Mother’s day is just around the corner and I wanted to preview this Sunday’s message outline.
OUR GOD CARES FOR US AS A MOTHER
“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son…It was I who taught [them] to walk, I took them up in my arms…I led them with cords of human kindness, I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them.” Hosea 11.3-4
The Tender Care of Mom
Like a mother, I HURT for you.
“For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant… I will not forsake them.” Isaiah 42.14-16
Like a mother, I’ll never FORGET you.
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” Isaiah 49.15
Like a mother, I’ll always COMFORT you.
“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you” Isaiah 66.13
The Watchful, PROTECTION AND PUSH of Mom
“As an eagle stirs up her nest, flutters over her young, spreads abroad her wings, takes them, bears them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.” Deuteronomy 32.11-12
WHEN WE HAVE BAGGAGE ABOUT MOTHERING
“For if my father and mother should abandon me, you would welcome and comfort me. ” Psalm 27.10 (TLB)
“because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (niv)
Also, here is a powerful clip from Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant talks about falling in love with the game of basketball, how it changed his life and the surreal feeling of being the NBA’s MVP.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ….so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. – Hebrews 12:1-4
You cannot GOOGLE the race that you face!
1. Be first at LOVING people.
Defining love – Storgay/Phileo/Eros/Agape
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
2. Be first at FORGIVING.
FORE GIVE – PRE – GIVE
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Colossians 3:13 – Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Luke 6:37 – “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
3. Be first at HELPING OUT.
Hebrews 13:16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
4. You cannot GOOGLE a relationship with God.
Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.”
Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Psalm 42:1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. – Hebrews 12:1-4
TWO QUESTIONS?
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
John 17:4 – I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.
2 Timothy 4:7 -I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
1 Timothy 6:12 – Fight the good fight of faith,
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
THE INSPIRATION FOR THE RACE.
Hebrews 12: 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,
2 Timothy 4:8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
THE POWER OF A CLEAN SLATE
Pastor Steve Lummer
Easter Sunday 2014
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Romans 8:11 NIV
The Power of Memory
John 18:18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
John 18:27 Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed. 1. He replaces GUILT with GRACE.
Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
2. He reconditions FEAR with FAITH!
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
3. He rewires our FUTURE , by forgiving our PAST.
John 18 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
Don’t confuse a SINGLE mistake with a FINAL mistake.
John 21:9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there,….10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”
You don’t have to dress up. We don’t care who you voted for in the last election. And please, don’t feel the need to pretend about anything. We started Discovery as a safe environment for regular people to explore faith within community. Everyone is welcome here, whatever your story, your questions, doubts or struggles. So come as you are, because that’s where God meets us — as is. From there, we’ll help each other grow to be all God intended us to be.
If you want to reach this world for Christ you are going to have to learn to sit in the smoking section.
Do what you’ve always done and you will get what you’ll always got.
A little bit John Muir and a little bit bit John Wesley …Yes,, that’s who we are.
“Church needs to be enjoyed no endured” – …. Brenda Lummer
– Lets create a church we all want to go to ….”we are gonna do church like it has never been before.”
let me give you a little knowledge about the bumble bee. Did you know that bumble Bees are not supposed to fly? According to physics, science, and the laws of aerodynamics, it is impossible for them to become airborne. Their fat bodies and little wings mean that they should never be able to leave the ground.
I guess the scientists forgot to tell the bumble bee. Or else the bumble bee didn’t pay attention in Physics class.
I love that fact because it illustrates something that we see in our world all the time: things that are supposed to be impossible happen right around
us. Little creatures that aren’t supposed to fly buzz through the air. People with dark pasts are called by God to do great things. Marriages beyond repair are restored and redeemed. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. That’s what the Bible says in Hebrews 11. One of the ways that we respond in faith to God’s grace and God’s goodness is in the area of generosity. When we sacrificially give, even in ways that don’t make sense in the eyes of the world, we’re honoring God with faith. When we listen to God’s Word and God’s voice more than we listen to the doomsday news and advice from people all around us, we’re acting in faith. I guess the bumble bee defies the laws of physics. And generosity defies the laws of selfishness. The way to have more is to give more. The way to be more blessed is to live generously.
The following are 14 cold, hard facts about Noah’s Ark that you probably do not know…
#1 The Ark was about 500 feet long. That would make it approximately the size of a World War II aircraft carrier.
#2 It has been estimated that the Ark had an internal volume of more than 1.5 million cubic feet.
#3 According to brand new research conducted by scientists the University of Leicester, Noah’s Ark could have carried at least 70,000 animals without sinking…
Noah’s Ark would have floated even with two of every animal in the world packed inside, scientists have calculated.
Although researchers are unsure if all the creatures could have squeezed into the huge boat, they are confident it would have handled the weight of 70,000 creatures without sinking.
#4 Of course the Ark would not have needed to hold 70,000 animals. One conservative estimate puts the number of animals on the Ark at about 16,000. This would have allowed for more than enough room for food, supplies and lots of empty space.
#5 We have discovered at least 250 different ancient cultures that have a story of a massive, cataclysmic flood. Most of those stories have striking similarities to the Genesis account.
#6 If there really was a global flood, we would expect to find billions of dead things laid down in rock layers all over the globe. And that is precisely what we find.
#7 We know where Noah’s Ark is today. Yes, you read that correctly. As you can see from the YouTube video posted below, the remains of Noah’s Ark have been discovered on “the mountains of Ararat” in Turkey.
#8 The remains of the Ark are just as long and just as wide as the Bible says they should be.
#9 Wood from the Ark has been tested, and the tests show that it does contain organic carbon. That means that the fossilized wood that was discovered was once living matter.
#10 Along with wood, metal was also used in the construction of the Ark. Iron fittings and aluminum have both been discovered at the remains of the Ark.
#11 Petrified animal dung, a petrified antler and an ancient piece of cat hair have also been retrieved from the remains of the Ark.
12 Historical records confirm that people have believed that this is the correct resting place of the Ark for a very, very long time…
The Gilgamesh Epic (650 BC) gives Mt. Nisir as the landing place of the Ark. The local name for the town where the Ark was found is Nasar.
The annals of Ashurnasurpal II of Assyria (833-859 BC) places it south of the Zab river (correct).
Theophilus of Antioch (115-185 AD) said the Ark could be seen in his day in the Arabian mountains. Later Church Fathers also mention the Ark as late as the mid 7th century.
In the 13th century, Willam, a traveler, stated for the first time that Mt. Masis was the Ark location (present-day Mt. Ararat).
Ptolemy’s Geographia (1548) mentions the mountains of Armenia as the place of landing. So does the traveler Nicolas de Nicolay (1558).#13 A village near the remains of the Ark is known as “the Village of Eight”, and a nearby valley is known as “the Valley of the Eight”. There were eight survivors on the Ark.
#14 The site is now known as “the National Park of Noah’s Ark” and it has previously been officially recognized by the Turkish government.
Noah’s Bark
Pastor Steve Lummer
Genesis 6-9
Noah did everything just as God commanded him – Genesis 6:22
Why is the story of Noah and the ark significant?
* Because of its effect on the human race and upon history.
* Because of science and theology. (science doesn’t ELIMINATE God …..It ILLUSTRATES Him.)
* Because of the need to understand Divine Judgement and Divine Mercy.
* Because Hollywood just made a movie with Russell Crowe.
Outline:
1. GOD’S ILLUSTRATED SERMON ON SURVIVAL.
2. HAVING A DIVINE URGE.
Genesis 6:22
3. NOAH, A ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST?
4. THE ARK IS A PLACE OF SAFETY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM.
5. THE ARK WAS NAVIGATED BY THE BREATH OF GOD
John 3:8
6. THE ARK DID NOT LEAK
7. THE ONE AND ONLY DOOR WAS SHUT BY GOD
Genesis 7:23
John 10:9
8. EVERYONE WAS SAVED BECAUSE OF ONE RIGHTEOUS MAN
Matthew 24:37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
Gen. 6;5 –every imagination of thoughts ….there was continual evil.
HOW TO HAVE FAVOR IN THE FLOOD
“Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Gen. 6:8
Interesting article regarding creation and environmental care.
I remember being elementary school in the early 1970’s and we as as class went out to the playground to plant a tree commemorating Earth Day.
Little did I know that the special day originated from one of our Assembly Of God Ministers..
Description: Darrin Rodgers interviews John and Anna McConnell, Jr., July 15, 2009, at Timberline Church, Fort Collins, Colorado. McConnell, the founder of Earth Day, is a Pentecostal Christian whose grandfather was at the Azusa Street Revival and whose parents were founding members of the Assemblies of God.
At the 19 minute mark on the video, John begins to speak about Earth Day Origins.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2).
“metamorphosis” derives from Greek μεταμόρφωσις, “transformation, transforming”, from μετα- (meta-), “change” + μορφή (morphe), “form”.
KEEP THE CHANGE
1. THE BIG MO.
“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
Talk about the SIZE OF THE TASK.
Vs. 2 a great crowd
Talk about the LITTLE YOU HAVE.
Vs. 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
Leave JESUS out of the picture.
Vs. 11 Jesus then took the loaves
2. RUN THE RISK
Matthew 9:29 “According to your faith will it be done to you”
Psalm 78:40-42 , 69 -72 Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel.
3. GETTING SOME TRACTION IN YOUR ACTION
For what is your life? It is a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. James 4;14 (nkjv)
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:6 (nkjv)
4 NAVIGATE THE NEW YOU
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5,6 (nkjv)
5. SERVING OTHERS CHANGES YOU.
Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Matthew 28 (message)
stevelummer.com 