I meant awesome? Why don't you take your seats so good to see
you? Why don't you think the worship team hour?
AL's trip back and.
Acoustic set this morning so good.
Very very good so it's so good to be with you here this
morning. My name to not work. We haven't met and I have the
enormous privilege of bringing the word today and as you may
already know pastor. Ben and and Trish and their three boys there
away on holidays, getting back next week. So I'm excited for
them to get back and expectant because I believe that God's
been speaking. You know preachers and passes and an
people that kind of do this sort of stuff. You never saw that you
might take a break, but you never fully switch off so.
On believing that that God is being downloading to pass a bin
and and to Trish as well about this next season, about church.
So we're really, really expect it but I've got a uh a word that
I just want to share with you and believe that it's going to
be helpful and and also give you some practical handles just to
be able to implement this into your life so if you have your
bibles. You just earned with me to the book of Matthew and dumb.
I'm going to be reading from Chapter 14.
And starting at verse 22.
So Gospel of Matthew Chapter 14.
Verse 22.
And it says this.
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and
go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the
crowd after he had dismissed them. He went up on a mountain
side by himself to pray. Later that night. He was there alone
and the boat was already a considerable distance from land
buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it shortly
before dawn. Jesus went out to them walking on the Lake when
the disciples saw him walking on the Lake they were.
Terrified it's a ghost, they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them, take courage. It is I
don't be afraid.
Lord if it's You Peter replied always one is there going to be
Peter Lord. If it's you tell Maine to come to you on the
water. Come he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat walked on the water and
came toward Jesus.
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink
cried out Lord Save, Maine.
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him you of
little faith, he said. Why did
you doubt? And when they climbed into the boat. The wind died
down, then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying truly
you are the son of God.
The title of this message this morning is momentum.
By Mentem. Let's pray father, I just thank you for this word.
Lord God that I believe is a word in season. I just pray.
Lord God that you would quicken it to our spirits that you would
see right into our minds, and our hearts and I pray that we
would leave Lord God and implement the truce that we have
heard today and father. I just pray Lord God that your hand
would be be upon your team. The Queensland Maroons on Wednesday
night. Lord God We are believing for a miracle and we would
believe you for it Jesus Amen
Amen. A man.
You're laughing, but we do need a miracle and you know,
sometimes you have not because you ask not so sometimes you
just gotta slip it in there, I'm actually going to be me and my
family are going to be in Sydney. At that game, so pray
for us because we are Queensland supporters. But we're going to
be surrounded by about 90,000 plus New South Wales Blues. And
that's a scary thing. So, please pray for our safety for our
protection and it's funny because I was just remembering
that. About 2:00 or 3 years ago, my family were living in Sydney
at the time and it was around. Origin time and my boy, he was
about 10 or 11 around that time and we're about to go to the
local Westfield Big Shopping Center and he puts on his
Queensland Maroons Jersey and I said to him. What do you think
you're doing right and he said I don't care. I'm just represent
you know he's a diehard Quinton's what I said mate.
We're going into the heart of
Sydney. It's State of origin time you know they hate us and
he goes, I don't care so I said,
Alright. You're on your own might so he puts on his
Queensland Maroons Jersey and we're walking through Westfield
and you know they've got really wide sort of.
Our walkways with shops on either side, anyway, I spot in
the distance, a group of teenagers probably about 14.
Fifteen 16 year. Olds is a whole group of them and most of them
have got blues jerseys on now me and my son were walking. This
side of the oil my sunspots them and this is what he does, he
crosses over. Just so he can walk past them with his Maroons
Jersey on and I thought this kids going to get killed. You're
on your own. I'm not intervening I told you not to wear it
anywhere. He waits, he eyeballs these guys and they're all
bigger than him. He eyeballs them and he walks past and they
just sorta look at him, thinking this pipsqueak you know, and
they just keep walking and he's probably thinking if they jump
me. My dad's going to jump in and I said, now might you're on
your own. I told you not to wear that so but anyway, yeah, so
please pray for. Queensland we do need a miracle and God, the
god of miracles because we all know that Prime Minister Scott
Morrison got in and he said that gods are god of miracles so I'm
in unbelieving for that. But.
I want to talk to you today about this subject of momentum
momentum and I want to ask you Have you ever felt stuck Have
you ever felt stuck in your life? Have you ever? Felt like
you have been confined or restricted to the sphere of life
that you might be in and you know the reality is some some of
us feel like we're stuck in a dead end job. You know the alarm
clock goes off in the morning and you know you do not want to
get out of bed and you probably hit snooze about 5 times, but
you get up you get ready, and
you feel stuck. Because it's not the job that you were kind of
envisioning that you would have some of us feel like we're stuck
in our marriage. You know what I mean, where truth be told you
know it was all sunshine and rainbows on our wedding days.
But years on and it feels like you know this isn't what I
really signed up for and you just sort of feel like you're
not moving forward. You feel sort of stuck and some people
might feel stuck with the health
condition. You know you, You Love God, you believe in Jesus,
but you've been praying and believing for healing and
nothing's quite happening and it feels like you being you being
stuck in this position and you know the hospitol trips and the
doctors appointments and there's nothing that sort of moving in
your life. And I want to talk to you about this subject because
sooner or later. We're going to come into a place. I believe
where we feel stuck to some degree and we feel stuck and
what makes it worse when you're feeling stuck is that it looks
like. Everyone around you are moving. It's like you're in
neutral on the freeway and cars are zooming past you and people
are moving and people are doing stuff and and you're in your 20s
and you thought by now, I should be married and people.
Getting married, you all your friends have gotten married and
you feel stuck in singleness and it doesn't look like you're
moving and you're saying why, why Lord or or maybe you've been
believing for this career that you studied and gotten your
degree in and doors are just closing and it feels like. Other
people are getting promoted other people are moving on, but
you're sort of stuck or maybe you started a small business and
and it just hasn't quite taken off the way you've seen and
other people are getting
contracts and. And they are moving forward and they're doing
quite well, but you're sort of doing more hours then you know,
and and not getting the money and then return and it just
feels like you're stuck.
And sometimes we feel stuck.
In an age of life that we are you know, I'm sort of
approaching that. Sort of time where they talk about midlife
crisis where people sort of get stuck at a certain age, where
they sort of look at their life and think it's not really what I
thought I would be doing right now or where I'd be at or you
know, I thought I'd be debt. Free now or I thought and so we
have all of these things that are floating around in our
minds. In it, and it just feels like we're just not moving
forward. We're not moving forward. We'd love to be moving
forward. We're seeing other people. We're looking at their
Instagram posts and there
aren't. Holidays are they doing great things but we feel like we
are stuck. Where we are right now?
How would you be if you found yourself stuck in a storm?
That's exactly what happens here to the disciples now just to
give you a little bit of
context. At the start of Chapter 14, we find out that John the
Baptist has just been executed.
He's just being executed an word filters back down to Jesus and
so Jesus hearing this, he sort of things. I need to get away
and just have some time on my own so he takes the disciples
and they go to a remote area. But the problem is as they get
out of the boat. They look around. And there is an amazing
there is an enormous crowd that have already gathered there
because they've heard that Jesus is coming here Bible says that
Jesus has compassion for them. 'cause they like sheep without a
Shepherd so instead of attending
to his own. Sorta needs right now in being able to you know
have some time because of what's happened to John the Baptist who
he was related to? He starts to minister to people and he starts
to heal them and he starts to do all the miraculous things that
only he can do and it gets late and the disciples come to him
and they basically say send the crowds away. It's getting late.
It's getting dark send him away. Let him go and buy some food
feed themselves and Jesus says something extraordinary to them,
he says. You give them something
to eat. Now the Bible tells us that there is probably beyond
5000. That's just the men, but there are women and children so
we're talking. Unite conservatively over upwards over
at 10,000 people and so Jesus tells 12 guys you've got
something that can feed them and they look around and think.
It's crazy talk, we've got 5 loaves 2 fish at the Max and
anyway. We know this story. As the miraculous feeding of the
5000 Jesus feeds them and then he does. This he sends the
crowds away and he sends the disciples across the Lake of
Galilee and he goes up to the mountain to pray and the Bible
says that while he is praying. It is now about between 3:00 and
6:00 AM in the morning, he looks out and the disciples.
Stuck in this storm they're struggling in this storm. The
winds are blowing the wives of pounding and it doesn't look
good for the disciples.
And it's it's that it's at that moment that Jesus then does what
we know as walking on the water. He basically walks out onto the
water. But the disciples were talking. Some of these guys are
season fisherman. Some of these guys. They know the Lake of
Galilee, like the back of their hand. This is actually the spot
where Peter and some of the others were actually called
Jesus called them right near here as I was washing their Nets
that were season fisherman that were used to being out.
Fishing all night that's when they did it and then they wash
their Nets in the daytime, but for some reason they are so
stuck in this storm that they think this is it this storm is
about to overtake them and in walks. Jesus he he walks through
and they think it's a ghost.
And then Peter is the one that speaks out and you know the
story that Peter steps out, he steps out and and I really want
to highlight this whole thing of being able to step out of the
place that you feel stuck. It's being able to step out of stuck
and I believe that if you are here today. That God doesn't
have you here randomly that isn't just by coincidence or
chance. I believe that God is going to cause you to step out
of your Stuckness God is going to unstuck wherever you are
feeling. Whether you feel stuck in a relationship a job or in
your health whatever it is. I believe that if you believe with
me. I believe that God can step you out of stuck and I believe
that God wants to move you
forward. He wants to move you
forward. But one of the greatest I guess enemies of this thing
called momentum becaus. After Peter steps out of stuck. He
then begins to move forward. He begins to move forward and as he
moves forward. He finds himself doing the absolute incredible.
He finds himself walking on water. He walks on water. But as
you know as he notices. The winds and The Wave, he starts to
sink and I want to put to you
that. The greatest enemy of momentum is distraction.
Its destruction. Peter gets a look at at the wind and the
waves around him and as a result, he starts to sink. He
starts to sink.
And I don't know if you've ever been 4 wheel driving. I'm I'm
not a big 4 wheel driver, but I went with a group of guys one
time and it was really, really rough terrain and and there was
one point where we found ourselves bogged and sometimes
when you log in those sort of settings. It's a little bit
scary because there's nothing else around and you know couple
of us got out, and started to push but the back wheel was just
kind of spinning it was spinning and spinning and it didn't
matter how much we pushed or what we tried to put.
Under it, to get a little bit of traction this thing wasn't going
anywhere. And so it wasn't until they you know they secured some
of the rope or the cable to weigh a tree that it was able to
pull us out and you know, there's a reason why distraction
is made up of 2 words. And that is dis and traction. It is the
Los of traction and So what happens is that in our journey
of faith as we're walking towards Jesus that often times.
Like Peter we're moving towards Jesus but we start to notice
things on our peripheral. We start to notice things and as we
do, we start to sink becaus? We have now been distracted. We
have we have a loss of traction?
And the Bible teachers are set if we were to keep our focus on
Jesus and not notice it and that's what we're called to do
is that all of these things we don't act like that. They're not
happening. We don't act like you know, we're not delusional or in
denial to believe that the winds are rising or the waves are
pounding against our vessel. But the Bible says that our focus
should always be on Jesus and these things are out poor refill
and it's not that our focus turns to these things and then
Jesus becomes our peripheral. He becomes something that we just
sort of see. On the side.
And So what I believe in order to combat our failure to get
unstuck and to start moving forward that there needs to be a
moment where we settle this issue about distractions. Now,
I've got to confess I can get easily distracted I can get
easily distracted and I was finding that it was even
creeping into my devotional time. I try and get up early and
worship God and seek God but.
You know, I found myself one time and to stop the distraction
or went started going on prayer walks. But I remember vividly
early one morning. I'd literally cross the road and as always
doing the demands of that day were starting to filter through
my mind, and instead of focusing on God I started rehearsing my
To Do List and I'm thinking are men. I've got that meeting. I've
got these emails to send I've gotta do this. This this and
this. And as strong as I've ever heard the Holy Spirit speak to
Maine. I heard him say stop.
This is not the time to rehearse your To Do List. This is your
time to come to Maine.
And so that is being something that I've needed to be
disciplined in an and one of the practical. Things I I try and do
I used to take my phone on my prayer walks and you know it's
kind of easy to just scroll through and find my daily
reading and stuff, but what I was finding it was easy to also
flick over to Twitter that it was easy to flick over to what
was happening in the news or what the weather was like and so
as a result of had to go back to to the good old fashion paper
Bible so that I wouldn't get
distracted. But I want to ask you what is distracting you
right now? What is it that is distracting you and you know
sociologists and experts will tell you that this generation is
probably amongst the most distracted of all generations
because there is so much. That is available to us that is easy
to carry its mobile so the fight to fix our eyes on Jesus is a
very, very real battle because there are so many things that
are demanding our attention and I want to put it to you, that,
if you can sort through this.
Issue of distraction this law subtraction that you will
find yourself being able to move forward and move ahead
and move into the things that God has for you.
And so I want to. I want to have a look at this, this word. I
love the word momentum because I believe that the actual keys to
achieving momentum have actually been hidden in the word itself.
Now you'll notice that the first 6 words that make up the word
momentum is the word moment.
Now I believe that one of the first keys to achieving momentum
forward progress being able to move from here to there and to
get to where you want to go is that we have to come to a point
in our lives where we experience a defining moment.
A defining moment we have to come to that place where we, we
experience something that begins to shift our thought process. It
shifts our heart. It shifts our posture in life. We have to come
to that point of a defining moment that this is the first
key in order to start moving forward and you know the Bible
is full of these defining moments the Bible is full of
these actually. This this would have been a defining moment for
the disciples. Had they have done what I believe Jesus was
wanting them to do because if you read the Scriptures. This is
actually the second time they've been caught in a storm if you go
back to Matthew Chapter 8, they were actually caught in the same
storm. Only this time Jesus was in the boat, but he was asleep.
And if you know the story disciples think they're going to
Diane. They go over and they wake Jesus and say don't you
care, we're about to die? Where in this storm and Jesus gets up
and he silences the storm with
the word. Now it's being said that sometimes Jesus goes to
sleep so that his disciples can
wake up. I believe that that was a setup that that was a moment
that the disciples had missed that either one of them could
have actually spoken to the storm be cause. They had seen
Jesus speak to disease speak to demon possessed people and Jesus
was setting them up to say you guys could have stopped this
storm and so sometimes when God seems silent. It's only so that
we can rise up and speak to those things and so 6 short
chapters later we find
ourselves. That the disciples are now in a similar storm only
Jesus isn't there and I believe that Jesus deliberately skip
that particular boat ride because he knew that a storm was
coming because he was waiting for one of them to remember what
happened. All the way in chapter 8 and to think if Jesus can do
it, then I can do it because Jesus actually ends up saying
greater works than these you will do this isn't just about me
being able this. But I'm going to go. And when I go. You guys
are going to be able to do
greater works. But he was giving them like a pre lude to this so
he was enabling them a moment but none of them took it up.
None of them took it up and you know, these defining moments
happened to all of us and for many of you walking to the front
and accepting Jesus that's a moment that's a defining moment.
We're about to see a water baptism. After this and that's
going to be a defining moment for others, and I remember about
a few years ago. We were We were living down in Tasmania. At the
time. My family and I and I felt like I felt like there was a.
The defining moment that I was just about to come up on and I
remember I was just about to
turn 40. And now that I look at thank you very much. But I was,
I was about to turn 40 and I felt like God was calling Maine
to do something that I've never done before, is a little bit
radical and out there, but I felt like God was going to speak
to me about the direction 'cause. I felt like we were
living in Hobart. Great city great jobs great environment.
Great church all of this, but I just had this feeling like God
was saying. Your time is coming to an end here, there is
something else and I didn't know what that something else was so.
My wife was gracious enough that for 3 days. She allowed me to go
and I basically. I went to the South of Hobart S of Hobart,
which I don't know what I was thinking because the further S
you go the colder. It gets and the closer Antarctica becomes
but I went there and I went to this beach shack in this
beautiful spot. It was a lovely beach, but the water was too
cold to go into and I was staying in this shack and I
didn't have my phone. All I had was a slab of 24600.
Bills bottles of water and I spent 3 days fasting and just
praying and believing that God was going to speak to me about
the direction of my life and.
And so it was you know it was a tough challenge because I hadn't
really done anything like that before but I felt like this was
going to be a moment that was going to define what was going
to happen next and I'll never forget it. It was Day 3 and I
was just reading through the Bible and as it as it happens.
From time to time, and I know some of you know what I'm
talking about there was a scripture that literally leaped
up. It leapt up at me and I've been reading the Bible for the
last 3 days you know nonstop
different things and. Journaling and all of that, but there was
this one phrase that literally leapt up and grabbed me by the
throat and it wouldn't let me go and I felt a quickening in my
spirit and as soon as that happened, I thought that's it.
This is actually what I came for 3 days and it was from that
moment. That I was able to chart where we ended up right now.
Now, this is about 4 years ago, now and I didn't have a plan,
but I had a moment I had a moment where I felt without any
reasonable doubt that God had spoken to me and I can trace
everything back to that moment and some of the things that
happened after that, but it had to be a moment, it had to be a
defining moment and just like just like these disciples.
I had to come to this moment.
But you know the word momentum.
Also has 2 other words, two other letters that come on the
end of them. And having a moment, having a moment is the
easy part. 'cause we love moments are very, very powerful.
But can I tell you that the second key for momentum is
actually hidden in those last 2 letters and that's the word arm.
Because you see if you're going to move forward and step out of
stuck and move towards everything that God has for you
after you've had your moment.
Get ready for the arm.
Because the arm is where faith
lives. You see our need faith for the moment I don't need
faith for the moment with the disciples. When Jesus was there.
They don't need a whole lot of faith because he's there. It's
clear it is a defined moment and I didn't need a whole lot of
faith. When God was speaking to Maine because that was my moment
what I did need faith for was everything that happened after
that. Becaus your greatest faith builder will happen not in the
moment, it will happen in the
arm. Now, what's the?
The UM is that hesitation and that uncertainty of what you're
about to step into.
I had no plan I had no details. But I discovered that God
actually did this all throughout
scripture. You know that God is big on obedience, but he is
really skinny on details he doesn't give you a whole lot of
details. Abraham. Leave your home leave everything that you
know, and go to a place that I'll show you are that's
awesome. God where am I going just get moving and I'll show
you so Abraham goes to a place that he is never been before. No
directions know Google Maps. No navigation system. Nothing he's
just gone and he's resorted back to that moment where God spoke
to him and he stepped out with that. I don't know if this is
the right way.
But I've had my moment and I'm just going to believe, and trust
in God anyway. If you're going to step out of stuck you have
got to embrace not just the moment. You've got to embrace
the arm. The UM is where your faith is going to be developed.
It's a ghost?
Uh I don't know. Maybe it's Jesus Jesus if that's you.
Call me to come to you.
These are the disciples, they had been with Jesus for 3 years,
every day, all day and they weren't even sure that was
Jesus. They weren't even sure, but there was only one of them
that said. Um if that's you.
I'm going to step out.
If that's you I'm going to step
out. You know something I've
learned. As a Christian, I have stopped praying for clarity.
And I've started praying for courage.
Too many times of spent Lord.
Show me help me tell me download to me, whatever it is, you know.
And I've just feel like God, you sign just get going just get
going 1 foot in front of the other just get going 'cause. the
Bible says that it is the just that lives by faith and that we
walk by faith, not by sight.
Now, because of our need for comfort and certainty and
safety. We want all of the details upfront. Show me the
plan. Lord God and God's is a nano if I gave you the plan. Why
would you need faith? Why would you need Maine you would just do
it but it is in that UM where great things happen?
God takes Ezekiel down into the Valley of dry bones and it is a
moment, it is a moment I'm telling you zechiel's walking
around the profits walking around seeing all of these dry
bones and then God throws. This question on him. He says can
these bones live. And I love Ezekiel's answer, 'cause It's a
lot like ours. Um.
I don't know, but you do.
Even in that moment of uncertainty.
Ezekiel was preparing for what God was about to do.
Assemble and restore and then breathe life into everything
that was dead.
And cannot say to you to everyone that is here that one
of the biggest things about being able to step out of stuck.
Whatever you're stuck looks like and to be able to get some
traction and some forward momentum that after you've
experienced that mountaintop moment that you step into the
Valley. Even with your arm and know that he is right, there and
he will not leave you here will not for sake. You you may not
see it, you may not know it. But
God is saying. Trust Maine in
the UM. Trust me in the UM. I know you don't know the details
but trust Maine in the arm.
A few years ago, I was, I was working for an organization and
we were working with a lot of disadvantaged and marginalized
people and I was case managing this guy and I tell ya. This got
you think I look scary. This guy was a scary looking guy. He was
straight out of prison covered in ink on talking neck face. He
was just one scary cat, massive guy and really graph really, and
I was sort of. I don't know why they gave him to me, you know, I
was scared of him but.
I had this moment.
Where where I was in the office? I was in it was just me and him
and he was just talking and had been an addict on so many
different substances or lost track and he was just getting
antsy and he wanted to leave. I could hear the Holy Spirit say
to me. You need to pray for him. You need to pray for him and I
thought Oh man. This guy is going to think I'm crazy. You
know like he's fresh outta jail. These like this big scary
looking, dude, and he actually got up, he got up.
And he put his hand on the doorknob and is about to leave
and I'm sort of in this sort of Lord. I really don't know and he
literally opened the door and put one step out and I just
said. Hey just wait a second.
And he said what?
And I just walked over and I said look.
Do you mind if I pray for you?
And he just stayed at main at ALDI, now whether he's going to
throw a punch at me or or just slam the door at Maine.
But he just looked at me and he guys year right then.
And so.
I just I just sorta put my hand out and I just said Lord. I just
pray that you bless my brother. I pray that you would just touch
him that you would heal him. Lord God of all this stuff that
he's gone through. I just pray that you would help him to know
the plans that you have for him and all of this and it was just
so quick sort of prayer, and then I said, I meant.
And literally he stood there. Just looking at me and you know,
sometimes I'm church. People then I had a responded and all
that type you know, he's just staring at me, he's just staring
at me eyeball and Main.
And then it was as Oh God himself stepped into the room
because I saw this big scary guy. All of a sudden his eyes
started to get glassy and he welled up and then it was like a
waterfall. It just started
flowing. And this big scary guy started heaving and I thought Oh
my goodness sorry mate. I didn't and he grabbed me, and he said.
You know, no one's ever done that. No one's ever done that to
me before and it just broke something off of him. It broke
something off of him and.
And you know that was OK 'cause. It was just me and him but the
the thing that happened also is that every time he saw me around
the office and it didn't matter who was around. He just come up
to me and say, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, do that thing you did
to me the other day.
And I'm looking around and all my colleagues are there and they
sort of looking guy would you do you guys hate do that thing do
that thing you did to me, you know, do it do it and he's just
saying there waiting and I just
say. Probably going to get before, but but it's amazing
what happens when you step out when you step out and you know,
I know this. This passage is always preached about stepping
out of your comfort zone, stepping out of all of those
things stepping out of the boat. But the truth is that in order
to get forward momentum. You've actually got to step out of
those things that are safe for you, that definitely wasn't safe
for Maine. He could have abused me. You gotta hurt me coded on
something but what I discovered is that even in there.
Even in the uncertainty, God will do some amazing things in
your life. If you just trust him. With those moments of
uncertainty and I believe that the greatest thing you can do is
not just to trust God in the moment. That's easy because it's
powerful you can feel it, you can see it, you can censor all
around you. But can you trust
God in the arm? Can you trust God in the hesitation? Lord I
don't know if we can afford this but I'm going to trust you. I'm
going to give any way. Lord I don't know if you know this
person is going to get healed. They don't know me but I'm going
to pray for them anyway. It is
in the UM. Just like Peter Peter didn't even know if
that was Jesus or not. But he thought well. I'm going
to step out anyway, I'm going to step out anyway.
And I want to say that the.
The greatest thing.
In our arm.
Is that we fix our eyes on Jesus? We fix our eyes in Jesus
Hebrews Chapter 12 verse one?
Is really? Averse passage that we really need to commit.
To heart into memory and it says this Hebrews, 12 therefore since
we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. Let us
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so
easily entangles talking about all the distractions. Let's
throw all of those things off and let us run with
perseverance. The race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on
Jesus? The pioneer and perfector
of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross
scorning it shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne
of God. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and cast off all of the
distractions everything in your peripheral that is, hindering
you or stopping you and now I don't know what that is that
could be an unhealthy relationship or it could be an
unhealthy habit or whatever it is God is saying here reminding
us that to fix our eyes on
Jesus. Get rid of the distractions and even without
the details step forward and keep moving forward.
Keep moving forward.
You know, I heard something great and you know that I read
and it was about not hearing from God. The people say, well,
I haven't even had my moment. Yet you know, I know what you're
talking about. But I I haven't really had that sort of life
defining moment God doesn't
speak to me. And I read this somewhere and it said. You
know you can't really say that God doesn't speak to you
if your Bibles closed.
Because the truth is that?
All throughout the Bible.
The Bible has only ever been speaking about 1:00 name.
It's only ever been speaking about 1:00 name and you can take
any of those phrases any of those promises and you can claim
them as your own and you can apply them into your life and
they can be something that will help you to have your moment
with God, the greatest moments that I've ever experienced
spiritually has always been around the word of God. It'll be
that God will bring to remember and something that I dread or
I'll hear something but it's
always been. That God is used his own word his own word to
remind me about something that Jesus said or something Jesus
did or something Jesus promised.
And So Tonight Challenge you that every single day.
One of the ways, yeah, you might ask well. How do I fix my eyes
on Jesus and not get distracted. I shared last Sunday night that
I grew up in Sunday School and I was taught. This song and it was
basically read your Bible pray
everyday. Read your Bible pray everyday and you'll grow.
And it seems basic sounds basic and simple but it's actually a
truth that I've I've tried to apply becaus from cover to cover
these 66 books written by 40 separate authors over 1500 year
time span, they have all synced
together. Over this time.
To declare one name, and we heard his name.
We heard his name sung today and that is the name of Jesus. It is
always ever been about the name of Jesus that is who we are
fixing our gaze upon.
The name of Jesus.
Because in Genesis, he's the seed of the woman that crushes
the head of the circuit.
In exodus, he's the Passover Lamb that protects against the
destroyer. In living in the book of Leviticus. He's out Great
High Priest interceding for his
people. In Deuteronomy, he is the one for told a deliver
alike. Moser set would arise.
In Joshua and judges, he is the one declaring to the leaders, be
strong and very courageous in Bruce. He is our kinsman,
Redeemer that covers and cares for the outsider.
In the book of Samuel's.
Is the annoying Sarana pointer of God's chosen?
In Kings and chronicles, he's a Holder of all three posts of
prophet priest and King.
In Ezra Nehemiah, he's a restore and the re builder of everything
that is being broken.
In Esther, he's our advocate that rises for such a time as
this. In job he is our living Redeemer that will bless us with
for double for our trouble.
In job. In Psalms is the Good Shepherd that walks with us
through the Valley of the shadow
of death. In proverbs and Ecclesiastes, he is wisdom
personified. In Song of songs he is our promise beloved that
declares the winter is over.
In Isaiah, he is the promise child that is given and the
government will be upon his shoulders and his name will be
called Wonderful Mighty God Everlasting, Father, the Prince
of peace. In Jeremiah and limitations, he's the one that
declares the plans. I have for you are plans to give you hope
and a future not to harm you.
In Ezekiel, he is the prophetic breath that breathes life into
the Valley of dry bones in Daniel. He is the lion tamer the
fiery furnace savior?
In Hosea, he is the faithful husband that intercedes for the
unfaithful spouse. Enjoy is the promise of the father.
That, in the last ice his spirit will be pulled out on all flesh.
Our sons and our daughters were prophesied our old men will
dream dreams are young men will
see visions. And in Amos Obadiah Jonah, Micah Naham Habakkuk
Zechariah Haggai Anne Malachi is the prophetic voice declaring
get ready. Get ready.
He's coming soon.
He's about to leave Heaven and he's about to land on Earth and
after 400 years of silence, the sound of a newborn erupts onto
the pages of the book of Matthew. He is the son of God,
the son of Man, the Great I am.
In Mark. He is majesty in a Manger the King in a crib
Divinity wrapped in humanity in Lukey is the savior of the
world. The hope for all humanity in jaune. He is the word made
flesh that dwelt among us. The only begotten of the father full
of Grace and truth in acts. He is the power of Pentecost.
Enrollment is the power of the Gospel in Corinthians is the
power of faith. Hope and love. In Galatians episode Ephesians
Philippians and Colossians. He is the one that though coming in
the form of God did not.
Consider equality with God, something to be grasped, but he
made himself of no reputation humbling himself even to the
form of a servant and the point
of death. Even death on the cross in Thessalonians and
Timothy and Titus. He is the encouraging voice to an emerging
generation don't let anyone look down on you because you're
Young. But set an example for all believers in life in love.
In faith and purity and in speech in Philippians and
Hebrews, and James he's the object of our faith, the
substance of things hope for the evidence of things, not yet seen
in Peter Hughes. Our purification in the book of
John's, he is our illumination.
In Jude, he is our destination.
And before we get to the book of
revelations. Let me tell you who he is to the 7:00 churches in
Revelation. To the church in Smyrna, he is the beginning and
the last to the church in Thia Tyra. He is the one who was who
is and who is to come to the church in Ephesus. He is the
Alpha and the Omega to the church in Pergamos. He is the
one that was, but has died and he is again. He is the
resurrection and the life to the church in Laodicea. He is the
lion of the tribe of Judah to the Church of Philadelphia. He
is the lamb that takes away the sin of the world and to the
church. Reedy Creek.
Come on.
Not just to the church at Reedy Creek, but to the church at
Pimpama to the church at Chambers Flat Logan village and
to all the churches that are to come. He is the king of Kings
church and his name is Jesus. His name is Jesus come on if you
believe in that name if you know that there are no other names?
What I just stand your feet and we were going to declare that
his name is powerful his name is
majestic. His name can do what no other name can do in Jesus.