The Goodwill Of Him That Dwelt In The Bush - Audio
Greater Life Church
Pierced but not poisoned - Audio
enMay 23, 2016
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About this Episode
We are in a spiritual battle. The bible does not soft sell the fact that we have an enemy who seeks to kill, maim and destroy. The bible describes the enemy as a lion seeking to destroy. A lion will roar in order to intimidate and strike fear in his prey. Even those who are not near the lion, can hear the roar and are afraid. Other times, the enemy is like a snake who sneaks up quietly and bites. The piercing is a minor puncture wound. If all we had to deal with was the piercing, we could recover from those wounds quickly. However, the piercing is to deliver the venom. The poison is what does the damage. The poison takes the piercing and makes it terminal. There are many who struggle with the poison long after the piercing; sometimes even years later. The enemy wants the poison to kill. As much as we would like it to not be true, each of us will experience a piercing on life. We will all experience pain in life. If we allow God to do what He wants to do, there can be healing and protection from the poison. The bible says when the enemy comes in like a flood. No if, but when. It also says that the Spirit of the Lord WILL raise up a standard against the enemy. Paul was an innocent man who had been in prison for many years. He continued to witness and minister. Our text is part of a the story about Paul traveling to Rome to stand trial. He is shipwrecked and now washed up on an island. While recovering around a fire, a snake bites him. The men around assume that since these things are happening to Paul that he must be guilty. They stood by waiting to watch him die. Surely the venom of the snake will soon kill him. They soon saw that the same God that kept Paul through the storm, will see him through the snake attack. They realize that something supernatural is happening. God is able to keep His people. There will be piercing but in the midst of the piercing is God’s protection. There is life after the piercing. Joseph’s own family turned against him and sold him into slavery. While in slavery, he is betrayed by Potiphar's wife. In prison he was forgotten by the cup bearer. He finally is raised up more than could ever be imagined. Joseph experienced many piercing, but he know that God had a purpose and a plan and didn’t allow the piercings to change him. He had enough sense to say “I know you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” David had pain. Rejected and overlooked by his own family. Hunted by Saul and then by his own son. Never did David become bitter or turn his back on God. He was pierced but not poisoned. Perhaps the greatest example of pierced but not poisoned was Jesus himself. He was literally pierced in his hands, his feet and His side, yet from the cross, He says: Forgive them for they know not what they do. Jesus paid the price so that we do not have to be poisoned. The blood of the lamb is able to counteract any venom that the enemy can inject. The blood still works so that there is no residual bitterness or pain in our spirit. Jesus is the key to being pierced but not poisoned.
Recent Episodes from Greater Life Church
The Goodwill Of Him That Dwelt In The Bush - Video
Greater Life Church
When The Present Things Become Former Things - Audio
We have all had things we did not know how to overcome. It is easy, while in the midst of difficult situations, to not be able to see an end. Those living during the 1920s thought the tough times would not end, but eventually, they did, and our nation saw prosperity like no one in the 20s could have imagined. Those present things become former things
The inverse is five too. Some people long for the good old days. They feel that the good times are as good as it will ever be. That is not how God works. If He did it, then He can do greater in the future. Both the good and the bad fade from view as time goes on and greater things take their place. Too many people live on past blessings and success. They cannot let go of the past to embrace the future. We must let God do new things in our Ike, but we have to let go of past things Whatever our present is, we have to be open to the new things God has for us. What a great promise it is that God wants better no matter what we have now.
If we are to receive what God has, we may have to lay some things down. Maybe it is a hurt or pain. Maybe it is a victory or success. Whatever it is, we must lay it down to receive what God is offering. We must let go of something to get to that next place. The former may have been great, but the latter will be better. No matter how good the great was, he is moving us to something better.
We will not get through the door holding on to past pain and grudges. We also won’t get through the door holding on to trophies and past victories. In order to receive what god has for us, we must let the present things become the former things.
When The Present Things Become Former Things - Video
We have all had things we did not know how to overcome. It is easy, while in the midst of difficult situations, to not be able to see an end. Those living during the 1920s thought the tough times would not end, but eventually, they did, and our nation saw prosperity like no one in the 20s could have imagined. Those present things become former things
The inverse is five too. Some people long for the good old days. They feel that the good times are as good as it will ever be. That is not how God works. If He did it, then He can do greater in the future. Both the good and the bad fade from view as time goes on and greater things take their place. Too many people live on past blessings and success. They cannot let go of the past to embrace the future. We must let God do new things in our Ike, but we have to let go of past things Whatever our present is, we have to be open to the new things God has for us. What a great promise it is that God wants better no matter what we have now.
If we are to receive what God has, we may have to lay some things down. Maybe it is a hurt or pain. Maybe it is a victory or success. Whatever it is, we must lay it down to receive what God is offering. We must let go of something to get to that next place. The former may have been great, but the latter will be better. No matter how good the great was, he is moving us to something better.
We will not get through the door holding on to past pain and grudges. We also won’t get through the door holding on to trophies and past victories. In order to receive what god has for us, we must let the present things become the former things.
Winning The War Within - Video
Our text comes from Jesus' answer to a question about the end times. It is a truth that can deliver us from any torment that might come into our life. Understanding this will calm most any situation. This is the greatest source of hope contained in scripture. Everyone of us is engaged in a battle within ourselves that can wear us down and can bring our demise. We have learned how to hide these private battles The simple words of our text is the secret to overcoming: In your patience possess ye your souls. Or as the NLT translates: By standing firm, you will win your souls. In what ever battle we find ourselves, simply enduring will lead to victory. We may get knocked down, but we can get back up. God has set something in motion in our life, and he will not fail or be dissuaded until that is fulfilled. This scripture does not promise that we will not have any more problems. It does not say we will know and more than we know now. We may not have any more insight about our issues, but it gives us an insight to who our God is. It says of we do it, we will win the most important thing: our soul. The Greek word used here for patience is combined of two root words that mean submission and waiting. The exercising of submissive waiting is where we will the war within.
Three areas we must focus on
Patience with ourselves
Patience in our circumstances
Patience with God.
God's timing is not our timing, but it’s the right time.
Winning The War Within - Audio
Our text comes from Jesus' answer to a question about the end times. It is a truth that can deliver us from any torment that might come into our life. Understanding this will calm most any situation. This is the greatest source of hope contained in scripture. Everyone of us is engaged in a battle within ourselves that can wear us down and can bring our demise. We have learned how to hide these private battles The simple words of our text is the secret to overcoming: In your patience possess ye your souls. Or as the NLT translates: By standing firm, you will win your souls. In what ever battle we find ourselves, simply enduring will lead to victory. We may get knocked down, but we can get back up. God has set something in motion in our life, and he will not fail or be dissuaded until that is fulfilled. This scripture does not promise that we will not have any more problems. It does not say we will know and more than we know now. We may not have any more insight about our issues, but it gives us an insight to who our God is. It says of we do it, we will win the most important thing: our soul. The Greek word used here for patience is combined of two root words that mean submission and waiting. The exercising of submissive waiting is where we will the war within.
Three areas we must focus on
Patience with ourselves
Patience in our circumstances
Patience with God.
God's timing is not our timing, but it’s the right time.
When We All Get To Heaven - Video
Jesus spoke often about the Kingdom of Heaven. All of us want to get to heaven, and we pray for all of our family and friends who are lost to make it, too. Anything less than all of our family making it to heaven is unacceptable. We must ensure that our children and grandchildren hear about and know how to reach the kingdom. In all that John saw in the book of Revelation, he did not mention anyone asking for explanations for what happened on Earth. He saw people bowing, singing, and worshiping! God denied people with a complaining spirit entry to the promised land. Why would he let people with that kind of spirit into heaven? We must focus our sights on the prize and not be distracted by the things of this world that will all fade away. It is not enough to get to heaven; we must do all we can to ensure that our family, friends, brothers, and sisters make it, too. We must look forward to a day when we all get to heaven.
When We All Get To Heaven - Audio
Jesus spoke often about the Kingdom of Heaven. All of us want to get to heaven, and we pray for all of our family and friends who are lost to make it, too. Anything less than all of our family making it to heaven is unacceptable. We must ensure that our children and grandchildren hear about and know how to reach the kingdom. In all that John saw in the book of Revelation, he did not mention anyone asking for explanations for what happened on Earth. He saw people bowing, singing, and worshiping! God denied people with a complaining spirit entry to the promised land. Why would he let people with that kind of spirit into heaven? We must focus our sights on the prize and not be distracted by the things of this world that will all fade away. It is not enough to get to heaven; we must do all we can to ensure that our family, friends, brothers, and sisters make it, too. We must look forward to a day when we all get to heaven.
The Ministry of Change - Audio
We all say we want God's will to be fulfilled. Often, that comes in ways we do not understand or expect. Sometimes, God's will takes us down a path of tension and discomfort. Sometimes, that uncomfortable and painful path is to get our attention and move us toward decisions that we might be unwilling to make if we were not to move out of our comfort zone. Until we are willing to get out of our routine and comfort zone, we may not be able to hear what God is trying to tell us. God's will often involves change. Most people do not like change and even fear it. Change happens around us all the time; it is inevitable. Why do we fear change and try to resist it? Because change forces us to grow. Without change, our lives would devolve into an unhealthy, stagnant state. The greatest tragedy in life is not to change. There is a place God is trying to get us to, and we cannot get there if we remain unchanged. We must look at change as an opportunity, not a threat. In so doing, we open ourselves up to God's blessing. As we enter this season of change in our church, Brother Hughes encourages us to do three things. First, we must face our fears. Change is scary, but not changing is not any better. Second, focus on the purpose. The proper perspective is essential and will frame our attitude. Finally, we utilize our faith to encourage us for the future based on what God has seen us through in the past.
The Ministry of Change - Video
We all say we want God's will to be fulfilled. Often, that comes in ways we do not understand or expect. Sometimes, God's will takes us down a path of tension and discomfort. Sometimes, that uncomfortable and painful path is to get our attention and move us toward decisions that we might be unwilling to make if we were not to move out of our comfort zone. Until we are willing to get out of our routine and comfort zone, we may not be able to hear what God is trying to tell us. God's will often involves change. Most people do not like change and even fear it. Change happens around us all the time; it is inevitable. Why do we fear change and try to resist it? Because change forces us to grow. Without change, our lives would devolve into an unhealthy, stagnant state. The greatest tragedy in life is not to change. There is a place God is trying to get us to, and we cannot get there if we remain unchanged. We must look at change as an opportunity, not a threat. In so doing, we open ourselves up to God's blessing. As we enter this season of change in our church, Brother Hughes encourages us to do three things. First, we must face our fears. Change is scary, but not changing is not any better. Second, focus on the purpose. The proper perspective is essential and will frame our attitude. Finally, we utilize our faith to encourage us for the future based on what God has seen us through in the past.