Doors, Part I

Posted by Lynton Turkington

Part I in the message series, Doors.


Doors have a very simple purpose:

  • Entrance
  • Exit - Sometimes to escape
They come in all shapes and sizes.  There are French, sliding, storm, glass, overhead, swinging, metal, wood, plastic - all sorts.


There are some doors God can open and only God can shut; then there are doors that only we are to open and others we definitely shut.


A lot of our time is spent discerning the activity of doors in our lives:
  • Who opened them and who closed them?
  • Which door am I supposed to go through?
  • How do I know this door is God's will for me...and why am I so confused?
Take a moment to listen to Part I in the message series, Doors.

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    • Hang on. Don't give up. God is up to something!

    Posted by Lynton Turkington

    Joseph the Dreamer was sold off.  He lost everything. (Genesis 37)

    In your own "pit" experience, please remember the pit is not your final destination!  When you are down to nothing God is up to something!
     
    · Remember that a rubber band is not usable until it is stretched.
    · A tea kettle sounds best when it is up to its neck in hot water.
    · A wheel barrel doesn’t work unless it is pushed. The pressure you may feel is trying to push you to another level.

    1.) The pit is not your potential.  Don’t get accustomed to it.
    • It is a test, it is a trial, it is temporary.

    2.) If you are in a pit, then you may be next in line for a promotion
    • In one day Joseph went from the prison to the palace.
    • In one day Daniel went from the lion's den to promotion.
    • In one day David went from a warrior to a king. 

    3.) Losers focus on what they are going through, champions focus on where they are going to! Joseph kept the big picture in mind.  Pit is temporary.
    • There is no victory without a battle.
    • No sunrise without a midnight.  
    • It is darkest right before dawn.
    • There is no tunnel without light at the end.

    4.) Your reaction to others in their pit determines God's reaction to you in your pit.
    • Help someone else!  Reap what you sow.

    5.) Those that control the pain of the now don’t control the pleasure of the future.
    • Your enemies will come bending to you! (Isaiah 60 v. 14)

    6.) When in a pit, Satan may use the closest person to you to hurt you.
    • Demas hurt Paul and Judas hurt Jesus.

    7.) You can never win a spiritual battle logically.
    • God stripped Joseph of everything to get him to the palace.  I am sure that he couldn’t understand why, but God’s ways are above our ways.

    8.) Don’t make it a pit of offense.
    • Don’t be offended.  It could open the door for the devil.
    Remember, when you are down to nothing, God is up to something!

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    • When You're Down to Nothing, God is Up to Something

    Posted by Lynton Turkington

    Listen to the message!
    When You're Down to Nothing, God is Up to Something

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    • There Is Nothing Too Hard For God To Do

    Posted by Lynton Turkington

    The Lord said to Abraham..."Is anything too hard for the Lord?" 

    Genesis 18: 9 - 14 (NIV)

    9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.
       “There, in the tent,” he said.
    10 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”
       Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
    13 Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

    The year of 2010 is over, gone, done, finished.
    It has served its purpose, run its course, and finished its days.
    There is nothing you can get back from last year, the time is gone.

    However, with it goes the things you did not achieve, get around to, or accomplish;
      - the undone areas of life,
      - the woulda, coulda, shoulda's,
      - the regrets that cause you remorse or frustration,
      - missed opportunities that seem to only come every now and then.

    The New Year brings an opportunity to dream again...another chance, a new day, a clean slate.  Don't be surprised by what God brings your way!

    For Sarah it was a baby in her old age.

       - A baby speaks of new life, the birthing of a fresh vision.
       - Don't give up on your dreams because of your age.
       - Don't think you are too old for a new start.
       - Don't let anything hinder your faith for the incredible in your life. 

    There is nothing too hard for God to do!

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    • More on Staying Ahead of the Curve

    Posted by Lynton Turkington

    •   Jesus Stayed Ahead of the Curve
    The Old Testament was finishing and the New Testament was beginning.
    Jesus represents a new way of living, not just a new religion.
    He upset all the sacred cows, and He will mess with yours too. He taught:
    1.  Forgiveness over punishment
    2.  Love over hate
    3.  Spirit over the letter of the law
    4.  Generosity over greed
    5.  Restoration over alienation

    No more eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.  If you see your brother in a sin or weak moment, love him, forgive him, restore him in love.

    God Kept Israel Ahead of the Curve
       
       The Cloud in the Wilderness
    When the cloud started to move, Israel had to move too. 
    Sometime we watch God move instead of joining Him.

    How to Stay Ahead of the Curve
    HoHo
    1.      Be open to something new.
    ·  Remember average is the pathway to decay.
    ·  Joseph - Gen 39
    a.  He saw each situation as a new opportunity.
    b.  At Potipha’s house, he was in charge of the household. Gen 39:2
    c.  He was under the prison warden as an overseer of the prisoners. 
         Gen 39:20

    Build on your current successes and your apparent failures.

    2.       Develop the ability to see beyond where you are.
    ·   You must know that there is more ahead of you than you think.  
        Failure will cause you to be  afraid of the future.
    ·   Like Israel, plan to establish and prosper in the middle of your captivity.
    ·   Vision is the key to your future.

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    • Staying Ahead of the Curve

    Posted by Lynton Turkington

    Business and statistics have measured distribution variables by using a Bell Curve. 

    • While this is a business example, it does accurately describe the growth activity of a Christian.
    • Decline happens when no initiative comes to go to another level.
    • Just sustaining or maintaining will cause you to decline.  Average is the death nail of Christian growth.  Jesus said...I wish you were HOT or COLD. There is something about lukewarm Jesus does not like.
    • Once the upward line crests and becomes a curve, it all does downhill from there.

    We build momentum in our lives when we Stay Ahead of the Curve:

    • Anticipate issues and resolve them ahead of time
    • See the trends of the times and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit
      • 'However when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.' John 16:13 NKJV
    The Kingdom of God has always had a progressive nature to it.  God has always moved man and His agenda forward.
    'Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.' Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV

    As people of the living God, we need to prepare ourselves for an outpouring from heaven; an outpouring of wisdom, knowledge, ideas, solutions, inventions, creative dreams, financial strategies, new business ideas, new income streams / rivers.

    Something's Changing. Something's Moving.

    God wants you to get ahead of the curve.

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    • Get Prepared

    Posted by Lynton Turkington

    God is up to something good in our lives. However, to be really ready for that thing, we must be prepared. I realize this is not catchy, hip or current but then again, aren't we a little tired of benign Christianity? Biblical is not always cool, but it is lifesaving.

    In Matthew 3:1-12 John the Baptist gave 4 Steps to Spiritual Preparedness.
    1. Repent - Acknowledge the King of Heaven (v 2) - Acts 3:19 (NKJV)
    2. Be Baptized - Commit to God's Agenda (v 6) - Colossians 2:11,12 (NKJV)
    3. Bear Fruit - Walk with Maturity (v 8) - Hebrews 12:5-11 (Message)
    4. Be Filled with the Spirit (v 11) - John 20:21,22

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