• TODAY WE BEGIN A NEW SERIES ON GENEROSITY.  

• A WILLINGNESS TO HELP SOMEONE 

• MORE THAN WHAT IS TYPICALLY EXPECTED. 

• ¹⁶And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. HEB13 

THANKSGIVING 

• FIRST WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER 

• LAUNCH TOWARDS THANKSGIVING 

• THANKSGIVING IS 2 WORDS-FOCUS ON 2^ND WORD 

• WE WILL LOOK AT WHAT IT MEANS  

• MORE IMPORTNANTLY WHAT GENEROSITY MEANS 

GIVING/GENEROSITY IS SPIRITUAL 

READING YOUR BIBLE- SPIRITUAL 

TEACHING ABOUT PRAYER- SPIRITUAL 

SERVING KIDS CITY/MOVEMENT-THAT’S DEF SPIRITUAL 

 WANNA START WITH PHOTO OF THE DOMROES FAMILY 

DOMROES FAMILY PICTURE                               

MID SEPTEMBER MISSIONARIES DOMROES VISITED US 

• CHURCH LEADERSHIP DECIDED 5K FOR THEM 

• BOARD MEMBER SAID MINIMUM- WILL SEE  

• WE GAVE THEM CHECK FOR 5, THEY WERE EXCITED 

• LAST WEEK SENT CHECK FOR ANOTHER 6500    

SCRIPTURE PROVERBS 11:25                        

  25. “A GENEROUS PERSON WILL PROSPER; WHOEVER REFRESHES OTHERS WILL BE REFRESHED.” 

JOESPH WHIDNEY (LATE 1800’S) 

• JOSEPH WHIDNEY- FORMER DOCTOR 

• FORMER PRESIDENT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 

• HEART OF GENEROSITY (ESPECIALLY THE POOR) 

PICTURE PHINEAS BRESEE 

• LATE 1800’S 

• SOUTH CENTRAL LOSA ANGELES 

• THESE TWO MEN MEET AND TEAM UP 

PENIEL MISSION (NON DENOMINATIONAL) 

• THEY SERVE AND HELP HERE 

• THEY HAD SIMILAR METHODIST ROOTS 

• LOOKED-ASKED WHO HELPING PEOPLE MARGIN? 

A driving purpose of our church is to elevate those in need. 

QUOTE AMY CARMICHAEL 

   MISSIONARY SAID “YOU CAN GIVE WITHOUT LOVING, YOU CANNOT LOVE WITHOUT GIVING” 

• The whole idea of generosity – of giving – starts with God. 

 WHAT IS IT YOU TREASURE?                                

SCRIPTURE MATTEW 6:19 

   “DO NOT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES ON EARTH, WHERE MOTHS AND VERMIN DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK IN AND STEAL.” 

SCRPITURE MATTHEW 6:20 

  20. BUT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, WHERE MOTHS AND VERMIN DO NOT DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK IN AND STEAL.  

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:21 

  21. FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO.  

• YOU COULD ARGUE IF YOU WANT ABOUT TITHING 

• CANNOT ARGUE THAT JESUS DIDN’T CARE  

NUMBERS 

   16/38 PARABLES- MONEY OR POSSESSIONS 

2300 VERSES 

• THERE ARE MORE THAN 2300 VERSES ON THIS.  

WORD BELIEVE APPEARS 272 TIMES 

WORD PRAY APPEARS 371 TIMES 

WORD LOVE APPEARS 714 TIMES 

WORD GIVE APPEARS 2152 TIMES 

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:24 

  24. “NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS. EITHER YOU WILL HATE THE ONE AND LOVE THE OTHER, OR YOU WILL BE DEVOTED TO THE ONE 

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:24                         

   AND DESPISE THE OTHER. YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND MONEY.  

• DOESN’T SAY YOU WILL LOVE 1 AND LIKE THE OTHER- DOESN’T SAY LOVE AND TOLERATE  

DOESN’T SAY CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND FAME 

DOESN’T SAY CANNOT SERVE GOD AND COUNTRY 

DOESN’T SAY CANNOT SERVE GOD AND SEX 

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:25 

  25. THEREFORE, I TELL YOU, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT YOU WILL EAT OR DRINK; OR ABOUT YOUR BODY, WHAT YOU WILL WEAR.  

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:25 

  25. IS NOT LIFE MORE THAN FOOD, AND THE BODY MORE THAN CLOTHES. (MOTHS DESTROY) 

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:26 

  26. LOOK AT THE BIRDS OF THE AIR; THEY DO NOT SOW OR REAP OR STORE AWAY IN BARNS, AND YET YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEEDS THEM.  

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:27 

  27. CAN ANY ONE OF YOU BY WORRYING ADD A SINGLE HOUR TO YOUR LIFE.  

BIRDS- BRIAN CHARETTE 

MATTHEW A TAX COLLECTOR WRITES THESE WORDS 

PICTURE JOHN WESLEY                              

• [Wesley] had just finished buying some pictures for his room when one of the chambermaids came to his door. It was a winter day and he noticed that she had only a thin linen gown to wear for protection against the cold. He reached into his pocket to give her some money for a coat, and found he had little left. It struck him that the Lord was not pleased with how he had spent his money.  

• Perhaps as a result of this incident, in 1731 Wesley began to limit his expenses so he would have more money to give to the poor. He records that one year his income was £30, and his living expenses £28, so he had £2 to give away. The next year, his income doubled, but he still lived on £28 and gave £32 away. In the third year, his income jumped to £90; again he lived on £28, giving £62 away. The fourth year, he made £120, lived again on £28, and gave £92 to the poor. 

• HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED STINGY JOYFUL PEOPLE? 

• HAVE YOU MET GENEROUS MISERABLE PEOPLE? 

• SOCIALOGIST HAVE SO MANY STATS ON GENEROSITY CONNECTED TO A PERSONS JOY 

• BILL MAGNUSSON PIANO TUNER  

• HEART STRANGLEY WARMED BY GENEROSITY 

SCRIPTURE MATHEW 6:31 

  SO DO NOT WORRY, SAYING, “WHAT SHALL WE EAT? OR WHAT SHALL WE DRINK? OR WHAT SHALL WE WEAR? 

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:32 

  32. FOR THE PAGANS RUN AFTER ALL THESE THINGS, AND YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS THAT YOU NEED THEM.  

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:33 

  33. BUT SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTOUESNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS WELL.  

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 6:34 

  34. THEREFORE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, FOR TOMORROW WILL WORRY ABOUT ITSELF. EACH DAY HAS ENOUGH TROUBLE OF ITS OWN.” 

THANKS LIVING 

GOD DOESN’T WANT SOMETHING FROM US 

HE WANTS SOMETHING FOR US  

LUKE 22 

“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 

¹⁹And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 

²⁰In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.^[a] 2 

https://www.bible.com/events/49515652

Church of the Nazarene – East Rockingham Campus 

Generosity Part 1 

God, the Father of Generosity. 

Today we are starting our new teaching series “Generosity”. 

Over the next few weeks we will explore our generous God’s will for his people. This is journey, this study is not just about giving of our money. It’s about a lifestyle of generosity, where we give of ourselves in all areas of our lives. 

Our series begins today by seeking to understand the great and lavish generosity of the Lord, and to understand that his generosity is our model for life. 

So, what is generosity? 

Simply defined, generosity is the quality of being generous. To be generous means to be liberal in giving. Open handed. 

A willingness to give help or support, especially more than usual, or expected. Generosity is the voluntary, unselfish giving of money, time, attention, or other resources. That’s generosity. 

We can be generous with many things. 

Our time. In our busy and overwhelmed schedule, we can give time doing something for others. 

Our talents. We can use our abilities and gifts to benefit others. 

Our treasure. We can give our money and other material resources. 

Our touch. We can give ourselves in relationship to others. 

‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬-‭18‬‬ 

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. 

As we seek to understand the Lords heart of generosity, we can take a moment to realize that every good thing in our lives, in our world- they are gifts from God. We enjoy them because God has given them. 

Generosity all starts with God, and he gives us more than just good things to enjoy. Verse 18 says he gives us so much more. 

God chose to offer us new life in Christ Jesus- the word of truth. That we could have hope, that we could have peace, that we could be forgiven and saved- is all a gift of God. 

The Lord’s generosity didn’t just compel him to give us lots of good things. His love compelled him to give us his absolute very best. 

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬‬ 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 

The Lord loves us, you, and me so much that he gave… In God’s kingdom, Love is always accompanied by action. 

The generous heart of God, is good news for the whole world, and it’s the model for his children, for us to follow after. That we too, as we receive our life from him, would also model our generosity after his. 

That’s what it means to be generous. That our love would be accompanied by action, by giving. 

Giving of ourselves, our time, talent, treasures, touch. Giving not because we have to, but because we want to. 

That’s generosity. 

Dependence of God’s Strength

Last week we finished up our Series on Grace is greater! 

Grace – the undeserved mercy and kindness of God – is greater than our than our 

Brokenness 

Guilt 

Wounds 

Despair 

And our Weakness 

That was pastor Kevin’s message last week. God’s grace is greater than your weakness – That was a new concept for some of you. You’ve been taught to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, to grow a backbone, that toughness and strength is success. You may have been asking since last week’s message, are they telling me it’s okay to be weak? 

YES, and even greater, (pause) God meets you there. 

Yes. In your weakness. 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 reminds us 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (Did you hear that?) Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

Can that be right? I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

This seems BACKWARDS, crazy even! 

You are right! It certainly would be WITHOUT JESUS! 

LET’S PRAY 

What are we discovering here in 2 Corinthians? 

That NOT ONLY is His grace greater than and sufficient for my weakness, but we can also depend on His STRENTH. Count on HIM TO STRENGTHEN you. 

I’m not talking about the kind of strength it would require for me to lift this weight (this is more my speed – right here) 

I might surprise you though – I remember when Michael was remodeling our upstairs bathroom, he was removing an old iron bathtub and needed my help. As I faced this ridiculously heavy mammoth bathtub – I asked myself doesn’t he have any friends he can call. As I recall, I asked this question out loud! He said you’ve got this babe – he had broken it into pieces but it was still solid dead weight. I apparently didn’t have a very good attitude or the willingness he desired as we partnered on this task and at some point in the process he said to me, now get this, “Come on. Man up and pick up the tub”. Well, his plan worked! I was completely undone that he had the audacity to tell me to man up and I picked up that tub and moved it with strength only pure aggravation could bring. My dear husband still laughs about this moment, and I can still feel fire in my belly when I remember it. See this is a different kind of strength and maybe not strength at all. The true strength came when I overcame my urge to clobber him with a piece of bathtub. 

Think about it… 

Have you ever been PLACED SOMEWHERE or GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY you knew was way beyond your capacity? You wondered WHY ME? ARE THEY SURE? 

I have, and in God’s goodness and sovereignty, He has allowed it many times and continues to do so in my life. 

Over and over again, I have had to face my weaknesses. 

Here’s one example: 

Here are some pictures of me when I was between 22 and 24 years old. I was beginning my career as a Long-Term Care Administrator. As you can see, I tried to cut my hair in multiple styles. See, I thought this effort would help me look older and look the part. But let me assure you that respect is not earned and people are not fooled by a bad haircut!!! 

See I was given the opportunity to lead folks that had years more experience, some more than 2-3x my age, the pressures of this industry were intense, the responsibility huge. I had great passion, but this was all way bigger than me. 

I was weak – very weak. I did NOT have what it takes in that situation. I KNEW it. 

Folks, that first real job of my career could have gone very badly for me. 

But I learned something really important as I looked my weakness in the eye. 

Pastor Kevin said last week that the beauty of our weakness is that it reminds us to get out of the way. 

The Lord began to develop in me the truth that His grace was sufficient and that in my weakness, His strength was made perfect. 

In fact, it could ONLY be made perfect in my weaknesses. As strange as that sounds. 

Through this I began to resonate with David and though no one had physically tried to kill me as David faced, there were days that I physically and emotionally thought it may just be the end of me. 

Anyone know what I’m talking about? 

Weak to the point of desperation. 

Because the Lord allowed this battle – I drew closer to Him, trusted him, cried out to Him and learned that the song of David in Psalm 18 was one I could proclaim as well. 

David wrote this song as a song of Praise and Deliverance, after the Lord saved him from the hands of many enemies and from the hands of a very jealous King Saul, who was trying desperately to kill David – the one who would take his place as king. This Psalm is almost verbatim to 2 Samuel 22. 

It begins: 

This is Psalm 18 starting in verse 1. 

1 I love you, LORD, my strength. 

2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield[b] and the horn[c] of my salvation, my stronghold. 

David uses strong military language here to describe who the Lord is to Him. He used 5 military symbols 

(And remember, David is describing God, not himself. God is, in essence, what David is not.) 

A rock – an immovable foundation that cannot be shaken 

A fortress – a place of safety where the enemy can’t follow 

A shield – a barrier between us and harm 

A horn of salvation – (the horn of an animal is a source of strength and successful combat) because God has the power and strength to save 

And finally 

A stronghold – a place high above our enemies 

This imagery became real to me as I trusted him to walk in the daily battle with me and I saw his power and hand. 

Is He all of those things to you? Even in this moment? 

Are you willing to see it? His great strength working in your weakness? 

3 I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. 4 The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. (are any of you overwhelmed this morning?) 5 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. 

6 In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. 

Are you lifting the cries of your heart to the one who will hear you and strengthen you? 

The Lord hears David and He is helped. 

Reminds me of Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who STRENGTHENS me. 

We see in verse 20: 

20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. 

Oh Angela, this is where this ends for me, I can’t pray this part of Davids prayer. I want to but I have not remained righteous in His sight. 

This is our reminder that to cry out for His strength is an INVITATION. An invitation to salvation and all He has for us. 

This is not a stopping point but an opportunity for a new beginning In Him. 

If you know Davids story it was not the picture of purity. 

In fact we do think of David and his heroics…but we know him just as much for his great weaknesses. 

but He returned to God knowing HE was weak, and the Lord was His strength and salvation. 

We can be blameless in Him in His strength. 

He goes on to tell us in vs 30-33 

30 As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. 31 For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? 32 It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. 33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. 

This depicts a man who by human standards was a warrior – but David knew that the Lord was the only one that could save him, strengthen him, and keep him. 

He doesn’t promise to remove all our obstacles; He can deliver us or see us through it. 

See He strengthens us during the battle and hardship. If we trust Him, He allows us to grow in true knowledge of who He is. This knowledge is fertile soil for our faith to grow. 

So, what keeps us from drawing on this power and strength? Why do we remain in utter weakness or struggle trying to muster up our own strength? 

Why do we forget our ROCK? 

Let’s consider 2 possibilities. 

There are those of you in the room that would testify that without relying on God’s strength – there would be no way you would be here today. He has seen you through and strengthened you in times of 

Loss 

Heart break 

Betrayal 

Sickness 

Exhaustion 

And Brokenness 

He has been the lifter of my head, my refuge, my light in the darkness – the reason I have had the strength to continue. 

There are also those of you in the room who are fresh in your faith, and you are leaning in, saying “tell me more”! 

You will dive into His word – searching to make these prayers your own. You want to know Him, and you will trust Him to be your strength and song – you will desire Him and find Him. 

Trust Him dear one – He is available. Cry out. 

And there are those here that would say, I have asked him into my heart. I know He is the way to heaven – I believe. But it stops there. 

See there are those of us that miss out on His strength because we leave His blessing on the table. We invite him to save us, but we forget there is life in him – we live on the crumbs and not the feast of His goodness. See He doesn’t leave us on our own, He sent us His spirit, and through Him He strengthens us and gives us life until we make it home. 

Will you cry out for more of Him this morning? 

Would you dive into His word and make these prayers your own? 

The second thing that I think keeps us in our weakness is that we forget who we are asking, we let busyness interfere, we grow numb to His power, and might that is available to us. 

The same power that raised Jesus to the dead is alive in us as believers. 

Let me quote someone we love: “Are you listening?” 

I want to invite you to reflect on the power and goodness of the God that we have the privilege to cry out to – the God who not only saves us but is intimately involved in our lives. YOUR LIFE. 

The one who sees and strengthens you, who left His holy spirit as our helper to fill us with his might for His glory. 

I hope that, beginning today you will see your weaknesses, your brokenness differently. 

As His opportunity to show Himself strong in your life. To come through for you when you don’t expect Him to. 

You know Him, don’t you? 

Fire in His eyes 

Healing in His veins 

Everywhere His glory on display… 

You are invited to stand, sit, kneel, these alters are open – but I invite you to reflect on WHO we are trusting as we cry out for strength, and rely on His power and might. Let’s worship our awesome God together. 

BAND – PHIL WICKHAMS – AWESOME GOD. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFOe4c08dHc 

Please continue to pray as we worship 

Just like David as He ran for His life, He cried out and found His strength in the God who saw Him. The one who reigns. He is available to you this morning. Please come – there are folks available to pray with you. You are welcome here (altars). 

The story of God’s faithfulness to Hannah

The name Hannah means Grace.

“There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” “Not so, my Lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.” “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, and she said to him, “Pardon me, my Lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭28‬ ‭

GRACE IS GREATER

SCRIPTURE HEBREWS 12:14

  14. “MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH EVERYONE AND TO BE HOLY; WITHOUT HOLINESS NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD.”

SCRIPTURE HEBREWS 12:15

  15. SEE TO IT THAT NO ONE MISSES THE GRACE OF GOD AND THAT NO BITTER ROOT GROWS UP TO CAUSE TROUBLE AND DEFILE MANY.”

FAMILY PICTURE

• WE WANT THE PERFECT PICTURE
• SADLY IT DOESN’T ALWAYS TURN OUT
• GRACE IS GREATER THAN OUR WEAKNESS
• WE EVEN GO SO FAR AS THIS

PICTURE SKINNY MIRRORS

• YEARS AGO ON SHARK TANK
• PRODUCT WAS NOT INTENDED FOR STORES
• WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HIDE THEM
• NO ONE  BOASTING- LOOK HOW WEAK I AM
• STORES BOUGHT THEM- LEFT THE LABEL ON THEM

SCRIPTURE 2 CORNITHIANS 12:5                 

   5. I WILL BOAST ABOUT A MAN LIKE THAT, BUT I WILL NOT BOAST ABOUT MYSELF, EXCEPT ABOUT MY WEAKNESSES.

SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:6

   6. EVEN IF I SHOULD BOAST, I WOULD NOT BE A FOOL, BECAUSE I WOULD BE SPEAKING THE TRUTH.

 SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:6

   6. BUT I REFRAIN, SO NO ONE WILL THINK MORE OF ME THAN IS WARRANTED BY WHAT I DO OR SAY.

SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:7

   OR BECAUSE OF THESE SURPASSINGLY GREAT REVELATIONS. THEREFORE, IN ORDER TO KEEP ME FROM BECOMING CONCEITED,

SCRPTURE 2 CONRINTHIANS 12:7

   7. I WAS GIVEN A THORN, A MESSENGER OF SATAN, TO TORMENT ME.

  GREEK WORD IS :SKOLOPS-COULD MEAN SPIKE

 SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:8

   8. THREE TIMES I PLEADED WITH THE LORD TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM ME.

SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9

   9. BUT HE SAID TO ME, “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, FOR MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS.”

 SCRPITURE 2 CONRINTHIANS 12:9

   9. THEREFORE I WILL BOAST ALL THE MORE GLADLY ABOUT MY WEAKNESSES, SO THAT CHRISTS POWER MAY REST ON ME. (PLURAL)

 SCRIPTURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:10

  10. THAT IS WHY, FOR CHRIST’S SAKE, I DELIGHT IN WEAKNESSES, IN INSULTS, IN HARDSHIPS,

SCRIPITURE 2 CORINTHIANS 12:10

  10. IN PERSECUTIONS, IN DIFFICULTIES. FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG.                        

 3 PEOPLE FLEXING                                               

• WORLDS STRONGEST TEENAGER
• ALEX SKIRUKHA-JESSICA GRAY. BEARPAW CHRIST

UPSIDE DOWN KINGDOM PRINCIPLE

   THE WAY UP IS DOWN

   WANNA RUN- YOU GOTTA CRAWL

   TO BE EXALTED- YOU HAVE TO BE HUMBLE

   TO WIN- YOU MIGHT NEED TO LOSE

   TO FIRST- TRY AND BE LAST

   WANT TO LIVE- YOU HAVE TO DIE 

THORN–THORN IN THE FLESH WILL KEEP ME

   T-EACHABLE

   H-UMBLE

   O-RIENTED TO HIM/HEAVEN IN PRAYER

   R-ELIANT ON GODS GRACE/STRENGTH

   N- EAR TO JESUS                                                                                         

 SCRIPTURE JUDGES 6:13                              

  13. PARDON ME, MY LORD,” GIDEON REPLIED, “BUT IF THE LORD IS WITH US, WHY HAS ALL THIS HAPPENED TO US?

 SCRIPTURE JUDGES 6:13

  13. WHERE ARE ALL HIS WONDERS THAT OUR ANCESTORS TOLD US ABOUT WHEN THEY SAID,

SCRIPTURE JUDGES 6:13

  13. DID NOT THE LORD BRING US UP OUT OF EGYPT?

BUT NOW THE LORD HAS ABANDONED US AND GIVEN US INTO THE HAND OF MIDIAN.”

 SCRIPTURE JUDGES 6:14

  14. THE LORD TURNED HIM TO HIM AND SAID, “GO IN THE STRENGTH YOU HAVE AND SAVE ISRAEL OUT OF MIDIAN’S HAND. AM I NOT SENDING YOU?”  (MY POWER)

 SCRIPTURE JUDGES 6:15

  15. “PARDON ME, MY LORD, “GIDEON REPLIED, “BUT HOW CAN I SAVE ISRAEL? MY CLAN IS THE WEAKEST

IN MANASSEH, AND I AM THE LEAST IN MY FAMLY.”

 NUMBERS  25

• 32,000
• 10,000
•    300
• “GODS WORK IN MY LIFE IS NOT JUST IN SPITE OF MY WEAKNESS, IT IS THROUGH MY WEAKNESS. MY WEAKNESS REMINDS ME TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. AND LET GODS STRENGTH TAKE CENTER STAGE.”

PHIL HANSEN

SLIDE 32: VIDEO

• WORDS PENNED BY                        ISAAC NEWTON
• SLAVE SHIP CAPTAIN
• WRITTEN ON BLACK KEYS

 AMAZING GRACE LYRICS

  AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THE SOUND

  THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME

  I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW AM FOUND,

  WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE.

   I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW AM FOUND

    WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE.

  TWAS GRACE THAT TAUGHT MY HEART TO FEAR,

  AND GRACE MY FEARS RELIEVED

  HOW PRECIOUS DID THAT GRACE APPEAR

  THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED

• GRACE IS GREATER THAN YOUR GUILT
• GRACE IS GREATER THAN YOUR WOUNDS
• GRACE IS GREATER THAN YOUR DESPAIR
• GRACE IS GREATER THAN YOUR WEAKNESS

MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU:

   NEED- YOU HAVE A CUP SUPPOSE YOU HAVE A HOSE

   NEED- YOU HAVE A PAINT CAN- BACK TO HOSE

   NEED-YOU HAVE 5 GALLON BUCKET- BACK TO HOSE

   NEED- YOU HAVE WHEEL BARROW- BACK TO HOSE

   CURIOUS- WONDER WHAT IS THIS HOSE ATTACHED TO

GO AROUND AND FIND IT’S ATTACHED TO THIS:

• UNLIMITED RESOURCE
• PLENTY OF GRACE TO SUPPLY YOUR NEEDS

VIDEO OCEAN                                               

• GOD HAS AN ENDLESS SUOPPLY
• HE KNOWS WHEN AND HOW MUCH WE NEED

“A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough today to last him for the next 6 months, nor can he inhale sufficient air into his lungs with one breath to sustain life for a week to come. We are permitted to draw upon God’s store of grace from day to day as we need it.”

Dwight L. Moody

• God’s power is attracted to weakness. His grace comes running to those in need.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE BOAST ABOUT?