Sermon Starters provided by Rev. E. Anderson

February 27, 2008 at 6:54 pm (Sermon Starters)

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Rev. E. Anderson

This is but a sermon starter to get you thinking and studying in relation to the text and theme. Trust it will be provocative and promotive. 

 DESIRE ACCOMPLISHED  

READING   Psalm 37 

Text        Proverbs 13: 12, 19 

Intro 

GREAT PROMISE – PSALM 37:4  As life is lived in close accord with the Lord, He has choice ways of implanting within the heart His desires and of bringing them to pass. We must be careful not to be filled with self-motivation and the lesser longings so that He cannot sow some wholesome aspirations and expectations. His purpose: to make His people divinely pregnant. GLORIOUS FULFILMENT – PROVERBS 13: 12, 19 It is a fantastic thing when desires are brought to pass. It is good to note people who had wholesome aspirations and ambitions realised and to be encouraged on similar lines.     

       1/. THE DESIRE TO BE INHERITORS 

Two of OT fame wanted to be inheritors and were not content with the status quo as slaves in Egypt or to merely wander in the wilderness. They knew that they were born and called for great destiny and would not remain satisfied until such was experienced. They were to be possessors and they would not allow the spirit of others with their negativity and fears to rule them. What a contagious faith they had – Numbers 14. Even in late life have undergone a great deal they retained the vision.       

       2/. THE DESIRE TO KNOW THE TRUE GOD 

A woman who had been put through quite an ordeal, brought up in heathendom, bereaved and deprived of a husband and relatives felt she wanted to know something of God and His ways and workings. Ruth had special desire –Ruth 1: 16. The consequence she sets the standard to all posterity. The Lord was fully acquainted with all the inward aspirations and was in the position to answer them.       

       3/. THE DESIRE TO SEEK FOR THE LORD’S GLORY AND GOOD 

Within the heart of David was a desire to build a unique sanctuary for the Lord in Jerusalem. He must have been in on the Lord’s longing – Psalm 132: 13, 14, and he became linked in with it. One can read of his intense passion/commitment and God was pleased. He left nothing undone or unfinished before his final homecall but made sure all was done that he was capable of doing. An example was left as a legacy for those following on.     

       4/. THE DESIRE TO ENJOY A NEW DIMENSION OF POWER FOR BLESSING AND USEFULNESS 

Whilst enjoying a level of life and inspiration under Elijah, he was not content. A driving spiritual compulsion dictated the within – 2 Kings 2. He was to make a greater breakthrough and serve his generation with distinction. Whatever his spiritual father and mentor may have been the best way to honour him was to proceed on a course that would prove he had laid hold of his legacy of power. See also the disciples in relation to Christ – Acts 1 & 2. The Lord desired that they should follow a similar track as set by Himself. It is important that we use our gifts and opportunities – Matthew 25: 14-46.       

       5/. THE DESIRED TO DO AN AMAZING WORK OF CONSTRUCTION UNDER GREAT PRESSURE 

Within one man was a burning passion to see something built out of chaos and ruins – Nehemiah 1. In spite of the immense challenge he was ready to face and deal withy it by God’s grace – see Noah, too.      

      6/.  THE DESIRE TO SEE THE YOUNG MAKE GOOD 

Paul possessed great desires not only for himself but that others should come forth to serve Christ bin an outstanding manner and did all within his power to see such fulfilled – see his interest in Timothy and his letters to him 

CONCLUSION 

What desires is the Lord seeking to impart and generate within you?   What is sown and allowed to germinate and grow will be brought to pass.

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Great Stories collated by Rev. E. Anderson

February 27, 2008 at 6:40 pm (Great Stories)

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Rev. E. Anderson

THE HUGGING JUDGE

Don’t bug me! Hug me!Burnper Sticker   

Lee Shapiro is a retired judge. He is also one of the most genuinely loving people we know. At one point in his career, Lee realized that love is the greatest power there is. As a result, Lee became a hugger. He began offer­ing everybody a hug. His colleagues dubbed him the hugging judge (as opposed to the hanging judge, we suppose). The bumper sticker on his car reads, “Don’t bug me! Hug me!” 

About six years ago Lee created what he calls his Hugger Kit. On the outside it reads *A heart for aThe inside contains thirty little red embroidered hearts with stickums on the back. Lee will take out his Hugger Kit, go around to people and offer them a little red heart in exchange for a hug. 

Lee has become so well known for this that he is often invited to keynote conferences and conventions, where he shares his message of unconditional love. At a confer­ence in San Francisco, the local news media challenged him by saying, “It is easy to give out hugs here in the conference to people who self-selected to be here. But this would never work in the real world”. 

They challenged Lee to give away some hugs on the streets of San Francisco. Followed by a television crew from the local news station. Lee went out into the street. First he approached a woman walking by. ‘Hi, I’m Lee Shapiro, the hugging judge. I’m giving out these hearts in exchange for a hug”. “Sure,” she replied. “Too easy,” challenged the local commentator. Lee looked around. He saw a meter maid who was being given a hard time by the owner of a BMW to whom he was giving a ticket. He marched up to her, camera crew in tow, and said, “You like you could use a hug. I’m the hugging judge and I’m offering you one”. She accepted. 

The television commentator threw one final challenge. “Look here comes a bus. San Francisco bus drivers are the toughest, crabbiest, meanest people in the whole town. Let’s see you get him to hug you”. Lee took the challenge.  

As the bus pulled up to the curb, Lee said, “Hi, I’m Lee Shapiro, the hugging judge. This has got to be one of the most stressful jobs in the whole world. I’m offering hugs to people today to lighten the load a little. Would you like one?” The six foot-two, 230 pound bus driver got out of his seat, stepped down and said, “Why not?” 

Lee hugged him, gave him a heart and waved good-bye as the bus pulled out. The TV crew was speechless. Finally, the commentator said, “I have to admit, I’m very impressed”. 

One day Lee’s friend Nancy Johnson showed up  on his doorstep. Nancy is a professional clown and she was wearing her clown costume, makeup and all. “Lee grab a bunch of your Hugger Kits and let’s go out to the home for the disabled”. 

When they arrived at the home, they started giving out balloon hats, hearts and hugs to the patients. Lee was uncomfortable. He had never before hugged people who were terminally ill, severely retarded or qua4riplegic. It was definitely a stretch. But after a while it became easier, with Nancy and Lee acquiring an entourage of doctors, nurses and orderlies who followed them from ward to ward. 

After several hours they entered the last ward. These were 34 of the worst cases Lee had seen in his life. The feel­ing was so grim it took his heart away. But out of their com­mitment to share their love and to make a difference, Nancy and Lee started working their way around the room fol­lowed by the entourage of medical staff, all of whom by now had hearts on their collars and balloon hats on their heads. 

Finally, Lee came to the last person, Leonard. Leonard was wearing a big white bib which he was drooling on. Lee looked at Leonard dribbling onto his bib and said, ‘Let’s go, Nancy. There’s no way we can get through to this person. Nancy replied, “C’mon, Lee. He’s a fellow human being, too, isn’t he?”

Then she placed a funny bal­loon hat on his head. Lee took one of his little red hearts and placed it on Leonard’s bib. He took a deep breath, leaned down and gave Leonard a hug. 

All of a sudden Leonard began to squeal, “Eeeeehh! Eeeeeehh!’ Some of the other patients in the room began to clang things together. Lee turned to the staff for some sort of explanation only to find that every doctor, nurse and orderly was crying. Lee asked the head nurse, “What’s going on?” 

Lee will never forget what she said: ‘This is the first time in 23 years we’ve ever seen Leonard smile.”How simple it is to make a difference in the lives of others. Jack Canfield and Mark V Hansen 

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