BeHold, Believe, Look to Jesus

 

 

Sermon Notes, Real Life Church: John 3:1-21

Jesus Is  Greater Than Our Systems!

Jesus is not defined by our earthly human traditions, systems, programs etc. Jesus does not fit nicely in a box to be pulled out when ever we want a nice reminiscing moment of good times. As we turn our hearts towards him and begin to let ourselves believe, not just that he exists or even the fact that he died for us. We can believe in him as we believe in our spouse to bring home the bacon, or pay  the bills, or believe in our children to have the ability inside them to do the right thing, or accomplish great things. This is the kind of belief in God I am talking about. It begins with a humble heart to approach Jesus in a way that says I need more; I am not enough on my own. Humility comes when we relinquish control and make Jesus greater than our routines we are so comfortable in. Jesus said in John chapter 3 “we can not enter into the kingdom of heaven unless we are born again.” We must be born into the Spiritual Kingdom of God and it is only possible by allowing the Spirit of God into our life, trusting him enough, believing in Him enough to let him change us, help us, teach us, and bring new life inside us to shine His light through us.

Jesus is the fulfillment of our Faith.

The goal in our life is not to get better at our routines or our systems. It is to draw deeper into a relationship with Jesus. As we draw closer to the one who created us we come to know who we are, who we are meant to be and this is when we begin to shine. Our dreams God planted deep with in us will come true and our faith in God is fulfilled by our best friend, counselor, prince of peace, Jesus leading our every step.
Behold! Believe! Look To Jesus the author and finisher of your Faith!

Jesus Brings Light  to our Hearts.

As we draw closer to Jesus his light shines on our flaws and we have the tendency to cringe back in fear or lack of comfort. Sin is uncomfortable and not easy to face. Jesus wants us to face it and deal with it so that we can be free of it. He does not want us to deal with it alone. When we walk with him and draw close to him and sin in our life is revealed, he is not condemning us or telling us to fix it or else. He desires to help us, together hand in hand with Jesus we face it, confess it, turn from it. We need the people Jesus gives us to keep us accountable to stay away from the sin that is causing bondage. Jesus came to set us free! Free from every thing that is holding us back from being at peace, full of joy, and pursuing all we are meant to be.

1 John chapter 1 verse 7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light and not run from exposure Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

James chapter 5 verse 16 ” Therefore,  Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

We Conclude with these thoughts

Approach Jesus in Humility, and begin to Believe in him, Place your trust in Him.
Make Jesus the Goal of your Life!
Make a choice to walk into the light.
Choose to stay in the Light walking with Jesus!

Posted first in http://bloggingwithjesus.blogspot.com/ also written by Nora Williams

LifeTree Cafe Spokane

We have been running our Lifetree Cafe at Chairs Public House for 8 months now. That is so hard to believe! Every Monday night at 7pm we meet to discuss different life topics with people who come desiring conversation, friendship and a good cup of Coffee.  We have met some very incredible people and had amazing conversations every week for 8 months. God’s love is at Lifetree and he shows up every Monday night as the highlight of every conversation hour. It is inspiring how people can discuss God with out arguing or debating belief systems. Everyone’s opinion is truly welcome. At Lifetree Cafe people can disagree and still be friends. I love this conversation community outreach God has led CJ’s to bring to Spokane.

His House

CJ’s Is not your ordinary coffee shop. It is a place that God has asked us to build that is His House. It is a place for any person, man, woman or child, to enter and meet their Daddy God. It is a place people are searching for and God has placed it in our hearts to build it, that those seeking may find it. It is a middle ground, an oasis in a dessert to find rest, peace and purpose in a world full of stress, strife and hardship.

It is simple, yet elite. It is a place people gather and meet. A place people find comfortable enough to laugh and come just as they are to just sit and be.

People are not making it to the church. People are dying of thirst for living water in a desert that seems unending. Even though there is a church on every corner they have become a far off land, too far off for many to reach. There are many with misconceived perceptions. Even when some dare to enter God’s House, His churches as we know them, they feel they don’t fit in, and don’t belong. The perfect platform, a church presents as who God is, has become seemingly untouchable, unattainable to many trapped in a world of sin and hardship. God has asked us to build not only a House, but a home for people to gather, rest, and replenish their soul, spirit, and find true freedom. He has asked us to not only build a home, but a bridge that brings believers and non-believers together, to come to know God in fresh and new amazing ways, as we guide and help each other as Neighbors. God said “love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.” Who are your neighbors? The men, women, and children lying in the ditches of life, left to die or to recover on their own. These are your neighbors. People in need of Jesus are your neighbors. Can you find it in your heart to love them as Christ Jesus loves you?

I have confidence that this dream to build CJ’s House has been placed in the shadow of many peoples hearts and minds and needs to be brought to the forefront. The time to build His House is now.

In biblical times God provided people with the anointed skills to come forth and build the Tabernacle, the first place of meeting with God. God is the same today as he was yesterday. He has given people skills and the means to build this place he has meant for Spokane. He has given us the means, will we step out in faith and use what he has given to help those who are thirsty and need their Savior.

There are those who have communication skills, bar tending skills, computer skills, counseling skills, listening skills, childcare skills and teaching skills. There are those with craft skills, building skill, and decorating skills. There are those God has blessed with more than enough financially that could help with rent or purchase of the building. There are those with research skills that can help find the perfect location where the lost are seeking to be found. We need those who are prayer warriors willing to stand in the gap to pray for nothing to hinder what God is about to accomplish. To pray for his will to work in our hearts and minds, for all those God has anointed with the abilities he needs, to build his house, to step out in boldness and faith. Lets build CJ’s Coffee, His community life coffee house. Where peoples cups are filled more than half full and with much more than coffee!

Exodus 31:1-11 (NIV)

Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand— and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.”

God knocks down the walls of Can’t

Five years ago God began to brake through the walls of resident can’ts, which had built with in me. My lack of self-confidence was keeping me from stepping out in faith and stepping up to the plate of fulfilling the dreams he planted in me.

My brother in-law, in his 40s, suddenly died of a heart attack. At the same time God was moving us from our home church of 6 years, to a place we were not comfortable, church homeless. Our heart was not going in the direction our current church was taking us, and it was clear it was time to step away, but where to? We landed with my sis for a while at First Church of the Open Bible. It was good to come along side her and mourn with her. However, it was clear it was not our home God wanted us to take root in and grow to be a part of. When it was time we took on the new adventure of church shopping. For the first time God was not being specific as to where and what exactly we were meant to be doing for him. We were given a period of time to rest and just trust and know we were His and grow in the knowledge of His love for us personally. There is much to this story of how we came to find our new home at Life Center North. Perhaps God will have me write about that another time. The point of this paragraph is God landed the pilgrimage of our heart at Life Center North and this is where our church home has remained for five or so years now.

People at Life Center North were different toward me than at any other place I had served. They had respect for my passion for God and extreme desire to make a difference. Instead of my passion for Christ met with sarcasm and eye-rolling, I was taken seriously. I was able to jump into children’s ministry and teach. Instead of being met with words of discouragement saying “ Nora, anyone can do what you do.” I was encouraged with words like “ Nora, You have a gift God has given you!”

From Children’s Ministry God watered my heart and grew in me a huge compassion and love for all women. I was accepted, mentored and trained up in leadership through the women’s ministry. Each God step of faith I took I expected the worst, as I had encountered before from people. Instead of doubt, I was believed in. I am not sure if this is because I had finally decided that what people thought of me did not matter or if Life Center North leadership was just a different breed of people that knew how to build others up and not tare them down. It is probably some of both.

People who believe in themselves are seen as confident and able. People who don’t are seen as incompetent and unable. It is a sad reality. It is sad because there are those with God given dreams that will never be full filled due to the lack of someone believing in them. You see, sometimes, belief in ones self comes from someone first believing in you. Someone who dares to show you your God given potential and takes the time to love you where you are at and nourish you with positive words. This person for me has always been my mom and then my dearly beloved Husband. At Life Center North I met others such as Glendie, Elaine, Shannon and more. These people have helped me to find my identity in Christ and help me believe in who God says I am and can accomplish with Him.

Thoughts to ponder:
Who is it that believes in you? Who is it that needs you to believe in them? There are always people we need to thank God for in our lives. We are also meant to be that someone people are thanking God for, who take the time to believe in others the way we want to be believed in.