Boom: A Healthy Body Is a Growing Body

again it's good to have all of you here and I want to say thank you to Pastor for giving me the opportunity you definitely gives me big shoes to feel sometimes he does a great job at what we're talking about here but I I do feel he gave me some outlines and some book I gave me a book to read through and I got into the first part of that about two pages in and I was like I was going wow he did give me a forewarning that it was going to get serious but I want to talk to us a little bit tonight and I I probably won't dig all the way through the chapter that he gave me simply because there's just so much there um but I did ask the Lord as I was reading through this God give me some points that we can that we can gain something from and so I want to I want to just start off with this revival something that I think all of us has referred to and I the very first lesson that Pastor taught there were many of you talked about big meetings and and we were talking about Revival and we would think about the Reminisce of days gone by how many of you that are here do remember Revival times that that went on and on for weeks and weeks and weeks yeah so still I got a few Old-Timers in here but uh and and I don't want to take away from any of that because those were those were things that I feel that God had led us through and led us into and and I wouldn't take as as I think it was I don't know if it was a this takes me back a few years but there was an old song that said I wouldn't take nothing from my journey now I would not take anything for what I have learned over the years but I do understand this that God is taking us to a different level he's taken us in a different direction and brother Ruth if I was to step back and and try to implement things that we did years ago it would be a flop I know it would simply because we live in a different day and age and because of that we have to we have to look at it and say okay God give me direction and this was something earlier we were having a Bible study and uh and discussing the word of God and and I brought out in that Bible study we want God to give us a fresh anointing we want God to give us something new give me something new and how many of you know that that God gives you something new he he will give you Enlightenment on things and it's like wow I didn't know that was there so as we study this understand that that we have to continue to grow everybody say grow would you say this with me a healthy body is a growing body I during this study I was I was just reminded and of course it has been quite some years since we've had new babies in our own home we've had grandbabies but as as parents and as we would we would prepare for a baby there was there was things that and most of you women you will know this better than I will but there are things that happens in the body when you get ready to birth there are things that starts happening in that body there are there is enough there's a Harmony that comes there is an alignment that comes there are things that start taking place in that body before that baby gets there and this is not in the lesson in Pastor excuse me for stepping off the course just a little bit but I could not help but think about this as as I begin to study the first portion of this is that that is almost like the church there has to in order for that baby to be conceived it actually there has to be a Harmony there has to be something that takes place in that body that everything aligns everything is just right and if things are not right what happens it don't happen or it it's it's done away with I mean you understand that and so the same goes with the body of Christ a healthy body is a growing body Ephesians the fourth chapter in verse 16 and I'm I'm doing this from and I told the guys I said it's not going to match what you put up there because this is from the New Living Bible excuse me for saying that but that's where it comes from um but I like the way it puts it it says under his direction that means God's Direction the whole body is fitted together perfectly and every part is in order helping the other part in the whole body to become healthy and growing full of love I I think it's very important that when we look at this that the body of Christ has different components every part of the body and you've heard us a few months back and it's been several months back we did study on the different parts of the church and your giftings and your callings and we we talked about that but I think when we talk about Revival we've got to understand that in order for Revival true Revival to take place it has to be the church has to be healthy it it has to be healthy and in order for us to do that I you know sometimes I get the feeling and I'm just talking from myself I think Chris and Kristen you would probably agree with me that there are times that as uh department leaders that we could almost feel and I could say this because pastor's not here okay but you could almost feel that it's it's almost like there's pressure being put on you I see a amen hallelujah there there are there are certain things and there is there there's a growth that is trying to take place and I say this because I'm speaking out of partially I I've I've Pastor in the end of also I I am now one of them foreign and you feel like that there there's a tension there there is pressure there is constant there's something happening and the truth is the whole time God has given Pastor a responsibility but he's also given you a responsibility the scripture tells us that he has chosen you God has chosen you you didn't just get up one more and decide to choose God has a work for each and every one of us to do he's got a work cut out for you and he's got you in mind for that particular calling and he knows what you're supposed to be doing you say ouch go ahead it's okay because there's times when we need to be doing things and we know that we need to be doing things and it's like but there's not enough hours in the day you ever felt that way but yet there there is a season that you and I have to get we have to come in alignment with God in order for True Revival to take place we have got to be healthy as Paul wrote it to the church at Ephesus that every part of the body is put together and it's perfectly fit God knows exactly where you're supposed to be in that picture he knows exactly where you need to be and all of the different parts moving together he knows exactly what how that's going to look now if a church decides that it's gonna have Revival and it's not healthy guess what happens to babies when there's not a healthy body they won't grow they won't mature and and more than likely they won't last so as we think about the body of Christ and we talk about Revival there's a purpose why that we have these growing pains there's a reason why that God is constantly tugging at us saying this needs to be done and this needs to be done and sometimes it's not it's not that Audible Voice from God it's Pastor saying can you do this because it needs to be done in order for the church to have true Revival it needs to be done so that that the church can actually be a place for healing and for deliverance and for for people to come in and be saved it needs to happen that way but if a church is not healthy the reality is there are some dangers to this you know we we are a part of an organization and a group of people how many of you know that when you get groups of people things can happen when you get a group of people together the day of Pentecost was a prime example they they all joined together and there was a hundred and twenty that was sitting in this upper room and the scripture tells us that that when they all came in harmony they were all in one place and in one what one Accord when they came in harmony God began to do something there was a there was a rushing Mighty Wind came in and then all of a sudden the next chapter over what happens there is how many added to the church 3 000 right isn't that what the scripture said there was three thousand that was added to the church so 120 and you had this hundred and twenty people as a group now there's three thousand that's added you see you see how that works is groups can do that but what happens sometimes as a group and I know we're just talking here but I I think that this is going somewhere as a group sometimes we can we can see Revival within a group but yet there are some of the parts that are not really healthy there's some of the parts that that are that are there and they are a part of the conversation of Revival but they're not healthy parts I think the challenge of us today is going to be one of those is that that if we're not a part of the body and doing our part then we're going to come apart did anybody get that if you're not a part you're going to come apart we've got to be very careful and that's one of the dangers of of us as as being a part of a group is being part of a a thriving group of people that that Revival is happening I I you know I I really feel like that in our day and time we're going to see we're going to see the Miracles we're going to see the signs we're going to see the Wonders there's going to be great things happening you know you can be right in the middle of that and still yet there's people that are losing it that's one of the dangers God help us to not lose part of this assembly not lose part of the body during the good times something that and and I'm going to get off course here again I I was just reading this earlier this afternoon um but I was going through some of my uh some of my old notes and uh I came across this it said I said some of the some of the Growing Pains of church the first one is that expect distractions expect distractions there's going to be distractions so if I know that something is coming then then I'm going to be aware of that one of the one of the things that that gets us is those things that catch us off guard right one of the evaluations that we must do as as a group is what is it that we can become distracted with what I how many you've ever seen where God was doing something good and you you saw Revival happening people are being filled with the Holy Ghost and then then all of a sudden people get to acting silly I didn't say that other word the other s word but but they get to acting silly it's like we're in the world what just happened that are though that's the distractions that come a lot of times when God is doing something right and he's doing something good and he's doing something for the church and the church is growing then right in the middle of it people are just acting silly they're losing sight always remember this that that the word of God is always the main factor in what we're doing always let it be something that is biblical don't don't allow The Superficial things of Revival to be a part you know we've got our own preconceived ideas about Revival I I you know I challenge you right now lose all of that because I you know again I I said this from the onset we we are going into a different era we're going into a different time frame we're going into something that that you and I have never we've never seen this before and if we're going to be a part of a growing Church in a thriving church then it's it's going to take us taking those those preconceived ideas and just throwing them out the window uh the more and more I think about it and the more and more that I pray about it the more I realize that that when we get to heaven there's going to be some weirdos there's going to be some people that you're gonna say and hopefully you'll make it to be able to see it but there's going to be people that that make it that we're gonna we're gonna wonder how did that uh you must have had them on some special program or something excuse me for saying that but you know what I'm talking about but I mean we're going we we're going to have people sitting beside us in church I honest I I've met some of those and then I was convicted after I walked away and had my own idea in my head because I know without a shadow of doubt God was speaking through that individual I know without a shadow of a doubt that God was was dealing with an individual that it just because I had preconceived ideas and I asked God and that's why I ask you to pray earlier as God tear those tear those walls down help us to look beyond help us to look beyond our own ideas and and and our own philosophies when it comes to church and when it comes to the things of God God set with Sinners folks he set with Sinners and he he he said among those chief of sinners and he'd look around and he'd see the ones that were there and then he saw the ones that were not there they must not have loved me look Beyond those let it be something that is biblical because we know that change is inevitable we must be adaptable be willing to adapt to whatever hey if there's anybody that knows about being adaptable is it it is CAC right I'm going to be honest with you I uh pastored groups of people for 20 years and uh yeah this this is amazing this is amazing that we would be able to be shifted and shoved around there's no other way of saying it and still be able to to have church and have the love of God that we need and to see Church growth folks do you realize what's been going on the last few weeks just since we've moved I mean we've got people baptized we've got people receiving the Holy Ghost we've got people that's that's desire deserving they're Desiring Bible studies we're seeing things happen that we've never I mean and I'm thinking to myself I've got I'm not one of those guys with preconceived ideas I'm shaking my head saying huh why because God is moving and when God moves it doesn't matter what it is it didn't matter what what kind of Ideal they've got he's doing great things he's doing great things here and I really feel like that we are we are working our way into a healthy church it's just that today I I really feel like that we we have to be continually thinking on these things God don't I don't want any distractions I don't want any preconceived ideas I don't want anything to stand in my way from what you're doing I don't want any anything standing in my way of being done being or doing what God wants me to do help us God the word is important to his work remember that his word is more important it is important to his work when you are doing God's work and you're doing what he's called you to do his work is is important it's a part of it let's look at another scripture here one that the scripture reference that that it actually just in passing made comments so I I said I want to pull this in because I really feel like this is a part of it Mark the fourth chapter and starting with verse 3 . this this is the parable that Jesus gives and the sower instead of hearken behold there was there went out A sower everybody say A sower not a stitch or A sower and it came to pass as he sowed everybody said he sowed he did not didn't hoe didn't plow didn't do any of that the scripture said he so said some fell along the side way side and some he said there the foul came and the fowl of the air devoured it said some fell on Stony ground when didn't have root enough it couldn't grow it died and he goes on to talk about there was some that fell among thorns and that the Thorns grew up and it covered it up they didn't yield anything and others fell on good ground this is the portion that I want you to understand others fell on good ground and it yielded and it sprang up and it brought forth fruit yeah in this Parable that Jesus gives and he speaks in Parable quite often he talks about if you have a ear let him hear there are so many things that that God tasked that God gives you and if God tells you to go and do something you just go and do it there is a lot of us that said in this room we would be worried about the seed that fell among Thorns wouldn't we there would be many of us that would be concerned about the seed that fell along the Wayside and the foul came in swooped down and got it and we would spend a lot of our time worried about how all of these other seeds didn't make it but the truth is God did not call you to be a worrier I just lost somebody he didn't call you to worry about where the seed was going to land because there's a lot of us that if he gave us control over where we was going to plant the seed there would be certain areas that we'd go and plant seed right no we don't want that when we want this one nope we don't want that one we want this one but he said go and sow and you're sewing and you know like I know that not all those seeds are going to grow that's that's part of it but that's a part of sowing and God gives you that desire and opportunity to see somebody grow and so we're just sewing next time that you start worrying about where the seed has landed remember God is the one in control of this all he has done is called you To Be A sower all he's done is called you to go and do his work he's going to call and he'll say he'll bring somebody by to harvest he brings somebody abide to water we've seen that in the scripture he's he's got he's got all this mapped out he knows what he's doing so don't think for a moment that that you're in control that you're all of that in the box of Cracker Jacks he's the one in control you just do what you wanted what you're supposed to be doing what he's called you to do keep on sowing keep on doing what he's called you to do he'll give you the next step we're talking about growing healthy God help me not to get hung up on what don't happen when all the good is happening God knows what he's doing as we've already mentioned in the book of Acts the second chapter the birth of the church immediately following that in Acts 3. we find that there is a man that is there setting at what they call the gate beautiful at the temple Peter and John is going to the temple to pray and as they went this man is asking for alms now I want you to pay attention to what I'm getting ready to say because we've oftentimes talked about this and we've we have jumped and screamed and hollered about the fact that the man was healed and he was and God did a great work there through his disciples but there's so many times and we find that in in Acts the third chapter verse 5. he gave heed to them expecting to receive something from them he was he was there expecting to receive but the question would be what is he expecting to receive we know what he was there for right so he was there for what arms he he he's needing some he needs some money needing the cash and that's what he was set there daily he was there so many times we have minimized God's power in God's work based on the we put the minimum on there's been many times that we have come to church and we put the minimum on saying God if you'll just do this he was never he never intended to ever receive his healing was he was not his intentions he was there to to make his living he was there to ex but but he got his healing God healed him the disciples prayed for him and he received his healing and and we've always talked about that but the truth is he wasn't there to receive a healing that day and God did the miraculous why can't we come to church and expect the maximum of God instead of the minimum of God how many you've ever prayed and God if you just take care of this problem and it could be something in your eyes it's probably big but speaking of it probably was nothing but just God if you just do this and it really wasn't a big thing it was just God I need help with this if we could ever realize that God is greater and bigger than anything we could ever ask for don't minimize God don't bring him down to a level that God if you can just help me make it through the day how many years how many admit that sometimes that's that's the prayer just get me through this day God ah you agree get me through this day but if we would change the way that we look at that in our attitude and say God you're greater than all this and from this day forward I know that you're going to do great things and we keep saying that guess what the outcome is going to be if we could be like this man and step up and say God I want my healing I I don't want just to make it through the day the disciples had just left the greatest camp meeting ever and they're pumped Silver and Gold Have I None but such as I have why can't that be our approach on a daily basis you see and you're living on a cloud no we're talking about God Tear Down the Walls that the preconceived of walls tear them down and understand this is God we're talking about the one that moves mountains the one that that can drive back the Dead Sea the the Red Sea the one that can can tear down any kind of obstacle that's in your way you can call on his name and what happens God help us God give us the open doors that we can step through give us the right the right tools to use give us what we need to see true Revival there there is a church that is mentioned and this was part of the chapter that we were dealing with in the book that Pastor had given me there there was a church that was in that was mentioned in Revelation the third chapter and some years ago I had done a pretty extensive study on this particular layout and that was the church at laodicea um Paul mentions this church and he he talks about the church at laodicea and how that one of the things that laodicea was known for is in in that area is they had some of the some of the greatest structure as far as architect went they they had tunnels that that brought water because they were in an area that did not have bought masses a mass of water around it they would tunnel that water in by under underground rivers and they would they had tunnels that led to their City that was a part of laodicea and so when you understand what kind of layout that their cities had they had they were known for marketing they were known for all kinds of of goods and and so there was a lot of people travel through laodicea during the day that we're talking about and so they had everything that they needed and the scripture even mentions we have need of nothing scripture mentions that that they had need of nothing and so and one of the reasons that the this chapter brings out this church is because so many times we get caught in that Loop where we've we've got plenty and we we've got all we need and so there's really no need for for I mean we can have a religion right they were known for their Greek gods and they were known for uh for idolatry and they they were known for those things so so we can have our religion but we really don't want anybody we don't really need Revival we don't need anybody to come in and try to tell us how to live our lives we just just let us be and the writer goes on to talk about how that the danger of of this church and how that that they had no need of God they really didn't have any need of I mean just let us play our own little games and and and so so in in all that this this church and that was a church there and it is the church was growing to a certain extent but it was just because this is this is what we want this is who we want we have to be careful that we don't look around us and see everything that we've got and lose sight of what really the goal is I guess we're reminded more and more of of life and how quick it goes and how quick it's gone foreign must always stay on our knees and say God you gave it to us everything that we've got you gave it to us you're the one in control of this you gave it to us and there's nothing else nothing else matters right now but you God because all of this can be taken away in just a moment how many you know that to be true so many times we get caught in that Loop that everything that we've got I worked for it well but God gave you the strength he gave you what you what you needed to make it how many you would admit right now that everything that you got that that God was the only reason you got in see see that's that's what he's looking for is is that that spirit that job had Lord you gave it you can take it away and I'm still going to give you thanks I'll give you praise for it everything that I've got it belongs to you and as the church grows you see the material side of that doesn't mean anything anymore yeah we still live still got to drive Volkswagens right I knew I could get somebody on that one still still got to live still got to breathe still got to do the things that you know got to keep the wolves on your back and all that but if this was all to disappear tomorrow could we still say blessed be the name of the Lord could you still say that you see this is the root of true Revival is no matter what God no matter what you see Revival starts right here starts right there and it continues you teach that to your children and your children teach that to their children and Revival continues to grow the church grows we see people come and it's like where are they coming from it's a hungry soul that is looking for God every Sunday we have something somebody new pops in somebody new shows up why is because God's moving God's moving God help us not to lose sight of true Revival a healthy a healthy body is a growing body and as those Growing Pains come God help us to be able be able to handle whatever it is could you move over just a little bit and let somebody sit there could you could you could you stand while somebody else sits in your seat so what is coming around to could you leave your car at home and let somebody else no it's a part of what God's called us to do help one another the body all in one Function One Accord Harmony God help us to grow in the name of Jesus few other things that I can mention but I really feel this right now I want you to if you would would you stand with me how many of you that are standing with me right now how many of you have really got a desire to see true Revival break out in your life you've got you've you have a sense that God I want true Revival inside of me I I need to see true Revival I asked you earlier to remove all doubt all all preconceived ideas now if you if you're Desiring that I want you to come and you just just find yourself across the front right here just stand across the front because I really feel like in order to see what God is about to do and in our midst it's going to be us tearing down walls and tearing down those those ideas that we may have in our our mind about what's really on the horizons because I want you to know something God is coming soon and if there's ever a day that we're living in that show us the signs it's today I'm probably getting close to the line by saying this but everybody out there that thinks they are what they're not do you know that God can change their lives too I I've been guilty of of doing those and I'm not doing it I don't do this a lot but I've been guilty of making a few comments and jokes God convicted me of that because he reminded me you weren't no better and I still loved you tell me folks if you can throw everything every shade aside throw it get rid of it and once you start getting rid of those ideas you will see what God will do because he can change lives he there's some of you standing in this place that do not deserve to stand here right but you're here tonight all by the grace of God and he can do that with any idea that's out there right now and I know we can shake our heads at it and we can bite our tongues at it but the only thing that can change that out there is what we're talking about right here God is the only thing that can fix that there's no therapy out there that can fix it because something's wrong it's not just a mind thing God can change the spirit he can drive Spirits out he can turn things around I challenge you start praying for those that you're thinking about right now just start praying for them you're going to see a Revival in your own self that you never saw before you're going to see things change inside of you that's never why because we're talking about health here talking about health if we want to if we want to see growth we're going to have to get healthy and thinking that other stuff's not going to make you healthy God touch my way of thinking right now would you pray with us in the name of Jesus God we need you Lord and our world needs you God give me give me that christ-like love that no matter where they come from or what they've done or what they even think about God that that you can change this body of mind this mind of mine this that this Inside Man that you can change me God to see the see the soul that is there God I need you Lord I need you to revive me Lord Jesus to be the person that I can be a part of a body of people that can reach whatever is going on I can be a part of that in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus can you grab a hold of a brother or sister right now let's pray together let's come in one mind and one Accord together folks God I trust you right now in my life I trust you God direct my past direct me God direct me Lord Jesus let me see the Revival that I'm looking for and the Revival you have for me Lord in the name of Jesus renew that spirit in Me God in the name of Jesus God I pray health over our church right now God I pray health over every every division every Department God right now Lord in the name of Jesus every individual Lord let us do our part right now God we need you Lord hallelujah hallelujah yesterday happy happy in the name of Jesus Hallelujah God we need you Jesus name of Jesus God cleanse our minds cleanse our hearts oh God Hallelujah above all God let me do my part Lord Jesus let me do my part Lord Hallelujah in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus lift your hands once again and just thank the Lord for his word for us tonight thank you Jesus thank you Lord Jesus for reminding us that you are in control you are in control of it all Lord Jesus God I want to be a part of a growing body Lord unified body growing for your kingdom Lord Jesus hallelujah look at your neighbor and tell them Jesus is coming back thank you then tell them now say get ready and I know in order for us to be doing what we're supposed to be doing we've got to be working together right each and every one of us doing our part now tell them do your part that's right that's right God has something great for us and I I know where Pastor gets back he's gonna he's gonna get us steered in the right direction but but I really feel tonight that God is calling us to get our hearts and Minds right for the there's a harvest that's coming through those doors and we've got to be willing and able you've heard Pastor say it and I've said it a dozen times too if we had 50 people walk through that door back there that are unchurched are we are we able to handle that God make us healthy and and I I need to step up and do what I'm supposed to do we get weary we get tired sometimes we just don't know if we can make it but there's coming a day that all this is going to be worth it it's gonna be worth it I I I want to make heaven and then when I get there okay I don't have to have all those names attached to me but what's going to be most exciting about it is it's going to be him and we're going to be able to see him as the old song used to say oh I want to see him look on his face there to sing forever of his Saving Grace he had that on me so have it on whoever whoever you come in contact with foreign person that you will ever meet and you may have already met him now I want you to picture that person sitting by you in church how's your spirit now it's not where you can set biome and worship with them then you need to go back to the altar God help us help us God bless you love each and every one of you you're my family I don't get to get up here and say that much pastors usually up here but you're my family and I love you God bless you in Jesus name