God's Power for Daily Living (Part 1)

This is a message from leading the way with Dr. Michael. You sat we pray that it will encourage you in your walk of faith. If you would like to learn more about Dr. you Seth for leading the way, please visit LTW.or when you get subpoenaed to testify in a court of law as a witness. You are not expected to present a legal argument.

You're not expected to expound on some final points of the law you not even expected to know about the theory of jurisprudence when you are subpoenaed to the court as a witness. You're only required to do three things your required to say what you saw what you heard what you have experienced. That's always required of you as a witness, I witness Mayo might not know the law.

I witness Mayo might not know the circumstances that are surrounding the case, I witness Mayo might not know all of the evidence and uninvolved is not affect the witness doesn't even have to be an eloquent person he doesn't have to be rigid is not to be a person that is able to articulate his or her thoughts is only required by the courts to say what he saw what he heard what he experienced. That is a task of the witness. No more, no less often the witness's testimony can be infected make a difference between life and death at testimony of a witness can put somebody to life imprisonment or set him free at testimony of a witness in Spero to on the other hand, refusing to testify can cause the court to hold in contempt, refusing to witness can cause a ruling to some lives, refusing to testify can cause even brief to the witness to himself.

It can create all kinds of havoc it in people's lives can be put in jeopardy Jesus, knowing the importance of the eyewitness testimony the loss thing that he said to his disciples, the loss of words that he left with them before he was ascended to heaven be my witnesses be my witnesses visit theme that runs straight through the book of acts is the theme of witnessing.

In fact, Luke makes it very very clear that his in his first volume, which is a gospel that carries his name.

The gospel according to Luke that in this first volume he had written a documentation and historical documentation of the life and the ministry and the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ and then he began to write a second volume. This volume was the documentation that historical documentation of the acts of the Holy Spirit of God as he threw the hill the church through the disciples testify to Jesus Christ. The outset that the reason that some of the Christians do not witness to others about their salvation is that they think that they are supposed to stand in the world witnessing for Jesus Christ while in reality and those words of the book of acts. Jesus is saying you are supposed to stand in Jesus Christ witness to the world is a world of difference between the two when you think that you should be standing there by yourself testifying to what Jesus Christ has done for you. I'm going to tell you right now you going to be discouraged.

You gonna feel despondent and you are going to be disappointed.

I'm telling you now.

I have tried it that way and I failed and I wonder why I'm not able to lead anyone to Christ. But if you stand in Christ you will speak his words you will think his thoughts.

He will give you wisdom of what to say when to say it, and he will give you fruit because he doing his work.

So the first 11 verses in the book of acts Dr. Luke tells us all that we need to know about witnessing and about our message very simply vertically return please in your Bible to the book of acts first 11 verses of chapter 1.

This wasn't going to tell you about these 11 versus you must know something of vital importance about those first 11 versus in the book of acts. They are a historic documentation of the period of time between Jesus's resurrection from the dead, and his ascension into heaven. 40 days convinced and 11 versus Luke tells us six things in these 11 versus number one is telling us that our message is this person verses one and two of chapter 1 of the book of acts I'll message is his person. Secondly, he is telling us that his manifestation is proof verse three.

Suddenly, he is telling us that his mind is our promise versus four and five. His life is our promise for distilling us that the Masters plan is our priority. Verses six and 75 is telling us that our mission is his program. Verse eight.

Finally, he tells us that our motivation is a prospect of his return. Verses 910 and 11. Our message is this person wanted to listen very carefully. The Christian faith is the only faith where the message is the messenger it's only faith take Buddha out of Buddhism. You still have the Buddhist teachings to Krishna out of Hinduism. You still have the Hindu teachings, but not so the Christian faith. Why, because these religions and most of the religions that all the religions of the world are basically made of silk of principles and teachings.

That's on the Christian faith. If you dig Jesus Christ out of Christianity and end up with a dead corpse in your hand is not safe at all so all message is this person and without Jesus Christ we have no message Jesus did not merely teach us about God. He is God. Jesus did not really tell us about salvation. He is our salvation. Jesus did not really tell us about the wages of our sins know he born the wages of our sin on his body on the cross, Jesus did not merely point us to God. He was only way to God and he is the only way to God. Jesus was not just a good man. He was a perfect man, sinless man, and therefore his only government who can stand between God and man our faith is not based merely on some good words that are recorded in the dead book no. Our faith is based on historically proven living resurrected Jesus Christ, our faith is not really a set of moral and ethical rules.

No phrase is said in a personal God who empowers us to live up to his moral and ethical standards a message. Therefore, is this person. We have no other message. Secondly, his manifestation is proof. Look at verse three, you know, I am absolutely flabbergasted.

I'm amazed I shouldn't be surprised, but I do get surprised every now and again about the intellectual dishonesty of some so-called theologians and historians, I am aghast at times at the intellectual dishonesty that would easily accept the account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius back in A.D. 79 that was recorded by a boy who was 17 years old. They will think that and they will accept it as a historical fact. And I would never question it, and they have the audacity to question the testimony of more than 500 eyewitnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ intellectual dishonesty effect was back in the 80s when I discovered for myself how intellectual dishonesty abound in academia effect when I was younger I used to think that anybody has a PhD must know what they're talking about until I is one of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is a fact of history and subjective resurrection to all the historical testings it will pass with a flying, and therefore there is no honest historian, honest theologian without the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In fact, verse three of chapter 1 of the book of acts tells us he says so he said after his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave listen carefully on the line within your Bible. Many convincing proofs that he was alive. Many of these eyewitnesses stood there before the cross.

They saw the nails piercing a British flag in his hands and his feet.

They watch it with her own eyes, many of them saw him pull down from the cross.

Many of them saw him die.

Many of them saw his body being. And then you saw him again very alive and many of them could even believe that they can normalize a complete own ears, but as for 40 days as he talked to them as he walked with them as he ate with them as he told them some very important things about the kingdom of God. They not only were convinced of his resurrection they were ready to die for the sake of Christ and for the sake of the conviction of what this so with their own eyes and that is why as a scientist, Dr. Luke uses words such as convincing proofs seeking you some smart Alec at some university somewhere going to say well they must've imagined the resurrection. There was so preoccupied with grief that when this on Angela thought he was Jesus for 40 days talking to them about all kinds of things and only then he put on this note because after three years with them. He was telling them things that only they can understand they would know so what is this leave us with the four steps here of vital importance your writing taken down is with Lucas trying to tell us number one.

He is saying that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a fact of history is undeniable, and therefore, the next step has to be that he must be God of very God is God of very God and therefore, the first step is that everything that he says must be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth. And if his resurrection is a fact of history, and if he is God of very God and because he speaks the truth and nothing but the truth. Therefore, the last step of vital importance. Is this every human being on the face of the earth is going to be judged based on how whether they have accepted him or rejected him. That's with Dr. Luke is trying to tell us about the resurrection of Jesus Christ message is this person.

His manifestation is our proof. Thirdly, his mind is our promise. Look at verses four and five of acts chapter 1 is my desire, promise, you know, if there's one thing the modern Christians do that runs contrary to the teaching of the Scripture. It is there over emphasis on programs but I understand how human nature loves to focus on the program. I understand this this program with that program understand human nature would like to go around the look and find a program that has worked somewhere and that's implanted let's just import it and use it because it's going to be used in case of when the program works. Who gets the glory. The program Ferguson glory. The methodology gets the glory that clever people to devise the program and that is why Jesus wanted his disciples not to depend on a program not to depend on their ingenuity not to depend on the abilities to depend on their native talents for being witnesses would Jesus Christ know so commanded them to wait for the Holy Spirit to come, because when the mic on the part of the Holy Spirit come upon them.

There will be fruitful. Witnesses it on the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit of God. The third person of the Trinity and he's a person than ever for them as it he is equal with the father and the son in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was sent from heaven to accomplish a task. The Holy Spirit will soon appoint a person to do a job and then returns back to heaven and that is why there are number of prophecies in the Old Testament that tell us that the Holy Spirit one day is coming to dwell on the earth permanently prophecy after prophecy in the Old Testament that says one day one day the Holy Spirit is going to come and when he comes is going to be poured out and is going to dwell on the earth permanently and so I next chapter 1 verses four and five, Jesus was telling the disciples to wait for the fulfillment of all these prophecies for the fulfillment of all these promises of the Holy Spirit coming and when he comes permanently to dwell on the earth is going to give them power to be effective witnesses for him and that is why Jesus told him to wait until they receive the Holy Spirit who were out 2000 years later the Holy Spirit is here because the moment the Holy Spirit was given Pentecost. He remained on the earth. What is he doing is going around his opening blind eyes lightning dark hearts like yours and mine and showing us what sinful people we are, how desperate we need to salvation of the Lord that has become open and repent and turn from our sins and receive Jesus as Savior, Lord has with the Holy Spirit does.

First and foremost assist power company can do that. Trish can do that another number is you can do that not all Christian community can do it nobody can do that all of money in the world. We cannot do that only the Holy Spirit does. That is why witnessing without the power of the Holy Spirit will produce no results. No results. Some Christians would say you know what I need is a course on how to witness what good will and good, nothing against courses when I need is a formula of how to witness wonderful leg and argue with what I need is some program to help me how to witness God bless you. It's wonderful. It's all right. But I want to tell you something you can do all these programs and all these things you can have all those in the world and you can memorize them but without the part of the Holy Spirit. You might as well talk to this wall because the Holy Spirit is the one who goes before you prepares the heart is the one who is working. He's the one who gives you favor when you talk to somebody a person responds. It's all the work of the Holy Spirit. Our message is his portion. His manifestation is our proof. His my is our promise forcefully, the Masters plan is our priority. The Masters plan is our priority in every church, every denomination, every Christian institution. I hope that every home they have the list of priorities.

That's good, but they will not live long enough to see some very sorry priorities on the agenda of some denominations and some churches. I will tell you there are some Christians who would dive for some ritual or some find out God, my somewhere that has nothing maybe to do with the gospel will therefore witness how committed they are to whatever it is I give an example.

There are some people that some Christians who are so convinced of how and when the end of times going to be that if you have a question, then the question your salvation. There were just convinced that they just not well the sum disciples were like that. They really although hung up on when Jesus coming back was going establish escape when we can appreciate in the kingdom of God. When all is going to be great power and light and asked Jesus the question see some of the more convinced that is soon time he rose again, that must be six going to be soon must be somehow coming up now. Any moment James and John the gotta be on the right and left one is going to be the second index check and what is going to be the that the vice president was going to be the Jesus one is it tell us that we were so convinced about his ultimate through, but I had to tell you, Jesus's response was so disappointing. Look at verse seven of acts one. But you know what I'm going to do when you give your use of translation of this is would you say is not just when I'm coming back establish multiple kingdom. Your job is to be my witnesses. Your job is to testify of what I've done for you. Your job is to tell about the resurrection. Your job is to tell about muscle basic job not waste your time worrying about dates as foolishness. I believe with all my heart is Satan's trick it Satan's way of getting you off the main task of witnessing for Jesus Christ to believe that Walmart. I watched it through the years. No one comes to witnessing the two major temptations. It might be some supplementation somewhere, but these two major temptations. I think facing all Christians temptation number one, there are those who say Lord, thank you for saving me from saving my wife setting my sunsetting my daughter us for no more than the live the life never tell anyone about Jesus as temptation number one temptation number two the people get so caught up in the details of Jesus's return that they will never bother to witness somebody.

Neither of these are biblical of these is honoring to the warden's thesis is a priority of Jesus.

If you want another prerogative. Jesus look at verse seven right here verse seven of acts. One, it is not for you to know the Tom's and the date you be my witnesses, and that is why Jesus goes on to verse eight, which is my fifth point and his sister them your mission, shall be my program, not yours. We all love programs we all have our programs.

Jesus is no. If you really want to do my mission. You have to have my program and my program is for you to be my witnesses but you can only do that through the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, you have to be walking with me in the spirit day after day moment after moment. Otherwise you will lose a part of the Holy Spirit to have the part of the Holy Spirit in your witnessing your effective witnessing for Christ you have half a daily, moment by moment walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. Please I wanted to listen carefully. See, this is our only hope in this nation.

This is our only hope in this kind is only hope in the world. I believe with all my heart that there is a place for political involvement.

There is a place for moral reformation. That is a place for Christian education is a place for taking public stank is a place for expressing your worldview as a Christian, but of everything I understand from the word of God.

It is this is only faithful witnessing through the power of the Holy Spirit is going to bring about permanent change in our country and in the world.

How by bringing change people into the kingdom of God.

Only through the faithful witnessing of God's people by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit will there be true and lasting impact upon our society how by changing one heart at a time when life at a time. Only through the law since the Greek word in that verse by the way verse eight, the loss I read recently that the scientists when they discovered the power of dynamite.

They went to the Greeks, as we don't know what the coldest power and said well you know in Greek the word power is due them off so they call the dynamite is a dynamite in front and the Lord uses the word loss here. This is only through this how the spiritual dynamite power working in the church of Jesus Christ will go will be changed.

Message is this person's manifestation is our proof's might is our promise. The Masters plan is our priority. His mission is our program. Finally, our motivation is a prospect of his return versus nine, 10 and 11 have you ever watched a man in love. I mean he cannot wait to see his beloved heat. Always thinking about how he's going to tell her about his accomplishments knocker.

Some guys overdo it and he can't wait to tell about his thoughts of her plan for the future, even the most dense man when he's in love.

McKenna becomes creative and thoughtful. But if you ask him why what are you doing this to please his beloved, of course, to gain the favor to gain your approval. What motivates you motivates me to get up in the morning. What makes us in our Christian walk. What motivates us to walk with Christ is that we can get whatever to get out of them. The need on the Jesus needed to know him today. Is it trying to manipulate him and get them to do what you want them to do it on the Jesus need to know him today. What motivates us all somewhat say in all honesty, this an overwhelming sense of gratitude that would be right another person which I will you know I am just so thankful that my spiritual eyes were opened, and not that I'm heading from hell to heaven and I'm just so grateful that I am motivated to tell others about him.

That's great is because I don't want my friends and loved ones turned up in eternal torment.

The thought just so grieving to me and not motivated by that. That's right, that's good motivation really is, above all, we are motivated because we know that the one who loved us so is coming back one day he's coming back one day. The overwhelming motivation of the fact that my beloved Lord Jesus is coming back one day. I know that he's got me in the face of his good last minute Michael, how did you use the opportunities I gave you to witness for me where your silent witness for me. Did you testify to what I have done for you. Michael you keep quiet about me with your business associates with your neighbors and with your friends or did you tell them about my salvation for you. This same Jesus said the angel is coming back is going back in our motivation is a prospect of his return. Some years ago a friend of mine told me that the golfing buddy called him one day and asked him to play a round of golf on Sunday morning my friend said no no I can do that because I go to church on Sundays. Few days later they met his friend said to him, he said I don't know what religion you are, but you sure kept it to yourself faster, at least to play golf with me a dozen times, but you've never invited me to go to church with my friend said and I quote those words. He said that was by far the greatest rebuke that I have ever received your silent witness for Jesus Christ today. You can say that you will cease to be a silent witness for Jesus that you would absolutely come under conviction and understanding that your message is his person that his manifestation is your proof that his mind is your promise that the Masters plan is your priority and that your mission is his program and that your motivated by the prospect of his return