This past Sunday Bishop Woods continued with Part 2 of I Got This. He used this opportunity to explain the Signs of Surrender. The initial question that was asked was "Have you ever really surrendered to God?" Sometimes we lean to our own understanding or fall back on our own ability to get something done rather than fully trusting that God has got this. Bishop explained that you know you are trusting God when the situation is too big for you to handle on your own yet you believe that God has got it. When we practice this trust all the time then that habit of trust becomes faith, which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.
Like Moses many of us may ask Why me? It is okay to question God initially--like Moses did, but be sure that as you spiritually mature that you accept that God's working it out for you that He has a plan for you for a hope and a future and that all things work together for your good.
The Signs of Surrender look like this:
1. God gives you a unique assignment. You know that you are yielding to the power of God when He trusts you with an assignment that's just for you. Moses was tasked to be a prophet, an ambassador and a priest to the Children of Israel. These are unique assignments for someone charged with watching someone else's sheep. Remember this God is not concerned with your present employment. He is only concerned with your present assignment. Many of us feel like Moses. We believe that we are ill equipped to do what God has called us to do. When Moses was working with his father-in-law's sheep he was actually performing a task that was beneath him, his training and his upbringing, but God takes us through various experiences to qualify us for our assignment.
Moses was a prince that wound up tending to sheep. Moses may have felt at some point that tending to sheep was not what he was called to do, but God wants us to lose some stuff in order to gain some stuff. Moses had to realize that tending to sheep, being a prince, learning many languages and being raised in the palace, having to humble himself to his father-in-law, etc would eventually lead to the assignment of tending to God's people.
2. God gives you an uncompromising and blessed assurance. God's assurance is absolute. God gives security that He is behind the call, God provides succession so that you know that it is His intention for what was started to continue, and the people that you lead serve in the place where you served.
3. God provides an unconventional answer. In our example, Moses questions God because he realizes that he is in a hot situation about to address some hostile people and those people were going to want to know under whose authority Moses was speaking. So Moses had an uncertain assay or inquiry of the Lord. God's unconventional answer was to tell the people, I Got This! God said to tell the people that I Am (Jehovah) That I Am (The one who is or the one who will be) sent you. He instructs Moses to let the people know that whatever it is that they need God's got it under control because He is Jehova-Jireh--our provider (Genesis 22:14); He is Jeohvah-Nissi--our battle fighter (Exodus 17:15); He is Jehovah-Shalom--our giver of peace (Judges 6:24); He is Jehovah Rophe--our healer (Exodus 15:26); He is Jehovah Tsidkenu--our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6); He is Jehovah Shammah--our ever present one (Ezekiel 48:35); He is Jehovah Rohi--our good shepherd (Psalm 23:1); He is Jeohvah Mekadesh--our Lord who sanctifies us (Leviticus 20:7, 8); Jehovah Sabbaoth--our Lord of Hosts (Isaiah 6:5).
In other words EVERYTHING that you need is in God so for Moses to say that I Am That I Am sent him was Moses saying that God is in control. It is a sign of reverence. It is surrender. In order for God to work in our lives the way that we need Him to work all the time in every situation we must surrender ALL to Him. Because there is no other name given under Heaven that can do what the name of Jesus can do. So today resolve that it's all in His name. Call on Him. Surrender to Him. Get out the way. Watch Him work.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Call, Command and Covenant
Last night Bishop Woods expanded on Sunday's sermon I Got This take from Exodus 3. He began by stating that many of us want to be blessed, but we do not want to go through what it takes to get to the blessing.
Pastor Christine has expressed this many times for us as well when she says that God won't show you what you have to go through because if He were to show you what you needed to go through to get to where you are going many of us wouldn't go!
Bishop explained that it is important for us to go through what God wants us to go through because the end result of our process is that God can then trust us to carry His name! Remember that we must develop a real, healthy, loving relationship with God. When we truly know God and He knows us then He can trust us, but God will not bless you with anything that He cannot trust you with.
God gives a call
God gives a command
God gives a covenant
It is important to operate within the call that God has given to you. When we operate outside the call God will allow and permit things to happen, which is why so many people say God did this or that. It's not that He did this or that, it's that He allowed it, but there are usually consequences to actions taken or things received outside of the call. Think about it. Too many people will make a preemptive move like buying a house or car because they can, but not at the voice of God. Yes God wants us to have these things to show that He's working in our lives, but it has to be in His time. Just because it looks like you can afford something now, if you make a preemptive move things can certainly change. Bishop Woods, put it rather well When you put your hands on it you will make a mistake.
Attributes for supernatural growth begin with surrendering to the will of God by aid of the Holy Spirit.
1. Find your Horeb. Marvin Sapp has a song titled Place of Worship. I love this song because it instructs that we must all find our place of worship where we can enter in and be intimate with God without distraction. This is what Moses did on the other side of Mount Horeb. But as Bishop warned last night be careful that you surrender to God for His sake and not just because you want something. You are not seeking the supernatural to occur--it is simply a result of your surrender. There are natural laws and there are supernatural laws. One of the supernatural laws is that God will show up and show out when we surrender.
Go to a place where you cannot be distracted. This is especially important if you are in the middle of work or a busy time. Escape and show our God that no matter what I'm going through Lord You are first. We have to get to a place where our worship cannot be contaminated by our conditions. Find a serene place to worship God.
2. Find God's Holiness. God wants you to get to the place where you are worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth not just asking Him for help or for things. You are worshipping Him for who He is. When we find ourselves in a place of pure worship we cannot be moved from it.
3. Find Humility. The reason why many of us have not moved in our process from calling to command or from command to covenant is because we lack humility--we are of the opinion that we can take it from here, we can handle things or we know what to do. Just because you have drive and motivation, talent and gifting doesn't mean that you just take off doing what you want to do. This is what happened with Moses. Moses saw the need of his people so he killed the Egyptian, but that act was premature and unnecessary. God has everything in control. There is no need to act without consulting Him first and finding out where He wants us to me or what He wants us to do at any given moment. When we submit our motivation, our talents, our gifts and our earnest desire to help God's people, He will lead us and guide us. As we humble ourselves God will move us in the right path and direction.
What has to Happen for God to Operate in Our Lives
1. Take off your shoes. In other words remove anything between you and God. Psalm 60:5-9. Step out of the shame of your past.
2. Move things off of you so that you can move forward. God didn't come for things, but He came for people. Remember not to be so caught up in the promise that you forget about the provider. Moses had to take off his shoes, because those represented the shoes that he killed the Egyptian in. Psalm 103:8-12.
3. Stay on track. Moses stepped out of pace with God and into his own wisdom. When Moses yielded his foundation to God by removing his shoes then God was able to sure Moses up with a strong foundation. Get out of what makes you comfortable--your foundation and take on God's foundation 2 Cor. 3:4-12--Trust in God. Don't just shout on credit, but praise God in advance because of who He is regardless of how things look around you. When you do this you are building up your ownership bank account.
Move when God says move and go when God says go only. When we do this we can count on these things:
1. Crazy Confidence--Philippians 1:6
2. Crazy Faith--Hebrews 11:1 & 6
3. Crazy Conditions--Exodus 3. Moses was in a crazy condition in the hot desert, in front of a hot burning bush, with an on fire God talking to him. Additionally he was dealing with some hot people. What we have to remember is that while everything around us maybe burning hot we still serve a Holy God.
Pastor Christine has expressed this many times for us as well when she says that God won't show you what you have to go through because if He were to show you what you needed to go through to get to where you are going many of us wouldn't go!
Bishop explained that it is important for us to go through what God wants us to go through because the end result of our process is that God can then trust us to carry His name! Remember that we must develop a real, healthy, loving relationship with God. When we truly know God and He knows us then He can trust us, but God will not bless you with anything that He cannot trust you with.
God gives a call
God gives a command
God gives a covenant
It is important to operate within the call that God has given to you. When we operate outside the call God will allow and permit things to happen, which is why so many people say God did this or that. It's not that He did this or that, it's that He allowed it, but there are usually consequences to actions taken or things received outside of the call. Think about it. Too many people will make a preemptive move like buying a house or car because they can, but not at the voice of God. Yes God wants us to have these things to show that He's working in our lives, but it has to be in His time. Just because it looks like you can afford something now, if you make a preemptive move things can certainly change. Bishop Woods, put it rather well When you put your hands on it you will make a mistake.
Attributes for supernatural growth begin with surrendering to the will of God by aid of the Holy Spirit.
1. Find your Horeb. Marvin Sapp has a song titled Place of Worship. I love this song because it instructs that we must all find our place of worship where we can enter in and be intimate with God without distraction. This is what Moses did on the other side of Mount Horeb. But as Bishop warned last night be careful that you surrender to God for His sake and not just because you want something. You are not seeking the supernatural to occur--it is simply a result of your surrender. There are natural laws and there are supernatural laws. One of the supernatural laws is that God will show up and show out when we surrender.
Go to a place where you cannot be distracted. This is especially important if you are in the middle of work or a busy time. Escape and show our God that no matter what I'm going through Lord You are first. We have to get to a place where our worship cannot be contaminated by our conditions. Find a serene place to worship God.
2. Find God's Holiness. God wants you to get to the place where you are worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth not just asking Him for help or for things. You are worshipping Him for who He is. When we find ourselves in a place of pure worship we cannot be moved from it.
3. Find Humility. The reason why many of us have not moved in our process from calling to command or from command to covenant is because we lack humility--we are of the opinion that we can take it from here, we can handle things or we know what to do. Just because you have drive and motivation, talent and gifting doesn't mean that you just take off doing what you want to do. This is what happened with Moses. Moses saw the need of his people so he killed the Egyptian, but that act was premature and unnecessary. God has everything in control. There is no need to act without consulting Him first and finding out where He wants us to me or what He wants us to do at any given moment. When we submit our motivation, our talents, our gifts and our earnest desire to help God's people, He will lead us and guide us. As we humble ourselves God will move us in the right path and direction.
What has to Happen for God to Operate in Our Lives
1. Take off your shoes. In other words remove anything between you and God. Psalm 60:5-9. Step out of the shame of your past.
2. Move things off of you so that you can move forward. God didn't come for things, but He came for people. Remember not to be so caught up in the promise that you forget about the provider. Moses had to take off his shoes, because those represented the shoes that he killed the Egyptian in. Psalm 103:8-12.
3. Stay on track. Moses stepped out of pace with God and into his own wisdom. When Moses yielded his foundation to God by removing his shoes then God was able to sure Moses up with a strong foundation. Get out of what makes you comfortable--your foundation and take on God's foundation 2 Cor. 3:4-12--Trust in God. Don't just shout on credit, but praise God in advance because of who He is regardless of how things look around you. When you do this you are building up your ownership bank account.
Move when God says move and go when God says go only. When we do this we can count on these things:
1. Crazy Confidence--Philippians 1:6
2. Crazy Faith--Hebrews 11:1 & 6
3. Crazy Conditions--Exodus 3. Moses was in a crazy condition in the hot desert, in front of a hot burning bush, with an on fire God talking to him. Additionally he was dealing with some hot people. What we have to remember is that while everything around us maybe burning hot we still serve a Holy God.
Monday, February 14, 2011
How to Completely and Utterly Surrender
Good morning! Yesterday Bishop Woods embarked on the introduction to a new series titled I Got This. The scripture text was Exodus 3:1-5 and 10-14.
Bishop Woods reminded that in order for us to experience supernatural success we must first achieve spiritual success proven out in 3 John 1:2. Natural success follows God's anointing. Recall God's blue print for supernatural success given to Abraham;
1. God gave Abraham a call
2. God gave Abraham a command
3. God gave Abraham a covenant
After receiving the above the next step is following the unction of the Holy Spirit, which was sent to comfort and lead you. When the Spirit of God moves surrender and submit. Moses submitted to the will of the Lord and became an example of the necessary attributes for spiritual surrender;
1. Moses' Horeb First Moses was special. He had a calling--just like you. He was drawn out of the water and out of a terrible situation and put in a place of comfort and safety. While Moses was in the palace of the Pharaoh he was groomed for the work of the Lord. He was educated and developed for leadership. However, after he killed the Egyptian he went to work tending to sheep. Moses was in this period of his life for over 40 years. We cannot move to the next level until we really learn to worship God in Spirit and in truth right where we are!
When you come from a blessed place and you are in your in between place do not feel like you are not in the right place. Rather remember that you are in the best place for God to make you over. So Moses was in this place and he was at work. While Moses was at work he went to the back side of the mountain where he could give God his full attention and his sincere worship. God will lead you to the back side of the mountains in your life so that you can remember all that He's done and worship Him. Worship God in your Horeb and He will elevate you out of that situation.
Remember that where you are now is not a spiritual demotion. Just because you used to have the best and you used to have a fancy title and you used to . . . fill in the blank--and now you find yourself in lack and want--you have not been demoted. God is simply taking you to the other side of the mountain for a worship experience! When you begin to drop things off of you and out of your life that hinder you for worshipping God then your relationship with God becomes stronger and you get God's attention through your worship, which is now in Spirit and in truth.
2. God's holiness is shown through the burning bush. The holiness of God is where the fire is. God is able to show His holiness when you surrender in worship. Whenever you get God's attention with your worship He will perform something that gets your attention. Moses went to the backside of the mountain to worship and this got God's attention; however, God got Moses' attention by setting fire a bush that wasn't consumed. In other words, God worked supernatural through a natural occurrence.
Moses was in a dry place so it wasn't unusual to see a bush burning--that would not have gotten his attention. Just like in our own lives--we are used to burning issues in our life; however, what was different here was that the bush wasn't consumed. It wasn't being destroyed. The burning bush was defying natural laws and had changed from a natural occurrence to now a supernatural phenomena.
God wants to get your attention by showing you that we will suffer burning situations in our lives, but those things will not consume us. Instead when God allows something to burn in our lives it actually makes us better because Fire Purifies, Fire Ignites, and Fire Spreads. We are able to experience the grace, mercy and unmerited favor of God in our lives and that fire spreads from us to others. The Devil can't handle the fire of God so thank God that He's burning some things up in your life and yet you are not being consumed! That is a supernatural phenomena!
3. We see Moses' humility. Read Proverbs 15:33 regarding humility. Moses could not deny that God had his attention! And when God calls you to get your attention you MUST respond. Don't look over what God wants you to look directly at. God instructed Moses to remove the sandals from his feet stating that Moses was entering holy ground. God had created a space and time to have a real relationship with Moses. God didn't want anything hindering that relationship. He didn't want anything to come between His presence and Moses so that Moses could fully know and reference God. God is touchable and He wants to touch us. When we get God's attention through worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth then He begins to develop a real relationship with us where He isn't concerned about anything that would hinder that relationship. This then proves out that He came for you. He gave Himself for you. He sacrificed just for you--not for what you have or don't have-or what you do or can't do. He simply did it all for you so today let's choose to move all that's between God and a real relationship so that He will bless us in a mightier way.
The way to completely and utterly surrender is to learn to steal away and worship God in your work place--when you are at your busiest--just stop and give Him reverence. Once you do this you will get God's attention and when you get His attention His holiness will show through and He will get your attention. When God calls come before Him with humility. These are the necessary attributes to spiritual surrender.
Bishop Woods reminded that in order for us to experience supernatural success we must first achieve spiritual success proven out in 3 John 1:2. Natural success follows God's anointing. Recall God's blue print for supernatural success given to Abraham;
1. God gave Abraham a call
2. God gave Abraham a command
3. God gave Abraham a covenant
After receiving the above the next step is following the unction of the Holy Spirit, which was sent to comfort and lead you. When the Spirit of God moves surrender and submit. Moses submitted to the will of the Lord and became an example of the necessary attributes for spiritual surrender;
1. Moses' Horeb First Moses was special. He had a calling--just like you. He was drawn out of the water and out of a terrible situation and put in a place of comfort and safety. While Moses was in the palace of the Pharaoh he was groomed for the work of the Lord. He was educated and developed for leadership. However, after he killed the Egyptian he went to work tending to sheep. Moses was in this period of his life for over 40 years. We cannot move to the next level until we really learn to worship God in Spirit and in truth right where we are!
When you come from a blessed place and you are in your in between place do not feel like you are not in the right place. Rather remember that you are in the best place for God to make you over. So Moses was in this place and he was at work. While Moses was at work he went to the back side of the mountain where he could give God his full attention and his sincere worship. God will lead you to the back side of the mountains in your life so that you can remember all that He's done and worship Him. Worship God in your Horeb and He will elevate you out of that situation.
Remember that where you are now is not a spiritual demotion. Just because you used to have the best and you used to have a fancy title and you used to . . . fill in the blank--and now you find yourself in lack and want--you have not been demoted. God is simply taking you to the other side of the mountain for a worship experience! When you begin to drop things off of you and out of your life that hinder you for worshipping God then your relationship with God becomes stronger and you get God's attention through your worship, which is now in Spirit and in truth.
2. God's holiness is shown through the burning bush. The holiness of God is where the fire is. God is able to show His holiness when you surrender in worship. Whenever you get God's attention with your worship He will perform something that gets your attention. Moses went to the backside of the mountain to worship and this got God's attention; however, God got Moses' attention by setting fire a bush that wasn't consumed. In other words, God worked supernatural through a natural occurrence.
Moses was in a dry place so it wasn't unusual to see a bush burning--that would not have gotten his attention. Just like in our own lives--we are used to burning issues in our life; however, what was different here was that the bush wasn't consumed. It wasn't being destroyed. The burning bush was defying natural laws and had changed from a natural occurrence to now a supernatural phenomena.
God wants to get your attention by showing you that we will suffer burning situations in our lives, but those things will not consume us. Instead when God allows something to burn in our lives it actually makes us better because Fire Purifies, Fire Ignites, and Fire Spreads. We are able to experience the grace, mercy and unmerited favor of God in our lives and that fire spreads from us to others. The Devil can't handle the fire of God so thank God that He's burning some things up in your life and yet you are not being consumed! That is a supernatural phenomena!
3. We see Moses' humility. Read Proverbs 15:33 regarding humility. Moses could not deny that God had his attention! And when God calls you to get your attention you MUST respond. Don't look over what God wants you to look directly at. God instructed Moses to remove the sandals from his feet stating that Moses was entering holy ground. God had created a space and time to have a real relationship with Moses. God didn't want anything hindering that relationship. He didn't want anything to come between His presence and Moses so that Moses could fully know and reference God. God is touchable and He wants to touch us. When we get God's attention through worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth then He begins to develop a real relationship with us where He isn't concerned about anything that would hinder that relationship. This then proves out that He came for you. He gave Himself for you. He sacrificed just for you--not for what you have or don't have-or what you do or can't do. He simply did it all for you so today let's choose to move all that's between God and a real relationship so that He will bless us in a mightier way.
The way to completely and utterly surrender is to learn to steal away and worship God in your work place--when you are at your busiest--just stop and give Him reverence. Once you do this you will get God's attention and when you get His attention His holiness will show through and He will get your attention. When God calls come before Him with humility. These are the necessary attributes to spiritual surrender.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Got Determination?
As a child I used to hear this song in church that went, "I'm determined to walk with Jesus. Yes I am. Through hard trials and tribulations persecutions I'll be faithful because I'm determined to walk with Jesus. Yes I am." There are times when we have to dig in and hold on in order to weather the storm. We have to make it up in our mind that we will walk with Jesus. We will follow His will and His way. We will not be moved and we will not give up. We have to come to the conclusion that nothing can separate us from the love of God. When we make it up in our mind that we will walk with Jesus then "we" need to move, step back, get out the way and watch God work.
The scripture that rested on my heart today was Proverbs chapter 23 particularly verses 4 and 7. Verse 4 reads, "Labor not to be rich:cease from thine own wisdom." Verse 7 says, "for as he thinkest in his heart so is he. . ." As long as our hearts are fixed and our minds are made up to do the will of God then the rest can be accomplished through the power of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost will give us the wherewithal to live right, to walk right, to talk right, to treat every body right. It will develop us so that we can love right. The Holy Ghost will guide us so that we can make the right decisions. It will be a lamp and a light. The Holy Ghost will be a comfort and a guide. People will wonder why you haven't lost your mind when they look at what you have endured, but when you've made up your mind that it's for God I'll live and it's for God I'll die you can give up your mind and take on the mind of Christ. You can have true peace in the middle of a raging storm because you know that you belong to God and that you are safe in his arms.
It doesn't matter what we have done or how many times we have stumbled or fallen. What matters is our focus and our determination to get back up again. Where is your focus? When someone cuts you off in traffic or when you are frustrated where is your focus? Where is your focus when you don't have a dime and you can't do anything about it? Where is your focus when the doctors have no answer and the lawyers can't help you? These are the times where you must tell yourself not to give up on Jesus. He is there. He is. Not only is He there, but He's moving and working on your behalf to assure the victory. All you have to do is supply the praise, and in the roughest times it is best to learn to praise Him in advance.
How can you tell that you are determined to walk with Jesus? You allow yourself to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You realize that the renewing is not an overnight process, but rather a life long process. So whatever God wants to do you accept it knowing that He means it for your good. He is perfecting you-ironing out the wrinkles and scrubbing out the spots.
Today be determined to walk with Jesus!
The scripture that rested on my heart today was Proverbs chapter 23 particularly verses 4 and 7. Verse 4 reads, "Labor not to be rich:cease from thine own wisdom." Verse 7 says, "for as he thinkest in his heart so is he. . ." As long as our hearts are fixed and our minds are made up to do the will of God then the rest can be accomplished through the power of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost will give us the wherewithal to live right, to walk right, to talk right, to treat every body right. It will develop us so that we can love right. The Holy Ghost will guide us so that we can make the right decisions. It will be a lamp and a light. The Holy Ghost will be a comfort and a guide. People will wonder why you haven't lost your mind when they look at what you have endured, but when you've made up your mind that it's for God I'll live and it's for God I'll die you can give up your mind and take on the mind of Christ. You can have true peace in the middle of a raging storm because you know that you belong to God and that you are safe in his arms.
It doesn't matter what we have done or how many times we have stumbled or fallen. What matters is our focus and our determination to get back up again. Where is your focus? When someone cuts you off in traffic or when you are frustrated where is your focus? Where is your focus when you don't have a dime and you can't do anything about it? Where is your focus when the doctors have no answer and the lawyers can't help you? These are the times where you must tell yourself not to give up on Jesus. He is there. He is. Not only is He there, but He's moving and working on your behalf to assure the victory. All you have to do is supply the praise, and in the roughest times it is best to learn to praise Him in advance.
How can you tell that you are determined to walk with Jesus? You allow yourself to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You realize that the renewing is not an overnight process, but rather a life long process. So whatever God wants to do you accept it knowing that He means it for your good. He is perfecting you-ironing out the wrinkles and scrubbing out the spots.
Today be determined to walk with Jesus!
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