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Monday, 21 October 2024

Life is a Decision

If you're going to allow Christ in your life, it's a decision

Life is a Decision.

If you're going to allow Christ in your life, it's a decision.

Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone open the door I will come in Rev 3.20

It's your decision to open the door.

 

Every stage of your development in God is a decision.

God won't force himself on you.

He's got more to give you than you could ever imagine.

You must decide to seek after God.

 

1 Praise and Worship is a Decision

eg.

1. King David understood this - He spoke to his soul,

The real him (spirit) spoke to that which was down

Ps103

1Bless the LORD, O my soul,

         And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

2Bless the LORD, O my soul,

         And forget none of His benefits;

3Who pardons all your iniquities,

         Who heals all your diseases;

4Who redeems your life from the pit,

         Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

5Who satisfies your years with good things,

         So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

 

He reminded himself of all the reasons he had to praise God.

That his first duty to God was to praise with ALL that he had.

 

Ps 34

1I will bless the LORD at all times;

         His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2My soul will make its boast in the LORD;

         The humble will hear it and rejoice.

3O magnify the LORD with me,

         And let us exalt His name together.

4I sought the LORD, and He answered me,

         And delivered me from all my fears.

 

2. Mary understood the need to praise God

in her situation,  pregnant not married.

Lk 1.46/55     

46And Mary said:

         “My soul exalts the Lord,

47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

48“For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;

         For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.

49“For the Mighty One has done great things for me;

         And holy is His name.

50“AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION

         TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.

51“He has done mighty deeds with His arm;

         He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.

52“He has brought down rulers from their thrones,

         And has exalted those who were humble.

53“HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS;

         And sent away the rich empty-handed.

54“He has given help to Israel His servant,

         In remembrance of His mercy,

55As He spoke to our fathers,

         To Abraham and his descendants forever.”


My soul does magnify the Lord

 

    

2 Receiving from God is a Decision

Ps 84.11  No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly

If He's not withholding and we don't have  - what's the problem?

Maybe we're not receiving.

 

Abraham had the promise of a son/heir  -  held on to it and received it

Heb 11.17       By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son,

Having got the promise keep faith and patience until you receive

Heb 10.36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

 

3 Exercising Your Faith is a Decision

Disciples in boat Jesus asleep storm

Mk 4.

35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Note

v40 Jesus said, "why are you so fearful"

ie more fearful than you need to be

Jesus said, "How is it you have no faith"

I can’t see any faith because your fear has overtaken it. You are more fearful than you ought to be.

They had faith,  -  they believed Jesus Christ was the  Son of God

Jesus was saying,- why is it you did not believe I would save you?

They didn't use the faith they had.

Exercising your faith is a decision.

 

Faith is necessary to receive anything from God

Heb 11.6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Fear is not from God

2 Tim 1.7  For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

 

Mark 2

1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

 

They brought in on a bed one paralysed.

Jesus seeing their faith.

How did He see it?

They did something - took action on their believing.

 

4 Doing Something for God is  a Decision

2 Tim 1

6For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

Stir up the gift that is in you by the laying on of my hands, the gift is in you, use it.

1 Tim 4

12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

Let no man despise your youth.

Don't let age or other circumstantial things get in your way of doing the will of God,  God is bigger than them.

 

Jer 1

4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew a you,

before you were born I set you apart;

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

 

Don't say I cannot speak

                Don't be afraid of their faces

                               I have put my words in your mouth.

 

Summary

If you've been waiting for God to do something supernaturally in your life - He's waiting for you.

Life is a decision  -  Yours

Decide to do it and Go For IT


You Need to Decide Today

1 You are going to praise the Lord

Even if:-

You don't feel like it,     

You don't understand it,

You don't want to

It's the essential 1st step in receiving from the Lord

 

You Need to Decide Today

2 You're going to receive

 

The blessing of the Lord makes rich and He adds no sorrow with it

Prov 10.22 You've resisted the blessing of the Lord because you thought it was Godly to go without. It's time to receive.

 

You Need to Decide Today

3 To use your faith

I'm going to use it whenever my circumstances look hard.

Abraham believed God he would have son/heir even though his body and Sarah's denied it.

 

You Need to Decide Today

4  To stir up the gift that is in you for God

Don't go home and say that was a good sermon (or lousy sermon).

God wants you to do something for Him, the labourers are few,  but rewards are great.

 

JUST DO IT

The days are short.




Connect with BFTF on other media. Facebook Group by Beautiful Feet Task Force Growing African Christian Leaders, https://www.facebook.com/groups/growingafricanchristianleaders Additional information about Beautiful Feet Task Force can be found here Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeautifulFeetTaskForce Africa Network BFTF: http://bftfafricanetwork.ning.com/


Rev Dr Howard Sands is the International Director of Beautiful Feet Task Force, is available as a speaker for churches, outreaches, business & missions. 

INTERESTED IN INVITING HOWARD SANDS 
to speak at your church, College or organisation? 
For more details on how to frame an invitation see here.
See ministry recommendations here. 
See products and services here.
Send your invitation here via facebook messenger

If you would like to donate to BFTF International Missions for training leaders in developing world countries donate here.  
Payment options
PayPal – The safer, easier way to pay online! 


or
Bank account Direct Deposit
Beautiful Feet Task Force
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
BSB 062 614

Account 94 0442





Monday, 9 September 2024

The Father Heart of God

Introduction

Have you ever wondered what God thinks of you?

Is it hard for you to believe He loves you as much as the Bible says He does?

What is He really like?      Do you know Him?

What do you think of when you hear the word  "Father"

protection, provision, warmth, tenderness, care, love, or do you have a different picture?



Our feelings towards God are often a result of impressions from own earthly father

Good experience  -closer to God,    

Bad experience  -  distorted picture of God


A baby  is totally helpless,

God intends family to be where His love is demonstrated


As parents we start to see His heart towards His children

Understanding the character of God is essential if we are to:

        love Him,      serve Him,     be like Him,


Has your relationship with God been hindered because of a failure of a parent?


The Fathers Authority

Example - when you visit a home, the  the family dog,  may cower away in a corner, bark at you or  or leap all over you. 

The exuberant puppy has usually come from a loving home.

The family dog is like man - our past experience often dictates our response when God reaches out to us. 

When Israel was a child I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the baals and they burned incense to images. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.         Hosea 11.1-4 Living Bible

God's authority is not harsh & vindictive but unspeakably gentle & longsuffering.

Example - I remember a time I lashed out with my hand & tongue at my 4yr old son because he continued to annoy me, I had to go & love him & ask for his forgiveness. 

I should correct their disobedience but they must know my discipline is with love.

Think of the world today - What horrors of human selfishness is God seeing now?

Example - A drunk father bursts into the bedroom of his son, "I told you to put the garbage out - I'll teach you boy, " the boy is beaten mercilessly by the hulk of man he calls daddy. 

Example - A 17 year old prostitute with blank empty eyes, mechanically performs through a night of degradation, she doesn't care what happens to her,  she hasn't felt clean since the night she was molested by her father.

A wounded generation stumbles through their youth only to visit the same hurts on their children

Who will father the children of men?

Whose arms are big enough for all the lonely children of the world?

Who weeps for our pains?  ONLY GOD

A BROKEN HEARTED FATHER who is rejected by the little ones He yearns to heal.


His command to parents,  "Parents don't keep on scolding and nagging your children making them angry and resentful. Rather bring them up in loving discipline the Lord Himself approves"  Ephesians 6.4   


The Fathers Faithfulness

Every promise of God will be fulfilled,  

He is constantly loving,  

He never changes,

He only desires to show love & forgiveness.


Do you distrust God? Our distrust hurts him deeply

You are God's child and He loves you so much, but maybe you can't seem to fully trust Him.

As a child you may have experienced the absence of a father through

    death,  divorce,   career or

    is it the memory of broken promises


Jesus said, "I will never leave you or forsake you  ... I am with you always even to the end of the age."

Have you said, "Well if He loves me so much, why haven't I felt Him or seen Him when I was in need?"  

It isn't God who failed you it is me and those who say they love Him, we have failed to become His voice and His hands to those who are hurting.

God pursues us with His love always, even now your loving Father awaits you with  outstretched arms.

He says, "Even when we are too weak to have any faith left, He remains faithful to us who are part of himself and He will always carry out His promises to us." 2 Tim 2.13 Living Bible


The Fathers Generosity

I recall in India watching the children play, play with a stick, it occurred to me these children would very seldom hear,  "Don't touch that, leave it alone,"

On a simple earth floor, homes with little possessions.

In contrast our homes are stuffed with expensive and fragile appliances and we are constantly rebuking inquisitive toddlers.

We constantly remind them of the value of things, how seldom do they hear I love you.

Our children learn "things are more important then me"


Our concepts of God's generosity may have been crimped by our childhood experience.

God is incredibly generous, 

look at creation, His attention to detail in our life,

God is not stingy,     materialistic or       possessive,   

He wrote the first book on giving from his own experience.

"Trust in the Lord and do good so you will dwell in the land and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord trust in Him and He will act."  Psalms 37.3/5 NASB



The Fathers Affection

Do you have any idea how attractive you are to God?

Yes, at times we do wrong things that hurt God,

but He still pursues us with affection and forgiveness.

Reflect on the history of Israel as told in the Old Testament, His chosen people, through their many ups and downs, their constant wanderings away from the Fathers love and being brought back to Him by the  preaching of the prophets only to wander off again just a few years later. 

Many children (boys especially) have no physical display of affection from their fathers or no real compassion when they are hurt. 

Jesus is not like that, His sensitivity and understanding to suffering are measureless.

EXAMPLE

My son at 6 months old, limp and unable to move, doctors didn't know what the problem was, after 2 days of tests they conducted exploratory surgery, he was too weak to take an air ambulance to the capital city Children's hospital - he wouldn't make it.      

My wife and I went to a room in the hospital and prayed. The doctors did surgery and came back about an hour later and said they had fixed problem,  intercerception of bowel. We thanked God for His mercy.

6 months later, I was thinking about how Jesus died for me,

what anguish of heart God must have gone through,

the choice of saving His lost creation gone astray or

sending His own Son to suffer and die to free us all. 

I was reminded of the sacrifice of his son God made, so you and I could be freed.

God spoke to me that day, "yes, I saved your son ..."

and I started to understand the Father heart of God


Conclusion

If you have been hindered in your relationship with God,

maybe your parents weren't the perfect parents,

you must find forgiveness for anyone who has hurt you,

if you don't your bitterness will consume you and you won't find peace with God.

Everyone has suffered some kind of hurts in their life,

our natural human tendency is to lay the blame on someone - usually God.

The important thing to know is that God loves you, it's people that let us down.

He wants you to receive His love and affection now.


Will you open up your heart and enter into an intimate relationship with your loving Heavenly Father and forgive those people who have hurt you along the way, letting go of the anger, bitterness, resentment and hurts and allow the love of the Father to flow through you and forgive them and allow the peace of God to flood your heart and soul.  


Listen to Howard share this message on video at 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrbfy2oCNOA&t=947s
message starts at 15:45 if you want to go straight there. 
while you are there, please subscribe to Beautiful Feet Task Force YouTube channel.


Rev Dr Howard Sands is the International Director of Beautiful Feet Task Force, is available as a speaker for churches, outreaches, business & missions.


INTERESTED IN INVITING HOWARD SANDS 
to speak at your church, College or organisation? 
For more details on how to frame an invitation see here.
See ministry recommendations here. 
See products and services here.
Send your invitation here via facebook messenger

If you would like to donate to BFTF International Missions for training leaders in developing world countries donate here.  
Payment options
PayPal – The safer, easier way to pay online! 


or
Bank account Direct Deposit
Beautiful Feet Task Force
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
BSB 062 614
Account 94 0442

 

Wednesday, 28 August 2024

Kakamega rejoicing.


It could be important to keep Dr Howard preaching the word, maybe then we won't have to endure his attempts at African dancing. Going for it Kakamega, Kenya. Connect with BFTF on other media. Facebook Group by Beautiful Feet Task Force Growing African Christian Leaders, https://www.facebook.com/groups/growingafricanchristianleaders Additional information about Beautiful Feet Task Force can be found here Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeautifulFeetTaskForce Africa Network BFTF: http://bftfafricanetwork.ning.com/ BLOG: http://beautifulfeettaskforce.blogspot.com.au/ If you would like to donate to BFTF International Missions for training leaders in developing world countries donate here. Via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=UPGASDZXCZYTN or Bank account Direct Deposit Beautiful Feet Task Force Commonwealth Bank of Australia BSB 062 614 Account 0094 0442

Thursday, 22 August 2024

Introducing Rev Dr Howard Sands, speech & graduation

10 years on and we are still preaching the gospel around the world. 
Now we have preached the gospel in 27 countries on every continent and seen thousands come to Christ and abundance of healing miracles. All glory to God.
 



Conferring of Doctorate on Rev Howard Sands by Jacob Simon, Chancellor at Good News International University at Maranatha Full Gospel Association (MFGA) home church planters graduation with President Rev Dr Finny Joseph and MFGA founder Rev Dr Henry Joseph. Oct 2014. Keynote address by Howard Sands and graduation of students. English and Tamil languages.


Rev Dr Howard Sands is the International Director of Beautiful Feet Task Force, is available as a speaker for churches, outreaches, business & missions. 

INTERESTED IN INVITING HOWARD SANDS 
to speak at your church, College or organisation? 
For more details on how to frame an invitation see here.
See ministry recommendations here. 
See products and services here.
Send your invitation here via facebook messenger

If you would like to donate to BFTF International Missions for training leaders in developing world countries donate here.  
Payment options
PayPal – The safer, easier way to pay online! 


or
Bank account Direct Deposit
Beautiful Feet Task Force
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
BSB 062 614
Account 94 0442

Tuesday, 23 July 2024

Ethiopia, Arba Minch, Day 3 salvation

Thank you for your prayers and giving. 
Arba Minch, Ethiopia,  Day 3








Rev Dr Howard Sands is the International Director of Beautiful Feet Task Force, is available as a speaker for churches, outreaches, business & missions. 

INTERESTED IN INVITING HOWARD SANDS 
to speak at your church, College or organisation? 
For more details on how to frame an invitation see here.
See ministry recommendations here. 
See products and services here.
Send your invitation here via facebook messenger

If you would like to donate to BFTF International Missions for training leaders in developing world countries donate here.  
Payment options
PayPal – The safer, easier way to pay online! 


or
Bank account Direct Deposit
Beautiful Feet Task Force
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
BSB 062 614
Account 94 0442