I JUST DO NOT CARE!

I was at Pick ‘n Pay over the weekend and as I was walking through the isles doing a bit of grocery shopping, I remember walking by the toy section where a father and son spent time arguing over whether or not a particular toy was necessary for the child to have.

The father looked very angry and quickly responded to his screaming child saying, “I DO NOT CARE!”

Imagine the predicament...

-          The child only understood that the toy is what he wanted

-          The parent wanting to give his child everything he wants in life but having to make the decision of whether it is needed or not

-          The parent working hard in the back end to ensure that the needs for the child are taken care of but still having to put up with a performance in a public place

 

1.       Have you found yourself in a situation like this before?

2.       Have you every said the words “I DO NOT CARE”

3.       Did you walk away from someone that was in need?

4.       Did you place your own wants before the needs of another?

5.       Where you ever frustrated to the point where you got angry?

 

-          The fact that there is an emotion link to that very statement means that you do care.

-          You were genetically created to care for the people around

-          God did not say you have to like them first before you care for them

-          He did not say that they need to have a nice car before you greet them, He did not say they had to wear the same clothes as you, He did not say that they have to have the latest cell phone out, speak in a certain way or look a certain way.

He said:

JAMES 2:14 – 17

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 

15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 

16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 

17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

He goes one step further to say:

Philippians 4:19 

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

-          The scripture is so clear in how we should execute our role as Christians

-          We should always be the arms and legs of Christ

-          Before doing that though, we must ready our hearts for what God intends us to do

-          Then we must move

-          Also, whatever your own induvial needs are already being taken care of by God

-          He will take care of it all if we are disciplined to His will for our lives

*Spirit moving wording and prayer*

MAKING A SPLASH

 

MAKING A SPLASH

Good morning TPM Family, as we enter a level 2 status of the National Lockdown, I urge you to be vigilant in your decision making. The COVID-19 risks are still very real and this should not be taken lightly. We have seen what the outbreak of the pandemic has caused this world. The loss of mobility, the loss of life, the loss of financial freedom to name but a few.

Today’s message is titled MAKING A SPLASH

I remember when we were growing up, it was so exciting to go to Warmbaths and play in the pools. As soon as we would arrive, we would slap of those costumes, run to the pool and dive in, making the biggest splash we could possibly make. Diving into the water and being fully submerged in the water was so much fun. With that in mind let’s look at scripture:

John 9:1-12

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said.

 

Thank you, Jesus, for your living word.

 

 

Far too often we think that things do not go our way because of what was done in generations before us, but we see here that it has nothing to do with what was done by our forefathers. What you are going through right now is your walk towards your purpose God has called you for. Jesus was on His way to the temple when he encountered this man. It was on His way to entering into worship.

There are many different parallels to focus on in this scripture, but I want to focus on the segment of what Jesus does for the man:

6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So, the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

 

-          What healing power does mud have? Hardly any healing power but there is symbolism in the soil.

-          From the dust Adam was created and unto the dust shall we return.

-          The mud on the man’s eyes was symbolic that the man will be born again. He will go back to the soil before he goes to the pool

-          Jesus then said “GO”

-          From the time we are born we are required to be mobile; we are sent by God. We are commissioned for the mission.

-          The man didn’t question Jesus. He didn’t ask “Ay yo J, why must I go to the pool”

-          He listened to the voice of God and acted in faith. He pressed a button in his spirit and activated his faith

-          He got up and walked to the pool

 

Now pools in those days were outside every temple and people would enter from one side and exit the other. When Jesus sent the man to the pool, he entered the pool from the side where one would normally exit. He would need to submerge his face into the pool.

 

Making a splash the man came out of the pool and could see.

The story tells us that when things are not going our way we need to go back to the healer. He needs to deal with us before he can deal with our situation. These very situations exist so that the work of God may be made manifest through us.

It is the same reason Abraham had a child at 80 instead of 40. If he was given a child at 40 he would have thought it was his doing but the fact that he received a child at 80 meant that he knew that it could have only been God that could have made that possible.

 

-          We serve a God of the impossible

-          We serve a God that requires us to submerge ourselves in the living water so that we can be healed

-          We serve a God that requires us to act in faith so that He can perform miracles in our lives

-          He needs obedience to His voice. When He says “GO” we need to go.

-          Make a splash when you submerge yourself in the water. The living water that never runs dry. Come out with elation in your heart and speak what God has done for you.

 

Our declaration for today:

-          Lord you are the great I AM

-          You are our ultimate healer

-          You can turn any situation around

-          You make all things work for the good of your people and the good of the church

-          You have created in us a new spirit

-          A new blessing unfolds in our lives

-          We are sent by you into the world on this day and;

-          In this day we will receive restoration

-          We will receive blessings

-          We will receive breakthroughs

-          We will receive healing

-          We will receive Divine encounters

-          We will advance towards you

-          We will grow spiritually

-          We will be victorious

 

Let us pray!

PRAY WITH POWER!

 

Heavenly Father,

Today we declare, like every other day, that You are Lord.

You are ever faithful, You are ever merciful, You are the great I AM.

Jehovah Nissi - The Lord our banner

Jehovah Rahh - The Lord our shepherd

Jehovah Rapha - The Lord our healer

Jehovah Shammah - The Lord is here

Jehovah Tsidkenu - The Lord our righteousness

Jehovah Jireh - The Lord our supplier

Jehovah Sabaoth - The Lord of hosts

Jehovah Shalom - The Lord of our peace

We submit ourselves into your hands.

We praise your Holy name and we stand in agreement tonight that the devil has no claim over our minds and because he has no claim over our mind, his works will not manifest in our being. Not our hearts and not our bodies.

Thank you for the divine invitation that you given us to be seated with you. We accept and receive it in the mighty name of your son Jesus Christ, who was, who is and who is to come.

Let your will be done over our lives Father. Not as we will but as you will.

You have given us the Authority in the name of Jesus to say:

We are Children of the most High and we take back what belongs to us.

We take ownership of our new property.

We take the victory of continuous financial freedom.

We take dominion of every situation that we encounter through your strength and not our own. 

We move in the direction of our God given purpose and we validate ourselves in you and you alone.

No longer will we say we are not worthy. No longer will we say we are not good enough. Because tonight we know and will carry with us that our God is enough.

Our value comes from you and not the world.

We have a destiny with Jesus and we know how this story ends because you have written it.

Be it a second, a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year or even decades... we are self-sufficient in you. 

You created us in your image and we know how this story ends.

We love you Father. We love you Papa. We love you Daddy.

Amen. 

THE INJURY OF HISTORY!

THE INJURY OF HISTORY

GREETING

OPEN IN PRAYER

 

INTRODUCTION:

Shake one of your limbs and say: “THE INJURY OF HISTORY”

I remember my first time learning how to ride a bicycle. I was about 6 years old. We stayed in a small house in Springs. My folks rented this house. It wasn’t anything fancy but it is what we called home. I am sure we can all empathize with that. Most of us came from very simple beginnings and over a period of time, we complicated it… but that’s a story for another day.

Our neighbour had a bicycle before me and I used to watch him living his best life on this bike through our tv room window. Makes me think of how we get caught up in what other people are doing in their lives that we actually forget to live ours. Looking through the window, wanting what others have and we are not focused on the one who wants to give us what He wants for us.

Anyway, I finally conjured up the guts to ask him to teach me how to ride a bike. He saddled me up, held the handle bars and said start to pedal like your life depended on it. Before I knew I was cycling by myself and all of a sudden there was this rock. I hit it, tumbled over the handle bars and fell on the tarmac. We get so fixated on travelling at a speed that we forget to look where we are going. The devil has placed obvious obstacles in our lives but we are too busy rushing around that we don’t even see him coming. The devil is not as smart as he thinks he is.

Needless to say, after falling off the bike I was in a lot of pain and like any kid, when you get hurt, you rush to your mother. My mother, hardly any sympathy for me, rushed for the gentian violet and plastered it all over my wounds. I limped in anguish…

Later on, that month our neighbour was riding his bike while I was playing with my football outside and he stopped to ask me if I wanted to give it a go again. I shouted and said not a chance. Obviously because I had fallen before.

It then took me months to get over it before I actually got back on the bike and tried and got it right.

 

-          How often has something happened to you and stopped you from trying again?

-          How often do you focus on the negative emotion attached to the experience that it stops you from living?

-          Did you realize that you are delaying the plan that God has for you?

 

Wiggle another limb and say: “THE INJURY OF HISTORY”

 

 

 

READING: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SON

LUKE 15:11-32

The Parable of the Lost Son

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

-          When we ask our Father in heaven for things, He listen to us. He answers us.

-          When the Father gives, He gives his children their equal share.

-          He does not say that He will not give you what He has given others

-          He does not say that you are not worthy to receive all things great

-          He does not say that you are forgotten about when you do not even ask

-          The ultimate provision belongs to you just because you are a child of the most high.

13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

-          Have you squandered opportunities for growth in the past?

-          Have you allowed those thoughts to consume you even till now?

-          Does your past come back and haunt you?

-          Like me on the bicycle, I was haunted by a painful experience, so much so that it robbed me of the opportunity to grow.

-          We can either fixate ourselves on the pain or we can focus on the promise

-          The promise of favour, the promise of grace, the promise of Divine intervention, the promise that we will forever be taken care of no matter what the situation

-          When we begin to need, God interjects, God takes control, God hears your heart

-          It is not about what you want but rather about what you need

-          We serve a God that is ever vigilant to our situation and is present even when we are not

*insert story about football career coming to an end*

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

-          Step 1: turn toward your Father when you have made mistakes

-          Step 2: be honest about what has happened

-          Step 3: go towards your Father

 

-          When we start moving in the direction of our Father, He sees us coming. He has been waiting. He has been longing for your return. He has been waiting to embrace you.

 

-          The love of a Father never leaves. I loved you before you were born. I loved you even when you were in your mother’s womb. I loved you even though you made mistakes. I loved you when you hurt me. I loved you when you turned your back on me. I loved you when you insulted me. I loved you when you lied to me. I loved you when you shouted at me. I loved you then I love you still.

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

-          Even when you make those mistakes, your Father restores what He believes you should have.

-          It is never too late

-          You are entering back into your royalties

-          You are entering back into favour

-          You are entering into blessings in abundance

-          We serve a God who accepts us for who we are and gives freely. He gives exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all understanding and recognition.

Wherever you are right now, just shout your praises.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

-          How strange it is that when we are with our Father, the great I am, the God of all… we don’t even realize it?

-          I don’t know about you but if I am with God, I never want to miss out on an opportunity to share in His splendour. I never want to not know what I have in Him. I don’t ever want to know this life without our God.

-          “You are always with me and everything I have is yours”

-          Even though you didn’t ask me for it, it already belonged to you.

-          You were with me and it belonged to you. You have all I have.

-          You have the power to rebuke, you have the power to heal, you have the power to encourage, you have the power to conquer, you have the authority to declare that all is well in the mighty name of Jesus.

-          Say it is well with my soul!

-          Be bold in the mighty name of Jesus.

-          Your father didn’t ask you why you did it? Your father didn’t care about the why because He already knew why. He didn’t fixate on what was already done. He fixated on what you are doing right now.

 

Right now, pray this prayer with me…

*pray*

May this week ahead be one of victory for you and your family in the mighty name of Jesus.

Let us end with the benediction:

Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through me”.

Amen.

Be blessed.