The Prophetic Season - Continued 100% Savior - 100% Lord: Where the Rubber Meets the Road

The Prophetic Season:

We are entering a season where God’s people need to place the Word of God as Lord over their life - A way of living where the Word of God is our ultimate standard for everything!

Christians are going to need to surrender completely to the Word of God & live it if they are going to survive the destruction around them, find success, & live the abundant life.

The present truth is not a situationally dependent truth, a morally relativistic truth, or a different truth

All of this sounds fairly agreeable and we can pretty easily give mental assent to this word…until we choose to live it full-out.

Matthew 13:5–6 NKJV

5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.

Matthew 13:20–21 NKJV

20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

Isn’t it interesting that Jesus is referred to as a root?

Romans 15:12–13 NKJV

12 And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.” 13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 3:14–17 NKJV

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Many people have quit a habit many times over. Staying quit for a lifetime is the challenge.

Or start a new habit (like the New Year’s resolution to workout)

Making a decision for Jesus Christ is easy. Walking out His life through yours is the challenge.

Deciding that Jesus, The Word (the Bible), is Lord over your life is a fairly easy decision to make. Walking it out consistently is the challenge.

Here’s why:

We cannot truly exhibit lordship until we disagree!

In other words, we cannot truly say, “No, Lord” - If we can say, “No” then He isn’t Lord!

John 14:15 NKJV

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 14:24 NKJV

24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

God wants us to live in Lordship-obedience because He wants to bless us.

Deuteronomy 28:1–2 NKJV

1 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:

We are going to have LOTS of opportunities to disagree with God & His ways.

Isaiah 55:8–9 NKJV

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Romans 8:5–7 NKJV

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

1 Corinthians 12:3 NKJV

3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

It takes the unfettered influence of the Holy Spirit for us to let Jesus be Lord in EVERY situation we face.

We must learn to trust God and obey Him immediately & completely because:

There will come a day when we will not understand but we just need to trust & obey.

Where the rubber meets the road:

(Remember) The Truth is not a situationally dependent truth, a morally relativistic truth, or a different truth

Lying:

Is it ever okay to lie?

To protect someone?

Lying to the devil?

To make someone feel better?

4 Things the Bible tells us about lying:

Liars will burn in the lake of fire; Won’t go to Heaven (Rev. 21:8)

It is impossible for God to lie - It’s not in His nature (Hebrews 6:18)

We are made in the image of God to be like Him (Genesis 1:26)

The devil is a liar & the father of lies (John 8:44)

So if you were hiding Jews in your home in WW2 & Nazis came asking if you were hiding Jews, what would you do?

So if you were at Columbine High School or your child was, what would you do?

If you are running late to a meeting, what are you going to say?

If you really just don’t want to attend something you’re invitee to, what do you say?

Tithes & Offerings:

What if I cannot “afford it?”

God will understand.

The Tithe is Old Testament (actually predates the old testament in Abraham)

Leviticus 27:30 NKJV

30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.

Malachi 3:8–9 NKJV

8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.

Gifts of the Spirit, Tongues, Exuberant Praise:

I don’t think God would want me to do something I’m not comfortable with or that would make me feel ashamed

God is all about wrecking pride! (1 John 2:16)

If it’s in the Bible in 2-3 places clearly & in good context, God wants you to do it!!!

God is okay with us looking like a fool for a while - it doesn’t hurt Him:

Noah

Moses

Abraham

Everyone who put blood on their doorposts & dressed up for travel at dinnertime.

Jesus

The prophet Ezekiel who had to lay on his left side for 390 days & his right side for 40 days & cook his bread over a fire fueled by human dung

1 Corinthians 1:26–29 NKJV

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

If God was bound by our slick image, we would all be in trouble.

Just One Thing:

Let’s make the decision & commitment to live every facet of our life with Jesus as Lord - In God, the cost is never greater than the reward!

Discussion Questions:

What’s the dumbest thing someone has argued with you about?

What is the scariest & what is the most exciting thing about giving Jesus & the Bible total Lordship over every area of your life?

Please read Read Isaiah 55:8-9 & Romans 8:5-7 and share what insights these scriptures give you into the challenges to the Lordship of Jesus in your life.

What now? Please share a little about your next step(s) in response to this sermon.