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.

The banks of the Red Sea or the Promised Land
Pastor Tom

Exodus 14:5-31
5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people were fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed towards the people, and they said, (What is this we have done), that we have let Israel go from serving us? 6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 7 and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them. 8 And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: for the children of Israel went out with a high hand. (Boldly) 9 And the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal- zephon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto Jehovah. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to bring us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we spake unto thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will work for you to- day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to- day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 Jehovah will fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
15 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward. 16 And lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground. 17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
19 And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud removed from before them, and stood behind them: 20 and it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night: and the one came not near the other all the night. 21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and Jehovah caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And it came to pass in the morning watch, that Jehovah looked forth upon the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians. 25 And he took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for Jehovah fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
26 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and Jehovah overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even all the host of Pharaoh that went in after them into the sea; there remained not so much as one of them. 29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 30 Thus Jehovah saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea- shore. 31 And Israel saw the great work which Jehovah did upon the Egyptians, and the people feared Jehovah: and they believed in Jehovah, and in his servant Moses.

So many people live in the land of the comfort and predicability.

1. Why are you crying to me? Get busy and Do something.
Your the leader do what leaders a supposed to do.

*There are no nets beneath the rope that Gods calls you to walk on-Tom Lance.
if you are not leading where God wants it will be very painful.

Move on from here. My best is before you but it's not here.

2. There is a time for all of us to "raise our staff."

Gods chosen people. Israel was a tough group of people to lead. But Moses had to lead with out hearing there crying. He had to just listen to what God was calling him to.

Some things God calls a leader to do are easy and some things are rough or hard.

3. God is always in the cloud and in the circumstances of our lives.

God protected Israel. God always goes first

4. It takes courage to walk after God, even on dry land.

Even on dry land it can still be scary.

I am not a grasshopper.

5. There is a land on both sides of the bank- walk in the land God desires for you.

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.