a thought for today!

A Thought for Today!

We are not born with a belief system!

If you were born in Russia you are likely to be a communist or even an atheists or born in Britain or America?

What of if you were born in Africa?

you will have a different set of values

What if what you learnt is wrong?

E v e r y t h i n g w e know about God and faith in God we learnt! You could live through life and not know, that's why we should never be dogmatic

THE SPIRIT OF TRUTHMost of what we learnt is f a c t b u t t h e r e i s a difference between fact and truth.

T h e r e i s a d i f f e r e n c e between truth and fact

He is the Spirit of Reality

John 15:26

26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father,

even the Spirit of truth , wh ich proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Things not Seen are Real!

2 Corinthians 4:18

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen

are temporal; but the things which are n o t s e e n a r e eternal.

What of if your faith is wrongly applied?

Romans 5:1-11

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

A Sobering Question????????

I s w h a t you know the truth? I s w h a t y o u h e a r d a n d believed correct?

We have issuesUNTIL YOU MAKE A deep EMOTIONAL CONNECTION with

SOMETHING YOU DONT MAKE THE

COMMITMENT

This explains why people are not committed.

I Sought for a Man Ezekiel 22:30

E v e r y t im e Go d looks for a man in scripture and history

Ne h em i a h , D a n i e l M o s e s &

Jesus

William Wilberforce Churchill, Martin Luther king

Al Qaeda & Terrorism

PB S ' FRONTLINE 's “ T he Man Who Knew,” chronicles John O'Neill's story -- a story that embraces the clash of personalities, politics and i n t e l l i g e n c e , o f f e r i n g important insights into both the successes and failures of Am e r i ca' s f i g h t ag a i n s t terrorism

The Man Who Knew!John O'Neill had run up against this FBI culture; h i s co unter te r ro r i sm e f f o r t s d i r e c t l y threatened the dominance of the group who held sway over the bureau - the criminal division.

The Man Who Knew!O 'Ne i l l a l s o fo u g ht to improve the FBI's resources and capabilities to fight the

new terrorism, arguing for a plan that r e p r e s e n t e d a seismic shift in the way the FBI had always operated.

Colonel John Boyd, US Air Force, retired.

Boyd used to ask a now f am o u s q u e s t i o n t o military officers assigned t o h i s o f f i c e i n t h e

Pentagon, "Do you w a n t t o d o something, or be somebody"?

Colonel John Boyd, US Air Force, retired.The implied message is if you really try to do it better, you will buck the system, and your career will suffer.

OíNeill chose to do something, and was driven out of the F B I . T h e i r o n y i s overwhelming.

"What Comes Before Vision"- Bill Hybels

We usually teach leaders and organ izat ions to

begin with a Vision but v i s i o n m u s t c o m e f r o m somewhere and we say is from God but its not quite that simple.

Vision Comes....W h e n w e a l l o w God to use the d i s content t hat resides in all of us w h e n w e s e e something we know is not right and we feel compelled to address.

Vision is Birthed!Then we can give birth to that vision from God

It's something you can't walk away from, something y o u w i l l b e willing to die for

Billy Graham 60 years of Ministry!

We usually start w i t h v is ion but someth ing mus t come before vision like Billy Graham for 60 years, what is it that starts this vision in God

Distractions & GodMost of us our lives are full of d i s t r a c t i o n s a n d w e a r e committed to meeting these distractions because of our emotional connections to them than we are to God

"Duty makes us do things well, but love make s u s do t hem beaut ifu lly. " — Z ig Ziglar

God says to us.....Give me a tenth of your increase and I would sanctify the rest and even multiply it as if you gave me 100%

Give a seventh of your time and I will make you so productive l ike you have more tome than anyone else on earth.

But do We?We decide we are not in a position to give him that w i thout real iz ing th is causes all we have not to come under His care and his blessing and protection.

We become vulnerable and a prey or the d e v i l a n d h i s machinations

Jude 1:20-2120 B u t y e , b e l o v e d , building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Jude 24,25"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present your faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever, Amen."

Story - Attila the Accountant

Most of us; Have never seen God from Gods

point of view We Have never known the things God is

passionate about!

WHAT IS GOD PASSIONATE ABOUT?

Souls? Not really! God is

passionate about YOU!

A, SOUL!

Heaven rejoices.....Luke 15:7

7 I say unto you, that

likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

One Person.......Go d i s exc i t e d about one person! Child adult etc

If you won one or 1000 do you think God is excited

It's the Church that is excited about souls or quantity!

One Soul vs. The World

Mark 8:36-37

36 For what shall it profit

a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT God is excited about

Until you become l i ke A t t i l a t h e accountant with an encounter with God. Until we have that emotional connection not emotions, that is the encounter the causes us to experience the love that passeth knowledge

Without an Encounter with God..

We wont be able to see things Gods way or know w h a t t h i n g s a r e

important to God! We won't have the hunger for God & you come back having a passion for the

t h i ng s Go d i s hungry for.

MOST OF US RUN FROM SIN

And we should run f r o m s i n b u t t h e greatest place to be is Gods presence

W h y n o t g o w h e r e s i n cannot go!

Another dimension in God!

This encounter with God is not to take care of us for ever becau se our salvation has taken care o f t h a t b u t a n encounter that will take us to another level in God for such a time as this!

Do You See Where God Wants You To Be?Romans 12:1-2

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not

conformed to this world: but be ye t r a n s f o r m e d b y t h e renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

My Cheese Cake Story

Years of missing out on a great thing

No cheese in cheese cake

30 years of missing out

on Gods best

You will not know until you taste it

When you taste this will you will want to experience it over and over again

The beauty of God is in the eating!

Psalms 34:8

O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

That's my message, my hearts desire and prayer

for you;I have heard you are good. They have told me you are

The bible says you are good. I even believe you are good

N o w I w a n t t o e x p e r i e n c e yo u myself!

Paul's & Peter's progress in God

The way they talk before and how they talk after wards

I know ............ I heard by the hearing of my ears,

I want to know you likewise

I have sang and bragged about you

I don't want to base my life on something one man of God said I want to know you more

Song: MORE OF YOUYOU MAKE MY LIFE SO

BEAUTIFUL,AND AS YOU ARE YOU HAVE MADE ME HERE ON EARTH,THERES

NOTHING GREATER THAN THESE,THATS WHY I LOVE YOU FOREVER MORE.

I WANT MORE YOU 2X JESUS,THE MORE I KNOW YOU,THE MORE I WANT TO KNOW YOU JESUS MORE OF YOU.

We are praying for an encounter which turn Paul

into SaulActs 9:1-6

3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly t here sh ined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

Encountering God To Transform Your Life Abraham: Becoming A Friend With

God. Encounter . . . based on friendship.

On a hot day, God visited Abraham's tent to fellowship with him. Abraham was so intimate with God that even God wouldn't keep a

secret from Abraham.

Jacob: I have Seen God Face To Face. Encounter . . . out of fear.

Jacob wrestled all night with God and wouldn't let Him go. Because of his tenacity, God blessed Jacob and changed his name to Israel,

i.e., Prince with God.

Encountering God To Transform Your Life

Moses: The Servant of God. Encounter . . . out of frustration

God said Moses was the meekest man on the face of the earth, yet Moses boldly asked to see God's glory. When he saw the backside of God, his

face shone for 40 days.

Gideon: A Reluctant Leader. Encounter . . . out of weak self-image.

Gideon was at the bottom of the social ladder and filled with self-doubt when he encountered God. Because of that experience, Gideon was able

to drive the enemy out of his homeland.


Elijah: Hearing God's Small Voice Encounter . . . out of discouragement.

Elijah ran into the desert because Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him. He encountered God, not in mighty force to destroy the evil rule of Jezebel, but

God came to him in a still, small voice to send Elijah back into service.

Isaiah: Prophet for God. Encounter . . . when dreams are destroyed.

Isaiah put his dreams in a king who died, then he saw the Lord. That encounter, changed him forever, and he became God's prophet who wrote one

of the most beautiful books in the Bible.


Jeremiah: Weeping for God. Encounter . . . to be built up for

service. God set Jeremiah apart for ministry from His mother's womb. At age 21 God

encountered to call him to a ministry of rejection and persecution.

Ezekiel: Seeing Visions for God. Encounter . . . for a new calling.

Ezekiel was a priest who was trained for Temple service, but He encountered God in a vision where he saw extraordinary sights. Out of that encounter, he

became a prophet who communicated a vision of Israel's future Temple.


The Woman with the Issue of Blood. Encounter . . .for healing.

A woman thought a slight touch of the hem of Jesus' coat would heal her, but she was encountered by Jesus to learn that it was her faith that made her whole.

Mary Magdalene: Taught by Christ. Encounter . . . to learn spiritual

relationship.

Mary came to the garden to care for a dead corpse. When she saw Jesus, she hung on to His physical feet to renew the love she had for Jesus before the cross.

In an encounter with Christ, she learned that she would relate to Him in "the Spirit" in the future.


Peter: A Backslider Restored. Encounter: . . . to be restored to

service.

Peter denied the Lord through boasting and pride. After breakfast on a beach, Jesus restored him to service and he became a bold preacher on the day of

Pentecost.

Paul: Becoming a Follower of Christ. Encounter . . . to change the mind.

Paul hated Christians, yet encountered Christ on the road to Damascus where his life was transformed. Paul received his commission from this experience.

SONG You Are The Love Of My

Life You are the love of my life

You are the hope I cling to

You mean more than this world to me

I wouldn’t trade you for silver or gold

I wouldn’t trade you for riches untold

You are, you are my everything…

(Repeat Stanza I)


Life I wouldn’t take one

step without you

I could never go on…

I couldn’t live one day without you…

I don’t have the strength

To make it on my own…


Life Chorus

Until the world stops turning

Until the stars fade, from the sky

Until the sun stops rising

I need you in my life and here’s the reason why!

More Of You - Don Moen

More of You and less of me Lord I pray that there might be More of You and less of me More of You and less of me

Lord I pray that there might be More of You and less of me

More Of You - Don Moen

Like a grain of wheat that falls to the earth

And dies to live anew All my plans and earthly

desires I lay them down to follow You

……we need more of You

Gods encounters are not limited to good people

We seem to think that God has encounters w i t h o n l y g o o d people believers etc

Nebuchadnezzar & his encounters with God to turn him

Gods encounters are not limited to good people

Daniel 3:28-30

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and

said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

Gods encounters are not limited to good

Daniel 3:28-30

29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language,

which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

GOD ALWAYS WANTS TO DEMONSTRATE HIS SPIRIT &

HIS POWER1 Corinthians 2:1-5

4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing

words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

ITS NEVER BY OUR POWER OR OUR MIGHT

Zechariah 4:6-7

6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

The Example of King Ahab's Sin and RepentanceThis scriptural passage is most instructive because it shows that when a person chooses to repent, even one as wicked as Ahab, God will honor that repentance. After the days of Ahab, God also honored the repentance of Manasseh, one of the most wicked kings of Judah, and

restored him to his throne (2 Chronicles 33:1-13).

The Example of King Ahab's Sin and RepentanceYour, president, senate even Your Prime Minister, Your council, Your Boss there is ONE GREATER who can give an encounter.

They will change l i ke A h a b w h e n Gods encounters happen

On the way..... The lord met me..

Exodus 4:24

24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him.

2 Kings 19:32-33

33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord.-the king of Assyria,

MEET US FATHER & THOSE THINGS THAT STAND IN OUR

WAYRobert M. Tobias, Man Who Sued Clinton

Prior to his work at American University, he served thirty-one years with the National Treasury Employees Union and as its president in 1983–99. - To what end was I fighting against. Now i have to fight for the good of others

Mother Theresa said I do not march against war anything but I will march for peace

He had an encounter, A paradigm ShiftWE NEED A PARADIGM SHIFT IN OUR LIVES

WE NEED A PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE CHURCH

WE NEED A PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE GOVERNMENT

A PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE PEOPLE NOT EVEN LIKE AMERICANS OR BRITISH BUT TO THINK GODS

THOUGHTS AFTER HIM

EVERY ONE NEEDS AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD GOOD BAD & the ugly

We are losing Hope in this Land

Proverbs 13:12

12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when t h e d e s i r e cometh, it is a tree of life.

We are losing Hope in this Land

18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to l i e , w e m i g ht h av e a s t r o ng consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

LORD RESTORE OUR HOPE

A anchor goes through water to the sea bed so does our hope goes through the unsteadiness of our government and our and to stand solidly in God.

BRING BACK THAT HOPE THAT LIGHT THAT MADE US COME TO CHURCH AND PRAY & do our best

Lord restore our hope, the anchor of our souls!That hope that made us give and work hard and today even good men have given themselves to evil cause have lost hope

1 Corinthians 13:13

13 But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Hope AgainHebrews 11:1

1 Now faith is the s u b s t a n c e o f things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

WE MUST HOPE AGAIN

Works through Love

Galatians 5:6

6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor unc i rcumcis ion; but faith which worketh by love.

ITS FOR THOSE WHO KNOW HIM

Its those who Know!

Daniel 11:32

32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the

people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. ITS NOT THOSE WHO DO OR THOSE WHO ARE STRONG ITS THOSE WHO KNOW!

Who have an encounter with Him!FATHER HELP US AS A NATION AND AS A CHURCH HELP US TO KNOW YOU & HAVE AN ENCOUNTER WITH YOU

P R AY E R - G O D L E T N I G E R I A E N G L A N D A M E R I C A K N O W YO U AGAIN

Creativity & Innovation!

It will not be a t e s t i m o n y o f co nt r act s and h e l p b u t a t e s t i m o n y o f CREATIVITY & INNOVATION - A cure for malaria etc

Final Story!!!!THE WOMAN AT THE WELL

Her encounter with Jesus is a descr ipt ion of our journey right now in God!

THE WOMAN AT THE WELL

John 4:5-7

5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that

Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water:

Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

THE WALL OF TRADITION

John 4:9-10

9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews

have no dealings with the Samaritans

10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

THE WALLS OF THInking or the MIND

John 4:11-13

11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that

living water?

12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

THE WALL OF GREED & SELFISHNESS

John 4:15

15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this

water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to

draw.

THE WALL OF SIN

John 4:16-17

16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her,

Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

THE WALL OF RELIGION

John 4:19-24

19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet

at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

THE WALL OF RELIGION

John 4:19-24

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the

hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for

the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in

spirit and in truth.

REVELATION @ THE ENCOUNTER

Remember He is the Spirit of Truth where we started from in this talk!

John 4:25-26

25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell

us all things.

26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

SEE HER EVANGELISM

John 4:28-30

28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? 30 Then they went out of the city, and came

unto him.

EVERYONE NEEDS AN ENCOUNTER

John 4:39-42

39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the

saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.

40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them:

and he abode there two days.

EVERYONE NEEDS AN ENCOUNTER

41 And many more believed because of his own word;

42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy

saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of

the world.

DO YOU KNOW?????NO INTERMEDIARY

HEAR FROM JESUS DIRECTLY

when Jesus anoints a man to speak it's Jesus not a denomination

We shall not be satisfied with hearing other people's testimonies

May the testimonies of God begin

Katinas - You're all i want Lyrics

Draw me close to you

Never let me go

I lay it all down again

To hear you say that I'm your friend

You are my desire


No one else will be

Cos no one else can take your place

To feel the warmth of your embrace

Help me find the way

Bring me back to you


chorus

You're all I want

You're all I've ever needed

You're all I want

Help me know you are near

Let's believe God for encounters with God

Don't limit him to service

When Paul was on a horse did he know the encounter had come etc

But believe we have made a demand on heaven

Everyone here must and will have an encounter with you o God!

God bless

a thought for today!

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