Part 1 – Steve McNair Memorial: Eulogy by Bishop Joseph W. Walker

Posted on July 10, 2009 by growintheword
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Snippet from Steve McNairs memorial (07/09/2009)

Posted on July 10, 2009 by growintheword
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What every Christian shoudl be able to answer Part I, Bible Study 07/01/09

Posted on July 4, 2009 by growintheword

What every Christian should be able to answer Part I
“Who is God?”
Synopsis of Bible Study 07/01/09
Delivered by Bishop Walker III

Who is God? If we were to ask this question to everyone that is reading this, we would have several different answers to this question.
The West Minster Confession gives this definition: There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, for his own glory, most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him; and withal most just and terrible in his judgments; hating all sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty.

What is God like? He reveals himself by his attributes. Attributes are distinguished by your by characteristics.

What defines God?
God is self existent. This means that God was not created. There is no time where God started to exist. God depends on no one to exist. He exists on his own power.

Remember when Moses was told to go to Egypt. 14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. Exodus 3:14 – The self existence nature of God is in the “I am-ness” of God. There are no preexisting conditions tied to who God is. Ex-Bishop Walker is Joseph Walker III, because of some pre-existing conditions. He is Joseph Walker III, because there was a Joseph Sr. and Jr. He is Joseph the 3rd based on people that existed before him. Throughout all the scripture, “I am” was used by God such as “I am the true vine” or “I am the truth and the light”. Nobody created God. God existed in and of himself. God is not dependant on us for nothing. We are dependent on him.
I. God is self existent. He is self existent because he exists by himself.
II. God is infinite.-God has no limits. 8But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8: -God has no limitations. We are finite which means we have limitations. We are limited by time, boundaries, and laws. Unlike us, God operates in another realm or kingdom. Every now and then God allows his kingdom to come down and interrupt our atmosphere.
God has no limits. A thousand days is as one day to God. Time is limitation. Ex-We work and we run out of time, then we tell ourselves that we will finish tomorrow and before we know it, the week is over. We are bound to time, but God is not. Because we forget, we try to impose our limitation of time on God sometimes. Ex-The deadline for our bill to be paid is Tuesday. When Tuesday gets here and our breakthrough hasn’t shown up, we get worried. God does not operate this way. God operates in eternity from everlasting to everlasting. By Wed. we are saying to God, “it’s an emergency”. We are still waiting for our breakthrough. God says stop imposing our limitations on him. What we don’t realize is that God has stepped out of eternity, went to Friday, worked it out, and returned to Tuesday to see how we are going act about him not showing up when we want him to.
III. Limitations. The more agitated you get, the more boundaries people try to put on you. The more you grow in God, the more the boundaries that are around you grow out or expand. Ex-Jesus was walking on water and the disciples were in the boat. The boat represents limitation. Peter asked God if he could come out on the water with Jesus. We have to give credit to Peter here. Though Peter sunk, he was willing to step outside of the boat. We have to thank God for those who want to step outside their limits. Ex-Bishop is a Pastor that steps outside the boat within his ministry. He is able to Pastor us, because we are willing to step outside the boat. Our God is infinite which mean he has no limits. If we are in relationship with him, we are infinite too. This means we have no limitations. This is why Jesus said if you abide in me and my words abide in you, you can ask what you will and it shall be given.
IV. God is eternal. God always existed and there will never be a time that he does not exist. 2Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Psalm 90:2-God existed before the beginning began. Before anything began, God existed. Before the earth was formed, before the galaxies were formed, and before man was created, God was. This is too hard to figure out in your mind. This has to be done spiritually. Before there was even a God consciousness, there was God. God existed before the worlds began. God had to just congratulate himself on who he was. To support that, God said let there be light and he said it was good. God created the heavenly host to congratulate him. They were called seraphims. Lucifer was one of them. Then he created man to give him glory also. You are obligated as the created to congratulate the creator.
When God made man, they were supposed to live forever. Here is the validation, God said the day they ate of the tree, they would surely die. When they ate of the tree, they started to die. We are dying every day. Our body is growing to die. If God’s intent was to live together with him, then the intent was supposed to be eternal. We lost this because of sin. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16-God says we blew it in the garden (Adam & Eve or mankind), so he fixed it up for us on Calvary. By Jesus dying, we regained our right. Now you have a choice to be born once and die twice or be born twice and die once. In other words you can be born of a natural birth, die naturally and die spiritually (meaning spending eternity in hell) or you can be born naturally, be reborn spiritually (by giving your life to Christ), die naturally and spend eternity in heaven.
If God is eternal and we are supposed to be, how do we get back being eternal? Now that we are saved, we have eternal life. When somebody who is saved dies, we don’t have to have a fit, because we know they are more alive now then than ever was before. Who wouldn’t want to be saved and have eternal life? If you are not saved when die, you go straight to hell! When you are out of relationship with Christ and you die, you instantly know you are going to hell. You will wake up in torment. Later when Jesus comes back, you will be thrown in the lack of fire, but for now, you are in torment. When a person saved dies and they know immediately that they are the presence of God. This is an indication they are going to heaven. 13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thess 4:13-18. 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21:1-2-The New Jerusalem will come down. Earth will become heaven on earth. We will become eternal and live with him forever. In heaven we are eternal and we don’t age without disease or pain. Do you have your ticket?
V. God is immutable.This means that God does not change. God never stops being God. Nothing can be added or subtracted of him. 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17-we usually try to put our laws on God. In human relationships, one of the greatest shocks is when people change. God doesn’t change, but circumstances do. God will allow circumstances to change to see if you trust his immutability. We need stability of God’s word, because the world is not stable. Often so many people change, we think god will change. We blame God for changes that occur in our life, but the truth is either we missed God, or we changed. God doesn’t change. If he gives you an assignment, he doesn’t change his mind next week or next month. What if God had to depend on us like we do him? Think about it, some of us wouldn’t even text him back.
VI. God is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscience
Omnipotent-This means all powerful. 6And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth Rev 19:6.-God has so much power, that he makes the statement that he is in control of everything. God has so much power he reins. He has the power to rearrange earthly affairs or shrink tumors. He is over everything and in control. The bible says every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess. Ex-We mourn the King of Pop (Michael Jackson), the King of Soul (James Brown), and the King of Rock & Roll (Elvis Presley). They are all gone, but the King of Glory is still on the throne. God is in control. Ex-Years ago, Bishop recalls playing checkers with and friend and tells how he was getting beat. The friend made a slip up and messed around and allowed Bishop to get a king. Once he had a king, the rules changed. He could suddenly go places he could not go before. He could move like he couldn’t before. This is how our King is. He can do what we cannot.
Omnipresent-this means always present. 7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. Psalm 139: 7-10-We have this righteousness based on personality and context. We will curse until we get on the church parking lot. We will be drunk at home and try to put everything up when the Pastor comes by. Imagine God sitting in corner of your bedroom saying, “wow those were the hands you were lifting to me”. This ought to make you think different about what you do. God is everywhere. We shouldn’t become codependent on leadership. We think we can’t get a breakthrough without the Pastor coming by and personally praying for us. There ought to be enough word in you to work it out with him.
God is omniscient-all knowing. God is aware of all your thoughts good or bad. He knows what you want before you pray. Then why should we pray? Because God wants you to acknowledge him and know that he is God. When you think about it, nobody knows what is happening in your life but God.

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How will your story end Part III

Posted on June 24, 2009 by growintheword

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.

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