Work your faith, Sermon 05/16/10

Posted on May 22, 2010 by growintheword

Work your faith
Synopsis of Sermon 5/16/10
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
Text: Hebrews 11:1 says 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:6 says 6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
All of us have this in common. It is the pursuit of our dreams and our goals. All of us should be after something. This is called destiny. We have it in our view and we understand clearly what it takes to get to it. It takes an incredible amount of faith to believe that it is possible, yet you pursue it because you believe it exists. At the same time we have needs they we have not met. Many today stand in the need of healing, understanding, support, and supernatural intervention. What prevents a lot of these things from happening as it relates to destiny is the needs that we have to have met along the way. Often we are not where we should be not because we are trifling, but because we have some needs that need to be met along the way. It takes a big amount of faith to get to a point where we simple trust God. We have to have faith to believe that it is not only possible, but also that God can provide for us the things that we need along the way. Anyone can tell you that the moment you begin to try and pursue things, the enemy will do everything in his power to try and discourage you and try to make you disillusioned by the problem. When people don’t believe in what you believe you have to reach way down inside you and say “I yet believe, because of my faith”
Faith is so simple, but we seem to complicate faith. The Greek word for faith is 4102. pistis (πίστις) pis’-tis which simply means belief. We throw faith around so carelessly. We think it is something everyone just has automatically. We tell people who don’t read the word and who don’t have word inside them to simply to have faith and we expect them to have it. We tell them everything is going to be alright, but we forget that Romans 10:17 says 17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. – In other words, the only way a person can have faith is by being exposed to revelation. They have to sit under a word that produces faith in their lives. Somebody will tell you that if you have the faith, God has the power. This message is really about moving beyond the lip service of faith and telling people that we believe. We have to go to the next level and learn to work what we believe. There is something that God has given us. It is the ability to work our faith until what we are hoping God for begins to manifest in our lives. Many will tell you if it wasn’t for their faith they would have given up a long time ago. Faith sustains us, keeps us in the race, and keeps us from losing our mind. It is not only important to have faith. We also have to work our faith. Many of us need this word today. To work our faith we need:
I. The right perspective on faith
Hebrews 11:1: 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
1. Faith is active, faith simply is. Faith must be present and current. In other words, it can’t be applied in one area and not applied in another. Our faith is always both active and current. This means you can’t have faith and believe God for a job and then not have the faith to tithe. We can’t have faith that God can get us into school and then not have the faith to know he can cure our cancer. If faith is here, it must be there.
2. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Faith creates a sense of expectancy. This is really what hope is all about. We heard a word that brought about the hope for things that we cannot see. We therefore live in expectation of what God’s word said was possible for our life. In faith, we have walk like it and believe it.
3. Substance of things hoped for. The substance of faith is the word. The word produced the hope. By this we mean we wouldn’t have believed it if the word of God hadn’t told us.
4. It is the evidence of things not seen. Since we hoped for it, and because we don’t see it in the natural, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist in the spirit. We don’t walk by sight, we walk by faith. Now we start making preparations in the spirit based on what we know. We don’t walk around with our head down, because we know what God promised us. This is a twitter-able. “If you believe what he told you in the light, it will work in the dark.
Hebrews 11:2-3 says 2For by it the elders obtained a good report.3Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. – Everything that began did so through the word. Go back to Genesis and you will see that God employed the word. God gave the word a job. God said it and it was. The creative power of the word in back in Genesis, is the same word that exists in you and me today. The devil doesn’t want you to get a word, because you will start hoping, start seeing, and start saying. Once you start saying, it will start manifesting. Even if we don’t see anything right now we open up our mouth and speak those things that be not as though they were! Some of you sit back and keep your mouth closed too much! When we ought to be quiet, we talk and when we ought to talk, we are quiet. Because we have faith, you have to learn to create stuff in the Spirit of God.
5. Faith is active. It can’t be over here and not over there. We can’t doubt God. That is an insult to God. If we believe God can help someone perform brain surgery, then we can’t trip over a headache.
II. Have to be ready to prove our faith.
Hebrews 11:4-5 says 4By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
1. Enoch lived and pleased God and was translated or caught up. In other words, he didn’t experience death. In the words, we see that people had trials and trusted God through their faith. Faith was used to establish a testimony. Faith allows us to be examples and witnesses of God. Your faith is as strong as the test you survive. Ex- Some people may say my house is worth a certain amount. The truth is your house is only worth what people are willing to pay for it. Know that your faith is only as strong as the test you survive.
2. When you go through something, God knows that you are in pursuit of something awesome up the road. You have these challenges, because the devil is trying to block you, so it takes faith for you to get to your destiny. Do you remember Peter? He becomes a defender of the 1st Century Church. He becomes the first Pope. This is the same Peter that denied Christ three times. Early on, Jesus saw this coming. In Luke 22:31 it says 31And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: – Jesus said the devil wants to sift you wheat…In Luke 22:32 it says 32But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. – Jesus says he has prayed for Peter. Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. We must then know that faith is essential.
3. God wants you to outlive what is trying to outlive you. Your testimony ought to be that you desire to hang in there. We have so many people that give up because they don’t have faith. People, who have faith, are inevitably faithful. It is impossible to have to faith without being faithful. Faithful is the ability to believe in the process. People who supervise can tell when their workers have lost faith in the vision of the company. They can tell, because their people start coming to work when they want to come. They have made a shift already. They are already are looking for something else. When we hang in there, we are saying to God that he can still count on us to be here. Our presence is an indicator that we are still faithful and willing to hang in there. It is saying we will be here when the storm is over.
III. Rejoice in the promise of faith.
Hebrews 11:6 says 6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
1. We don’t’ have faith for nothing. We have faith to apply it to something. God has to create a situation for faith to be applied. God doesn’t heal for nothing. He heals for something. If the something didn’t exist, we wouldn’t ever develop the faith. We can’t have more faith in our doubt, than faith in our faith. You can’t be wishy washy with your faith. You can’t have until faith either. You have to trust God even when things are difficult. You have to learn to hold on to your faith regardless to what comes in your life. Without faith is it impossible to please God, because those who come to God must believe that God is. The moment we stop having faith, we doubt the very existence of God. As long as God is, our faith is! The moment we start wavering or the moment there is fear, there is absence of the revelation of God. When we know where God is, we know where our faith is. Whatever you need, God is. If you need a healing, a mercy, or breakthrough, God is! God is a rewarder of those who diligently seeks him, those that won’t let situations detour them, and those that will keep their eye on the prize. These are the one that receive the promises of God. You have to trust God without having a plan B.
2. Faith is not believing he can, because God can whether we believe it or not. Faith is not believing he will, because that is hope. Faith is believing it’s done. Faith says, the moment I was privy to a word, I know God would never give me a word in the natural, that wasn’t settled in the spirit. We are just waiting for what God has already settled in the spirit and we are waiting for it to tinkle down into the natural. Ex-If someone needs $1500 to solve their problem, they would be happy for a check that a stranger writes for them, but more happy after it clears. Once the check is cashed, they develop a sense of gratitude. Faith is rooted in the credibility of the rewarder. When another person that they already trust pulls out their check book, that same person who needed the $1500starts shouting right then They know that this person don’t’ write bad checks. If we know you, we are not going to wait until the check clears. We are going to give God the glory before the check clears. Just like this, when we God is moving, we wait until the check clears. Tension exists in believing God for a thing and it hasn’t shown up yet. Hebrews 11:39-40 says 39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. – God says, your faith has to get to a point that even if God doesn’t do this, you know he’s got that and that is much better than this. In other words, if I don’t get this job, my faith will hang in there, because he is preparing me for that job! If I don’t get this Prince/Princess then he’s got that King/Queen waiting on me! Give God glory for the that he is getting ready to give you. Every time God says no, he’s got something better for you up the road. Real faith says God I trust you in the midst of things that don’t work out the way we want them to. The promise is not based on what you want, but what God wants for our life! Ex- We asked a pew how come people trust them so. People come in and sit all their weight on the pew, but they never look and see if the pew is sturdy. People just flop down and put their whole future on the pew. We asked the question, why do people trust the pew so much? The pew responds, because I held them up last time. We hear the Lord saying, I carried your weight last tim`e, so why do you doubt me this time?

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Mt Zion Spring Trumpet Magazine

Posted on May 21, 2010 by growintheword

Spring%20Trumpet%202010.

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Victory in the Valley, Sermon 05/09/10

Posted on May 13, 2010 by growintheword

Victory in the valley
Synopsis of Sermon 05/09/10
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
Text:
Ezekiel 37:1-10: 1The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, 2And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. 3And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. 4Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 6And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 7So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 8And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. 9Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. 10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
All of us have had experiences that were difficult to explain. Sometimes the answer can be elusive when we are encountering very difficult circumstances. Ultimately, we all come to one place. The place is the position of wanting to come out. It doesn’t matter how difficult it is, all of us can testify that we wonder when this is going to end. This then becomes our consistent prayer. There is something that we believers have to believe in life. It is this, regardless of our situation, regardless to whatever we are experiencing, there are lessons we must learn prior to coming out. God will not give us deliverance until we demonstrate an apprehension of things he wants us to gain while we are in it. So it is good just to go on and go through it, because you can’t get out of it until God says so. What we discover is that God is providently working in it. Romans 8:28 says 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.- We fall short and we find ourselves in messed up situations, but somehow God just works things out for our good. It is not context that defines you. It is your content. It is who you are that defines where you are.
When you look at Ezekiel 37, you see that it is a marvelous revelation. God speaks to the prophet Ezekiel about a situation. God tells him that there are some bones in the valley. This used to be the mighty house of Israel a strong army. What this gives us an insight into how people see themselves. It demonstrates how people see themselves because of circumstances, because of the exile and a variety of other issues. Israel had begun to see themselves as hopeless now, based on what has happened to them. God asks Ezekiel can these bones live. Ezekiel says to God that he is in control and only he knows. In the text God gives Ezekiel a series of things to do to bring possibility and hope to a hopeless situation. God has given this word to somebody today, because many of you would testify that life can change on you in an instant. One moment you can be on the mountain, everything can be going well and the next minute you can be in the valley. Regardless of our circumstances that we can’t control, know that we can control our response to it. We can control how we come out of it. Do we come out as a victim feeling sorry for ourselves or do we come out with the victory realizing that we came out better because of what we went through. Do we come out stronger or wiser? We are going to get the victory in our valley. You have to come out with your head up. Storms are only temporary. Hold on and see what the end is going to be and you will see that God is going to work it out.
I. It is a sad condition
1. Look at it. It is bones in the valley. It is about potential. They were in the valley and in an open place, exposed. In that place the elements can get to them and people can come by and see their circumstances. Just like this, it is one thing to handle things privately, but what do you do when it is in the valley where everyone can see the problem.
2. Scripture says there are many bones in the valley. Ezekiel 37:2 says 2And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. – You might think you are the only one going through but ask others around you and you will find out you aren’t. Many of us are familiar with valley situations.
3. There is a condition going on with the bones in the valley:
a. Dryness- The elements had gotten to the bones. Just like the bones, your motivation has dried up.
b. Distance- Often when we are dried up, it is a result of being distance. With distance the motivation is gone. Like the dry bones in the valley, you lose your motivation.
c. Disconnect- Distance can cause you to get disconnected. We can’t respond to our context like everyone else. We can’t see our context like everyone else sees it. Being spiritual people we must see responsibility when others see hopelessness. Ex-Pluto is the 9th plant from the sun. It is a cold place. In fact nobody talks about it, because it is so far away from sun. Next you have Mercury. It is always hot because it so close the sun. No matter what is going on, Mercury is always hot. Pluto is always cold. Pluto is cold because of its distance. Just like this, you can tell Pluto members, because of their distance from the son. There are Mercury members inside the church too. No matter what is going on, they are always giving God the praise. They are not looking for a hand out. Instead, they are looking for a hand up!

II. Supernatural connection
1. God supernaturally connects things back together. Ezekiel 37:4-6 says 4Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 6And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. – When God is beginning to move in your life it gives the prophetic for the pathetic. You need a prophetic revelation, for your pathetic situation. Most can say they would have lost their mind if it wasn’t for that one word they got. A Prophetic Word moves us from our right now to our not yet. Ex-You got all these notes you have taken from bible study and the sermons and you must know that there will come a time where you will have use all of it to help you prophesy over your situation. The power of life and death is in your tongue. God will restore you and you shall be healed by speaking those things though they be not as though they were. The devil wants to keep you quiet, because he knows if a child of God speaks over their situation things will happen! Learn how to speak over your situation.
2. How does this happen? By Process and position.
a. Process – 6And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.- Sinews are muscle. God says he is going to put muscle over the bones and then cover them with flesh. Finally God says he is going to breathe his breath into the bones. This is called process. In other words God is saying he is going to build us up from the inside out. This will not be a cosmetic cover up. We need God to deal with the sinew. We have pain and stuff we are wrestling with on the inside. What good does it do to build a house and not have a home?
b. Positioning – Old black Baptist Preachers used to really preach this sermon back in the times of old. This sermon of the dry bones is not a topic that has not been preached on before, but there is a deeper revelation. The bones lying in the valley disconnected was once bodies. In the valley you had one bone here and one bone there. This means that each set of bones was disconnected from different bodies. They were not all from the same body. God made the different bones from each different body find its rightful place. Each bone had to reunite with the body it came from. The bones could not be what they are supposed to be, until everyone or every bone got back to its proper place.
III. This is a season of comeback
1. You’ve been in the valley, but you can still make a comeback. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t comeback. The 2nd time will be better than the first. You learned in the valley that God can give you power. The bible says in Ezekiel 37:9-10 9Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. 10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. – When we first saw them, they were bones in the valley. In other words, they were unrealized potential, but in the end we see that they were an exceeding great army.
2. The question we must ask is how do we get these bones back together? Another way to ask it is; through all that has been happening in this season concerning floods, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes and etc… What is God saying to this generation? We have to speak prophetically to this city. Is it enough to just get your house rebuilt and the cars off the street? Will we be good to go if we just do that? What is God saying? In the scripture, the bones came back together.
3. Know that because of God’s mercy, you will get your stuff back, but what is the real issue? Ezekiel 37:8 says 8And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. – God worked on them and they came together, but there was no breath in them. The essence of life is when God gave Adam breath. This is the point where man became a living soul. Paul said that in him (Christ) he lived and moved and had his being. It is not by might or power, but his (God’s) spirit saith the Lord. God is saying you are nothing without him. You can’t make it without God!
4. Why is God having such a difficult time getting this world’s attention? We didn’t do anything to deserve the flood we got the other week. God rains on the just and unjust at the same time. What was God saying though the events of the Hurricane Katrina, the Tsunamis, the Earthquakes, and Volcanic Ash. During the recent flood here in TN, we found out most people didn’t even have flood insurance although now they will have to have it. God is saying he allowed the recession, famines, and all these major events to come so folk can recognize what is most important. It is the stuff money can’t buy that should be important. You get to a point where you say, you are going to trust God in spite of what’s going on around you. God has to shake us a little. When he shakes us he brings us together. Folk that would never speak before are now working together, because God had to shake us. Churches that would never fellowship together are now calling asking what they can do. Lord we thank you for the shaking? Shake us till we walk right! Shake us until we talk right. Shake us until we live right! Shake us until we give right! When you come out of this, you are coming out on your fee and with your hands up. You are coming out a might army! Put your hands on yourself and say you are coming out a might army! This is your season for a comeback. Everything you lost, God is going to restore it! Your valley days are over!

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The 12 Disciples Part II, Bible Study 05/05/10

Posted on May 9, 2010 by growintheword

The 12 Disciples Part II

Synopsis of Bible Study 05/05/10

Delivered by Bishop Walker III

Revisiting the 12 disciples

The 12 Disciples by name

  1. Andrew

  2. Bartholomew (Nathanael)

  3. James (son of Zebedee)

  4. James (the lesser or younger)

  5. John (the son of Thunder, the Revelation)

  6. Judas

  7. Thaddeus (Jude)

  8. Matthew

  9. Peter (Cephas, Rock, Simon)

  10. Phillip

  11. Simon

  12. Thomas (Doubting Thomas) He was a born a twin.

About the Disciples


First we will introduce you to a term called martyrdom. These were people who died for the cause of Jesus. All of the Disciples/Apostles were martyred in one way or another. 

Andrew  

  • He was a fisherman by occupation

  • He was the brother of Peter and the son of Jonahs.

  • He lived in Capernaum.

  • He was a disciple of John the Baptist originally. (Mark 1:1 -18).

  • He brought Peter to Jesus

  • He was condemned to die on the cross.

  • Andrew felt so unworthy to be crucified in the same fashion as Jesus, he requested to be crucified with an X-shaped cross.

  • His Symbol: Two crossed fish in the shape of an X or the X shape

  • Personality trait: Enthusiastic about Christ, Inquisitive, resourceful

  • Life lesson: He felt that we should go out and eagerly share the good news about Jesus Christ


Bartholomew (Nathanael)

  • Occupation was uncertain.

  • He was the son of Talmai.

  • Lived in Cannon Galilee.

  • We think he was a Romanian Missionary.

  • Many scholars think he came from royal blood. His name means son of Talmai. 2 Samuel 3:3 3And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; – Talmai was the king of Geshur whose daughter was Maacah which was the wife of David the Mother of Absalom.

  • Nathanael was really Bartholomew’s first name. ( John 1:47 – Jesus referred to him as Nathanael)

  • He died in India where he preached. He died by being fillet alive with knives.

  • His symbol: 3 parallel knives.

  • Personality traits: Skeptic, honest, and faithful. John 1:49: 49Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

  • Life’s Lesson: Believers are called to test all things scripture and remain true to its principle.


James (son of Zebedee, son of Thunder, James the Elder or James the Great)

  • His Occupation is a fisherman with his father and brother. Matthew 4:18-22 says 18And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.  22And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

  • Brother of the Apostle John. The two were inseparable.

  • He lived in Capernaum.

  • He preached in Judea and Jerusalem. In AD44, he was beheaded by Herod. This task was done in public. Acts 12:1-2: 1Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

  • He was the first of the 12 Disciples to die.

  • His symbol: 3 shells (sign of his pilgrimage by the sea).

  • Personality Trait: Vengeful and fiery, selfish, and conceited. He was committed to Christ and courageous to the end. Acts 12:2: 2And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

    • Also part of Jesus’ inner circle (consisting of Peter, James, and John)


  • Life’s Lesson: Stand firm in the face of persecution. James- son of Zebedee


James (the lesser or younger)

  • Uncertain about his occupation.

  • Brother of Jude.

  • This is the James that wrote the Apostle of James.

  • Strong character and committed.

  •  This James died a horrible death. This James died by being sawed alive into pieces. He was crucified in Egypt.

  • His symbol: A saw.

  • Personality Traits: Strong character, Committed.

  • Life’s Lesson: He believed that all followers of Jesus can accomplish the work of God without being in the limelight.


John (Son of Thunder, The revelator)  

  • He was the son of Zebedee.

  • Brother of James the Great.

  • He was known as the beloved disciple.

  • Occupation: Fisherman

  • He was part of Jesus’ inner circle.

  • He wrote the gospel of John as well as 1, 2, & 3 John. He also wrote Revelation.

  • Asia Minor is where he preached. He was exiled to the aisle. Patmos. He was sent there to die a slow and painful death in exile.

  • He wrote what he saw in a vision after being led by the spirit of the Lord (found in the book of Revelations)

  • He was at the cross with Jesus. ‘

  • He died a natural death. There was an attempt to poison him though.

  • His Symbol: A snake around a cup is his symbol.

  • Personality traits: He was vengeful, fiery, judgmental, selfish, bold, loving, and compassionate after the Pentecost. Acts 4:13. 1 John 4.



Judas

  • He was the treasurer. John 12:5-06: 5Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

  • Son of Simon. He lived in Judah.

  • He betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver and hanged himself after that. Judas became the traitor.

  • He is hard to understand. We wonder if his betrayal was preordained by God or was Judas a demoniac agent. As a demonic agent, we wonder about the suicide? Can one repent from that? As being preordained by God, did God allow this just to execute the plan.

  • Was a violent Jewish Nationalist. He followed Jesus in hopes of promoting his own dreams. He used his position as treasurer often to negotiate.

  • His symbol: A hangman’s noose or money purse with silver coins falling out.

  • Personality Trait: Greedy, deceitful, treacherous, and remorseful.

  • Life’s lesson: He believed that not all who claim to follow Jesus are faithful to him and his foals. Thaddeus (Jude)

  • He was the brother of James the younger.

  • We know very little about him.

  • He lived in Galilee. Assyria and Persia is where he preached.

  • He died in Persia.

  • Jerome called him Trinomious. This means a man with 3 names. Mark 3:18:18And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,- Here he is called Thaddaeus. Matthew 10:3: 3Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; – Here is called Lebbaeus. Luke 6:16: 16And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. – Here he is called Judas.

  • He was characterized as a nationalist.

  • Asked Jesus how he would manifest to the disciples and not the world. He made himself kno n as king rather than servant. – John 14:22-23:22Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

  • Jude was known for manifesting gifts of healing.

  • He died at Ararat-He died by arrows.

  • His symbol:  Ship, because he was a missionary thought to be a fisherman.

  • Personality Traits: Inquisitive, Confused

  • Life’s Lessons: Jesus will reveal truths to those who follow him thasddaus


Mathew

  • He was a Tax collector in Galilee. Matt 9:9- Tax collectors dealt with public money. Most people didn’t like them.

  • Lived in Capernaum.

  • He wrote the book of Matthew.

  • He died in Ethiopia

  • Jews hated tax collectors.

  • He was the first one to bring them the gospel in the Hebrew language so that they could understand it.

  • His symbol: 3 money bags (this was to remind us Matthew was a tax collector before being called to be a Disciple)

  • We don’t know how he died. We know he died and was martyred, but we don’t know how. They think he might have been cut open and burned at the stake, but we are not sure.

  • Personality Trait: Hospitable.

  • Life’s Lesson:  Jesus Christ is for everyone even sinners and outcasts.


Peter (Cephas, Rock, Simon)

  • He was as fisherman

  • He was the son of Jonahs from Capernaum.

  • He did evangelistic work among the Jews. He was crucified upside down. He asked to be turned upside down, because he didn’t think he was worthy to be crucified in the same manner as his savior. He was part of inner circle.

  • It is believed that he wrote 1 & 2 Peter.

  • Jesus called him Simon. He was like the chairman of the disciples. He spoke for them.

  • He was married.

  • His symbol: An upside down Cross. Other symbols for Peter were 2 crossed keys representing him being given the keys to the kingdom. In fact the whole apostolic succession belief is based on Peter. If you look at a Pope’s garment, there is two keys crossed sown on it.

  • Peter was the switch blade carrying disciple.

  • Personality traits: Impulsive yet cowardly, hot tempered yet tenderhearted, insightful yet dense.

    • He was courageous and solid after the Pentecost Experience.


  • Life’s Lesson: He believed that God can forgive our sins and strengthen the faith of those who love him.


Phillip

  • He preached in Perugia. .He died a martyr in a place called Hierapolis.

  • He came from humble beginnings.

  • He was a fisherman.

  • The first 3 gospels record his name. In the gospel of John, Phillip becomes a living personality.

  • Scholars wonder if he was the same Phillip that was ordained as a deacon. Phillip was the one that read to the Enoch and showed him away.

  • He was hung and while doing so, he asked them not to wrap him up in linen and perfumes which was their form of embalming. He said he is not worthy of his body being treated the same way as Jesus’ body (his savior) was.

  • His Symbol: Basket of bread loaves, because he was part of the feeding the multitude.

  • Personality Traits: Practical, helpful, literal and confused. John 14:8


Simon

  • He was called a Canaanite.

  • He lived in Galilee.

  • He died of some form of crucifixion, but not sure what.

  • He was a Jewish nationalist very much into the law.

  • He hated people that compromised with Rome.

  • He had lots of faith. He was willing to share with the other disciples.

  • His symbol: Fish laying on bible indicating that he was a fisherman who became a fisherman of men as a preacher.

  • Personality Trait: Patriotic, loyal. Mark 3:18

  • Life’s Lessons: He believed we should sacrifice politics to follow Jesus.


Thomas (Doubting Thomas)

  • He was born a twin.

  • Lived in Galilee.  

  • He was also known as Didymus (Greek name). John 20:24

  • Hey labored in Persia and India.

  • He died in a place called Mount Saint Thomas in India.

  • His Hebrew name was Thomas and his Greek name was Didymus.

  • Sometimes they called him Judas.

  • This Thomas appeared at the raising of Lazarus from the dead.

  • He was in upper room when Jesus appeared with the disciples. Thomas was the one that said he didn’t know the way. He is known as doubting Thomas. He was the one that said he was not going to believe that Christ had risen until he saw the nail prints in his hand.

  • He died in India and with the spears.

  • His Symbol: A group spears, stones and arrows

  • Personality Trait: Inquisitive, doubtful, courageous, faithful.


When you look at the totality of the gospels, you have to recognize that there is a certain pattern of lessons that you can get from them. Jesus was training the disciples to reign. In all of these things there were lessons that Jesus was using in preparing the disciples to reign, before he would release them to be apostles. We can use some of these lessons, because we are disciples as well. We are being trained to function as the disciples of old did. Whether you know it or not, we are disciples too, because we are emulators and followers of Christ. The question we must ask it what things did Jesus do attempts to molding the disciples into their assignment?
      I.            Commitment to the cause

  1. True discipleship requires strong commitment to the cause.

  2. Examples of disciples whose priorities are straight:

    1. The disciples priorities– Mark 8:34 says 34And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.-True disciples have their priorities in order.

    2. We have to know how to handle persecution-Once our priorities are in order, we can handle persecution. Matthew 10:22 says 22And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

    3. We have to deny ourselves. Coming to church just on Sunday doesn’t count. Think of your level of commitment and your priorities. If it just looks like rain, some people won’t show up for church. However, we can be under a tornado warning and those same people will still get dressed and go out to a party. If we are Disciples of Christ, we have to deny our self and do what God calls us to do.

    4. We have to be able to handle persecution. If the disciples listed in the bible were martyred for their discipleship and all we have to worry about is people not liking us, then it looks strange for us to have the position we have. Some of us will get out the choir or some other Ministry simply because somebody doesn’t like us. If you think about it, this sounds stupid in relationship to what the Disciples had to go through. Everything Jesus was doing was in efforts of training the disciples. Jesus tried to teach them how to handle persecution. This is why each of them went to their deaths giving God the glory.


  3. As disciples we have to:

    1. Check our Identity– We must look like him.

    2. Check our Integrity– We have to act like Christ. (We have to go above looking like him)

    3. Here are two scriptures that validate this:




                                                              i.      We have to love one another (This shows characteristics of a disciple.) John 13:35 says 35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. –As a disciple, we must love people. We don’t have to like them, but we must love them. Jesus loved everyone despite what they did to him.

                                                            ii.      We must bear fruit. John 15:8 says 8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. -We must bear much fruit. We can’t be disciples if we are sitting on our hands doing nothing. If our level commitment is there it shows up. It shows in our priorities, how we handle persecution, it show in our identity, and our integrity.
   II.            How you make disciples

  1. Evangelism has been lost in the local church. People depend so much on the Pastor’s personality and media outlets to draw people to Christ. The idea of one on one evangelizing has almost become extinct. How many people have you invited to your party to your party verses how many people have you invited to church. Things reproduce after themselves. Genesis 1:28 says 28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.- In this scripture, Jesus was sitting things in motion. He wanted us to be fruitful and multiply.

  2. Don’t get a mad a church because it is growing. There is enough folk unsaved to go around. Matthew 9:37 says 37Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; – There is not a problem with the harvest. The problem is with the laborers.

  3. Jesus spoke about a empty pew in scripture. Luke 14:23 says 23And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. – Jesus wants his house filled. If you are true disciples, you ought to feel grieved every time you sit or walk by an empty seat at church. Every empty seat is another soul that might have gone to jail or died before knowing God. As a disciple, you have to be about being motivated to helping people change their lives.

  4. People join church and you don’t se e them anymore. Matthew 28:18-20 says 18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. – People join the church and you don’t see them anymore because they don’t submit to discipleship. They are not willing to attend the New Members class and the New Discipleship classes. The moment you give your life over to Christ, the devil intensifies the attack to make you second guess your decision. You will deal with stuff you haven’t before. You have to have someone to help you walk through this. One person that is a disciple qualifies to disciple someone else. We must go out and share Jesus Christ making Disciples of Christ.


III. Walk in authority

  1. Everywhere Jesus went demons trembled. Without him saying anything, they recognized Jesus because they recognize his authority. Luke 4:18 says 18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

  2. The signs shall follow them. We are one the “Them” that is mentioned. In other words we are one of “Them”, because we are one of them that believe. Mark 16:17 says 17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;- They spoke with new tongues, but it is more than an new language. There are people that speak in tongue that will still curse you out. It is about a new way of living life. They changed the way they spoke and they changed their thoughts. When you are a truly a disciple walking in authority, you will start changing. You are never supposed to go around chasing things. This is what Religion does. Religion will have you chasing stuff. When you are a disciple, things chase you. Blessings will overtake you. Most of the time we are tired, because we chase things that we were never supposed to chase.

  3. Greater works shall you do. John 14:12 says 12Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. -You were supposed to do greater things. Mentors want you to do better than what they did. Everything that Jesus did, the disciples were compelled to do the same thing. That was the amazing thing about Peter walking on the water. Peter wanted to come and Jesus told him to come. Peter was able to do exactly what Jesus did (walking on the water). It makes you where you are not codependent on spiritual leadership. Jesus never enabled disciples. He tried to empower them. If you are not careful, you will let your Pastor enable you instead of empowering you. Enabled people will get upset, because the Pastor can’t come pray over your house. You should be empowered to cast the demons out yourself. Everything that Jesus did, he taught them (the Disciples), empowered them, and then put it to the test to see where they were. He empowered them and then he says he wants to see if they got it.

    1. Ex- Jesus talks about the seeds on stony grounds and among the thorns and then he says lets got to other side of the sea. Jesus goes sleep while on the ship. Remember that he is the mentor to them. A storm comes and he knew it was coming, because he is God. They didn’t know about the storm, but Jesus knew. He was just trying to get them to see where they were. When the storm came, they began to panic. They woke Jesus up and asked if he cared that they perished. They should have known if Jesus was on the ship, it wouldn’t go down. Jesus gets up and rebukes them and says to the storm peace be still. The disciples flunked the test. Just like this, when you begin to look at what is happening to world today, spiritual people should be asking is “God what are you saying to us?” The Tennessean interviewed Bishop Walker just the other day and his response was “Why is God having such a difficult time getting our attention?” Earthquakes happening, hurricanes, volcanic ash shutting down European airspace, and floods in Nashville of all places. We weren’t really in a flood zone. Not that we done anything wrong, but what is God saying? Not that you did anything wrong. He may be saying I want to know where my disciples are. While everyone else is nervous, true disciples ought to be walking in authority saying God has got this. True disciples let the world know that God is up to something and we want to be spiritual enough to discern and share with others what he is up to.




In the actions of the Apostles found in the book of Acts

Know that Acts is a History Book. In Acts 2:43 it says 43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.-many and wonders and signs were done by apostles. – Where are the miracles and where are the wonders. Where is the level of faith to speak to faithfulness people and tell them God is able. This is the season for real disciples. Jesus told his disciple to go into the world and make disciples. And the world, in which they went, was similar to ours. It was a world full of political uprising and unusual events. In fact when they preached, one day 3000 souls were added to the church. Sometimes God will use events to make Godless people develop a God consciousness. It cultivates the soil so you can deposit a seed. It is an opportunity for real disciples to make a difference. Don’t miss this opportunity. God wants us to use these things to be a blessing to the kingdom, that he might be glorified.

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