pass for love today. 

      “I want my child to do all the things I wasn’t allowed to do.”

      “I want my child to have all the things my parents couldn’t afford to buy me.”

      “I don’t want to impose my own values on my child.  I want them to think for themselves.”  (Does that mean eating all the ice cream they want?  Brushing their teeth? Not going to school?)

      “I am going to treat my child like an adult.”     

Many of these ideas come straight out of the progressive playbook written by people whose ulterior motives are to sabotage Christianity and change the culture.  But, authentic love for children is not to indulge in their every wish, to pamper them until they mistakenly believe that they don’t have to struggle to get anything in life, or to cultivate narcissistic personalities.  

Real love has an eye to the future adult that the child will become.  Real love prepares children for the real world.  Real love is a bonding process that gives children an anchor in life, a sense that they have infinite meaning to someone.  

God understands that children need training. 

As many of you know, Brother Keith Smith and I have developed a spiritual fitness program that we have called LE90X, which stands for Life Essentials, 90 Days, Extreme. 

This intense study of spiritual fitness has brought to light a lot of things.  One of them is the difference between teaching and training.  We have composed a slogan that boils down the process to these few words:  “We teach so people will know; we train so people can act.”  

Think about it.  Do we call it potty “teaching” or potty “training?”  Now, I don’t need to go into all the details of the process, but those of you who raised children, know all about it.  It’s not learned in a day, or even a week.  It might take a month.  I’m sure many of you would love to tell us your stories on this topic, but it might get a little messy!  And if your grown children are sitting here today, they’re glad that I’m not giving you a chance to talk! 

But training, in general, requires more than just mentioning something.  The elementary school teacher doesn’t just tell the children the principles of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.  The good teacher devises exercises to train the students how to do these computations, and grades them on how well they perform.  The teacher doesn’t just explain the rules of spelling.  The good teacher gives out list after list of words to spell.  After the teaching is over, the training begins.  While the teaching opens the door to new ideas, training walks through the door and arranges the furniture and hangs the pictures on the walls.  

It is significant that the Bible uses the word train, instead of just teach.  

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)
⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

The Hebrew word for “train” actually means to dedicate or discipline.  It is the intention of God for parents to take the time, exercise the patience and understand the seriousness of the training process.  But in order for parents to train, or dedicate and discipline effectively, they have to be dedicated and disciplined themselves.  That leads me to my next point: 

God understands that children need examples. 

From the Bay Park Community Hospital, I found this quote:  “As important as it is to set a good example, it’s essential when raising children. Your kids scrutinize your every act. They pattern themselves based on your behavior more than you realize. The most effective way to teach your children is by your actions. For many years you are their entire world and they strive to mimic your conduct.” 

We hear a lot today about disrespect.  There is a huge amount of disrespect in society for others.  The way to counter this is to be someone that commands respect.  Respect achieves its greatest power when the way you live is on the same page as the way you talk!  

Parents, live what you believe and your children will grow to respect you.  An example is simply the ongoing object lesson of your internal values.  Remember Joseph?  This is why he was so respected. 

 “Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. ² The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. ³ And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. ⁴ So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. ⁵ So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. ⁶ Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate.” Genesis 39:1-6 (NKJV)

God understands that children need Him! 

Back to the story of the puppy.  Every one of us came into this world with a handicap.  David said it this way: 

Psalms 51:5-6 (KJV)
⁵ Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. ⁶ Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Sin became the crippling factor in every member of the human race.  Do not fall for the idea that we were all born innocent and without flaws.  What child has to be taught how to be selfish, how to lie, cheat, steal or fight?  These sins are inbred, part of the spiritual DNA we inherited from Adam.  

It is the blood of Jesus that remains the only antidote to the sins of the flesh and spirit.  This message cannot be transmitted to your children without someone specifically and carefully assuming the responsibility for preaching and teaching it.  

Children can experience the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  Children can repent of their sins.  They can be baptized in Jesus’ Name.  They can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Thousands of children receive this wonderful experience in hundreds of children’s camps, crusades and Holy Ghost rallies across the country every year.  Many time, God has move in our Christian Academy and in our Sunday Schools and baptized children with the Spirit of God.  

The very best thing you can do for your children is to create the opportunity for them to learn about God and the way to salvation.  They need Sunday School classes.  They need Bibles.  They need Bible story books.  They need Bible songs.  They need Bible DVD’s.  They need to be brought to church.  

God understands all of these things about children.

He understands that they need love, and training, and examples, and God Himself.

The challenge is to incorporate this divine wisdom into your own set of values. 

I don’t know how the story of the little puppy ended.  I have a feeling that the store owner relented, and the little boy gathered the puppy up in his arms and limped out of the pet shop with a huge smile on his face.  Maybe the little puppy realized he was in good hands and he reached up and licked that smiling face. 

Hopefully, every parent will limp out of this service this morning with the understanding of what their child really needs.  

Let us now dedicate ourselves to the monumental task that lies before us.  We can only do it through the help of God.

Something Worth Saving

Luke 6:7-11 (KJV)
⁷ And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
⁸ But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
⁹ Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
¹⁰ And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
¹¹ And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

This incident in the ministry of Jesus is another time in which He had a dispute with the Pharisees about the law.  It appeared as though they were interested in keeping the letter of the law, but in reality, they were only interested in finding a way to accuse the Lord of some wrong doing and stop his ministry. 

But, as I read this passage, I find a fascinating insight into the great theme of the scripture, even of the mission of Christ himself in this world.  He asks a question that eclipsed the particular concern of the scribes and Pharisees and their quibbling over the Sabbath. “Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?” 

Let me reduce this question down to the most basic form:  “Is it lawful to save life?”  Blinded by their quasi-religious bigotry, the Pharisees could not see that the far more important question was simply this:  Is there something worth saving?  Is it possible that God sees something deep down in the heart of a man, something precious, something pitiful, something worthy of salvation, even at the expense of confounding everybody else? 

That question is alive and well today.  Is there something worth saving?  Is there something that can cause a holy God to reach down to an unholy sinner and gather him into his arms?

Can a righteous God find a way to save an unrighteous man, woman, boy or girl?

Can God dig through piles of sin and shame, as it were, in search of something worth saving? 

That’s the question. 

Romans 5:6-17 (NIV)
⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
¹⁰ For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

This one man, Jesus Christ, was on a mission.  It was a mission to save.  I hope you understand that.  It was not a mission to condemn.  It was a mission to save.  “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.” 

We know that He came.  We know what He did in order to save lost mankind.  We know the story of the death, burial and resurrection.  We know what Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost.  We know about repentance, baptism in Jesus’ name, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost.  We know the “how” of salvation. 

But the question that precedes the how is the why.  Why did He do it?  Why did He bother?  What did He see in me or in you to motivate him to such profound suffering?  What did He see that was worth saving? 

Something Worth Saving 

A man came up to me yesterday after the graveside service of one of our ministers, Pastor David Richard.  He showed me a picture of a baseball.  He had retrieved it from an estate sale, along with a pickup truck load of other things, the usual boxes of odds and ends that the seller often throws together and offers as a convenient way to get rid of a lot of junk.  

Now, the reason this man showed me a picture of the baseball, and not the real thing, is that the real thing turned out to be an item of huge importance.  He couldn’t just carry it around.  It was a signed, Hall of Fame, baseball of one of the greatest baseball players who has ever played the game, Babe Ruth.  A little research shows that another baseball that Babe Ruth hit as one of his 714 home runs now sells for around $40,000! 

I venture to say that the owner of that estate had no idea that something so valuable was in one of those boxes.  He probably could have kept that baseball and given away everything else and still come out ahead!  But, his assessment was that there was nothing worth saving.  

Have you ever tried to decide whether or not you were going to save something or throw it away?  You hold it up, look it over, think what you are going to do with it.  Can it still be used?  How much is it worth?  Does someone else want or need it? 

It’s an old clock.  It sits on the mantle in the family room.  It’s just a few little pieces of wood screwed and glued together.  A few gears on the inside, a glass front over the numbers and hands. 

   It’s probably not old enough to be a genuine antique.  You have to wind it up to keep it running.  It’s not even all that beautiful.  It’s probably not worth too much, certainly not $40,000, or $4,000.  Ebay says it might be worth $69.   Aside from my father’s book collection, it’s all I have left from the old family home.  But of all the things I could have had when we cleaned out the old place and put it up for sale, this is the thing that I wanted.  I didn’t want the pictures, the china, the what-nots or the other hundreds of things that make up a house to live in.  I wanted the clock. 

This clock was the wedding gift that my grandfather and grandmother gave to my mother and father when they were married in 1935.  It is a memory token.  That’s all the value it has.  When I see it, I see a happy, young couple on their way to enjoy forty-seven years of a rich and rewarding married life.  I see a proud set of grandparents, satisfied that they had done their job and were waiting in great anticipation for their first grandchild.  That is something worth saving. 

What did God see worth saving? 

Think of the many times that God had to look over the ruins of his creation and make an assessment.  

Adam and Even, after their transgression in the garden, God did not destroy them.  He made them coats of animal skins and banished them from the garden, but preserved their lives. 

Genesis 6:5-8 (KJV)
⁵ And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
⁶ And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
⁷ And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
⁸ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

What did God see in Noah?  He saw something worth saving.  Noah was going to be a bridge for the generations of mankind to get past the flood.

Abraham

Jacob

The twelve sons of Jacob.

Samson

David

Simon Peter 

I am not saying that we have done anything to deserve salvation or to be worthy of the blood shed for us on the cross.  I am only saying that God must have wanted us to be saved for a divine purpose or else He would not have gone to that cross!  Evidently, He saw something worth saving. 

What about you?  (Go into congregation and choose a few people, asking the question, what was that something worth saving about you?  What did God see that made Him say, “I can save you.”)

There are two reasons why God saved you. 

First, He saw something of Himself in you! 

Genesis 1:26-27 (KJV)
²⁶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

You are God’s creation.

Satan has tried to destroy you.  Satan has contaminated you with sin.  But God sees past all of the sin, the shame and the destruction.  He says, “Deep down inside, there is something that I want.  I refuse to let Satan destroy my handiwork!” 

See these arms?  They were created to worship God!

See this tongue?  It was made to give praise to the King of Kings!

See these hands?  They were made to do a work for God! 

Your body was not made for sin.  That’s why sin is so destructive.  Your body was not made to mutilate.  Your lungs were not made for smoke.  Your brain was not made to be twisted and fried by drugs.  Your mind was not made for evil thoughts. 

God brought you into this world to be a reflection of His power and glory!  That’s how you will achieve your greatest purpose in life. 

Second, God saw you as a part of His work in the world! 

God saw something worth saving in you because He needs you to be an extension of His own hand into this world!  

God will not act unilaterally to accomplish His purposes in this world.  Why?  Because He wants to include us—you and me—in His plans! 

God is not satisfied with king>subject; boss>worker relationship.

He wants us as friend, confidante; espoused wife; companion; sharer.

Therefore, God wants to enfold his own acts into the acts of man. 

This church is now in an organized effort to fast and pray so that we can see the will of God accomplished in our community.  It is important that you know what role you play in this.  It is even more important that you feel an individual, personal relationship with God and His church in this endeavor.  This is God’s plan! 

Mark 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

19  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

20  And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. 

The phrase, the Lord working with them, comes from two Greek words, “soon ergos.”  You’ve seen it translated other places as synergy.    Synergy means: 

1. combined action or functioning; synergism.

2. the cooperative action of two or more muscles, nerves, or forces.

3. the cooperative action of two or more stimuli or drugs. 

God is a force, a power.  I am also a force or a power.  But, my power is worthless unless it works in synergy with God’s power.  God sees something worth saving in you because He sees an opportunity to get His will done in this earth THROUGH YOU!!!  

God binds himself to any man  who will enter into this special relationship with Him.

      -Adam:  Power to name

      -Abraham:  Power to pray

      -Moses:  Power to triumph

      -Elijah:  Power to perform the supernatural     

Does God really enfold His mighty acts within the acts of man?

      Peter in prison:  Prayer meeting at the house of the mother of John Mark.    

2 Cor 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.  20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.     

      Brother and Sister Chris Gibbs.  Sis. Gibbs was in Africa in 1996 as an AIM worker when she was infected with both Typhoid Fever and Malaria at the same time.  While she was in the hospital, she was pronounced dead by the attending physician.  The church began to pray.  The missionary’s wife crawled up on the gurney and lay down on top of the dead body.  She prayed, “God, this young woman has come all the way to Africa as an AIMer to work for you.  We cannot ship her back in a casket!  After 35 minutes, she sat up and asked for something to eat.  

God acts depend on man’s prayer.

      We must not think that man’s prayers are unheeded by God.

      Just because we see God’s works without seeing man’s prayer, or we see man’s prayer without seeing God’s works does not mean that there is no connection between the two. 

2 Chr 16:9  For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 

The Acts of God are enfolded within the Acts of Man! 

Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 

Fathers' Day: Access to the Father

¹ As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
² My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
³ My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? ⁴ When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. ⁵ Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. Psalms 42:1-2.

The heartfelt cry of the Psalmist in this passage is one that all of us have experienced in our lives.  We want to know God, we want access to God, we want acceptance by God; and yet it seems like this access is a closed door, a brick wall.  We cannot get from here to there.

The Apostle Paul has painted a scene in Ephesians that vividly portrays the tragic position of a vast group of people, a group to which most of us belong.  It is a people held in bondage, people who live, think, love and dream like all the rest, but forbidden to partake of the joys of knowing God.

 ¹¹ Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
¹² That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: Ephesians 2:11-12.

Walls and denied access. 

We have heard about actual, famous walls of the world. The Great Wall of China succeeded in isolating a people and a nation for thousands of years.  Over 5000 people tried to escape the Berlin Wall, resulting in nearly 200 killed.  The Bible tells us of the walls of Babylon, the walls of Jericho, and the temple walls. 

There was a wall, a wall that essentially denied everyone but the Jewish people access to God.  

This wall was most likely the wall that the Jews built in the temple to keep the Gentiles out of the actual worship area.  It separated between the outer court and the inner court.  It was built with good intentions—to keep the unholy and profane away from the chosen people of God.  But walls of isolation and barrier walls nearly always have unintended consequences.  Rather then keeping the Jewish people of that day holier and purer, it led to pride, haughtiness, disdain and hatred.  The wall served to emphasize their differences instead of celebrating their mutual desire to pursue a holy God. 

1.       The access to God was denied to the Gentiles by the Jews and their traditions. 

I do not have time in this message to explore the 613 laws, rules and regulations that were a part of the life of the Jew.  There were the moral laws, some of which are contained in the Ten Commandments, but that doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of the encumbrances of the laws imposed on them.  There were dietary laws, laws about making clothes, laws about how to farm, laws about marriage, laws about ceremonial washings, laws about feast days, and on and on. 

All of these laws that were fulfilled in the physical realm had a spiritual significance, and many of them were types and shadows of Jesus Christ, the church and salvation.  But the Jewish leaders did not stop with the Bible laws; they manufactured many more rules in addition to the Law of Moses.  Jesus said:  “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” Matthew 23:27.

As a result of these laws—and more to the point—the attitude of the Jewish race, there was a huge wall of separation between them and the Gentiles.  The Non-Jewish world was denied access to Jehovah, the one, true and living God.  This wall was considered enmity between the two races.  It led to a society filled with tension and conflict, no doubt worse than the racial tensions that have long dogged this nation, or the South African culture of apartheid.   

The error of the Jews regarding their view of the Gentiles:

          They knew there was only one God and they denied the Gentiles access to him.

Denial of access meant denial of privilege, blessing and significance to the Gentiles.

Denial of access limited the magnificence and reach of God’s grace.

They believed that God created all men but still believed themselves to be superior.

They were controlling the eternal destiny of an entire race.

Their extreme prejudice fostered hatred, disdain and even criminal behavior. 

This problem was addressed by the cross and the blood. 

Ephesians 2:13-18 (KJV)
¹³ But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; ¹⁵ Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; ¹⁶ And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: ¹⁷ And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

This is the amazing grace of Jesus Christ that we sing about.  The blood of Jesus enveloped the wall of separation, obliterated it, and Jesus reached out to both Jew and Gentile and pulled them together.  He broke down the middle wall of partition between us, reconciled both unto God, and granted access to the Father. 

“Access Denied” is a familiar term to computer users. 

It comes up when you want to open and delete or modify a folder but it says “Access is denied”.

In Windows Vista, for example, you may encounter this in opening “UserName” folder > My Documents, My Videos, My Pictures and My Music folder. These are maintained by Windows in a technical setup or structure that makes sense to the programmer.  But the fix for an “access denied” problem has a spiritual significance that is worth noting.  The solution is taking the ownership of system files or folders that you want to open or modify. 

Many people, in the spirit, come to this point where they encounter an “access denied” problem.  The enemy of the soul puts up a roadblock and says, “You don’t belong here.”  “You have no business here, God is out of range for you to touch.”  “You don’t have the right password; you don’t qualify; you don’t have the right pedigree.”  That’s when it’s time to point to the cross and say, “You’re wrong!  I’m taking ownership of this situation. “ 

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. ¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16.

Father’s Day 

Today, Father’s Day, 2011, is happiness for many, but not all.  Many custody battles are raging right now because of denied access of father’s to their children, or children to their fathers.  In many cases, there are legitimate concerns and issues that need to be resolved before access is granted. 

Parents Denied Access to their Children

When a relationship breaks down one of the most tragic victims is often the relationship between the children and the absent parent.

Most men are very well intentioned when it comes to maintaining a relationship with their children once they are living away from the family home. But it comes as no big surprise that a worrying number of fathers lose contact with their children within the first couple of years after separation.

This happens for a number of reasons. Sometimes new relationships make it difficult for the father to balance his old life and his new life, sometimes distance plays a part and sometimes the father simply doesn’t put in the effort required to make the relationship with his children work.

But in many instances, Fathers who sincerely want to nurture their relationships with children from a previous relationship are prevented from doing so by ex’s who have an axe to grind. Unfortunately it is all too common that the partner who has been left behind directly or indirectly influences the children’s feelings against their absent parent.

Planned visits will be cancelled at the last moment, access to the children made as difficult as possible. Often the ex will choose times when she knows that the father will not be able to make the visit due to work or other commitments and will then blame him for not ‘caring enough’. It is not a pretty story but sadly it is one that is played out all over the world time and again and often leads to a permanent breakdown in relations between children and their fathers, with resentment and hurt on both sides.

So if this is happening to you here are a few things to bear in mind.

1. Do not take personally anything hurtful the children may say to you
2. Do not get involved in criticizing your ex in front of the children - even if you know she is doing that to you

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Gee 

In my opinion, however, it is equally tragic for children and fathers that live in the same home under the same roof and yet have a strained relationship.  And the tragedy is that children largely develop their attitude towards their Heavenly Father as a result of their relationship with their earthly father.                   

The Father’s Day message I have for you today is that children need access to their fathers, and fathers need to tear down any walls that exist to grant them that access.  It’s the father, not the child, who can do this. 

Yesterday, I performed the wedding ceremony for Chris and Chelsea Condon.  Let me reiterate my admonition to them:  “ 

And so, Chris and Chelsea, my admonition to you is this:  You both excel at planning and organization.  That is evident in the way you have brought all of this about—the engagement, the wedding, and all of the preparations for your place to live.  You know that these things didn’t just happen by themselves.  Even so, plan to give God the central place in your home and your lives.  It will not just happen—it only becomes a reality through deliberate and intentional planning.  Build church, service, ministry, prayer and the Word of God into your daily and weekly routines.  The end result will be a strong, healthy marriage.” 

The same principle holds true for homes and families.  It won’t just happen.  You have to make it happen. 

Fathers, give your children access to your time.  (Your personal pleasure, recreation and hobbies do not take priority over your children.)

Give your children access to your affection.  (Provoke not your children to wrath)  (Be quick to praise, give hugs, show appreciation.)

Give your children access to your wisdom.  (Talk about issues.  Explain why you did or didn’t do certain things.)

Give your children access to your heart.  (Make sure your children have a part in your life.)  (Share your faith with them.) 

Why children don’t exercise their access to their Fathers:

          He doesn’t care about me.

          I’ve heard too many stories about what he is really like.

          He is mean.

          He is lazy, _______ (fill in the blank.)

          I don’t like him.

          He hates me.

          I’m afraid of him.

          I feel uncomfortable and awkward around him. 

So, why do so many children have access denied?  It is the kid’s fault?  “They don’t come around me.  We don’t have much in common.  Their mother handles all the touchy-feeling stuff.  I just bring home the bacon!”  

No.  If there is a wall of separation, if there is a denial of access, it is because too many fathers build the wall that keeps them out!  Listen to a man who is concerned about the children of his congregation:

“So, how do we keep our children without compromising? We must win their hearts!!! If we discipline in anger, we wound their spirit (Proverbs 18:14), build a wall between our children and us. When they are young our anger will be interpreted as authority and may cause fear and guilt, but when they reach adolescence they say in their hearts, “dad is wrong, I don’t have to put up with this, I have my rights”, and a strong wall is being built. Proverbs 18:19 warns, “a brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle”. Let’s put the word “child” in there. A child offended is harder to be won than a strong city.

Strong cities in Bible days had high, impenetrable walls such as Jericho. Mighty men of war were easily struck down if they approached to closely to the wall. The story of a woman who dropped a piece of millstone upon Abimelech from the tower wall in Thebez (Judges 9:53) was a constant reminder to military strategists to stay clear of the wall (II Samuel 11:21). The strong city walls were unapproachable! Our offended teenage children become unapproachable! Not hard to be won but “harder” to be won than a strong city! Picture a big strong burly father laying defeated with skull crushed by a piece of millstone dropped from the wall by a little teenage girl. But parents, isn’t that what is happening with our children? We cannot penetrate that wall! We are defeated, and they are lost! It would certainly take a Jericho miracle to bring down the wall.”

Tearing Down the Wall 

So, how do you take down a wall that you built up?  It’s not easy, but there is a starting point.  The starting point is the recognition that the wall is not a good thing.  

The wall is not a solution to the problem of relationships.  It is why relationship have problems.  

Determine that you are going to do something about it.

Get the right tools. (Word of God, prayer, counseling.)

Get started, if only one brick at a time.

Realize that an entire wall will not come down with one blow.  Be patient. 

Your Heavenly Father 

If there is a wall today between you and your Heavenly Father, I must ask you, Who built that wall?  Jesus Christ is in the business of tearing down walls, not building them up. 

You do have access to your Father.  Why don’t you exercise that access? 

          He doesn’t care about me.

          I’ve heard too many stories about what he is really like.

          He is mean.

          He is lazy, _______ (fill in the blank.)

          I don’t like him.

          He hates me.

          I’m afraid of him.

          I feel uncomfortable and awkward around him. 

There are no physical walls that keep us away from God; there are only mental, imaginary, and emotional walls that destroy that relationship.  Let’s go back to the Psalm where we began today.

 ¹ As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
² My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

When can you come?  You can come today. 

Pentecost Sunday: The Wings of the Wind

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ² And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2 

He fought through the tears as he stumbled down the hill, hardly aware of rocks gouging into his thinly-soled sandaled feet.  Others kept up an incessant stream of conversation, but little of it registered on his mind; it was overloaded with clouds, angels, voices, heartbreak and promises.  Forty-two months of companionship, broken for only a few days by his own stupidity, had ended too abruptly.  

Now he was headed toward town, to a familiar meeting place that he knew would be strangely empty without that commanding presence.  Over and over he played back the words that rang in his ears:  “But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”  He ran his sleeves across his moist eyes, tasting the saltiness and feeling the sting.  

“Power from on high” he thought.  “Don’t tell me about power from on high.  I don’t want power from on high… I want Him down here.  We need Him here!  What are we going to do without Him?”  

As they neared the city, the footpath widened and merged into a well-traveled, and now crowded thoroughfare.  Dust from the road hung in the air with the celebrants flocking to the city for the feast days.  After another grueling mile, he placed his foot on the first step that led to a second-story room.  Memories of that last supper in the same room finally broke the floodgate of tears that had been building since the ascension at Bethany.  

Clinging to the rail, convulsions of sorrow seized his body.  He could not get past the images of the bread and wine, the sop, and the revelation of a traitor in their midst.  

“This is where He washed my feet!  I wasn’t worthy for Him to wash my feet.  How could He be my servant?”  A spasm of grief squeezed an involuntary groan from his body.  The others paused knowingly, waiting for him to work through his pain.  

Then, in spite of the tears, he smiled as he thought about what he had said that night.  

“’Not my feet only, but my hands and face too!’  How could I have ever said that to Him?  He should have knocked my head with His staff!”  

Now, tempered by his recollections, he straightened up and climbed the steps.  In fact, it seemed as though someone was helping him up.  It was almost as if He was… 

“No, it must be my overactive imagination.”  

Still, something that he didn’t feel before began to motivate him to that upper chamber.  He hoped it continued.  He knew that if he was going to make it from this point on, he was going to need an experience more powerful than he had ever felt before.  Every riser seemed to move him closer to the cloud that enveloped the Master and spirited him away. 

Now, on the top step, Simon Peter pushed the door open and the floodgates of tears turned into fountains of praise.  For days, ten of them to be exact, worship and intercession washed back and forth across 120 believers like ocean waves.  The anticipation and expectation never let up.  Instead, it kept mounting until the promise of Bethany’s ascension became the reality of Zion’s hill. 

^“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ³ And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4 

The Bible pronounces seven periods of time—we call them dispensations—in which God deals with mankind in a very specific way.

1.   Innocence

2.   Conscience

3.   Human government

4.   Promise

5.   Law

6.   Grace

7.   Kingdom 

We are now living in the dispensation of grace.  The law ended with John the Baptist, according to Jesus, and the age of grace will last until the rapture of the church.  The age of grace is also called the age of the Spirit. 

The rushing, mighty wind that blew at Pentecost started to build long before the age of the Spirit ever began.  If you want to know when God started moving through His Spirit, you have to go all the way back to the beginning.  The text I read says, “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2.

The Hebrew word for Spirit is “roo-ach,” and in many places, it is translated “wind.”  God had been riding the wings of the wind for centuries before Pentecost, waiting for the time, the place and the people, so he could make His landing and take up His residence.  The Psalmist saw it in the 104^th Psalm. 

¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. ² Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:³ Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: ⁴ Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: Psalms 104:1-4

I like that description, “walketh upon the wings of the wind.” 

In fact, all of the elements of the upper room experience found their way into this psalm.  In fact, the Pentecostal churches of today, these spirit-filled believers are not strange aberrations from orthodox Christianity as some would have you believe.  The more that a hungry Bible scholar consumes the Word of God, the more he finds evidence that the indwelling presence of God in the heart of every believer has always been the central theme and desire of God himself!  

Here is what Jesus said: 

⁸ The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:8 

In order to understand the significance of this, you have to know what the word “wind” means.  In the Greek language, “wind” is “pneuma” or spirit.  The word for “blow” is “pneo” or “breathe hard.”  

²¹ Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.  ²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: John 20:21-22

Jesus was saying something of such magnitude that it cannot be dismissed as incidental.  There is nothing so personal or intimate as breath.  By breathing on his disciples, He was saying: 

“I am the source of the wind that blows on you.”

“My breath is imparting life to you.”

“When you receive My Spirit, you are receiving Me!” 

This is why Apostolic churches put such great emphasis on receiving the Holy Ghost.  We are not just talking about an experience.  We are not just talking about a thrill.  We are not just talking about speaking in tongues.  All three of these—experience, thrill and tongues—are a part of the process, but there is something much greater that happens to you when you are born of the Spirit.  It is the moment in which God Himself makes His entrance into your life. 

The Holy Spirit changes you from just a follower of Christ to new creature in Christ!

You say this is a mysterious thing?  Yes, it is.  This is why the Bible says:  “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27 

The Gift of the Holy Ghost is a primary Biblical truth. 

The most important spiritual truths of the Bible can be traced from Genesis to Revelation.  The crimson trail of blood runs from that first animal slain to make coats of skin for Adam and Eve, past the multiplied millions of lambs sacrificed on the brazen altar, through the blood-stained cross of Calvary all the way to the Messiah riding the white horse having his vesture dipped in blood.  

The river of water flows from the face of the waters in Genesis 1:2, past the waters to swim in in Ezekiel’s vision, through the waters of baptism where sins were remitted, all the way to the “pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Revelation 22:1  

And, the wind (or breath) of God starts its magnificent journey in Genesis 2:7; “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” 

On the wind blew, pushing back the waters of the Red Sea so three million Hebrews could escape the bondage of Egypt, past the winds of Ezekiel’s prophecy that blew on the dead corpses and raised it into a mighty army, through the rushing mighty wind of Pentecost, all the way to “the stars of heaven [that] fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.”  Revelation 6:13. 

Wind.  Spirit.  Blow. Breathe. This is how God has always infused His energy into the world, and into man in particular.  There is life in God’s breath.  

If the Holy Ghost is compared to wind, we need to find out as much as we can about wind.   

1.  The wind brings life. There is life in the wind.

This physical world could not exist without the winds.  The middle of June in northwest Ohio brings the snows of cottonwood seeds.  The tall cottonwood trees, some of them over 100 ft. tall, disperse their seeds by wind power.  Most of the trees and plants that grow in the country side depend on the winds to carry their seeds to even the most remote areas. 

There is a powerful scripture that I have read hundreds of times, but only in preparation for this message has the true meaning of the words sunk in.  

“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” 1 Corinthians 15:45.

Notice, Adam was made a living soul.  He was made to live.

The last Adam (that is, Christ) was made a quickening spirit.  He made others live!

That’s the difference!

Through the first Adam, we have life.  We call it natural life; we are living souls.

Through Christ, we have eternal life, abundant life, the life of the life! 

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Romans 8:9 

2.  The wind brings power.   

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8 

Power, in this scripture, comes from the word dunamis, or dynamite.  One day, after we moved into our present house near the Sylvania quarries, I was sitting in my upstairs office when I felt the whole house shaking.  I thought for sure we were having an earthquake.  I have a radio near my desk and so I grabbed it a turned it to a news station to see if it would be reported.  Nothing was mentioned.  Later, I found out that it was a blasting day at the quarry.  The dynamite charges are so powerful that they shake the ground for miles in every direction. 

Time and time again, people in this church have shared with me how their fellow workers respond to them.  “What is it about you?” they ask.  “You’re different.”  Many times, they react negatively, but whenever a crisis comes up, guess who they want to know about it and pray for them?  Yes, the Spirit-filled person!  They sense a power in them that they don’t feel anywhere else. 

3.  The wind brings cleansing.  The wind has a cleansing effect on the landscape. 

If there were no wind, the trees would be filled with dead branches that could fall at any moment and injure someone.  The wind culls the dead and dangerous elements in the earth.  

Here’s what the Bible says: 

⁹ Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, ¹⁰ Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 

4.  The wind brings change.   

Ask the people in Joplin, MO, or Tuscaloosa, AL if the wind has the power to change the landscape.  Whole neighborhoods, entire sections of the downtown areas were wiped out when the tornadoes of 2011 came ripping through.  It is said that the winds at the core of a tornado funnel can reach speeds of 300 miles an hour.  

Let me tell you what the wind of the Holy Ghost can do to your life.  

Remember the story of Simon Peter?  When he climbed the steps to the upper room, he was a shamed, guilt-ridden, intemperate man.  He was cowardly, fearful and faithless. 

But something happened to him in the upper room!  When that rushing, mighty wind moved into the house, it radically change him into a bold, confident person that could be used of God.  The Holy Ghost baptism attracted a crowd to see what was going on.  They were the same people who were responsible for the crucifixion of Christ. 

Acts 2:12-16
¹² And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
¹³ Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. ¹⁴ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: ¹⁵ For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
¹⁶ But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

We don’t find Peter running away; we find him standing with the eleven disciples.  We don’t find him cursing and denying Jesus; we find him glorifying and preaching Jesus!  

My father, a seventeen year old young man, stood across the street from the church in 1928, felt the Spirit of God moving on his heart.  He flipped that last cigarette into a mud puddle, and walked through the doors to the altar.  When he received the Holy Ghost, they carried him out of the church building, drunk on the Spirit.  He spoke in tongues for three days. 

My mother, today a 93 year old patient at the Goerlich center, received the Holy Ghost in 1926 at the age of eight.  She never looked back; she never departed from the faith. 

Her father, my grandfather, was a Greek immigrant, raised in the orthodox tradition.  After nine years of hearing about this Holy Ghost baptism, he finally began to check it out for himself.  He knew the Greek language, so he studied the bible in its original language.  The more he studied about this experience, the more he discovered that the Biblical evidence could not be denied.  One night at a revival service in Oakhill Tabernacle, Indianapolis, IN, he got out out his seat and went to the altar.  He found out that the wind of Pentecost had never stopped blowing.  God filled him with the gift of the Holy Ghost and his life was forever changed! 

But, does it still happen today?  Absolutely! 

Some came into this church alcoholics; today, they are sober, and they have been for years.

Some came with drug addictions they couldn’t kick; today, they’re clean and free.

Some came with immoral lifestyles; today, they have strong, loving families.

Some came with depression and personal problems; today, they lead happy, productive lives.

5.  The wind is always there.   

There has never been a time when the winds of God did not blow.

There is not one single day, not one single moment when a wind is not blowing across the face of the earth.  The jet stream is a narrow band of air that moves around the earth at high speeds that  reach close to 200 miles per hour with wind directions flowing from west to east. 

God’s jet stream is called the Holy Spirit, and He is moving across the earth today. 

If you want the gift of the Holy Ghost, you can have it today.  

The Wind is Blowin’ Again  (Lanny Wolfe)

There was a crowd gathered ‘round from all over town

They came to see what it was all about

There was a sound that came down from the upper room

Where the Holy Ghost was being poured out

It sounded just like the roar of a mighty wind

As it fell on every one of them

And the wind that blew at Pentecost keeps blowin’ and blowin’ again

The wind of God is blowin’ through the world today

Like the prophet Joel said it would do

For Peter said on the day of Pentecost

It’s for you and your children too

You better open up your heart and let the wind blow in

You’ll never, never, never be the same again

For the wind that blew at Pentecost keeps blowin’ and blowin’ again

The wind is blowin’ again, the wind is blowin’ again

Just like the day of Pentecost, the wind is blowin’ again!