God's Man

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham a little later in the program will tell you how you can get a copy of Dr. Graham's book man of God first hears the message God's man that God's word. John's Gospel, the first chapter there been many great men God's man throughout the Scripture and throughout history you think of all the incredible personalities that punctuate the pages of Scripture and, like Moses, men like Joshua men like Joseph, men like David, the disciples and followers of Christ Paul, but there is a man of whom Jesus said this is the greatest man born of woman.

Now, that's quite a bold statement is the greatest man born of woman who ever walked upon the earth. Who is that man what he must've been a prophet while he himself said I I'm not a prophet in Jesus said he was greater than the prop who could be a greater man than the profits. This particular man didn't perform any miracles he did in part the Red Sea with his staff naughtily pray that the rains would not fall and then pray in the rains descended. He didn't raise the dead, as a great old testament prophet, raise the dead. He never wrote a New Testament book and yet Jesus said this man if you want to see a man if you want to see a man's man and if you want to see God's man take a look at my friend John the Baptist, beginning in verse six of John chapter 1 there was a man sent from God and his name was John not John the disciple, but this is John the Baptist or John the baptized, this man came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all through him might believe he was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. In other words, he was a burning and shining light and then once again looked in chapter 1 verse 19, Paul. Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who are you he confessed and did not deny, but confess I am not the Christ, and they asked him, what then are you Elijah Lisette.

I am not are you a prophet, and he answered no, then they said to him, who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us.

What you say about yourself and he said I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make way, or make straight the way of the Lord as the prophet Isaiah said.

Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees and I asked him, saying, why then do you baptize if you're not the Christ, nor Elijah know the prophet John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, there stands one among you, whom you do not know is he coming after me is preferred before me to sandal strap.

I am not worthy to loose these things were done in Bethel borrow beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing a man sent from God whose name was John. Remember about John the Baptist. When we meeting in the initial stages of John's Gospel. He was getting an incredible amount of press he was a well-known celebrity if you will of his times, people were rushing out to the desert into the wilderness just to hear him speak. He had an audience before Herod up on occasion, the king of the nation. The religious scribes and Pharisees were all up in the air about this man. He was a man but yet he was like no other math because Jesus said he was the greatest man born of woman in Matthew chapter 11 and verse 11. What made this man so significant. Why was this man, the greatest man who ever lived. It was because he was the direct forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is his connection and nearness to Jesus Christ, his fellowship and relationship with Jesus Christ that made him the greatest man who ever lived. Something about John the Baptist. He was prophesied in the Old Testament. He was anointed from his mother's womb to preach the gospel and usher in the messianic age. He was the son of a priest.

He was a powerful man. He was a man upon whom the Spirit of God rest and yet he was born to speak just one sentence really and that sentence is this, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world had John baptized thousands had he preached like no man ever preached before him had he been the greatest man who ever lived, and yet fail to speak. This one sentence, his ministry, his life would've been an abject failure, but he was God's man because he was a Jesus man and he introduced Christ to the world and when he exploded on the scene in human history.

He influenced thousands and invited them into the kingdom of God. To know Jesus Christ. He messed he preached a message of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. He came at a strategic time for 400 years there have been no voice in Israel. No prophetic voice and moral and spiritual darkness had settled upon the people.

There was religion but they needed a revival they needed Jesus Christ and so John the baptizer was sent from God to introduce Jesus to the world not is it that our assignment in life. Men and women to introduce the world to Jesus Christ not before his first coming, but at the end of this age at at the outset of the return of Jesus Christ. John, the baptizer came to introduce Christ to the world the first time and it is our responsibility to introduce men, women, Boys and Girls Club faith in Jesus Christ before Christ comes again. Now there's so much to learn from John's life from from his witness and ministry because just as he came at a strategic time we are living in the strategic time. Think for a moment about the intensity of this man's ministry were told in in the first chapter versus six through eight that he was a true witness of burning and shining light now. A witness is someone who is evidence or a witness is someone who steps aside. He gets out of the spotlight, remove himself from the scene and points others to Christ and that's what John did the baptizer do. He was willing for his great life to be eclipsed by the greater life of Christ, and he was willing to say I'm not the light but Jesus Christ. He is the life the word of God.

This witness of Jesus Christ burned in his heart.

Scripture says Jesus.

Matthew 11 verse 10 that he will send his messenger, John before God's face. His messenger said before his face literally in the face of God. You know there's there's a difference between being sent for God and being sent from God.

John the Baptist came from the very hard in the very face of God. He had been so close to God living in his presence experiencing his power that he was ignited with spiritual power and passion and the intensity in the passion of his life is burning and shining for Jesus Christ.

Now let me ask you, are you man, woman, are you shining for Jesus Christ. Are you a burning and shining light for him. The Bible talks about three kinds of temperature. Spiritual temperature talks about people who are cold. In other words cut off from spiritual life there a court spiritual because there is no life in Christ, spiritually cold and cut off from God and the Bible speaks of those who are who are lukewarm, and these are folks who who are cool and casual about their faith. Jesus talked about the lukewarm.

In Revelation chapter 3 they're not hot they're not told there just lukewarm.

They have a casual interest in the things of God.

And when they get to church rather than worshiping from a burning heart in a shining light for Christ they're already looking at their what our watches casual cool. They live in the land of moderation and mediocrity. Jesus said of these I will vomit you out of my mouth I'll spew you out of my mouth because you're making me sick. But then the Bible talks about those who are hot who are hardhearted like those disciples who walk with Jesus along the road to Emmaus and said did not. Our hearts burn within us as we walk with him in the way hot hearted believers, what is your spiritual temperature this morning cold cut off from God, cut off from crying spiritually lukewarm infected and has interested are you a burning and shining light for Jesus Christ. We need them today of integrity, unrighteousness of devotion to Christ. Hot hearted man whose one passion and priority of life is to shine as an example in a testimonial representative of Jesus you're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in today's message it's man our world desperately needs men of God strong man who model gentleness lead with humility and speak the truth in love, we want to help you identify the traits of a real man of God by sending you Dr. Jack Grant's insightful book and of God our thanks for your gift today Internet Dr. Graham gives you biblical insights to what a true man of God, looks like to his spouse, his family and the world to request your copy of man of God: 800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627.

You can also text PowerPoint to 59789 and don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store. Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.Margie now it's Québec. Today's message God's man. They came to him and said are you Elijah are you Moses are one of the prophets are you Messiah and he said no.

I'm just a voice. I'm just a voice of someone crying in the wilderness and the word that John and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit gives us therefore crying means howling.

It describes the intensity of this man's voice as he spoke of course John was a very unusual man. He lived in the desert, he separated himself from the world he subsisted on a very unusual diet and more unique clothing, and he had his own crowd, his own church if you will, but when Jesus Christ came on the scene and when it was time to introduce Christ. He said I am not a prophet. I am not the Messiah. I am simply sent to bear witness of the light.

Someone who is coming the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, I am unworthy to untie his shoes. Not only do we see the intensity of this man John the Baptist in the intensity that is needed in our own lives, men and women but we see the humility of his life, though bold and crying in the wilderness. He stepped aside in order that Christ might be given the preeminence.

He said, prepare ye the way of the Lord. Prepare to meet your God. Why such a urgency. Why such intensity because the time was short.

The kingdom had arrived. Sometimes we asked what why why we get so excited about bringing people to Christ because the time is now and the time is short. Today is the day of salvation. And we, like John the Baptist, are simply to be Carol's voices crying in the wilderness, standing in the And pleading with people to come to him is a tough task. No one said it would be easy. Some of you are thinking what am I gonna do with my life. Well, I think I'll go to college. I think I'll get married. I think I'll settle down, get a job. Have a few children make some money lived to be an old man and a woman and then die, but I really don't know what I'm gonna do with my life.

Let me remind you you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and really anyone, but certainly if you're a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. You are not your own.

You do not belong to you. You are bought with a price.

The precious blood of Jesus Christ and your life has been given to you that you might give it back to him and glorify him and honor him and serve him and witness of his power, and of his grace in your life. Daniel the prophet was called in to speak the belch as of the king of Babylonia and Belshazzar was a wicked man and defied the God of heaven and so judgment was coming and Daniel pronouncing that judgment upon this king said to him, God who holds your breath in his hand is coming in judgment against you think about that God who holds your breath in his every breath we take every day we live belongs to him in him we live and move and have our being. How dare you live your life apart from the God who holds your very press in his hand. And if you're a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. How dare you be a pupa tape.

How dare you say I don't have a purpose. I'll never meaning I don't have a reason for being. When God has called you to be a burning and shining light for Jesus Christ gentlemen men make it your passion, your purpose your priority in life to give yourself unreservedly, unconditionally, to Jesus Christ, that's what John did say I will be the man I will be a man of God's humility to surrender to Christ of the set aside his intensity and passion for the things of God. John the Baptist teaches me something else. He teaches me something about his authority and his authority was a simply a voice crying in the wilderness and what was his message. It was to repent for the kingdom of God was at hand. Now John the Baptist was not Mr. subtlety when the Pharisees and religious leaders of his time came out. He said things like hey you bunch of snakes and when the people came out.

He preached a message of repentance. Now that's the missing word in the contemporary church.

Repentance maybe we think the message of repentance should be delivered at the jails are the prisons are at a skid row, mission, or maybe we think the message of repentance is for the crux of the drug addicts and the prostitute, but let me remind you when John came preaching a message of repentance. He delivered it to a religious crowd. People who knew all the rules and lives on the list but is Jesus would later say their hearts were full. Their lives were full of the bones of dead men. And so he came with a message of repentance. Jesus said, unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish.

Now what is that me well you may have heard that the word repentance means to change direction and it does but to the find it more fully.

Repentance means a change of heart, resulting in a change of direction in your life and it means by his power, and the grace of God in your life that you will begin to live in obedience to him. John the Baptist came with that message of power and authority. You know, when you look at John the Baptist life you look at his courage.

Look at his compassion. You look at the convictions and you admire and then you wonder what makes this man to how can he be that kind of man. How can I be that kind of man. How could I be that kind of friend to Christ, and follower of Christ. Let me mention just three aspects of John's life that I believe will encourage you to be a man or woman of God number one in Luke's gospel chapter 1 verse 15 were told that John was great in the eyes of God, look at this list of the Luke's gospel chapter 1 verse 15 for he will be great in the side of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's will and grace in the eyes of God, I ask you Christian could there be anything more important, more significant said of you or me that we shouldn't care what the polls say or what people say John the Baptist didn't John the Baptist did not care what people thought about him. His only concern is what do people think about Jesus Christ and he lives his life emptying himself of his own personal ambitions, in order that he might be great in the sight of God.

You follow Christ who is the same yesterday today and forever.

You keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of the faith, and you make it your one ambition to please him. Like John the Baptist, you will discover greatness of the site of God secondly got John the Baptist not only his devotion to God, but his personal discipline in his life. It is said of him again, and John 150 that he shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, for he will be full of the holy spirit for some of you men you're going to allow some things in your life to keep you from achieving what God wants you to achieve before your wife, your children, your church or community because you are unwilling to discipline yourself and some of the areas of your life. John discipline himself in this area. He totally abstain from alcohol and wine and strong drink because as a discipline and a devotion of his own heart. He was committed to something better, something greater, something higher. That was the fullness of the Spirit of God is like. Can I tell you something. I despise alcohol you say why do you despise alcohol because I've seen the ravages of the destruction of homes and families and lives in Boys and Girls Club teenagers and often on the cost of those who claim to know Christ and only get a get a beer at the 19th hole are doing a little bit socially because after all they say I'm free in Christ I'm liberated but is this very area of your life in particular for some of you that the lack of discipline in your own life. In this particular area is going to destroy your personal testimony and witness for Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist was willing to put aside anything and everything in his life, as we should, as well, in order that we might be at our very best why we need to live those substitutes when we have the Holy Spirit. So instead of are talking about our liberty and our freedom must start talking about our love for people and our desire for people to know Jesus Christ and follow him. John the Baptist did that John was strong in his convictions, Jesus, and wanted you expect to see when you go out to see this man reads shaking in the land a man if I enclose no John the Baptist swung hard and he hit hard. It was a burning bowl witness for Christ and then finally his determination is one determination to point people to Jesus Christ to be a witness for him.

He said something that II believe should be the motto of every believer's life. He must increase and I must decrease in because he was willing to move aside and save the world.

Behold the Lamb of God, behold, Jesus Christ, who takes away the sin of the world. He was according to Jesus Christ, the greatest man born of woman and our purpose in our priority in life is to magnify when you make that you will walk you shape your neighborhood or city or community's here listening to PowerPoint Jack Graham in today's message God's man. Today's culture has so distorted the concept of masculinity that some even reject it as toxic better world doesn't need less manly men. We need more men of God, then who lent Jesus make letting husbands and fathers and lead as servants would like to help you uncover what God says about true masculinity by sending you Dr. Graham's book man of God, you'll gain difficult insight into how you or the men in your life can live with purpose and passion thing Christ first in living radically for him man of God is our thanks for your gift to help proclaim God's word to PowerPoint to request your copy when you call today: 800-7954 627-2000 795-4627 can also text PowerPoint to 59789 and don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop for E store. Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.Margie Pastor what is your PowerPoint for today Scott it's obvious that this world will darkness and it is ultimately headed for a strict and severe judgment, and separation from God. I'm reminded of the story of an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. They were facing submarines and they needed to find the submarines and so they set up five of the finest pilots and five the best planes in the arsenal. Those five pilots when in the course they surveyed in that mission of espionage and they were locating the submarines but is those pilots were up in the air. The word came in that it was very important that the aircraft carrier go to total darkness subs were moving in. So the word came turn out the lights. We must have total darkness relied on that ship went out there in the total darkness those planes endeavored to come home as they radioed into the aircraft carrier were coming home mission is accomplished. Turn on the light so we can land in the radio operator said it's a total blackout. We have orders that it is to be total darkness in just a moment as those planes were circling, trying to find their landing spot trying to find space on the aircraft the land they said just turn those lights just turn on any lights so that we can land once again.

The radio operator said I'm sorry but I have my orders.

No lights. Absolutely none. So once again an urgent message came, would you turn on a little light so that we can see the land. The radio operator answered back.

I'm so sorry, but it is to be total blackout and five of America's finest pilots and their crews went down in the blackness of the night and into the depths of the ocean that night because there was no light.

I think that's a picture, a parable of our world today.

There is darkness everywhere in men and women are looking for the light just some light just a little light so that they can find home so that they can land today. Make a commitment to be that light to share the love of Jesus and his grace in his power to say to bring home people around you who are walking and living in darkness and they do not know Jesus Christ, you can bring people to the like by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. And that is today's PowerPoint. Remember when you give a gift to PowerPoint will send you Dr. Graham's book man of God has everything.

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