What the Recession taught me Pt 4, “I shold have trusted God in tough time” Bible Study 11/18/09

What the recession taught me Pt 4
I should have trusted God in tough times
Synopsis of Bible Study 11/18/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker
We often have a hard time trusting, because we have been let down by people so many times and as a result we often equate trust with that. Regardless, we must understand that trusting God is not like trusting people. We have to put our trust in God and we must trust God in all things. 1 Peter 5:6says 6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: – What God demand from us is humility.
God wants humility. Hebris, a word used in Old Testament Hebrew text is a word used for a prideful arrogant sprit. This is a trait that God despises. If the recession has taught us anything, it taught us involuntary humility. There were people that were big headed and puffed up and they thought they had everything going on, but when the recession came, it humble the. We must always as Christians, have a humble spirit. We must always walk in humility. You will be surprised how pride has sneaked in on many of us. God doesn’t use many of us on certain levels, because many of us are arrogant. We make a few dollars over minimum wage and we quit speaking to people! We must recognize that if it wasn’t for God’s grace, many of us wouldn’t have what we have. We must ask God to help us stay to stay humble. Ex- Bishop explains that his profession, he has had conference calls with people that we would considered to be very powerful people. When they ask Bishop how he wants to be addressed, he simply tells them to call him “Joseph” because that is his name. “Bishop “is Bishop Walker’s title, but “Joseph” is his name. They are shocked that he doesn’t mind being addressed by his first name. On another occasion, there was somebody whom we will not name that Bishop made a phone call to. Bishop Walker said he addressed him by his first name and it angered that person. They brought it to Bishop’s attention and asked why Bishop would they just address them by their name. Bishop told them that the man that died for him on Calvary is addressed by his first name. His name is “Jesus” so Bishop says if he calls him by his first name, surely this person would not take issue with being addressed by his first name. We get caught up in titles and attention and it is important that we understand that this is not really important.
God resists the proud. James 4:6 says 6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.-We need grace and this is why we are humble. God resists the proud. We recognize if it wasn’t for God’s grace, we wouldn’t have what we have. 1 Peter 5:5 says 5Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.-God says be clothed in humility. God is after our humility. Micah 6:8 says 8He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?– God simply wants us to do right by people, lover mercy, and walk humbly with God. Stop walking around like you are better than everyone else. Walk around and simple be willing to speak to people.
I. Don’t act like you are better than others
1. Must have Humility- Proverbs 8:13: 13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.-The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. If we humble ourselves under the hand of God, he will exalt us! Ex-If we were to hold our hand in a horizontal position face down, this represents the hand of God covering us. Our problem is that we try to move out from under his hand, because we feel we are not exalted fast enough. We try to step out from under God’s hand and lift our own selves up. God says his hand is face down now because he is covering us. What God wants us to know is he will eventually flip his hand over with us in the palm of his hand and he will begin to lift us up. We will be lifted up or elevated while we are in his hands. All we have to do is to wait. Because we step outside the covering of his hand, we get prideful. God hates pride.
2. We must not be Anxious- Many of us struggle with anxiety. 1 Peter 5:7 says 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.-God says just give me what you can’t handle! God cares too much to watch us go through what we can’t handle. In Matthew 6, God reminds us of this by asking us to look at the lilies of the field. If God takes care of them and they are not able to toil or give him praise, wouldn’t we think God will care for us his children whom he created? Matthew 11:28 says28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.-Stop trying to handle stuff all by yourself. Philippians 4:6 says 6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.-We must give our problems and our concerns to the Lord and leave them there. If we take it to the altar and pray about it, then we must leave it at the altar. God hasn’t given us the spirit of fear.
3. We must maintain Sobriety-Here is a bootleg definition for sobriety. To be sober in the world is to be absent of chemical influence on the brain. When we are not sober, then we are out of our mind. We laugh at stuff that ain’t funny, we fall and break stuff, and we get into stuff we are not supposed to handle when we are inebriated. When we are under the influence, we also put others at risk.
a. To be sober spiritually is to be absent of demonic spirits or demonic influences on our mind. The Devil comes in through our eye gate, our ear gate, and out mouth gate. We need our mind to be clear during rough times. If we don’t, before you know it, we are in church tipsy so to speak. We find ourselves under the influence while trying to receive the word. Be sober and don’t let outside sources control your mind.
b. We must be on the Alert. This means to watch. 1 Peter 5:8 says 8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: – It is because the devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, then we must be alert. . Remember in the garden? Jesus asked the disciple to watch with him one hour while he prayed. Jesus knew he was about to become vulnerable. He was about to wrestle with his destiny. He asked his father to let his bitter cup pass from him and the bible says he prayed so hard it was if he was sweating blood. He wanted to pray, but he wanted them to watch while he prayed. This is why you have to be careful with the people you have around you. You can’t trust everyone with your vulnerability. Some folk are to sleepy for the job and they will leave you exposed. Remember Jesus says watch with me because I am go to pray and they fell asleep. Guess who was watching while Jesus was praying? The Roman soldiers were coming to arrest him, because Peter was not watching and praying, he took out his sword and cut off the ear of a Roman soldier. . If you don’t do the right thing at the right place and the right time, you will do the wrong thing at the wrong place at the wrong time. Peter is about to getting Jesus killed in a brawl in the garden of Gethsemane, but Jesus destiny was to die on the cross.
c. If the scripture says the devil is like a roaring lion, then you must know how a lion attacks to understand how relevant this really is! Ex-On Animal Planet we can learn a lot about this. Sometimes they have segments where they actually track a lion that is about to attack. They even give the lion a name like “Sasha”. In the setting they may say that Sasha has set her eye on something. They begin to commentate that she (the lion) has set her eye on the weakest gazelle in the pack. Sasha begins to set her plan into action. She begins to slowly creep and stop. There are other gazelles that are closer to her, but she waits until she has the opportunity to attack the weaker one that she has picked out. She sticks to her plan. She knows the one closer to her may be too fast and two strong. She has picked out the weaker one of the flock and she sticks to her plan. The enemy much like this is waiting to attack us. The enemy our adversary is patient. He is a devourer and a taker. He attacks the weak much like the lion. Many of us were vulnerable during the recession. We were weak because we began to lose faith. We must know that our language tips the devourer off about our weakened state. What do you speak, when you are in trouble? Know that God will rebuke the devourer for your sake.
4. Resist the Devil. . 1 Peter 5:9: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.-This scripture says we have to resist the devil through our faith. Just because the enemy is after you doesn’t mean you should just give up. You have to get to a point where you become firm in your faith. Galatians 6:9 says 9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Romans 8:38-39 says 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.-Nothing will separate us from the love of God. We are not supposed to change because things around us change. The recession was an opportunity to show the world what we believed in. The bible says that everyone went through trails (in this case being the recession). We all had to take part in the recession, but there were different responses from different people. If we look like the world, then we lose our credibility. Habakkuk 3:17-18 says 17Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.- He says no matter if no one else will, he will rejoice in the Lord, because his response is not like the world, our response is like God’s.
5. We must stand firm in our faith. If none else will, we will rejoice. 2 Corinthians 4:8 says 8We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; – We can’t respond like everyone else. When everyone else is tripping, we have to be the one that says that God is going to work it out. When we humble ourselves, we cast our cares on him, we keep our mind sober, we be alert, we resist the devil and we we stand firm in our faith.
II. What does God do?
There is a word called eschatology which deals with the study of the end of time. When we see certain text, it suggests that everything will be better when Jesus returns. Dispensational theology deals with times and seasons meaning God will save us in his own time. Soteriology Theology deals with salvation and study of the way God saves us based on past history. When you add Dispensational Theology and Soteriology Theology together, we see God will save us in his own time, after producing in us what is needed to come out of our situation. This way, when our situation comes around again (like the recession) we will be in a different place. In other words, after all the suffering we went through the first time, God will make us perfect meaning mature. James 1:2-4: 2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
1. God let us suffer so we will grow up. Recession taught us is to stop playing. We had to learn to sow, to tithe, and how to invest during the recession. God was trying to mature us. Our whole value system had to change. We realized that it wasn’t the size of the house. It was instead all about the maturity of the people in the house.
2. God confirms things. God establishes us. Establish means to render unmovable or to fix firmly. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says 58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.- God establishes us. His word is unmovable and because his word is unmovable, we have to be unmovable. God wanted to know if we would still come to church and still be faithful when things are going wrong.
3. God strengthens us. We try to say we are not tired, but we need to know that it is ok to say we are tired. We just have to know where our help comes from. Isaiah 40:31 says 31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.2 Corinthians 12:9 says 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. -Some of most powerful moments that you experienced with God is when you said you didn’t have strength to go on. Psalm 28:7 says 7The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. – Everyday when we get up, we realize everything we do is done on God’s strength.
4. God establishes us. If your house is built on faith, after all the dust settles from the storm, you will be left “standing”. Colossians 2:6-7 says 6As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.- If you claim to be a Christian, just walk in it. Walk in the principles that you have been taught as a Christian. You got these notes you have taken from sermons and you have CD’s from the sermons that you heard, therefore, some of what you learned should show up during rough times. When you can build roots in it, you can be like the palm trees. Palm trees don’t break during hurricanes. The roots are deep as the tree is tall and as a result they just been during hurricanes and storms. Trees often break into pieces during hurricanes. Are we going to be something that breaks or are we going to be something that just bends a little during the storm?
III. What God deserves
1 Peter 5:10-11 says 10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1. Glory-God is revelation to us of who God is in our circumstances. You had a group that said they couldn’t handle it, but there was another group that said they will give him the glory anywhere. Jeremiah 13:15-16 says 15Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken. 16Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. -Glory means worship. It is hard to worship, when you are being worshipped yourself. Jeremiah says in verse 16 that God said give him the glory or what we dread happening, will to us again.
2. Dominion-During the recession, the kingdom of world went belly up. We put all our money in the world just to find out how wishy-washy it could be! There will come a time where every knee will have to bow. Psalm 24:2 says 2For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. -God is in control. God’s kingdom is greater than this world. God is bigger than a bailout plan. Jesus came that we might have life and have life more abundantly. Our destiny is him.
3. Control- God is in control. Psalm 22:28 says 28For the kingdom is the LORD’s: and he is the governor among the nations. -We all love President Obama, but even he has to get up every morning and get on his knees and pray to God, just like we do.
4. Forever & Ever- Hebrews 13:8 says 8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Malachi 3:6 says 6For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. -God doesn’t change. We are in the blood line with Jacob, which means we will never be consumed. Ex- Bishop explains that about 7am this morning he was looking at a scripture and he was thinking about what it meant in relation to this series. God said it is so much bigger than that! Jude 1:24-25 says 24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, -Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling. If we take this scripture and interpret it from the end to the beginning we see it says: See how wise God was, he saved us and we don’t give him the glory. He is in control and has the power forever. He won’t let you fall again. Walk with him and he will keep what happened before from happening again and he will make it like you never fell before.

What the recession taught me Part III, “I am a sheep in good hands” Bible Study 11/11/09

What the recession taught me Part III
“I am a sheep in good hands”
Synopsis of Bible Study 11/11/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
Psalm 23: 1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. -In this Psalms, David is not at a place of ease, because Saul was in pursuit of him. David is in a state of stress and strain. During this time, he gets in a reflective state and he reflects over the relationship he has with God. Sometimes during our stress and strain, it causes us to reflect over the things that are really important. What the recession did for most of us is cause us to focus us on the most important relationship that we could ever have and that is a relationship with the Lord. When David opens up in Psalms 23, he says the Lord is my shepherd and he shall not want. This really gives us an incredible revelation of the shepherd’s provision.
I. Shepherd’s provisions
Psalm 23:1: 1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
1. We really want to put in perspective the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep. We are dependent on the shepherd taking care of us. This means we have now become the shepherd’s responsibility. If we allow ourselves to be shepherded, we come under his covering, allowing him to take care of us. We discovered in the recession that people allowed other things to take care of them. When those things couldn’t take care of them anymore, they realized who they should have allowed to care for them (the Lord).
2. The sheep know him by name. God’s so concerned about our welfare, even when we are going through something that’s personal, he will leave the 99 in search of us. He will leave the other flock unattended just to claim you and bring you back into a right relationship with him.
3. He shall feed his sheep. Isaiah 40:11: 11He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.- God will take care of his sheep. God gathers the lambs. The lambs represent those who are young spiritually or in other words, spiritually immature. God picks them up and carries them in his bosom. During the recession, there were a lot of stuff we could not carry, but God said he will carry us between jobs.
a. He takes care of those lambs that are with young. The latter part of Isaiah 40:11 says that he shall gently lead those that are with young. They are lambs that are pregnant and can’t move at the pace they need to move. God says he will take care of you until you can birth it. In other words, many of us had dreams inside us and it wasn’t time for it to come out yet. Because you were pregnant with that dream or that vision, God says he will carry us or lead us gently so that we may make it through.
4. Spiritually, emotionally, and physically. We have to have confidence in the relationship. There are lots of people that came to know God during the recession. We knew the shepherd before the recession and because of that, we should have trusted him during the recession. Of all people, having known God, we should have known that the recession would not last for you. Luke 12:22-31: 22And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 25And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 27Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. – God knew we needed gas in our car, because we are in a relationship with him. He says to us that we need to seek the kingdom first and all these things that we need will be added. Verse 31 says God wants to give you the kingdom. Don’t worry about how things will be taken care of. Remember we are the sheep and he is the shepherd. When we refer to the Kingdom of God, it is God’s order in heaven being brought into the natural. When we pray, we are asking God to bring the kingdom down, because that is his will for our life. If there is no welfare in heaven, then we can declare we will not be on welfare here in the earth realm, because the shepherd will take of us. Some of us pray too small. We ask for stuff instead of the kingdom. Ask for the kingdom and the stuff will follow. The Lord is our shepherd. He is taking care of our finances, our future, and etc…We don’t have to cling to a relationship that will let us down, because God will supply all our needs. We were never supposed to be in want. There are people reading this right now that don’t make much money (less than 30,000/yr) and they didn’t even know there was a recession. We are his sheep and we shall not want!
II. Sanctioned pause
Psalm 23:2: 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
1. God will make us rest. Ex- Bishop Walker explains that there are times that he has a hard time distinguishing between being trifling and resting, because he is so busy. There are times when he says he is going to rest and he can sleep the rest of the day. Somebody reading this can testify that they are so busy; it is hard for them to rest. Even when you go to bed, you are not resting. You are always thinking and the wheels in our head are always in motion. You even think about solutions to problems in your sleep! Because the Lord is our shepherd, he recognizes that it is necessary for us to finish our assignment. Because we can’t rest, God sees that we are on a path of burnout and he does for us, what we won’t do for ourselves. God creates a situation that causes us to pause. He is going to make us lie down in green pastures. Lots of times, we wonder if we pause, how will these things we do be taken care of? The answer is DIE AND FIND OUT! In other words, if you were to pass away today, if those things really need to be done, they will find a way to get it done.
2. The Lord says while you are paused, he will take care of the stuff we are worried about. Psalm 4:8: 8I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
3. God needs us to be refreshed. David is running from Saul in the text and fears that if he lies down, Saul might catch up to him. God says lay down and I will take care of that. If you don’t lie down and rest, Saul (or the enemy) will catch you through your fatigue. Ex- In your relationships, you are like a glass water. Every time somebody asks you to pray for them, be a part of a committee, or do anything dealing with Ministry, you say “yes”. As a result they keep coming back asking for more and more. Your glass keeps getting emptier, because you have all these people pulling or drinking from you. Now you got this person you hooked with (your spouse or mate) and the same thing happens to them (we are assuming that you picked somebody that is Ministry minded like you). As a result of your commitment and the nature of your dedication to the ministry, you come home and both glasses are empty. You can’t pour into each other, because you have nothing left to pour in. All you can do is say cheers, because nobody has anything left to pour into the other. You have to sit down and let God pour into you. We have a generation of folk that is tired and attending church out of routine and it makes you lose that joy you are supposed to have. You got to know when you find yourself at this place; God says you will have to lie down voluntarily or involuntarily. Some of you got mysterically sick and it was a result of God making you rest.
a. Spiritual powered. He restores our soul. Psalm 23:3a: 3He restoreth my soul: Psalm 51:12: 12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.-We want our fire back. Sometimes you get burn out within your relationships; Isaiah 40:28-31: 28Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.29He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.-They will go through their assignment without burning out.
b. Summoned path-Psalms 23:3b: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness. Sometimes where God leads us is not necessarily where we would want to go. God knows what is best for us. God says he has already thought through where we will end up. You begin to process it and wonder if he is sure about this journey he has for you. Know that the right way is not always the easy way!
Psalm 25:10: 10All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. – Wherever God leads us, is a place of mercy and truth. God says he is sending us down this path for his name sake. He has his reputation on line with us. He reminds people while you are going down the path that you are his sheep. When you read the Psalms, remember that the Psalms were actually songs. There are a lot of grammar there didn’t originally exist. What the scripture is really saying is that as sheep, we are willing to go wherever the Lord decides to lead us.
III. See his presence
Psalm 23:4: 4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
1. We need to get to a pint where we see God’s presence. There are a lot of books made about the valley such as “The Value of the Valley” or “Victory in the Valley”. Walter Brueggeman is a tremendous scholar that wrote on the Psalms. They have put out material to help us.
2. There are two things that we need you to understand about the valley and why God would lead you there.
a. The valley-The shepherd will lead us there (the recession being the valley). The shepherd would lead the sheep into the valley, because the valley had the best water and the best grass. Sheep needed that water and needed that grass to climb the mountain and finish their journey. Some of you got your best word in the valley. If you would go back and look at your sermon notes you can see that the valley brought us our best sermons. Some of you can remember the last 8 sermons that were preached, because you were in the valley! Some people never took notes until they got into the valley. The valley brings to us the best sermons. Bishop explains that God speaks to him in the greatest way when his congregation is in the valley.
b. The valley provides best grass and the best food, but it is the most dangerous place for the sheep. It is a place the sheep could die, but it is a place they needed to be to live. The valley of the shadow of death was about the adversaries of the sheep. The valley had Wolves, Mountain Lions, Cougars, and Coyotes. Mountain Lion would roar and intimidate sheep.
i. One Mountain Lion’s roar would sound like 10 mountain lions in the valley and would paralyze the sheep with fear. In like manner, one person roars on your job by saying they don’t like you and they got you thinking everyone in the office don’t like you. They got you wanting to resign and they are the only one that feels that way.
ii. The wolf is the master of deception. There are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They get into what you like and then they show their true collars. They get into the best clothing, get their hair done, get their nails done and once you say I think I like you, they turn into something else.
iii. The Coyote is a master of setting traps. They try to ambush you. All you got to do is watch the cartoon “The Roadrunner” and you can see this illustrated. The coyote always had these ACME traps that he would set for the Roadrunner. The roadrunner would say beep – beep and the he would escape the trap. The coyote would try to see why the trap didn’t work and while doing so, the trap would fall on him. In like manner, when you are under the care of the shepherd in the valley, the traps that they sit for you will fall on them!
2. Here are sheep dealing with danger, but they have to go through this. Remember that no matter how threatening the valley is, it is just a shadow. It means there is something standing between us and danger. The light was standing there causing the image to cast a shadow. God is the light. We have a shepherd with us and his rod and his staff comfort’s us. The rod represents the word. Use your rod like the shepherd used to use his rod to protect the sheep from their predators. The Lord is the strength of our life. The staff was the curved part of the rod that was used to pull the sheep that strayed away, back in line. Straying away symbolizes us trying to get off to our self to figure things out. God will not let you get away from the flock. Just like this scenario, some people were straying away and they weren’t intending on coming to church. They felt that pull and came to church anyway and the very word they needed was preached.
3. No matter what you go through, you got to see God in it. No matter where or what we go through, God will be with us.
IV. Strategic prosperity
John 10:10: 10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Psalm 23:5a: 5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
1. Proximity to your enemies- God lets the opposition stay close to you, because you will need them for your blessing. He wants to bless you in front of them.
2. Prepare-When the lord prepares a table, just like in a restaurant, the table will first be cleaned off.
a. Cleaned – God cleans the area that he will feed you at. He will remove all the things that will hinder your destiny.
b. Indentations in the wood. You have been cleaned up, but God now will cover you. When a table is cleaned, because it has some age and has been through a lot, there may be carvings and writings in the wood that some kid may have put into the table. A table cloth is often used to cover those scars. Just like this, God will cover you so that your scars will not show. Some people might treat you differently because of the scars you have on you, so he caters you.
c. Caters me –Now he starts putting stuff on us, because he knows he can trust us and know we can be used in a greater way. Security and protection
3. The anointing is in the oil. Anointing represents the word. Every attack on the sheep or any attack on us is directed at our head. This is because our enemies know that death comes at the head. Every issue you struggle with starts in the head. This is why you have to have on the helmet of salvation.
4. Psalms 23:5b says thou anointest my head with oil;
The shepherd puts the oil on you to:
a. Soothe you-the oil would be a soothing remedy for somebody or a sheep that got injured by thorns while it was trying to get something to eat. Like sheep, sometimes we are injured trying to come to get church to get fed. There is no hurt like a church hurt.
b. Status-There was different oil based on the olives use. Oil scent would tell people who the sheep belonged to. When people would smell the scent of the oil, people knew who the scent of the oil belonged to; therefore, they would know who the sheep belonged to. When you ask God to anoint you, even if you try to backslide, the oil will prevent it! When you go somewhere you shouldn’t be, people will see and smell the oil on you and know that you don’t belong. You can’t run from the oil! It will go everywhere you go. Once you have been anointed, you will no longer fit where you are not supposed to be.
c. Security-It keeps predators away. The scent of the oil would sometimes make the predators sick and it would tell them that the sheep belonged to a shepherd who may be nearby. There is something on your life that makes some people sick. This is a good thing. Some people used to like hanging out with you, but now you make them sick.
5. Favor, follower, and fellowship. Psalms 23:5c: my cup runneth over.
a. Favor- Are those things we can’t explain. God says he will let your cup run over. God will blow your mind over how he will continue to provide for you during your valley experience. You have people hating on you, because you are in overflow and you can’t even explain it yourself.
b. Followers- the recession hurt people the most that was running after stuff. It hurt people who were chasing stuff. When the stuff they were chasing left them, it felt like labor with no reward. When you are a sheep, your day of chasing stuff is over! If you would have looked over your shoulder goodness and mercy was following you all the days of your life. God’s grace and mercy says, it don’t care what going on, they got your back! Deuteronomy 28:2: 2And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. We need a blessing that will sucker punch us and wrestle us to the ground! Nowhere in the bible does it say that we are supposed be chasing anything, besides God.
c. Fellowship-We will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. We will be where God is. Where God is, the blessing is. Psalm 16:11: 11Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. -No matter what is going on in the world, we have joy. We let too much stuff pull us away from him. We are at a point now that we won’t let anything to separate us from the love of God.

What the recession taught me Pt 2, “I should have saved and sown” Bible Study 11/04/09

What the recession taught me Pt 2

“I should have saved and sown”
Synopsis of Bible Study 11/04/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
We made up in our mind in our previous lesson that we will never go through the recession tithe-less. People of God, it is important to have a proper perspective of money. 1 Timothy 6:9-11: 9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.-This is Paul mentoring Timothy. Paul simply says that we are to follow after the things money cannot buy. Never get to a point where you worship money. Never let your whole life revolve around money, because means you have lost perspective. We have to learn to manage money as well. We are supposed to be a blessing to the Kingdom.
I. I. What does the bible say about our finances
a. It is an issue of ownership. 1Psalm 24:1: 1The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Another interesting scripture is Psalms 50:10: 10For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. – God says he has cattle on a thousand hills. God says you don’t have to worry about it, because it is all mines. He is in control of it. You don’t own it, God does.
b. Understanding the Lord’s viewpoint on our finances can prevent us from making costly mistakes. The two things Christians love the most, sex and money, we hate talking about in church.
c. The bible encourages positive use of our money. God wants us to do something with our blessings. God blessed us to multiply our blessings. We are to be fruitful and multiply. 14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver[b] to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. 16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. 19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ 21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together![c]’22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ 23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ 24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ 26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ 28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ – First of all, in the King James Version, they use the word talents instead of bags of silver. In the scripture we have one servant that was given 5 talents, one was given 2 talents, and one was given one talent. The servant that was given 5 talents, double his. The servant with 2 talents doubled his. The servant that was given one talent dug a hole in the earth and buried his. In verse 19 the lord of the servants inquired about what they had done with their talents. We find out the following:
1. In verse 20, the servant that was given five talents told his master that he doubled his talents. As a result his master said well done.
2. In verse 22, the servant that was given two talents says to his master that he doubled his too. As a result, the lord of the servants said well done.
3. In verse 24, the servant that was given one talent made excuses and got nervous and admitted to hiding his talents away. The master says he blessed him so he could make something of what he gave him. He could have taken the principle and invested it and very least, he could have lived off of the interest. Instead the master said he would take his talent and give it to the other two, because he did nothing with the talent. In other words, his master could not trust him with money or with blessings. Money is put in your hands to be multiplied.
Ecclesiastes 5:19: 19Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.-Every blessing we have is a gift from God. We have to be a good steward of it.
d. Scripture warns us about the misuse of money. Lots of us misuse money, but how?
1. Stop trying to figure things out yourself. Proverbs 23:4-5: 4Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. 5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven-Verse 5-the problem is, we are working only to try and become rich. Now your focus is so much on money, you will forsake your family for overtime. As a result, you try to get ahead, and you lose your life. The wealth you get is so exclusive, it flies away. Your children then have to reintroduce themselves to you, because you spend all your time chasing money.
2. When we are righteous and doing what we are supposed to do, it will become our treasure. Proverbs 15:6: 6In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble-Make no mistake, the wicked will have treasures too, but their treasures always lead to trouble. God will bless us based on our integrity. Some people with low integrity want a high blessing. If your integrity is low, you will use the increase to support your sin. Rather than walking in the blessing God gave you, you walk in other things. Sin is expensive. Some of us don’t do the things we used to do simply because we can’t afford them any longer. For lots of us, if we could still afford our sins, we would still be in them. God gives us an opportunity to get our integrity right and to sustain the blessing. Beware of the debt trap.
3. You have to be careful about debt no matter where you are financially. We hate debt! Debt is not our friend and is an enemy to our destiny. Romans 13:8: 8Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.-The scripture says owe no man anything. The problem in the recession was that we wanted to give more, but we were in so much debt, we were prisoners to the debt. We were in debt before the recession and after the recession started, we got in incredible deeper. We were borrowing money from one card just to pay the minimum payment on another card.
a. We go into debt to try and impress people that don’t even like us. Ex-TSU’s homecoming is this week. People will go into debt to get stilettos and outfits just to walk around for 2 hours. Tennis shoes and jeans ain’t good enough for us. Proverbs 22:7: 7The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.-We have become slaves to debt.
b. There is a difference between good and bad debt too. Good debt increases in value. Lot’s of people made money off of our debt during the recession by buying houses that we lost for example. We have to look at good debt and bad debt. We have to buy things that will increase in value. You buy a car for $50,000 and it depreciates when you drive off of the lot. How do we set ourselves up for what’s coming up? In the recession we wish we could have cashed some of those experiences in. Good debt is student loans. Tithe off of what you live off of and job that you will get will give you more than enough money to pay off those loans. We have to cut those credit cards up. Going through airport, we have to decline buying those T-shirts. You get in debt and it takes years to get out of it.
II. God shows us how to acquire wealth
a. By working-2 Thessalonians 3:10:10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”- If a man doesn’t work, he shouldn’t eat according to this scripture. Many people lost good jobs during the recession. If you can’t find a job, you are supposed to take your gifts and get your hustle on (legitimate hustle)! Ex-Bishop explains that he sees healthy people on side of road with sign saying they want money for food or what not. He explains that it is a shame, because here is a healthy person on the side of the road that has just given up. He explains he may or may not bless that person with a hand out. The reason is, he explains that at least the person could have a squidgy or something and wash people’s windows. The difference is at least the person with a squidgy is willing to work for the hand out. God will bless you if you at least do something. You got to be doing something to get to something else. Learn to make it happen for you. If you don’t work, you don’t eat. Bishop says the work ethic he has today is largely because of the work ethic placed in him by his father.
b. By Investing-It is important for us, because we shout and holler favor, to have life insurance, wills, and etc… You got to learn how to multiply what God gives you and make wise investments. For example, Rule 72. -The rule says that to find the number of years required to double your money at a given interest rate; you just divide the interest rate into 72. For example, if you want to know how long it will take to double your money at eight percent interest, divide 8 into 72 and get 9 years . Ecclesiastes 11:1-6: 1 Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you.[a] 2 But divide your investments among many places,[b]for you do not know what risks might lie ahead. 3 When clouds are heavy, the rains come down.Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls. 4 Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. 5 Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb,[c] so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. 6 Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both. –
1. Don’t put all your money in same place. Proverbs 22:7: 7The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
2. While you work, try to put back something. You don’t know what is going to happen to your money. Proverbs 22:3-4: 3 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. 4 True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life. – How many had loved ones die without insurance. The people at the church didn’t know if we were grieving or just mad. Proverbs 13:22: 22A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. – Leave an inheritance to your children. You have to leave something on record for this to happen. Our will and everything stating how we want things done when we leave here should be in place. You don’t know what is going to happen from one minute to the next. We could leave here in the next moment. Do you want a government official to tell what is going to happen to your children or your estate? You got to put something back and you have to put it in writing. People even leave diamonds for their church now days. If you can, leave something behind to bless your church too.
c. By Giving-This really challenges us. There are givers and their takers. Luke 6:38: 38Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.-It’s like a person collecting leaves in a plastic bag. It looks full, but when you press the leaves down and shake the bag, you end up with more room. God says he will press it down to give you more room, so he can give more back to you. Give more of what you expect back. If you want more love, give more love. If you want more respect, give more respect. If you want more money, give more money.
d. By saving-Every dollars add up every day over time. Proverbs 21:20: 20There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up -Foolish people just spend money. Many of us struggle in this area, because we don’t save.
We need to save 3 months of income and put it aside for an emergency. What would you do if your tire blows s out? You have to have a budget. Get that brown bag principle and put it in place. Put the money you saved for each expense and a separate bag. When you get ready to going shopping for example, if there is no money in that bag, you can’t go. If you look at that bag marked entertainment and you don’t see much money, then you know you can just go to the movie, but you can’t buy anything. You might have to get creative and by a sprite and put it in your purse or your coat so you don’t have to buy anything. If you have $5 and you stop at Walgreens to get a sprite and some chips. Before you know it you are at $2. You have to put your money in your check. For some of us, if we gave you $50 tonight, you wouldn’t have anything to show for it this time next week. We have to start saving. You have to make your money account for what it does.
III. The Lord guides us to how to use our money
a. God promises to meet our personal needs. Philippians 4:19: 19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. – It is God’s desire to take care of us. Gods wants to do that, because we take care of his work.
b. To carry on God’s work. and scripture. When we talk about tithing, it is take care of God’s work. Our responsibility as Christians according to Mark 16:15 is to take the gospel in all the world. Mark 16:15: 15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. We have to have a passion in investing in that which changes the life of God’s people. The world invests millions of dollars to get their message out. They will spend 3 million dollars on a 30sec add so that you will drink more Bud Light. They will spend millions to get our children to wear certain things. We have to invest in the Kingdom like the world does so we can get the message out. We have to try and tell people that they don’t have to live like they do. God has a better plan for them. Truthfully, you have to think about your goal.
c. For God given goals. Our goals hold us accountable. Ex- In 3 years we want to be out of our apartment and in to a house. We want something to show for the money going through our hands. Our friends come over and ask us if we want to go on this road trip. We are facing a decision at this point. Do we want the road trip or do we want the house? At this point, the house is holding us accountable to our goal. Our decisions are prompted by our goals.
IV. God used money to accomplish a purpose
a. To train us. Samuel 2:6: 6The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. -God takes us thru extremes to see where our discipline is and see if we will be consistent.
b. To test us. Deuteronomy 8:11-18: 11 “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. 12 For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, 13 and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! 14 Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. 15 Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! 16 He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. 17 He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ 18 Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.- God made blessings out of stuff that we didn’t know was going to bless us. He was trying to do us good in our latter end. We sit up and talk about our skills (verses 17-18). God says, but we better remember that it was the Lord God that gave us this wealth. We don’t have anything unless God gives us the skill or power.
c. For our testimony-2 Corinthians 9:6-12 (MSG): 6 -7Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving. 8 -11God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out. This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God. 12 -15Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone. Meanwhile, moved by the extravagance of God in your lives, they’ll respond by praying for you in passionate intercession for whatever you need. Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough! – The King James Version says God ministers seed to the sower. God gives us for a purpose. It is so we can be a blessing. When God blesses us, we should give praise to him. Every time God blesses us, we must be a blessing. When we tell God thank you, he turns around and says you are welcome.
This message tonight was simple. God wants to multiply, provide, and give seed for an assignment. You can blow it or do what he meant for you to do and that’s what multiplies it. We must be good stewards of our blessings.