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.

Is God's will a mystery?
Ephesians 5:1-21
Pastor Tom

Ephesians 5:1-21

Chapter 5

1 Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints; 4 nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know of a surety, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them;
8 For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord; 11 and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them; 12 for the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of. 13 But all things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light: for everything that is made manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.
15 Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit; 19 speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ.

Do you really want God's will! Have you prayed for it?

Just because it turns out good does not mean it was God's will.

1. What could be more important to a believer than knowing God's will?

I don't want to waist my life. Eph, 5:15-17, Romans 12:2,

God's will is different than the will of this world!

2. God's will is not found in emotion or feelings. Jeremiah 17:9

What God speaks to you cannot contradict God's Word(The Bible).

How would you justify what you are doing? 1 thess, 4:3,4,7
"I could not help but sin, I had to sin" that is not true because God's word says that there is never a temptation that you do not have a way out of. So either God spoke truth or the whole thing is a lie.

So next time you are being tempted then sit back and look for a way out. It's not about emotions it's about truth.

When we sin there are consequences but God can still use you. seek Him?

3. God's will is not found in a ten-fold approach.

It's not the same for everyone. God made each person unique so his walk for us will all be different.

4. God's will is found in fellowship and friendship with him.

His will is Not found in rules but relationship.

*We must really know him not just know about him.

Do you trust God? You need to trust him just as you should trust you spouse!

5. Certain things can block our understanding of God's will.
John7:17
Some are fearful of God or what he would have you do. But God will never harm you. He has a prefect will for your life. He has your best interest in heart!

6. Faith is key in knowing God's will.
Hebrews 11:6, Genesis 50:20

What is your personal theology of God?

Can you look back and say God your will was done I might not have seen it but your hand used what I went through.

*Knowing Gods will
You can accept the past! There is not problem to big for God
You can in brace the present! Allow him to transform the future
you can look respectfully toward the future! To you trust God...

7. God's will is found in:
(1). Quiet time and in prayer
(2). Scripture
(3). Small groups (it should not be about your feelings)
(4). Mature Christian counsel
(5). His quiet voice and leadings

(The more you know God Word the more you will know God Will) pslm, 37:4

Did you read this? Post a comment! PLEASE