How will your story end Part III

How will your story end Part III
“Miracle in the making”
Synopsis of Sermon 06/21/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
Text: 1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. 2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. 3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. Mark 2:1-4 (KJV)
A Christian needs to know and understand this one principle. Whatever happens in our life, we have to know that God has the ability to position us for miracles. Regardless of the obstacles and statistics, no matter what you are going through, you must know God navigates our lives through a series of events connecting us with the right people of the right season, in order to bring to pass, an awesome change. This is why it is important for us to realize that God is always up to something. No matter how bad it looks, remember that God is up to something. Nothing just happens, there is always destiny tied to whatever happens in your life. Regardless of your situation, you must remember that you are truly on God’s radar. It is also important for you to know that you have not gone unnoticed.

Here there is a man in our text that has a condition called palsy. Now what is palsy? It is literally an abbreviation for paralysis. It involves a reduction in the use of physical parts of the body. It is a reduction of motion where certain parts of the body do not move as they should. As a result of this one loses sensation because of months or years of lack of use. There are many of us even today, who experience spiritual palsy. There are areas of our life that are not progressing or moving as they should and lots of times apathy sets in we lose a sense of sensation about them and we wonder if we are ever going to move again. Well there is news. There is a miracle in the making. Don’t allow your prognoses to define your destiny, but know that God will position you for the greatest season of your life. Stop listening to Nay Sayers. Get the negative people out of your life, and trust God in this season.

Here is the crux of this message. Everything that has happened in your life up until this point has been necessary to position you and allow you to experience the greatest manifestation of God’s power like you have never seen before. Stop worrying, stop whining, and stop tripping. There is a miracle in the making. You can look at your circumstances and get depressed if you want, but somebody knows that it though it may be rough, they realize they are in the perfect place for a miracle to break out in their life.

In the text, the bible declares that Jesus had returned to Capernaum. The first time Jesus went to Capernaum, his popularity was great because of the miracles that he had performed. Now he was returning a second time, which is why the bible says he returned is to Capernaum. His fame is so powerful, that multitudes gathered and mobs followed him. They knew he was able to give them what they needed. They knew that he is able to perform miracles, so they followed him. The bible says they are now in the house. Jesus is in the house and we are not sure whose house, but we believe it is that of Mary. Now Jesus is in the house and the multitudes have gathered there also along with the skeptics and the scribes.

Here is a man whose condition has caused him to be laid on the bed or bed ridden. Four friends have recognized that Jesus was in the house. The bible declares that they picked him up. This is why it says he was borne by four in verse 3. They picked him up and came to the house where Jesus was. If his life is going to change, he has to get where Jesus is. They came to the house and line was outside the door and they were unable to get in. Rather than become discouraged, they may have went to the windows, but it was customary for people to even sit in the windows in those days. Rather than to give up on the man they were so committed to helping him get his breakthrough, they decided to break protocol. They decided to take the roof off and lower the man down at the foot of Jesus.
I. Connect with people with Radical faith
1. You need folk with radical faith. We need people that are not easily swayed. We need people in our lives that have a Caleb spirit and are willing stand alone trying to reach a breakthrough if they have to. They will stand up in the minority and say “yes we can”

2. The scripture says it was noisy. : 1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. We really wonder why it was so noisy and who was making the noise. If you want to know who the noisy people are in church, you will be happy to know that it is the benefactors of what Jesus has done in their life. In the scripture they were noisy because they remembered all that Jesus had done when Jesus was in Capernaum before. Guess who is in the house. If you are quiet it might be because Jesus has never done anything for you. We remember what Psalms 10 says. We understand what it means when it says let the redeemed of the Lord say so. If it had not been for the Lord who is on our side, where would we be? People may want you to be quiet, but you can’t. You have to tell what the Lord has done for you. Tell people this is not a quit pew.
3. Jesus had been teaching in the house. You have got to understand the power of the word of God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of God. Some people wonder who is in the church and who is not. Remember we are not here for anybody else. You need to worry if Jesus is in the house. Where Jesus is, there is break through. Where Jesus is, there is healing. Where Jesus is, there is financial breakthroughs.
4. The friends see Jesus in the house and they want to get their friend in there to him. The friends get creative. They were willing to raise the roof to get the breakthrough that they want.
5. The friends possessed:
a. Thoughtfulness. 17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Prov 17:17 (KJV)-This man could represent the next generation. You need some thoughtful people that are willing to help you get to your breakthrough.
b. They understood the power of teamwork. 9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Eccl 4:8-9 (KJV)-If the man with palsy is laying on the cot and held by four men, then there is power in everyman on every corner. If one man loses control of his corner, he could jeopardize the man’s well being and the potential for his breakthrough. This is the same in our lives. If you do not hold up your end and your responsibility, you could jeopardize your whole community.
c. They had Tenacity-Their friends made up in their mind to get their friend to Jesus. We need folk in our lives that are working to help make it happen for you. You have to be connected to the right people in your life. How can two walk together unless they agree?
II. Conflict with Religious folk
1. There is no way that you will not run into people that have conflict with what Jesus is trying to do in your life.
2. The text suggests that the scribes were in house. They could not understand what Jesus was about to do, because they operated in reason. Verses 6-7are actually responding to verse 5. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? Mark 2:5-7 (KJV) What you have are religious teachers that have not received Jesus Christ. People that are logical based have a hard time receiving spiritual things.
3. You will always have people trying to find flaws in what you are doing. The enemy knows you are about to make it to your break through and this is the last time he has to take you out. Because of the attacks they are receiving, some people ought to feel like they are about to enter the greatest season of their life.
III. Celebrate the release of favor
* Under the anointing of God, Bishop explains that God says he is about to release favor into our lives.
1. When God gets ready to release your blessing to you, you have to be able to receive it. 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. Mark 2:9-11 (KJV). In the scripture, Jesus tells the man with palsy, so that they might understand who they were dealing with, take up his bed and go home. This man’s condition is palsy which really is an abbreviation of paralyses. This means he has limited or no control of his muscle motion.
2. The culture in that day was when someone got palsy or any serious condition; it was a result of someone’s sin. They believed when one sinned, things like this would happen. This is the reason that Jesus said that the man’s sins were forgiven. Jesus healed him and forgave his sin. What good would the man be healed and still guilty of sin in this culture?
3. When Jesus forgave the man’s sin, he reversed every curse in him. Every label that was placed on the man, because of his disease was removed. Just like this, Jesus wants to break the curses that are found within us.
4. Everything that has happened to you was leading up for the greatest manifestation of blessings in your life. If you look back at verse 10, Jesus says to the scribes, that they might know who he is and then turned to the man with palsy and healed him that he might make a believer out of them all. 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) Mark 2:10 (KJV)
5. God gave the man a commandment somewhere between verse 10 and 11 and something happened. 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. Mark 2:11 (KJV). He told the guy to walk when he had never walked before. To really understand this, you have to know that when your muscles are not used over a period of time, they deteriorate making it impossible to use them ever.
6. Because the muscles should have deteriorated, why did man with palsy think he could walk when he was told to take up his bed? It was because of God’s word. God can put strength where there is no strength.
7. The man with palsy immediately took up his bed. Remember, 4 men took him up on the roof and now he takes his bed himself. He needed help getting there, but no help leaving. The bible says obedience is better than sacrifice. Bishop explains that he believes in some instances, God allows delayed obedience, just to make a point. Going back to verse 12 again, we see that the man walked before them all before he left. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. Mark 2:12 (KJV)-This was delayed obedience, because the Lord told him to take up his bed and go home, not walk around in front of everyone. There is no harm in walking around showing off what God has done for you. There is nothing wrong with sending a card to your enemy thanking them for setting you up for your blessing. There is nothing wrong with sending a card to your enemy and thanking them for making you a better person. They shouldn’t have messed with us, because God was not through with us yet.
8. In verse 12 everyone was amazed that the man got up & walked. Even the enemies had to raise their hands as if to surrender in worship. Let’s take a look at a translation for verse 12. We have seen some stuff but we have never seen it in this fashion. What God did and is going to do in your life, some people have never seen before. You are a miracle in the making.

How will your story end Part II, Sermon 06/15/09

How will your story end Part II
“How to get through”
Synopsis of sermon 06/15/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker
Text 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 2 Cor 4:8-10 (KJV)
God has given us the wardrobe of worship. One of the tricks of the enemy is to make you think you won’t come out of what you are in. When you are a child of God, no matter how bad an experience you have, you realize the hand of God is on your life. If God allows it, you have to know it has come to bless you. If God is in it, we know we will come out of it. If it hasn’t killed you yet, you must know that it must be there to bless you. How you go thru your dilemma has a direct effect on how you come out of it.
Throughout the word of God, we find people that experienced insurmountable situations, yet they made it out of them. This serves as evidence that God can bring us out of whatever situation we might find ourselves in. Know that you can get through this. You may have wounds and battle scars, but at end, you will thank God for the journey.
Paul continues to speak to the church at Corinth about their spiritual maturity. Paul kept telling this church that it was important how a Christian responds during their time of trouble. You have to make up in your mind that even though you may be going through difficult times, you will get through this.
I. Resolve to endure the trail
1. You can’t control what happens in your life. This is why we pray the prayer, Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. In this prayer, you are saying God is sovereign and that what God allows to happen must be for a reason.
2. There is a benefit for your pain. Paul says in verse 8 of the text : 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; In verse 10 he says 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. Simply put, this means the Christianity we proclaim ought to manifest in our life. Not so much when things are going well, but when the bottom falls out. Our relationship with Jesus ought to show even when our way seems rough.
3. When we are going through, our relationship with Jesus ought to show:
4. The benefit of the trial will produce character in us. Character is behavior on display. Many of us are what we are based off of what we have gone through. Sometimes God says he will live you in the trial because he wants to know what you will say you say, where you will stand, and will you continue to sow Will you whine or complain or represent him the way you are supposed. What will you say when you go thru your trial?
a. Where will you stand? Is there stability still in your life while you are going through what you are going through? Are you still speaking words that edify God?
b. Will you continue to sow? Will you still give of your money and of your time while you are going through? When our commitment is right, it is exposed in the midst of our trials.
5. Rather than looking like what we are going thru, we are supposed to look like what we are going to. We are not going to let the Devil see us with our head down. There are people around you every day that has been through all kind of hell, but you would never know because they don’t look like what they are going thru. Let the poor say I am rich and the sick say I am well.
14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day. 15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. 16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes. 17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. 18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: 19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. 21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. Lam 3:14-24 (KJV)-Jeremiah wrote in this scripture that he was messed up and depressed in front of the other people. He says he was filled with bitterness and he felt like his life was over. He states he had forgotten the blessings that God had given to him. In verse 19, Jeremiah says he remembered what he went thru and all the misery he had encountered. In verse 20, he says though he remembered what he had gone through; he was humbled by the process. In verse 21, Jeremiah comes to his senses and says he remembered the Lord’s mercies which are new every day. Finally in verse 24, he realizes the Lord is his portion and therefore he had no choice but to believe in God. Remember, we have to always look like what we are believing God for. You have to resolve to endure the trial.
II. Revelation of escaping the tomb
1. The tomb represents confinement. You must understand the Christ you preach, must be made manifest in your life. You can’t be a Christian without Christ. When death works in us, it is so we can live. For example, when spiritual leaders go through all types of trials, it is so that others might live. They give us the benefit of what they have learned. This is like Jesus dying so that we might live. Not to put down other faiths, but in our Christian faith, we know our savior lives. If you would check the graves Muhammad and Buddha are still there. This makes our faith (Christianity) amazing. We serve a risen savior.
2. The same power that raised Jesus can raise us up. We as Christians then have no reason to quit. There are no quitters in the body of Christ, only in church. There is no theological frame work you can have for quitting. Some people use the scripture in the bible that says shake dust off your feet when times get hard. 14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Matt 10:14 (KJV)-This scripture only refers to if a person does not want to accept the word of God when you give it to them. It does not mean quit you have a license to quit. Ex-An example of this is when someone doesn’t get the solo in the choir and they try to say maybe it is time for their season to end. Why do we bring the Lord in our mess? Why don’t we just say that they made us mad and we don’t like them and we are quitting? All the teaching we have access to now days and all the things Jesus went through without quitting, who are we to say that we quit? We have the same power that raises Jesus from the dead. Therefore, we have to know that we can get through any dilemma that we may find ourselves in.
3. Paul reaffirms that the same power that raised Jesus up, will raise you up. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 2 Cor 4:11 (KJV). When we come out, it is for the glory of God. God gets no glory if you quit. It is one thing to be persecuted, but another to be thrown away. Some people have been buried by people giving up on you. What they don’t realize is when they buried you, they triggered something in you. When they buried Christ, they put him in a borrowed tomb. Borrowing even implies that you will be giving it back. Even though some people may try to burry you, they will know when God brings out, because you will come out with Gods glory. Just like Jesus Christ, we will rise again from whatever has brought us down.
4. The same authority that raised Jesus up will raise you up. Be careful when you write people off. You never know who God has favored. There are some people reading this right now that are about to enter the best season of their lives.
III. Responsibility to explain your testimony
1. You can’t receive a testimony and not share it. Some people want a testimony without a test. Without the test, you only have the “mony”. 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 2 Cor 4:16 (KJV) We faint not, because of the weariness of our outward man. When you ball your fist up or tell someone that they got one more time to do what they did to you, this is living in your flesh. It is a symptom of your outward man. People think because you love God, you cannot slip back into your flesh, but it does happen. One thing is for sure, you can’t just live in your flesh dealing with church folk.
2. People want to know why you haven’t gone off on somebody because of all you have gone through. It is because when the outward man gets tired, we rely in the inward man that is renewed every day as referenced in verse 16. Ex-Bishop explains that there is no way he can preach 4-5 sermons a Sunday, in his flesh. It is the inward man that makes it possible. If our inward man that sustain us.
3. The word is light. Verse 17 is the climax of our testimony. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 2 Cor 4:17 (KJV). The word is light, but seems heavy to us sometimes. It can seem heavy when you don’t know what is going to happen to your job or where you are going to find the money to pay your mortgage. Those who have gone through similar tragedies have a responsibility to go back and tell the ones that are currently in the same tragedy that the affliction is light. Once you make it to the other side and receive your blessings, you are able to look back at your tragedy and see that it was light. You must help others see that the burden they are going through is lighter than it seems.
4. Troubles don’t last always. Your situation has not come to stay. Be careful of hating on someone who is blessed, because you don’t know what they went through to get what they got. The blessings we receive cost something. We can’t have this glory, without a story. We have to go through it giving glory for the story. You don’t have a clue of what God is sitting you up for. The way your go through your trial, lets God know if he can trust you with your blessings.

How will your story end Part I, Sermon 06/07/09

How will your story end Part I
“Your Destiny Awaits”
Synopsis of 06/07/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
Text-Gen 12:1-3

One of the most important things to God is how we all end up. How does this story play out called life? Whenever God creates us he does so with an intent. There is a biblical law called the Principle of Original Intent. Whatever God does or whatever he creates he does so with the end in mind. This is why God said he is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. He says this because when he starts a thing, he has already ended a thing, while waiting on you start what he has already begun. It is important that the end result of our lives should bring glory to God. The end result is called Destiny or Destination. In other words the path towards destiny is purpose and purpose is in the mind of the creator. The purpose of a thing is defined by the maker of a thing. If we are his creation, he made us and not we ourselves. God will do what he has to do in order to usher or push us to the original intent he had for our lives. Sometimes we are, skewed, off balance, and out of position, but God will navigate circumstances and bring us to a point called now where everything begins to line up and God says it is time for that thing that has begun in our life to come to fruition.

This is a story of Abraham. His life is so powerful it would take an entire year just to preach about Abraham, be we believe that there are some principles found in Abraham’s life that should be applied to our lives. Abraham discovered his blessings were contingent on his obedience. Unless were are willing to do what God wants us to do, the blessing that God has deposited into our lives will never come to fruition. Great things were awaiting Abraham, but he was unaware of these great things that were assigned to his life. Just to look at Abraham, all you would see is a man married to Sarah. You would not see that in him are 3 of the world’s most dominating religions. Out Abraham comes Judaism, out of Abraham comes Christianity, and out of Abraham come the Muslim faith. Inside of one man, all of this is brewing and Abraham is unaware God is about to use him to do great things. Like Abraham, some of us go through life unaware that God is about to do some great things in our life. There may be some that have a sneaky suspicion based on this message being preached that some of the repositioning that has been happening in your life and some of the rearranging that has been going on is Gods way of saying that he has invested too much stuff in us to let that stuff lie dormant. They are suspicious that something is about to happen in their life. You must understand that God is about to stretch some of you like never before. You must understand that God is about to take you into places you never imagined you would go. God is about do exceedingly; abundantly above all you can ask or think. There comes a time where you arrive at a fork in the road and you can declare either you will continue to contribute to your demise or walk in the God given destiny that he has for your life. It may be crazy in your life right now and things might not make sense, but there are some people that will testify that they know that their destiny awaits them.
The issue with many of us is we wonder when God is going to show up. You need to know that you really are not waiting on God, God is waiting on you. We will find out that there are some things about Abraham that we need to take notice of. For one, we have to know that Abraham is a patriarch. There are patriarchs found in scripture often. They are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. A patriarch is a male head of the house. Opposite of that would be a Matriarch. This is the female head of the house. An example of this would be some people’s grandmother or Big Mama. Abraham is about to discover that his Patriarchal line is about to be bigger than his whole house. It is not but your zip code Abraham. What God is about to do is bigger than you see! In the history of the Bible, when people would pray, they would reference all the Patriarchs. Remember they would say things like, I worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they were the patriarchs of that time. Their faith transcended generations. What is it about Abraham that gives us powerful revelation? It was his willingness to be positioned in the right place.
I. Positioned in right place
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: Gen 12:1 (KJV)
1. Now represents a particular period of time. If God is not speaking to you right now then maybe there are some things that need to happen first.
2. Whatever God intends to do in our lives have a lot to do with positioning. You can’t be in purpose and be out of position at the same time. The two go hand and hand. God told Abraham to go out from the place where he was and go to the place where God wanted him to be.
3. In order for to receive what God has for your life, you have to be sensitive and know what a real call is. What does this mean to be called? There are many people claimed to be called to the pulpit for example. This isn’t a play thing. Much responsibility comes with this call. It is not a vocation. You don’t’ choose this, it chooses you. Some people have diluted the credibility of the call (to the pulpit), because they entered for convenience and not commitment. The call is about taking up your cross and denying yourself. The bible says woe be it to him that puts his hand to the gospel plow and looks back. We got too many people that claim they have been called and they end up being more absent than people that have not been called. They say they have been called, yet they have no stability.
4. The Call is not just to pulpit or ordained ministry. Many people have an authentic call upon their life, but we have elevated the call to be a call to the proclamation preaching ministry and people now fell pressured that when God calls them they think maybe God is calling them to preach. Because of this, they get in front of the congregation and make a fool of themselves, because they are out of position. Every call is not a call to preach. You can be called into your particular area of expertise. God could be calling you as a school teacher or a dentist or an attorney.
5. Why would God call you and not call you to the pulpit? It is because he wants the glory not just in the pulpit; he wants his name lifted up in the courthouse, the school house, and the hospital. If you really want to know how called to a their area of expertise, look at what they do ( the environment they work in) Every time some people go to work, they have to realize that they are called, because no one could put up with the hell they are going through, but them. No one could put up with what they put with, unless they are called to it.
6. How does the Lord call us? The bible says and the Lord said unto Abraham in verse one of the text. “The Lord came unto” or” the Lord said unto” or” the Lord spake” is something that is consistent with the Hebrew writings.
a. God calls by his word. Notice it is always by the word. Whenever the Lord calls, it is by his word. God does not allow someone else to call for him. He is God enough to call you himself.
b. He calls us to his will. You will do what his word says do if you have been called. You can’t be out of the will of God and proclaim to be called. Like Jonah, when you are called and out of the will of God, you will cause storms to come into other people’s lives.
c. He calls us to Witness. When God calls things by his word to bring us into his will it is so our witness will be for his glory. Like Abraham, what God is about do is bigger than us. It is not about us. It is about him. The things he does for us will not only bless us, but others.
7. Many of us change our location physically thinking it will solve our problems. Wherever you go, you will be there. Our dilemmas follow us. If we are not positioned in the proper place, we will have the same dilemma wherever we relocate.
8. God will sometimes place you where you are totally dependent on him. God told Abraham to go to a land that he would show him. God takes us out of our place of comfort. God will not give your vision to you without you having the willingness to walk to it. You have to pack up &go where he wants you to go.
9. This decision can’t be made out of emotion. It is out of devotion. You can’t be in will of God when you operate off of emotion. You have to be in devotion meaning that you will be steadfast, unmovable, always abiding in the work of the Lord. This means we will be willing to show up whether people like us or not. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. We are to lean not to your own understanding and in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path.
II. Prosperity tied to God’s Plan
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: Gen 12:2 (KJV)
1. What God does in your life is for his glory. God says I will make in verse 2. In verse 1, if we do (move), we qualify for God’s “I will”. If we do, we walk into what he will do. If we do what we can do, he will do what we can’t do.
2. We have a skewed view of prosperity. People think we are prosperous because of what we drive or have. Prosperity has never been tied to money only. Prosperity funds purpose, the poor, and funds God’s program. Any prosperity you gain that does not operate in these 3 areas is for God’s glory. God only blesses us to be a blessing to others. God assures Abraham that he would change his current reality.
3. When destiny calls you, God will do what he has to do in order to usher you to your destiny. God told Abraham that he would make him a great nation. God will change you to look like where he is taking you to. Sometimes our circumstances don’t look favorable to what God has promised us. You can’t look at your condition. When God makes a promise, his promise will come to pass. You have to understand that you will not always be where you are.
4. God is about to change your immediate future. Some people can look at their situation and think that their situation is going to change in the next 3 to 5 yrs. God will change some things for you so quick, it will blow your mind. God says he is about to change your situation right now! God told Abraham that he was going to make Abraham a great nation. Nation is considered to be plural. Nation is a gathering of people, which means he will make you and those around you great. Ex- Bishop Walker explains being in France last week and noticing that the country announcing President Obama as the American President. Notice one name (the President) represents the whole nation (America or any other country).
5. Remember names were significant in the history of Hebrew text. People were given their names as a potential indicator of their character. Their names were so powerful that they often do not list surnames. They only needed to be referred by one name.
6. God said I am going to make your name great. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold. Prov 22:1 (KJV)-God’s name gives you favor with someone. A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth. Eccl 7:1 (KJV). Ex -”I know you, you are Sister Jones child”. Your good name gives you favor with man. A good name can get you into places (ex-“I am here with the Parker party”). A Great name gives your favor with God. God literally moves your name from noun to verb meaning action. It is not who you are, it is what you can deliver. Ex-There was a great company called Xerox that rose up in the last 20 or 30yrs. Its name became so great, when you go to the competition like Kinko’s, you can ask them to Xerox you a copy. The Xerox (the noun) has now been turned into xerox (the verb). Ex2-Micheal Jordan’s name became so great, you can be watching Coby Bryant do a great move and you will say, “That was a Jordan move”. A great name brings value to a thing. You can put Gucci on a ripped shirt and take it to someone who doesn’t know, and they will pay great money for it.
7. You are the blessing of Abraham. There are people you haven’t met yet that are going to benefit from the blessings that God has given to you.
III. Protection in the Lord’s Promise
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Gen 12:3 (KJV)
1. A Covenant is an agreement. Abraham understands he is a patriarch, over the house, but he doesn’t understand how big the house is until he comes into covenant. Some people get a covering & don’t’ understand that they are responsible for more than just them.
2. God fights your battles. When someone is in covenant with God, you have to speak well of them, because the hand of God is on their life. Mess around and curse them if you want. They don’t have to raise one finger. God fights for them.
3. This is not a seasonal blessing. It will continue generation to generation. God is not trying to just do a right now blessing. God told Abraham that all the families of the earth would be blessed through him. The blessing of God was on Abraham’s life. He has no children and conditions are not favorable, because they were old. The favor of God is on him and in him is greatness. You can’t be scared, you can’t procrastinate, and you can’t just do nothing.
4. There is an anointing on your life. We ask the Lord often, when he will bless us? Verse 1 says now. It will continue generation to generation.
5. Why us? Because God begins a thing with the end in mind. What was the end with Abraham? The devil is after your, because he knows the end or what your destiny is going to be. This is why the Devil is trying to frustrate you from your destiny. This takes out the end result.
6. What was God trying to end in Abraham? Matthew comes after 100 yrs of silence from God. The devil was trying to stop Abraham from: 2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; Matt 1:2-12 (KJV).
7. Satan thought he could stop Abrahams blessing at verse 11. They were in captivity at this time, but remember if God be for you, he is more than the word against you, because while in captivity, 13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. The conditions were not favorable, because Mary was a virgin, but an angel said that there was favor on her womb. Inside her was Jesus. Jesus was born and they took him to Calvary. Once again, the devil thought he would stop Abraham’s blessing, but Jesus defeated death. This why the devil is trying to kill you. There is too much inside of you. There are too many dreams and too many blessings. We are the blessing of Abraham.
Prophecy for your life
1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. 6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. 8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways. 10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee. 11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee. 12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. 13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: Deut 28:1-13 (KJV)

Even Me, Sermon 05/17/09

Even me
Synopsis of Sermon 5/17/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
Text
46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. 50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. Mark 10:46-52 (KJV)
It doesn’t matter what kind of title you have or what kind of predicament you may find yourself in. God always has time for you. God is concerned about those who feel left out. When God responds to us during the season of feeling left out, it can generate the response “even me”. As busy as God is, to know that he took time out of his busy schedule to take care of us can literally blow our minds. Has God ever blown your mind? Lots of us have learned not to take God for granted. Every time we wake up and God gives us another day, we are thankful and don’t take it for granted. It is often hard to comprehend this goodness that God displays.
In the text we discover a story about man named blind Bartimaeus. There were large crowds of people following Jesus, yet he had time to stop for one person specifically. That person was blind Bartimaeus. Jesus is aware of your needs in the midst of everything else that is going on. You can be in need and others might not pick up on it, but God knows all of your needs. God is about to give you the greatest turn around in your life. This is the season of the rejected. Because of your faith and ability to endure, you are on the verge of the greatest breakthrough of your life.
There are Lessons that we can learn from blind Bartimaeus:
I. Captive of his condition
1. Blind Bartimaeus is blind. This blindness is a condition. He has never seen the sun or stars in the sky. There are some speculations on how Bartimaeus became blind. There are some things that we can look at that may have caused his blindness.
a. Perhaps he has cataracts (blockage in the eyes). Without treatment, cataracts can progress until you eventually can’t see. This poses a question for us. What is blocking you from seeing? It could be relationships, friends, work and many other things.
b. It could have been glaucoma which is unrelieved pressure in the eye that causes blindness. Some people can’t see God, because they are under too much pressure. It might not look they are under pressure, because they always show up for church and other related functions. The truth is most of can testify that even though you show up, it is hard to see when you are under pressure.
c. Maybe it was a Traumatic Experience. Many people have suffered brain damage caused by traumatic experiences that happened early in life which led to blindness. Traumatic experiences can cause you not to see what you are supposed to see.
d. Perhaps he was just blind. The reason can’t be pin pointed. He simply couldn’t see. Just like this, there are those that don’t why, but they just know they can see what God wants them to see.
2. No matter what your issue is, we plan for you to leave this document here today, seeing! What the blind man has is Lack of vision and the bible says where there is a lack of vision, the people perish.
Without Vision, we lack:
a. Proper perspective- now you can’t see clearly what God is doing in your situation. Then you allow people to define your situation for you.
b. Can’t process information correctly. Now our perspective is off. You can’t process information correctly and as a result you lose sight of our possibility.
c. Lose sight of possibility. Without vision, we only see our right now and not our not yet. When you vision is right, you see yourself healed and you see yourself delivered. You don’t live in your right now, you live in your not yet.
3. Bartimaeus’ condition right now is the fact that he is blind. He has become captive to his condition. He has become a victim that is begging on side of the road. He is depending on other people to take care of him. He is living beneath his potential.
Notice his:
a. Posture-Just because you are blind, it doesn’t mean something is wrong with your legs. Bartimaeus is sitting on the side of the highway. He has become comfortable in a jacked up situation. No matter how bad your crisis, don’t become comfortable in it. Something should rise up in you and say, “I can’t become comfortable here!” You can’t stay there too long.
b. Placement-What is interesting about his placement is he is on the side of the highway. He is at a position where there is constant traffic. People are constantly passing him by. This is how you become captive to your condition. Blindness has caused you not to see and now you have become comfortable not seeing life clearly. Life passes you by while you are sitting on your blessed assurance waiting for someone to hook you up. Everyone is pursuing dreams and you are still sitting around. If you stay here you will end up in a pitiful predicament.
c. Pitiful predicament-the blind mind is found in this pitiful predicament as a result of sitting. Now he is begging, waiting for someone to feel sorry for him. This is not the season to be having a pity party. Everybody is going through something and you are going to have to make a shift and start reaching for something greater. You ought to declare that this will be your last time in the captive position in this messed up place.
4. Bartimaeus is now blind and we don’t know why. He could have had the things we named previously that could have caused his blindness. On the other hand we know he is on the side of the road sitting. He is comfortable and he’s allowing people to pass him by and he is in a pitiful place. The issue is he heard Jesus was passing by. The people were trying to keep him from crying out to Jesus. We can take comfort in knowing the Lord always has compassion for us even in the midst of criticism.
II. Compassion in the midst of criticism
1. The more they told the blind man to shut up the more he talked 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
2. It is one thing to go through life depending on people, but when you are let down by people, you put them in a position to disappoint you. Stop putting people in place where they weren’t ordained to be. We should be leaning and depending on God.
3. He has become vocal. The man heard Jesus was passing by. Interestingly, he was blind, but he heard Jesus coming by. It’s amazing that when you lose one sense, another sense intensifies. The blind man can’t see, but his hearing has become greater. It is interesting to know when you go through a season of blindness; you will hear God like never before. Sometimes God won’t let you see, so you can hear him better. Why does he do this? It is because faith comes by hearing. The devil doesn’t want you to hear, because he knows you will do something about your situation. He knows if you hear that you can do all things that strengthens me or in all things you are more than a conquer or weeping might endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning or that thing God has formed in you, he shall perform… or no weapons that is formed against you shall prosper, something is bound to happen. Satan does not want you to hear.
4. When you hear the God’s word your focus shifts. No longer are you dependant on people on the side of the road. He heard Jesus was coming and he was expecting Jesus to provide for him. When a child of God hears a word, the focus shifts.
5. He began to cry out or pray “Jesus have mercy on me”. The more the blind man cried out, the more people tried to shut him up. You can’t be cute with this kind of prayer. When you need a break through, you don’t have time to be cute. You don’t have to impress anybody, because you are trying to get God’s attention. Don’t’ let people discourage you and make you sit down. You are trying to get God’s attention. Sometimes you got to get ugly when you pray. Remember you are trying to get a breakthrough.
6. They began to vilify him. 48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. Don’t allow people in crowd prevent you from getting what you need. There are silent haters. Everyone in church doesn’t have the same agenda. Some people have an issue with you getting your breakthrough. You got to get beyond carnal cliques in church and get to God anyhow.
7. The more they rejected the blind man, the more he cried out to Jesus. You keep pressing your way through until you get your breakthrough. Somebody needs to declare “I am still going to get my harvest like a good soldier!”
8. Blind Bartimaeus is on the side of road but he is saying “Lord have mercy on me” or “even me.” “I know I am not on your schedule nor do I have a position or title, but even me.” In verse 47-48 of the text we see many people told Bartimaeus to shut up. In verse 49 the bible says Jesus stood still. In other words the man’s prayer got Jesus’ attention. Something about your prayer ought to make Jesus stand still. Jesus commanded that the man that was praying, be called to him. They called the blind man. The real issue is the word “they”. In fact just conjugate the words them and they. It is always them that are talking about you. It was them and they that told you that you weren’t going to be anything. It was the same them and they that talked about Bartimaeus and tried to get him to shut up, yet Jesus made them go and get the blind man. Jesus will make your enemy your foot stool. He will make your enemies bless you. Jesus will let them that talked about you turn around and go get you and bring you to him. If you keep pressing your way, your breakthrough will come.
9. We know that the blind man’s issue is he is blind. His posture was bad and we know it was one of his first problems. He was comfortable in his issue. Jesus told the man to rise. Jesus says before he can deal with your issue, he needs you to get your but up and rise. He can’t help you until you help yourself. You are going to have to do something for yourself. You are going to have to get up out of that crazy place, or that mess, or even that crazy relationship you are in. There are some things you can do for yourself. Get up!
Now we see Jesus changes the blind man’s circumstance.
III. Changed his circumstances
1. This man comes to Jesus vilified. Now Jesus vindicates him. God will vindicate you, when people vilify you.
2. In verse 50, Bartimaeus took off his clothes of begging. He took off the stuff of his past. This represents him taking of the old state of his shame. 50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
3. In verse 51, Jesus said to him “what do you want me to do?” 51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
4. In verse 52, Jesus told him to go away and be whole. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. Immediately Bartimaeus received his sight. Jesus told him to go away, because His faith made him whole. You can’t have an encounter with Jesus and leave the same way you came. There is victory in your future. When God changes your life, there will be evidence in how he did it. Because you have faith, you have the power. Because you have endured and because you had the faith, it won’t’ take long for this to happen.
5. God said immediately! Immediately this breakthrough is going to come. You have been living beneath your potential too long. You have been on the side of road too long. The bible says he followed Jesus in the way. This is how you know a person really has been changed. You will no longer follow people when you have been changed. Now you will follow after Jesus, because he is the best thing that could have happened to you. We are tied up and tangled up in Jesus. Some people want to know why people get up so early or travel so far to just to get to Jesus. They don’t realize how blind you were before. Jesus touched you and now you see like never before. God is Adam’s redeemer, he’s Abraham’s sacrifice, he’s Noah’s ark, and he’s Moses bush on fire. Ask your neighbor do you know him? He’s Joshua’s battle axe, he’s Samson’s power, he’s David’s music, he’s Solomon’s wisdom, and he’s Jeremiah’s fire that keeps on burning. He is Ezekiel’s wheel that keeps on turning and grandmother’s bridge over trouble water and shelter in the time of the storm. He is a mind regulator and a company keeper, a body healer, shoes on our feet, clothes on my back, and food on our table. Does anybody know him?
6. We are going to follow Jesus anyway. We don’t know what caused your blindness, but we know God is about to move everything out of your way that is preventing you from seeing him like you are supposed to see him. It doesn’t matter what you’ve been through or how long you’ve been on the side of the road. Jesus has the power to turn everything around immediately. You been looking for a blessing and it seems it just won’t come, but remember the Devil is a liar and a deceiver. God is not through with you yet. He will deliver. He is not through blessing you!