HEBREWS 4:1-3 STIR IT UP/IM IN THE MIX

INTRODUCTION

THERE IS SOME QUESTIONS AS TO THE WRITER OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS

IT IS CLEAR AND SET APART FROM ANY OTHER BOOK

NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF ITS INFORMATION, BUT MOST THEOLOGIANS CONSIDER THIS BOOK A SERMON

THERE IS A RHYTHM TO THIS BOOK

IT IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN HEBRAISTIC UNDERSTANDINGS AND FAITH

THE WRITER USES THE OT AS A CANVAS TO PAINT A NT PICTURE

IT IS SO STRONG AND SO POWERFUL, IT HAS BEEN CALLED THE BOOK OF BETTER THINGS

IT BRINGS A WONDERFUL UNDERSTAND OF RELATIONS BETWEEN NT JESUS CHRIST AND OT YAHWEH

THE BOOK MAKES A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO SO POWERFULLY THAT WE CAN NEVER DISCONNECT OURSELVES FROM THE SEED OF ABRAHAM

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

WE LIKE THEM ARE COVENANT KEEPING PEOPLE

CHRISTIANITY IS ROOTED IN JUDAISM

IT DOES NOT STAND ALONE AND APART ONE FROM THE OTHER

IT IS NOT A HOUSE WITHOUT A FOUNDATION

THE INTEGRITY OF ITS FOUNDATION IS BUILT UPON THE POWER OF WHO GOD WAS IN THE OT

IT IS FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE THAT THE WRITER WRITES TODAY DOING A PARALLEL, IF IT WERE, OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL STRUGGLING TO ENTER INTO THE REST AND GOING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS HEARING ABOUT A PROMISED LAND THAT THEY DID NOT RECEIVE

THIS BOOK, THIS CHAPTER, THIS POINT OF REFERENCE THAT WE TALK ABOUT TODAY IS UNIQUELY SET APART FROM ANY OTHER TEXT THAT I MIGHT PREACH OR SHARE WITH YOU

BECAUSE WHILE IT IS POWERFUL, IT IS DISTURBING

BODY

GOD WILL DISTURB YOU

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON’T WANT TO HEAR TODAY, BUT GOD WILL DISTURB YOU

HE WILL DISTURB YOU

WITHOUT HIS DISTURBANCE YOU ARE NOT SURE THAT YOU ARE HIS

IF THERE IS NOTHING IN YOUR FAITH THAT DISTURBS YOU, IF THERE IS NOTHING IN YOUR FAITH THAT INTIMIDATES YOU, IF THERE IS NOTHING IN YOUR FAITH THAT HUMBLES YOU, IF THERE IS NOTHING IN YOUR FAITH THAT MAKES YOU DROP DOWN ON YOUR KNEES, IF THERE IS NOTHING IN YOUR FAITH THAT CHALLENGES YOU, I DOUBT YOU HAVE YOUR FAITH AT ALL

REAL FAITH AND ALL IS A STRUGGLE; IT’S A CONFLICT-BETWEEN WHERE I AM AND WHERE I SHOULD BE

BETWEEN WHAT I FEEL AND WHAT HE HAS CALLED ME TO DO

BETWEEN THE PASSIONS OF MY BODY AND THE CALLING OF MY SPIRIT; IT IS ALWAYS WAR

FAITH BRINGS GUNS AND SHOOTS CANNONS AND BULLETS

FAITH DROPS WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

FAITH WILL LEAVE CRATERS IN YOUR SOUL, EARTHQUAKES AS YOU STRUGGLE TO BECOME WHAT YOU HEAR

THERE IS ALWAYS A GULF BETWEEN WHAT YOU HEAR AND WHERE YOU ARE

A STRUGGLE, IF YOU PLEASE, BETWEEN THE HOLY YOU AND THE HUMAN YOU

LIKE TWINS STRUGGLING IN THE WOMB, YOU CANNOT GET RID OF ONE FOR THE OTHER

YOU PRAY, LET THE HOLY ME KILL THE HUMAN ME

NOT GOING TO HAPPEN

AND THE DEVIL PRAYS, LET THE HUMAN ONE KILL THE HOLY ONE

BUT GRACE SAYS, IT WILL NOT HAPPEN

WE LIVE WITH THE TWINS STRUGGLING IN OUR WOMB, NEVER ABLE TO GET RID OOF ONE FOR THE OTHER

MY PRAYER IS, LET THE HOLY MIKE KILL THE THE UNHOLY MIKE

BUT HE HAS NOT DONE IT YET

THEN, I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT IT IS THE HUMAN MIKE THAT GIVES FLAVOR TO THE HOLY MIKE

LIKE THE MARBLING IN A FINE CUT OF MEAT

ISN’T IT AMAZING THAT IT IS THE FAT THAT GIVES THE MEAT ITS FLAVOR

IT IS THE HUMAN THAT GIVES THE HOLINESS ITS HUMILITY

THIS TEXT WARNS US THAT AS WE STRUGGLE ON THE INSIDE, WE ARE STRUGGLING ON THE OUTSIDE AND THAT WE ARE WRESTLING TO ENTER AND TO ENTER INTO A REST

WE ARE INDEED IN A WILDERNESS

YOU CAN NOT RECOGNIZE IT BY LOOKING

YOU CANNOT RECOGNIZE IT HOW WE ARE DRESSED

THERE IS NOT A PERSON IN THIS ROOM THAT IS NOT IS NOT IN SOME KIND OF WILDERNESS

A WILDERNESS WHERE NOTHING GROWS

A WILDERNESS THAT REMINDS YOU OF HOW THIRSTY YOU ARE

A WILDERNESS THAT TAKES AWAY ALL OF OUR COMFORTS

GET YOURSELF A BIG CHAIR, BUT THE WILDERNESS WILL DISTURB YOUR REST

YOU CAN CUSTOM DESIGN ALL OF YOUR CLOTHES BUT THE WILDERNESS WILL STILL LEAVE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE

THE WRITER WARNS US THAT IF WE LIVE LIKE THEY DID, WE WILL DIE LIKE THEM

THE TEXT SAYS, LET US FEAR

OH, MY LET US FEAR

GOD IS TELLING US TO FEAR

THE SAME GOD THAT SAYS, FEAR NOT FOR I AM THY GOD

THE GOD WHO STEPPED OUT ONTO THE SEAS AND SAID, FEAR NOT

THE BIBLE SAYS, GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR

YET, THIS TEXT SAYS, LET US FEAR

IT IS NOT A CONFLICT IN SCRIPTURE

IT IS AN AGREEMENT OF TRUTH

GOD SAYS, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I TOLD YOU NOT TO BE AFRAID OF

DON’T BE AFRAID OF THEIR FACES

SPARE NOT, SHOW MY PEOPLE THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS

YOU CANNOT BE SUCCESSFUL AND BE AFRAID OF PEOPLE

THEY WILL ALWAYS RUN YOU AWAY FROM WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO

IT IS THE BARKING OF THE DOGS THAT ASSURES ME OF THE PROMISES OF THE HOLY

IF YOU WOULDN’T HAVE BARKED SO LOUD, I WOULDN’T HAVE THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THERE

WHEN I HEARD THE DOGS BARKING, I KNEW WHERE THE TREASURE WAS

BUT, THE TEXT SAYS THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE MIDST OF OUR FEARLESSNESS, IN THE MIDST OF OUR FEARLESSNESS

THE TEXT SAYS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE AFRAID OF

LET US THEREFORE FEAR THAT WE WOULD LIVE AND DIE AND NOT REACH WHAT HE HAS PROMISED US

THAT I AM SCARED OF

I HAVE REALLY NEVER BEEN AFRAID OF DEATH AS LONG AS I LIVE FIRST

WHAT I AM AFRAID OF IS THAT I WOULD EXIST WITHOUT LIVING

AND LET MY FEAR CAUSE ME TO DIE IN A WILDERNESS THAT I AM NOT CALLED TO

I AM CONVINCED THAT MOST PEOPLE LIVE AND DIE IN THE WILDERNESS OF UNCERTAINTY

NOT BEING SURE

YOUR FEAR IS THE ENEMY BUT YOU ARE AFRAID OF THE WRONG THING

YOU SHOULD BE MORE AFRAID OF NOT ACCOMPLISHING WHAT YOU WERE CREATED TO DO

IT IS DIFFICULT TO DO WHAT WE DO, THE PRESSURE, STRESS, THE FEAR OF NOT PLEASING GOD

GO AHEAD, RUN UP HERE, BUT YOU WILL LIMP BACK, IF YOU GET BACK AT ALL

THE GREATEST FEAR IS TO LIVE AND DIE AND NEVER FIND OUT WHO YOU WERE

LET US FEAR THAT WE WOULD MISS GOD’S PROMISE AND SETTLE FOR SURVIVAL

OH MY GOD, YOU SHOULD SEE THE SETTLERS IN THE CHURCH

THOSE WHO SETTLE FOR LESS THAN GOD’S BEST FOR THEM

BEING MORE AFRAID OF THE OPPOSITION THAN THE ONE WHO CALLED YOU

TURN DOWN YOUR FEAR OF FILURE AND TURN UP THE FEAR OF WHAT YOU COULD HAVE BEEN

WHAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE, HAD, REACHED

BECAUSE YOU LET SOME VOICE TALK YOU OUT OF YOUR DESTINY

LET US FEAR THAT WE WOULD FALL SHORT OF A PROMISE BEING FOR US

AND SETTLE FOR SHORTNESS INSTEAD OF GREATNESS

HE BRINGS UP THE OT SAINTS

HE SAYS, THE WORD DID NOT PROFIT

THE WORD DID NOT PROFIT

WHAT IS PROFIT?

PROFIT IS WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT WHEN THE TRANSACTION IS OVER

IT IS NOT HOW MUCH YOU HAVE

IT IS WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT WHEN THE TRANSACTION IS OVER

IF YOU ARE EVEN, YOU ARE UNPROFITABLE

IF YOU ARE IN THE RED, YOU ARE UNPROFITABLE

YOU CAN ONLY DETERMINE PROFIT ONCE YOU HAVE SUBTRACTED EVERYTHING

WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT IS PROFIT

IT DOES NOT SAY THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A TRANSACTION IN THE WILDERNESS

IT DID NOT SAY THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE CONFLICT IN THE WILDERNESS

IT DIDN’T EVEN SAY THAT THEY DIDN’T HAVE VICTORIES IN THE WILDERNESS

BUT PROFIT IS NOT DETERMINED BY HOW WELL YOU FOUGHT, STOOD, HOW MANY VICTORIES THAT YOU HAVE

PROFIT IS WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT WHEN THE TRANSACTION IS OVER

I WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH

I’VE BEEN IN SOME HELLISH FIGHTS

I’VE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN SOM BAD THAT I DID NOT KNOW IF I WOULD GET UP AGAIN

I’VE BEEN SO LOW THAT I WONDERED IF I WOULD SMILE AGAIN

I’VE SEEN SO MUCH PAIN THAT WHEN THE PAIN STOPPED THE BRUISING CONTINUED

BUT I AM STILL HERE

I MAY NOT BE WHO I WAS, BUT I AM STILL HERE

IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING LEFT, YOU SHOULD GIVE GOD SOME PRAISE-YOU HAVE SOME PROFIT

GOD WAITS UNTIL WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOME THINGS

HE HAS WAITED SO I COULD PREACH HURT, LONELY, REJECTED, SAD, DISCOURAGED

HE HAD TO TAKE ME THROUGH HELL

I GOT SOMETHING

I MADE SOME MISTAKE BUT I GOT SOMETHING LEFT, ALMOST DIED, LOST THE CAR, MOVE BACK IN WITH MY MOMMA

THE WORD DID NOT PROFIT THEM

I’VE BEEN THROUGH FIRE, I GOT SOMETHING LEFT

RAISED MY KIDS, BUT HAVE SOMETHING LEFT

BEEN OPERATED ON, BUT HAVE SOMETHING LEFT

EVERY FIGHT TOOK SOMETHING

THE BIBLE SAYS, SOME HAD NOTHING LEFT BECAUSE THE WORD DID NOT PROFIT THEM

NOT BEING MIXED WITH FAITH

THAT MEANS, IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW CLEARLY THAT GOD SAID IT, IF YOU DON’T MIX IT WITH FAITH

THE WAY TO PROFIT IS NOT JUST TO HEAR THE WORD

BECAUSE THE WORD IS LIKE SOWER SOWING SEED

IT DEPENDS ON THE GROUND THAT IT HITS FOR THE HARVEST YOU GET

WE’VE HAD PEOPLE LEAVE THE CHURCH BECAUSE THEY WERE OFFENDED WITH THE FOOD

BUT IF I HAVE 10 CHILDREN AND 7 OF THEM IS GROWING, I KNOW THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE FOOD

THEY ARE ALL BEING FED THE SAME THING

IF THE 7 OVER HERE ARE GROWING AND THERE ARE 3 LITTLE GOSIPPERS THAT AREN’T GROWING, DON’T LOOK IN THE KITCHEN

EVERYTHING IN THE KITCHEN IS GOOD....

EVERY ACTION REQUIRES A REACTION

WHEN GOD SENDS HIS WORD OUT, IF YOU DON’T SEND YOUR FAITH OUT, THE WORD WON’T PROFIT

THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE WORD, YOU DIDN’T HAVE THE FAITH TO MIX WITH THE WORD

HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT A DRINK AND IT SAYS SHAKE WELL-YOU HAVE TO SHAKE WELL

EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED IS IN IT

BUT IF YOU DON’T MIX IT UP, YOU WILL DRINK OFF OF THE TOP OF THE BLESSING

THE WORD DIDN’T PROFIT NOT BEING MIXED WITH FAITH

FAITH IS NOT MIXING BUT IT IS AN INGREDIENT THAT THE WORD MUST MIX WITH

THE WORD DID NOT PROFIT THEM NOT BEING MIXED WITH FAITH

LIKE YOU ARE BAKING A CAKE

YOU PUT IN A KILO OF BUTTER, 2 CUPS OF SUGAR, AND THEN YOU TAKE 8 EGGS AND YOU MIX IT

YOU MIX IT

THE MIXING IS NOT THE EGGS, BUTTER, OR THE SUGAR---IT IS THE PROCESS

WHEREBY YOU GET THE EGGS AND THE BUTTER AND THE SUGAR AND THE MILK TO TURN INTO SOMETHING ELSE

ONE MAN SAYS, I’LL BRING THE FAITH; IF YOU BRING THE WORD

I’LL MAKE SURE THAT IT IS MIXED

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND HAD TO MAKE CAKES, WE DIDN’T HAVE MIXERS

MAMA HAD A BOWL AND PUT IT INTO HER ARM AND SHE PUT THE INGREDIENTS INTO IT AND SHE WOULD TAKE A BIG SPOON AND START BEATING THE INGREDIENTS IN THE BOWL

AND SHE WOULD MIX IT AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO WORK IF YOU WANTED IT MIXED

AND THE LORD SAYS, IF I SEND A WORD TO YOU, YOU CAN’T REAP A HARVEST OFF OF THE WORD, BECAUSE THE WORD DOESN’T MAKE THE HARVEST UNTIL YOU PUT THE FAITH IN THE BOWL WITH THE WORD AND THEN GOD SAID IF YOU TAKE FAITH AND THE WORD AND PUT IT ALL INTO THE BOWL TOGETHER, THEN I WILL PUT YOU IN THE MIX

I WANT TO TALK TO THOSE WHO HEAR GOOD WORD BUT HAVE NO FAITH

THE REASON THAT YOU COME TO CHURCH AND YOUR LIFE ISN’T CHANGED; IT IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PREACHER

THE WORD YOU GET IS MEAT INDEED

BECAUSE I SEE OTHERS GETTING STRONGER, TAKING BACK EVERYTHING THAT THE ENEMY HAS STOLE, HAVING THEIR LIVES TRANSFORMED

SO, IF YOU WOULD PUT A LITTLE FAITH IN THE BOWL

WHERE ARE MY BELIEVERS AT

I DON’T COME TO CHURCH TO LOOK GOOD, BE FASHIONABLE, IMPRESS ANYONE

I COME TO CHURCH SO THAT MY FAITH WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO GRAB AHOLD OF, FOR FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR....

SOMEONE THAT BELIEVES, GIVE GOD A PRAISE RIGHT NOW

ONCE YOU START RESPONDING TO THE WORD, YOU DON’T HAVE TO JUMP, DANCE OR SHOUT, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE

WHEN THE ENEMY COMES IN; LIKE A FLOOD THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD.....

WHEN ALL THINGS ARE AGAINST YOU, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE, WHEN THE DR.’S REPORT COMES BACK BAD, YOU GOT TO BELIEVE

WHEN THE ACCOUNTANT SAYS THAT YOU’LL LOSE EVERYTHING, BUT I BELIEVE

WHEN YOU ARE DISCOURAGED, JUST BELIEVE, FRUSTRATED, JUST BELIEVE

IF YOU BELIEVE YOU BETTER STAND ON YOUR FEET AND GIVE GOD SOME PRAISE

YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE FAITH THAT YOU WANT TO BUT YOU HAVE TO WORK

BECAUSE FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD

IF YOU BELIEVE THEN PUT SOME WORKS BEHIND IT

THE DEVIL DOESN’T CARE IF YOU BELIEVE BUT IF YOU RESPOND HELL GETS NERVOUS, DEMONS RUN OUT OF THE ROOM, WITCHES START TO TREMBLE, CURSES GET DESTROYED

I’M READY TO WORK MY FAITH

I BELIEVE AND NOW I AM READY TO WORK WITH WHAT I HAVE LEFT

I WILL RESPOND

IT’S TIME TO WORK YOUR FAITH, IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE DEFEATED DON’T ACT DEFEATED, IF YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL PROVIDE, THEN ACT LIKE HE IS PROVISION, IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE SICK, THEN DON’T ACT SICK