Friday, July 13, 2012

Sermon notes from Speaker Sessions & Electives from Hillsong Conference 2012 (Part 1/2)

Here are the compilation of the sermon notes which I took down from the various keynote speaker Sessions & Electives I attended from Hillsong Conference 2012. Hope it blesses you as much as it has bless me! Slowly enjoy the read! :)

Opening Night Rally of Hillsong Conference 2012

My personal favourites are:

1) Steven Furtick-Never ready faith in the ever present God

2) Louie Giglio- 2 part message on the greatness of God

3) Christine Caine- Justice- Issue of the heart (One for another School)

4) Robert ferguson - Significant of story telling (Preacher's School).

(To find this speakers noted here, click Cltr+F and copy the speaker name or part of the title.)
  
Steven Furtick

Day 0- (Hillsong Church (City) Sunday Service)

Gratitude

Enter his gates with thanksgivingand his courts with praise;give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4 NIV)

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. (Acts 16:22-26 NIV)

Come in with Gratitude to come into the presence of God.

Thanking God for what He has done. If you don't have a praise on ur lips we are not entering God's presence, it's like a passport entering another country.

1) Gratitude is never invisible or silent

- From the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks
- grateful to God & others u will say it and show it
- example how we express our gratitude in worship to the Lord

Reliving the gratitude of God

2) Gratitude begins where my sense of entitlement ends

- Recall back our first realisation of God who truly loves us. When we have this great gratitude to God?
- Real gratitude comes when we forget the "entitlement" mentality

3) Grateful people can find a blessing enlarge a blessing, or create a blessing in almost any situation.

Day 2 - (Morning)

Never ready faith in the ever present God

Your really never ready!

"Abraham wasn't ready. Moses wasn't ready … The disciples were never ready and they never got it. Even when they got it they still didn't get it … each time they were ready they started to doubt because their faith was in their readiness,"

Jeremiah 1:4-10
New International Version (NIV)

The Call of Jeremiah
4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a] you,    before you were born I set you apart;     I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. ”
6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”


Steven Furtick testimony
"I certainly wasn't ready when I was 16 years old and God saved me.

In one sentence God put a desire in my heart – 'one day you're going to start a big church to reach a lot of people who are far from God in a big city somewhere in the United States of America."

"I've never been ready. I wasn't ready when we started the church. I didn't feel ready when the church started to grow, thousands of people were coming to Christ, but the church got bigger than the town I grew up in. I wasn't ready for that."

Since God doesn't need you to feel ready – news flash – He just wants you to obey and follow Him. God doesn't need you to feel ready for what He's calling you to do," 

Furtick said people can move forward with what God has in store for them by not living to "be impressive." He compared how some people may feel with those auditioning for the TV show "The Voice." 

 1) Cancel the audition because we already have the part.

A lot of people spend their whole lives waiting on somebody to hit a button, turn around, and choose them," he said. "A lot of believers spend their whole walk with God performing, trying out, feeling bad, waiting on God to hit a button and turn around and say now He loves you. God said before you were born 'I chose you.'"

We are already chosen! Just play the part God has already given you!

I lived by what God says, and not what I feels

2) Get ready on the way

God did not call us to fully understand. We are only called to completely obey Him.

God is already with us. His driving us!

"illustration of his child separated who was still calm because he can hear his dad's voice still"

3) God wants to be our guide

He will be our guide. God will lead the way, just be the sheep

His the ever present God.

Psalm 23
New International Version (NIV)

 A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

God doesn't really want to give guidance He wants to be our Guide

Day 5 - (Night Session)

The most encouraging message you have never heard

Matthew 11:1-11
New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus and John the Baptist
11 When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went out to teach and preach in towns throughout the region.
2 John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3 “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,[a] or should we keep looking for someone else?”
4 Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— 5 the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. 6 And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.[b]’”
7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 8 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive clothes live in palaces. 9 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 10 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,
‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,    and he will prepare your way before you.’[c]
11 “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!

-To put courage into someone
-Frustration is the gap between what you expect & what you experience
-People can't steal your calling, but it can steal your passion
-Fears from expectations, expectations can led to frustrations

Encouragement that people has said to Steven furtick before. "God is only going to use you more", "I think you have the integrity to handle success"

Matt 11:7, Jesus paid tribute to John behind his back. Saying all the encouraging words about Him.

1) You've been doing better than you think you are

2) You matter more than you think you do, and it's less about you than you think it is

"My joy is not measured by what happens to me, but by what Jesus is doing through me and to me"

3) There is more in store than you think there is

Shared this illustration of how he was talking to his son in America from Sydney (Since there is a time difference), He said "i'm in your tomorrow now." And joke to him that he knows his tomrrow.

Similarly God knows our tomorrow and He is already in our tomorrow. There is more install in our tomorrow than what is today.

God who spoke in our today knows our tomorrow!

Do you trust God in your tomorrow!

Louie Giglio

Day 3- (Night Session)

John 8:44
New International Version (NIV)
44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Adversery- He is a liar

Worship is our weapon

2 Chronicles 20:5-20
Jehoshaphat just worship God and let God destroy the enemies

Imagine this scene... "Enemies destroying themselves and a choir just sings praises to the Lord!"

Give thanks to the lord, for His love endures forever

Remind ourselves that our God is Great



Psalm 148
New Living Translation (NLT)

1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens! Praise him from the skies!
2 Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of heaven!
3 Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you twinkling stars!
4 Praise him, skies above! Praise him, vapors high above the clouds!
5 Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for he issued his command, and they came into being.
6 He set them in place forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths,
8 fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather that obey him,
9 mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all livestock, small scurrying animals and birds,
11 kings of the earth and all people,rulers and judges of the earth,
12 young men and young women,old men and children.
13 Let them all praise the name of the Lord.For his name is very great;his glory towers over the earth and heaven!
14 He has made his people strong, honoring his faithful ones— the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!


1 Peter 2:9
New International Version (NIV)
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Psalm 40:1-3
New International Version (NIV)

1 I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rockand gave me a firm place to stand.3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.

He puts a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God...

Psalms 148 :14 "... Raise up a horn for His people..."
-Jesus is the King He raised for us!

-How GREAT IS OUR GOD!!!
-Give thanks to the lord, for His love endures forever
-Our worship brings the presence of God!

Day 5- (Morning Session)

How great is our God!

God is a scientist! The greatest of them all!

Our voice is in God's symphony

Psalm 63
New International Version (NIV)

A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
1 You, God, are my God,    earnestly I seek you;I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,in a dry and parched land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. 3 Because your love is better than life,my lips will glorify you.4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. 5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;with singing lips my mouth will praise you. 6 On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. 7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. 8 I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. 9 Those who want to kill me will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth. 10 They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals. 11 But the king will rejoice in God;    all who swear by God will glory in him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Psalm 63"... I shall seek you earnestly; my soul thirst for you, my flesh yearns for you..."

V.6 "... I will lift my hands in Your name"

*(When he mentioned this...we were all in AMAZEMENT! As just the night before,we had a discussion on why we lift our hands in worship &  louie began a whole long explanations of why we lift our hands if you read on...amazing how God knows questions that we have on our hearts and addresses them so specifically!)

We lift our hands in celebration!

1) It's a response to something awesome!!!

2) Or it's a response in surrender, in repentance

3) In desperate hope

Human beings are created to worship God!

Louie Giglio personal testimony of his time in suffering...

"It started a journey for me – the worst part of it lasted about two months – and it was the darkest time of my life … I didn't know what to do and every day was a different symptom, every day was a different manifestation of something … I was going crazy,"  

He said there was one particular night, after waking up night after night at 2 a.m. in a "dark cloud" of panic and anxiety that he said a simple prayer, "God, please help me."

Giglio said he then remembered a passage of Scripture that says "God gives songs in the night."

"When you get in the dry and weary land you need to know that there is a God who has a song for that moment, too,"  

"A little song started bubbling up in my heart. Just four lines: Be still my soul there is a healer. His love is deeper than the sea. His mercy is unfailing. His arms a fortress for the weak," he said. "And then this little phrase, 'I lift my hands to believe again.' I'm thinking that from two o'clock to 4 o'clock that night I sang that song."

"It was a weapon of praise that led me out of the darkness and back into the land of the living. It was praise that ripped open that cloud and allowed the light of God's love to shine in and draw me back up into the symphony of all creation,"  

"We do a good job of preaching to others … but there is a time when you have to start preaching the Gospel to yourself," he said.
Visual illustration on the stage of a small plastic figure "under the weight" of a tower of "bricks" representing life's stresses, Giglio encouraged everyone to give their burdens to Christ.
"If any lie has come into your mind to tell you that you are responsible for holding it all together that did not come from God, it came from the enemy and you need to get a weapon in your mouth to begin to combat that voice or you're going to find yourself in a really desperate place,"

Colossians 1:27..." Christ in you the Hope of glory!"

"It's not Christ and you that is the hope of glory. It's Christ in you that is the hope of glory,"

"Jesus name is cornerstone. This is good news for people who feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders and they may cave-in under the pressure.

I will tell you what depression is. Depression is when all of your shame is on top of you, when all of your guilt is on top of you, when all the weight of your business is on top of you, when all the weight of the church and all the people's needs and all the responsibility, and all the losses of the world … when that's all on top of you that's de-press-ing.

Jesus will supply what I need for the day
Jesus will supply what I need at this moment
Jesus will supply
Jesus will
Jesus!

When Singing is translated into fighting!

Eph 2:6..."and raised us up with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus"

2 cor 12:9-10 ..."... My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness"

Isaiah 28:16"... A costly cornerstone for the foundation , firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed"


Joyce Meyer

Day 2- (Night)

Spiritual Maturity
The question is not if you have the Holy Spirit but how much does the Holy Spirit have you?

Where you start cannot be where you end up

- Be all God want you to be, Be all God want you to do, and be all God want to have
- Grace will meet you where you are at, Grace will never leave you where you are at.

Hebrews 5:12-14
Amplified Bible (AMP)
12 For even though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God’s Word. You have come to need milk, not solid food.
13 For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]!
14 But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil andcontrary either to divine or human law.

-God love us the same before and now!
-Wants to please God more than what one was doing
-Do you want to make that change exude you love Him!

Having a solid foundation in who you are in Christ

Hebrews 6:1-3
Amplified Bible (AMP)
6 Therefore let us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith [by which you turned] to God,
2 With teachings about purifying, the laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment and punishment. [These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long, long ago.]
3 If indeed God permits, we will [now] proceed [to advanced teaching].

Pressing on to Christian maturity 
- It's going to cost you something...We need to really study!
- Are we going from conferences to conferences, listening to different inspiring sermons. "Feel good' like a sniff from a perfume for that moment and than lose it thereafter, or do we really take it back and study it!

-The only moment you give yourself up to Him than the Holy Spirit can do its work
-Teach people to go to God first in your life!

When God give it to you, you got it!

The same grace that change us will continue to transform us

James 4:4-6
Amplified Bible (AMP)
4 You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God.
5 Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love?
6 But He gives us more and more grace ([a]power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it).

Galatians 3:1-3
Amplified Bible (AMP)
3 O you poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless Galatians! Who has fascinated or bewitched or cast a spell over you, unto whom—right before your very eyes—Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was openly and graphically set forth and portrayed as crucified?
2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying the Lawand doing its works, or was it by hearing [the message of the Gospel] and believing [it]? [Was it from observing a law of rituals or from a message of faith?]
3 Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun [your new life spiritually] with the [Holy] Spirit, are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the flesh?

The same way we receive Him the same way we will live!

-Some of us are pregnant some are in transition!
-But It's time to give birth!
-Let us go on! Don't be passive!

We got to have passion to want to grow, passion to do what God wants you to do.

Day 3 - (Morning)

Forgiveness

Romans 12
Amplified Bible (AMP)
12 I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
3 For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimateand think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him.
4 For as in one physical body we have many parts (organs, members) and all of these parts do not have the same function or use,
5 So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ (the Messiah) and individually we are parts one of another [mutually dependent on one another].
6 Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them: [He whose gift is] prophecy, [let him prophesy] according to the proportion of his faith;
7 [He whose gift is] practical service, let him give himself to serving; he who teaches, to his teaching;
8 He who exhorts (encourages), to his exhortation; he who contributes, let him do it in simplicity andliberality; he who gives aid and superintends, with zeal and singleness of mind; he who does acts of mercy, with genuine cheerfulness and joyful eagerness.
9 [Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good.
10 Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence andshowing honor to one another.
11 Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.
12 Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer.
13 Contribute to the needs of God’s people [sharing in the necessities of the saints]; pursue the practice of hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you [who are cruel in their attitude toward you]; bless and do not curse them.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief].
16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits.
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is honest and proper and noble [aiming to be above reproach] in the sight of everyone.
18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord.
20 But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.
21 Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good.

- He save us because he wants to use us for His kingdom
- We need the anointing of the holy spirit
- Keep strive out of your life
 -Foundation of peace in your life
- Pray for your enemies, those who have hurt you. Bless them.

The quicker we can forgive, the easier we get over it
Proverbs 25:21-22
Amplified Bible (AMP)
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For in doing so, you will [a]heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will reward you.

Proverbs passage, heap of "Burning coals" are like pouring love into the person life

Overcome evil with good!

Day 4- (Night Session)

Surrender
Romans 6:16
Amplified Bible (AMP)
16 Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)?

Luke 5:1-5
The first disciples

"We must make sure we are married to Jesus on not just dating him"

Believe it will work out Good then you will truly be free

"When your fully surrendered to God, you can be bold in asking Him anything. As if you don't get it, it's okay, bcoz you trust that you know what's best for you!"

Luke 15:11-32 - the prodigal son

Make me who you want me to be!

1 Peter 2:23
Amplified Bible (AMP)
23 When He was reviled and insulted, He did not revile or offer insult in return; [when] He was abused and suffered, He made no threats [of vengeance]; but he trusted [Himself and everything] to Him Who judges fairly.
I'm trusting everything to you.

I will not throw spears at others or throw them back

Hebrews 5:8
Amplified Bible (AMP)
8 Although He was a Son, He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered

When God calls you to something you need Equipment and experience

Story of David, God's anointing was on him.
-God is incharge of our reputation
-David came out from spear throwing to a cave dweller... When he came out he did not fight back against Saul.


Joseph prince

Day 1- (Night Session)
John 1:17
New International Version (NIV)
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.



Grace & truth are one
Romans 6:14
New International Version (NIV)
14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.



2 Corinthians 3:6-9
New International Version (NIV)
6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant —not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!

-Love is fulfilling of he law! Under grace God imparts righteousness

Luke 18- The rich young ruler was under the law

Under law- Man works
Under grace- God works

Rest is spirited directed activity.

The law(old covenant) under the mercy seat of judgement

Day 4- (Morning Session)
- We are "self-occupied" by nature
- The law is about demand , grace is about supply
- Live under grace
- God is about supply. Ask Him & He will supply you living waters.

Galatians 5:4
New International Version (NIV)
4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

Grace & peace be multiplied through the knowing of Jesus Christ

Mountain of transfiguration
-Moses represents the law
-Elijah represents the prophets
-Jesus represents His grace & righteousness

Righteousness of God is given as a gift from God to us
Present grace to the world

Mercy in Hebrew translation is checed  (Love endures forever)

Through our weakness, The abounding grace of God will come even more!

-In the holy of holies, the mercy seat covers the law
-Some of us a pushing aside the "mercy seat" to get the law
-Mercy seat is the grace for us

Colossians 2:13-15
New International Version (NIV)
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[a] alivewith Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.[b]

A lot of church have a mixture of law & grace. Are we mixing old wineskin & new wineskin?

The sacrifice is greater than the judgement!

Electives

Christine Caine- Justice- Issue of the Heart

Luke 4:18
New International Version (NIV)
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,to set the oppressed free...

Micah 6:8
New International Version (NIV)
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God. " 
Isaiah 58:7-12
New International Version (NIV)
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter —when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear;then your righteousness[a] will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you always;he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

Not any touching Videos, Inspirational teaching, profound theological understanding of justice can actually transformed us.

It's a heart matter!
It's a heart transformation!
If our heart is truly change by God, we will catch the heartbeat of God for His people!

-Its actually bringing justice, mercy on his people!
-There's a god-shaped vacuum in every man that only God can fill!
-Redeemed victors or perpetrators who want to do justice but there's the global majority of the ordinary who can & capable heart but predominantly disconnected heart to get engaged for others
-If safety, protection, education, health is important for my own child wont that important for every human being on this earth!
-What's good with our faith? If we do not carry out what we believe for God's people!

Our form of entertainment is like finding a cook book at a bookstore and learning how to cook food from it, but why are we caught up by that when there is millions who actually needs food!

We can just continue our life and our heart grown cold

We have a responsibility with our privilege

"Compassion is only a word until we cross the street and actually help the needy"

Our goal is not about building the infrastructure of just a church it's to reach out to His people!

Its a heartbeat! Jesus was always moved by compassion before he does his ministry! He cared for everyone with needs along the way. It's for the needy, the broken. Miracle he did was not for his reputation

- We need more heart than sign of wonders
-The people are our goal!

Martin Luther king jr- preaching of nicodemus on how we must be born again!
If you will let me be a preacher just a little bit - One night, a juror came to Jesus and he wanted to know what he could do to be saved. Jesus didn't get bogged down in the kind of isolated approach of what he shouldn't do. Jesus didn't say, "Now Nicodemus, you must stop lying." HE didn't say, "Nicodemus, you must stop cheating if you are doing that." He didn't say, "Nicodemus, you must not commit adultery." He didn't say, "Nicodemus, now you must stop drinking liquor if you are doing that excessively." He said something altogether different, because Jesus realized something basic - that if a man will lie, he will steal. And if a man will steal, he will kill. So instead of just getting bogged down in one thing, Jesus looked at him and said, "Nicodemus, you must be born again." 

He said, in other words, "Your whole structure must be changed." A nation that will keep people in slavery for 244 years will "thingify" them - make them things. Therefore they will exploit them, and poor people generally, economically. And a nation that will exploit economically will have to have foreign investments and everything else, and will have to use its military might to protect them. All of these problems are tied together. What I am saying today is that we must go from this convention and say, "America, you must be born again!" 

Our hearts need to be born again! For his justice, mercy of Him! Before we can transformed the world before us!

Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following theNazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group...
 "First they came for the communists,and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for meand there was no one left to speak out for me." 


When we go before God at the end of our life... "God may ask, where are our works, was nothing worth fighting for?

A man fell into a pit and couldn’t get himself out.
A subjective person came along and said, ‘I feel for you down there.’
An objective person came along and said: ‘It’s logical that someone would fall down there.’
A Christian Scientist came along: ‘You only think that you are in the pit.’
A Pharisee said: ‘Only bad people fall into a pit.’
A newspaper reporter wanted the exclusive story on this pit.
A fundamentalist said: ‘You deserve your pit.’
Confucius said: ‘If you would have listened to me, you would not be in that pit.’
Buddha said: ‘Your pit is only a state of mind.’
A realist said: ‘That’s a pit.’
A geologist told him to appreciate the rock strata in the pit.
A tax man asked if he was paying tax on the pit.
The council inspector asked if he has a permit to dig a pit.
An evasive person came along and avoided the subject of the pit altogether.
A self-pitying person said: ‘You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen my pit.’
A charismatic said: ‘Just confess that you’re not in a pit.’
An optimist said: ‘Things could get worse!’
A pessimist said: ‘Things will get worse!’
Jesus, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit!

James 2:26 "...Faith without works is dead"

Robert ferguson - Significant of story telling 

Jesus using parables to communicate God's truth
Every story has a plot.All story normally has a Beginning, middle & end

Home, discovery, return

1) The set up (Home)
2) The crisis (discovery)
3) Some obstacles  ( discovery
4) The Major Challenge (discovery)
5) The return (return)

1) Create a Story
2) Tension (a choice that need to be made, e.g a mentor comes in to help
3) Make observation
4)Reveal a truth
5) what you gonna do about it (you)

"once upon a time"... People lean forward

Story involved people we need in our life. E.g Frodo needs a Sam ( a friend), Gandalf ( the mentor)

Scriptures have to...Pass it on!

Deuteronomy 6:20-25
New International Version (NIV)
20 In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?” 21 tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but theLord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. 23 But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. 24 The Lordcommanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. 25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness. ”
Impressing scriptures on your children. Telling them stories ...

Slavery, liberty , integrity , prosperity

1) Passing on of covenantal values!

People remember story!

2) Passing on of accumulated wisdom
2 Timothy 2:1-2
New International Version (NIV)
2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

3) Passing on of cultural identity

Psalm 48:12-13
New International Version (NIV)
12 Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, 13 consider well her ramparts,     view her citadels, that you may tell of them    to the next generation.

4) Passing on necessary responsibility

5) Passing on entrusted faith
 Telling testimonies of God's providence, how He change me, etc

Isaiah 51

To Illustrate a point, he shared a personal true story, that he found out through some recordings that in the 19 century story that his great grand father, who was a preacher had told similar stories as him today and his stories that was passed on till today.

Stories concealing & revealing

1) Story of Peter rabbit (valuing a home)
2) Ugly duckling(potential to realise)
3) Jack & the bean stalks(giant to overcome)
4) Billy goats gruff (Principle of a bridge to cross)
5) Sleeping beauty (A partner to find, a home to continue this)

Each talks about 5 stages of growing up!

Ephesians 4:11-13
New International Version (NIV)
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

So that we can mature & grow up!


Chris Mendez



Living in the power of the Holy Spirit


- We can do what we are called to do because the spirit of God can lead us to what we are to be.
- God flows out from who He is!
- God is strength so he strengthen the weak...God is healer so he can heal

Eph 5:18"... Be filled in the spirit"

-Greek translation is "being" filled It's a continuous being filled by God.It's a present continuous! It's not a one of event!

"Lord today, fill me with your Hoy Spirit today"

The Holy spirit is available to us on a daily basis, it's an hourly basis

Acts 1:8 "when you shall receive power when the Holy spirit comes upon you... And you shall "BE" my witnesses both in Jerusalem, judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth"

To BE filled... The empowering of the Holy spirit empowers us to BE

To be continued filled by him in our everyday life! We all have that supernatural connection to the power of the Holy spirit.

He empowers us to live!

1) He will fill you with boldness

Acts 4:31
New International Version (NIV)
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
When you pray for God to fill you, he will empower you to speak in boldness to speak the word of God!

2) He fills us so we can love

Romans 5:6
New International Version (NIV)
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

3) He fills you with Peace & Joy
Romans 14:14-17
New International Version (NIV)
14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

4) He teaches us

John 14:26
New International Version (NIV)
26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father 

5) He gives birth the promise of God in our lives!

"He sent forth his Holy Spirit in our lives, to birth us dreams , visions from Him for Him"

We can't do it by our own strength...

He is a God who will fills our cup that will overflow every single day of our life so we can Him praise!


Empowering leadership

Steve Furtick

1) Elevation church Vision
 - "People far from God will be raise up in the abundant life in Christ"

Theories (not principles)
- Duplicate the vision (with digital zero)(losing less of the quality)
- story of the church, nuances of the church without losing the vision
- write the vision make it plain- memorise the code of the church
- everyone staff,volunteers are all saying the same thing

2)marry the vision & hire the strategies
- have clear distinction of vision & strategy
- stick to the vision but be flexible in the strategy

3) Better to work the vision inside the box
- work with the limitation of the box of what we got
- when u reach out to the edge of the box is when God will provide for you to do more

Gary Clarke
2 Cor 12
Paul's thorn
- criticism
-internal reaction brings down confidence

"My grace is all you need."
Just need God's approval and not approval of men

Chris Hodges
- Your response in your bad days will determines ur future

Psalms 61-"... when my heart is overwhelm lead my to the rock higher that is higher than I"

Kind of prayer to pray- "God what you want me to leant in this time of peril"

Story of  exodus
- cup of sanctification(how are getting them saved?)
- cup of deliverance(how is it important to get them out of bondage)
-helping them to find their spiritual gifts & talents for the team
- Living out the fulfilled life to the kingdom purpose

"Move people, to move others"

Joel A' bell- Posture of leadership

Proverbs 9:6

Posture that your communicating is important

Luke 13:10-27Healing on the sabbath

Leadership posture depends on flexibility

1) Flexibility of your heart- A heart that can let go

2) Flexibility of your Soul
 - The soul to go slow-being comfortable with silence
-The non verbal that is on the inside

Heb 4, make every effort to rest

3) Flexibility of your Mind
- Mind that can change
-e.g. on stage staying on stage being connected with the congregation yet knowing the transitions next

Romans 12

4) Flexibility of your strength
- A strength to enjoy & to not grow familiar

All the heart,soul, mind & strength are all interconnected

Take this moment and imagine if you are without Jesus... and now with him"

Bobbi Houston

1) Pure in speech



Malachi 3 Context - heart of God for humanity

Malachi 3:16... The book of remembrance

2) Pure in proclamation

E.g of muslim family who turn to Christ just hearing the gospel message in easter

3) Pure in Christ likeness , example & fruitfulness

You will be known by our fruit

Isaiah 53:11

Romans 12
 The Message (MSG)

Place Your Life Before God
 1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
 3I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.
 4-6In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.
 6-8If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.
 9-10Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
 11-13Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
 14-16Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.
 17-19Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."
 20-21Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

1 comment:

Ing. V. Rivera said...

thanks for posting your notes to edify others :-) Veronica.