Dry Places - Pt2

Introduction:

Mens Group last week was awesome we broke down how to follow God’s wills…IT was amazing conversations...

We also came up with a game plan for this Saturday. Men who have signed up have a ticket purchased for them.

Youth meeting was fantastic…we are still in the middle of the fundraiser for the youth. This will be the last week that we leave open the Youth For Hire fundraiser! (We realized that like most workers we have to introduce the worker before hiring them.So lets do an exercise)

We would love some participation if you are available. We actually want to present a little youth interview for each of you! SO we are going to call our youth up and introduce them to each of you.

So we are in our 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer! We are determining weather we are in a dry place or not that we are going to place ourselves in a dry place, a weary place, a place of pressing in and doing more for the Spiritual growth we WANT to have.

We want that Elijah Boldness Fire come down from Heaven, That Jesus Gospel living in our bones!

So hows that going for everyone?

Listen dont be discouraged if you have failed this week, just press on and try again this week! Making yourself hungry…and satisfying your physical hunger with Water and the Word.

Abide in me oh lord.

John 15:4–9 (NIV)

4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.

If you are like me then this past week has produced something…but MAYBE. Not exactly what you wanted it to produce…

In me…this week saying no to food produced a form past hangry. Past being hungry and upset.

honestly did you know that hangry is a real thing…but it doesnt just come from not eating…its actually from low blood sugar levels....

Weather it was hangry or it was considered to be anything else, it was ugly. It was an inner thing that i didnt ever want to have surface.

You know I’ve learned something about transparency and being authentic..Sometimes you need to simply come down off of your cloud that you have produced. And sit in true transparency.

Today im going to be sitting in that place, because I’ve been humbled.

You know wanting to get to the deeper places of issue in life means you have to get ugly sometimes. Today ima talk about my ugly and speak to it! I encourage you to find a Proverbs 17 17 friend and talk about your ugly in this as well!

Proverbs 17:17 NIV

17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

Because the man i saw this week was ugly and not nice to see or deal with.

You know this uglyness that I’ve felt…its what i truly need to be bringing to God. Not my desires..although he hears them…There is so much more to life then that.

but really fast in the middle of this conversation as we are also Literally walking in it! We did this last week.

- we talked about Prayer and Fasting from the perspective of Elijah and we actually saw some beautiful things when it comes to our obedience to God.

Humility brings Nearness 1 kings 18 42

Focus brings Clarity 1 kings 18 43[a]

Perseverance brings Results. 1 kings 18 43[b]

Today im going to talk about this.

QUESTION

What do we do with this Ugly, Hungry person we have found?

Story of Sand....

If you live in the pine ridge, South Congaree, Cayce or Lexington area…then you know much about the gold old Sandy ground that is all around us. Sand isn't really good for planting grass nor building a house on it. However with the proper set of skills and tools and enough heavy concrete we have been able to settle houses on them.

however sand is powerful, sand can cause pain and bring beauty...

Summer time is fast approaching and im sure if your family is like mine you will at least once this summer venture down to good ole isle of palms, Pawleys island or good old dirty myrtle to take a dip in the ocean and walk down the beach at sunset or sunrise. To each there own.

But no matter what, if you get at least 20 feet within the beach front. You'll have sand in every nock and crany of your clothes, shoes, hair, and car. No doubt about it.

But a place you dont want sand is in your eye.....Its irritating, it annoying, it drives you crazy. Ever have something like sand stuck in your eye ? you rub it and rub it and rub it, nothing happens then you attempt to pour water down your face hoping youll have just the right angle in your pour and a perfect ratio of Eye open and water pour at just the right time so that maybe just maybe you can wash that sand out your eye.

I mean right you have to get it down…because if not your eye just itches like crazy. and if you dont get that sand out you can have an eye infection, then if you dont get the eye infection treated then you could loose sight in your eye.

.

The same particle of sand if logged inside of a clam shell can do something different the Clam will take its own shell and essentially break a piece off and cover the particle of sand. This is a process the clam does to ultimately protect itself from any irritant inside of the shell’s. Over the course of a long period of time this particle of sand will become a shiny little object worth anywhere between 200 to 15000 dollars.

One piece of sand can equal blindness if not taken care of....or it can create a worth while investment.

My question to you today is this.

In the next 14 days of fasting when the ugly becomes evident…when the trial makes itself known…what will you do? Allow the irritant to blind you from any further growth or will you ONLY BY THE HELP OF HOLY SPIRIT…make it something worth while?

Lets look at a few passages really quickly.... These are people who have responded poorly to their irritants...

1. Cain and Abel. Cain found out first hand how far disappointment, feeling of resentment, bitterness, betrayal, indifference felt…and the extremes it would take him.

Genesis 4:8 (NIV)

8 ......[b]..Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

2. What about Abraham..when the land he was living in was ravaged with famine and drought…he and his wife went to Pharaoh whom he found favor in…but not at the cost of nearly losing his wife. We see in there that abraham was tempted and failed. He failed by leaving the dry place before calling on God..and he failed by lying about who was with him....Led to shame and misery. We find out in the story of abraham…how far we will go to survive in this world… Gen 12 11:13 would be the reference to this.

3. Peter walks through a trial and finds doubt inside of his heart.

to deny God you must be out your right mind....(turn Back)

Lets Read and Learn through Peter’s Own Story...

we have 3 parts of this story and each have something important to teach us. (only 3 points somehow)

God show me the way. This is where i stopped editting....

First part of the Story

Luke 22:31–34 (NIV)

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.

32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”

34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

We learn from that story...

#1. We must understand the assignment.

Jesus mentions that satan is coming and that you will be tested….thats GOING to happen.

1 Peter 5:8 NIV

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

however…the assignment is to pass INTO, the assignment of Strengthening your brothers.

what does strengthening look like?

Jesus is the authority in our lives…In all seasons...

You ever sat back and thought..What did Jesus mean..by your faith not failing?

I think me and you sit here and we think of not failing this test, trial, or ugly side of ourselves would be we dont deny Jesus...

That does seem to be the trial that is at the front here.

After all we dont see What Satan has asked to do. See in the book of Job we see the account in the heavenly.. We see God having a conversation and granting permission to satan to move on behalf of Job. However we see that the movement is limited and the idea of Satans mission is simple.

Everything he has is in your power.. satans response to God in chapter one of job is well of course he loves you he has a hedge around him..you are blessing his very hands and everything that he does...Satans argument is if you take the comfort from underneath job surely he will be against you.....Job was being tested

thought the first testing God was able to add to a description of who job was.....

i could skip

Jesus is interceding for you…aka Jesus sees internally and wants to see internal growth…So he is interceding on behalf for you. v s 32

Jesus knows the time and place the enemy will move in. And can even tell us of those times. vs 34.

Proverbs 16:18 NIV

18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

We see this time and time again

2 Kings 17:13 …God warned israel to turn from wicked ways.

2 Kings 17:13 NIV

13 The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: “Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.”

Jeremiah 7:25 NIV

25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets.

You remember how nehemiah knew it was time to go back and build the wall. Not because the Spirit led him. Scripture says he remembered that God spoke through the prophet that 70 years would pass for this punishment to settle.

Second part of the Story.

Luke 22:54–62 (NIV)

54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.

55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.

56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”

57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”

60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.

61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”

62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

John was also with peter so i believe maybe we can find that verse somewhere....not important and too much to explain..but even if it was the simple fact John was with him. However kept his eyes on jesus not the distraction that was before him.

Lets look at a phrase here in this passage..keep this in mind..When we dont recognize the assignment we walk into depths of service with the King....with shallow mindsets..

the mind set is on surviving the season, instead of figuring out how to strengthen for the assignment IN the Season.

Is that to complicated?

ITs like going to a place you like, you go to it often enough and you have to begin to figure out new ways to enjoy it. Get everything in the place that there is to offer…Yall here me today?

our mind set is on auto surviving the season mode, we need to learn IN....INNNN the Grace of God The New of the Season....

#2. Pay Close attention for he is teaching.....

1 Corinthians 2:10 NIV

10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

Jeremiah 32:33 NIV

33 They turned their backs to me and not their faces; though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.

Lets look at this really fast....

Luke 22:54 (NIV)

54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.

He followed at a distance....

in the passage “followed” Luke uses greek work that is in definition : meaning to follow as a disciple. The word literally means to follow behind someone. Same context found in Mark 1:18

Mark 1:18 NIV

18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

Just as the disciples did in this verse above. They both Literally followed Jesus; as in walked behind him, but also they Completely followed Him. Because the disciples left an old life behind them, straining forward to what is next.

however the difference is......in one sense the disciples were getting closer as they walked....in another sense we are backsliding away..

Which way are YOU following Jesus today?

See the suggested context puts peter in the distance.

As jesus is being marched into the High Priest house peter himself is afraid for Jesus fait has yet been established

Listen…its the first time the disciples have seen jesus put in handcuffs....

Come on lets bring this to our church where we are in Dry places today.

were experiencing a church wide, biblically CREATED and ORDAINED drought. We are making dry uncomfortable, mangy, uncomfortable, hardships, in our life....AND I PROMISE YOU THE DEVIL DONT LIKE IT.

This is where things can become real for us. Because Peter was okay with the walk when Jesus was in control of his outcome, when jesus was walking in this new light, under what was obviously the Move of the Holy Spirit.

The church today in 2023 is okay with the walk of a christian. When the Christian is in control of his outcome, Christians in 2023 are okay when they know they have a key to heaven.

He Wept Bitterly....

3. Repeated Failure brings Heartache.

Final part of the Story

John 21:15–19 NIV

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

4. There is no Heartache Jesus wont Fix

Understand the assignment - Come to the correct understanding

Pay close attention for he is teaching - or you will follow estranged paths.

Repeated failure brings heartache- fall trying to make way to the path originally created

there is no heartache jesus wont fix.- But dont worry…Where you are he will find you. And fix things.

in a conclusion piece.

In the next 14 days of fasting when the ugly becomes evident…when the trial makes itself known…what will you do? Allow the irritant to blind you from any further growth or will you ONLY BY THE HELP OF HOLY SPIRIT…make it something worth while?

This is what i saw in this past week of …minimum but enough sacrifice to cause a reaction of discomfort...

Now listen to me...

A minimum amount of sacrifice caused a reaction of discomfort that needs to be dealt with.

I knew this guy was in here. I knew i dealt with annoyances poorly, i knew i responded in a bit of anger.

Its not the lack of sleep that created this monster

its not the lack of nutrients that my body has developed a different personality trait.

its simple really when you read into scritpure..

My Body has been controlling my Soul..

Word says My Spirit should lead my soul which leads my Body..

See I havent failed. You havent failed, Youve actually struct Gold when you have the opportunity to REALIZE something is wrong.

You Strike Gold because Now It can be dealt with.

Cain had resentment, bitterness, Him and His brother looked different born differently, hey, they even had different jobs. Something was going on before....but now…Its bigger…and results were taken...

Cain couldn't fix his issue with his brother…it was done...

Abraham thankfully was able to fix his issue. He was able to take things in and reconcile..

Peter.....had to walk through his doubting, scared, over fed life before answering the call of Missionary....See he wasn't ready yet to go out and fully answer the call..there was a man inside of him that had to be dealt with.

And like you and me…it starts by realizing that once you see the issue...

Its time to come back to Jesus.

Receive Jesus for ALL that he is.

Receive forgiveness

& Receive in fullness the restoration of healing the old over fed man.

Last week we ended by talking about if were not in a place of Spiritual Growth. Then we need to make one!

Thats what our 21 Days of Fasting and Praying is for.

We have 24 people signed up. 24 people that have decided that for them and there household they will recieve ALL that God has for them.

I dont know, and i dont need to know. But have you created a space in your life for hunger? Or have you created a place to be bored and fill it with more worldly things?

Today contemplate on this…The Fast that i Am doing, the amount of prayers im setting forth. Has God set these standards for me, or did i negotiate and win?

Im going to end with this verse yet agan that im going to read to you.

Luke 22:31–32 (NIV)

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.

32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Sometimes you simply HAVE to walk through the storm to figure out where you are....

sometimes you have to be brought to a place of weeping.

If you are here already then come to the altar and weep…if you arent here yet…then i want you to ask yourself this.

Am I creating the right Dry place?