DeanSweetman.com » Faith http://deansweetman.com Sermons, Podcasts and Teachings to Live Your Best Life Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:55:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Dean Sweetman is Sr Pastor of the C3 Church with a campus in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He also serves as Executive Regional Overseer for C3 Americas. The Sweetmans moved to the USA in 1996 for the sole purpose of planting the Lawrenceville church. C3 Church currently serves the Atlanta community in a unique way through itís technology and charity work. Last year, Dean and Jill planted the C3 Church in Studio City, California. As Sr Pastors of both churches, they split their time between Atlanta and Studio City and have homes in both cities. Dean is a sought-after speaker in both church and business settings and an emerging author. His passionate and uncompromising preaching will inspire the most on-fire believer as challenge those who lack the fervor required to serve God. C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA webmaster@christiancitychurch.com webmaster@christiancitychurch.com (C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA) C3 Atlanta Online with Dean Sweetman DeanSweetman.com » Faith http://audio.thec3church.com/podcasticon.jpg http://deansweetman.com/category/faith/ Faith & Vision http://deansweetman.com/2012/01/15/faith-vision/ http://deansweetman.com/2012/01/15/faith-vision/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:57:37 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=640 Our church will begin fasting and praying on February 1st for 21 days. This is an opportunity to go to the next level for real this year, to overcome challenges and bring about lasting change. If you fast AND pray, change WILL happen! We look to the New Testament church for examples of how to work together, how to mature in Christ, how to be a “marketplace apostle”. One of the first men to rise up to a new level was Barnabas, a tradesman who, during a time of famine, sold a field he owned and gave all the proceeds to the apostles in Jerusalem to help other believers. Others followed his lead, and the whole church banded together, sharing and selling so that no one would go without. What they owned was not their own. The people made sacrifices for each other, and this was the first example of charity in any culture of that day. Let’s be sure our things aren’t getting in the way of where God wants to take us.

After the famine in Acts 4, a very zealous Jew named Saul was at the stoning of the first Christian martyr, Stephen, a man killed for speaking the truth about the Resurrected Christ. The Christians went into hiding because of the persecution now upon the Church, and in Acts 9 Saul goes to Damascus to kill Christians there who are sharing the Gospel. He actually thinks he is doing God’s will! On the way, the Lord blinds him and he comes to faith in Jesus himself, not eating or drinking for three days afterward. A Christian in the area named Ananias is asked by God to go to Saul, lay hands on him, and let God heal him – however, Ananias has heard Saul will arrest any Christians in the area! After arguing with God, he summons up his courage, lays hands on Saul, and goes so far as to call him “Brother” as he obeys the Big Ask that God had given him. Saul becomes Paul, the greatest apostle to ever live, the one who wrote most of the books of the New Testament, and from whose life we can learn so much about perservering and following the leading of the Holy Spirit! The thing is, he was not even accepted by the local church and the apostles who had been with Jesus until Barnabas, whose name means Son of Encouragement, befriended Paul and vouched for him to the church leaders in Jerusalem. You can’t fulfill your destiny until someone believes in you. It took the courage of Ananias & Barnabas to bring the killer of Christians into the family of the church. People then and now are looking for someone to care for them. We need lots of people to reach out to new folks at C3 this year, and our leadership classes are going to help us get confident as we step out and mature even more.

When God asks us to do something big, something scary, something well and truly out of our comfort zone like He asked of Ananias, we know that by prayer and fasting we can accomplish anything that God has laid before us! He is going to ask us this year to do what we have never done before, therefore it makes sense to prepare ourselves for this year of challenge. You don’t have to be a pastor to bring love and care to people in your world. We have to come out of our immaturity and the mindset that says, “Oh, that’s someone else’s job” and begin to really grow in our faith. This means that the people around us who need help will have someone there to encourage, to mentor, to pray for them – you! When the religious Jews threw Peter in jail for healing a crippled man on the Sabbath in Acts 12, the church was praying for him fervently, but when an angel opened up the jail and got Peter to safety, no one praying at the house believed it was really him knocking on the door! These people had seen the house shake with the power of prayer, but had forgotten that God really does work miracles! Don’t pass your miracle off as coincidence, believe that God meant for your prayers to be answered.

We are all currently afraid of something God is asking us to do, some challenge we’ve come up against. God will give us the means to conquer the fear and win the challenge, but we have to step out in 2012 and do what frightens us. This church will go to another place in Christ if we all step out, fast, pray and believe that God wants to do miracles in us, for us and through us. We’re not going to waste 2012, even when unseen tests come at us from left field, like the pain I have been having in my neck all last year. We do not give up, we find a way to make it through the maze of life because God believes in us!

Verses Used:
* Acts 4:31-37
* Acts 9
* Acts 12

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2012/01/15/faith-vision/feed/ 0 Our church will begin fasting and praying on February 1st for 21 days. This is an opportunity to go to the next level for real this year, to overcome challenges and bring about lasting change. If you fast AND pray, change WILL happen! Our church will begin fasting and praying on February 1st for 21 days. This is an opportunity to go to the next level for real this year, to overcome challenges and bring about lasting change. If you fast AND pray, change WILL happen! We look to the New Testament church for examples of how to work together, how to mature in Christ, how to be a "marketplace apostle". One of the first men to rise up to a new level was Barnabas, a tradesman who, during a time of famine, sold a field he owned and gave all the proceeds to the apostles in Jerusalem to help other believers. Others followed his lead, and the whole church banded together, sharing and selling so that no one would go without. What they owned was not their own. The people made sacrifices for each other, and this was the first example of charity in any culture of that day. Let's be sure our things aren't getting in the way of where God wants to take us. After the famine in Acts 4, a very zealous Jew named Saul was at the stoning of the first Christian martyr, Stephen, a man killed for speaking the truth about the Resurrected Christ. The Christians went into hiding because of the persecution now upon the Church, and in Acts 9 Saul goes to Damascus to kill Christians there who are sharing the Gospel. He actually thinks he is doing God's will! On the way, the Lord blinds him and he comes to faith in Jesus himself, not eating or drinking for three days afterward. A Christian in the area named Ananias is asked by God to go to Saul, lay hands on him, and let God heal him - however, Ananias has heard Saul will arrest any Christians in the area! After arguing with God, he summons up his courage, lays hands on Saul, and goes so far as to call him "Brother" as he obeys the Big Ask that God had given him. Saul becomes Paul, the greatest apostle to ever live, the one who wrote most of the books of the New Testament, and from whose life we can learn so much about perservering and following the leading of the Holy Spirit! The thing is, he was not even accepted by the local church and the apostles who had been with Jesus until Barnabas, whose name means Son of Encouragement, befriended Paul and vouched for him to the church leaders in Jerusalem. You can't fulfill your destiny until someone believes in you. It took the courage of Ananias & Barnabas to bring the killer of Christians into the family of the church. People then and now are looking for someone to care for them. We need lots of people to reach out to new folks at C3 this year, and our leadership classes are going to help us get confident as we step out and mature even more. When God asks us to do something big, something scary, something well and truly out of our comfort zone like He asked of Ananias, we know that by prayer and fasting we can accomplish anything that God has laid before us! He is going to ask us this year to do what we have never done before, therefore it makes sense to prepare ourselves for this year of challenge. You don't have to be a pastor to bring love and care to people in your world. We have to come out of our immaturity and the mindset that says, "Oh, that's someone else's job" and begin to really grow in our faith. This means that the people around us who need help will have someone there to encourage, to mentor, to pray for them - you! When the religious Jews threw Peter in jail for healing a crippled man on the Sabbath in Acts 12, the church was praying for him fervently, but when an angel opened up the jail and got Peter to safety, no one praying at the house believed it was really him knocking on the door! These people had seen the house shake with the power of prayer, but had forgotten that God really does work miracles! Don't pass your miracle off as coincidence, believe that God meant for your prayers to be answered. We are all currently afraid of something God is asking us to do, some challenge we've come up against. C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean 27:48 The First Family http://deansweetman.com/2011/12/11/the-first-family-2/ http://deansweetman.com/2011/12/11/the-first-family-2/#comments Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:31:40 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=620 When we think of Bible heroes, names like Moses, David, Samson, and Daniel come to mind. Joseph of Nazareth – husband to Mary and earthly father of Jesus – is generally not on the list. But on closer inspection, this quiet man is due more notice and respect than he is given. His heart is very much like God’s and provides a powerful role model for all of us today.

Joseph and Mary were betrothed in the Hebrew tradition. This is rather difficult for us to understand for it was not just a joining of two people in marriage but a merging of families, fortunes, and futures. A betrothal period could last up to seven years. During that time the expectations of both families looked and worked toward the union in a way foreign to us today. In addition, the entire community knew of and anticipated the union.

The Spirit and will of God interrupt this proceeding with the purpose of changing mankind’s destiny. From a heavenly perspective, it made perfect sense. From an earthly perspective, it made no sense. Fortunately, Joseph was not a man given to emotional reaction. Here we find his first quality of merit. Matthew 1: 19 tells us that Joseph “considered these things.” He didn’t react in a reality TV/Jerry Springer kind of way. He thought carefully and took the issue before God. He opened the door of his heart to hear what God had to say about the matter before he made any decision. Though his personal reputation was on the line, his first consideration was finding out what was the right thing to do.

A second quality to notice is that Joseph chose not to seek retribution, but to cover Mary and “break the engagement quietly.” (vs 18) If Mary’s pregnancy were to be discovered she would, at the least, be exiled or, at worst, stoned to death. Imagine Jesus’ life being ended before He had a chance to be born. But Joseph chose grace. He chose to cover her rather than expose her. In this day of “investigative reporting” when no secret is safe, and when many delight in the downfall of others, we could learn a great deal from this type of grace. Joseph took Mary as his wife but did not sleep with her as his wife until Jesus was born. Pretty amazing, right? Imagine walking in that kind of obedience.

Most importantly, Joseph’s willingness to set his own feelings and opinions aside and be open to God brought the will of God to pass. God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to confirm the truth of the story Mary had told him. Joseph protected them and provided for them as Jesus grew. Once the story of Jesus’ birth, the flight to Egypt, and the return to Nazareth is done, we don’t hear any more about Joseph. He fades into the background. But without his obedience, the story would never have taken place. Imagine the multitude of lives that have been changed because Joseph chose to consider God in his actions. How many of us are living our best life because of his choice and how many others might find their best life if we choose to live by his example?

Verses Used:
*Matthew 1:18-24

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2011/12/11/the-first-family-2/feed/ 0 When we think of Bible heroes, names like Moses, David, Samson, and Daniel come to mind. Joseph of Nazareth – husband to Mary and earthly father of Jesus - is generally not on the list. But on closer inspection, When we think of Bible heroes, names like Moses, David, Samson, and Daniel come to mind. Joseph of Nazareth – husband to Mary and earthly father of Jesus - is generally not on the list. But on closer inspection, this quiet man is due more notice and respect than he is given. His heart is very much like God’s and provides a powerful role model for all of us today. Joseph and Mary were betrothed in the Hebrew tradition. This is rather difficult for us to understand for it was not just a joining of two people in marriage but a merging of families, fortunes, and futures. A betrothal period could last up to seven years. During that time the expectations of both families looked and worked toward the union in a way foreign to us today. In addition, the entire community knew of and anticipated the union. The Spirit and will of God interrupt this proceeding with the purpose of changing mankind’s destiny. From a heavenly perspective, it made perfect sense. From an earthly perspective, it made no sense. Fortunately, Joseph was not a man given to emotional reaction. Here we find his first quality of merit. Matthew 1: 19 tells us that Joseph “considered these things.” He didn’t react in a reality TV/Jerry Springer kind of way. He thought carefully and took the issue before God. He opened the door of his heart to hear what God had to say about the matter before he made any decision. Though his personal reputation was on the line, his first consideration was finding out what was the right thing to do. A second quality to notice is that Joseph chose not to seek retribution, but to cover Mary and “break the engagement quietly.” (vs 18) If Mary’s pregnancy were to be discovered she would, at the least, be exiled or, at worst, stoned to death. Imagine Jesus’ life being ended before He had a chance to be born. But Joseph chose grace. He chose to cover her rather than expose her. In this day of “investigative reporting” when no secret is safe, and when many delight in the downfall of others, we could learn a great deal from this type of grace. Joseph took Mary as his wife but did not sleep with her as his wife until Jesus was born. Pretty amazing, right? Imagine walking in that kind of obedience. Most importantly, Joseph’s willingness to set his own feelings and opinions aside and be open to God brought the will of God to pass. God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to confirm the truth of the story Mary had told him. Joseph protected them and provided for them as Jesus grew. Once the story of Jesus’ birth, the flight to Egypt, and the return to Nazareth is done, we don’t hear any more about Joseph. He fades into the background. But without his obedience, the story would never have taken place. Imagine the multitude of lives that have been changed because Joseph chose to consider God in his actions. How many of us are living our best life because of his choice and how many others might find their best life if we choose to live by his example? Verses Used: *Matthew 1:18-24 C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean 26:33 The Four Rivers – The Euphrates http://deansweetman.com/2011/10/30/the-four-rivers-the-euphrates/ http://deansweetman.com/2011/10/30/the-four-rivers-the-euphrates/#comments Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:12:02 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=591 The Euphrates River–the final river in the Four Rivers series–is the river that means to “break forth into fruitfulness.” It is the simplest of the rivers to grasp: God wants us to be fruitful. That is it! So simple! God loves simple things. Humans make things too complicated; God makes it simple. He wants you to be fruitful, and the way to fruitfulness is obedience. Obey God. See? Simple.

Matthew 25 tells the tale of three servants entrusted with their master’s money while he is away on a long journey. It is an accepted fact that the man on the journey is Jesus. He is leaving for a time, and He entrusts His servants with His property. Jesus came to earth to save us and to establish the Kingdom. He got the work started through His death and resurrection. Then, He said, “The rest is up to you.” He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us in our charge to change the world. He trusted us with His resources (money,abilities, etc…) like the man in the parable entrusted his servants.

What happens next is the real gem. The man gives to his servants according to their abilities. Wait a second. That’s not very fair. Why don’t all the servants get an equal share? That’s because “fairness” is no Biblical. God wants us to have more then other people. He wants us to prosper and be fruitful. There is no ceiling or cap to that. It is ongoing. Those who cry over how unfair it is are the ones trapped in the small-mindedness of the world. Very simple. Two servants prospered because they used their resources; one did not. When the master returned, he rewarded those who increased and cursed the one who did not.

So use what God has given you! Sow it! Invest it! And watch the blessing of increase come into your world.

Verses Used:
*Matthew 25: 14-30
*Psalms 1

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2011/10/30/the-four-rivers-the-euphrates/feed/ 0 The Euphrates River--the final river in the Four Rivers series--is the river that means to "break forth into fruitfulness." It is the simplest of the rivers to grasp: God wants us to be fruitful. That is it! So simple! God loves simple things. The Euphrates River--the final river in the Four Rivers series--is the river that means to "break forth into fruitfulness." It is the simplest of the rivers to grasp: God wants us to be fruitful. That is it! So simple! God loves simple things. Humans make things too complicated; God makes it simple. He wants you to be fruitful, and the way to fruitfulness is obedience. Obey God. See? Simple. Matthew 25 tells the tale of three servants entrusted with their master's money while he is away on a long journey. It is an accepted fact that the man on the journey is Jesus. He is leaving for a time, and He entrusts His servants with His property. Jesus came to earth to save us and to establish the Kingdom. He got the work started through His death and resurrection. Then, He said, "The rest is up to you." He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us in our charge to change the world. He trusted us with His resources (money,abilities, etc...) like the man in the parable entrusted his servants. What happens next is the real gem. The man gives to his servants according to their abilities. Wait a second. That's not very fair. Why don't all the servants get an equal share? That's because "fairness" is no Biblical. God wants us to have more then other people. He wants us to prosper and be fruitful. There is no ceiling or cap to that. It is ongoing. Those who cry over how unfair it is are the ones trapped in the small-mindedness of the world. Very simple. Two servants prospered because they used their resources; one did not. When the master returned, he rewarded those who increased and cursed the one who did not. So use what God has given you! Sow it! Invest it! And watch the blessing of increase come into your world. Verses Used: *Matthew 25: 14-30 *Psalms 1 C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean 33:41 The Four Rivers – The River of Anointing http://deansweetman.com/2011/09/25/the-four-rivers-the-river-of-anointing/ http://deansweetman.com/2011/09/25/the-four-rivers-the-river-of-anointing/#comments Sun, 25 Sep 2011 17:34:25 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=564 The second river is the River Gihon–the river of anointing. The River Gihon branches off the River Pshon – favor and blessing stay within God’s anointing and presence. King David’s son, Solomon, was anointed king at the river Gihon with oil, to symbolize the presence of God in his reign. Since Solomon did not ask for riches, but wisdom, God chose to bless Solomon – gifts come from blessing and His presence. Each of us has an anointing to be something or have something that God can use- the ministry gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher or the gifts of faith, prophecy, miracles, etc. God anoints us to do His work as we stay in His presence, which can be found as we seek God in our private times, and more importantly, in the House of God as we come together in corporate worship, connecting ourselves to God. The anointing carries us onward and we need the presence of God to do what He is calling us to do, to handle the pressure of that call at times, and to anoint the ideas He gives us so they come to pass. The C3 church is not just a cool place to come worship & learn about God, the presence and anointing of the Lord have to be here or it would all come tumbling down like a house of cards. We need the anointing to fulfill the visions we receive while in His presence!

Isaiah 66 says the oil of joy replaces mourning,that praise relieves heaviness. Peace comes out of His presence, it changes our hearts and minds as the Holy Spirit goes to work, making us different. Joshua gave us the greatest example of how going into the Temple, into the presence of God, set him apart from the rest of Israel, who stood outside their tent doors and watched the one man brave enough and wise enough to get literally into the presence of God. Because of Christ’s anointing to die on the Cross, we can now freely go into the House – the Presence – of the Lord, worship, serve and fulfill His call that is unique to each one of us. We don’t naturally know how to get into God’s presence, we have to choose like Joshua to get ourselves to church and connect in worship and the Word.

In Revelation 22:1-5 the apostle John writes about what he saw there in Heaven. He speaks of an angel showing him a pure, clear river running thru the main street, which had trees growing on either side. These trees were for the healing of the nations, and bore a different fruit once a month every twelve months. There is so much here – the river begins at the Throne of God, runs where everyone has access to it, and the fruit of it’s trees is not for us, it is for others, since God wants everyone to come into His Kingdom! He is a river without limit or end, He does not want us to segment off our lives into “Sunday I go to church, Monday through Saturday I live my life”, He truly wants to give us unlimited blessings – a different one every month if we are ready for it! Jesus follows up that thought when he said, “He who believes in Me, out of your belly will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38) Meaning that LIFE comes from knowing and believing in all the blessing, favor, anointing and presence that God is freely offering us. Why would we not want to follow Him to the ends of the earth – He has everything we need to LIVE! His blessings are unlimited, His presence pulls us in and brings change to our lives. We can come out of that dry, dusty riverbed we have been living in and experience the full-on wetness of journeying with the Lord in the Four Rivers. Changes are instant and imminent – are you ready to move forward?
Verses Used:
*Genesis 2:13
*Exodus 33
*Isaiah 66
*John 7:38

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2011/09/25/the-four-rivers-the-river-of-anointing/feed/ 0 The second river is the River Gihon--the river of anointing. The River Gihon branches off the River Pshon - favor and blessing stay within God's anointing and presence. King David's son, Solomon, was anointed king at the river Gihon with oil, The second river is the River Gihon--the river of anointing. The River Gihon branches off the River Pshon - favor and blessing stay within God's anointing and presence. King David's son, Solomon, was anointed king at the river Gihon with oil, to symbolize the presence of God in his reign. Since Solomon did not ask for riches, but wisdom, God chose to bless Solomon - gifts come from blessing and His presence. Each of us has an anointing to be something or have something that God can use- the ministry gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher or the gifts of faith, prophecy, miracles, etc. God anoints us to do His work as we stay in His presence, which can be found as we seek God in our private times, and more importantly, in the House of God as we come together in corporate worship, connecting ourselves to God. The anointing carries us onward and we need the presence of God to do what He is calling us to do, to handle the pressure of that call at times, and to anoint the ideas He gives us so they come to pass. The C3 church is not just a cool place to come worship & learn about God, the presence and anointing of the Lord have to be here or it would all come tumbling down like a house of cards. We need the anointing to fulfill the visions we receive while in His presence! Isaiah 66 says the oil of joy replaces mourning,that praise relieves heaviness. Peace comes out of His presence, it changes our hearts and minds as the Holy Spirit goes to work, making us different. Joshua gave us the greatest example of how going into the Temple, into the presence of God, set him apart from the rest of Israel, who stood outside their tent doors and watched the one man brave enough and wise enough to get literally into the presence of God. Because of Christ's anointing to die on the Cross, we can now freely go into the House - the Presence - of the Lord, worship, serve and fulfill His call that is unique to each one of us. We don't naturally know how to get into God's presence, we have to choose like Joshua to get ourselves to church and connect in worship and the Word. In Revelation 22:1-5 the apostle John writes about what he saw there in Heaven. He speaks of an angel showing him a pure, clear river running thru the main street, which had trees growing on either side. These trees were for the healing of the nations, and bore a different fruit once a month every twelve months. There is so much here - the river begins at the Throne of God, runs where everyone has access to it, and the fruit of it's trees is not for us, it is for others, since God wants everyone to come into His Kingdom! He is a river without limit or end, He does not want us to segment off our lives into "Sunday I go to church, Monday through Saturday I live my life", He truly wants to give us unlimited blessings - a different one every month if we are ready for it! Jesus follows up that thought when he said, "He who believes in Me, out of your belly will flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38) Meaning that LIFE comes from knowing and believing in all the blessing, favor, anointing and presence that God is freely offering us. Why would we not want to follow Him to the ends of the earth - He has everything we need to LIVE! His blessings are unlimited, His presence pulls us in and brings change to our lives. We can come out of that dry, dusty riverbed we have been living in and experience the full-on wetness of journeying with the Lord in the Four Rivers. Changes are instant and imminent - are you ready to move forward? Verses Used: *Genesis 2:13 *Exodus 33 *Isaiah 66 *John 7:38 C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean 34:49 The Four Rivers – River of Increase http://deansweetman.com/2011/09/18/the-four-rivers-river-of-increase/ http://deansweetman.com/2011/09/18/the-four-rivers-river-of-increase/#comments Sun, 18 Sep 2011 18:49:04 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=560 In Genesis 2, we get our first view of the garden God planted as the dwelling place for man. He called it “Eden,” meaning “paradise” or “place of delight.” Verse 10 tells us that the garden was watered by a river that flowed through and out of the garden, then dividing into four branches. Those four rivers were named Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates.

While we believe that Eden was a real place, it is also representative of the human heart. Each of us has the responsibility to tend the garden of our heart – the garden of who we are. The four rivers represent principles that God has given to help us cultivate good fruit in the garden of our lives. The first river, Pishon, represents increase and expansion, a principal that Jesus taught repeatedly. To experience increase in our own lives we must believe that God is our source of all things, learn how to get into God’s flow, and avoid the things that cause us to get out of the flow.

Today we live in a society filled with self-help gurus. As a result, we often think we can will ourselves to success if we just find the right book to read. But the river comes from God and we can’t will or self-help ourselves into the life He brings. If we try to make it in our own strength, there will come a point when our human strength will fail us. When difficulties come, when we can’t take one more step, we must look to the God of the River of Increase to be the source of whatever it is we need. Whether it’s strength, peace, joy, forgiveness, grace, patience, wisdom….whatever it is you think you’re out of, God has it and wants to give it to you. We only need to plant our lives by His river and let Him be our source.

We all know that water is an incredibly powerful thing. Rowing against a strong current will quickly tire you out and make it virtually impossible to reach your destination. But, as humans, we often seem bent on rowing against God’s flow – trying to get to our destiny under our own power. The Holy Spirit is God’s river. He flows into our hearts and wants to branch out into every area of our lives and spill over onto others. But we have to get into the flow.

You don’t need to look hard to find examples of people who have fought their way to the top but have not found happiness. Rowing against the river of God will never get you to a place of contentment. We each must decide to turn our boat and stop fighting God’s flow. The river may take us to places we don’t understand, but we will find ourselves in a place of unending increase that will spill over and grow the Kingdom of God. So come on and jump in, the water’s fine.

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2011/09/18/the-four-rivers-river-of-increase/feed/ 1 In Genesis 2, we get our first view of the garden God planted as the dwelling place for man. He called it “Eden,” meaning “paradise” or “place of delight.” Verse 10 tells us that the garden was watered by a river that flowed through and o... In Genesis 2, we get our first view of the garden God planted as the dwelling place for man. He called it “Eden,” meaning “paradise” or “place of delight.” Verse 10 tells us that the garden was watered by a river that flowed through and out of the garden, then dividing into four branches. Those four rivers were named Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates. While we believe that Eden was a real place, it is also representative of the human heart. Each of us has the responsibility to tend the garden of our heart – the garden of who we are. The four rivers represent principles that God has given to help us cultivate good fruit in the garden of our lives. The first river, Pishon, represents increase and expansion, a principal that Jesus taught repeatedly. To experience increase in our own lives we must believe that God is our source of all things, learn how to get into God’s flow, and avoid the things that cause us to get out of the flow. Today we live in a society filled with self-help gurus. As a result, we often think we can will ourselves to success if we just find the right book to read. But the river comes from God and we can’t will or self-help ourselves into the life He brings. If we try to make it in our own strength, there will come a point when our human strength will fail us. When difficulties come, when we can’t take one more step, we must look to the God of the River of Increase to be the source of whatever it is we need. Whether it’s strength, peace, joy, forgiveness, grace, patience, wisdom….whatever it is you think you’re out of, God has it and wants to give it to you. We only need to plant our lives by His river and let Him be our source. We all know that water is an incredibly powerful thing. Rowing against a strong current will quickly tire you out and make it virtually impossible to reach your destination. But, as humans, we often seem bent on rowing against God’s flow – trying to get to our destiny under our own power. The Holy Spirit is God’s river. He flows into our hearts and wants to branch out into every area of our lives and spill over onto others. But we have to get into the flow. You don’t need to look hard to find examples of people who have fought their way to the top but have not found happiness. Rowing against the river of God will never get you to a place of contentment. We each must decide to turn our boat and stop fighting God’s flow. The river may take us to places we don’t understand, but we will find ourselves in a place of unending increase that will spill over and grow the Kingdom of God. So come on and jump in, the water’s fine. C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean 35:48 My Cup – The Cup of Sorrows 2nd http://deansweetman.com/2011/08/21/my-cup-the-cup-of-sorrows-2nd/ http://deansweetman.com/2011/08/21/my-cup-the-cup-of-sorrows-2nd/#comments Sun, 21 Aug 2011 18:16:25 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=535 James & John’s mother comes to Jesus asking if her sons can sit at His right & left hand when He entered His kingdom. She was a prominent woman in their small town, and her husband & sons were well-known fishermen, so she felt she could ask this of Jesus. However, none of them had any idea of what The Kingdom was about or how it operates! God was about changing the human condition, to think spiritually, not carnally. Jesus asked James & John, “Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” They thought they could, but Jesus told them only God could decide who had the honor of sitting on His right and left when Jesus took the throne. Everyone was indignant for various reasons, but no one understood the magnitude of what Jesus was about to do: suffer, die and carry every sin of every person who had ever or would ever live on the Earth! The cup was a metaphor of Jesus pouring His blood out so that EVERYONE’s sins would be forgiven and mankind could have one to one fellowship with God Almighty. The cup was the burden of sins of the world, and as such, its contents were completely vile, foul, disgusting – and then two robbers were crucified with Jesus to show the world whom He was dying for. These are the two who were on Christ’s right and left hand when He entered the Kingdom! Picture the outpouring of all the sins of all mankind onto Christ as he died slowly on that cross. His blood drained out, his body shut down as the cup of bitterness and sorrow was poured out from His blood – literally.

Everything abhorrent to God that drove Him apart from man, was in that cup. Jesus knew He had to drink it, empty it so that mankind could be one with God their Creator. Jesus asked His friends in Matt. 26 to wait with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane – the Man of Sorrows needed support, His human side. The cup of suffering was the burden of the sins of the world, and it’s difficult for us to understand how someone would willingly pour that on Himself for us to live with God. His fleshly side felt the pressure of what He had to do in the spiritual realm, that’s why He asked God to take the cup from Him – “Nevertheless, YOUR WILL BE DONE, O GOD”. His humanity chose to let the spiritual override all. He knew the Father had to turn away from the Son as all those sins washed thru His blood and drained out of His body on the cross. Untold evil had entered the world, had built and increased the depravity of the human mind – there is no end to the darkness into which men can fall. Jesus taking on ALL the sins of the world was like pouring vinegar or rubbing salt into His wounds – excruciating, but cleansed mankind. We could never drink from the Cup of Sorrows, that was just for Jesus to accomplish.

Picture the outpouring of all this sin as He is dying slowly on that Cross. They broke His legs, slit His side, blood drained thru His body and spilled on the ground – what killed Christ was when the Father had to turn away and Jesus spirit left Him to get the keys to Hell & death from the enemy. Jerusalem turned dark from noon to 3pm, the veil was torn from TOP to BOTTOM in the Temple, the earth shook with the powerful display of what was happening in the heavenly Kingdom. Then, the centurion recognized that Jesus was the Son of God, salvation became real, and hope began! Isaiah 51:11 says, “Those ransomed by the Lord will return and enter Jerusalem with joy. Their happiness will last forever. They will have joy and gladness, and all sadness and sorrow will be gone far away.” Jesus came to give His life as a ransom for many! When we want to get depressed and our lot in life causes us to behave self-centeredly and not allow others to help us, remember that Jesus has taken ALL our sorrows and our reward is gladness and everlasting joy from the Holy Ghost in our lives.
I hear a complaint in the spirit of people, thinking that what they have isn’t good enough! We’ve been filled with something precious – receive the benefit and blessing that comes from the cup Jesus drank from on our behalf.

This month is about serving God and Him moving more in our lives. The only way to keep our cup full of joy and gladness is to give away what God has given to us individually. Jesus has already drunk the Cup of Sorrows, we don’t have to wallow in our selfishness. We choose to allow sin into our lives and we choose to do God’s will. Jesus didn’t WANT to die on the cross, and feelings do not take us into victory – our specific acts of will do. Begin NOT living small lives; it’s not what we want, but what God wants that brings us joy when we fill our cups with gladness daily from His overflowing fountain.

Verses Used:
Matthew 20:20
Jeremiah 31

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2011/08/21/my-cup-the-cup-of-sorrows-2nd/feed/ 0 James & John's mother comes to Jesus asking if her sons can sit at His right & left hand when He entered His kingdom. She was a prominent woman in their small town, and her husband & sons were well-known fishermen, James & John's mother comes to Jesus asking if her sons can sit at His right & left hand when He entered His kingdom. She was a prominent woman in their small town, and her husband & sons were well-known fishermen, so she felt she could ask this of Je... C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean 27:33 My Cup – The Water 1st http://deansweetman.com/2011/08/09/the-cup-the-water-1st/ http://deansweetman.com/2011/08/09/the-cup-the-water-1st/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:11:32 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=515 We are beginning a new series today on “The Cup.” A cup is something that was built to carry something else. A cup’s purpose is always to be emptied so to be filled again. Jesus said in the New Testament that we cannot get that which He wants to give us until we lose what we have, or, for turn of phrase, we empty our cup. That means we get rid of all the lies and tricks and influences of this world on our lives.

There are four instances in the Bible where “The Cup” is discussed:

1) The Cup of Water which represents Compassion
2) The Cup of Greed and Selfishness
3) The Cup of Sorrow and Suffering
4) The Cup of the Covenant

Each will be discussed in turn throughout the course of this series. Today, we will be looking at the Cup of Water. The Cup of Water is the manifestation of our faith. All too often, people come to church to get the experience without ever moving forward into a deeper relationship with God. The concept of the Cup of Water is where the challenge arises. Will you go beyond yourself to offer the water to others?

The Water is all that God has done in your life. You know what happens to water when it sits in a cup? It goes stale and grows mold and is undrinkable. Cups of Water are meant to be poured out. How do you pour out the water? You help others. Luke 10 paints a beautiful picture of how to give the Cup of Water. Luke 10 is the story of the Good Samaritan, and we all know the story. Poor man gets beaten up; twice he is passed by BY A PRIEST AND A PRIEST’S ASSISTENT!!! Yet, a man who is considered the enemy, stops and helps the beaten man. He sacrifices his time and resources to aid a man in need. That is giving the Cup of Water.

Now, you may be thinking, “I don’t have those kinds of resources!” You have something, right? You may not be living your best life, but you are living. And the life you are living is desperately needed by those who are dying around you. Reach out. Help out! Pour out. Give your Cup, great or small, and watch as God’s water changes lives.

Verses Used:
Matthew 10
Luke 10

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2011/08/09/the-cup-the-water-1st/feed/ 0 We are beginning a new series today on “The Cup.” A cup is something that was built to carry something else. A cup’s purpose is always to be emptied so to be filled again. Jesus said in the New Testament that we cannot get that which He wants to ... We are beginning a new series today on “The Cup.” A cup is something that was built to carry something else. A cup’s purpose is always to be emptied so to be filled again. Jesus said in the New Testament that we cannot get that which He wants to give us until we lose what we have, or, for turn of phrase, we empty our cup. That means we get rid of all the lies and tricks and influences of this world on our lives. There are four instances in the Bible where “The Cup” is discussed: 1) The Cup of Water which represents Compassion 2) The Cup of Greed and Selfishness 3) The Cup of Sorrow and Suffering 4) The Cup of the Covenant Each will be discussed in turn throughout the course of this series. Today, we will be looking at the Cup of Water. The Cup of Water is the manifestation of our faith. All too often, people come to church to get the experience without ever moving forward into a deeper relationship with God. The concept of the Cup of Water is where the challenge arises. Will you go beyond yourself to offer the water to others? The Water is all that God has done in your life. You know what happens to water when it sits in a cup? It goes stale and grows mold and is undrinkable. Cups of Water are meant to be poured out. How do you pour out the water? You help others. Luke 10 paints a beautiful picture of how to give the Cup of Water. Luke 10 is the story of the Good Samaritan, and we all know the story. Poor man gets beaten up; twice he is passed by BY A PRIEST AND A PRIEST’S ASSISTENT!!! Yet, a man who is considered the enemy, stops and helps the beaten man. He sacrifices his time and resources to aid a man in need. That is giving the Cup of Water. Now, you may be thinking, “I don’t have those kinds of resources!” You have something, right? You may not be living your best life, but you are living. And the life you are living is desperately needed by those who are dying around you. Reach out. Help out! Pour out. Give your Cup, great or small, and watch as God’s water changes lives. Verses Used: Matthew 10 Luke 10 C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean 34:58 My Cup – The Water 2nd http://deansweetman.com/2011/08/09/the-cup-the-water-2nd/ http://deansweetman.com/2011/08/09/the-cup-the-water-2nd/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:10:27 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=517 We are beginning a new series today on “The Cup.” A cup is something that was built to carry something else. A cup’s purpose is always to be emptied so to be filled again. Jesus said in the New Testament that we cannot get that which He wants to give us until we lose what we have, or, for turn of phrase, we empty our cup. That means we get rid of all the lies and tricks and influences of this world on our lives.

There are four instances in the Bible where “The Cup” is discussed:
1) The Cup of Water which represents Compassion
2) The Cup of Greed and Selfishness
3) The Cup of Sorrow and Suffering
4) The Cup of the Covenant

Each will be discussed in turn throughout the course of this series. Today, we will be looking at the Cup of Water. The Cup of Water is the manifestation of our faith. All too often, people come to church to get the experience without ever moving forward into a deeper relationship with God. The concept of the Cup of Water is where the challenge arises. Will you go beyond yourself to offer the water to others?

The Water is all that God has done in your life. You know what happens to water when it sits in a cup? It goes stale and grows mold and is undrinkable. Cups of Water are meant to be poured out. How do you pour out the water? You help others. Luke 10 paints a beautiful picture of how to give the Cup of Water. Luke 10 is the story of the Good Samaritan, and we all know the story. Poor man gets beaten up; twice he is passed by BY A PRIEST AND A PRIEST’S ASSISTENT!!! Yet, a man who is considered the enemy, stops and helps the beaten man. He sacrifices his time and resources to aid a man in need. That is giving the Cup of Water.

Now, you may be thinking, “I don’t have those kinds of resources!” You have something, right? You may not be living your best life, but you are living. And the life you are living is desperately needed by those who are dying around you. Reach out. Help out! Pour out. Give your Cup, great or small, and watch as God’s water changes lives.

Verses Used:
Matthew 10
Luke 10

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2011/08/09/the-cup-the-water-2nd/feed/ 0 We are beginning a new series today on “The Cup.” A cup is something that was built to carry something else. A cup’s purpose is always to be emptied so to be filled again. Jesus said in the New Testament that we cannot get that which He wants to ... We are beginning a new series today on “The Cup.” A cup is something that was built to carry something else. A cup’s purpose is always to be emptied so to be filled again. Jesus said in the New Testament that we cannot get that which He wants to give us until we lose what we have, or, for turn of phrase, we empty our cup. That means we get rid of all the lies and tricks and influences of this world on our lives. There are four instances in the Bible where “The Cup” is discussed: 1) The Cup of Water which represents Compassion 2) The Cup of Greed and Selfishness 3) The Cup of Sorrow and Suffering 4) The Cup of the Covenant Each will be discussed in turn throughout the course of this series. Today, we will be looking at the Cup of Water. The Cup of Water is the manifestation of our faith. All too often, people come to church to get the experience without ever moving forward into a deeper relationship with God. The concept of the Cup of Water is where the challenge arises. Will you go beyond yourself to offer the water to others? The Water is all that God has done in your life. You know what happens to water when it sits in a cup? It goes stale and grows mold and is undrinkable. Cups of Water are meant to be poured out. How do you pour out the water? You help others. Luke 10 paints a beautiful picture of how to give the Cup of Water. Luke 10 is the story of the Good Samaritan, and we all know the story. Poor man gets beaten up; twice he is passed by BY A PRIEST AND A PRIEST’S ASSISTENT!!! Yet, a man who is considered the enemy, stops and helps the beaten man. He sacrifices his time and resources to aid a man in need. That is giving the Cup of Water. Now, you may be thinking, “I don’t have those kinds of resources!” You have something, right? You may not be living your best life, but you are living. And the life you are living is desperately needed by those who are dying around you. Reach out. Help out! Pour out. Give your Cup, great or small, and watch as God’s water changes lives. Verses Used: Matthew 10 Luke 10 C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean 46:39 Biblical Freedom http://deansweetman.com/2011/06/25/biblical-freedom/ http://deansweetman.com/2011/06/25/biblical-freedom/#comments Sat, 25 Jun 2011 21:51:04 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=480 There has been some confusion over what it means to live as the Christians did in the New Testament—when the Holy Spirit came to earth—and Old Testament—when laws and rules were overruled. The Galatian church began in freedom but, after false teaching was introduced, was going back into bondage to the law. The laws of Moses were revered and adhered to by the Jews because they were readable and understandable, but they just weren’t doable! It was a comfort to know what God wanted, but the Israelites continually deviated from the law, becoming influenced by the numerous pagan cultures of lands they conquered. King David established Jerusalem under Jewish laws in a godly state of mind, but Solomon, his son, married pagan women & turned the people to those gods. By the time Jesus came, only a few “religious sects” like the Pharisees and Sadducees were following God, and they had added to the burden and bondage that the law brings upon those who try to follow it without grace.

Jesus sets us free from SIN, which is the slave-master of humanity. Sin slowly degrades and eats away at the conscience of a human being. We cover up, trying to cope with living under the world’s system. Then along comes Christ to shield, block, and destroy the power of sin. As we believe, at that moment we are released from bondage. Where the Spirit is, the truth is also! Galatians 5:16-18 says, “My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?” These 2 natures that we grapple with—sin and Spirit— are bound by the world and bound by Christ.

Galations 5:19-21 continues the results of living in sin. We are led into bondage by not choosing the Holy Spirit to guide our lives to freedom. “It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.” BUT as we look on to the next verses, we are told what it looks like to live & be led by the Spirit, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness & self-control” – the last one is the most important!! Respond in worship and prayer to convictions. When we’re worn down after allowing sin to rule us, prayer and worship lead us to strength to repent and become stronger.

When we give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to move freely, He will break the rules!! We struggle to stay free –even the apostle Peter got called out by Paul when he chose to stop fellowshipping with Gentiles once other important Jews came to the town they were both in at the time. Religion may make us FEEL spiritual, but it’s a counterfeit and does NOT set us free! Sin has no power over us when we’re led by the Spirit. The law exposes sin, but we can never get to God thru obeying the law—only thru Jesus and the Holy Spirit and not by the works we do. There is a constant fight within all humanity between the flesh and the Spirit to do the right thing or the thing we WANT to do. Only the life-giving, freedom-loving Holy Spirit, who can’t be contained, brings pure, real, total freedom! He obliterates what we think God should or should not be doing. We know we are being led by the Spirit when His fruits show up in our lives (while the fruit of religion is hypocrisy -the thing that set Jesus off the most!)

This week we are going to be led into a new level of freedom during the Encounter conference. There is a response to the conviction of the Spirit, to repentance and letting go—let it flow through you!

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2011/06/25/biblical-freedom/feed/ 2 What we Say, Our Name, & The Holy Spirt http://deansweetman.com/2011/05/31/what-we-say-our-name-the-holy-spirt/ http://deansweetman.com/2011/05/31/what-we-say-our-name-the-holy-spirt/#comments Tue, 31 May 2011 13:39:46 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=475 When we submit to Christ, we have the power and authority to transform our lives and those of others by what we say. What comes out of our mouth is a release of what comes from heaven into our world. “Whatever we bind on earth is bound in heaven, whatever we loose on earth is loosed in heaven.” – Matthew 18. Growing our faith gives us the ability to function in the spiritual dimension. In the world, we would get tossed around by all the negativity that swirls there constantly, but when we are heavenly-minded and living for Christ, we don’t have to be part of the negative forces around us. We can create change by what we say and proclaim! Speaking connects us with the supernatural – it’s good to be positive, but that is not enough. We were created to be like God so when we speak His words we align ourselves with Him, creating peace in our lives. How we were raised & what was spoken over us can cause us to struggle with this, as the mouth is a powerful force for good or evil. It is always possible to create the changes we seek in our worlds!

Next, it’s important to realize that our souls are birthed at conception, and the being which is created at that point never dies. Our conceived beings are eternal, as we are made in the image of God, and He is eternal! So when the horrible happens and a child, born or unborn, dies, we can take comfort in knowing that God receives them and that their names are written in the Book of Life, burning brightly as innocents. As we age, when we turn to the Lord, again our names are bright lights in that book as we become more like Christ and want to make His name higher than ours. Those who continue to turn away from the Holy Spirit’s promptings will find their names fade from that book, if they choose not to reach out to what God is offering them. Our name is a vital component of who we are, and, in Proverbs, we find out that “a good name is better than great wealth” – Prov. 22. Your name is your calling card, for good or bad, and for all eternity.

The Holy Spirit is God on the earth today, and it is HIS job, not ours, to convict all men of sin, to comfort, and to bring understanding as we continue to search out what God is saying to us individually. In the Old Testament, God the Father spoke to the men of that time, and the Holy Spirit instructed the prophets what to say to the people of Israel & Judah. Then, for 33 years, Jesus was God the Son on the earth, showing us what God looks, acts, and sounds like. He had to die, not only for the sins of man, but to release the Holy Spirit to empower men, women, and children to have the authority we are talking about. Our authority comes from living in Christ and being filled with the Spirit! Remember how important that is! Even our impossible situations can be fixed up and made BETTER by God’s miracle-working power when we know who we are and what we have. In 1906, people were for revival in the country of Wales, UK, and in the city of Los Angeles; now, as a result of their prayers, over 1 billion Pentecostals filled with the Spirit are in the world today! We must look up to heaven, position ourselves in alignment with God’s Word, and realize that in every situation, God is bigger, more powerful, more abundant, and “able to do exceedingly more than we ask or think” – Ephesians 3.

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