Introduction:
It's Sunday 15th July 2001
- the Sunday after 20,000 Christians were praising God
at Hillsong at the Superdome, Olympic Park
- the first Sunday after Bejing was awarded the 2008 Games.
- four years after A.M.C.F. inc held our first service.
The following message was derived from the Message preached by Pastor Graham at AMCF today.
The Message
Praise is a vital componant of our Christian lives.
On Friday night at Hillsong Jentezen Franklin mentioned that the Lord desires praise. (and in my seat high up is the side teared seating, I prayed that the rescources would be released for night of Praise in Stadium Australia)
Praise belongs to the Lord.
Phillipians 4:4 says
"Rejoice in the Lord always.."
Merlin Carothers discovered the power of praising the Lord in every situation.
He wrote books such as "Power in Praise"
because the Lord has promised us that
"in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.." Romans 8:28
There are things that the devil,demons, the world, our natural enemies,
planned for evil, for destruction, which the Lord takes hold of and used for good.
Moses was told to pick up the snake and it became a staff - every time he hit the ground with that staff it was like pounding the head of that snake into the ground.
The challenge.
In Mark chapter four, Jesus uses the parable of the sower to outline the different responses to the preaching of the word of God. In verses sixteen and seventeen
Jesus talks of the seed that fell on the rocky ground...
"like seed sown on rocky places hear the word
and at once receive it with joy.
But since they have no root,
they last only a short time.
When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away..."
Enduring faith perseveres.
trusts in the Lord at all times
sees trouble, persecution, trials, obsticles,
opposition as being temporary.
whereas the Lord who sows seeds of His word,
gives us dreams and visions
endures forever.
The Lord God almighty, the creator of heaven and earth,
will bring His will to pass.
He is the Lord of eternity.
The challange.
To trust in the Lord all the time.
To keep our spiritual armour on and bright. (Ephesians chapter six verses 10 - 18.
To guard our souls by not compromising Biblical morality.
To be obedient to the word of God
and in faith, by God's grace and the power of His Spirit,
apply it in our daily lives.
Where there are weeds of sin, compromise, evil.
confess it, repent of it and leave it.
In other words pull it out by its roots,
remove the bulbs, the runners - the lot.
don't just prune it for church,
dig it out and keep it out of your life.
There is liberty,
so legalism is a deadening thing which only produces sin.
but the truth sets us free.
in Christ we walk in liberty.
Be filled with the Spirit.
Give God the glory,
praise Him.
help others along the way.
when we give to the poor we lend to God-
who generously repays.
and persevere.
endure.
hang in there.
Run the marathon race past the finishing line.
The Lord bless you.
Pastor Graham