STIR THE POT!

 WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE THINK OF WHEN THIS STATEMENT IS MADE “ YOU ARE JUST STIRRING THE POT” WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE WHO ARE GOOD AT STIRRING THINGS UP – KEEPING DRAMA GOING SO TO SPEAK OR JUST GENERALLY – AGGRAVATE FOR NO REAL REASON!

TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN MINISTRY , TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN CAREERS, IN SCHOOL, WE HAVE TO STIR OUR POTS! WE HAVE TO KEEP MOTIVATION, KEEP POSITIVE – KEEP GOALS IN MIND

WE HAVE TO KEEP STIRRING THE POT OF OUR LIVES – IF NOT THINGS WILL SETTLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POT – AND THINGS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POT DON’T GET THE FULL BENEIFT AND FLAVOR THEY WOULD IF THEY WERE STIRRED AROUND!

 2 WAYS TO KEEP STIRRING THE POT:

1 – PRAYER/PRAISE           2 – REMEMBERING          

# 1 – PRAYER STIRS UP SOMETHING IN THE HEAVENS AND HERE ON EARTH

Acts 4:31-34 (New Living Translation)

³¹ After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

1 John 3:21-22 (New Living Translation)

²¹ Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. ²² And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him

Colossians 1:9-10 (New Liviing Translation)

⁹ So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better

YOU SEE PRAYER BOTH BY OURSELVES INDIVIDUALLY AND  TOGETHER IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME – WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY! STIR THE POT WITH YOUR PRAYER!

YOUR LIFE AND DEATH IS IN YOUR MOUTH – SO PRAYER STIRS IT UP!

The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise. This means that praise is not merely a reaction from coming into His presence - Praise is a vehicle of faith which brings us into the presence and power of God!

2 Chronicles 5:13-14 (New Living Translation)

¹³ The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words:

   “He is good!
      His faithful love endures forever!”

   At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. ¹⁴ The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of God

#2 WE NEED TO SOMETIMES STIR THE POT BY REMEMBERING!

WHAT!!!!??– YOU WANT ME TO THINK OF PAST BATTLES – PAST STRUGGLES – PAST HURTS! YES ! BECAUSE EVERY TIME THINK ABOUT THOSE BATTLES – THOSE FIGHTS – THOSE ISSUES --- YOU SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER ---THE GOD WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT! THE GOD WHO WAS RIGHT THERE – THE GOD WHO HAS NOT CHANGED! AND THE GOD WHO IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF DOING IT AGAIN AND AGAIN!

JEHOSPHAT WAS BEING ATTACKED BY 3 ARMIES – HE BEGAN TO NOT TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT BATTLE – BUT THE VICTORIES THAT HE HAD ALREADY SEEN!

2 Chronicles 20:7 (New Living Translation)

⁷ O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham?

Malachi 3:6 (New Living Translation)

A Call to Repentance

 ⁶ “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.

NEVER FORGET YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK! REMEMBER THE VICTORIES….STIR YOUR SELF UP!

WE CAN STIR THE POT – BY REMEMBERING THE BATTLES! BY BRAGGING ON HIM! ONCE YOU BEGIN TO BRAG ON HIM – YOU ARE WORSHIPPING HIM! AND WHEN YOU BEGIN TO WORSHIP HIM – YOU ARE STIRRING HIM UP!

 One of the most misunderstood principles in Scripture is that although the Holy Spirit is available to the believer,He waits to respond to our level of hunger and expectation, not just because we have a particular need.

 AND WHEN YOU STIR HE UP --- THE ATMOSPHERE CHANGES – AND WHEN THE ATMOSPHERE CHANGES – MIRACLES HAPPEN!

2^ND PETER 3:1

This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory.

STIR UP THE MIND! REMIND YOURSELF WHO GOD REALLY IS IN YOUR LIFE! REMIND YOURSELF WHAT HE ALREADY HAS DONE FOR YOU – REMIND YOUR ENEMIES – REMIND THE BATTLE YOU ARE IN NOW – THAT GOD HAS NEVER FOUGHT A BATTLE HE DIDN’T WIN

REMIND YOURSELF THAT THE SAME GOD WHO PICKED YOU UP FROM A LIFE OF MESS, AND TRASH, AND DRUGS, ALCOHOL, SHACKING, CRACKING, DADDY MACKING – IS STILL ALIVE AND MOVING TODAY

STIR UP THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE TIME HE SHOWED UP WHEN NOBODY ELSE EVEN SEEMED TO CARE – STIR UP THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE TIME YOU WERE SUPPOSE TO BE DEAD – BUT HE HEALED YOU! STIR UP THE REMEMBRANCE WHEN YOU LOST EVERYTHING YOU SEEMINGLY HAD – BUT HE BEGAN TO PUT THE PIECES BACK TOGETHER!  STIR HIM UP!

2 Timothy 1:6-8 (New Living Translation)

⁶ This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.  ⁸ So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.

A church will never be as strong and vibrant in the service of God as it ought to

be until it shares in this ministry of watching over and stirring up one another.

Hebrews 10:24-26 (New Living Translation)

²⁴ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. ²⁵ And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near

1.                                                     YOU SEE SOMETIMES WE GOT TO STIR THE POT! WE GOT TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP OUR FLAMES FANNED – OUR FIRE BURNING – OUR DESIRE GROWING! WHATEVER YOU GOT TO DO --- STIRR THE POT! RISEN MEANS –

= 

 – STIR THE POT! NEVER LET IT SETTLE – NEVER LET IT FADE OR SINK! STIR IT UP................

"WHATEVER IT TAKES"

After the Eggs..

Here we are ...EASTER 2011! A time of many things: Bunnies, Candy, New Dresses, Suits, Egg Hunts, and of course.....EGG DYE.


While all of that stuff is great and I too will partake with my daughter in the festivities of the season-----let us not forget--- that AFTER THE EGGS we have something so much greater...............LIFE. And we have this life all because of CHRIST given his up.

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (NIV)

Everything we do this Easter season, every piece of candy, every Easter Play, every picture with that bunny - we enjoy all because of the Death, Burial and Ressurection of Jesus. Dont get me wrong, I will steal candy from my daughters basket, I will take her to get pictures made, I will watch her hunt eggs, and enjoy life -- all of that is GREAT - but I never want to forget that my lifes blessings were made possible by Calvary.

So this weekend --- After the candy, after the shopping, after the pictures, and After the last Egg is dyed ---lets remember --- that when all thats left is empty wrappers, confetti filled baskets, wrinkled new dresses, and plastic eggs......JESUS CHRIST still stands - alive in the lives and hearts of Christ-Followers all over the world!

MATTHEW 28:2-7 NKJ
2 And behold, there was a great earthquake (define earthquake); for an angel of the lord (define angel of the lord) descended from heaven (define heaven), and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow (define snow).
4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
6 "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into galilee (define galilee); there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."
The huge stone was moved, and the Roman seal was broken, in spite of the guards at Jesus' tomb.


After the EGGS - lets stay on the "hunt" to share the Good News of Life in Christ........lets not just remember HIM for a moment....................but live for HIM for a LIFETIME...................

"Whatever it Takes"

DON'T GET IT TWISTED....

Luke 14:23 (New Living Translation)

²³ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.

It is important we realize that our job is to bring the CHURCH TO THE WORLD-----TOO MANY TIMES WE GET it twisted thinking that the "world" will just come to the church!

Jesus was all about going to where people were. Matter of fact - he was always going to the places and people no body else seemingly cared about or wanted to go. He spoke and forgave the Women at the Well, He spit on a mans eyes - that others wanted to just overlook, He was all about taking what HE had to the masses!

Understand---going to church is the easy part................BEING THE CHURCH - is the goal we should have. Alot of people "go" to church - and that is great and needed and essential to our relationship as a Christ -Follower...However, when we BECOME the church...than we are able to take what we have to the world!  The world is not looking necessarily for another "building" - but instead for a church that can be seen no just on Sundays----but Everyday!

Lets make it our goal to bring the church to the world---not sit idle and wait for the world to get to the church.............

"Whatever it Takes"

BENT…………………...BUT NOT BROKEN

AT TIMES THIS LIFE – EVEN THE LIFE OF A CHRIST FOLLOWER BRINGS PERIODS OF STRUGGLE – PERIODS OF ISSUES – PERIODS OF QUESTIONS – PERIODS OF CONFUSION – PERIODS OF HOPELESSNESS – PERIODS OF DROUGHT ….THIS WALK OF LIFE AT TIMES CAN CAUSE EVEN THE STRONGEST, EVEN THE MOST FAITHFUL PERSON TO BEND – TO BECOME WITHERED AND WORN

 - - BUT TODAY I WANT TO ENCOURAGE US THAT WE MAY BE GO THROUGH IT – WE MAY HAVE TO FIGHT – WE MAY  HAVE TO PRESS – WE MAY BECOME BENT – BE WE ARE NOT BROKEN!

ABRAHAM WAS COMMANDED BY GOD TO TAKE HIS ONLY SON – HIS PROMISE THAT GOD HAD GIVEN HIM AND TAKE HIM TO THE MOUNTAIN AND SACRIFICE HIM IN AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE. I DON’T CARE HOW MUCH YOU LOVE GOD AND WANT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT – WHEN – THIS WOULD CAUSE ME TO BEND A LITTLE – CAUSE ME TO QUESTION A LITTLE – CAUSE ME TO WONDER A LITTLE – BUT THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS WAS TO SEE HOW STRONG – HOW FIRM – HOW COMMITTED ABRAHAM --- WAS TO THE CAUSE. YOU SEE GOD NEVER INTENDED ISSAC TO DIE – HE WANTED TO BE SURE HE COULD BLESS ABRAHAM --- AND MAKE HIM THE FATHER OF MANY NATIONS.

YOU SEE WE THINK A LOT OF TIMES THAT OUR TRIALS, OUR TESTS, OUR HARDSHIPS – ARE

GODS WAY

OF GETTING US – GOD IS A LOVING GOD – THE THINGS WE GO THROUGH ARE OUR WAY OF LEANING AND LEARNING MORE AND MORE THAN WE CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT HIM!

IMAGINE HOW YOU WOULD REACT TO CERTAIN THINGS – CERTAIN PEOPLE – CERTAIN FAMILY --- IF HE WASN’T HELPING YOU!!

Hebrews 2:18 (New Living Translation)

¹⁸ Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

– OK – HELP!  YOU SEE WE WILL BE BENT – WE WILL BE STRETCHED – WE WILL BE PULLED AND PRESSED – BUT - - - THIS SHOULD NOT BE A SURPRISE TO US!

1 Peter 4:12-20 (New Living Translation)

¹² Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. ¹³ Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

¹⁴ So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian,^[a] for then the glorious Spirit of God^[b] rests upon you.^{[c] 15} If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. ¹⁶ But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! ¹⁷ For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? ¹⁸ And also,   “If the righteous are barely saved,
      what will happen to godless sinners?”^[d]

¹⁹ So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.

WOW – SO IT HAS TO BEGIN WITH ME FIRST – I HAVE TO BE WILLING TO BE BENT – TO LEARN – TO GROW SO THAT OTHERS CAN SEE HIM CLEARLY IN ME! THAT MEANS I HAVE TO REACT RIGHT – RESPOND RIGHT- AND RETALIATE RIGHT!  WHY OH WHY!

James 1:2-4 (New Living Translation)

Faith and Endurance

² Dear brothers and sisters,^[a] when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

We are growing through our trials – sometimes they make us not want to grow anymore – but we are becoming what He wants us to be – NOT WHAT WE OR EVERYONE AROUND US WANTS US TO BE – you see some people want to be the same – BIRDS OF A FEATHER – FLOCK TOGETHER.

He never made us to be like everyone else – or to be like every other Christian or Church – HE MADE US IN HIS IMAGE – to be like HIM.

He is developing CHARACTER IN US – A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH REPUTATION THAN CHARACTER – THERE IS A DIFFERENCE:

CHARACTER - the inherent complex of attributes that determines a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions

REPUTATION - Reputation is the opinion (more technically, a social evaluation) of the group of entities toward a person, a group of people, or an organization on a certain criterion. It is an important factor in many fields, such as education, business, online communities or social status.

Romans 5:4 (New Living Translation)

⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

Being bent and not broken we realize that REPUTATION IS BASED ON OPINIONS – AND THOSE CHANGE WITH THE SEASONS – OR IF I HURT YOU – YOU HURT ME – BUT CHARACTER IS BUILT ON ATTRIBUTES – AND AS CHRISTIANS OUR ATTRIBUTES ARE HIS ATTRIBUTES --- OR SHOULD BE!

UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE TIMES WE FEEL BENT AND WEAK – AND USELESS, AND DON’T WANT TO KEEP GOING –THOSE ARE THE TIMES THAT WE ARE REALLY POSITIONED TO GROW AND GO TO A NEW PLACE IN OUR WALK WITH CHRIST

Corinthians 12:9-10 (New Living Translation)

⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰ That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

YOU MAY BE BENT – BUT KNOW YOU ARE NOT BROKEN – YOU MAY FEEL LIKE THE LIMBS – THE BRANCHES ARE ABOUT TO BREAK – BUT STAY FOCUSED – STAY ROOTED – STAY STRONG!

WHEN YOU ARE ROOTED AND GROUNDED --- YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE – WHAT YOU LIVE FOR – WHAT YOU STAND FOR AND YOUR FRUIT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF!

Jeremiah 17:8-10(New Living Translation)
 ⁸ They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
      with roots that reach deep into the water.
   Such trees are not bothered by the heat
      or worried by long months of drought.
   Their leaves stay green,
      and they never stop producing fruit.

STAY ROOTED – EVEN WHEN YOU GET MESSED UP – LIED ON – TALKED ABOUT – USED – EVEN WHEN MAYBE YOU CAUSED SOME PAIN – STAY ROOTED................

"WHATEVER IT TAKES"

OH MERCY....

mer·cy  (mûr s )

n. pl. mer·cies

1. Compassionate treatment, especially of those under one's power; clemency.

2. A disposition to be kind and forgiving: a heart full of mercy.

3. Something for which to be thankful; a blessing: It was a mercy that no one was hurt.

4. Alleviation of distress; relief

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GIVE WHAT YOU DO NOT HAVE OR TO

 RECEIVE WHAT YOU WILL NOT GIVE

Luke 10:25-37 (New Living Translation)

The Most Important Commandment

 ²⁵ One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

 ²⁶ Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

 ²⁷ The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”^[a]

 ²⁸ “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

 ²⁹ The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Parable of the Good Samaritan

 ³⁰ Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

 ³¹ “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. ³² A Temple assistant^[b] walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

 ³³ “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. ³⁴ Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins,^[c] telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

 ³⁶ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

 ³⁷ The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

   Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

TO KNOW MERCY – IS TO SHOW MERCY

It has and will continue to be MERCY that allows us to fall and fall and get back up time and time again!  It has been mercy that has kept us saved – mercy that has kept us feeling decent – mercy that has allowed us another great day on this planet!

MERCY SAYS NO WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE THROWING

IT ALL WAY

– WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE GIVING IN – WHEN LIFE – WHEN FAMILY – WHEN YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN JUSTICE AND WRATH – MERCY IS EXTENDED!!

PURE HEARTS = PERFECT VISION

⁸ God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
      for they will see God.

PURE IN HEART – HEAR MORE THAN JUST THE ORGAN THAT PUMPS BLOOD! IT IS THE CENTER OF OUR LIFE – YOUR MIND – YOUR EMOTIONS – YOUR WILL! AND IMPORTANTLY YOUR THINKING!

WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO ALLOW OUR RELATIONSHIP EVOLVE INTO MORE OF RELIGION THAT REALNESS – WHAT DOES THAT MEAN – WE HAVE TO WATCH SO WE DON’T BEGIN TO THINK WE ARE HIGHER OR BETTER OR MORE THAN OTHERS BECAUSE WE MAY FOLLOW CHRIST AND THEY DO NOT. WE CANNOT BEGIN TO CATEGORIZE PEOPLE – OR TRY TO VOTE OR DECIDE ON WHO SHOULD AND SHOULDN’T GET MERCY.

IT DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER YOU ROBBED A BANK – OR STOLE SOME CANDY FROM YOUR MOMMAS PURSE – ALL OF US WERE BAD AND CAPABLE OF SIN!

TODAY  - MAYBE YOU HAVE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH MERCY – MAYBE YOU ALWAYS WANT IT – BUT NEVER CAN GIVE IT. MAYBE YOUR THINKING HAS BEEN STINKING – ITS HARD FOR YOU TO KEEP YOUR MIND – YOUR WILL – YOUR EMOTIONS ON THE THINGS OF CHRIST.

GUESS WHAT – YOU ARE NOT ALONE. OTHERS ARE DEALING WITH THIS DAILY. BUT YOU – I – WE NEED TO BE FULL OF MERCY – THE MORE WE CAN SYMPOTHISE WITH OTHERS – THE MORE OUR HEARTS ARE FOCUSED ON THE PURITY OF GOD.

lets MAKE IT A POINT TODAY TO KNOW MERCY----AND TO SHOW MERCY----

"WHATEVER IT TAKES"

!