It worked out perfectly, Times Square Church worship started while Pierre (senior pastor) was preaching at the Father's House. I was in my pajamas frying bacon while the laptop was at a safe distance but within view. It hit me then. WOW. God is so cool. I can be at home, frying bacon and be part of a church service. Others would think instead: "Technology is cool", but I say God deserves the glory because He created it all! Anyway I thought God was even more cool when I was able to travel 330 miles to NYC to take part in the Times Square service, all within seconds. Now I will share my sermon notes with y'all.
My Hope When Love has Gone Dry
Scripture Used:
Job 14:7
At least there is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its new shoots will not fail.
Its
roots may grow old in the ground
and its stump die in the soil,
yet
at the scent of water it will bud
and put forth shoots like a plant.
Matthew 22:36
One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is
the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your
neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law
and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
-If the greatest commandment was: "Be holy and separated"... In the
good Samaritan story, you would walk past the man on the side of the road. (Maybe you would be too clean to touch this man)
-If the greatest commandment was: "To worship God"... You would pass by as well. (Maybe if you helped this man on the side of the road, you will be distracted from your "worship")
-If I cannot look you in the eye and say I love you, I do not
have knolwlege of the truth.
-Love God, love your neighbor. Your neighbor in fact is someone who falls short. It could be someone who caused you
pain. You could have warned them about sin, but they still did wrong.
- What is the new commandment? Love one another, just as I have loved you. By
this all will know that you belong to Me.
-You cannot even talk of loving others in the world, if you first
do not love God or the people in the church.
-Its pointless to try to love like Christ in your own strength.
-Human effort always falls short.
-What do I do then? If I cannot do it?
-Proverbs 17:9
He that covers a transgression, shows love. (Doesn’t go around rehearsing it with other people)
-Noah: Genesis. He got drunk. Sons took garment and covered their
fathers nakedness. As a result, Ham was oppressed and under domination of heathen nations.
-Is this the root of our Christian weakness? Why are we so preoccupied with
exposing each others faults? So quick to criticize others in body of Christ,
even behind the pulpit. Running with (true) stories about what people did wrong. Christ
could have done that after his resurrection. He could have said "Did you hear
about what Peter did? How he denied me?"
-If there is nothing good to say, don’t say anything.
-Its not like Christ to ridicule or expose those who you call
family.
-Love covers a transgression! If Christ has covered us, let us do
the same.
-In a roomful of failures..
Jesus came and said “Peace” Thomas wouldn’t believe it... again Jesus came and
said “Peace be unto you and touch my wounds” Christ covered his transgression. Instead of
coming in and saying: "After all you have learned, shouldn't you know better?"
-I am born in the kingdom to stand with you.
-In the time when the world is dividing, we have to come together!
-Love for one another shows the testimony of Christ in the church.
- A battle is ahead of
us. Bloodline fellowship: all congregations. If we want to make it through the
days of the future, we ALL have to come
together.
-This starts with the realization that we need each other. I
cannot finish this race without you.
-You are entitled to your opinion, I am not entitled to ridicule
you for your opinion.
-With God all things are possible. By God's grace lets pick each other up and finish this race together.
-Back to the scripture in Job: Hope for that tree. It doesn't matter how dead
we may be to some of these truths. If we still have a hunger and thirst. Jesus promises to fill us with the water.
-Wholeheartedly love others. Let it be manifested the same way it
was manifested to us.
-Only God can do that.
-By this they will know you are Christians. By Love. Not by
criticism.
-It has to be real. Genuine. Not Sunday morning toleration.
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks your face Oh God of Jacob.
Give us clean hands give us pure hearts let us not lift our souls
to another.
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