You Made a Difference!
Pastor Tom

2Cor
Chapter 9

1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2 for I know your readiness, of which I glory on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia hath been prepared for a year past; and your zeal hath stirred up very many of them. 3 But I have sent the brethren, that our glorying on your behalf may not be made void in this respect; that, even as I said, ye may be prepared: 4 lest by any means, if there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in this confidence. 5 I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your aforepromised bounty, that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty, and not of extortion.
6 But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work: 9 as it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; His righteousness abideth for ever.
10 And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: 11 ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings unto God; 13 seeing that through the proving of you by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution unto them and unto all; 14 while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

1. The desire to give was already in your hearts. thank you!

We were already ready to give.
Let me brag about you a little bit. 2Cor 9:2
(do you know about the economy, people are fearful)- what people said. Tom said you don't know the grove.

The grove gave cheerfully.

2. I pray for a bountiful harvest for your generous giving.
2 Cor 9:6
If you don't give generously then you can't reap generously.

3. May God (the one), who gives seed to the sower, bless you.
Isaiah 55:10 bless these people.

Give with expectancy 2 Cor 9:11

4. You have excelled in so much.
You love so much. You give so much.

5. Know that God not only loved your gift, he will enlarge your gift as well. Vs. 10

Gods gonna bless the generous because he trust them.

We don't need to be rich to be generous.

6. For generations to come, they will thank God as they praise him for your legacy.

7. You are the "four old ladies" to future generations. Be blessed and Rejoice in that!!!

Romans 8 for next week.

Seeing with new Eyes- believing God will provide.
Pastor Tom

Mark 7:31-37
31 And again he went out from the borders of Tyre, and came through Sidon unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis. 32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to lay his hand upon him.

(I love that Jesus took him aside to heal him. Jesus did not want a big show.)

33 And he took him aside from the multitude privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue; 34 and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha!, (that is, Be opened). 35 And his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. 36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it. 37 And they were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well; he maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Mark 8:22-26
22 And they come unto Bethsaida. And they bring to him a blind man, and beseech him to touch him.
(Again Jesus took him away to heal him.)

23 And he took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes, and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, Seest thou aught? 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men; for I behold them as trees, walking. 25 Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked stedfastly, and was restored, and saw all things clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his home, saying, Do not even enter into the village.

How do we see. Do we see through the eyes of the world or through Gods.
We become men and women of faith when we step out in trusting God.

Many Christians become Lukewarm after a while of being in Christ. But when we have a real encounter with Jesus our life begin to change.

1. Some people are born blind and some people are blinded to the truth.
Being blinded to the truth is worse then being born blind.
*We have all be blinded, like when we believe our way is better than Gods way.

Acts 9:1-19 Saul was blinded to Gods truth. But on the way to imprison Christians he was given sight to Gods vision, that's when he became Paul.
After the scales fall from Saul's eyes he could see things differently.

How do you see the church, the needed, the lost.

2. Vision to see past fear and the impossible to the provision of God.
*The Three Hebrew boys Daniel 3:13-18 ( Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego)

3. When we are blind to Gods power.
*Judas (when we are close to God we should have his sight but some times we don't really see his powers.) faith is built day after day, month after month, year after year.

4. When we see with God's eyes, nothing is impossible.
* Joshua had vision to see past the walls.
* David had eyes to see God walking among the lions.
* The widow had eyes to see gods provision even when she gave everything.

Do you live with an expectancy that God will meet your needs.

5. So how is your vision Today? What do your eyes see? How big is your God? Do you see with your own eyes or with Gods eyes?

As David said let me fight with what I know. Let God use what he has given you.

Let's look forward and see what God want to use in our life.

We can make a difference
Pastor Tom

Romans 12:1-5

Chapter 12

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. 2 And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith. 4 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.

*we please God only when we use our uniqueness God has given us. We are better together.

1 Corinthians 12:14-20

14 For the body is not one member, but many.15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body. 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now they are many members, but one body.

1. You are an incredible gift and creation of God designed for a purpose-His purpose
Plasm 139
We were stamped by design.
Ephesians 2:10 (we are Gods pome.)

What do you do that makes God smile? Then do it.
*Are you living out the uniqueness as God created you.

Be apart of something bigger than ourselves.
2. When something becomes unbelievable.

If every one just gave of themselves we all could make a difference.
Acts 2:42-47
Everyone was filled with awe at how all the Christians did something.
Acts 4:32-35, 2Corinthians 8:1-6,
Well I don't have much! I don't have gifts! THAT IS NOT TRUE!!!

Our little bit is what can make a difference read Luke 21:1-4 to see how the little was more then the much.

When life is over will you have done something. 2 Timothy 4:6-8

3. Everyone has something to give and contribute to the team.
You slap God in the face when you say I don't have anything to give.

Video from Australia-
Pay attention to the mom.

Makes everything you worry about seem pathetic.

I will do my part Can you do your part?

4. With God, "your something" is always just enough.
Its
Our friendliness
Our gifts
Our something
Our time
Our compassion
Our unity
Our willingness
That can make a difference to our community.

5. What could God do if we all did SOMETHING?

Gods will

Discover Gods uniqueness for your life so that His will would be accomplished?