Here are my notes for my teaching at Wheeler Mission. Enjoy!

You are significant. You matter. The value of One Human Life

We need to look at ourselves how God sees us. God’s opinion of you is only one that truly matters. God defines who you are not the world or your past or any other person. No one has that right but God.

Seeing with eyes of faith. Realities of spiritual world are much more firm and real than anything in the physical world. Change the way we think about ourselves. Carry the image in our heart and the thoughts of what God says about us and not what others say or our self-condemning thoughts.. What God says is our real self, the real you. The world puts a false image in of our minds of who we are. It teaches a lack of self-worth and so much of life we beat ourselves because we do not understand who we are and where we came from.

God wants to say to you and me, “I am still the God who makes failures into princes of God. I remain the God who takes broken lives—people with multiple divorces, sick in body because of sin, in prison for decades, labeled as losers, crazy folk nobody wants, outcasts with no hope—and turns them into something beautiful.”

God created us in Him image.

God spoke to Jeremiah when he was but a child and told him he would build him into a mighty prophet, God’s mouthpiece, who would speak boldly the words of God, Jeremiah was a child who could not speak eloquently, just the son of Hilkiah, a seemly insignificant priest in the days of Judah. But God told him in Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee and before you came forth from the womb I sanctified you a prophet unto the nations” Even the name Jeremiah means “whom Yahweh raises up or launches forth.” God built Jeremiah into one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament with two books of the Bible focusing on his life and heart as a prophet. Look how God build him as revealed in Jeremiah 1.

Jeremiah 1;18,19 (Voice): Remember, Jeremiah, this very day I have made you as a fortress, a column as strong as iron, a wall of bronze able to withstand the attacks of the entire nation of Judah—from her kings and leaders to the priests and people. ¹⁹ Eventually, they will all give you trouble, but you will be safe. They will fight you, but they will not win. Remember, I am with you. I promise I will always deliver you.

You are in circumstances that God works best. Rich do not need God. When we are in tough circumstances we realize we need God. He can help you. The rich make all kinds of excuses. In a broken and contrite spirit we allow God to be our helper, our keeper and our shepherd.

God knows. God cares. God is with you. Let me say it again. God knows. God cares. God is with you. Psalms 139 God knows all about what you are going through. God knows all about where you have been. Always remember God knows, He cares and He is with you.

Psalm 139 O Eternal One, You have explored my heart and know exactly who I am; ² You even know the small details like when I take a seat and when I stand up again.     Even when I am far away, You know what I’m thinking. ³ You observe my wanderings and my sleeping, my waking and my dreaming,     and You know everything I do in more detail than even I know. ⁴ You know what I’m going to say long before I say it.     It is true, Eternal One, that You know everything and everyone. ⁵ You have surrounded me on every side, behind me and before me,     and You have placed Your hand gently on my shoulder. ⁶ It is the most amazing feeling to know how deeply You know me, inside and out;     the realization of it is so great that I cannot comprehend it.⁷ Can I go anywhere apart from Your Spirit?  Is there anywhere I can go to escape Your watchful presence? ⁸ If I go up into heaven, You are there.     If I make my bed in the realm of the dead, You are there. ⁹ If I ride on the wings of morning,     if I make my home in the most isolated part of the ocean, ¹⁰ Even then You will be there to guide me; Your right hand will embrace me, for You are always there. ¹¹ Even if I am afraid and think to myself, “There is no doubt that the darkness will swallow me,     the light around me will soon be turned to night,” ¹² You can see in the dark, for it is not dark to Your eyes.     For You the night is just as bright as the day.     Darkness and light are the same to Your eyes.¹³ For You shaped me, inside and out.     You knitted me together in my mother’s womb long before I took my first breath. ¹⁴ I will offer You my grateful heart, for I am Your unique creation, filled with wonder and awe.     You have approached even the smallest details with excellence;     Your works are wonderful; I carry this knowledge deep within my soul. ¹⁵     You see all things; nothing about me was hidden from You As I took shape in secret,     carefully crafted in the heart of the earth before I was born from its womb. ¹⁶ You see all things;     You saw me growing, changing in my mother’s womb; Every detail of my life was already written in Your book;     You established the length of my life before I ever tasted the sweetness of it. ¹⁷ Your thoughts and plans are treasures to me, O God! I cherish each and every one of them!     How grand in scope! How many in number! ¹⁸ If I could count each one of them, they would be more than all the grains of sand on earth. Their number is inconceivable!     Even when I wake up, I am still near to You.

Psalm 74:13: God does not forget the life of the poor. Therefore verse 21: Let the poor and needy praise your name.

Luke 15-three parables about the importance of one life. Fill in your name as the one lost sheep, the one lost coin and the prodigal son welcomed back in the arms of a loving father.

When storms of life come we must take refuge in the Lord not in drugs, women, money, material things or our self. Psalm 57:1-4a God wants to fulfill His purpose for YOU. God has a purpose for you if you will only trust him. God pours out his steadfast love and faithfulness to you.

What does it mean to be faithful? What does it mean to be trustworthy? God is faithful. God is trustworthy. God never fails and God does not make junk.

God is life. He breathed into us life. Life must be defined on His terms.

Psalm 56:11, 12, 13: In God I trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do unto me? I must perform my vowels to you, O God, I will render thank offerings to you. For you have delivered my soul from death, yes my feet from failing that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Isiah 55:22: Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you.

Micah 6:3: “O my people, what have I done to you? What have I done to make you tired of me? Answer me!”

So often today we see a seething bitterness against God in the hearts of people. “Where is God?” is the cry of many? We live in a generation that has charged God with child abuse because they do not know God, they do not trust God, and they do not know who God is and what God’s character is. Look at what people do with the invitation to feast in the kingdom of God forever. Of his kingdom there shall be no end. Jesus Christ offers perfect peace, perfect health, perfect love, and perfect life FOREVER. Christ has sent everyone an invitation. What have we done with it?

Luke 14:12-24

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. [13] But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, [14] and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”[15] When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

[16] Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. [17] At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.'[18] “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'[19] ?Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ [20] “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ [21] “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'[22] ” ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'[23] “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. [24] I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ”

The last will be first and the first will be last.

Have we been making excuses when it comes to Jesus? Don’t you want taste the bread of life and living water where you will never hunger or thirst again?

In everything, at all times, look to Jesus. Come to Him and remember Him. I can say this to you because I have learned from my own experiences how easy it is to wander. How easy it is to get so caught up in all that happens in life, becoming sidetracked and losing our focus. But our hope and our life are in seeing and knowing Jesus.

“I will win her back once again. I will lead her out into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope” (Hosea 2:14–15, NLT).

Even though we have been in the Valley of Trouble, I am her today to tell you directly from the mouth of God that there is a Gateway of Hope through Christ.

Psalm 103: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! ² Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,³ who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, ⁴ who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,⁵ who satisfies you with good  so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.⁶ The Lord works righteousness  and justice for all who are oppressed. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; ¹² as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.¹³ As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.¹⁴ For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

The Lord is ready to forgive every iniquity and heal every disease. He is ready to give us His righteous and justice and show his steadfast love and compassion. When we call upon the name of the Lord everything changes.

God wants us to learn to live without fear, without worry, without anxiety and without hopelessness for He can take care of us. He is saying to us, “Trust me, I’ve got this,”

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” Psalm 56:3; “I will trust, and not be afraid.” Isaiah 12:2. John 6:20. But he saith unto them, “It is I; be not afraid.”

God pleads, God admonishes, God commands and God calls to us every single day to not be afraid, but to simply trust Him in everything. He stands at the door of our heart and cries daily: “It is I! Be not afraid!”

As Jesus taught Peter so must we quit dancing and wavering between faith and fear: Matthew 14:31 Immediately Jesus reached for Peter and caught him. “O you of little faith. Why did you doubt and dance back and forth between following Me and heeding fear?”

By the touch of Jesus all fear melts away: Matthew 17:7: But Jesus—who was, by this time, used to His disciples being plagued by fear—touched them. “Get up. Don’t be afraid.”

Psalm 56:3,4: When struck by fear, I let go, depending securely upon You alone. In God—whose word I praise— in God I place my trust. I shall not let fear come in, for what can measly men do to me?

Isaiah 35:4: Tell those who worry, the anxious and fearful, “Take strength; have courage! There’s nothing to fear. Look, here—your God! Right here is your God! The balance is shifting; God will right all wrongs. None other than God will give you success. He is coming to make you safe.”

Psalm 16:8 He is ever present with me; at all times He goes before me. I will not live in fear or abandon my calling because He stands at my right hand.

Psalm 118:6: “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Romans 10:11: The Scripture says, No man who believes in Him who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him will ever be put to shame or be disappointed.

What sin do you think God hates most? I believe the greatest of sins is unbelief. This is where we do not trust Him or believe that He is faithful, that He is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do.

Max Lucado: Consider the earth! Our globe’s weight has been estimated at six sextillion tons (a six with twenty-one zeroes). Yet it is precisely tilted at twenty-three degrees; any more or any less and our seasons would be lost in a melted polar flood. Though our globe revolves at the rate of one-thousand miles per hour or twenty-five thousand miles per day or nine million miles per year, none of us tumbles into orbit. As you stand … observing God’s workshop, let me pose a few questions. If he is able to place the stars in their sockets and suspend the sky like a curtain, do you think it is remotely possible that God is able to guide your life? If your God is mighty enough to ignite the sun, could it be that he is mighty enough to light your path? If he cares enough about the planet Saturn to give it rings or Venus to make it sparkle, is there an outside chance that he cares enough about you to meet your needs? Listen to what the Word of God says!

Psalm 63:6-8 (The Voice): Often at night I lie in bed and remember You, meditating on Your greatness till morning smiles through my window.7 You have been my constant helper; therefore, I sing for joy under the protection of Your wings.8 My soul clings to You; Your right hand reaches down and holds me up.

Psalm 34:4-10: (The Voice): When I needed the Lord, I looked for Him; I called out to Him, and He heard me and responded. He came and rescued me from everything that made me so afraid.5 Look to Him and shine, so shame will never contort your faces. 6 This poor soul cried, and the Eternal heard me. He rescued me from my troubles. 7 The messenger of the Eternal God surrounds everyone who walks with Him and is always there to protect and rescue us. 8 Taste of His goodness; see how wonderful the Eternal truly is. Anyone who puts trust in Him will be blessed and comforted. 9 Revere the Eternal, you His saints, for those who worship Him will possess everything important in life.10 Young lions may grow tired and hungry, but those intent on knowing the Eternal God will have everything they need.

Matthew 10:29-30: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Matthew 20:1-17: The laborers in the vineyard where the last workers at the 11^th hour were paid as much as the first workers. It is never too late. The hour is now to enter into God’s field and become a fellow laborer with God.

Sin creates a debt. The payment for that debt is death. Many will pay for their own sin by dying but they will have no eternal life. Jesus Christ paid for our sin by dying in our place. God was concerned about the debt of our sin and sent His Son to pay it in full so we could live with Him forever. This is an amazing offer.

I Timothy 2:4,5, 6a: Who (God) desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.⁵ For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all,

You have to make the decision who will pay the debt of your sin. Someone must eventually pay it. You or Christ. The invitation for you tonight is come, confess Him as your Lord, accept Him as your savior, believe that God raised Him from the dead and He is alive, ready to forgive you of every sin, every shortcoming, every screw-up, every falling short and every mistake.

Acts 4:10-12: Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. ¹¹ This Jesus^[a] is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.^[b] 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men^[c] by which we must be saved.”

No other way to have your sin debt paid but through Christ.

Romans 5:8-13: But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. ¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. ¹¹ More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Acts 16:30,31:  Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹ And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

The invitation for salvation and eternal life:

Romans 10:9-13 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.¹¹ For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.¹² For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

The Court of God has wiped our slate clean; we are as white as snow, as our redeemer has paid the ransom and penalty for our sin. We no longer have to live in bondage to sin, fear, worry, sickness, disease, poverty, misery, hatred, selfishness, and ignorance, for we reign as kings in life through the Lord Jesus Christ. You are a super-conqueror; you are a new creation; you are a glorious son or daughter of God with all the dignity that comes with God’s calling through Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:14,15 (Message):

When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive-right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross.

Colossians 1:13,14: For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

In Christ all depression ceases. In Christ all fear and worry melt away. In Christ all oppression is crushed. In Christ all addictions are shattered. In Christ all the chains of bondage are loosed. In Christ all condemnation is obliterated. In Christ we are made free from all the forces of darkness that plague mankind. No religion, idol, and god whether Islam. Buddhism or Hinduism can set a person free from the exercised kingdom of darkness and the clutches of sin and death. Only in Jesus Christ is our redemption, salvation and liberation finished.

There is another ultimate certainty in life: The Lord is coming back!

James 5:7, 8 (Phillips):

But be patient, my brothers, as you wait for the Lord to come. Look at the farmer quietly awaiting his precious harvest. See how he has to possess his soul in patience till the land has had the early and late rains.

So must you be patient, resting your hearts on the ultimate certainty. The Lord’s coming is very near.

Hebrews 10:35-37 (Amplified):

Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward.

For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away and enjoy to the full what is promised.

For a little while (a very little while), and the Coming One will come and He will not delay.

We cultivate a mindset of waiting on the Lord. He is coming back. Are you ready?

“I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you”   (John 14:18).

Isaiah 43:1,2: But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.

God has called you by name and you are His. With God as our Redeemer, no matter how high the waters or how hot the fire, we are safely in the arms of God and they cannot consume us.

Isaiah 41:10,13: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you,  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

The Lord is my helper. He is holding us by the right hand. He strengthens us and tell us to never fear for He is with us.

Psalm 139: 17, 18: How precious are your thoughts concerning me, O God!  How vast in number they are! ¹⁸ If I try to count them, there would be more of them than there are grains of sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.

God thinks about you all the time. How valuable you are to Him.

Exodus 3:12a: Do not fear, Moses. I will be with you every step of the way.

2 Chronicles 20:14,15,17: Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15 He said, Hearken, all Judah, you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat. The Lord says this to you: Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.17 You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord, Who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.

1. Fear not . . . God is with you;
2. Fear not . . . God is your God;
3. Fear not . . . God will strengthen you;
4. Fear not . . . God will help you;
5. Fear not . . . God will uphold you.

Stop defining and limiting your future in terms of your past and start defining it in terms of your God. Recognize that God is greater than your personality. God is greater than your past.

God is saying to us tonight: “I need you to let go the imitation so that I can give you the real thing. I need you to let go of your life and let me take control of your life.” With both arms embrace Jesus as the only one who saves. God should be our greatest pleasure. The gods of pleasure promise satisfaction but ultimately never deliver. You were not a mistake. What keeps us from pursuing Jesus is our heart ultimately is pursuing something else. We all follow something. We all serve something. We all have gods it we’ve devoted our life too. Gods of pleasure, gods of power, gods of self. What keeps us from truly following Jesus is this false god that is winning the war. .

Value of something is determined by the price you pay for it. God paid the ultimate price for you in the blood of His Son. You are not insignificant. Your life does matter.

God knows, God cares and God is with you.

Christ has already triumphed. He has broken all the cords of sin. He has broken every power of hell. There’s no new struggle there is no new battle that can bind you and take away the strength of God in you. With the anointing of God on you can’t be kept bound.

Acts 1:8 you shall receive power. This power can break the chords of sin and crush the power of anything that holds us in bondage.

Lessons of Ecclesiastes: Without God life is not worth living. All the pleasures of this world are vanity and vexation of spirit or like a vapor and chasing the wind. We need to see life with an eternity perspective. God has promised everlasting life.

Psalm 42,1,2 (NIV):

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Job 27:10 (Amplified): Will he take delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon God at all times?

Job 22:26: Delight yourself in the Lord Almighty and lift up your face to God.

II Chronicles 15:15-they sought Him with their whole desire.

Everybody has got a hungry heart. Only God can satisfy it. Everyone desires to cleave to something. God wants to be desired. God wants to wanted. God wants us to cleave to Him at all times. He will hold fast to us and not let go.

God is always only a turn away.

Joel 2:12, 13 (NLT): That is why the LORD says, “TURN TO ME NOW, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. 13 Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.

The time is urgent. Time is fleeting and passes by swiftly. God is crying out: “Turn to me now while there is time. Give me your hearts. Don’t let them be swept away. Return to the Lord your God.”

Psalm 63:1-8 (NLT):

1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. 3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! 4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. 5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. 6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.

7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.8 I cling (Hebrew word “cleave’) to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.

Psalm 62:5-8 (NLT):5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. 7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. 8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

Tozer in The Purpose of Man describes God’s heart to Adam: “I am yours…this is your end, this is why you were created, that you might worship Me and enjoy me and adore me and glorify me and have Me as yours forever.”

The first words God cried out after the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden was “Where art thou?” God so desired the worship, the companionship, the fellowship, the intimacy and the closeness of his wonderful man and woman even after they had sinned and broke God’s commandment. Isn’t this so true today that God still cries out, “Where art thou?” God desires us; to be close to us; to be our first love. God so loved us that He gave us the gift of His Son who paid the price for our complete redemption and salvation and restored our path and access to God Almighty. We must now worship, love and cleave unto the Lord. The basic heartbeat of your purpose upon the earth is to love and worship God and enjoy Him forever. This is our reason for being. Apart from this a man or woman has no purpose, no meaning, and no direction to their life.

Will you accept His invitation to come, feel His embrace and love and receive the free gift of eternal life?

Isaiah 55:1ff: If you are thirsty, come here; come, there’s water for all.     Whoever is poor and penniless can still come and buy the food I sell.     There’s no cost—here, have some food, hearty and delicious,   and beverages, pure and good. I don’t understand why you spend your money for things that don’t nourish or work so hard for what leaves you empty. Attend to Me and eat what is good; enjoy the richest, most delectable of things. Listen closely, and come even closer. My words will give life, for I will make a covenant with you that cannot be broken, a promise     Of My enduring presence and support like I gave to David. So turn your attention and seek the Eternal One while it is still possible; call on Him while He is nearby.⁷ Let those who are busy plotting violence and doing wrong     stop right now, turn, and do right. Let them turn back to the Eternal so they can experience His compassion.    God will excuse our past wrongs. Our God’s forgiveness is inexhaustible.

Matthew 6:33: Seek first the kingdom of God then what you need will be supplied

God knows, God cares and God wants you in the family of God. You matter. You are significant. Your life has immense value to God. The invitation for you is to come now and receive all that He has promised.