October 6, 2002   Morning Service

Living In The Spirit

Text:  Luke 24:49, Acts 2:1-4

Preface:   People living today are searching for some image of real power.  However, they fail to understand the kind of power that can meet their longings.  They ignore the secret of living in the Spirit of Almighty God".  The power God gives "endues" you, or clothes you.  God's power is radically different from the things men label power.  He gives us operative power, endowed power and also gives us demonstrated power.

A.  Life's Greatest Resource.
  1. The Holy Spirit at work in the lives of believers is the most profound power in the world today.
  2. The Holy Spirit has been active in the universe since the beginning of time;
    1. Genesis 1:2 says the Holy Spirit moved on the face of the waters at the dawn of Creation.
    2. Genesis 6:3 says the Holy Spirit strives with man.
    3. Numbers 24 tells of the Holy Spirit anointing Balaam to prophesy of Israel and the coming Messiah.
    4. In the Book of Judges, the Holy Spirit empowered Othniel (3:10) with the ability to judge Israel.
B.  Life In The Spirit In Jesus Life.
  1. The Holy Spirit and Jesus birth (Matthew 1:18).
  2. The Holy Spirit and Jesus baptism (Matthew 3:16-17).
  3. The Holy Spirit and Jesus temptation (Matthew 4:1, Mark 1:12-13).
  4. The Holy Spirit and Jesus ministry (Luke 4:18-19).
Thought:  Surely by now you have come to the reality that there is no life except "Living in the Spirit".  When the Holy Spirit is present in our lives, we are comforted, protected, shielded and guided by our Lord and Savior.









October 6, 2002   Evening Service

Paul's Thorn In The Flesh

Text:  II Corinthians 12:7-10

Preface:   One of the most popular reasons for denial of healing today is the broadly accepted misunderstanding of a key passage of Scripture, the II Corinthians 12 account of Paul's thorn in the flesh.  Does this incident teach that sick people should remain in the grip of their sickness, that they should neither pray for nor expect God's healing of their affliction?

A.  Biblical Justification Of This Claim.
  1. People who don't believe in Divine Healing, think that Paul is saying that God will not heal his illness.
  2. Expositors have attempted to identify Paul's thorn with any number of sicknesses and physical conditions.
    1. partial blindness.
    2. acute ophthalmia.
    3. epilepsy.
    4. migraine headaches.
  3. Other than a couple of references that hint that Paul's eyesight might have troubled him from time to time, no Scriptural basis is found for any of these claims.
  4. The severe terms in which he describes his thorn makes it sound much more serious than not possessing 20/20 vision.
  5. Some even go beyond the suggestion of physical affliction and conjecture that the thorn was some type of Spiritual malady that plagued the great Apostle.
  6. Both the conjectured physical illnesses and the Spiritual ailments are curiously not mentioned anywhere in the New Testament books from Paul's pen.
B.  Expositors Have Overlooked The Obvious.
  1. Paul tells exactly in plain words what it was.
  2. The thorn in the flesh was a messenger of satan sent to constantly battle him.
  3. Paul's tormentor was a representative of satan's kingdom who continually followed Paul about in an attempt to hinder him, obstruct him and destroy him.
  4. The messenger of satan was sent to "buffet" him. The word means "to strike with the fist".
  5. I Corinthians 4:11, tells us that Paul suffered from;
    1. hunger.
    2. thirst.
    3. poorly clothed.
    4. beaten ( same Greek word as "buffeted").
    5. homeless.
C.  Paul Was Certainly A Target Of The Enemy.
  1. However, a man who traveled the distance that Paul did, could not have suffered as a chronically sick man.
  2. The messenger of satan had buffeted him;
    1. shipwrecked.
    2. arrested.
    3. stoned.
  3. Paul identified it as a demonic spirit whose mission was to give him a hard time.
  4. Paul was an Apostle who knew how much he had to depend on God.
Thought:  Paul's thorn in the flesh was a demonic angel charged to hinder Paul's ministry. By God's grace Paul was made strong enough to do God's will. He completed his ministry with a resounding report of victory!

    I have fought the good fight,
    I have finished the race,
    I have kept the faith.








October 13, 2002   Morning Service

Why Sit We Here

Text:  II Kings 7:3-5

Preface:   The city of Samaria was in sad plight. Ben-hadad, the King of Syria, had gathered all his armies together with the determination to conquer Israel and make it a subject province.  He brought all his force against Samaria and besieged the capital city.  He cut off all their communication with the surrounding country and was slowly starving them to death.  Now, while this was going on in the city of Samaria, four lepers, who lived in little shanties outside the gate, and were not allowed to come inside, talked the situation over with one another.  They were starving to death and there was not much choice for them.  It was certain death if they stayed where they were, and it was probable death if they went anywhere else.

A.  The Man Who Feels His Sin The Keenest Is The Most Likely To Move.
  1. These lepers were the most pitiable in all Israel.
  2. They felt like they must move or die, no food was being let down the wall to them.
  3. Jesus referred to this when he talked about how the Publicans and harlots would go into the Kingdom of Heaven before some others would.
B.  Inaction Is Often As Bad As Positive Wrong-Doing.
  1. The four lepers used good logic, they said one to another, "Why sit we here".
  2. Their only hope was immediate action.
  3. Jesus scorned His disciples for just doing nothing (Luke 22:46).
C.  The Lepers Announced Deliverance.
  1. They went and announced the good tidings to the King's household (II Kings 7:9).
  2. If these four lepers felt compelled to announce victory, how much more should Christians spread the "Good News".
  3. Because of not sitting till they died, they feasted on the good things of life.








October 13, 2002   Evening Service

Two Opposing Laws

Text:  Romans 8:1-4

Preface:   It has been said that the most important word in the New Testament for the believer is the preposition in, in Christ, and in the Spirit.  All the Christian ever needed or would ever need to live the normal Christian life is already theirs in the person of the indwelling Christ and His indwelling Spirit.  The normal Christian life is both Holy living and power in ministry.  Both come from the indwelling Spirit of God's dear Son (Galatians 4:6).

A.  Paul Insists.
  1. Everything we need to overcome the evil within (the flesh), the evil without (the world), and the evil above (demonic power) is ours in union with our Lord (Ephesians 1:3, 2:10, 3:14, Colossians 1:13-3:4).
  2. That nothing is automatic or magical.
  3. If a believer does not know who he is in Christ and the Spirit and what Christ is to him, that believer will be defeated most of his Christian life.
B.  The Law Of The Spirit Of Life In Christ Jesus.
  1. The "Spirit of Life" is clearly the Holy Spirit, not just an influence.
  2. The Holy Spirit is the dominant person of the Trinity (Romans 8:4-16).
  3. The Law of the Spirit is clearly the Operative spirit in our life.
  4. It will be the Commanding and Authoritative power if we let it.
  5. It also has Legislative Authority if we let it.
C.  The Law Of Sin Or The Law Of The Mind.
  1. The law of sin operates in the flesh (Romans 7:22-23).
  2. The power of sin is no match for the power of the Spirit.
  3. The believer who walks in the spirit (Romans 8:4) is set free from the law of sin.
  4. It is important to understand that the "No condemnation" of Romans 8:1 is not deliverance from sin's guilt and penalty, but from sin's power.
  5. The power of sin is energized by the flesh.
  6. In Romans 8:4, Paul tells us to "Walk by the Spirit, not by the flesh".
  7. When a believer has their mind set on the flesh, they live in hostility to God.








October 20, 2002   Morning Service

Touching His Garment

Text:  Matthew 14:35-36

Preface:   A careful reading of the Gospels leaves little doubt that Christ was interested in healing people.  Like a loving father is concerned about the well being of his children.  Christ always moved to relieve suffering and distress in the lives of those He met.  God will get no glory out of the suffering and illness of His people.  What Christ did in the first century for those who needed healing, He will also do for His people today (Matthew 10:8).

A.  Healing Depends On Faith.
  1. The Bible teaches of a circumstance that insures that prayer will not be answered (James 1:6-7).
  2. Two blind men came to Christ and asked for healing, He ask them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this" (Matthew 9:28).
  3. Another occasion was when a Gentile centurion sought Christ for the healing of his servant. He later discovered that the servant was healed at the instant Christ spoke (Matthew 8:5-13).
B.  Action Demonstrates Our Faith.
  1. Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.
  2. Enoch lived a life that caught the attention of God.
  3. Noah prepared an ark, even though it had never rained.
  4. Abraham left his ancestral home to serve God.
  5. Sarah laughed, showing her confidence in God.
C.  Our Testimony Builds Faith.
  1. Your healing is confirmed and completed when you offer a public testimony of what the Lord has done for you.
  2. Christ told the demoniac of Gadara, "Go back and tell your people what God has done for you".
  3. Today, we must do everything possible to touch the hem of His garment.








October 20, 2002   Evening Service

Delivered By A Thread

Text:  Joshua 2:21

Preface:   Some people no longer believe that God is a miracle working God.  We talk about how God used to work among His people.  According to Hebrews 13:8, God is the same today as yesterday and does not change.  The only difference is that God does business with those who want to do business with Him

A.  Command To Joshua.
  1. God promised a blessing (Joshua 2:5).
  2. God will remind you of His promises (Joshua 2:6).
  3. We must experience God's blessings, we need to get up and forget what the world is saying.
  4. God told Joshua to get across Jordan and send spies to scout out the promise of God.
B.  Used Of God.
  1. God chose a harlot in Jericho to help out the 2 spies.
  2. God wanted to deliver the harlot, there were lots of decent women in town, but God selected this woman.
  3. Rahab lied about the spies.
  4. You might ask how she could be a prostitute, a prophetess and a liar, and be delivered by God.
  5. Jesus is a friend to sinners (Isaiah 1:18).
  6. God can only use those that will let Him use them.
C.  God Cares.
  1. God will deliver you even if it is only by a thread.
  2. God will destroy the enemy just for you, He has promised to make your enemy your footstool (James 4:7).
  3. Don't testify for the devil.








October 27, 2002   Morning Service

Extraordinary Miracles

Text:  Acts 19:11-12

Preface:   Christians live in a time of increased emphasis on the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is no longer the neglected Person of the Trinity.  To even the most casual observer, it is apparent that the Christian church has entered the Age of the Spirit.  Nothing less than an authentic personal experience of the Spirit Baptism and a continuing manifestation of its power will result in a Spirit-filled life.

A.  The Universal Provision.
  1. This was suggested by Peter when he was preaching (Acts 2:17-21).
  2. Jesus informed His disciples that they should "Wait upon the Spirit" (Acts 1:5).
  3. Jesus told His disciples they would receive "Power after the Holy Spirit is come upon them" (Acts 1:8).
  4. Jesus promised, "We would do greater things than He did".
B.  By The Hands Of Man.
  1. God uses man to achieve great miracles.
  2. Paul was full of the Holy Spirit.
  3. A miracle is something that man cannot create or manipulate.
  4. God is in the miracle working business.
C.  No Imitation.
  1. Acts 19:13 tells of men that tried to cast out demons by mocking the Holy Spirit.
  2. The evil spirit talked back to them saying, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you"? (Acts 19:15)
  3. We are only able to work miracles by the Anointing by the Spirit.








October 27, 2002   Evening Service  -  Rev. Rucker Chunn

Got God? Or Does GOD Have You?

Text:  Acts 9:1-5 NSRV

Introduction:   Saul had all the qualifications of a man of God!
  • Religious Education -
  • Title of Accomplishment and Credentials -
  • Authority & Power
  • Yet he was working against the very God he sought to serve.
  • He thought he had God!
  • ...But God did not have him!
A.  GOD IS NOT MINE UNTIL I AM HIS!
  • Many think that because they were raised in church, attend church regularly, read the Bible, pray and sing that they "have God."
  • We are not saved by what we do. We do what we do because we are saved.
  • You do not possess God, He must possess you!
B.  ARE YOU USING GOD OR IS HE USING YOU?
  • Many use the benefits of God without being fully yielded to God
  • You can't truly use God until He can Use You! (John 14:12 KJV)
  • You have no real influence with God until He has YOU.
C.  SURRENDER YOUR VESSEL
  • Are you IN God through Jesus Christ or are you "hanging out on the fringes"?
  • (Isaiah 6:8 KJV) Here am I; send me.








December 1, 2002   Morning Service

Conflicting Evidence

Text:  I John 1:7-8

Preface:   The church exists in a world in which there are many Spiritual counterfeits.  The work of the flesh is among those who claim to be filled with the Spirit.  This conflicting evidence is confusing to the honest seeker and can be deadly to those who are wavering in their faith.  Believers need to be reminded that it is not what they have but who has them that is important.  The conflicting claims mentioned in this study are sins against the Holy Spirit, arid will hinder any Spiritual growth.

A.  Grieving The Spirit.
  1. Ephesians 4:30 tells us that we may grieve the Spirit by our disposition, deeds and discourse.
  2. Lying, anger and grudges give opportunity to the devil.
B.  Quenching The Spirit.
  1. I Thessalonians 5:19 informs the Christian that the opposite of Quenching the Spirit is to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and to give thanks to God.
  2. The Spirit will teach us all things if we will surrender.
C.  Insulting The Spirit.
  1. When a believer willfully persists in sin the Holy Spirit is outraged (Hebrews l0:26-29).
  2. The Spirit is honored when a Christian follows the Word of God.
D.  Lying To The Spirit.
  1. In Acts 5:1-11, Ananias arid Sapphira lied to the Spirit by pretending to give all while holding back a portion of their property.
  2. They sinned against the Spirit who is the source of unity in the Christian community.
E.  Blasphemy Against The Spirit.
  1. Jesus made it very plain that "Speaking against the Son is forgivable while speaking against the Spirit is not" (Matthew 12:31-32).
  2. The Holy Spirit is to be blessed and honored.








December 1, 2002   Evening Service

Keeping The Fire Burning

Text:  Luke 12:32-40, Matthew 24:43-44

Preface:   The text we read is the Nineteenth Parable of our Lord and Savior.  Christ is trying to teach us the lesson that we need to be ready and watching for the "Great Catching Away" of the Saints (I Thessalonians 4).  In this parable, Christ is referring to the "Good man of the House", in teaching us to keep our Spiritual house in order.

A.  The Believer Has Been Promised:
  1. The Kingdom of His father (Luke 12:32).
  2. It is the Will of God that we inherit His Kingdom, we are joint heirs with Christ.
B.  He Should Therefore:
  1. Store up treasures in Heaven (Luke 12:33).
  2. Keep his clothing adjusted (Luke 12:35).
  3. Lamps burning (Luke 12:35).
C.  He Will Then:
  1. Be constantly ready, for the Bridegroom will come at the least expected hour (Matthew 24:36).
  2. Be served personally by the Bridegroom.
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