All In

Introduction:  Last year at This Time of Vision Sunday / Our Business Meeting…I said, “2020 was like No Other Year!”  Which was true and is true…but can I be honest?  I think 2021 was harder than 2020. See I knew 2020 was crazy, unpredictable, filled with the uncertainty of Covid, lockdowns, masks, etc…

But if I am totally honest 2021 was even harder.  2021 felt like what happened after the car wreck.  You’re getting out of the car, looking for injuries on your own body, looking for your passengers to make sure they are okay… and then you are checking on others.  That was 2021 physically, spiritually, emotionally and most of all mentally.  

Transition:  But through it all, God has been faithful and we have experienced some great victories in 2021…for some of you, your greatest Victory was…You didn’t quit.

Introduction:  I want to share a few thoughts this morning on the subject of “No Fear: All In”   

  • Yours and Mines New Level with God lie beyond the boundaries of our current experience.  The only way to get there is to Risk More Than You Are Comfortable with.  ~ Rob Reimer
  • Ziplining Illustration:  last week Jonna and I were at an event in Mexico…and we were invited by a few couples to go Ziplining…and to Jonna’s surprise, I said, “Yea we’re in…we’ll go.” 
  • When we got back to the room she said, I am surprised you said,  “YES because you hate heights…”
  • Then she followed that up with information I really didn’t want to know or need to know…” did you know the highest platform is 150 feet tall…” 
  • My response was,  “I can’t very well be preaching about No Fear…and then turn down this opportunity to address my fears…”
  • Now here is the truth…I was scared to death…LOL…
  • We get to the first Zipline…and I walk out to the edge of this death trap…and this guy clips me in…and says, “Sit back and enjoy…”Yea that wasn’t going to happen…but I did it afraid.  
  • Everything in my body wanted to turn around, unclip myself and walk right back down the ramp I came from….
  • But I had a problem…
    • I knew Jonna and I wouldn’t have done this by ourselves because we have had many opportunities to do so in the past…but this time we were encouraged by those who had invited us
    • I had also Made a Promise to Myself I was going to do this when I said Yes to the Invitation. 
    • Also, Others were with me…so that made it easier in some respects…because I wasn’t alone. 
      • I wasn’t the first who went! There were others before me who had gone, and they did great…
      • See you need others around you to help you in this Zipline called Faith.

Transition:  Let’s Talk “All In”…Let’s Talk Commitment!

1 Sam 14:6-10

6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” 

7 “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” 

8 Jonathan said, “Come, then; we will cross over toward the men and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.” 

NIV

  1. Let Them See Us
    1. All through this series I have shared how every odd was contrary and against Jonathon and His armor bearer…whom we have named George.
    2. But now the strategy to conquer the odds doesn’t even make sense…
    3. Let Them See Us….
      1. I like that phrase though…
      2. It is time for the World to see us…
      3. It’s time for our Children to see us praying, worshipping, and reading the word of God…
      4. It’s time for our Friends to See Us…
      5. You have been living Faith…that I know for sure…but we haven’t Let Them See Us yet…
        1. Live our dreams
        2. Live the Prophetic Words over our lives
        3. Live Faith through our Giving
        4. Live Faith through our Kindness
        5. Live our Faith through sharing our Faith

Transition:  Matt 5:16

16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. 

NIV

  • We need to be like Jonathan and the Armor Bearer this year and step out of hiding….
  • Let our light shine…
  • Let others see Our Good Deeds…
    • I struggle with not wanting to be prideful, so sometimes I hide my light and my good deeds…
    • That is a lie of the enemy to keep you and I paralyzed…
    • Jesus did miracles, loved people, was the light of the world, shared life with people…All IN Public Places.  
  • It’s time to Go All In
    • With our good deeds
    • And Lighting Our Candle
  1. Go Till You Get A Know
    1. Jonathan and His Armor Bearer were willing to God till he got a NO…
      1. I know at times I can get paralyzed by the question of what to do…
      2. Simple Go and Do Good till you get a No…
    2. Phil 4:8-9

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

NIV

      1. Going till you get a Know begins with what you think about…Whatever
      2. Pastor what should I think about…
        1. Whatever…if it is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, excellent, praiseworthy…man think on those kinds of things…Dream there. 
      3. Pastor What Do I do….
        1. Put into practice Whatever you have learned, seen, received, or heard…
        2. Listen Choose between Good vs. Evil – Choose Good
        3. Choose between hate vs. love – love
        4. Unforgiveness vs. Forgiveness – forgiveness
        5. Create, Do, add beauty to the World, to your family, to your children, to our community…
    2. Tight Rope
      1. Faith isn’t the tight rope…Fear is…
      2. Faith is where Freedom is…not Fear
      3. Nothing is more heartbreaking than to see people who don’t know Jesus…living Freer than those who do know Jesus….
      4. Freedom should radiate on our faces, in our speech, in our pursuits…
    3. Jer 29:11-14

 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

      1. I had a moment in my office while preparing this today…an epiphany
      2. In the ESV…it begins verse 12 and 13 with the word “Then”
      3. What released the “THEN” 
        1. When we truly believe the Lord has plans for us…
        2. Those plans are good
        3. To give a future
        4. To give a hope
        5. Not for Disaster….
  2. Promises, Decrees, and Declarations
    1. Bishop Tudor said, “What you marry yourself too…is significant”  
      1. If you marry the vision, you have access to everything within that vision
      2. Low-hanging fruit
    2. Keion – “Can you build and be obedient to what you haven’t seen yet…” 
    3. Keep Walking…Because you’re not broken…you just need some fuel
    4. I heard the Lord has dealt with the Locus and Canker Worm…
      1. Those things that would not be under covering…they just want to leave for food, not covering
      2. The fruit that has been eaten up is going to be paid back…
    5. We heard God desires for us to Be Finishers…
      1. When increase, revival, whatever comes into your life…at first it’ll create chaos…but Be a Finisher…
    6. Mimshach Anointing – Expansion, Increase, Provision
      1. Here is what I think I heard the Lord say to me one morning…He said, “Pray for your business owners and leaders…” Pray over them that they receive this Mimshach anointing…and ask them to commit…if the Lord expands you and increases you this year…at the end of the Year…Give a Tithe on that Increase!!!  Now I think (this is my Maybe) we’ll have enough to pay off our Building…
  3. Vision
    1. 300 New Believers Baptized this year
    2. 50% of this church turned into soul winners and discipleship makers
    3. Give $750K to KB this coming Year
    4. Announcement!!!
  4. Closing
    1. If you go back and read 1 Samuel 14…this story of Jonathan and the Armor Bearer…they were not the lone benefactors of Risk…the bible says, Saul and all the men in hiding came out and won a great victory on that day….
    2. Trey put it this way the other day…Serving Jesus is like…Jesus wins all these victories and then turns around and says, “way to go you mighty man or woman of valor.”  

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