Posted: March 20th, 2013 | Author: admin | Filed under: Church, Kingdom of Heaven, Worship | Tags: C3 Auckland, C3 Church, Church, Dean Rush, Honor, House of God, King David, Worship | No Comments »
Psalm 26: 8
I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells.
I love the house
David was this amazing character who rose from being a shepherd boy – to being the king
One of his defining qualities was that David loved the house of God
He was called by God ‘a man after God’s own heart’
Acts 13: 22 God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’
God chose David because of his heart for God
He also had a dream to build the house of God
Because of his heart for the house – God blessed him and elevated him
2 Samuel 7:8, 9
Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.
Just like David we need people in this age with a heart for the house
It’s God’s house
It’s where God puts his name
It is charged with reaching a lost world
where you live, O LORD
Psalm 84:10-12
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
David knew where he wanted to be
I can imagine David – leaving the lavish parties to go and worship God
His officials would not understand his heart for the house
He led the people of Israel to seek and worship God
And his son Soloman had a golden age of influence and blessing in the world
1 Chronicles 16:27
Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.
the place where your glory dwells.
David loved God’s presence
Psalm 63:2-4
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
David was a worshipper
The book of Psalms were essentially worship songs
As you connect with God – as his presence touches your life
Your heart for the house will increase
For me – worship has been a big part of my experience with God
Connecting to God
Get a fresh hunger for God’s presence
Psalm 140:13
Surely the righteous will praise your name, and the upright will live in your presence.
Live your life in the presence of God
There is a world out there finding altars and idols in they’re own hearts
We need to teach them how to worship God
We need more people with a heart for the house
Don’t just attend
Love it and get passionate for it
Protect it
Stand up for it
Build it
Posted: September 6th, 2012 | Author: admin | Filed under: Church, Discipleship, Fellowship, Kingdom of Heaven, Leadership | Tags: C3 Auckland, C3 Church, Dean Rush, Disciple, Discipleship, Fathers, Honor, Paul and Timothy, sonship | No Comments »
One of the great Fathers in the bible was the Apostle Paul
He had no children of his own – but he became a Father to Timothy, discipled him and raised him up as the Senior Pastor of one of the biggest churches of the ancient world
1 Timothy 1:2
To Timothy my true son in the faith:
Philippians 2:19-24
I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.
Paul became a spiritual Father and Timothy became a son
The are too many sons and daughters without spiritual Fathers
How to be a true son
1. Seek out a spiritual Father
In today’s society we often run from voices of authority in our lives
But in the kingdom we all need to know the voice of a Father
Wise people will seek out Fathers in the faith
If you have a loving Father appreciate your dad – seek them out
So many live without a loving Father
Appreciate him for who he is – he is your father
But also find a spiritual Father
If you haven’t got a loving Father – don’t try and live without one – it will leave a great hole in your life
You will be insecure and undeveloped
Seek out someone with Godly character to speak into your world – to be a spiritual Father
2. Be a willing disciple
I get asked a lot to disciple people
But i have learned to only disciple the willing
It’s just too hard to try and disciple the unwilling
Some people like the idea of being discipled – but they don’t respond to the reality
They don’t change – they don’t turn up
There is a term in church - a son of the house
If you ever get called that – it is an honor
But it would be less than 10% of the church
Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land;
Have a willing attitude to be discipled
Become a son or daughter of the house
3. Listen
Proverbs 19:20
Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.
Listen to those with authority over you
Don’t be a know it all
Arrogance has never been an endearing quality
If you listen to your leaders you will find God’s wisdom coming into your life
Timothy listened to Paul and became a spiritual son
He went from a timid young person – to a bold leader who Paul sent to sort out problems in the churches
4. Make some changes
2 Timothy 1:6
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
Let someone lay their hand on you and develop your life
Do what they ask of you
I find many people want to hear my advice
Not so many want to make the changes
Over the past forty years I have proved champions are everywhere provided they receive the proper training –
Arthur Lydiard
Get into some spiritual training and become a champion of faith
5. Be committed to building a long term relationship
Give time to the relationship with a spiritual Father
Stick around and become a true son
I have no one else like him
Timothy had committed himself to this relationship in such a way that Paul had no one else like him
He became a true son
I have at least 2 older voices speaking regularly into my life
They are a blessing to me
I seek them out and I am greater for these voices
Both i have been building with for about 7 or 8 years
Build some long term relationships with spiritual leaders
Posted: May 4th, 2011 | Author: admin | Filed under: All | Tags: C3 Church, Dean Rush, Disciple, Discipleship, Follow, Growth, Honor, Learn | No Comments »
1. Disciples follow
In Matthew 4: 18 Jesus calls Peter and Andrew to be his disciples
What made Peter and Andrew great disciples is their willingness to follow him
They left their nets and followed him
You can’t be a great leader until you can be a great follower
So many Christians struggle to follow anyone, but if they can’t follow a leader they won’t follow God
God will ask more from you than any leader will
2. Disciples learn
The Greek word for ‘disciple’ is ‘math-ey-tes,’ which means ‘learner or student.’ In biblical times a disciple would attach himself to a teacher. He would follow him day and night, interact with him and learn – If we are going to be disciples we need to be willing to learn
Every believer needs to be in a discipleship relationship
Who are you learning from?
God will always put someone in your life, if your willing to see it and embrace it
A disciple will seek out people to learn from – will put themselves in positions where they can learn from others
3. Disciples commit
Luke 14:27
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
There is a cost to following Jesus – the idea is great – the reality costs us something
Dietrich Bonhoeffer Salvation is free, … but discipleship will cost you your life.
Great Christians who advance the kingdom have always paid the price
Stick around long enough to see what God can do with you
4. Disciples grow
Have a hunger to grow and develop
1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation
Aim to grow every year in your spiritual walk – don’t be trapped in the same issue and the same challenges
Great leaders will help you grow and go to the next level
5. Disciples honor
Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
The kingdom of God has a culture of honor
We honor God, we honor people, we honor those over us
Kingdom people are honoring and gracious
Whoever is your leader? – are you honoring them? – bless them, help them, serve them
6. Disciples produce fruit
John 15:8
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples
Disciples are fruitful – we should be aiming to produce fruit
There should be new life sprouting up around your life
Are people getting saved or revived around your life? – are they coming to church?
To produce fruit we need to plant seeds now – maybe it’s time to start planting
7. Disciples become like the master
Luke 6:40 Students are not above their teacher, but all who are fully trained will be like their teacher
When fully trained, disciples are like their master
How awesome is that –if you do the training –if you are a disciple you will become like Jesus
That is the test of a disciple – are you becoming more like Jesus?
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