Obedience and Perseverance

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The Wise and Foolish Builders

Matthew 7:24
24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Lives can crash and be wrecked. Obedience to God’s word is the key factor in this parable. Simply hearing the word of God doesn’t cause your house to be resistant to difficulties, it’s obedience and implementing Godly principles into your life that cause your house to stand when the day of testing comes.

Today's drama draws out the concept of perseverance as well. Showing the consequences of giving up on God and walking away even though you’ve been somewhat obedient for a season of your life.

Suddenlies
When God moves suddenly to change your current circumstances away from the way they are to the way he’s been speaking to you and you’ve been speaking to him.

Suddenlies can be preceded by years of difficulties challenges and persecution.
Sometimes these challenges are there to develop our character.

James 1:2-4
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

If they are from God or the Devil it doesn’t really matter if you can view them as stepping stones instead of a stumbling block.
Continuing to persist even though the challenges are rough.
There are many keys to persisting but the main one is a solid devotional life.

Consider Ms. California
She lost the crown for her convictions about the traditional family which are rooted in her belief in Biblical Christianity.

Many would consider this a bad thing.
Now she’s responded to the challenge as a stepping stone and become the spokes person for the traditional family.
There’s probably a book deal in the works etc.

She could’ve folded up like a tent and gone home crying declaring, “I’m never going to amount to anything!” That experience could’ve crushed her if her attitude would’ve been different.

A different example but a similar concept.

Christ as the Cornerstone
Matthew 21:44
44He who falls on this stone (Jesus) will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.“

How you respond to Jesus changes how he affects you. Either he will remake you into his image and likeness or you will ultimately be crushed by him.

A suddenly from the Old Testament

Prison to Ruler of Greatest Nation on the Earth

Genesis 41
41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, "Make way !" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

Consider the Challenges after Joseph has a dream from God

1. Hated by his brothers
2. Sold into Slavery by those closet to him
3. Falsely Accused of Rape
4. Imprisoned

The Dreams
Genesis 37:6-8

To His Brothers
6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." 8 His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us?
Genesis 37:9,10
To his Parents
9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."
10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?"

1. Hated by his Brothers

Genesis 37:4,8
4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
Vs. 8 they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

2. Sold Into Slavery

Genesis 37:23-27
23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the richly ornamented robe he was wearing- 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed.

3. Falsely Accused

Genesis 39:11-18
11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house,
14 she called her household servants. "Look," she said to them, "this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house."
16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: "That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house."

4. Imprisoned

Genesis 39
20 Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him;

God will show us the complete picture without putting in all the difficulties in getting there.
What if he did? Would Joseph have gone for it?
What about you? What are your dreams? What is God speaking to you about you? Be encouraged a suddenly is on the way!

Jubilee Family Church

What God Wants from You

To watch the video of "What God Wants from You (Part 1)" CLICK HERE.
To watch (part 2) CLICK HERE

Have you ever given yourself completely to something or someone?
Maybe a person like a girlfriend or boyfriend? Completely surrendering your heart to them, making yourself vulnerable yet completely enraptured in the experience? Maybe in this process you spent hours on the phone? Sometimes not even talking just sitting there quietly.

Maybe it was a goal like winning a game or a state championship. All your energy focused on one thing, winning that game or title. Spending countless hours in a gym or on a field preparing.

Maybe you have career goals and objectives and you spend countless hours studying, preparing individually and corporately in meetings with teams of people. You do all this because of the goal the objective, the idea of a better tomorrow.

What causes us to hold back from complete and utter abandonment when trying to know someone or achieve something?

Generally it’s fear of loss or fear of failure.
There’s a certain “safety” in not taking sides, not choosing to go for it. Just being a fan and not getting into the game of life.

Sometimes it’s an inability to see the benefits of such extreme commitment to a person or cause.
I believe that many people are in this category today.

I was awakened Thursday morning with today’s message and it’s a very simple one but extremely important because it’s a core value of God’s and should thus be a core value for his people.

God wants us to abandon ourselves to Him.

Jeremiah 24:7
And I will give them a heart to know (recognize, understand, and be acquainted with) Me, that I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.

Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

People who don’t “find” God don’t seek him with all their heart. They don’t step out into the risky environment of love and trust.
For various reasons they shrink back from true emotional commitment to God.

Deuteronomy 6:5
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

This scripture means total emotional attachment to God. This emotional attachment leads to very practical works.

1 John 3:18
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
Deuteronomy 10:12
And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deuteronomy 11:13-16
13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul- 14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. 15 I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. 16 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.

Love for God defined as willful obedience.
Love for God results in God providing for your natural needs.
John 14:15
"If you love me, you will obey what I command.
John 14:21
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

The Benefits
When Jesus Shows Himself to you remember what he says to his closest followers.
Luke 10:24
For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

False Idols are idols of the heart

Loving God is more powerful than prophetic utterances or miracles

Deuteronomy 13:1-3
1 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.
2 Thessalonians 2:9,10
9The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
Joshua 22:5
But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul."

Why don’t people Surrender their Hearts?

1. Lack of information
2. They love their idol(s).
3. Fear of loss or lack of trust in God

1. Lack of information or revelation
Hosea 4:6
my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
Matthew 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

2. Idol worship
Anything that takes the place of Jesus Christ in the heart of a man.
Fear of Man placing the opinions of man over the opinions of God
Tribulation because of the Word
Worry and Anxiety
Lust – Sexual, financial,
Others

3. Fear of Loss or Lack of Trust
Psalm 19:7
The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
Psalm 33:4
For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.

This subject on loving God is like prayer and practice
It can never hurt you to do a little more.

Ask God to search you like David did in Psalm 51

Maybe you would say that I’ve given everything and my heart is completely his.
Then your prayer should be, “Lord, give me a bigger heart.”
Help us to Love you the way you loved us. Teach us and guide us to be a people that you would be proud to call your people. The holy spotless Bride of Christ, eagerly awaiting you to come and sweep us off our feet.

Jubilee Family Church

Image vs. Substance

To watch the video of this message on Image vs. Substance please CLICK HERE.

Image - a popular conception (as of a person, institution, or nation) projected especially through the mass media.

Substance - ultimate reality that underlies all outward manifestations and change.

The Image of Absalom David's Son

2 Samuel 14:25
In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him.

It’s obvious from this passage that Absalom’s image was excellent. It was something people talked about.

Eight Character Qualities that reveal the Substance of Absalom

1. He was a man who knew how to hide bitterness and strike in vengeance.
2 Samuel 13:28 Absalom avenged his sisters rape by ordering his men to kill his half brother Amnon at a family dinner.

2. He was a self promoter
2 Samuel 15:1
In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him.
2 Samuel 18:18
18 During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King's Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, "I have no son to carry on the memory of my name." He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.


3. Absalom would make it his highest priority to strategically stroke the need of the individual thus causing an identification with him and an un righteous soul tie with that individual
2 Samuel 15:2
2 He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, "What town are you from?" He would answer, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel."

4. Absalom would undermine the king’s ability to lead by emphasizing the king’s weakness and his own ability to meet that need.
2 Samuel 15:3,4
3 Then Absalom would say to him, "Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you." 4 And Absalom would add, "If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that he gets justice."


5. Absalom would place honor onto the men of the kingdom thus stealing their heart away from David
2 Samuel 15:5,6
5 Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

6. The Lord has positioned himself against Absalom and desires to undermine the false kingdom Absalom has stolen.
2 Samuel 17:14
14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel." For the LORD had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.

7. The forest is claiming more lives than the sword 20,000 v.8
2 Samuel 18:9
9 Now Absalom happened to meet David's men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom's head got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.

8. Absalom dies and his kingdom falls.
2 Samuel 18:14
14 Joab said, "I'm not going to wait like this for you." So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom's heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. 15 And ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him.

There is a battle in the hearts of Christian leaders today in our country between an image of man centered ministry and a substance of Holy Spirit centered ministry.
Some ministries are built around an image of man.
Some are built around the substance of the Holy Spirit
Some have both

It's not wrong to have a sharp image if the substance of God is supremely more important. If image ever trumps the substance of the Holy Spirit that ministry has moved into error.

Saul’s Image
1 Samuel 9:2
He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the others.

We’re not exactly sure what made Saul “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites” but we know immediately following this statement his physical stature is added implying strongly that his height is part of his impressiveness. He seems to have an excellent image.

Saul’s Substance
1 Samuel 15:26-28
You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!" 27 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you.

Compare and Contrast David and Saul
1 Samuel 16:7
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.“

The Image of Jesus
Isaiah 53:2b
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
One of the prophetic references to the suffering messiah.

According to Scripture Jesus was not an attractive man physically. He most likely didn’t look like a rugged modern day model.

The Substance of Jesus
Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
Jesus had Perfect Character

Watch this wildly popular video to see a contemporary illustration of a person with very little professional image but a lot of substance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

You may or may not have the greatest image but God is looking for substance. If you have substance without image you may be a person who’s yet to release what God’s given to you.

If you have image without substance you are building a house of cards and your “kingdom” will collapse around you.

If you have both you can use both to reach people but image must be crucified if it takes precedence over the substance of God.

If God has given you a word; go for it.

God’s empowering strength will make his dreams for you a reality if you are faithful and obedient for the long haul.

Consider Josephs horrible image but he had substance
Joseph
Has a dream
Sold to Merchants
Works as a slave
Gets Promoted to being a house slave
Accused of Rape
Sentenced to Prison
Get’s promoted in prison
Makes Strategic relationships
Expresses his gift
The gift gets re communicated eventually to Pharaoh

The substance is real in Joseph’s life and he gets promoted to the highest place in the land.

Sound Doctrine
2 Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

What do you really like? A professional and sharp image or the substance of God? Hopefully you can find both where the substance of God rules and reigns in the hearts of people.

Jubilee Family Church

Who Put Jesus on the Cross?

The Audio is very low (sorry).
The Romans?
The Jews?
Was it Satan?

Jesus was arrested at night and charged with blasphemy, the charge was “you a mere man are claiming to be equal with God.”
Blasphemy, under Jewish Law was punishable by death.

Was it the Romans?

Under Roman control the Jews had to bring Jesus Christ before Pontus Pilate to have him crucified. They didn’t have the authority due to the Roman occupation to carry out the death penalty.
Jesus Before Pontus Pilate

John 19:9-11
"Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" 11Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."

This proves that Pilate as a Roman procurator believed he had authority over the life of Jesus but that Jesus declared that the authority over his life was much higher.

Though he was convinced of Christ’s innocence, and though he tried to dissuade the priests and the crowd from their aim to have Christ killed, he finally relented to the blood-thirsty religious leaders: "When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it" (Matthew 27:24).

Clearly Pilate’s decision was motivated by the fear of a potential revolt. Therefore, to keep the leaders happy, and to prevent a dangerous rebellion, he relented to their request. Thus, though Pilate had the power to prevent Christ’s death, he chose to sacrifice an innocent man to keep the peace. Pilate, therefore, was a willing participant and contributed to Christ’s death.

Pilate ordered Jesus to be flogged and then released but the crowd called out, inspired by the religious leaders of the day, to crucify Jesus.
Pilate did not want Jesus crucified because he judged him innocent of breaking any laws that were important to him as a Roman.

However to appease the crowd he succumbed to the pressure and ordered Jesus crucified.

Was it the Jews?

The Jewish religious leaders brought Jesus to Pilate, set him up on multiple occasions and seduced one of his own disciples to turn against him for 20 pieces of silver.

Matthew 26:3-5
3Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. 5"But not during the Feast," they said, "or there may be a riot among the people."

It is interesting to note that they were conscious of the fact that the majority of the people liked Jesus and, therefore, decided not to kill Him. They knew that the masses of people had to be handled carefully, to keep them from turning against them. Thus, their plan had to be skillfully conceived so as to convince the people that Christ was a blasphemer and that He deserved death.

Furthermore, the Gospel of Matthew tells us that when Christ was brought to the Sanhedrin, “The Chief Priest, the elders, and the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death” (Matthew 26:59-61), and found several.

Finally, Christ’s own words were found sufficient to condemn Him to death. Thus, in the morning, “...all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death” (Matt. 27:1). Later, when Pilate tried to release Christ, they vehemently insisted that He had to be killed, and the angry crowd that was present, as well as the priests, finally prevailed (Luke 23:23).

Were the religious leaders guilty? According to the Gospel story, many were. They planned to capture Christ, they found false witnesses to testify against Him, and they refused to believe His word, though His miracles supported His claims. The religious leaders wanted Him dead and did not cease until their agenda to have him killed was fulfilled.

Was it Satan?

Did Satan try and kill Jesus on the cross? I think Satan feared the cross because he tried to get Jesus to avoid it.

Matthew 16:21-23
21From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" 23Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

I believe Satan wanted Jesus to die but he did not want him to be lifted up. He knew the prophecy and I believe tried to get Jesus to die another way or tried to get him to sin through various temptations.

Matthew 4:6
"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' "

Colossians 2:15
15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
It was God’s Love for Sinful Mankind that Put Jesus on the Cross.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

God the Father loves us so much that He was willing to go through unfathomable pain and anguish for us, by offering His only Son to be flogged and then to be nailed to the cross.

It was His love that put Jesus on the Cross. It was His love for sinful humanity that brought us unmerited forgiveness and opened the possibility of eternal life for all who believe.

Jesus Christ agreed to do God's will, fully conscious of the horrific ramifications that His decision would have had for Him. Yet, He was greatly encouraged by the fact that his future suffering would have brought about salvation for all who receive him by faith.

John 6:51
51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

Who, therefore, killed Jesus Christ? The answer should be clear by now: The Jewish leaders wished it; Pilate could have prevented it, Satan orchestrated it; our sins demanded it.

It was God the Father who willed it, and it was Christ who willingly offered himself to be sacrificed.

John 10:18
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

The Cross screams, YOU ARE VALUABLE!

Jubilee Family Church

A Woman and a Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.

Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. 'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly.

'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.

'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

'That surprises you, doesn't it? ' the young woman asked.

'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.

The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come.'

The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had an incredible grasp on heaven. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.

Revelation 19:9
Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God."

Jubilee Family Church