Press Play: Moving Forward Out of the Pause - Week 1

3 Truths to Believe, Confront and Do Something About.

1.    Circumstances Can’t Reverse Resurrections.

2.    Dead stuff stinks.

3.    Doubt Keeps You Out of Room & Your Hands in Your Pocket.

Truth #1 Circumstances Can’t Reverse Resurrections.
This is a foundational truth that impacts EVERYTHING!

2 Corinthians 4:5-18 (The Message). 5-6 Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful. 7-12 If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best! 13-15 We’re not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, “I believed it, so I said it,” we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!  16-18 So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.

2 Corinthians 4:2 “2 Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we’re not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-17“So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.”

Bottom Line

Real Life Circumstances Can’t Reverse Real Life Resurrections They Reveal Real Power… so Stand Up and Move Forward!

Truth #2.  Dead Stuff Stinks.

John 11:43-44 43…Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 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.”

Don’t just cover dead stuff back up as the pressure releases, leave it behind.

Deed stuff stinks up your life, restricts your movement and reminds you of your dead past.

Pray this prayer and follow through with what God shows you.

Psalm 139:23-24 (Message) Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong (Identify the dead stuff) — then guide me on the road to eternal life.

Bottom Line

Dead Stuff Stinks: Don’t bury it, leave it in the dust.

Truth #3 Doubt Keeps You Out of Room & Your Hands in Your Pocket.

John 20:24-28 (NIV) 24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Bottom Line

Dump Doubt & Reach out! Bold things happen when you reach out!

3 Truths to Believe, Confront and Do Something About.

1.    Circumstances Can’t Reverse Resurrections. Stand Up and Press On.

2.    Dead stuff stinks. Don’t Bury it, Leave it in the Dust.

3.    Doubt Keeps You Out of Room & Your Hands in Your Pocket.
Dump Doubt & Reach out! Bold things happen when you reach out!