RISE | Next Steps
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Next Steps
Next Steps
11 The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
We look only one direction for guidance
We seek only one for perspective
We go to only one for direction
We seek the face of only one
Only one King and Kingdom that we seek
When we do so - When we seek God - only then are we satisfied, only then are we made complete.
Only God takes dirt and makes it into a watered garden.
I am finally getting to plant some things in the garden and I am excited - but we all know what will happen if I don’t water the plants - they die. This is the picture in Isa. 58 - a watered garden has these qualities: 1. It stands tall 2. It Grows 3. It produces. - if we are looking to God to guide our steps and lead us - we will see those in out lives as well.
Our next steps will lead us to one of two places.
Trusting God
Trusting Self
Trusting God - means that we walk before we know results
Trusting Self - means we live in fear, and are held captive by the “what if’s” instead of knowing “God can”
it boils down to faith over fear.
Now - it may sound like this is a doom and gloom message - IT IS NOT. However, there is the need for some ground work.
A Couple of BAD Words.
A Couple of BAD Words.
CHANGE & NEW
Change - most people do not like change but the only thing constant in life is change. We all change (do you look the same as you did at 10, 20,30?)
The Christian life is based on change - listen: Jesus CHANGES our life, God CHANGES out direction, Jesus CHANGES our destination (heaven / hell)
For some reason in this life though - if we hear the word change we freak right out!
Sometimes downright refusing to change the way things are done, the way we do things, and we build an attitude of stubbornness and we often even end up taking that same attitude towards God.
Spiritually Speaking - our entire life is based on Change.
We are made new to live new - New is not a bad thing.
Our life in Christ begins with a major change. 2 Cor 5:17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
CHECK THIS OUT: -IS-
a current state of being at the same time as being a perpetual action.
He -is- in Christ, meaning will continue to be (old self passed away)
-IS- a NEW creation
the old struggles with the NEW.
It is also attempt to stop the growth of the new life.
We are looking forward to a NEW heaven and NEW earth - will we complain about that? BUT IT WILL BE NEW
Mose was trying to lead people of israel in the direction God gave him - they complained the whole way - because it was new: new food, new direction, new ideas, new lodging, HE WAS TRYING TO GET THEM TO WHERE GOD WANTED THEM. BUT EVERYTHING WAS CHANGING. GOING a NEW DIRECTION
PRACTICALLY SPEAKING
Change & New are bad words in churches, organizations, and relationships because “new” brings uncertainty. HOWEVER - when we feel uncertainty concerning new things, over new processes, over new ideas, over new directions - then we need to evaluate where our faith and trust falls.
Let me challenge us today - NEW IS NEW - ALL NEW IS NOT BAD - NEW IS OFTEN GOOD & NEEDED. -a new car, a new stove, a new house…ALL CHANGE IS NOTE BAD - it is needed. Process needs to change, the way it’s done, the way we think, the way we allow God to use us.
14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing.
You know the type - “I am not doing it like that” - I been doing this for 55 years and I am not changing. I don’t like new things - I am NOT changing. - ok, then just like MOSE - we will keep moving forward and just let you have your pitty party (sorry that’s what it is) because we have a direction, a vision, and a plan to make an impact for Christ in our community and we cannot afford to nurse egos - so we need everyone, one every team, in every pew, rowing the gospel ship in the same direction to reach our goals, our vision, and our community for the Kingdom.
It is said that you find out what a church (or person) worships when you change things.
Vision Matters
Vision Matters
18 Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.
18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.
Revelation = vision.
This does not mean a “new word” from God. we dare not add to the word of God nor take away from it.
18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, which are written about in this book.
We don’t take away - we don’t add.
We pray - we seek God’s direction - and we follow.
v18 - No Vision - meaning there is no instruction in God’s word, which (at this time) was given by the prophets through visions - Now it is given by God’s word, prayer, and communion with God.
Godly vision - leads to both the new, and to change- as we seek to do the best we can for His kingdom, and to take the gospel to the world.
Here is my promise to you - God will always be the spring or the well of living water - I will be the pump - I need all of us to come together to be the sprinklers for the kingdom - spreading the good news, keeping with the vision, headed the same direction.
ALLOW ME TO SHARE THE GOSPEL
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
OUR RESPONSE IS VITAL
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Bridging the Cap between Rearview comfort and Forward Motion Ministry.
Bridging the Cap between Rearview comfort and Forward Motion Ministry.
It’s okay to remember how things were - I do too!
It’s not okay to live there - and worship the old way of doing something.
We must grow past the comfort of the familiar to the sometimes painful areas of growth. (even me)
Sometimes this means making sure the right people are on the teams and that they are passionate about where they serve. Other times it means not allowing the wrong person access to the boat.
Some people will sink the ship just because they will never be captain.
It take time to build the right team - and when it is built, and functioning within the ministries - nothing can stop it. BUT it is building.
Yesterday we had a great meeting with most of the serve team members and leaders and I want to tell you it is exciting to see many things coming together. Maybe a few new ways of doing things maybe a change here and there - But all headed towards the same goal - The Kings Kingdom. Using RISE, doing the work of the Lord together.
We Know God is at Work BUT we must also given mention that Satan is as well.
The moment we all come together in unity-Satan and his little demons get all up in arms - they will try to destroy the work and ways of Kingdom Living, Kingdom Life, Kingdom Principles, and Kingdom Service.
Don’t believe me - start serving in church and do it passionately. Start praying with your family and do daily, Start standing for the gospel, start showing up every sunday for worship - watch satan and them little demons get all up in ya business.
If so - you look at them and the situation and just say:
Not today - I claim victory! By the blood and in the name of Jesus! I AIN’T HAVING IT!
I Want you to be here next week and please go ahead and bring some people with you - I am bringing the message reminding all of us that God can take the ordinary and make it Extraordinary - When God calls your name - your whole life changes.
CHALLENGES BEFORE US.
CHALLENGES BEFORE US.
Every church, business, family - have challenges and we are not immune.
I want you to know that these things are not easy to talk about - but they need to be addressed - I want God’s best for us, so I’ll be uncomfortable for a few minutes.
I want to spearhead some of these things that have been looming over us for some years now, and I also want you to know that we have serve teams working on solutions right now.
Many have asked about attendance and why there are fewer people - national research has shown that churches dropped dramatically after the pandemic - people fell into one of three groups.
The Lazies (no longer feel the need to attend, but will come when they feel like it) loss of desire. Loss of connection
The continual fear of illness - some still feel that the danger of illness is too great.
Sick or declining health.
Some of these we can help, others we cannot help. What we can do is do our best to remain faithful to the calling of God on this church. For what we can help- a ministry serve team will be evaluating ways to re-connect both members and the community to FBCP
2. Small Groups -yes, it is very important for you to get involved in a small group. This is the community / building arm of our church. We are looking at ways to offer more classes and even offering them of different nights of the week.
3. Deferred Maintenance - this is nothing that you are not aware of. We spent nearly $30,000 last year alone on maintaining old and or broken equipment and repairing (patching) the building.
I love our church, meaning I love you - the people - with all of my heart. I also love this facility. Let’s look at some of the major issues.
-PICTURES HERE-
I will tell you that Bro. Charles is working tirelessly to get quotes and put together an action plan for us to make the most critical repairs as soon as possible. The deacons are working in unison to assist in this effort of planning and direction - Now I am asking the entire church to beginning praying, and planning.
Not to be too upfront - but, one company has quoted us over $120,000 for base repairs that do not even include repairs the stucco on the walls.
Big Give is coming May 21, 2023 - we would like to utilize the funds to get started on a few of the urgent items.
I (or a team member) will keep you up-to-date on all the progress as things get going.
We will also be using a new “Nehemiah Fund” for funds towards building projects. This is not once a month - you can give towards this at any time using a special envelop that will be placed by “Joash Chest” in the foyer.
Victory News.
Victory News.
I don’t want you to think that everything is negative today - God has been and will continue to move in this church and through his people.
Last year we saw move salvations than in the past 3 years.
Baptized more people than the past 5 years.
Had more small group connections
We currently have more serve team members then I can recall - ready to get to it.
There is a feeling of great anticipation about what God is doing (not me) God.
Our finances are up (let’s take a look)
Listen to me - repeat it in your spirit: GOD IS MOVING AT FIRST BAPTIST POINCIANA
I deeply and from my heart ask you today to just do one thing for our church and for the pastor - will you come to this altar today and pray over our church? Pray for God to fill this place, pray for supernatural solutions, pray that we will see people come to know the Lord through our faithfulness.
PRAYER>