BRICK-BY-BRICK Part 2

CENTERED
LIFE
WEEKLY
BRICK-BY-BRICK Part 2
Center of Praise Ministries, Sacramento, CA
Week of October 11, 2015 - Issue No. 23
We started the New Beginning series last week learning that at the core of discipleship is your obedience
to move at the word of the Lord; to follow God’s Word into His new beginnings as they are presented to
us intuitively and prophetically. It would be tragic for you to be aware of the new season, but miss it by
not participating and moving into the unknown; thus never accomplishing all God has for you.
There must be an urgent “yes” response to the new beginnings God has intended. Pay attention to His
word and His voice, and then make the choice to move according to His plan.
THE URGENCY OF SAYING “YES”
TO GOD’S NEW BEGINNINGS
Based Upon the Teachings of Dr. Ronn Elmore
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. The necessity of major transitions
2. Identifying the transition and responding
3. Committing to God-sent transition opportunities
THE NECESSITY OF TRANSITIONS: HIS GLORY - YOUR LIFE
God authored His plan of redemption for the whole world
long before you were born: before the foundation of the
world. He then inserted you into His plan to be an active
participant, a cog in the works, in order to accomplish the
redemptive, justifying and empowering work of salvation and
discipleship. He does not, however, do this all at once. There
are gradual transitions known as seasons.
God moves you into new seasons by first sending His word.
He speaks and initiates the new season. When you obey His
word, He then sends a new word for the next season. When
you are obedient to the word of the Lord, two things happen:
God is glorified and your life benefits.
God pulls you into seasons that will give Him glory. He is
glorified when His Kingdom expands in the earth. As He
is glorified, there is also an enrichment taking place in your
own life. You benefit when God expands your territory: your
circle of influence enlarges, you grow and mature spiritually,
and your relationship with Him deepens. Your obedience is
necessary in fulfilling His purpose.
John 9:4 (TLB)
All of us must quickly carry out the tasks
assigned us by the one who sent [us], for
there is little time left before the night falls
and all work comes to an end.
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
18
Then Jesus came to [His disciples] and
said, “All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to
obey everything I have commanded you. And
surely I am with you always, to the very end
of the age.”
NOTE: When we speak of “God’s Word” we are
referring to the biblical text. When we speak
of “the word of the Lord” we are referring to a
specific prophetic utterance spoken to a specific
person for a specific time and purpose.
DISCUSSION POINT 1:
God’s Word (the Bible) is rich with
examples of people receiving prophetic
instructions in order to fulfill specific
purposes. These were given through
angels, prophets or by God Himself.
Has God spoken specifically to you? What
did He say, and how did He say it?
IDENTIFYING THE TRANSITION
When you said “Yes” to Jesus, accepting God’s Son as your
Savior and Lord, you became His disciple. Identifying Jesus as
“Savior” acknowledges His saving power for your life. Identifying
Jesus as Lord means you are actively and intentively listening
to His instructions to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew
28:18-20).
Jesus “called” His disciples to Himself to carefully and lovingly
instruct them in their purpose: to be “sent out” (Matthew 10). In the
old season Jesus said “come, follow me, and I will make you...”
Now Jesus introduced a new season which was, “Go... Make
disciples.” He called them as disciples, but He sent them out as
apostles. These are two distinctive characteristics:
Disciple = witness
A witness is 1) one who saw something first hand, and 2) is willing
to report on what he saw. You are a witness of your own conversion.
Apostle = sent out one
God literally hurled His disciples out into the new beginnings
regardless if they were ready or not. God was ready, God was
able, and God was empowering. There must be a dependence
upon the Father. Jesus took the come unto Me-ers and turned
them into go ye thereforers. He is doing the same today.
For mature believers a new season is not a cancellation of the old;
rather it is a continuation. You never stop being a disciple of Christ.
Jesus has no problem with introducing a new beginning. Jesus
showed us in His prayer (John 17:18) that God gave Him a mission
in the world; therefore Jesus, having all authority, gave the disciples
a mission in the world. This includes you.
COMMITTING TO THE TRANSITION
The focus of the new season transcends a geographic region
beyond the scope you are used to: the familiar, the norm. We
are all called to impact the world with the Gospel of Jesus
Christ beyond the four walls of our homes. We are all called to
the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples...”
We are supposed to respond: some will do the going; some will
do the giving; some will do the praying; but we are all a part of
something God is doing in us and through us in this new season.
Be encouraged to hear the word of the Lord as it pertains to this
new season, and get plugged into what He is doing.
Understand that what God assigns for you to do is a smaller
part of something much larger and greater than yourself.
Understand your role in the season and do that which you are
called to do. Make His concern your concern (Matthew 6:33).
Focus on accomplishing your portion of the work by His grace.
2
Matthew 10:1a, 5a
1
Jesus CALLED together his twelve disciples…
5
And He SENT OUT the twelve apostles, with
His instructions…
Luke 10:1-2
1
Later the Lord chose seventy-two other
followers and SENT THEM OUT … 2 He said
to them: A large crop is in the fields, but there
are only a few workers. Pray that the Lord in
charge of the harvest would send out more
workers to bring it in.
John 17:18 (MSG)
[Jesus prayed], Father, in the same way that
you gave me a mission IN THE WORLD, I give
them a mission IN THE WORLD.
Acts 20:24 (NCV)
I don’t care about my own life. The most
important thing is that I complete my mission,
the work that the Lord Jesus gave me—to tell
people the Good News about God’s grace.
Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
[God] will give you all you need from day to day
if you live for him and make the kingdom of
God your primary concern.
Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the
Lord rejoices to see the work begin…
DISCUSSION POINT 2:
Jesus said, “But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and
you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
ends of the world” (Acts 1:8).
The Holy Spirit is the One who comes
alongside to empower you, lead you,
and speak through you to others. How
can you intentionally focus more on the
Holy Spirit in your life? (See Matthew 6:33)
DISCUSSION POINT 3:
Ours is to respond to the Great
Commission. What are some ways that
you as an individual or as an OmniGroup
are able to fulfill this call: being “sent
ones”? Discuss areas in the church or
in the community where you can serve,
contribute to or commit to pray for.
FACTORPOINTS
Factoring the teaching in relevant and relatable ways so that
we might walk them out in our daily lives.
HE’S HERE...WORSHIP - In your prayer times, thank God for including you in His
grand plan. Ask Him for clear instruction. Pray that His voice become more an
more familiar to you.
HE KNOWS... LEARN - Learn to listen. Hear the voice of the Lord through the
teaching of the Word, through the prophetic speaking of the word of the Lord,
or in your prayer time. The word of the Lord will always line up with God’s Word.
If you have received instruction from God, share it with someone more mature
in order to be accountable and to obtain clarity. In all things pray.
HE’S ABLE... SERVE - God has ushered us into a new season to change the
world to the utmost. There must be an urgency to say “yes”. At the word of the
Lord we must move. Be inclined to not only hearing the word of the Lord, but
also responding according to specific instruction. Yours might be to go, to give,
or to pray. In any event, you are to actively participate. Let your actions be your
“YES”.
worship, learn & serve
at COP...
this week at COP...
As a church, COP is called beyond the scope of the
local church, to be a missional church with a global
outreach. Through the work of Dr. Ronn and Aladrian
Elmore this great work embraces a new beginning.
Commit to partnering in prayer and support as we
endeavor to expand COP’s reach to South Africa.
Visit our website
CENTEROFPRAISE.NET
To view the complete teaching, please go to our website and click on the Media tab and select Centered Life TV.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1
977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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