"The Journey To Pentecost"

The beginning message of a series on "The Journey To Pentecost" preached 4/ 7/13.  I will be ministering on this subject through Pentecost Sunday.  Each Sunday will link up to what was ministered the previous Sunday.  I pray it will be informative and encouraging to you as you pursue His presence daily in your.  Audio copies can be ordered through our messengerwc.com or if you prefer you will be able to listen to them via the web sight.
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Part One: “The Promises”      

Intro.  Last Sunday we celebrated Resurrection Sunday. A Sunday filled with praise and worship because of Jesus’ willingness to die on a cross for our sins and His triumphant victory over the grave.  A victory that snatched the keys of death, hell & the grave  from the devil and for ever and eternity changed the destiny of mankind. (Rev. 1:18, “And I hold the keys of death and the grave. ... he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”) 

The second Adam has undone what the first Adam had so miserable failed at.  Today I want bring to your attention the next event that took place and forever changed the landscape of the religious world.  Over the next few Sundays, I want to take you on a “Journey To Pentecost”.

I. The Promises:  The journey begins with promises....Jn. 14:12-16, “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly (Fixed or unchanging; steady. Firmly loyal or constant; unswerving) believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I Am], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son. [Yes] I will grant [I Myself will do for you] whatever you shall ask in My Name [as presenting all that I Am]. If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever— The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you”

The Greek word translated "another" is crucial to an understanding of Jesus' meaning. The Greeks had two words that meant "another." One was heteros, which means "another kind," as in, "This wrench doesn't fit; bring me another one." Allos also means "another," but it means "another of the same kind," as in "I enjoyed that sandwich; I think I'll have another."

Allos is the word Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit: "another [allos] Helper." He is, in effect, saying, "I am sending you One of exactly the same essence as Myself." The disciples would have known His meaning immediately. He was not sending back just any old helper, but One exactly like Himself, with the same compassion, the same attributes of deity, and the same love for them.

The promises of the Holy Spirit is the culmination of all that Jesus had to say to comfort these eleven troubled men. In that hour of turmoil, they feared being left alone. Jesus assured them that they would not be left to fend for themselves, but they would have a supernatural Helper. The Greek word for "Helper" is parakletos, which literally means "one who is called (kaleo) alongside (para)." We sometimes use the transliterated term paraclete in English. The King James Version translates it "Comforter," which is one of the meanings of the word. Jesus is saying, "I am going to send a Helper, a Comforter--One to stand alongside you."

a. Isa. 32:15   Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city: Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.” Detail condition of Israel which persisted  and got even worse during the time between the Old and New testament.

     b. Eze. 39:29, I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of    

         Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD." NIV

     

     c. Matt. 3:11, I indeed baptize you with water to repentance. but he that comes after me is mightier  

         than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear. he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with    

         fire.

    

     d. Acts 1:8, But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come on you: and you shall   

         be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost 

         part of the earth.

"Don't Settle"

Preached 3/17/13 in the AM service @ MWC

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Intro.  It is so easy to get weighted down with the daily problems and circumstances that surround us.  To become encumbered with the daily grind of life; paying bills, raising kids to be productive Godly citizens, overcoming the consistent problem of making ends meet.  The danger for all of us is that we “settle” for where we are or what we are going through, never reaching the potential that God had destined us for.  We accept it as the ‘end of the story.’  But it’s not!!  

Today I want to minister on the subject “Don’t Settle!”.  Don’t settle with the pain....don’t settle with the poverty....don’t settle with the frustrations of life....don’t settle with the fear.  Make up you mind today to pursue what God has made available for you.   Note Paul’s words in I Tim. 6:11-12, But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. ¹²Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 

No matter what the circumstances, good or bad, things will change.  For the Christian, ethe change should be for the better.  This, in truth, is part of our blessed hope......" the greater things to come ".

We must determine to not allow anything or anyone control or destroy what we are or what we are destined to become.  We must not settle!

Note with me others before us that refused to settle.

I. God Refused To Settle: 

   a. Man had disobeyed.

b. Did what God said he should not do.

c. God kept His Word.  Man suffered spiritual death... separation from Life.

d. The curse was placed upon man.

e. The serpent had won!

1. But God looked beyond the darkness and despair of the hour....looked beyond Calvary and  said in Gen.    3:15, " And I will put enmity (opposed/hostile) between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall  bruise thy head..."

II. Moses Refused To Settle:  

      a. Miraculously raised in the home of the enemy of God’s people.  Never lacked for   

          anything.

b. It is easy to become comfortable surrounded by prosperity though they that are around you are living in bondage of sin and moral poverty in a deprave society. 

1. BUT there came a time that Moses chose to look beyond the prosperity and the privilege ( sometimes a problem ) of being called the son of Pharoah’s daughter. Note Heb. 11:25-27  “ By faith Moses, when he was come to years, (grew up) refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God , than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.  Esteeming ( hold in  high expectation ) the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompence ( give compensation to ) of the reward.  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king:  for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible “.  

Faith that a better thing was in store for God's chosen!  He would not settle for what others thought was a perfect life!

III. Isaiah Refused To Settle:   

a. During Isaiah’s time Israel was in bondage and control of heathen nations.

b. Time and time again God had sent His Word through the mouths of His prophets 

     calling for the repentance of Israel.  For a season they would return and be 

     blessed but the pull of the world around them would pull them back to the sins of    

     their surroundings.

       c. Isaiah looked beyond and said in Isa. 9:6 , “ For unto us a child is born, unto us   

           a son is  given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name 

           shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,  The mighty  God, The everlasting Father,  

           The Prince of Peace. “ 

    “ And the redeemer shall come to Zion...” Isa. 59:20

    " IN the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high 

      and lifted up, and his train ( glory ) filled the temple.  " Is.6:1

 IV. Jesus Refused To Settle:

       a. In Matt. 16:18 He said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not 

           prevail ( overpower it or be strong to its detriment, or hold out against it ) against 

           it.      

       b. In John 14:3 He said, “ I go to prepare a place for you " also said,  " I will come 

            again receive  you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.“  

V. We Can And Must Refuse To Settle:

     a. Ps.91:2  I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge ( the state of being covered or protected: something to which one turns for assistance in difficulty or need in the absence of a usual means or source of supply ) and my fortress ( a place offering resistance to a hostile force ): my God; in him will I trust  ( lean and rely ).

       

Conc. I close today with this admonishment....”Don’t Settle” the best is just around the bend.