September 13, 2007

The Making of a Man of God

1)      Introduction: God accepts and uses ordinary people

a)      Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but ACCEPTS MEN from every nation who FEAR HIM and DO WHAT IS RIGHT

b)     The apostle Peter received a revelation that salvation was for everyone

c)      Proverbs 1:7 The FEAR OF THE LORD is the beginning of knowledge
but fools despise wisdom and discipline

i)        Fear of the Lord = a reverential fear leading to submission to the Lords will

d)     Turn to God

e)      Your past does not matter with Jesus you can invent a new future

2)      Defining the man of God

a)      Luke 5:27-28 And after that He went out and noticed a tax-gatherer  named Levi sitting in the tax office and He said to him, “Follow Me” AND HE LEFT EVERYTHING BEHIND and rose and began to follow Him

i)        You must have a life changing salvation experience with Jesus Christ

ii)      You must have a radical transfer of loyalty to Jesus

iii)    You must be willing to accept God’s Love and grace

iv)    You cannot compare your Heavenly Father to your earthly father

3)      Molding the man of God

a)      Matthew 11:29 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

b)     You must become a disciple of Christ

i)        Disciple = to be a disciplined pupil or learner.  Learn it apply it

ii)      Make Jesus Lord of your life

iii)    Surrender you will

c)      You must be willing to listen to the Lord

i)        Not with selective hearing

ii)      The Lord wants to heal your issues

d)     You must be willing to do small things that God puts before you

i)        Joseph was in charge of Potiphar’s house and the jail before he became prime minister of Egypt

ii)      David tended sheep before he became king of Israel

iii)    Peter fished for fish before he fished for men

iv)    You must have the opportunity to learn and grow

v)       Service starts small but leads to a life of significance

e)      You must be willing to learn form failure

i)        Matthew 16:22 Peter Rebuked Jesus

4)      A mature man of God

a)      The quality of being complete or undivided

b)     Character counts

c)      Ephesians 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a MATURE MAN to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming

d)     Time to grow up in Jesus