I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:9-10 ESV)

WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR OF JESUS CHRIST, YOU OPEN THE DOOR TO BLESSING, FAVOR, INCREASE, GRACE, HOPE, MERCY, LOVE, & LIFE!

If you were a cow, the pasture (as referenced in this bible verse) would be your sweet spot of God’s blessing. But as a person, this is the place where God’s blessings constantly flow. This is the place where all of your needs are met and more. This is the place where you have MORE THAN ENOUGH.

I believe this starts in the mind. You must let the Scriptures lead you to mental and spiritual pasture. You must feed on God’s Word, God’s promises, God’s truth, God’s love, God’s mercy. Your mind and your spirit must spend time in the pasture of God’s nourishing word. Then you must continue to graze on it. You must continue to chew on it. You must preach the gospel to yourself. You must meditate on the Word. This is what the bible means when it says, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

If you will transform your mind, God will transform your life.

Your words put feet to your faith. So as your mind and mental patterns begin to change and get in agreement with God’s word, now its time to start speaking faith over your life. Speak God’s Word regularly, every day over your family and your future. Stop cursing your own life and family and future by speaking words of doubt, despair, negativity. Instead speak words of faith, hope, and love over your family and future. I’m not saying make up a fantasy world, I am saying speak God’s words of faith, hope, and love over your family. If God said it’s going to happen, then believe it, meditate on it, speak it, and start living like its already happened. And it will!

But all too often we leave the door of past regrets wide open. We leave the door of negative emotions, hurtful conversations, the words spoken against you, and we let those words define us instead of letting God define us.

The past does not define you, your feelings do not define you, other people don’t define you, your failures and accomplishments dont define you. ONLY GOD DEFINES YOU. YOUR FAITH IS YOUR FUTURE. You are what you believe.

You become what you believe!

Focus your thoughts on God’s promises. Stay in faith. Believe in God’s best, even when the circumstances look their worst! And you will see God do more than you could ever think or imagine in your family and your future!

SHUT THE DOOR ON GUILT, OPEN THE DOOR ON GRACE. SHUT THE DOOR ON FEAR, OPEN THE DOOR OF FAITH. STOP LEAVING THE DOOR OPEN TO CONDEMNATION. IN CHRIST, THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE IN CHRIST JESUS.

When you feel the door of failure, the door of condemnation, the door of regret, guilt, shame, and fear being left open, you’ve got to shut it by FOCUSING ON THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST. You picture the cross of Jesus Christ, and you say, THANK YOU JESUS FOR TAKING MY SIN, MY SHAME, MY GUILT, MY FEAR, MY CONDEMNATION ON THE CROSS. GOD POURED OUT ALL OF HIS WRATH AND ANGER UPON JESUS ON THE CROSS. SO YOU AND I CAN WALK FREE.

It drove great, but one time as I was driving down the highway, one of those dashboard warning lights came on. It was the door ajar light. It was blinking. But I thought to myself, there is no door open in here. I’m fine, no big deal, and I ignored the warning light.

Well, not too long after that as I am barreling down the highway my passenger side door flung wide open. I thought I was about to take flight with one wing spread. It was freaky. I reached over with my right arm and tried to shut the door, it just bounced back open. It would not shut; something was broken. Clearly I should not have ignored that dashboard warning.

So, I did what any normal, rational thinking person would do; I immediately grabbed the passenger side seat belt, wrapped it around the door handle and pull it tight. I was driving with one arm on the wheel and my other hand was holding onto the seat belt which was wrapped around the door handle trying to keep the door shut while I am going about 65 mph down the highway.

It never pays to ignore the dashboard warnings.

In life, dating and marriage too many of us are guilty of ignoring the dashboard warnings. The Word of God gives ample instruction on relationships, dating, and marriage. But all too often we ignore it. We say, “God I know what you Word says, but I’m a smart driver; I know what I am doing, I can handle this, I don’t need your help.” Then suddenly our life comes completely unhinged, by then a lot of damage has been done that could have been avoided.

Tomorrow I will share more about this one dashboard warning in particular: door ajar.

If you go around believing the worst in every situation, you are going to walk right into that eventually. You’ve got to wake up everyday and declare victory over obstacle, every handicap, and everything that’s dead or dying in your life!

YOU’VE GOT TO BELIEVE IT BEFORE YOU CAN BE IT. YOU ARE WHAT YOU BELIEVE.

YOU’VE GOT TO SEE IT BEFORE YOU CAN SEIZE IT. IF YOU SEE NOTHING BUT DEATH, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WILL WAKE UP TO EACH DAY.

WHEN YOU HANG ONTO THE GRAVE STONE YOU GET UP HUNG UP ON DEFEAT, DISCOURAGEMENT, AND DEPRESSION. MARTHA SAW A DEAD MAN, but JESUS SAW A RESURRECTION. It’s a choice. It’s the power of believing!

…Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”  (John 11:43-44 NIV)

JESUS SPOKE TO THE DEAD MAN, HE SAID, COME OUT AND THE DEAD MAN CAME ALIVE. JESUS CAN SPEAK TO WHAT’S DEAD AND BRING IT BACK TO LIFE. JESUS CAN SPEAK TO YOU, AND CAUSE A RESURRECTION. JESUS CAN SPEAK FORGIVENESS OVER YOUR FAULTS. JESUS CAN SPEAK SALVATION OVER YOUR SINS. JESUS CAN SPEAK MIRACLES OVER YOUR MISTAKES. JESUS CAN SPEAK LIFE OUT OF DEATH. JESUS CAN SPEAK STRENGTH OVER YOUR WEAKNESS. JESUS CAN SPEAK FAVOR OVER YOUR FAULTS. JESUS CAN SPEAK GRACE OVER YOUR GUILT.

WORDS HAVE CREATIVE POWER.

IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO SPEAK TO YOUR TOMBSTONES, TO SPEAK TO WHAT’S DEAD. IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO SPEAK FAVOR OVER YOUR FAMILY & YOUR FUTURE. IT’S TIME TO GET IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD ABOUT HIS PLANS FOR YOUR LIFE. IT’S TIME TO TELL YOUR TOMBSTONES, YOU DON’T OWN ME, I BELONG TO THE MOST HIGH GOD, THE KING OF KINGS. IT’S TIME TO SPEAK TO THOSE HURTS, YOU WON’T HOLD ME BACK ANY MORE, MY GOD IS THE RESURRECTION & THE LIFE. IT’S TIME TO SPEAK TO THOSE GUILTS, AND SAY MY GOD IS THE GOD OF GRACE & FORGIVENESS. IT’S TIME TO SPEAK TO THOSE FEARS AND SAY MY GOD WILL SUPPLY ALL MY NEEDS, HE IS THE GOD OF “MORE THAN ENOUGH.”

THE TOMBSTONES TELL YOU, YOU WILL NEVER HAVE ENOUGH, YOU ARE A LOSER, YOU WON’T MAKE IT, WHO ARE YOU TO HAVE THESE DREAMS. BUT JESUS SAYS, YOU ARE ALIVE; YOU ARE A MASTERPIECE, YOU ARE FORGIVEN, VICTORIOUS, AND FREE. YOU ARE MADE NEW. YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD. YOU ARE AN OVERCOMER, NOT OVERCOME. I CAN BRING LIFE FROM DEATH. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!

STOP DRESSING LIKE A DEAD MAN – IN CHRST, YOU HAVE COMEBACK POWER

STOP THINKING LIKE A DEAD PERSON. STOP LIVING LIKE A DEAD PERSON. STOP SPEAKING LIKE A DEAD PERSON.

TAKE OFF YOUR OLD WAY OF THINKING. TAKE OFF THE NEGATIVITY. TAKE OFF THE UNBELIEF. TAKE OFF THE DOUBT. TAKE OFF THE DISCOURAGEMENT. TAKE OF THE GUILT, SHAME, & FEAR.

GOD CAN SPEAK TO THE DEAD THINGS AND BRING IT BACK TO LIFE.

IN CHRIST, GOD SAYS, “COME ON OUT. YOU’RE ALIVE. TAKE OFF THOSE GRAVE CLOTHES.” IN CHRIST, YOU ARE ALIVE & FREE. IN CHRIST, YOU HAVE A NEW IDENTITY, TAKE OFF THE OLD IDENTITY.

WHAT GRAVE CLOTHES NEED TO BE REMOVED SO YOU CAN LIVE?

WHAT DOES GOD NEED TO SPEAK TO IN YOUR LIFE AND BRING BACK TO LIFE?

COME OUT OF THAT DOUBT, DISCOURAGEMENT, DEFEATIST MENTALITY. SPEAK TO YOUR GRAVE, SPEAK TO YOUR TOMB. SPEAK WORDS OF LIFE. SPEAK WORDS OF HOPE. SPEAK WORDS OF FAITH.

IN CHRIST, GOD CAN TURN A GRAVE SITE INTO A GRACE SITE (A PLACE FULL OF HIS GRACE).

IN CHRIST, YOU CAN LIVE AGAIN!

STOP DREAMING SMALL DREAMS. GOD ISN’T. GOD WANTS TO SUPERSIZE YOUR DREAMS.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 NIV)

JESUS IS THE RESURRECTION & THE LIFE – JESUS CAME SO YOU COULD LIVE - JESUS SAYS, BRING YOUR DEAD DREAMS TO ME, I CAN RESURRECT THEM.

THE SAME SPIRIT THAT RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD LIVES INSIDE OF YOU.

“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:39-40 NIV)

DON’T LET THE CIRCUMSTANCES DISTRACT YOU FROM WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO. WHAT HAS GOD TOLD YOU TO DO? STOP LETTING THE CIRCUMSTANCES DIRECT AND START LETTING THE WORDS OF CHRIST DIRECT YOU.

But God I’m not that talented, I can’t start that new business. God I don’t have enough time, I can’t serve on that ministry team. God I’m not a great leader how can I lead a life group. God, my parents were divorced how can my marriage survive. God i’ve been an addict all my life, I won’t ever be free.

WHEN GOD SAYS TO DO SOMETHING, WE OFTEN HAVE BUT…GET RID OF YOUR BUT AND SIMPLY BELIEVE!

STOP TELLING GOD WHAT HE CAN’T DO, AND START DOING WHAT HE SAID YOU CAN DO.

BELIEVE ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD.

YOU CAN DO EXACTLY WHAT GOD SAYS YOU CAN DO.

IF YOU BELIEVE, YOU WILL SEE THE GREATNESS OF GOD. YOU WILL EXPERIENCE GREATER VICTORY, GREATER FAVOR, GREATER BLESSING. IF YOU HONOR GOD WITH YOUR FAITH, HE WILL HONOR YOU WITH HIS FAVOR!

STOP TELLIN GOD YOU CAN’T, WHEN IN CHRIST, YOU CAN.

JESUS WAS BROKEN YOU COULD BE FIXED. JESUS WEPT BECAUSE THOSE HE LOVED WERE HURTING.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” (John 11:20-23 NIV)

SOME OF YOU ARE IN THE DELAY BETWEEN THE DEATH AND THE RESURRECTION. DURING THAT TIME JESUS WILL HOLD YOU UNTIL HOPE HAS BEEN RESTORED!

GOD’S DELAYS ARE NOT GOD’S DENIALS. A DREAM DELAYED DOES NOT EQUAL A DREAM DENIED.

MARTHA WANTED A HEALING, BUT JESUS HAD SOMETHING EVEN BETTER = A RESURRECTION.

1) THOMAS WAS DEAD IN HIS DOUBTS. 

Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:16 NIV)

THINGS AREN’T GOOD AND THEY ARE PROBABLY GOING TO GET WORSE. MANY OF YOU ARE DYING RIGHT NOW ON THE INSIDE BECAUSE OF SPIRITUAL DOUBTS.

When things don’t look good, You have to BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS HERE. BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS ALREADY WORKING ON YOUR BEHALF TO BRING GOOD TO YOU AND GLORY TO GOD.

Start telling yourself the Good News. Wake up every morning, look in the mirror and say, “YOU ARE A MIRACULOUS WORK OF GOD. God’s favor surrounds you like a shield. No weapon formed against you will prosper. You were made to overcome, not be overcome!”

IF GOD COMMANDS YOU TO DO IT, BELIEVE HE WILL CARRY YOU THROUGH IT. DON’T DOUBT FOR A MOMENT THAT GOD WILL BRING TO PASS EVERY PROMISE HE HAS PLANTED INSIDE OF YOU!

WE ARE AFRAID TO GET OUR HOPES UP ON GOD. WE ARE AFRAID THAT GOD WON’T COME THROUGH. BUT GOD ALWAYS FULFILLS HIS PROMISES. GOD WILL BRING TO PASS EVERY PROMISE HE HAS PUT INSIDE OF YOU. GET YOUR HOPES UP ON GOD – HE WILL PROVIDE IN A BIG WAY.

2) MARTHA WAS DEAD IN HER DELAY.

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days… “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:17, 21 NIV)

YOU ARE IN THE WAITING ROOM. SO OFTEN LIFE IS A WAITING ROOM BETWEEN HAVING FAITH IN GOD’S PROMISES AND THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISES. IN THE DELAY, GOD IS DEVELOPING YOUR FAITH.

IN CHRIST, GOD WANTS TO INCREASE YOUR FAITH, SO HE CAN INCREASE HIS FAVOR.

3) MARY WAS DEAD IN HER DISCOURAGEMENT.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. (John 11:20 NIV)

Discouragement will breed negative thinking, “I tried to overcome this addiction, but I can’t win. I’m never going to be happy. I’m never going to get out of debt. I’m never going to find that special someone.”

Mary was dead in discouragement. Her joy was dead. Her hope was dead. Her faith was dead.

WHAT IN YOUR LIFE IS DEAD (OR DYING)?

Maybe its your faith. Maybe its your marriage. Maybe its your prayer life. Maybe its your involvement with the church, serving Christ. Maybe its sharing your faith. Maybe its your hope for the future. Maybe its a relationship (with your dad or sibling). Maybe financially you feel dead in your debt. Or you are so afraid you won’t have enough.

STAY TUNED FOR TOMORROW’S BLOG POST FOR HOW TO EXPERIENCE YOUR OWN RESURRECTION…

THE MOTIVATION FOR EVERY MIRACLE IN THE BIBLE IS GOD’S LOVE FOR MANKIND. GOD LOVES YOU! HE WANTS TO BLESS YOU.

GOD IS FOR YOU. Stop living your life against yourself. God isn’t. God is for you. God wants to super-size your dreams!

JESUS CHOOSES TO STAY WHERE HE IS TWO MORE DAYS. DURING THE WAITING WE ARE SO TEMPTED TO THINK, WELL GOD MUST NOT LOVE ME. I MUST HAVE REALLY MESSED UP THIS TIME, WELL I GUESS GOD COULDN’T USE SOMEONE LIKE ME. THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE CHANGE, SO I GUESS I AM CHAINED TO THIS ADDICTION THE REST OF MY LIFE. WELL, MY MARRIAGE HASN’T IMPROVED AFTER HEARING THIS ONE SERMON, SO I GUESS GOD ISN’T GOING TO SHOW UP. NO, GOD IS ALREADY WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES. TRUST HIS HEART. TRUST HIS MOTIVES. TRUST GOD’S PLAN FOR YOU.

WHEN YOU CAN’T SEE THE HAND OF GOD WORKING IN YOUR LIFE, TRUST HIS HEART.

DID YOU KNOW PASTOR’S HAVE SUPER POWERS? WE CAN SEE DEAD PEOPLE. I SEE DEAD PEOPLE. I see dead people at the mall, at the grocery store, at the gym, and yes in churches too.

The Bible says,

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (Ephesians 2:1-2 NIV)

THE TRUTH IS, YOU CAN BE DEAD WHILE YOU STILL LIVE. The Bible goes on to say,

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV)

Without Christ, you and I are dead in our sins. In Christ, we are made alive!

WHAT IN YOUR LIFE IS DEAD THAT GOD WANTS TO RESURRECT?

I see dead marriages; people who are married but barely could be called roommates. Maybe the dream inside of you has died. Maybe the medical report is bad and your hope has died. Maybe spiritually you are so dead that you could care less about believing God for greater! You are dead to the fact that you are living a sinful lifestyle and its killing you. Maybe you are emotionally dead, you are numb to pain because you’ve been betrayed or abused. You have been cheated on, or you were molested or taken advantage of. Maybe you just lost a loved one. Maybe you feel like your marriage is in a coffin. Possibly you feel like your love life is locked under a tombstone; which reads single forever. Possibly an addiction is dragging you toward an early grave. Maybe financial debt has made you feel 6 feet under; maybe your cash flow has got you feeling like a corpse. Maybe your family is falling apart and you feel powerless to fix it. Maybe you have bitterness and unforgiveness in your heart. What in your life is dead that God wants to resurrect?

Mary and Martha are thinking, “Things don’t look too good, and they are probably going to get worse.” This is really a debbie downer (insert Saturday Night Live music;-)

BUT JESUS SAYS, “THINGS DON’T LOOK GOOD ON YOUR TIMETABLE, BUT I HAVE A DIVINE STRATEGY. I’m going to do something that will demonstrate the greatness of God, the character and nature of God. It will be for your good, and God’s glory.”

LIKE WHEN YOU ARE WATCHING ROCKY. YOU KNOW IT DOESN’T LOOK GOOD. BUT JUST WHEN THINGS LOOK LIKE THEY ARE AT THEIR WORST ROCKY ALWAYS COMES BACK.

IN CHRIST, YOU HAVE COMEBACK POWER. In Christ, you have CAN DO power. Phil.4:13 doesn’t say, I CAN’T, it says, I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME. Stop saying you can’t, when in Christ YOU CAN!

When things look like they can’t get any worse, that is not the time to quit or get bitter. That is the time to BELIEVE IN GOD’S BEST OVER YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FUTURE!

BEFORE GOD CAN DO A MIRACLE THROUGH YOU, HE FIRST MUST DO A MIRACLE IN YOU.

IN CHRIST, YOU DON’T HAVE TO SEEK THE BLESSINGS, THE BLESSINGS WILL SEEK YOU.

IN CHRIST, GOD’S FAVOR SURROUNDS YOU LIKE A SHIELD.

At a funeral, a young boy heard the minister read, Genesis 3:19, “From dust you have come and to dust you will return.” Later on that week, the little boy was playing in his room. A ball rolled under his bed. When he went to go get it, he saw a ton of dust under his bed. Suddenly, he started screaming. “Mom, come quick SOMEBODY is EITHER COMING OR GOING.”

AT A FUNERAL THERE IS OFTEN MORE THAN JUST ONE DEAD PERSON. THERE ARE THOSE THERE WHO ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAD. THEY’VE LOST ALL HOPE.

Today, I want to begin a blog series centered around the current sermon series at The Dialogue Church. This particular week we talked about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Jesus liked to ruin funerals.

In Christ, death is never final.