NJ - Central Regional Meeting

Good morning and welcome, it is great to be here with you today.

Rachel and I are the senior ministers of Oasis Church Rockhampton and Moura and have the privilege of leading the ACC Capricornia Region.

Thank you Ps Dave and Ps Mary for the opportunity of being here and sharing with you all. I bring greetings from Ps Ben and Ps Trish Naitoko

EQUIP - We need to equip the saint.

EMPOWER - We nee to empower our people

ENCOUNTER - We all need to be having regular encounters with God

We have adopted this within our church, Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled

I have titled my message: WALK IN LOVE AND BE A GOD IMITATOR

LETS PRAY

Prayer: Father we thank You for Your grace and love toward us. We pray that we would be filled with Your strength and power that we can walk in all that You have called us to. We ask Your Holy Spirit to bring revelation of Your word that we can apply it to our lives. Amen

Introduction:

Today I would like to focus on WALK IN LOVE AND BE A GOD IMITATOR. This was so important to God, that He made LOVING ONE ANOTHER a commandment

John 15:12–13 NKJV

12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

It is import for us as PASTORS; LEADERS; and SHEPHERDS to love our people and see them as God see them.

Loving them like this, affirms them and instills identity in them. God did this in leading by example:

Matthew 3:16–17 NKJV

16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

THE FATHERS WORDS:

This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased

The Father affirmed Jesus

The Father instilled identity

This is the way that God loves us and our people. Remember He (BEING GOD) gave up His Son for the love of His creation (US).

The good Shepherd lays His life down for the sheep

David said to Saul, your servant has killed a lion and a bear in protecting his sheep

1 John 4:7–11 NKJV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

We have the opportunity to be a great example to our people in showing love to them and to one another.

Philemon 4–7 NKJV

4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.

Philemon 8–18 NKJV

8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. 15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account.

Point 1

The Power of Love.

Paul took ownership of Onesimus, loved him and placed value on his life (SON; BELOVED BROTHER).

Paul took ownership of his past: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Says that Onesimus is no longer a slave but a fellow brother.

Paul really loved Onesimus and was committed to him.

Share testimony about Tammy - Valuing her and loving her

Romans 12:9–14 NLT

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.

Love is a choice and a commitment.

Point 2

The Power of Being a God Imitator.

When we think about being an imitator of God, there is power in this and it is freeing to us. Paul says to us:

1 Corinthians 11:1–2 NKJV

1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. 2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.

Philippians 3:8 NKJV

8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

The best way for us to walk in love is to imitate God. The bible tells us in Ephesians 5:1-2

Ephesians 5:1–2 NKJV

1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

Remember Jesus words: I only do and say what I see the Father do and say

John 5:19 NKJV

19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

The Bible is the manual for God's love, and when you follow the instructions that are in the Bible, you will be walking in God's love.

When you make Jesus the Lord of your life, you also received His agape love in you. Remember that God is love, so you cannot make Jesus the Lord of your life without the love included.

James 4:8 NKJV

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Point 3

The power of the Spoken Word.

There is power in the words that we speak, the bible tells us that there is life and death in power of the tongue.

Gideon - hiding in the wine press and the Angel of the Lord says to Gideon: YOU MIGHTY MAN OF VALOUR

The shepherd looks after his sheep

He left the 99 for the one

Do we notice the one?

Just walk across the room - Bill Hibels

This morning I encourage you to:

Walk in The Power of Love: not as the world portrays it, but as God has intended for us.

Understand The Power of Being a God Imitator: We need to be imitators of God, Follow the examples that we have seen (Jesus / Paul)

Remember The power of the Spoken Word: as we lay down our agenda’s and take up His, I believe it is then, that love is in its fullness. Speak life over our people, see them walk in all that God has for them.

God Is Love

1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

Fear not for I the Lord your God is with you (Isaiah)

Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled