February 22, 2015 – Pastor Tim – “I’m Not Dead Yet”
(sorry, audio recording is unavailable this week)
Proverbs 24:16a, For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again…
Sometimes Christians become frustrated and withdraw from activity on the basis of personal struggles. They think it’s all over, but God says not so! The best is yet to come. The Lord doesn’t like pity parties, and those who have them are shocked to find out that although He is invited, God seldom attends.
1 Corinthians 10:10, nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.(This was written as an example.)
Many morbid mourners will come to sit with you as you weep over your dear departed dreams.
But if we want the Lord to come, we mustn’t tell Him that we aren’t planning to give up.
Galatians 6:9, And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
If we ever get around people who have accomplished much, they will tell us that those accomplishments didn’t come without a price. Generally that cost is much more expensive than we normally want to pay. Still, the cost of total transformation means different things to different people. When we arrive at our destination, don’t be surprised that some people will assume everything we achieved came without price. The real price of success lies within the need to persevere.
Paul told Timothy in…
1 Timothy 6:11, But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
The trophy is never given to someone who does not complete the task. Setbacks are just setups for God to show what He is able to do.Some funerals are for people who have accepted the thoughtthat everything is over. Don’t do that; instead tell the enemy, “I’m not dead yet!”
1 Corinthians 9:24, Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
The whole theme of Christianity is one of rising again. However, you can’t rise until you fall.
Ephesians 2:4-6, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Now that doesn’t mean you should fall into sin. It means we should allow the resurrection power of the Holy Ghost to operate in our life regardless of whether we have fallen into sin, discouragement, apathy, or fear.
There are obstacles that can trip us as we escalate or to increase in intensity, toward productivity. But it doesn’t matter what tripped us; it matters that we rise up. People who never experience these things generally are people who don’t do anything.
James 2:18, But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
There is a certain safety in being dormant. Nothing is won, but nothing is lost. I would rather walk on the water with Jesus, and nearly drown and have to be saved than to play it safe and never experience the miraculous.
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