I am sure other churches have done this, and to be honest I hope more churches do this in the future, but there have been so many times during a church service that I have wanted to ask a question regarding the message and I know that I am not the only one! I think we need to create a context for interaction around our messages. At CityLight we created a platform to create interaction with the message. We simply call it Q&A Sunday where people can text their questions in, and we are going to do our best at answering their questions right here... that's right. Here is this blog post. So here we go.
First of all, here is a video of the sermon. If you decide to watch and have a question of your own, feel free to leave your question in a comment below!
1.How can I break down those walls and keep them down? (answered by Sarah)
We talked about quite a few walls and I would say the Holy Spirit may use different strategies for each one. But the important thing to realize is that it is Holy Spirit who helps us in seeing these walls come down. He is the one that shows (or convicts) us of areas that need change in our lives. When He illuminates those areas, it is our job to respond to His leading. Sometimes it means that we need to repent (change our way of thinking and consequently our behavior.) Sometimes He wants to just take our hand and lead us step by step. The most important thing you can do is to learn how to hear God’s voice and resolve that you will follow Him, however He would lead you. Remember, He is a good Shepherd. His sheep know His voice. (John 10.) You can trust Him to lead you well! (Psalm 23,) your job is to listen, trust and follow!
Remember this: “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:34) Jesus is praying for YOU! Ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit, because Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. Holy Spirit helps us to live the supernatural lifestyle, which not only means keeping the walls down, but also partnering with Jesus in what He is doing in the earth. Romans 8:37 says we are MORE than conquerors through Him who loved us. That means He has given us the power not just to overcome, but above and beyond that. There is so much beyond those walls. Know that you have destiny beyond those and ask God to show you your identity on the other side. The walls begin to lose their power in our lives when our identity is no longer in those things.
2. How do I learn practically to hear Holy Spirit's voice and trust that it's Him I'm hearing? (answered by Sarah)
Holy Spirit speaks in many different ways. (We plan to do a sermon series on Hearing God’s Voice this Fall!) It takes practice to get to know the way He speaks to you. Just as you need to spend significant time getting to know a new friend, you need to carve out significant time to spend getting to know Holy Spirit. The most important thing, to start, is that you read and know the Word of God, because the Holy Spirit will never tell you something contrary to it. It is our standard. So you have to be able to judge what you are hearing against His Word! When you read, pray that He will speak to you through the Word. Sometimes it is as if a verse is jumping off the page at me, because Holy Spirit has made it not just words on a page, but a rhema (spoken) word, for my spirit in that very moment! His Word is so powerful to speak life to us!
I think that it is important to express your desire to the Lord. When I was a young girl, I longed to hear Him speak to me. I remember praying, “Just ask me to do something, so I can practice hearing you and obeying.” I think that is a great way to start. Ask Him to show you small ways that you can follow His prompting. Most often, He will speak in the “still small voice.” This is not an audible voice, but a “knowing” inside, of what He is speaking to you. I think when we practice obeying little things it makes it easier when it comes to the big decisions we want to hear Him on!
Another great way to practice hearing His voice is to make a daily habit of quieting yourself and journaling what He speaks to you. Simply ask, God what do you want to speak to me? And write what you hear. Or ask Him a specific question and journal what you feel He says back to you.
I have noticed in my life that when I am not overextending myself in my schedule, and when I am spending significant time with Him, it is much easier to hear Him. We don’t live in a culture that values stillness. I think learning to follow His voice really requires being counter-culture.
3. How do I overcome the fear of man in my life? (answered by Sarah)
It is one of my greatest desires and prayers to be completely free from the fear of man, but I cannot answer this from a place of arrival. We live in a world that is social. It is normal to want to be accepted and respected. I am assuming that because you are asking this question, you are feeling the pull between the opinion of man and the will of God.
And if you are like me, you want to honor God, no matter what it looks like. For me, the fear of man gets smaller as I find my identity in Him, what He says about me, the calling that He has given me and in my relationship with Him. The more I see myself as part of His Kingdom and with a purpose in that Kingdom, the less I identify with the kingdom of the world. When you identify as a citizen of the kingdom of Heaven, you care less about what the world thinks.
4. Are our finances going to be made public to the congregation? (answered by George)
Yes absolutely. Financial transparency is actually built into our denomination. Our plan is to have an annual business meeting that is open to the congregation of CityLight Church. We will schedule those annual meetings as soon as we have established our first fiscal year, which should be sometime late winter.
5. Recently, I've been hearing different theories about when Jesus returns and all that :) What's your view on it and how did you come to that conclusion? (answered by Sarah)
I think what you are asking is one of the commonly debated questions, will Jesus come before, in the middle of, or after the Tribulation? I do not claim to have all of the answers, but from my own study of Scriptures, I do not believe the church will be raptured before the Tribulation. I believe that though darkness is increasing in the earth, these are glorious days for the Church. Though the End of the Age will be a difficult time, the Holy Spirit is preparing the Church to be empowered and without spot or wrinkle. He is drawing the Church in greater intimacy with Him as the Bridegroom and the Church as the Bride. In this identity, we are not ones that have to tremble at how great the darkness is in the earth. Rather, He is raising up a Church that will walk in the works that Jesus did and greater, who will walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and with Kingdom authority, and who will rule and reign with Him. I see this as an awesome time for Christians and not something that we should see as dread, but as great privilege, to walk closely to Jesus and to be born “for such a time as this.” Whether it is in our lifetime or not, of course, I do not know, but I believe that there are signs that are saying the time is nearing and I am excited to identify myself as His Bride and the role that I may have in what He is doing in the earth. How awesome!
Well, good hair comes at a cost and if you want to know all my secrets I would gladly pass that cost on to you in exchange for the information. But here is a freebee. I picked up this hair wax/gum called “Mess Up Osis” it has a matte finish. Be sure to only use a pinch. If you use too much your hair will look greasy. Remember you can always put more in if needed!
7. I heard that the popes have always changed the Bible to what they wanted and cut a lot of things out so how do we know what’s true and what's not? (answered by Darrin)
First, we have to remember that God’s Word- preserved as our Bible, is a tried and tested collection of writings compiled over the centuries and treasured by millions of believers around the world. Just as many different men were inspired by God, in writing it down originally… no single man, pope, church leader, etc. was ever involved in just “changing it” or “cutting out” what they might have disliked. It is a rather fascinating study (that could easily take hours!) to see how we ended up with our current Bible, handed down in our own language. Hundreds of scholars were ultimately involved in carefully translating and selecting its passages we know as the 66 individual books of our Bible today.
Be assured of one thing… God is totally invested in preserving His Word and Jesus Himself said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35) If God is this committed to preserving His Word, we can rest confidently that no one man can (or ever has been able to) just eliminate such an enduring, eternal substance. I Peter 1:24-25 shows us (quoting from an Old Testament passage in Isaiah 40): “For all flesh is like grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever. Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.” And finally, from Ephesians 1:13: “In Him (Christ) you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation…” signifies that the very reason we can even believe in Christ’s salvation for us, is because we have heard and trusted in His word of truth!
8. Can you list the Holy Spirits functions and references?
70 Functions of the Holy Spiritt – (found in the New Testament)
1. Leads/Directs – Matt 4:1; Mark 1:12; Luke 4:1; Luke 2:27; Romans 8:14; Acts 8:29
2. Speaks (in, to and through) – Matt 10:20; Acts 1:16; Acts 2:4; Acts 13:2; Acts 28:25; Heb 3:7
3. Casts out devils – Matt 12:28
4. Releases power – Luke 4:14
5. Anointing – Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38
6. Comes upon/falls on – Matt 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 2:25; Luke 3:22; Luke 4:18; John 1:32,33;
Acts 10:44; Acts 11:15
7. Baptized/Filled with – Matt 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:15; Luke 1: 41, 67; Luke 3:16; Luke 4:1; John 1:33;
Acts 4:8, 31; Acts 6:3, 5; Acts 10:47; Acts 2:4; Acts 1:4, 5; Acts 7:55; Acts 11:24; Acts 13:9, 52; 1 Corinthians 12:13
8. Gives new birth – John 3:5, 8
9. Leads into worship – John 4:23
10. Flows like a river from the spirit man – John 7:38, 39
11. Ministers Truth – John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13
12. Dwells in – John 14:17; Romans 8:9,11; 1 Corinthians 3:16
13. Comfort, health, and strength– John 15:26; Acts 9:31
14. He proceeds from the Father – John 15:26
15. Shows us things to come – John 16:13
16. Gives the gift of tongues – Acts 2:4
17. Releases prophecy, dreams, vision – Acts 2:17,18; Acts 11:28
18. Transports – Acts 8:39
19. Brings direction, guidance – Mark 12:36; Mark 13:11; Acts 10:19; Acts 11:12; Acts 21:11; 1 Timothy 4:1
20. Holiness – Romans 1:4
21. Spirit of Life, gives Life (ZOE) – Romans 8:1, 10
22. Invites us to walk with Him – Romans 8:4, 5
23. Groans, prayer, intercession – Romans 8:26, 27
24. Sword (the rhema) – Eph 6:17
25. Produces fruit – Galatians 5:22, 23; Eph 5:9
26. Helps us in weakness – Romans 8:26
27. Bears witness – Acts 5:32; Acts 15:28; Acts 20:23; Romans 8:15,16; Heb 10:15; 1 John 4:13; 1 John 5:6-8
28. Spirit of adoption – Romans 8:15
29. Gives power to mortify the deeds of flesh – Romans 8:13
30. Ministers power – signs, wonders, preaching – Acts 1:8; 1 Cor 2:4
31. Ministers love – Romans 15:30
32. Searches deep things of God – 1 Cor 2:10
33. Quickens the mortal body – Romans 8:13
34. Brings revelation – 1 Cor 2:10 –12; Eph 1:17 - 19; Eph 3:5; Luke 2:25
35. Reveals to us what has been given by God – 1 Cor 2:12
36. Washes, sanctifies, purifies, justifies – Romans 15:16; 1 Cor 6:11; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Timothy 3:16; 1 Peter 1:2, 22
37. Has gifts – 1 Cor 12:4-11; Heb 2:4
38. Seals us – 2 Cor 1:22; Eph 4:30
39. Liberty – 2 Cor 3:17
40. Changes us into the image of Christ. – 2 Cor 3:17
41. Promise of the blessing of Abraham – Galatians 3:14
42. Releases a cry to the Father – Galatians 4:6
43. Gives access unto the Father – Eph 2:18
44. Builds us together for a habitation for God – Eph 2:22
45. Strengthens us with might – Eph 3:16
46. Unity – Eph 4:3, 4
47. Wine – Eph 5:18
48. Supplies – Phil 1:19
49. Fellowship – Phil 2:1; 2 Cor 13:14
50. Grace – Heb 10:29
51. Glory – 1 Peter 4:14
52. Speaks to the churches – Revelation 2:11,17, 29: 3:6,13, 22
53. Calls for the Bridegroom – Revelation 22:17
54. Conception of anointings and God’s purposes – Matt 1:18,20; Luke 1:35
55. Teaches – Luke 12:12; John 14:26; 1 Cor 2:13; 1 John 2:27
56. Gives commandments – Acts 1:2
57. Power to be a witness (martyr) – Acts 1:8
58. Boldness – Acts 4:31
59. Gives sight – Acts 9:17
60. Commissions – Acts 13:4
61. Restrains – Acts 16:6
62. Appoints ministries/gives authority – Acts 20:28
63. Releases love – Romans 5:5
64. Righteousness, peace and joy – Romans 14:17; Romans 15:13; 1 Thess 1:6
65. Confession of Christ’s Lordship – 1 Cor 12:3
66. Brings the Gospel – 1 Thess 1:5, 6
67. Keeping power– 2 Tim 1:14
68. Brings renewal – Titus 3:5
69. Moves on believers – 2 Peter 1:21
70. Convicts the world – John 16:8
(Patricia King, Glory School Manual)
9. I love contemporary music but i love other types of worship music too...are we going to experience old timey gospel stuff too? (answered by George)
I love all kinds of worship music too. I think when a person is hungry for God, it doesn't matter what style of worship is going on, that person is going to connect. Worship styles and song preference is a classic contention in almost every church. I think it is interesting - I have seen times where a church will do a hymn and some people are just moved to tears and others are bored to tears, and the next song could be a newer contemporary song and the roles switch. In our worship services, our musicians are very selective in picking songs that they feel invite God's presence best. As a new church without much history we feel that using newer songs fit us best.
10. Does God punish you if you sin over and over again? (answered by George)
Great question. I think there is a difference between punishment and correction. The Bible says that God corrects those He loves. God surely corrects us when we sin, but punishment is a different deal. The Bible say that the wages of sin is death. Now in an hourly wage job, does an employer hand the employee a check every hour?… No. All the hours that employee worked are added up and at the end of the pay period the wage is paid. If that is the case for sin, then all of our sins are added up and at the end of this life we will get paid for what we have earned. Now I don't know about you, but I really don't want to get what I deserve (spiritual and eternal death.) But God, being full of mercy, has provided someone who would take our wages for us if we choose to let Him. He sent His Son, Jesus, to take that wage of death for all mankind. I encourage you to turn to Jesus and confess your sins and they will be forgiven. If you want to learn more, read the book of Romans and I encourage you to pay close attention to chapters 5-8, and I also think the book of John would be rather helpful to you as well.
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