"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”[a] 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had," Romans 15:1-5

A person's scars represent lots of lessons learned. Scars (if we learn by them) strengthen us. We have strength in Jesus.

"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves." Romans 15:1

Our strength is in our hope.

"Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming." 1 Peter 1:13

Our hope is our strength.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." Ephesians 6:10

"Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:1-2

Have compassion. Be humble. Pray. Give a hug. We don't help for ourselves. We help so we can build others up.

"Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up." Romans 15:2

Don't help to garner praise.

"not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:" Philippians 2:4-5

That's who I came for (Jesus says). Even if it is self-induced suffering, still help. God does. He dealt with the issue first, then spoke. Through the helping they saw the love of God. Don't worry about what others think.

"For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” Romans 15:3

Jesus picked people up. He didn't do this for himself. World asks, "What's in it for me?"

"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love." John 15:10

This is the reward!

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9

Give grace always. Give a flood of grace so others can't help but get touched by that grace.

"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope." Romans 15:4

Where does our strength come from?

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." Hebrews 10:35-36

Look at the goal. That's the encouragement. 

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Train and get better. Read your Bible. Spend time with Jesus. The source of our strength!!

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains--
    where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2

The spirit of unity:

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had," Romans 15:5

How do we live in unity? in strength in unity?

Remember where we came from:

"Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation." Romans 12:16

We need to get to someone's eye level, eye-to-eye. Get down to their level.

"To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;" 1 Peter 3:8

"And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all things were common property to them." Acts 4:32

SO, WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

1. Work out spiritually! Add strength through Bible study and prayer and obedience.
2. Use your strength. Help others be strong.
3. Need Help? Follow the example of Jesus and the early church.
4. Endurance. Persevere. Hope.

(Story from recording about riderless horse)
His heart was trying but he couldn't win. What if he had had someone helping him? There are people who are trying alone -- if we recognize it we can help them. Help me Lord see the ones I can encourage to walk with you.

1. We have been given everything we need through Jesus!

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3

If we choose not to know, that's on us.

2. Escape the world -- participate in heaven now.

"Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." 2 Peter 1:4

The world didn't change when Jesus came. We are the ones who are supposed to change.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

Renewing your mind -- use the Bible. Conform to God's will. When we fail to do this, we are failing to develop the way God intends us to develop.

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love." 2 Peter 1:5-7

Check out the progression -- where are you?

Faith -- add Goodness.
Goodness -- add Knowledge.
Knowledge -- add Self-Control.
Self-Control -- add Perseverance.
Perseverance -- add Godliness.
Godliness -- add Mutual Affection.
Mutual Affection -- add Love.

Going toward these things. When we go back to God. it will all come back in line.

If you try and skip the knowledge, you will miss it all. 

3. We are meant to be different than the rest of the world.

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

God did this to free us. But some of this is our responsibility.

"For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:8

"If!"  Increasing measure means always increasing.

4. The Sacred Secret.

Secret means a mystery or religious secrets.

"Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly." Ephesians 3:2-3

Jesus changed all this.

"The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them." Matthew 13:10-11

If you know Jesus, the secrets of heaven are open to you.

5. We are part of the family.

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1

We are living in the time of Grace.  Galatia church had a problem. 

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervertthe gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:6-10

This church started the right way. Then they starting adding to it. Why? To please people! If we lose sight of God and His ways, we are going to wander off the path. If we try to please people first before God, we are going to wander off the path He has for us.

6. We have a job to do -- be the hands and feet of Jesus.

“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," Luke 4:18


"But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins." 2 Peter 1:9

We are to be used by God. We have to take what He gives us and use it. A chainsaw is great but if we don't put our hands to it it is useless.

7. We have been chosen for a purpose.

"Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:10-11

Jesus had a way of dealing with people groups -- radical!  Sometimes we're afraid of crossing lines. Jesus never is.

GASP! Jesus went to Samaria.

5 "So He *came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; 6 and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about [a]the sixth hour." John 4:5-6

He goes through and stops in the middle of the day.

7 There *came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus *said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Therefore the Samaritan woman *said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 11 She *said to Him, “[a]Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? 12 You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?” John 4:7-12

She falls back on tradition.

13"Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
15 The woman *said to Him, “[a]Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.” John 4:13-15

Water was a big deal.  Her shame was relived every day as she walked to the well.

16 He *said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus *said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.” 19 The woman *said to Him, “[a]Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet." John 4:16-19

God knows all our sin. He knows all our dark spots. He knows it all but He still offers His living water.

She brings up a religious argument. Her question goes back to religion.

20 "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” 21 Jesus *said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 God is [a]spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:20-24

True worshippers worship in Spirit and Truth.

Being filled with the Spirit.

Think of the disciples like us. 

27"At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why do You speak with her?” 28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and *said to the men, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not [a]the Christ, is it?” 30 They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.
31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anythingto eat, did he?” John 4:27-33

Disciples uncomfortable with Jesus's actions but didn't confront him on them.

Woman took this encounter with Jesus and ran with it. Allowed it to change her! She goes to the ones who shun her and told them the Good News!

Jesus has just fulfilled His purpose with this woman. He was full. He gave. She accepted.

34"Jesus *said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36 Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.” John 4:34-38

He stayed two days. The Harvest was in process!

39"From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I havedone.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His word;" John 4:39-41

Live water= running water

Do you have a stock pond or a river in reference to your faith? Is your faith a stock pond (stagnate) or a river (deep and flowing)?

Live water is overflowing, pressurized, bursting out. Spirit will overwhelm us.

37"Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “[a]If anyone is thirsty, [b]let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From [c]his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." John 7:37-39

#1 You gotta be thirsty.
#2 Come to Jesus.
#3 Drink!

What's keeping us from drinking from the well?

What's separating us from the living water?

What fears keep you from commitment?

Whose rules are limiting your witness?

What is stopping your harvest?

We're missing the harvest. God's harvest will happen, but are you giving away the opportunity to take part in that harvest?

Have you encountered Jesus in this radical way?

Have you asked for the living water?

Have you received the living water?

"Then he showed me a river of the water of life, [a]clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of [b]the Lamb, 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve [c]kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; 4 they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will no longer be any night; and they [d]will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever." Revelation 22:1-5

Take it now!

10"And he *said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near."
Revelation 22:10

The time is near!

12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man [a]according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:12-13

He is coming soon!

He doesn't want us to be fans. He wants us to be followers.

What have you done for the kingdom of God?

Take them to the well!

Let the river flow!

​Shannon was the guest preacher for the Dupree Community Service today. Dupree is celebrating Pioneer Days this weekend and there is always a community service for all who want to attend.

I didn't take notes, but I can tell you Shannon talked about love -- how Jesus says in Matthew, 'You are to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" in all manners of love. Loving God and loving all people (friends, family, enemies, strangers and especially those who are hard for you to love). 

This world is lacking love. So many people are lacking love in their lives.

Loving like God loves isn't easy. Sometimes it is darn hard. But you'll never regret it.

Ever.

We live in a faith desert. Less than 2% of Native Americans are saved.
30 "The apostles *gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. 31 And He *said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) 32 They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves. 33 The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them.34 When Jesus went [a]ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things." Mark 6:30-34

The disciples were coming back from a mission trip Jesus sent them on. 

I. Know that you will be held to account. 
Everyone will have a different account. Account to Jesus for you've done with this life.

"For it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall [a]give praise to God.”
12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God." Romans 14:11-12

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for [a]his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:20

You may not be accepted everywhere, but just keep going. Go to all peoplee and tell them. Share the Word of God. We are accountable for what we do with our salvation, our life.

II. Watch out for burnout -- set a pace.

It's easy to get burned out.

(Look at Jonah)

Rest and recover.

"And He *said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) 32 They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves." Mark 6:31-32

“Come to Me, all [a]who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is [b]easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

When we burn out it's about us. We are in the mode "I can't." There is a massive amount of burnout with pastors in the USA, especially in smaller churches. 

"Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
29 He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
30 Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
31 Yet those who [a]wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will [b]mount up with [c]wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:28-31

There will come a time when you're weary. God will be your oasis.

An oxen yoke is heavy. What makes Jesus's yoke light is that He is carrying it with us -- He takes the brunt of the load.

III. Be ready for the flood!

Is God holding back because we can't handle what He can do?

Maybe we need to prepare for it.

53 "When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. 54 When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him," Mark 6:53-54

"A voice [a]is calling,
“Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;
Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.
4 “Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the rough ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
5 [b]Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
And all flesh will see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 40:3-5

Be ready for the broken person.

IV. Ready for the call in the desert.

23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

Wilderness causes us to focus, to lean on God, to get strength from Him.

"if you [b]obey the Lord your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, [c]if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.
11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it [d]out of reach. 12 It is not in heaven, [e]that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ Deuteronomy 30:10-12

We gotta be listening for God's voice.

I didn't ask you to be good at it. I just told you to go.

Can you recognize His voice?

If you're listening you'll hear Him.

11 "So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, butthe Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake a fire, butthe Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:11-13

​What are we doing here?