Homecell notes 16/6/2013
Welcome: make them feel welcome. Icebreaker: What’s the most interesting “Ice Breaker” Question you have ever been asked?
Worship: sing songs we sing in church to create a great vibe and unity.
Word: facilitate word and involve everyone in the homecells
Works: pray for people to be decisive about what they say & do. Pray that they make decisions in line with god’s word & will.
Wake up the mighty men!!
Joel 3:9-10 (NKJV)
Proclaim this among the nations: " Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw
near, Let them come up. [10] Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let
the weak say, 'I am strong.'"
A challenge to the mighty men of valor of this generation.
Since the beginning of time (garden of Eden), the enemy has been trying to minimize the image &
strength of man, whilst on the other hand, since the fall of man, God has been challenging men to rise up
& be all they were created to be!!
Whenever God has a plan-He finds a man or a woman!!
Charles Dickens opening paragraph in his world renown novel "The tale of two cities" says this:
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,
it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of
Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had
nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.
Dickens describes his generations circumstances like that of a coin-Two sided which still stands true
today:
It can be the best of times or it can be the worst of times-The challenge is are you willing to fight for it &
be awake to the opportunities around you.
Scripture tells us that our God,the maker of heaven & earth ,in who's image we are created has
some fight in Him.
Exodus 15:3 (NKJV)
The LORD is a man of war; The LORD is His name.
Jesus made this statement to His disciples at the offset of his ministry:
Matthew 11:12 (NKJV)
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent
take it by force.
At times in Jesus ministry it required Him Wake up His generation to God's ways & purpose:
John 2:15-16 (NLT)
Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and
cattle, scattered the money changers' coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. [16] Then, going
over to the people who sold doves, he told them, "Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father's
house into a marketplace!"
And that is why throughout scripture & centuries gone by & up until today,God always has & will challenge
those sleeping in their generation,through mighty men & women with some guts & determination in order
to establish the best of times & possibilities no matter the circumstances they might be facing.
Wake up the mighty men.
Joshua & Caleb had to wake up their mighty men:
Numbers 13:30 (NKJV)
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we
are well able to overcome it."
Wake up the mighty men.
Jonathan when facing ridiculous odds against the Philistines:
1 Samuel 14:6-7 (NLT)
"Let's go across to the outpost of those pagans," Jonathan said to his armor bearer. "Perhaps the Lord will
help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a
few!"
Armor bearer:
[7] "Do what you think is best," the armor bearer replied. "I'm with you completely, whatever you
decide."
Wake up the mighty men.
David the shepherd boy when asked to take his brothers lunch on the battlefield:
1 Samuel 17:29-30 (NKJV)
And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?" [30] Then he turned from him toward
another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did.
In 1300 William Wallace when fighting to liberate Scotland from the English rode up to their
leaders & said:
Lower your flags and march straight back to England, stopping at every home to beg forgiveness for a
hundred years of theft, rape, and murder. Do this and your men shall live. Do it not, and every one of you
will die today.
William Wallace:
There's a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I
think your position exists to provide those people with freedom. And I go to make sure that they have it.
Wake up the mighty men.
In the 1960's a young American man Martin Luther King, Jr took a stand against discrimination
in his nation said this:
A man who won't die for something is not fit to live.
Wake up the mighty men.
Whilst in our own country a young man Nelson Mandela took up a stand against discrimination
in his generation said this:
Wake up the mighty men.
Take heart today: Not every mighty man started out as a mighty man or felt like a mighty
man!!
Gideon:
Hiding in a winepress!!
Judges 6:12 (NKJV)
[12] And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, "The LORD is with you, you mighty
man of valor!"
Peter:
Denied the Lord 3 times!!
Acts 4:8 (NKJV)
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
The Holy Spirit is with you!!
Joel 3:9-10 (NKJV)
Proclaim this among the nations: " Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw
near, Let them come up. [10] Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let
the weak say, 'I am strong.'"
-Prepare:
Prepare for war
-Action:
Let all the men of war draw near.
Let them come up
-Skill yourself:
Beat your plowshares into swords!!
-Speak life over your future:
Let the weak say I am strong!!
William Wallace:
Every man dies, not every man really lives.
Challenge: Time to live, time to respond to God's call today, time to Wake up the mighty man & time to
let the weak say I am strong!!
John 11:25-26 (NKJV)
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall
live. [26] And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
REMINDERS: Invite your world to church; join any of the many CRC ministries and commit to
serving in church. Follow us on twitter @aidan_jeffery, @crccpt and @crcstb.