THE NEW HEAVEN Revelation 21-22 Revelation #22 Today we move from time into eternity—from the old creation to the new creation. We are going to talk about the new Heaven. This is our final sermon in the Book of Revelation. I hope you have enjoyed the series. Next week Glenn and I will begin opening up the Book of Acts which powerfully demonstrates the awesomeness of God in the days of the early church. We will focus during the sermons on the relevancy of the Life and Power of God for today. A lot of stories and jokes about Heaven—and St. Peter sitting at the gate. Note true. St. Peter doesn’t sit at the gate. Still some great stories. Fred arrived at the Pearly Gates ready for his interview with St. Peter. As Peter ran down the questions on his clipboard, he came to this one: “Can you share any experience in your life on Earth when you did anything that was purely unselfish?” Fred answered quickly. “Yes, One day I was walking along when I saw a little old lady being attacked by a group of motorcycle thugs. I ran toward her and jerked her from the grasp of a huge, burly, bearded brute. Then I kicked over his Harley to distract him while I hustled her into the arms of another passerby for safety. Then I turned back to the gang and started fighting the whole bunch of them, tooth and nail. I got in some terrific punches. I kicked the ringleader in the skins and have another a great shot right in the gut with my fist.” St. Peter was impressed. “Tell me, “He asked, “when did this happen?” Fred looked at his watch. “Oh, about two minutes ago.” Reminds me of the lady who arrived at the gate and met St. Peter. After several days in heaven she had a question for Peter. She walked over to the gate and during a lull in the processing she said. “I’ve noticed that St. Mother Theresa’s halo is really not very big—and Princess Di’s halo is enormous.” “That’s not a halo—that’s a steering wheel!” How do children picture Heaven? Here are some contributions as given in the “Pastor’s Story File”: ●SLIDE #: It is a place where there is a lot of money lying around. You could just pick it up, play with it, and buy things.  Think I am going to buy a basketball, and I am going to play basketball with my great-great grandmother.    –Eric, age eight. Today we will overview the final two chapters of Revelation: We will experience: ●SLIDE #: A Taste of Heaven; ●SLIDE #: and a Taste of Jesus ●SLIDE #: A Taste of Heaven (Revelation 21:1-22:6) ●SLIDE # REVELATION 21:1: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. Why will God make a new heaven and a new earth? What is wrong with the old ones? Satan and sin have been there. Satan fell there - Job 2. Still has access to heaven. Won't be cast out until Rev. 12. ●SLIDE #: [parallel universes] New earth: Wonder how many times he has done this. There will one day be a vast holocaust. But instead of vast emptiness, God pictures a new and glorious world emerging from the ruins. God's aim is transformation! Wonder about the gospel story: “Lamb slain before the creation of the universe.” (Revelation 13:8) Died on a cosmic cross and acts out the manifest drama of the cross on every planet that goes sour and needs a savior. End will be the same on every one of those fallen planets. Man finally uncovers the secrets of the atom and in his fallen state eventually destroys himself. ●SLIDE #: Where is the eternal heaven located? 10 dimensions moving into Eleven dimensions. ●SLIDE # REVELATION 21:3-4: And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." No more tears and suffering. Even little children suffer. ●SLIDE # We have talked about The crystal Lake around the throne. ●SLIDE # and tears in the bottle. ●SLIDE # REVELATION 21:6-7: He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. ●SLIDE # Fantastic things await Overcomers—those who believe in the Son of God. Revelation 2:11: They avoid the Second Death. Revelation 2:17: They receive hidden manna and a white stone with a secret name. Revelation 2:26: They have power over nations. Revelation 2:28: They receive the Morning Star—Jesus. Revelation 3:5: They receive a white robe of righteousness and are not blotted out of the Book of Life. Revelation 3:12: They stand as pillars in the temple of God. Revelation 3:21: They sit with Christ on His throne! After great Chicago fire of 1871, evangelist Dwight L. Moody went back to survey the ruins of his house.  A friend came by and said to Moody, "I hear you lost everything." "Well," said Moody, "you understood wrong.  I have a good deal more left than I lost." "What do you mean?" the inquisitive friend asked.  "I didn't know that you were that rich." Moody opened his bible and read Revelation 21:7. ●SLIDE # REVELATION 21:9-14: One of the seven angels … showed me the Holy City…. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates ... Brilliant like a diamond: Every biblical writer who had even a glimpse of heaven was totally overwhelmed. ●SLIDE # Four Biblical writers tried to describe. It’s brilliance overwhelmed them. Ezekiel Stephen (Acts 7): "Saw Heaven and face looked like an angel." Paul : "Caught up to heaven and was set on fire with a desire to depart and be with Jesus.  His reaction: "I can't put it into words." John We're trapped in a three-dimensional world. Heaven will be a release to a new dimension that allows us to see every aspect of God: That's all I can say. It's just a stab. We'll never comprehend until we receive our glorified bodies and get there! ●SLIDE # REVELATION 21:15-16: The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. Heaven is symmetrical - a large cube. 12,000 stadia = 1500 miles. 1500 miles long, wide, and high. ●SLIDE # Roughly equal to the area from Maine to Florida and from the Atlantic Coast to Denver, then 1500 miles high. ●SLIDE # You say, "Will there be room enough for all of us?" Heaven is as wide as God's love - There will be big “VACANCY " signs in Heaven - There is room for everyone there. Let me show you how much room. Heaven is a city with 2,250,000 square miles. And that is only the bottom level!      City of Tucson is 154 square miles.      London is only 140 square miles. Based on ratio population of persons/square mile in Tucson, Heaven could hold 6 billion people! Based on the density of London, a cube city the size of Heaven could hold 100 thousand million people. That's 100 billion. And those are unglorified. Glorified! Who knows?  With our glorified bodies we will just pass through each other Right now Heaven has room for every soul that has ever walked upon the face of the earth since the beginning of time. And that is only the first floor! ●SLIDE # Christ says, "Narrow is the way and straight the gate and few there be that find it." There will be plenty of room! Some of you are searching right now. Give you an opportunity at the end of this service to receive Christ. You have searched long enough. Your searching is over. By the way, what material is used in the construction of the streets and buildings? ●SLIDE # REVELATION 21:18: The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. ●SLIDE # REVELATION 21:21: The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass. It's a large cube with streets crisscrossing at all levels. Ever seen clear gold? Can't imagine that! Everything in Heaven is transparent because we will be able to see God from everywhere in the city. "Streets of gold" puts our materialism in proper perspective.  What we strive so hard on earth to attain, gold, they use to fill the chug holes with in Heaven. Reminds me of the story of a man who spent half of his life getting rich. He was greatly distressed hearing that he could take none of it to Heaven. He pleaded with God to make an exception. Finally, God said, “Look, whatever you can fit into a black garbage sack you can bring into Heaven.” The man redoubled his efforts to accumulate gold. When he died, dragging his garbage sack toward the pearly gates, two angels stopped him. “Excuse me,” said one angel, “Nobody’s allowed to bring anything into Heaven.” The man proudly announced, “I have received special permission from God to do so.” The angels were curious as to what was so important: “Could we look in the sack?” The man nodded. Both angels peeked down into the bag, but quickly looked up in amazement. Then one of them sputtered: “Pavement!” ●SLIDE # REVELATION 21:21: The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. Why Pearls for gates? Symbolism there. Pearls are made by wounded animals.  In fact, a clam must give his life to produce that pearl. The only way into Heaven is through a gate.  Every time we enter Heaven, we'll be reminded of the wounds of Christ, who gave us his life, which took away our sins. Symbol of us: We suffer and hurt and god has made something beautiful with our lives. ●SLIDE # REVELATION 21:23: The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. Now move inside the city to discover that it is like the Garden of Eden. ●SLIDE # REVELATION 22:1-2: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Garden of Eden had four rivers, Heaven has just one and it flows out from the throne of God. The River symbolizes eternal life manifested through the Holy Spirit. Jesus referred to this often: “I will give you living water…Out of your innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” ●SLIDE #: Three Trees: Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; Tree of Life; Cross Now have Tree of Life that gives off fruit every month.  Most trees on earth blossom with fruit once or twice a year; but these give a fresh crop of fruit every month.  Talk about a Fruit of the Month club! Let’s Answer Some Often Asked Questions About Heaven. ●SLIDE #: Will we recognize our loved ones? Yes! - more by WHO they ARE than by that they look like! 1 John 3:2 - "Not yet appeared what we shall be..." ●SLIDE #: Will there be families in Heaven? Many say "no." based on Jesus "no marrying or giving in marriage" Interpret to mean no families. Doesn't say that. Saying no new marriages. Says nothing about those married on Earth. Only passage deals with this. Hate to say no families in heaven based on this passage. I believe that there will still be families in heaven. Moms, dads, brothers, sisters, etc. ●SLIDE #: Will we have full understanding in Heaven?      Yes. 1 Cor 13:12 - Glass darkly - then face to face. ●SLIDE #: Do loved ones in Heaven see us and know what's happening on Earth? "YES!":  Martyred saints want revenge. Luke 15:7 - "rejoicing in Heaven over repentance of one lost soul." ●SLIDE #: What will we be doing in Heaven? Worshipping and praising God Serving Fellowshipping Learning Resting: Rev 14:13 - "rest from labors" Luke 16 says "now Lazarus is comforted and you are tormented." ●SLIDE #: A Taste of Jesus (Revelation 22:7-21) ●SLIDE #: “There are four things I want you to keep in mind as you await my return.” 1. Keep My Word Pure. Rev 22:7, 18-19 2. Keep A Servant’s Heart. Rev. 22:12, 3. Keep Pure. Rev. 22:11b, 14 4. Keep Looking For My Return. Rev. 22:20 John 14:1-6 is a most precious picture, both of Heaven, and of the moment of death when we transition from life into eternity. ●SLIDE #: John 14:1-6 JOHN 14:1 The Sun is about to set at midday for the 11 disciples in that tear-stained room. Their world is about to come crashing down in chaos all around them. Read John 14:2 "My Father's House" = another name for Heaven. When I was young and left home, the best thing that I could possibly do was to go back to my father's house - that's home. when we go to heaven, it's not like some big palace - "Ah, Oh", just go right in and "flop", throw your coat off; kick your shoes off, it's home - "My Father's House." "Many dwelling places" - your text may say "mansions." That translation has given Christianity the wrong idea for years. Hear "mansions" and dream that Heaven is like some new real estate development. Be a guide at the gate. Peter lets you in and says "your mansion is 2 blocks this way and then 4 over to the left." Be a golf cart to drive you there. "Dwelling place" refers to New Testament times when the son would be married. Father would attach another wing onto his house and son and daughter-in-law would live there. Another son married, another attachment. Finally when all were married it would be all closed in around a patio. Not a tenement house - but full living compartments all built around the same patio. When we get to heaven it's not going to be that God lives here and I live 8 blocks away! We'll be in the Father's house. We'll have the same patio. Christ's great promise to disciples and to us is that He's gone up to heaven to get it ready for us! JOHN 14:3 Isn't that fantastic? Not only does He promise to go up there and get it ready, He's going to come back and get us and take us up there. The Lord doesn't send someone else to get us. "If I go, I'll come again." Listen - He does it Himself. Two-fold reference here: 1.  Talk about Rapture and also 2.  Talking about death when soul goes to be with Him. ●SLIDE #: Wayne and Linda Barteau went with friends and children to the movie across town at Cineworld 4. Had 2 cars. Movie over about 10:00 PM. Got into cars to leave, Wayne and Linda in different cars. Linda thought daughter Julie, age 7, was with Wayne and vice versa. Went to friends house. No Julie. Raced to theater, walked in. Here was Julie with the manager out on the sidewalk. No tears. Linda runs up and hugs her. "So sorry" - Julie, "What are you sorry about, Mom? I knew that you'd be coming back." That's the kind of trust that we can put in God. Jesus says, "Listen, I'm coming back! It may get dark. May look like it's getting pretty close to night and it may look like I've forgotten you but I'll be back, trust Me! I'm getting it all ready. When it's done, I'm coming to get you." ●SLIDE #: Invitation of Jesus to come. Rev. 22: CLOSING MEDITATION Think of – Stepping on shore and finding it Heaven! Of taking hold of a hand and finding it God’s hand. Of breathing a new air and finding it celestial air. Of feeling invigorated and finding it immortality. Of passing from storm to tempest to an unknown calm. Of waking up and finding it Home.

“Why do so many bad things happen to good people?” Open up to Mark in the New Testament, Mark, chapter 10.  As you are doing so, I want to tell you a story about a good friend of mine named Mike.  Now, let me tell you about Mike.  Mike believes in God, but he’d be the first one to tell you that he’s not sold out to the whole church thing, nor a committed follower of Christ.  But, he is an incredible person.  He is a person that many people would say, “I am surprised that you are friends with this guy, because quite frankly, Mike is a wild party-er.”  But I’ve got to tell you that I am absolutely convinced with everything in me that if Jesus was walking on planet earth today, that Mike is the kind of guy that Jesus would be friends with, and Mike is the exact kind of guy that Jesus would invite to be His disciple.  I love him for his rawness.  I love him for his honesty.  I told this story before, but it’s worth telling again.  Some of you haven’t heard.  A while back, Mike had a party at his house, and everybody was getting toasted, wasted, and some people started making fun of preachers, and my name came up and they started making fun of me.  And, Mike chimed in to my defense, and they were saying, “Yeah, Groeschel, that guy’s getting loaded and rich off of all the profits of the DVDs and the tapes and this, that, and the other,” and Mike spoke up and told them truthfully, which is accurate, that I don’t take any money from that, nor does any staff member make any money on any of that stuff, and he defended me … and then, he started bragging on me to his drunk friends, so much so that they were finally convinced, according to Mike, that I am the real deal.  He had all of his drunk people at his party hold up their beers and toast Pastor Craig.   I like that a lot, and I like Mike a lot.  Mike is here today in this experience.  This is his fourth time at LifeChurch, and honestly, it’s his fourth time at church since he was a young boy, and he gave me permission to tell you why that’s so.  When he was twelve years old, his mom was taking a bath and had an epileptic seizure, and Mike, at the age of twelve, walked into the bathroom at his house and found his mom had drowned under the running water.  And, let me tell you right now, I cannot begin to imagine what that was like for him, but I can imagine what kind of faith questions that would bring into the mind of any twelve-year-old boy, who went through that.  And so, it’s to my good friend, Mike, that I dedicate this message today, and I really pray that God would touch him in a way that God wants to do. Mark, chapter 10, we are going to look at Jesus, who had an encounter with a very rich and up and coming ruler, and this is what happened.  Verse 17, “As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before Him.”  Now, it’s interesting to notice, this guy was a leader.  This was a respected guy, so for him to run to Jesus, it reflected a real sense of urgency.  For him to fall on his knees, that reflected a sense of humility and genuineness.  This guy did so, and then, he called Jesus this.  At all of our campuses, would you say these words out loud?  He said, “Good,” what?  He said, “ ‘Good teacher,’ he asked,” and then he asked one of the most important questions, “ ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ “  Now, Jesus didn’t answer the question; instead, He did what Jesus often did, which was respond with a question, and He asked, “ ‘Why do you call Me,’ “ what?  He said, “ ‘Why do you call Me good?’  Jesus answered, ‘No one is good-except God alone.’ “  Now, that very phrase, or title, “good teacher” was a statement that was without parallel in Jewish history.  Nowhere in all of the ancient Jewish writings can you ever find any student calling any rabbi good teacher.  It was simply unheard of, and it would never, ever happen.  Why?  Because everyone knew that immediately, the only response that any rabbi would give would give would be, “There is nothing good but the law.” Jesus, though, as no ordinary rabbi, over looked the law because He came to fulfill that, looked to the giver of the law, God, and instead of saying there’s nothing good but the law, He said, “There’s no one good, but God.”  Then, the son of a good God did something and said something to this rich, young man that, in my mind, does not seem fair.  Jesus said, “You want to have eternal life?  Obey the commands.”  And the guy said, “Check, I did that.”  Then, Jesus said to him, “Go and sell all your possessions and give them to the poor, and then come and follow Me.”  And scripture says, this guy went away very sad, because he was very wealthy.  In my mind, I’m asking some questions.  Why was that statement only one time, and why this guy?  Jesus never said that to anyone else.  Why did He say it to this guy, who was very, very sincere, humble, and searching for answers?  In my mind, that response doesn’t seem quite fair.  Now, I think through all that goes on in the world, and the list of things that are unfair just tumble into my mind.  The tsunami.  I ask myself, “Why all those people?  Why not others?”  The earthquake, just this week, a couple of thousand family lives shattered in, really, an instant.  I look at the poorest person that I know in our church, and on a global scale, we live in ultimate riches compared to so many people.  Why are we so wealthy, when there are children that are starving to death today?  And, why won’t we do anything about it?  It doesn’t seem fair.  Why is it that you can take the greatest Christian couple, who desires to have kids, and they can’t have any children, when so many other people have abortions?  Doesn’t seem fair.  Why is it that one of my best friends and one of my daughters have migraine headaches, and we prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed, and the God I read about in scripture can certainly and very easily heal these migraine headaches, and yet, He doesn’t.  And the list could go on and on and on and on about all the things that, in my mind, and certainly in yours, don’t seem fair.  Where is God in those events? There are those of you that certainly, you are facing some tough stuff right now. You’ve got some questions.  You’ve got some pain.  You’ve got some suffering.  You’ve got some trials, and it’s during those times that one of two things will happen to your faith.  If you are taking notes, write this down.  Suffering trials and pain will either shake your faith, or it will prove your faith.  Either it will shake and rattle you, or it will take you to a deeper level of committed faith than you have ever known in your entire life.  Peter addressed the proving of our faith.  Now, any time you read Peter, you have to remember who Peter was writing to.  Peter was writing to a group of Christians that were, perhaps, some of the most persecuted and suffering Christ Followers who ever lived.  It was common in that day, for entertainment to this group, that they would take Christians, and they would bring them into a huge coliseum, and they would watch lions eat these Christians alive, and it was to these Christ Followers that Peter wrote these words.  I Peter 1:6-7, he said, “In this,” and he is talking about suffering.  “In this you greatly rejoice.”  He says, “Though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your,” what?  Would you say that word out loud?  “These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold … may be,” what?  Say it out loud.  “May be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”  These trials, these pains, these struggles have come with a purpose, that your faith, the most valuable thing that you have, more valuable than anything on this planet, your faith, though greater worth than gold, may be proved genuine.  You see, it’s easy for me to prove great faith when everything’s going the way I want it to go.  It’s more difficult to claim great faith when my world is falling apart, but it’s exactly in that time, if you continue to seek God, your faith will be proven. So, let me tell you what I’m not going to do today.  In Mike’s situation, and in yours, I’m not going to try to defend God.  I’m not going to offer you cheap answers to expensive questions.  I’m not going to insult your intelligence by trying to simply explain things away.  I will not try to pretend like I know what you feel.  I don’t.  Instead, what I want to do today, in my mind, takes greater faith, and that is to point you toward a good God, and trust that in His presence, He will be enough for you.  So if you are hurting, or one day when you do hurt, keep these thoughts in mind.  How do you keep the faith in the fire?  A couple of Biblical principles.  The first one is this.  With the help of the Spirit of God, long to embrace God’s purpose in your pain.  Embrace His purpose.  In the middle of the pain, you may not see it, feel it, or even believe that it’s there, but take comfort.  God is a good and a sovereign God, who never wastes a hurt.  Look at what scripture says.  II Corinthians 4:17-18.  Paul said, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us a,” what?  Would you say it out loud?  “Are achieving for us an eternal glory that,” does what?  “That far outweighs all of the troubles,” he said.  There is a purpose behind the pain.  He goes on to say, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but instead, on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  For our light and momentary troubles, when we look at things in all of perspective of eternity that never, ever ends, all of a sudden, what seemed so huge to us today becomes a little bit lighter, and a little bit more momentary, when we start to realize that perhaps, behind the pain is something even broader and bigger than we could ever imagine, but it’s God’s purpose in the middle of our hard times.  Let me explain it to you like this, and admittedly, this is kind of a disgusting story, but that’s never stopped me from telling things like this before.  There was a bird that was one day flying south for the winter, and the little bird flew into the middle of an ice storm, and all of a sudden, his little wings got pelted with ice and they started to get heavy, and he couldn’t stay afloat, and he came in for a crash landing.  The ice and snow continued to pile on top of him, when all of a sudden, the little birdie was frozen stiff, and he thought to himself, “I never thought it would end this way.”  A few minutes later as he was preparing to die, a cow came and stood on top of him.  There’s really no good way to say this, but the cow made a deposit on top of the bird.  You could call it manure from Heaven, if you want.  And all of a sudden, the bird thought, “Great, now I’m going to freeze to death, and I’m going to stink while I’m dying, too.”  When, all of a sudden to his surprise, the warmth of the manure … yes, this is disgusting, but just hang with me … the warmth of manure started to cause the ice to melt, and the little birdie started to thaw out, and with excitement and joy, he started to sing, “Chip, chip, chip, chip, chip.  Chip, chip, chip, chip, chip,” when all of a sudden, Satan’s leading creature, a cat came along, heard the cheeping, dug the little baby bird out of the manure, ate the bird, dead.  Tragic story.  Cats.  Three morals behind the story.  First one is this.  Not everyone who drops manure on you is your enemy.  Not everyone who digs you out is your friend, and, when you are in manure, keep your mouth shut.  Glory. Just because you are facing pain at this moment does not mean that God is not good.  You see, He is.  And, just because you would give anything for it to go away does not mean that eternally, that is the best thing for you and God’s kingdom.  Embrace His purpose in the middle of your pain.  There’s an encounter that a blind guy had with Jesus.  It’s recorded in John 9:1-3.  Everybody wanted to know why this guy was born blind.  Whose fault was it?  Scripture says this.  “As Jesus went along, He saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, whose fault is it?  Who sinned, this man or his parents?”  Where can we place the blame that he was born blind?  Watch what Jesus says.  “Neither this man nor his parents sinned.”  We are not going to place blame, Jesus said, “But this happened,” check this out.  “So that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”  This was a pain with a purpose behind it.  This was a hurt that was not wasted.  This was something with a, from the foundation of time, this was a pain with a purpose behind it.  This happened so that the work of God might be displayed through his life, and Jesus went on to heal this guy, and boy, the true rumor started.  Everyone needs to know that Jesus is opening blind eyes.  Embrace God’s purpose in the middle of your pain.  In my family, it was probably about two months ago that my dad had a pretty serious stroke, and for those that have asked about him and then praying for him, thank you.  He looks like he will return to work in about a month, and we celebrate dad.  He’s doing well.  This is something that I would never, ever, ever, ever, ever wish on him nor anyone else, but let me tell you what.  In God’s mysterious ways, it’s been a gift to our family.  I can’t fully explain it, but God has done more good through that than you could ever imagine.  I would never wish that on anyone, but God had a purpose in his pain. For those of you that are in pain right now, there’s a second thing, and I pray this would be true for you, as well.  In the middle of what you are going through, right now, at this moment, I pray that you could embrace God’s peace in your pain, that you could embrace a pain that goes beyond your ability to understand, right now, in the presence of God.  Paul penned these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit from a Roman prison, so put that in your mind as you read his words.  Philippians 4:6, he said, “Do not be anxious about,” how much?  All of our campuses, would you say that?  “Do not be anxious about anything.”  Okay, you guys can do better than that.  Let’s try it again.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in,” how much?  In how much?  “In everything by,” what?  “By prayer and,” by what?  “By prayer,” with what?  “Petition, with,” what?  “With thanksgiving,” do what?  “Present your requests to God.”  Stop right there.  When you cannot make it on your own, when it’s too much, when you don’t have the answers, and when you don’t understand, all of a sudden, you may be divinely positioned for a gift, which is complete dependence upon God, and you present that which you are incapable of handling to a good God, and scripture says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,” which is impossible for us to humanly comprehend.  “It will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  The Greek word is the word eirene.  It’s translated as peace.  It can be translated as peace, as quietness, or as rest, and the peace of God, “which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts at this moment.”  I pray that this story would pass to you the peace of God, which transcends all understanding. This is a true story about a man named Horatio Stafford, a Christ Follower, who lived in the late 1800s.  Horatio had many reasons why he could have doubted the goodness of God, but no matter what happened, his faith remained strong.  Horatio first lost his four-year-old son to scarlet fever.  Then, in 1871, he lost everything.  This famous and well-known Chicago lawyer lost all of his business, wealth, and property in the great Chicago fire.  Then, in 1873, he faced an event that could have shaken his faith, but because of God’s presence, his faith was once again proven.  In 1873, Horatio booked a trip to Europe for his family on a ship.  Business kept him behind, so he sent his wife, Annie, and his four daughters on ahead of him.  Midway through the trip, though, Horatio’s family’s ship collided with another ship, and within twelve minutes, the entire ship sank to the bottom of the ocean.  Horatio’s wife, Annie, her last memory was clinging on to his and her four daughters as she was knocked unconscious, and her daughters washed away to their death.  The only thing that kept Annie alive was that she was knocked out on top of a log that kept her afloat.  Twelve days after his family left, Horatio received a telegram from his wife that said, “Saved alone.”  We can only imagine his loss.  Horatio Stafford immediately boarded the next ship and traveled to be with his wife, and it was when the ship that he was on passed the approximate spot of his four daughters deaths, that’s when God gave him the words to the song that we sing today in worship.    When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, “It is well, it is well with my soul.” “Now, God, in Your presence, I ask that Your peace that passes all understanding, no matter what Your children are facing now, God, that You would guard their hearts and offer Your peace, and that we could reflect those inspired words.  Even though things around us are not well, in Your presence, it is well.  It is well with my soul.” So, I think about Mike, and I think about all that so many people are going through, and people that raise the question, “Is God fair?”  And, my answer is unquestionably, “No, He is not.  He is not fair.”  He is good, and He is just, but the best news that I can tell you is this.  He is not fair.  You see, if He was fair, then we would get what our sins deserve, and that is death.  But because He is good in His mercy, He did something for us that we did not deserve.  He sent Jesus to forgive our sins and offer us a life that we are not worthy to live.  Psalm 103:10 shows us the reality of His truth.  He is not fair, but He is good.  “God does not treat us as our sins deserve, or repay us according to our iniquities.  As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”  Praise be to God. So, it was several years go that one of my favorite families in the whole church faced a tragedy that no one would ever, ever want to face.  This is truly one of the greatest families that I know, who had one of the greatest kids that I have ever known, and at fourteen, this young man, who was in a state of momentary confusion, made the stupidest decisions that anyone could ever make.  He took his own life, and it was my burden and my honor to do his funeral, and I planned it all out.  I sought God and had everything ready, and I stood up on the stage, but I’d forgotten one thing.  I’d forgotten to think of how to open up the funeral.  What words would I speak off the top?  Usually, pastors will say, “Dearly beloved.”  That just doesn’t work for me.  I didn’t know what to say, and so I stood there on stage in front of my grieving friends and family members, grieving myself, and I froze.  And I just stood there for an awkward, pregnant pause, and I prayed, “God, tell me what to say.”  And, I believe that God spoke to me.  It was not audible.  It was too loud to be audible.  And I felt like God said, “Tell them that I am good.”  Now, I’m not going to tell you I talk back and forth with God like some people do.  It just doesn’t work that way for me, but in my mind, I had an argument with God and said, “No, I’m not going to tell them that.”  And, for whatever reason or way, I am going to tell you, I felt very impressed by God to tell them.  I said, “No,” and finally, I just surrendered, and I thought, “I hope this isn’t a big mistake.”  And so, the very first words I said to this grieving crowd of my friends and family members was, “God is good,” and the moment I said that, I am going to tell you, simultaneously, everyone smiled and everyone cried, and the wind of the Son of God blew into this place, and everyone there said, “All the time, God is good.  God is good, all the time.”  And as long as I live, I will never be able to put it into words that the tangible presence of God was so much there, that in the middle of life’s greatest loss, all I can tell you is that God is good.  And so, for my buddy, Mike, and everyone who faces questions like he does, I come with no answers, no explanations, only a promise that is true, truer than anything I could ever say.  God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good. Let’s all pray together.  “God, we ask that in Your presence, You can do what only You can do.” Would you take a minute and just kind of reflect on what we have talked about today. Just in a, groups this size, there are those of you facing major, major, major challenges, pain, questions, struggles, heartache.  Those of you that would simply say today, “Craig, would you just pray for me?  I am hurting, and I need prayer.”  At all of our campuses, would you just lift up your hands honestly, right now, and say, “Please pray for me.”  Hands going up all over the place right now.  Thank you so much for your honesty.  “God, I would ask that in Your presence at this moment that You would simply be enough, that You would be enough.  God, I pray for eyes to see You at work, whether at this moment, or months, or even years down the road that would could see Your purpose in the middle of our pain.  God, I pray that we would all take comfort, that You don’t waste a hurt.  That You are in all things, working them together for good to those who love You and who are called according to Your purpose.  And God, now as we seek You, I thank You that we will find You, and I pray just a prayer of faith, believing that You will do this.  That no matter what people are facing, we could echo the words of Horatio Stafford, “It is well with my soul,” because You are here, God.  In Your presence, no matter what we face, there is a peace that passes all understanding.  May it be so in the hearts of Your children here today. “ As you continue praying today, there are those of you right now, at this moment, that you are very aware that you are not in a relationship with God.  You may believe in God.  Great.  That’s a good place to start, but you are not, you are not a Christ Follower, and you know that.  Our greatest problem is that we are born with a sin nature.  The Bible tells us, all of us sin.  All of us, our hearts, the Bible says, they are deceitful above all things.  We even try to fool ourselves into thinking everything’s okay.  The Old Testament calls us sheep.  We are all like sheep.  The Bible says that we’ve gone astray from God’s plan.  We have all turned to our own ways.  The problem is, God is so holy that He cannot look upon sin.  The good news is, though, God is not fair, because the only thing that we deserve, because of our sin, is death, but God is good, and He is full of mercy.  You see, that is why He did something that we did not deserve.  He became one of us.  He became Jesus, born of a virgin, without the sin nature passed along, lived a sinless life, and shed innocent blood so that we could be forgiven.  He died and is risen from the grave, and now the scripture says whoever believes in that, that person would be changed forever.  No matter what your sin is, it will be forgiven.  No matter how bad you’ve been, He will forgive you, and He will separate your sins as far as the east is from the west.  He will remember them no more.  You will become brand new. There are those of you here today, you may be at the bottom.  Guess what?  God may have let you get to the bottom.  There’s only one way to look, and that’s up.  You may be at the top right now, and you know what?  When you are at the top, it’s empty and there is nothing there, because that’s because there is a God-shaped void in your life, and you need to say, “Yes, take over.  I am a sinner.  Filthy. ”  No matter how hard you try to be good enough, you do not qualify.  It is impossible.  “Jesus, be that for me.  I believe You died so I could live.  Forgive me.”  Every sin will be forgiven.  At every campus, those of you that would say, “That’s my prayer.  Jesus, take over.  I trust you.  Forgive me.  Be the Savior and the Lord of my life.  I want to know You and follow You.”  Boldly lift your hands right now.  All over the place, lift them up.  Let me just meet you eye-to-eye, too.  Right over here, ma’am.  Right here, ma’am.  Let me just meet you eye-to-eye.  Right back here, God bless you.  Right over here in this section.  Thank you.  Right back over there, God bless you as you say, “Yes.”  Let me find … right back there, let me see.  Both of you right here together.  Praise God for you, sweetheart.  Right here in the middle section.   Sir, right here.  Right there.  God bless you together, both of you saying, “Yes.”  Ma’am, right over here, “Yes, I surrender, Jesus.”  Others of you. Sir, right there.  “God, touch his heart.  May he never be the same.”  In this section saying, “Yes, Jesus, I surrender.”  Others of you.  “Forgive me.  Be the Savior and the Lord of my life.”  Right here in this section saying, “Yes, I give You my life.”  Others of you today.  “Jesus, take over.  Forgive me.  Make me brand new.”  Right over here in this section, sir.  “Yes, God, touch his life.  Touch his life.”  Others of you.  Right here, sir.  Praise God for you.  “God, thank You for this man, who says ‘Yes’ to You.”  Others of you today. At our other campuses, you guys, you campus pastors are free to go at your own pace.  Let’s pray together with those around you here, and then we are going to celebrate big God’s new life through Christ.  Would you pray out loud?  Pray, “Heavenly Father, I am ready for You to have my whole life.  I acknowledge that I am a sinner, and I need a Savior.  I believe Jesus is Your Son, who died for me, so I could live for You.  Forgive me.  Make me new.  Take my whole life.  I am Your disciple, Your follower, and Your child.  In Jesus’ name I pray.”  Would you guys worship God?  Would you tell Him thank You for new life through Christ … www.lifechurch.tv./open.

WINNING THE WAR IN YOUR MIND—1 WINNING THE WAR IN YOUR MIND My thought battles… Anyone else—Ongoing war—Mind? Battle between—Faith—Fear! Want trust God—Want be control Confidence in calling—Crippling insecurity paralyzes Most of life’s battles are won or lost in your mind. (Battlefield) Good news—God’s Word power—Not just help… Transform—Renew Mind Truth! (Keys start) Stand honor GW—Mind Apostle Paul—Ultimate Thought Warrior Remember Paul Rom 7? (Battled—Wrestled—Warred—Won) 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 2 Cor 10:3-4 Dunamis —Explosive power of God! Show Stronghold back screen here Ochuroma —Military Stronghold—Fortress built highest peak city. Reinforced w/wall up to 20 feet thick. What does our spiritual enemy do? Shapes your thinking—One thought at time—Prison of lies. U can’t trust. Won’t succeed. Always broke. Never good marriage. God doesn’t hear prayers. Doesn’t care. Never make diff. Amount. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor 10:5 Title— Winning the War in Your Mind —Pray, Get Mind Right Message series—New book WTWIYM! • Our lives are always moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts. Science/Bible agree—Cognitive Behavior Psychology shows Relational challenges, eating disorders, addictions, Some forms of anxiety—Direct result of toxic thinking. 7 For as he thinks in his heart , so is he . Prov 23:7 NKJV The life we have is a reflection of the thoughts we think. What we think determines who we become. Think you can’t—Probably won’t. Think can—Probably will. Dwell problems—Overwhelm you. Look solutions—See some. Feel like victim—Become one. Believe overcome X—Can. The life you have is a reflection of the thoughts you think. THOUGHT AUDIT Worried 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Peaceful Negative 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Positive Worldly 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Eternal Worried: People think—Kids—Future—$—Job—Health. Secure God’s promises: Do what u can—Trust—Full peace. Negative: Critical people, Find fault, Discontent. Hard. Busy. Positive: Believe best people, Life good. Optimistic future. Mind consumed this life: Material possession. Liked people. Eternal difference: Given gifts—Reach people—Job/Calling. What comes into your mind—Comes out in your life. No matter: What you do — What have — Who know — What buy Where you live — Where you travel You cannot have a positive life when you have a negative mind. Your life always moving direction strongest thoughts. Are excited about the direction your thoughts are taking you? I wasn’t—Change thinking. My #1 Spiritual Goal—Change think—Renew mind—How? (2) 1)Identify the biggest stronghold holding you back . Not good enough—My past is too bad—Can’t trust. Always battle weight—Not good w/money. Can’t close God—Never job love—All relationships break down. Negative Thoughts—Changing chemical makeup brain. (Back screen) Every thought creates a neurochemical change in our body. Positive— Surge rewarding neurotransmitters: Dopamine Legal reward— Positive hit—Chemical buzz. Comments post (Dope) Like your hair (Dope) Amy, “thinking bout you, come home ” (Dope) Neural Pathways —Billions pathways/roads in your brain. More often you think a thought —Easier think again— Default. Stronghold — Wrong Thought Patterns — Stuck in rut. Negative, Critical: Creating unhealthy , unhelpful neuropathways. Capture — Create new path in brain. Frustrating day work —Chaos—Yell! --> Pause. Pray. Hug. Feel bad self —Cake, Chips, Ice cream --> Walk, workout. Bored —Scroll thru IG, Jealous, Loser --> YouVersion. To think in a different way — Forge a new path in your brain. More you walk the path — Easier becomes travel. More you stay off old path—Weakens—Harder it is to think again. Identify biggest stronghold holding you back. Just one. Not loveable—Never good enough—Don’t deserve anything good. Always be broke—Haves—Have nots. I’m the not. Helplessness—Hopelessness—Worthlessness—Pointlessness Identify stronghold. Name it. You cannot defeat what you cannot define. 1.Identify biggest stronghold. 2)Name the truth that demolishes that stronghold. Truth — Kevin Penry— Door is Unlocked! ( KP) 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor 10:5 Greek— Take captive —War term: Capture w/Spear, Sword. Only one offensive weapon— Sword—Word of God! I am not enough. Truth in it… I’m not enough 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life. 2 Pet 1:3 Time—Patience—Energy—Wisdom—People—Resources. John 8:32—Know the truth Embrace truth—Open the door—Be free. Can’t get all done—Can do all things thru X—Weak/Strong. Not attractive—Don’t like look—Fearfully wonderfully made. Miserable—Joy of the Lord is my strength. Feel all alone—My God is with me. Never leave me. Victim—Overcomer—Not who enemy says. Life moving direction—What comes into mind—Comes out life. Cannot have positive life—Negative mind. Capture the lies—Replace truth. Don’t stay locked in a prison When Jesus holds the keys—Set free

OVERCOMING HANDICAPS 2 CORINTHIANS 12:1-10 S-1648 WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER? •SLIDE: Daisy? •SLIDE: Hibiscus? •SLIDE: Orchid? •SLIDE: Tulip? •SLIDE: How about a Rose? 7 in 10 Americans choose the Rose as their favorite. •SLIDE: Perhaps we like the rose because it is so beautiful. Perhaps we love it because deep down we recognize that life is more like the rose than any other flower. It is exquisitely beautiful; but when you pick it up, •SLIDE: You have to look out for the thorns. Glenn and I have finished the birth of the church in Acts. We will take a break and return later to the life and teachings of Paul which cover the 2nd half of Acts. But, I want to preach today on one of my favorite Pauline passages: We are going to discuss Overcoming Handicapped Lives. Turn to 2 Corinthians 12. We will see •SLIDE: 1. The ROSE •SLIDE: 2. The THORNS, and •SLIDE: 3. The GRACE Electric dynamo to represent grace? Because Grace=Strength and power •SLIDE: Let’s read our passage. READ 2 CORINTHIANS 12:1. •SLIDES: See the ROSES. What an experience Paul had! READ 2 CORINTHIANS 12:2-6. Describes vision he had fourteen years ago (not conversion – this was over twenty years after conversion). Paul had many visions. A spiritual highlight of Paul’s life. But notice, in the moment of Paul’s greatest exaltation came also his greatest humiliation. •SLIDE: Now we see the THORNS: READ 2 CORINTHIANS 12:7-8. •SLIDE: Now we see the GRACE: READ 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9-10. •SLIDE: The subject of Handicapped Lives is one which takes us all in. There is maybe one, young superman here who has never been aware of his limitations, but I suspect not. •SLIDE: And by the way, even Superman has his kryptonite. I have never known a person whom did not turn out to be dealing with a handicap. But they need not incapacitate us. Life is filled with handicapped heroes who jumped the hurdles and finished the race victoriously. •SLIDE: That’s why I admire so much track star Wilma Rudolph was the 20th of 22 children. Overcoming poverty and premature birth, and double pneumonia at the age of four, and scarlet fever, and debilitating polio at the age of nine, leaving her left leg paralyzed, and learning to walk with the aid of a metal brace, and then how to rhythmically run at 13—finally winning three gold medals in the 1960 Olympic games in Rome. •SLIDE: We find Beethoven writing music though deaf. •SLIDE: And Winston Churchill inspiring nations and winning wars while fighting crippling, debilitating depression. •SLIDE: And Stephen Hawking unlocking the secrets of the universe while crippled with multiple sclerosis, confined to a wheelchair, talking through a metallic sounding synthesizer, able to move only one finger. We discover that in general, the great work of the world has been done by handicapped people. How do they do it? What was the inward technique with which they handled limitations? Is there any one of us who does not need to learn that? We have seen the rose; now he sets up the thorn. READ 2 CORINTHIANS 12:7 •SLIDE: This is not just a little nuisance like the cholla cactus thorns that pricks your finger. The word here for “Thorn” is the same word as •SLIDE: “Steak:” No, not the kind of Not steak we eat. •SLIDE: “Stake” like a tent stake you drive in the ground. From Babylonians – sharpen trees and impale people on stake. Paul had stake twisting in his body to keep him humble. •SLIDE: Boxers: “Torment” means “to beat, to strike with the fist.” He suffered mercilessly with it. What was that thorn? No one really knows! Several guesses: •SLIDE: 1. Ugly -1 Corinthians 10:10 – “Letters weighty but bodily appearance is weak. “Beaten with rods.” •SLIDE: 2. Malaria – prevalent and incapacitating in Asia Minor. Trouble on first journey. •SLIDE: 3. Epilepsy. In Galatians 4:13-14 – “reject” = “to spit at”. Ancient world believed epilepsy caused by demons. Spit to ward off demons. •SLIDE: 4. Eye trouble. Most probable. Blind at conversion, scales – Galatians 6:11 – “Large letters with my own hand. Galatians 4:15 – “Pluck out eyes.” Acts 23 – Trials, chided high priest, slapped. “Didn’t you know you were speaking to the high priest?” “No, I didn’t see that.” Why didn’t Paul tell us what his thorn was? So all of us could IDENTIFY WITH IT. •SLIDE: What’s your thorn? Alcoholic father? Debilitating illness? problem child? Sexual abuse? We know nothing about Paul’s trouble except that behind the scenes, just like the rest of us, Paul had to handle a limitation that he prayed to escape, that he could not evade, that he had to settle down and live with. •SLIDE: IT IS A CRUCIAL MOMENT WHEN WE STAND OPEN-EYED BEFORE OUR HANDICAPS. Every garden has its weeds; every rose has its thorns; every life has its strife. Here is a young boy who is crippled in early infancy. He has grown up with no idea what happened to him—but sometime in childhood it will dawn on him that he is not like the other children. And his whole life will depend on how he handles it. Think of a woman who in her youth had all the natural ambitions for success but who now recognizes that she’ll never write poetry or compose music or hold the business positions about which she dreamed. How will she handle it? Think of the one who has expectations of a normal, well-adjusted, happy life, but like a beast from ambush, an accident, or sickness leaped and now he must work with crippled machinery. How many of us have stepped on the gas but we have to admit again and again that the power just isn’t in us. God didn’t equip us with 8 cylinders or with 6 – only three – and those none too good. Maybe yours is a life that wanted love and missed it. Maybe yours is a home where marriage might have been a thing of beauty, but was tragedy instead. Maybe yours is a family where a child created as a blessing became an inward agony. Maybe yours is a household where death has severed the tie that binds. How can we deal with handicaps? How do we harness the grace that is sufficient for us? •SLIDE: FIVE LESSONS FLOW OUT OF THIS CLASSIC PASSAGE. •SLIDE: 1. TRUST THAT HANDICAPS ARE NO ACCIDENT. GOD’S PLAN IS IN PLACE. God’s plan includes refining. In terms of God’s processing one of the main reasons He allows handicaps is to refine us into better people. Suffering produces perfection. 2 Corinthians 12:7 – “To keep me from becoming conceited.” •SLIDE: C.S. Lewis picture “I walked a mile with Pleasure, she chattered all the way, But left me none the wiser for all she had to say. •SLIDE: C.S. Lewis picture I walked a mile with Sorrow and ne’r a word said she. But, oh, the things I learned that day when Sorrow walked with me.” •SLIDE: 2. LOOK FOR AN OPPORTUNITY INSTEAD OF SLIDING INTO DEPRESSED DEFEAT. 2 Corinthians 12:10: “That us why I delight in weaknesses, insults, hardships, and persecutions. How often we stroke our wounded spirits and cry, “If I had not this handicap, what a person I would have been.” We dream of what we could have been and what a glorious paradise we could have if only we had not this handicap. We must realize that very few of us are able to live life through with no limitations. Who among us has the chance to live out life under the ideal conditions? I know of no one. •SLIDE: Have you noticed that violins have four strings? The strings correspond to the notes G-D-A-E. Once when Ole’ Bull, the great violinist, was giving a concert in Paris, his A string snapped and he transposed the composition and finished it on three strings! Now that’s life – to have you’re a string snap and to have to finish on 3 strings. How many of us have had to test that out? It seems that so much of life lies in the ability to victoriously handle handicaps. As much as I should have liked to hear Ole’ Bull with a perfect instrument at his command, if I could have heard him only once, I should have liked to hear him when the A string snapped and, without self-pity or surrender, he finished on 3 strings. I’m certain that Paul would rather not have had this thorn in his flesh. But I suspect that there are qualities of understanding and sympathy in Paul and a moving music in the great passages of his epistles that never would have been there if he had not had to finish on 3 strings. •SLIDE: 3. STOP WINDOW SHOPPING IN OTHER’S LIVES AND LIVE WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT. 2 CORINTHIANS 10:12 – “We do not compare ourselves… When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, then are not wise.” You see what we do; Born to be berry bushes and produce good berries, we lift envious eyes to apple trees with larger size fruit, OR, born to be apple trees and produce apples, we look with jealousy at maple trees with their greater shade, OR, born to be maple trees, we are anxious because elm trees are taller and more graceful. God has given all of us a special field to till. Accept it. If the soil is thinner and the rocks more numerous and the prospects less promising than another’s field, that is simply life’s problem which we all must face. We must stop looking over the fence and day-dreaming about what we could do with someone else’s field. Wendy Stoker is a freshman at the University of Florida. She placed third, just 2.5 points out of first place in the Iowa Girl’s State diving championship. She worked two hours a day for four years to get there. Now she is at the university of Florida working twice as hard and has earned the number two position on the varsity diving squad. She is aiming for the national finals. Wendy carries a full academic load, finds time for bowling, and is an accomplished water skier. But perhaps most remarkable is her typing. She bangs out 45 words per minute on her typewriter with her toes! Oh, I forgot to tell you, Wendy was born without arms. •SLIDE: 4. LET Your THORNS SET THE STAGE FOR USEFULNESS IN THE KINGDOM 2 CORINTHIANS 12:10 – “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” We live in an age of excuses – my headache, my arthritis, my dysfunctional family background, my alcoholic wife, my fill-in-the-blank. If Paul hadn’t had that thorn, he’d never have been Paul. Thorns set the stage for spiritual service. Parable of The cracked pot and flowers Nelson’s complete p.774 •SLIDE: 5. FIND STRENGTH IN GOD’S GRACE WHICH IS ENERGY ENOUGH WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH. READ 2 CORINTHIANS 12:8-10. “Lord, take it away.” God didn’t give him what he asked for. Notice, God did answer his need. God’s grace was sufficient for every situation. God’s grace is enough. Electric dynamo: pour in the power. Lady Friday afternoon at Bookmans. How are you? Feeling a little tired. “Thin blood to prevent clots when they do my procedure.” “I have a disease, mini-strokes. I pray it will take me quickly—not just cripple me or incapacitate me: I know where I am going. It is going to be great.” That is grace. Several years ago the producer for a television docudrama obtained permission from a cancer specialist to place cameras in his clinic. With approval from three patients, he captured on film the moment each of them learned they were afflicted with a malignancy in its later stages. Afterward, the documentary team followed these three families through the treatment process with its ups and downs, hopes and disappointments, pain and terror. The drama of life and death unfolded on the screen. Eventually, all three patients died. What stood out were the different ways these people dealt with their frightening circumstances. The two who apparently had no faith reacted with anger and bitterness. They not only fought their disease, but seemed to be at war with everyone else. Their personal relationships, and even their marriages, were shaken – especially as the end drew near. •SLIDE: That’s what made the third individual so inspiring. He was a humble, black pastor of a small inner-city Baptist church in his late 60’s. His love for the Lord was reflected in everything he said. When he and his wife were told that he only had a few months to live, they revealed no panic. They quietly asked the doctor what it all meant. When he had explained the treatment program and what they could anticipate, they politely thanked him for his concern and departed. The cameras followed this little couple to their old car and eavesdropped as they bowed their heads and recommitted themselves to the Lord. The cameras were present in his final Sunday in his church. He preached the sermon that morning and talked openly about his impending death: “Some of you have asked me if I’m mad at God for this disease that has taken over my body. I’ll tell you honestly that I have nothing but love in my heart for my Lord. He didn’t do this to me. We live in a sinful world where sickness and death are the curse man has brought upon himself. And I’m going to a better place where there will be no more tears, no suffering and no heartache. So don’t feel bad for me. “Besides, our Lord suffered and died for our sins. Why should I not share in his suffering?” Then he began to sing, without accompaniment, in an old broken voice: •SLIDE: Must Jesus bear the cross alone, And all the world go free? No, there’s a cross for everyone And there’s a cross for me. •SLIDE: How happy are the saints above, Who once went sorr’wing here; But now they taste unmingled love And joy without a tear. •SLIDE: The consecrated cross I’ll bear, Till death shall set me free, And then go home my crown to wear, For there’s a crown for me. He slipped into eternity a few days later, where he met the Lord he had served for a lifetime. Many of you have a thorn today – God’s word is: None of them are wasted. Psalm 56:8 – “Put all my tears in your bottle.” Crystal sea. •SLIDE: Remember Jesus Christ: He who sent Paul a thorn for his own good once wore a crown of thorns for the good and salvation of all sinners.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW OR REMEMBER ABOUT THE PROPHETS ELIJAH AND ELISHA? WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU ABOUT THEIR LIVES? When looking at the Old Testament prophets, we tend to think of the greatest prophets as Samuel, who anointed Saul and David as kings. Or we think of Isaiah or Jeremiah who not only prophesied for years until multiple kings, but wrote large books that we still read today. But the Jewish people regard Elijah as the greatest prophet, along with Elisha, his successor. Yet, they wrote no books, and under their ministries, the northern kingdom of Israel never achieved national repentance or produced a single godly king. Yet, they stand at the pinnacle of the prophetic office. Elisha’s beginnings as a prophet were different from Elijah and all other prophets. The first prophecies of other prophets were pronouncements of judgment and warning. But Elisha’s first act at the poisoned waters was about healing. John the Baptist was like Elijah, but Elisha was like Jesus. John the Baptist’s first pronouncements were about judgment and wrath to come. But Jesus’ first pronouncements were about the coming kingdom—good news. Just as Elisha’s first pronouncement was good news. God healed the waters through Elisha and God heals our sin through Jesus. The point about this is that the lives of Elijah and Elisha are types for the coming of John the Baptist and Jesus. This is part of the point of our examination of scripture. We are to look for the pre-figuring of Christ in the Old Testament. So, as we begin our series on the lives of these men we will begin by seeing how these men are types for John and Jesus. We will look at ten contrasts and similarities about Elijah and Elisha compared to John the Baptist and Jesus. First, let’s get a general overview of the lives of Elijah and Elisha. Elijah’s Life and Ministry The name, Elijah means Yahweh is God. This declaration is defining in Elijah’s life. His ministry was marked by proving that God was the real god instead of idols and false deities like Baal and Asherah. Elijah emerged during the reign of King Ahab of Israel, a period of spiritual darkness when the nation had largely abandoned the worship of Yahweh for Baal. His ministry was marked by dramatic confrontation with false religion and royal corruption. Elijah announced a three-year drought as judgment for Israel’s idolatry, then was miraculously sustained by ravens at the Brook Cherith and later by a widow at Zarephath. His greatest miracle came at Mount Carmel, where he challenged 450 prophets of Baal to a contest: both sides would prepare a sacrifice, and whichever god sent fire from heaven would be proven true. When Elijah’s altar was consumed by divine fire while the prophets of Baal failed utterly, the people declared, “The Lord—he is God!” (1 Kings 18:39) This vindication of Yahweh’s supremacy stands as Elijah’s defining moment. Despite this triumph, Elijah later fled in fear from Queen Jezebel’s threats, revealing the human frailty beneath his prophetic power. His ministry concluded when he was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, riding in a chariot of fire—a unique departure that underscored his exceptional status. WHY DO THE JEWS REGARD ELIJAH AS THE GREATEST PROPHET? Elijah stands as the greatest prophet of the Old Testament era. Elijah’s stature emerges partly from the historical moment he occupied—a time of national spiritual crisis when King Ahab’s wife Jezebel was promoting Baal worship and persecuting the Lord’s prophets. God raised up Elijah, whose very name meant “the Lord is God,” to call the nation back to himself. His confrontation with hundreds of pagan prophets on Mount Carmel, where the Lord miraculously sent fire from heaven to consume his offering, halted the spread of Baal worship in the nation. This wasn’t merely a personal victory but a decisive intervention that shaped Israel’s religious trajectory. Beyond his immediate impact, Elijah’s significance extends through his unique theological role. After years of faithful service, he was taken to heaven without dying. His greatness is further attested by his appearance with Moses during Jesus’ transfiguration, where Moses represented the law and Elijah represented the prophets. This pairing elevates him to the highest echelon of biblical figures. Finally, Elijah became the archetype for prophetic ministry because he boldly confronted religious and political leaders on theological orthodoxy, moral purity, and social justice; preached repentance in the face of God’s judgment; authenticated his message through miracles; and operated outside traditional institutional structures as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” The Lord promised to send an Elijah figure to prepare the way for the Messiah—not the ancient prophet reincarnated, but one with the same prophetic power and mission. This eschatological significance ensures that Elijah’s influence transcends his own era, making him foundational to how subsequent generations understood prophecy itself. WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU AS THE GREATEST THING ABOUT ELISHA’S MINISTRY? Elisha’s Life and Ministry Elisha’s name means God is salvation. This was the mark of his ministry. Elisha was always engaged in acts of salvation: saving people from poisoned waters, saving from leprosy, saving from a foreign army, saving from poverty, and so on. Elisha prophesied through the reign of six kings over a sixty year period. He was involved in affairs of state. He died some time around eighty years of age. Elisha succeeded Elijah after requesting and receiving a double portion of his mentor’s spirit. Where Elijah was confrontational and solitary, Elisha was more accessible and integrated into Israel’s social fabric. He performed miracles that directly benefited ordinary people: he purified poisoned water at Jericho, multiplied a widow’s oil to pay her debts, raised the Shunammite woman’s son from death, and healed Naaman the Syrian general of leprosy. His most striking miracle involved making an axehead float in water—a seemingly minor act that demonstrated divine power over natural law. Elisha also performed miracles of judgment, such as striking the Syrian army with blindness and later with sight. Unlike Elijah, Elisha engaged with kings, counseled military leaders, and maintained a school of prophets. His ministry spanned sixty years and touched multiple generations, establishing him as a stabilizing prophetic presence during turbulent times in Israel’s history. Contrasting Approaches The two prophets exemplify different prophetic styles. Elijah’s ministry was concentrated, dramatic, and confrontational—he challenged kings directly and called down judgment through supernatural signs. Elisha’s ministry was practical and relational—he worked through networks of relationships and addressed both personal and national needs. Elijah operated primarily in the wilderness and on mountaintops; Elisha moved through cities and courts. Yet both were utterly committed to calling Israel back to covenant faithfulness with God. Legacy and Impact Both prophets left indelible marks on Israel’s spiritual consciousness. Elijah became the archetypal prophet, so revered that Jewish tradition expected his return before the Messiah. Elisha’s legacy was more institutional—he trained prophetic successors and established patterns of prophetic counsel that influenced Israel’s leadership. Together, they represent the fullness of prophetic ministry: confrontation and compassion, judgment and mercy. HAVE YOU HEARD OF “LONE RANGER CHRISTIANITY?” CAN GOD USE A PERSON VERY MUCH WHO IS ALWAYS A SOLITARY PERSON? CONTRASTS & SIMILARITIES Elijah was a solitary man (I Kings 17:2, 18:1, 19:4,9). Like John the Baptist, alone, in the desert (Luke 1:80). Elisha was a man of the people (II Kings 2:19, 4:38, 6:1-4). Jesus was a man of the people (Matthew 11:7, Mark 5:27, Luke 10:3, John 6:24). Sometimes solitary men, or introverts, don’t seem like the Lord would be able to use them much. But, sometimes the most dynamic times of spiritual growth and power come through being alone with God to let him speak or empower. Elijah had times of aloneness that prepared him for what was to come: being fed by ravens at a brook until the water ran out, sitting alone at a cave on Mount Horeb waiting for God to speak. These times prepared him for great spiritual victories. Even Jesus had long bouts to get away in prayer (Luke 6:12), or alone time with his disciples to prepare himself for what was next (Mark 6:31). Elijah confronted kings (I Kings 17:1, 18:17-18, 21:20-24). John the Baptist confronted Herod the king (John 14:3-4). Elisha confronted no king but did prophesy to them (II Kings 3:13-19, 13:14-19). Jesus confronted no king, he wouldn’t even speak to Herod (Luke 23:8-9). How would you feel about confronting a president or governor about their sin? Confronting people of power can be dangerous. Both Elijah and John the Baptist suffered for such confrontation. But, sometimes confrontation wasn’t called for. Elisha never did it. Jesus never did it. But their work and other words spoke volumes and leaders were accountable for what they heard. Elisha rebuked Jehoram in II Kings 3:13, but then prophesied for him. Jesus didn’t speak with Herod, but his silence was a judgment of him. Herod paid for his sin when he was eaten by worms, a painful death. WHAT DO PROPHETS DO? DECLARE TRUTH. FORETELL THE FUTURE. CALL KINGS TO REPENT. GUESS WHAT ELISHA AND JESUS NEVER DID. Elijah called Ahab to repent (I Kings 18:18). John called Herod to repent (John 14:3-4). Elisha never called a king to repent. Jesus never called a king to repent. Elijah’s symbol was fire (I Kings 18:38, II Kings 1:10, 2:11). John predicted Jesus would baptize with fire (Luke 3:16). Elisha’s symbol was water (II Kings 2:14, 19-22, 4:40-41, 6:6). Jesus walked on water (John 6:19), calmed the water (Mark 4:39), multiplied fish in water (Luke 5:4-8), turned water into wine (John 2:7-9), and said he provides living water (John 4:10). Fire is the element that belongs to the story of Elijah. Fire from Adonai determines the outcome on Mount Carmel, fire is present to herald the presence of God at Mount Horeb, and fire devours the soldiers sent to fetch him by King Ahaziah. (1) Elisha’s element is water rather than fire: He divides the water of the Jordan after Elijah is taken up; his first miraculous intervention consists of throwing salt in poisonous water; he calls forth water for the armies of Israel and Judah in the desert, casts a healing substance in foul-tasting food (vegetables presumably boiled in water), sends Naaman to the Jordan River to wash, and makes iron float like wood in the water of the Jordan. (1) Fire in Elijah’s ministry was used in judgment (II Kings 1:12). John threatened judgment with fire (Luke 3:9, 17). Water in Elisha’s ministry was used in saving. Jesus ordered baptism as part of conversion (Matthew 28:19). Elijah may have had disciples (Elisha and the school of the prophets, II Kings 2:5). John had disciples (Mark 2:18, John 3:25). Elisha had disciples, (Gehazi and the school of the prophets (II Kings 8:4, 9:1). Jesus had disciples (Matthew 10:1-4). One great difference between the disciples of Elijah and Elisha and Jesus is that the earlier disciples never measured up to their mentor’s standards. But Jesus said his disciples would do greater works than he did. This was true of the apostles who spread the gospel around the known world. Even today there are people involved in bringing more people to Christ than Jesus ever touched. Did you know that you too can do greater works? WHAT KINDS OF GREATER WORKS CAN WE DO? Elijah’s background is unknown. John’s is little known. Elisha came from wealth. Jesus came from heavenly wealth. Elisha came from wealth because in I Kings 19:19-21 Elisha is plowing with 12 pairs of oxen. These are large animals that required great care and feeding, which required great means to maintain them. He slaughtered the oxen and provided meat for a whole community. Jesus came from heavenly wealth in that he was reigning in heaven before he became a man. All things were made by him and for him (Colossians 1:16). Thus, he owned all things. Elisha did greater works than Elijah; he did twice as many miracles as Elijah. Jesus did greater works than John. John did no miracles and didn’t have crowds as large as Jesus. Elijah did eight miracles. Elisha did sixteen miracles. John did no miracles. Jesus’ life was marked by the miraculous. When Elijah was taken to heaven, Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit. That was fulfilled in that Elisha did twice as many miracles as Elijah. The Gospels record 37 miracles of Jesus. But, Jesus did so many other miracles that John said, “There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written” John 21:25. Elisha’s miracles were like Jesus’ miracles. Both men healed the sick (II Kings 5:1-14) and raised the dead (II Kings 4:32-35), though Jesus much more so. WHAT WE’VE LEARNED SO FAR Elijah and Elisha were very different men and God used them in very different ways. One was a prophet of judgment, one was a prophet of salvation. Elijah foreshadowed the coming of John the Baptist. Both men pronounced judgment and the need for repentance. Elisha foreshadowed the ministry of Jesus. Both men ministered God’s saving power. Elijah and Elisha gave no prophecy about Jesus, but their lives were types that helped reveal his ministry, and help us understand it. INTERPRETATION Just as we see John and Jesus in the lives of Elijah and Elisha, we should ask if we see the life of Jesus in us. In one sense Elijah and Elisha were images of John and Jesus to come. In theology we call this, types. It’s when an earlier thing prefigures a later thing. Just as Elijah and Elisha were types for John and Jesus, so too, we are to be images of Christ, doing what he did, and doing even greater things. Look at what these four men did: Works of judgment Works of saving, and Works of discipleship We are commissioned to do the same. The Holy Spirit in us does the work of convicting people of judgment to come (John 16:8), that through conviction, people might be saved, and come to be disciples (Matthew 28:19), that is, to grow to spiritual maturity to look like Jesus (Romans 8:29), and do the same works Jesus did (John 14:12). APPLICATION Look for things in your life that symbolize what Jesus did for us. Have you shared your faith with anyone? Have you mentored anyone in their walk with Christ? Have you sacrificed something important to you to bring others closer to Christ? Do you spend long bouts in prayer as Jesus did? Do you recognize these things in others? Do others recognize these things in you? Since the Holy Spirit is in us, maturing us to look like Jesus, then we should be growing in our imitation of him. Like Elijah, our lives should be a call to repentance and to follow the one, true, living God. Like Elisha, we should seek to work with others to encourage people to know the true God. Like John the Baptist, we should point people to Christ and seek to decrease that Christ may increase. We should be less concerned with our name and reputation and more concerned with Christ’s. Like Jesus, we should live holy and blameless lives dedicated to God, and be prepared to suffer as he did for the sake of others’ salvation. (1) Wijk-Bos, Johanna W. H. van. 2020. The Land and Its Kings: 1-2 Kings. Vol. 3. A People and a Land. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. www.guywithabible.com

"The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have  and  enjoy life, and have it in abundance " John 10:10 AMP "What if" or "If only" are phrases used in counterfactual thinking. In other words, "the thief" is Satan and He comes to destroy your present by filling you with regret over your past or fear of your future. Counterfactual thinking is the behavior that asks those two questions to steal your joy and peace. CFT can be both positive and negative. Better alternatives are called  upward  counterfactuals; worse alternatives are  downward  counterfactuals. When reflecting on an incident, it can be played out for better or for worse. For example, a driver who causes a minor car accident might think: “If only I had swerved sooner, I could have avoided the accident.” In contrast, downward counterfactuals spell out the way a situation might have turned out worse; that is, the same driver could think: “If I had been driving faster, I might now be dead.” Consider the emotions associated with CFT. I love facts—things that are indisputable—so I initially resisted CFT because counterfactual literally means contrary to the facts. What possible benefit can be derived from reimagining history? It is as it was. But CFT can be beneficial. It can know when to stop a particular episode of CFT. There is nothing wrong with taking time to ponder or reflect upon past events, but it’s important to let them go; don’t let them become tapes that are constantly played in your mind. If you continue to linger on and develop a particular counterfactual story, it can morph into a fantasy—an “alternative life”—a make-believe world that is disconnected from reality. CFT should not be confused with embracing untruth—a claim, hypothesis, or belief that is contrary to the facts. We should never deny what actually happened. We can’t recreate history. Like many other things in life, CFT has its advantages and disadvantages. www.thinkwithme.com