Professional Documents
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A spiritual leader named Henry Varley shared some words that still serve to challenge God’s people. Here are the
words: “The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by a man who is fully
consecrated to Christ.” God used these words to change a man named D.L. Moody forever.
As Moody, at the time a Chicago shoe salesman, thought about these words, he wrote, “He said ‘a man.’ He
didn’t say a great ‘man,’ a learned ‘man,’ or a smart ‘man.’ He just simply said ‘a man.’ I’m a ‘man.’ And it lies
within me whether I will or will not make this full consecration to Christ. I will do my best to be that ‘man.’”
D.L. Moody went on to start one of the greatest churches and Sunday Schools in all of America. He was the
Billy Graham of his day, traveling around the world winning thousands and thousands to Christ. Christian radio
stations around the world, including our own WCRF, were started by his ministry and still carry his name. The
Moody Bible Institute in Chicago continues to train world-class leaders that impact the nations.
It’s all because he took seriously this challenge: “The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and
through and in and by a man who is fully consecrated to Christ.”
What would happen if you took those words seriously? Do you think God could use you?
“Who me?” “Yes, you!” “But I’m too weak. You don’t know how many times I’ve tried and tried to follow Christ
closely and failed. That’s not for me. Can’t be.”
In the Bible is a man who tried and tried to follow Christ closely but failed time and time again… miserably.
His name is Peter. He went to sleep when he should have been praying. He promised that he’d follow Jesus all
the way to the death, but when he thought he might have to suffer a little, he denied that He even knew Jesus. He
constantly was saying the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong way. He was weak.
Yet God showed His power in Peter’s life. If he can do that with Peter, he can do that with you.
Are you filed with the Spirit? You are never more full of the Holy Spirit than you are empty of sin and self.
Whatever experience you’ve had with God, there is more. You can go to a whole new level of intimacy with God –
of usefulness to God. God can use me in big ways when I am filled with the Spirit and when I...
The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are
against all those who forsake Him." Ezra 8:22 (NASB)
Just because the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in Chapter 2, that didn’t change the way they felt about
making their way to the place of worship – that didn’t change the way they felt about spending time with God in
prayer. “Were going up” suggests it was a habit, a continual practice.
Peter is seeking after God. Now, let’s look at what happens.
2 And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down
every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the
temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms.
Evidently this man had been brought to the temple habitually for a long, long time. Think with me. Jesus walked
into that same temple many times. Jesus must certainly have seen him as he passed into the temple. But Jesus
never healed him. Question: Why not?
God has stuff for us to do in His name and by His power. He wants to work with us and through us. And when the
time is right, God moves. But don’t miss this: He moves through people who seek Him. Are you a God-seeker?
There’s a closeness to God that you haven’t known about.
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary
land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 (NIV)
Seeking God. It’s closeness to Him. Spending time with Him. Thanking and praising Him. Confessing sins.
Praying for others to come to know Him and have their needs met. Asking God to make us like Jesus. Hearing
His voice. Is that the way you seek God?
One statement that keeps tugging on my heart from yesterday was this: “There can be an explosion of God in
your life. It’s possible that 6 months from now you can know God 10 times as much as you know Him now.”
God uses ordinary people. People like you. People like me. … if we are filled with the Spirit and are seeking God.
Now you can have sincere love for each other as brothers and sisters because you were cleansed from your sins
when you accepted the truth of the Good News. So see to it that you really do love each other intensely with all
your hearts. I Peter 1:22
Peter saw this encounter as a Divine appointment. He was willing to be interrupted. How about you. Do you
see the hurting people around you?
A brother or sister in Christ might need clothes or food. If you say to that person, "God be with you! I hope you
stay warm and get plenty to eat," but you do not give what that person needs, your words are worth nothing.
James 2:15-16
God can use me in big ways when I care about people and when I…
God our Father loved us and by His kindness gave us everlasting encouragement and good hope. Together with
our Lord Jesus Christ, may He encourage and strengthen you… II Thessalonians 2:16-17
God can use me in big ways when I inspire hope in others and when I…
5. … give what I have. v. 6a - 6a But Peter said, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to
you…" 6b … in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene--walk!"
The church can be rich...financially; but it can be powerless because the people are not filled with the Spirit.
On the other hand, the church can be dirt poor; but it can have great power; because the people are filled with the
Spirit! There may have been an absence of money. But there was the presence of power!
When you are filled with the Spirit and seeking after God, you become a generous person. You give what you
have. Maybe you don’t have the gift of healing or miracles. But you can give your time. You can give a word of
encouragement. You can give a note, a call, a kind word.
If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to
make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving--large or small--it will be used to
measure what is given back to you. Luke 6:38
Givers always find a way to give. Are you a giver or a taker? Are you taking from people or adding to people?
You must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give
than to receive.” Acts 20:35
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of
believers. Galatians 6:9-10
God can use me in big ways when I give what I have and when I…
you. When I speak in his name, with the faith that he has now given me for your healing, he is acting not me.”
Later, Peter explained what happened – why this man got better.
It is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes
through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all. Acts 3:16 (NASB)
This man stands here before you completely well through the power of the name of Jesus Christ… Salvation is to
be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us.
Acts 4:11-12
Peter was pointing the people to Jesus.
God can use me in big ways when I point people to Jesus and when I…
A verse to remember: He said to me, "My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made
perfect in you." So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can live in me. II
Corinthians 12:9 (NCV)
A question to consider: What will I do differently this week in order to seek after God to be filled with His Spirit so I
can be used powerfully by God?
Dr. Frizzell reminded us yesterday that we have three enemies: 1) The world. This is the busiest world we’ve ever
known. The busy-ness will keep us from being used in big ways. We are not giving God a chance to do His great
work in us and through us. 2) The flesh. Our flesh will resist this – especially the cleansing, the regular, deep
confessing of sin. 3) Satan. His purpose is to keep you ineffective and fruitless – to keep you from being used by
God in big ways. If he can limit us to five minute Quiet Times, if he can keep us praying those “gimme, gimme,
bless me, bless me” prayers, then he’s won.
I want to ask you to commit to spend time over the next six months seeking God by using these five kinds of
prayer
1. Worship – thanking and praising Him.
2. Confession – taking time to let God search your heart for sin.
3. Intercession – praying for others to come to know Him and have their needs met.
4. Petition – asking God to make you like Jesus.
5. Listening – hearing God’s voice.
“You must make an absolute commitment to spend significant time alone with God in uninterrupted prayer.” You
spell love for God T.I.M.E. You must view your time with God as the heart of your relationship with God. What
does God want most from you? Your church attendance? Your talent? Your money? No. It’s love! It’s a closeness
thing.
Six months from now… an explosion of God in your life. You want that? Six months from now, know God ten
times better. Six months form now – if I do this with greater passion, greater focus, greater intensity – you having
in me a brand new pastor.
If our time with God is shallow, we won’t see the Spirit of God move in big ways.
“The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by a man who is fully
consecrated to Christ.”
What would happen if you took those words seriously? Do you think God could use you? ...