Building Better Lives

Text: I Cor. 3:6-9

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (06/08/03)

Introduction:   

NOW, we need to have a vision for what God (ALONE) can do!! What He can do here, in this place!

Planting and watering are action mentioned in our text, and they are actions carried out by those full of hope and expectancy.

People of vision!!

Vision / Mission / Purpose (Terms are interchangeable) Requires some important elements if it is going to go from being a dream to being a reality.

REVIEW of Previous 2 Messages

We noticed that the Vision requires Language – Communicated Specifics (SPELL-IT-OUT!!!)

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

The Vision requires Labourers – Committed Servants

Thirdly (Next Week), The Vision requires the Lord – Controlling Sovereign

The Vision Requires the Lord

We are speaking of a Controlling Sovereign... and he is the Lord of the Harvest!!

“God gives the increase”

As we go about to do God’s Work and His will we are.......

A. Established by Him (FOUNDATION / ROOT)

“Other foundation can no man lay” vs.11

He is the Founder of all Creation...

John 1:33All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

He is the Founder of Redemption’s Plan

Hebrews 12:22Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

He is the Founder of the Church.

Matthew 16:1818 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter , and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it .

Without Him we have.....

NO Vision

NO Purpose

NO Work

NO Church

NO Gospel

NO Faith – NO Hope (I Cor 15)

And NO Salvation...

ILLUS: Light Bulbs, cord, switches and sockets, but no electricity!

B. Equipped by Him (FURNISHING)

ILLUS: Men outfitted for Dangerous Tasks (Mountain Climbing, Polar Exploration, Deep Sea Diving etc.) would not dream of goig without the proper training and equipment for the Task.

We Too have a great task and have been equipped!!!

Acts 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

We are talking about the empowerment, and enablement of God’s Holy Spirit.

God’s Work done in God’s Way will never lack God’s Supply!!!

The Components & Characteristics of the Holy Spirit’ Work

Reproving – John 16:8

Indwelling – Romans 8

Filling – Eph 5:18

John 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Unknown Old-Time Preacher – “LORD, We can’t hold much, but we can overflow lots!!”

Leading & Guiding

(Over the Long Haul – “I being in the way, the Lord led me)

(Moment-by-moment – Matt 6 – Sufficient unto the day....)

Empowering – Acts 1:8

Gifting – “Dividing severally to every man as He will”

Holy Spirit is the Gift!!

Supplying -

What does He supply?

Holiness – He is “HOLY” Spirit

Answers

Mark 13:11  But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

Scriptures

Opportunities

1 Corinthians 16:9  For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

Acts 16:7  After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

Boldness

Acts 4:31  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Intercession – Romans 8

Comfort – John 16 (Paraclete)

Spontaneity

John 3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Order/Control – Clear-mindedness

1 Corinthians 14:32  And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

1 Corinthians 14:33 33For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

2 Timothy 1:77For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Joy

Romans 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Love

Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

C. Increased by Him (FRUIT / RESULT)

1. Revival among Saints

Although the word, "revival," does not occur in the Bible, "revive" is found in seven verses; "revived" in six verses; and "reviving" in two verses.

REVIVAL – 1. anathallo (330), "to flourish anew" 2. anazao (326), "to live again"

The dictionary defines revival as a return, recall or recovery to life from death or apparent death, or from a state of neglect, oblivion, obscurity, or depression.

An Evangelical Awakening is a movement of the Holy Spirit bringing about a revival of New Testament Christianity in the church of Christ and in its related community. – J. Edwin Orr

Charles Finney, a historical figure associated with revival, defined it as "nothing more or less than a new beginning of obedience to the word of God."

It does not come.....

Without GOD’S WORD!

Without PRAYER!!

Without the HOLY SPIRIT!!!

Where the Spirit reigns, believers relate properly to the Word - DISCIPLESHIP.

Where the Spirit reigns, believers relate properly to each other - FELLOWSHIP.

Where the Spirit reigns, believers relate properly to God –

WORSHIP.

Where the Spirit reigns, believers relate properly to the world - EVANGELISM. - R. Kent Hughes 

William Blake on Pentecost

The poet William Blake wrote a poem about Pentecost. Part of the poem says:

Unless the eye catch fire, God will not be seen.

Unless the ear catch fire, God will not be heard.

Unless the tongue catch fire, God will not be named.

Unless the Heart catch fire, God will not be loved.

Unless the mind catch fire, God will not be known.

William Blake

ILLUS: Drawing God

Teacher: What are you doing? Boy: I'm drawing God. Teacher: You can't do that. No one knows what God looks like.

Boy: They will when I'm through.

Enthusiasm-the Unquenchable Fire

John Henry Jowett  (English Congregationalist Preacher 1863-1923)- “ The Acts of the Apostles is a burning book. There is no cold or lukewarm patch from end to end. The disciples had been baptized with fire, with the holy, glowing enthusiasm caught from the altar of God. They had this central fire from which every other purpose and faculty in the life gets its strength. This fire in the apostles' souls was like a furnace-fire in a great liner, which drives her through the tempests and through the envious and engulfing deep. Nothing could stop these men. Nothing could hinder their going. 'We cannot but speak the things that we have seen and heard. We must obey God rather than men.'   They have heat, and they have light, because they were baptized by the power of the Holy Ghost."

The following material is a description by Horatius Bonar (Scottish Minister & Hymnwriter 1808-1889) of the virtues held in common by all true revival men throughout the ages.

Revival Men Long For Success

They were men bent upon success. It was with a good hope of success that they first undertook the awful office of the ministry.  As warriors, they set their hearts on victory, and fought with the believing anticipation of triumph, under the guidance of such a Captain as their Head.

Revival Men Walk By Faith

They were men of faith. They knew that in due season they should reap if they fainted not, that their labor in the Lord would not be in vain, and that before long they would return bringing their sheaves with them.

Revival Men Are Laborers

They were men of labor. They had no time for levity, or sloth, or pleasure, or idle companionship. They labored for eternity, and as men who knew that time was short and the day of recompense at hand.

Revival Men Are Patient

They were not discouraged, though they had to labor long without seeing all the fruit they desired. They continued still to sow. "behold the Husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it until He receive the early and latter rain."

Revival Men Are Bold As Lions

They were men of boldness and determination. In nothing terrified by difficulty or opposition.

Revival Men Pray!

They were men of prayer. It is true that they labored much, visited much, studied much, but they also prayed much. In this they abounded. Some who are really seeking to feed the flock, and to save souls, are led to exhaust their energies upon external duties and labors, overlooking the absolute necessity of enriching, ripening, filling, elevating their own souls by prayer and fasting.

2. Repentance among Sinners

This is the PATTERN not the EXCEPTION in the Book of Acts!!

Acts 2:41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Acts 2:47  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Acts 4:4  Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

Acts 4:13  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Acts 6:10  And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

Acts 16:14  And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

Acts 16:30  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Conclusion:     (Review)

ILLUS: Living Unaware of Our Vast Fortune

In  West Texas during the Depression. Mr. Ira Yates wasn't able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told him there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill a wildcat well, and he signed a lease contract.

At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. Many subsequent wells were more than twice as large. In fact, 30 years after the discovery, a government test of one of the wells showed it still had the potential flow of 125,000 barrels of oil a day.

And Mr. Yates owned it all. The day he purchased the land he had received the oil and mineral rights. Yet, he'd been living on relief. A multimillionaire living in poverty. The problem? He didn't know the oil was there even though he owned it.