Tony Prime Oct 22nd
Not that far. The word of the Lord says Sing. Joyfully to the Lord you righteous. It is fitting for the upright to praise him praise the Lord with the harp make music to him on the 10 Strangler sing to him a new song play skillfully and Shout for Joy for the word of the Lord is right in true. He is faithful in all he does. Let us pray. Heavenly Father we thank you for this day. And for the opportunity we have to come into your house. And we pray father that your will will be done throughout everything that said and done that your holy spirit will have to complete brain and control and bless each one. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.
And then I watch the way.
cheap
When we see you.
And then I watch the way.
song
weather
until you
Jesus
Turn this blue some dip and I don't need a swivel. My head is swollen up.
We're going to take a journey back in time a few months and come forward.
I thought when Pastor Keith spoke to me about speaking today, I have I was to sermons ahead. neither one of them suit
and so it's always the one that you struggle with that the Lord wants them that you don't really have ready. So it's not where I started out being figuring I had was well ahead of the game.
But one of this one of the talks I had was on expectation and my question to you this morning is starting off. What was your expectation when you came through the door this morning? What did you have in your mind for God and my response would be if you weren't expecting nothing. You'll get nothing.
If we come expecting God always meet us but so many times things happen between home and hear that a whole lot of things can happen that changes our expectation is in my other sermon would have been the marks of a true disciple. However, that didn't seem to fit I don't expect to be very long this morning to that beautiful weather and walk in the park.
Jeffers pink about so I want we smell textured on a journey and the real journey started about 2 years ago. From what my notes tell me and one of the impressive moments was in June when pastor preached on the lion chasing your lion are chasing the lion. What's the beginning of the journey and its intensity? And we're going to move forward a little bit from there. Have you ever thought about two letter words?
Here's the sermon topic this morning. they can make a lot of difference think about some of the two-letter words that you know, and try to put them in a sentence and then take them out of The meaning Chef, so whether we're reading listening or hearing it's important to pay attention to the two letter words. Cuz it can make a difference.
So I'm going to focus this morning on the word if
doesn't sound like a very spiritual or scriptural talk, but we'll see how that goes. Because the word is can have a pretty powerful punch and its use quite often in the Bible.
And have you ever stopped and thought about the word if I want some of those implications of that word might be? It has infinite death and Limitless possibilities for us even today, even though the scripture was written thousands of years ago.
It's easy to read and read scripture and missed the word f and we always like The First beginning or where the f is not so the promise may come first then the if and we skip over what after the F or we don't like what comes after the if I'm we can miss out because if it's usually a condition or an action requirement, I'm not a grammar person never did very well in English, but
so bear with me. But it's quite easy to read it. And miss the and miss that conditioner that contingent that things are based off and if you stop and think there's some very common.
Verses in the Bible that have the word if I could come right to your head right away if you obey and keep my commandment. Then out of all Nations will be a treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine. Yes. You obey me fully. And keep my commandment that promised gets fulfilled in 1st Corinthians, 5:15 and 2 it says. By this gospel, you are saved if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise you have to wait in vain. if You hold firmly? 2nd Chronicles 7 and 14 says and we all know this one. If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves I'm pray seek my face turn from their Wicked Ways. Then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. And then some 919. If you say the Lord is my refuge and you make the most high your dwelling no harm will overtake you knows disaster will come near you. if
right if How many times in our lives have we said or heard? It said if only if I had
if only I had got 5 minutes earlier if if if there's always the if there was a scene pianist Arthur Rubinstein celebrating his 84th birthday, and he said As long as we have what we have inside the capacity to love to work to hear music to see if flour to look at the world the way it is nothing can stop us from being happy. But one thing you must take seriously you must get rid of the ifs of life. Many people tell you I would be happy if I had a job or if I were better-looking or if a certain person would marry me. He says there isn't such a thing. You must live your life unconditionally.
Godzilla * the condition in the action and that he expects so if it's really and it's simple as meaning in the event that
So think back to the promises. Some of the implications of the word if is it speaks of God's desire to have a partnership with his people. It's prevent against us assets should fill us with a sense of worth and value because of what it says about. What God thinks and what his thoughts are toward us.
If is a call to action.
We look at all of those scriptures we read there was a condition in what something that you and I would have to do in order for this to happen.
It's also with the word if the future's not really such things can change or we can change. And then the word if should also and power us for action. But regardless the word if requires a decision on my part or your part.
Scripture in the old and the promises that come there always put a requirement on our part. I will do this if and then
it's up to us. Remember the verse If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray seek my face and turn from their Wicked Ways to be heard and healed. So in order to be heard and healed it required humility. prayer Seeking and repentant only then what's the land the outcome going to be positive?
Some implications we need to think about is I word that speaks of God desire to be is in partnership with us.
We can recover I have a question. So June 2017 was a landmark time. Which appears to be the next Landmark time that I can find in? My diary is September 10th 2017? What do you remember about September 10th 2017?
It was a Sunday, by the way.
Anybody remember?
Sister you're coming in and yeah.
What was the sermon? title
Not quite meant that. restart
and the hand washing ceremony, which was a symbol of clean moving forward. And there was a declaration.
Anybody remember what that was?
All this is making my point.
Just like my memory.
tiny
Any more detail?
She who has no memory.
We wear and you remember what the word was that was given at the end? after all of that
So Pastor Keith called in a word of Declaration. So I can paraphrase it. We need to get it recorded unfortunately.
Mark, this day was how it started mark this day so you and I should not ever forget September 10th 2017 because God said Mark the day.
This is the beginning of what I promised over to over the past two years.
Then that came some more and then there was a part that most of us don't like it will require sacrifice. Are you ready to sacrifice? And there was some laying around did I not sacrifice for you? And there was something about Christ on the cross and that piece. And here was the Clincher. it is up to you if BF
You see this come to pass.
some will miss because of lack of belief or unwillingness to sacrifice. And and that I might fulfill what I have spoken. So the key word in there was F. God was saying I will do my part. If you do your part no different than any other promise that he ever gives us that we have a responsibility as his kids to bring the salon and he has Where are privileged lot of folks? I hope you realize that God has said okay Mosaic. I've been talking to you for 2 years and if we go back to our Diaries and check will see various words that were given about what Christ God was saying. I want to do a new thing in Fairview. and he kept saying that some of us began to say are we hearing right whatever and God kept saying and saying and then all of a sudden
Think about the series of sermons on the lion chasing the lion takes.
And I'm talking about moving. regardless of and then we come to this restart. sermon And it's just like your computer button restart. And I was an opportunist brought all of the people together. And then the hand-washing and that the symbolism of move believing that what God Said was true and that we wanted to be a part of it and we want to move with it. And then God said yes.
You know.
I don't have a very good memory in the older. I get the worse it gets and they have to be written down now and I have to check back frequently, but sometimes when God speaks you and I don't get it. for various reasons The enemy don't want us to get it number. What? He would prefer we live in darkness had we could miss out. there are other times the way we may not feel well these kind of things happen to us or that Reg who's he to get work judgment? What is the Judgment supposed to be along with the word of the Lord willing to open their mouth? And who are we or who am I to judge the vessel? It's the word that comes out of the vessel that I am to judge and it's to be judged against the word of the Lord, but sometimes we just
You know, we're very casual bear careless when God speaks we need for a couple years. And what is the kernel of truth that God is trying to get through to us and is the rainiest and if there's an S, what's my role with the f
But it's like Communication in and human communication. There are many things that can happen from the time. We open our mouths into the person who receives it that can interfere with that being received as it should be and the same in the spiritual realm the enemy. We are fighting a battle. And let me tell you the battle is a little more ferocious than it has been simply because God is moving and God wants his people moving and the enemy wants us stopped. And so we know we're on the right time when the enemy starts attacking more than you ever did if he's not attacking then there's something we're not doing. Cuz he he gets nervous about he we have victory over him, right? victory over the enemy God is a god of mercy and love and kindness. And we can fail. We can miss it and he still loves his he'll pick us up. He'll move it song. forgive us
but he does demand obedience.
And he knows how to meet out discipline. And he knows how to judge. And he doesn't well.
God said to us he will do what he promised. However, he put a nest in there.
It's really you and I who are going to determine the outcome of the f? I have a responsibility you have a responsibility and Mosaic as a whole has a responsibility for a works with God to ensure that we meet the requirements for God to put Phil. There will be a cost or Price. God doesn't do a whole lot without a mother to cost us when we accepted Christ as our savior. family friends Things we love to do. Which more pleasurable? And maybe some persecution specialty and high school, whatever.
That was a price a cost for having decided to accept Christ and we all survived it.
Everybody slept pretty well. Alive we made it. Thera-Band things Christ has asked us to do over the years. That have cost us.
And sometimes it can be painful. Sometimes it's just a matter of us swallowing our pride and getting on with business or whatever and sometimes it's just God says will you and I'm a stubborn person. I like dragging my heels. I don't know why I always did I'll drag my heels and kick and scream and then God.
But I could have given in right at the beginning spared myself all of that and then all of a sudden.
We're all awake now. He just wanted all of us. He just wanted the heart to be right and obedient. And then he required nothing to think about Isaac and Abraham.
That must have been a tremendous request and to have to take the Sun up. And I believe and then God provided. An alternate sacrificed it was all about the heart and the motivation the heart and God wanted nothing else.
obedience not always easy, but God has a way of changing you really needs to And you know what? God gave us free will. And we choose.
We make a decision whether I will or I will not. and I have to make decisions and my in this game or am I not and you know and I talked about this game as what God is doing right now and I'm where he's going and you know, it's almost Daily Carson, okay.
Tony does not look like that. Yes. I'm a little harder but it's a it's a movement that's required of us to be continually alert to be hearing what the spirit is saying unable to use our spiritual eyes to see what's out there to be able to visualize what God is saying to us and to ensure that my attitude in my heart lines up.
So September 10th 2017 was the beginning of a the Fulfillment. And God is saying we can be a part of it. He didn't tell us what it would cost. He just said we could if we choose. From Genesis to Revelation if you read through the whole Bible. We read about all the different types of sacrifice in the sacrifice, but her the greatest sacrifice of all of course was Christ on Calvary. who gave everything that you and I might have what we have today and then you know. Sometimes I sit. I think about the crucifixion in the the price it was paid and I realized we don't really fully understand really what it cost. We really don't. But he was he did it and him ban. What do we pay back? You and I will always make sacrifices and have to make choices around the IFS.
A great sacrifice can be a right sacrifice. And if it's with the right heart. It's what's in here. I can sacrifice begrudgingly and they're not going anywhere. But if I with the right heart the right motivation changes the whole thing. The outcomes are totally different.
I think about Solomon and second chronicles 1 around verses 11 and 12. God said to Solomon because this was in your heart and you have not asked for riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies nor have you asked long life, but I've asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may judge by people over whom I have made you King first 12 wisdom and knowledge are granted to you and I will give you riches and wealth and honor such as none of the Kings have had who were before you nor shall any after you have the light. In chapter 7 of 2nd Chronicles 1 2 3 when Solomon had finished praying fire came down from heaven can send the burnt offering and sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the temple and the priest could not enter the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's House. When all I've got the children of God saw how the fire came down in the glory of the Lord on the tempo. They bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement and worship and praise God for he is good for his Mercy endures forever.
God is looking to you and I for what we have not for what we don't have.
He tells the gaps all he's looking for for my you and I is what we already have. He takes that chemo and really what are attitudes is over all of that really determines the condition of our house. We can trust God.
When I decide to go to Bible school, I was about to 7218 somewhere around there. I don't know I had nothing.
I had nurses uniforms. Pair of jeans sneakers and a t-shirt. That's all I owned and I had no money. And I felt the Lord saying you go and it this was July and registration was already closed and I was told put your application in any way. And I said, okay Lord. If this is you, you have to figure it all out cuz I can do it.
I I had and you had to wear suits and ties to class. Not that only thing. and you had to dress a certain way and hair had to be a certain way all this stuff and up, but I'll tell you what and we had the furniture living quarters with bed linens and whatever else we need. And I have none of that. I had and I don't think I had $0.20 in my pocket. I was just starting a job. And guess what? My registration ended up being all paid for it for the full year. I got soups and my room got looked after and I look back over that the test really a whole year and a year-and-a-half. I went for a year-and-a-half was really God showing me what he was able to do. and
I had more money that you're and 1/2 that I've ever had in the rest of my life. He gave me a part-time job every weekend. in my field and I used to travel from Peterborough to Bowmanville and some I had a chosen family that would come and pick me up Friday afternoon to make sure I got back down there in time to work Friday and Saturday and bring me back on Sunday. And the day that I left the resources, I didn't need them.
What is faithful? And you would think that Tony would be able to believe God for anything anytime anywhere?
Well, that doesn't always happen quite that way. But at least you and I have anchors along the way that says God provide it. And sometimes I have to be taken back and shown and reminded what God already did we're all like that we're human being and we're living in a world that we all kinds of things are going on. But one thing we can know God is going to do what God is going to do and Tony Prime ain't going to stop it. But Tony Prime can miss it, but he ain't going to stop it. And the same for you? What you none of us are going to stop that because if we don't cooperate with God.
the Loxley couple of work through them He doesn't need us he invited us. EPPICard of his plan for Mosaic and Fairview any chance one of us he's going to move in different directions in different ways and things that he's going to ask of each of us and there's an if with it if you will I will
and I
I can't judge you and you can't judge me about our is Tony doing what he's supposed to be doing.
And it's very individualistic what God will require of each one of us, but there will be enough for each of us. God will make
and all we have to do is the easy part.
And maybe sacrifice a little bit. It's not easy, but I wanted to go back and I'm wrapping up now. I wanted to go back and show you how God has been moving over. This is into our third year. And for two years. God said I'm going to do a new thing. I am and that it's going to be different than before and that we're going to be amazed at what he does. I I know all those words some of them I gave myself. and You know you hear it and you hear it and you want to okay God come on. Come on, come on.
We weren't ready. Thought that use a stick body to heal Fairview. I'm so what did he do? You start talking to us about chasing the lion? and then restart A restart was that point in time where buy we allowed to clean Mia getting whatever and got it. Okay.
if if
why are you and I in this world at this time in this place at this moment?
I don't think it's happenstance. It's God's plan for you. And I to be where we are where we are right now. and we've heard Pastor quise over God has a plan for each of us while we're in the middle of that plan that God.
And we'd like to see the whole tapestry, but we're not going to it's going to be one thread at a time. And we can be as impatient as we want. Our time is not God's time and that's where we get all uptight and have hissy-fits. Yeah go. He did did he tell us the day and the hour? No, he did not what did he say if you will.
And then he says okay go forward. And we go forward as a body and we go forward as individuals and there's the mission field out there. That's why we're here today in this place this hour because God ordained it. So.
The question we have is and it's my question as well as your question. What do I Tony do with the if What am I going to do with the f? And what are you going to do with the F and I thought that make your decision? see what we want to do with our if
When you drive here today, and you look and you were driving up, what did you see? Do you see any people? And what did you think?
Where were they going? What were they doing? And if we were down on where I used to work a lot of Street people huddled over then and whatever. What would Jesus see if he was here this morning walking the streets what he see and what would you do?
We need to see as Jesus saw. BF becomes much easier to deal with when our vision is pure and clear. I can walk out there and I can see all kinds of things and not see a person walking on the street and I'm a past five or six. And I can walk out there and not see a person although I may pass them on the sidewalk. Just depends, right?
How much are we prepared to give and I don't mean financially it's whatever God asks of us as individuals to reach Fairview.
What is it he requires of me. What is it? He requires of you. The one thing we know if we put our hand to the plow. We better not look back.
When my hand goes on the plow, we got to move forward. I don't know I grew up on a farm and I know the Horse stopped in the file wasn't moving. I went into the plow and it wasn't very fun quite painful. In fact I moved and we put our hand on it in order to get that straight and done. You don't let go of the plow and let alone the rent and then my dad was horse and rains and you didn't like all of them for sure and now with tractors and all of the rest. so in conclusion
the Holy Spirit
is our full source that you and I need for everything and anything. and
our prayer the group those of us who are praying whether it's Wednesday night or through the week for the for the church. And for the body is that the holy spirit will be powerful.
Regardless of what programs are things for trying to do the power of the holy spirit in our individual lives to be like Peter. The Shadow
I've I've been reviewing a lot of the old revivals and things in about the power of the Holy Spirit. And one thing was for sure. There was a price for it. But there was also it drew people.
Greater than anything I can say or do is the holy spirit drawing. and my prayer is I don't know. What yours is that would someone steps into that parking lot there they begin to sent the Holy Spirit. And then they come in here. It's still here. And you know what? They won't run away. They won't run away. And yes, we may see some things we question but you know what the holy spirit is a gentle person.
And if you're in the presence of the Holy Spirit, you know it. And there's that you almost don't want to leave for you don't want to be you want to remain. I was listening to a program of a lady who worked with Kathryn Kuhlman. And she needed to get away. She was at and not prince need to get away and she went through the kitchen where all the chefs and everything were working and that she just walking and then she walked there were all staying in the spirit and she was saying all you could hear was the hats in the spoons hitting the floor.
She didn't do anything. She never touched them. It was just the power of the Holy Spirit on her head and that happened to him. I don't know what God I don't I have no vision of what is the outcome of what God is doing. I do believe he will reveal himself in power. I do believe we will see things but it's not for our benefit. It's prefer views benefit. It's not the typical Tony. It's not forget Tony shouting. Call Tony. It happened once rich. They heard me all over Peterborough. Never have to be hurt again.
And it was in Swahili. And it got interpreted by someone from Africa. So it was real that was God proving to me. He was real.
you and I
have so much at our fingertips. And my closing word was to TUS.
BF pay attention to the F and what it means for you as an individual as I have to look at it what it means for me as an individual and the most important thing that you and I can have is the Holy Spirit.
Nah, it's good for that come in. And if it ain't doing no good unless I let it out. It is not in out in out. I got told me a long time ago. I was going to see an axe again this past week reminded me more years behind than ahead.
But I do believe I'll see what God promised. He promised me at one time. He would restore the years the Locust have eaten and if any of you know my story.
He restored I am not a person he would have wanted to meet even 20 years ago. because of what the locusts have destroyed But even in the midst of all of that God said I will restore unto you the years the locusts have eaten and he did. He said to me you will see a church like Axe, and I said Thank You Lord. I'm waiting and what do I need to do? And I'm saying God I'll do. And I hate I know Tony likes to drag his feet, but I want it and you know, what? Did he ever deny anyone who hunger and thirst never did and never will. So as we leave this place today. Go. think about what is BFF? But God is placed around me. And what is it? I must do. Maybe you're already doing it. God bless you. We will.
Why where are we willing to do for the sake of the Gospel? What we do? Well, not just last in 2017. It will last for decades millennium's and for eternity.
We are privileged.
Father I thank you this morning for your word. We know Lord that many times we fall short. But you are faithful to forgive you are full of mercy and kindness and you paid it break price. And so father today. I pray that your holy spirit will guide direct us in our individual walks and that father that you're holy spirit will be a guide will be like a light shining into the darkness of Fairview in the communities in which we live. a father help us Help us to do what it is you want us to do? We need you and we need your power of your Holy Spirit in order to accomplish it and father will give you praise will give you Thanksgiving for all that you've done what you're doing and what you're going to do. In Jesus name amen.
a word picture
I am that I am.
I am that I am.
Again, he said he will do it.
God means business, but he knows that we are human and we need reminding. We need reminding.
So easy it is as we move out to forget.
amen
Thank you, Lord.
We have a song there.
There's song.
Anyone who wants prayer? You can come forth during the song Pray.
Georgia
Austin
you guys you and
and then
Hey, man, we just I have a couple of announcements this week next Sunday. We have we going to be having our bread sale. So thank you so much to everybody who is volunteered to cut to bring some bread or rolls for the sale. This is actually going to be raising funds for Cuba. So it was still interested in helping with this. Please just go ahead and bring them back and you can place them on the table and who's make sure we'll be able to sell them. So for the congregation come prepared next week to buy some yummy bread cuz we're going to have the kids till next week. So come prepared for that. And again, if you're going to be helping with bringing those supplies. I know I've spoken to a few of you already. But if you your name wasn't on the list or you still in Did you help please just bring it along with you next week? We'll have a table at the back and we'll sell the brand right after the service. So I think the place is going to be smelling of nice bread during the service. We will be able to pay attention but is it is again is something that we can we going to be doing food raises funds for a pastor's that we supporting cuber. So that's when it's Sunday and Sunday evening. We have the movie When God left the building and I'm sure a lot of you saw the poster that is in the that is in the bulletin and that's a movie that we saw some shorts of it last time when pathogens shorted and that's going to be next Sunday at 7 p.m. Here at the church. So we put any the evening. We have the movie When God left the building it starts at 7. So invite somebody talks about the church and the changes that are going on in the church. is a hole