DeanSweetman.com » Living with Passion 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 » Living with Passion http://audio.thec3church.com/podcasticon.jpg http://deansweetman.com/category/living-with-passion/ The Four Rivers – The River of Anointing part 2 http://deansweetman.com/2011/10/02/the-four-rivers-%e2%80%93-the-river-of-anointing-part-2/ http://deansweetman.com/2011/10/02/the-four-rivers-%e2%80%93-the-river-of-anointing-part-2/#comments Sun, 02 Oct 2011 19:01:35 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=568 The concept of the Rivers and the Garden continues to unfold the further we go into this series. The garden of the heart is filled with seeds that grow and produce fruit, providing even more seed. But what do we do with this new seed? Do we store it in barns, afraid that we won’t have enough seed in the future? Or do we give the seed to God and let Him scatter it? God can do more with the little seed that we have then we could ever hope to dream of if we keep it stored away. God has promised time and again that whatever we give to Him, He will give back to us. And He has also shown that whatever we hold in our hands, refusing to let go for fear of loss, will be lost through the decay of time and death. No man on his death bed is happy that he clung to all his riches. No, he wishes more than anything that he had done something with that which he had obtained.

The River Gihon, as stated last week, is the River of the Anointing. It means “to burst forth.” When something bursts up, it flows out. God began with the River Pishon (increase) and the moved on to Gihon (anointing or flow). You first receive increase and then you let it go somewhere. There is no use having seed if it is not going to go anywhere. You can have it all–fame, fortune, the praise and accord of others–but it means nothing without the anointing that flows out into the world.

John 9 tells the tale of Jesus healing a blind man by placing mud on his eyes and telling him to “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam.” Siloam means “sent.” Siloam is also the spring of the River Gihon. Jesus sent the blind man on a mission to receive his healing. The blind man had to grope about, asking for help to find the spring of the sent. And it was there that he was healed. Gihon and Siloam are the River of the sent: those who are sent out on missions; those who are a part of other people’s miracles. Do you want to be a apart of someone’s miracle? Then GO! You don’t have to (and we strongly advise against this) put mud in people’s eyes. But speak well of them. Tell those in authority that their employees are the best! Help with your words and actions! And through that, people will receive their miracle.

Verses Used:
*Genesis 2: 13
*John 9:6 & 7
*I Kings 1: 32-35

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2011/10/02/the-four-rivers-%e2%80%93-the-river-of-anointing-part-2/feed/ 0 The concept of the Rivers and the Garden continues to unfold the further we go into this series. The garden of the heart is filled with seeds that grow and produce fruit, providing even more seed. But what do we do with this new seed? The concept of the Rivers and the Garden continues to unfold the further we go into this series. The garden of the heart is filled with seeds that grow and produce fruit, providing even more seed. But what do we do with this new seed? Do we store it in barns, afraid that we won't have enough seed in the future? Or do we give the seed to God and let Him scatter it? God can do more with the little seed that we have then we could ever hope to dream of if we keep it stored away. God has promised time and again that whatever we give to Him, He will give back to us. And He has also shown that whatever we hold in our hands, refusing to let go for fear of loss, will be lost through the decay of time and death. No man on his death bed is happy that he clung to all his riches. No, he wishes more than anything that he had done something with that which he had obtained. The River Gihon, as stated last week, is the River of the Anointing. It means "to burst forth." When something bursts up, it flows out. God began with the River Pishon (increase) and the moved on to Gihon (anointing or flow). You first receive increase and then you let it go somewhere. There is no use having seed if it is not going to go anywhere. You can have it all--fame, fortune, the praise and accord of others--but it means nothing without the anointing that flows out into the world. John 9 tells the tale of Jesus healing a blind man by placing mud on his eyes and telling him to “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam.” Siloam means "sent." Siloam is also the spring of the River Gihon. Jesus sent the blind man on a mission to receive his healing. The blind man had to grope about, asking for help to find the spring of the sent. And it was there that he was healed. Gihon and Siloam are the River of the sent: those who are sent out on missions; those who are a part of other people's miracles. Do you want to be a apart of someone's miracle? Then GO! You don't have to (and we strongly advise against this) put mud in people's eyes. But speak well of them. Tell those in authority that their employees are the best! Help with your words and actions! And through that, people will receive their miracle. Verses Used: *Genesis 2: 13 *John 9:6 & 7 *I Kings 1: 32-35 C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean 29:21 My Cup – The Cup of Covenant 1st http://deansweetman.com/2011/09/04/the-cup-the-cup-of-covenant-1st/ http://deansweetman.com/2011/09/04/the-cup-the-cup-of-covenant-1st/#comments Sun, 04 Sep 2011 20:11:42 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=548 In Luke 22, Jesus & His disciples are eating the Passover meal together, and Jesus passes around the first cup of the night- the cup of fellowship. “Take this wine and share it among yourselves,” He said as He gave thanks to God. Connectedness was what God was working out in that moment, the unique quality of the Church. God is trying to fit us together so we can help one another. Connection is greater than individuality – as Americans, we tend to be proud of our independence, which is the opposite trait to what God wants in His churches. He wants us joined, fit and connected together in a local body as part of the worldwide Body of Christ. This is a very New Testament concept! Drinking together from the same cup meant that those people doing so feel like family & didn’t have any barriers. That’s how the church needs to be, willing to come together in times of joy or suffering, pain or victory and act like family. Jesus then took bread, broke it, gave thanks and shared it with His friends. Fellowship and blessing were the prime focus at the meal.

After dinner, however, the mood shifts. Jesus took another cup, symbolic of the new covenant they were about to enter into between God and man. “This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you…I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom comes to earth.” Last week we learned the depth of what those words meant, now we know that 50 days later at Pentecost, the Kingdom of God came to earth in the form of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist had told his followers, “There is one coming after me…who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” In the upper room of Acts 2, 120 faithful followers were filled with the Spirit of Jesus and begin to proclaim in other tongues the glory of God’s kingdom. Thus, the Kingdom is within us when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we are building His kingdom here on earth! It is now within our grasp, as we pray His will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.

In Luke 5, we read these words of Christ: “You don’t put wine in old wineskins; you get new wineskins for your fresh vintage wine. And no one who has ever tasted fine aged wine prefers unaged wine.” A wineskin was the scraped-out hide of a sheep or goat. The reason new wine needed to go into new skins was that the fermentation process was so strong, the skins had to be able to expand to hold it all in. New skins were pliable, soft, like our hearts need to be. We can always stretch out some more when we are being filled anew every day with the Holy Spirit! The symbolism of the Cup of the Covenant is a fresh touch from Jesus on our lives and hearts, the fermenting of our dreams & visions swirling around and being made reality. “I have to go so my Spirit can come live in you”, He said to those who begged Him to stay. We are the vessels that the wine is being poured into. It’s so easy to get stuck in the “once upon a time” experience. Old wineskins could be made pliable again by being immersed in oil – God doesn’t want the vessel (us) to burst or break from His new; wine of dreams & visions for our lives! Make it a priority to empty ourselves of what the Lord has given us so we can be filled with the next new thing He has for us. Be ready to live new experiences; God is going to challenge our mindsets and wants to change us to become bigger in all areas of our lives. Being filled with the Spirit means getting fresh vision, dreams that bring us joy, and not allowing our hearts to harden for any reason. When we keep our vessel full of the new wine of what the Spirit is calling us onward to do, we will find our dreams fulfilled, as Christ’s were after he drank from the Cup of the Covenant and did what His Father had called Him to do for the coming of the Kingdom. Come unafraid to the altar for a fresh touch, fresh oil and new wine!

Verses Used:
*Luke 22:17-20
*Matthew 3:11
*Acts 2:1-41
*Luke 5:33-39
*John 14:16-17

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2011/09/04/the-cup-the-cup-of-covenant-1st/feed/ 0 In Luke 22, Jesus & His disciples are eating the Passover meal together, and Jesus passes around the first cup of the night- the cup of fellowship. "Take this wine and share it among yourselves," He said as He gave thanks to God. In Luke 22, Jesus & His disciples are eating the Passover meal together, and Jesus passes around the first cup of the night- the cup of fellowship. "Take this wine and share it among yourselves," He said as He gave thanks to God. Connectedness was what God was working out in that moment, the unique quality of the Church. God is trying to fit us together so we can help one another. Connection is greater than individuality - as Americans, we tend to be proud of our independence, which is the opposite trait to what God wants in His churches. He wants us joined, fit and connected together in a local body as part of the worldwide Body of Christ. This is a very New Testament concept! Drinking together from the same cup meant that those people doing so feel like family & didn't have any barriers. That's how the church needs to be, willing to come together in times of joy or suffering, pain or victory and act like family. Jesus then took bread, broke it, gave thanks and shared it with His friends. Fellowship and blessing were the prime focus at the meal. After dinner, however, the mood shifts. Jesus took another cup, symbolic of the new covenant they were about to enter into between God and man. "This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you...I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom comes to earth." Last week we learned the depth of what those words meant, now we know that 50 days later at Pentecost, the Kingdom of God came to earth in the form of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist had told his followers, "There is one coming after me...who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." In the upper room of Acts 2, 120 faithful followers were filled with the Spirit of Jesus and begin to proclaim in other tongues the glory of God's kingdom. Thus, the Kingdom is within us when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we are building His kingdom here on earth! It is now within our grasp, as we pray His will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. In Luke 5, we read these words of Christ: "You don't put wine in old wineskins; you get new wineskins for your fresh vintage wine. And no one who has ever tasted fine aged wine prefers unaged wine." A wineskin was the scraped-out hide of a sheep or goat. The reason new wine needed to go into new skins was that the fermentation process was so strong, the skins had to be able to expand to hold it all in. New skins were pliable, soft, like our hearts need to be. We can always stretch out some more when we are being filled anew every day with the Holy Spirit! The symbolism of the Cup of the Covenant is a fresh touch from Jesus on our lives and hearts, the fermenting of our dreams & visions swirling around and being made reality. "I have to go so my Spirit can come live in you", He said to those who begged Him to stay. We are the vessels that the wine is being poured into. It's so easy to get stuck in the "once upon a time" experience. Old wineskins could be made pliable again by being immersed in oil - God doesn't want the vessel (us) to burst or break from His new; wine of dreams & visions for our lives! Make it a priority to empty ourselves of what the Lord has given us so we can be filled with the next new thing He has for us. Be ready to live new experiences; God is going to challenge our mindsets and wants to change us to become bigger in all areas of our lives. Being filled with the Spirit means getting fresh vision, dreams that bring us joy, and not allowing our hearts to harden for any reason. When we keep our vessel full of the new wine of what the Spirit is calling us onward to do, we will find our dreams fulfilled, as Christ's were after he drank from the Cup of the Covenant and did what His Father had called Him to do for the coming of the Kingdom. Come unafraid to the altar for a fresh touch, fresh oil and new wine! Verses Used: *Luke 22:17-20 *Matthew 3:11 *Acts 2:1-41 *Luke 5:33-39 *John 14:16-17 C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean 26:15 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.

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2011/05/31/what-we-say-our-name-the-holy-spirt/feed/ 0 What We Have In Christ http://deansweetman.com/2011/05/08/what-we-have-in-christ/ http://deansweetman.com/2011/05/08/what-we-have-in-christ/#comments Sun, 08 May 2011 16:51:53 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=465 Ever imagine what is was like back in the beginning, when the church was still new, and the term “Christian” was not in use? Oh, the stories the believers of that day could tell! When we get to Heaven, we’ll get to ask, “What was it like?” But then, they will ask us, “What about you? What was it like for you?” What will you say then?

So the question must be asked…how do you live the gospel in 2011? It is almost easy to say, “Well, it was easier for the early church to live the gospel, they were starting it out!” But the sad truth is, too many Christians struggle with being Children of God because they have forgotten what Jesus died to give us. Jesus died to open a way–Christianity was first known as “The Way”–for us to reconnect with God! But what does that mean? What is it that Jesus gave us?

Sit back, because it’s time for a refresher:

First off, Jesus saved us from sin and eternal death. I John 3:4-6 states that all who believe in Christ are saved; all who do not, are not. Acts 2–Peter’s powerful message at Pentecost was a declaration: Salvation comes through the name of Jesus Christ! And Acts 4: Peter and John stand up to the Pharisees to declare the truth–Jesus is the only way. Jesus is the only way to be saved from sin and death!

Secondly, Jesus saved us from a wretched, unfulfilled life! He brought peace into our chaos! His presence is with us always, filling us with His love and life. He brings His light into our darkness, driving away the chaos of the world, and brining His order. Jesus’ name is Emmanuel, which means “God with us!” Jesus died to be with us! Thus, His very presence drives out the essence of the world that makes life so hallow.

Jesus’ death brought us assurance and stability! Which the world is running about in a panic–I don’t have enough money; I’m going to loose my house; I need to have these clothes; I have to buy that car; I need; I need; I need!–we stand firm on the promise that God is our provider. He will take care of all our needs. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” God’s promises are eternal; everything God gives is eternal. The things of this world are temporary; the things of the Kingdom are eternal! We build our lives on God promises (the house on the stone); when the storms of life come, we stand strong. Safe. Stable.

One of the best results of Jesus’ death and resurrection is that He droves away all fear! The entire Bible–Old and New–is full of God’s assurance that we have nothing to fear because He is with us! Jesus affirmed it. Matthew 6, again, He is urging us not to fear, for we are more precious to Him then all of creation. Do not be afraid! I’m here with you! It is going to be great!

In Christ, we have the Kingdom in us! The Kingdom is not an invading force; it is not a conquering army of men; it is the Power that destroys all that the devil is forcing upon the world. Where he brings chaos, the Kingdom brings peace. Where there is hate, the Kingdom brings love. Where there is selfishness, the Kingdom brings selfless service (service that gains rewards in Heaven–another perk!) When the world stands divided, the Kingdom stands united! And with the Kingdom in us, we have the authority to speak God’s will into existence! John 3:16 makes God’s will very clear. It is His will that no one should perish. We have the power to make that happen. We speak God’s will into existence through prayer and proclaiming His Word. And His will changes peoples’ lives!

When you know what Jesus died for, when it dawns on you, then everything clicks into place. And when everything clicks, you understand who you are! We are the Children of God! And when we bring the Kingdom into the world with humility and authority, lives change.

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2011/05/08/what-we-have-in-christ/feed/ 0 Ever imagine what is was like back in the beginning, when the church was still new, and the term "Christian" was not in use? Oh, the stories the believers of that day could tell! When we get to Heaven, we'll get to ask, "What was it like?" But then, Ever imagine what is was like back in the beginning, when the church was still new, and the term "Christian" was not in use? Oh, the stories the believers of that day could tell! When we get to Heaven, we'll get to ask, "What was it like?" But then, they will ask us, "What about you? What was it like for you?" What will you say then? So the question must be asked...how do you live the gospel in 2011? It is almost easy to say, "Well, it was easier for the early church to live the gospel, they were starting it out!" But the sad truth is, too many Christians struggle with being Children of God because they have forgotten what Jesus died to give us. Jesus died to open a way--Christianity was first known as "The Way"--for us to reconnect with God! But what does that mean? What is it that Jesus gave us? Sit back, because it's time for a refresher: First off, Jesus saved us from sin and eternal death. I John 3:4-6 states that all who believe in Christ are saved; all who do not, are not. Acts 2--Peter's powerful message at Pentecost was a declaration: Salvation comes through the name of Jesus Christ! And Acts 4: Peter and John stand up to the Pharisees to declare the truth--Jesus is the only way. Jesus is the only way to be saved from sin and death! Secondly, Jesus saved us from a wretched, unfulfilled life! He brought peace into our chaos! His presence is with us always, filling us with His love and life. He brings His light into our darkness, driving away the chaos of the world, and brining His order. Jesus' name is Emmanuel, which means "God with us!" Jesus died to be with us! Thus, His very presence drives out the essence of the world that makes life so hallow. Jesus' death brought us assurance and stability! Which the world is running about in a panic--I don't have enough money; I'm going to loose my house; I need to have these clothes; I have to buy that car; I need; I need; I need!--we stand firm on the promise that God is our provider. He will take care of all our needs. Matthew 6:33 says, "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." God's promises are eternal; everything God gives is eternal. The things of this world are temporary; the things of the Kingdom are eternal! We build our lives on God promises (the house on the stone); when the storms of life come, we stand strong. Safe. Stable. One of the best results of Jesus' death and resurrection is that He droves away all fear! The entire Bible--Old and New--is full of God's assurance that we have nothing to fear because He is with us! Jesus affirmed it. Matthew 6, again, He is urging us not to fear, for we are more precious to Him then all of creation. Do not be afraid! I'm here with you! It is going to be great! In Christ, we have the Kingdom in us! The Kingdom is not an invading force; it is not a conquering army of men; it is the Power that destroys all that the devil is forcing upon the world. Where he brings chaos, the Kingdom brings peace. Where there is hate, the Kingdom brings love. Where there is selfishness, the Kingdom brings selfless service (service that gains rewards in Heaven--another perk!) When the world stands divided, the Kingdom stands united! And with the Kingdom in us, we have the authority to speak God's will into existence! John 3:16 makes God's will very clear. It is His will that no one should perish. We have the power to make that happen. We speak God's will into existence through prayer and proclaiming His Word. And His will changes peoples' lives! When you know what Jesus died for, when it dawns on you, then everything clicks into place. And when everything clicks, you understand who you are! We are the Children of God! And when we bring the Kingdom into the world with humility and authority, lives change. C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean 30:38 Now http://deansweetman.com/2010/08/15/now/ http://deansweetman.com/2010/08/15/now/#comments Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:23:35 +0000 Dean http://deansweetman.com/?p=306 Ephesians 3:14-21 (NLT): When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

God offers us a big life! It is a life filled with big dreams and big opportunities! He is a God of BIG plans! He encourages us to think bigger, to act smarter, to see further, and to come up higher so that we can catch a glimpse of hat He has planned for us and what He says about us! However, this BIG PLAN must be balanced with a reality check. God wants us to look to HIS plans while also being mindful of the present. He wants us to focus on the here and now!

Where do you want to go in God? What is the big dream He has placed inside of you? Why aren’t you there yet? When we focus on the future, we neglect the present–a present that has problems that need to be addressed. Take inventory of your life. You dream of a great marriage; how is you marriage right now? You dream of owning a thriving business; how is your business right now? There are details in the present that must be addressed before the BIG LIFE God has for you can come to pass.

Don’t fret, though. We are all a work in progress. We all lack. We all want to be better, to be what God wants us to be; however, we lack the ability to do so. Don’t focus on what you don’t have, least you get down on yourself and begin to think about what YOU can do to fix it. That leads to a work’s mindset, and a work’s mindset is dangerous territory. Focus on GOD! God has more than enough to meet where you leave off! God never lacks.

As Paul wrote in the above passage, God has unlimited resources! If you want to love, He gives you love. If you want faith, He gives you faith! He wants you to work at it. He plants the seed so that you can work it and grow it, but He is always there to help feed the seed! Whatever you don’t have, GOD has for you.

It is hard to believe in a BIG GOD when life gets hard. Finances get tight. Prayers don’t get answered. Relationships fall apart. Suddenly, feels God is a million miles away and the Bible becomes bland. How do you cope in this sort of situation? How do you apply the promises of God when all hell is breaking loose? You go back to the place where you trusted God. There, as Paul writes, you find the inner strength given to you by the Holy Spirit. Ask God to reveal that strength to you.

The BIG LIFE is out there! But there will be moments in your world that will so radically test your resolve that all you can do is cling to the inner strength and wait! You CHOOSE to wait! Choice is the key. Choose now to hold on! Choose now to make that change. Choose now to work on your marriage. Do it NOW! And when the good days come, strengthen your relationship with Christ. He will become more and more at home in your heart. Then, when the chaos of life swoops in, you will be strengthened to stand against it. With Jesus by your side and the strength of the Holy Spirit inside you, you will have the ability o pursue you dreams!

So, choose now! Choose now to pursue the BIG LIFE God has for you. And choose now to hold onto the strength of the Spirit inside you. Choose now!

]]> http://deansweetman.com/2010/08/15/now/feed/ 3 Ephesians 3:14-21 (NLT): When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Ephesians 3:14-21 (NLT): When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. God offers us a big life! It is a life filled with big dreams and big opportunities! He is a God of BIG plans! He encourages us to think bigger, to act smarter, to see further, and to come up higher so that we can catch a glimpse of hat He has planned for us and what He says about us! However, this BIG PLAN must be balanced with a reality check. God wants us to look to HIS plans while also being mindful of the present. He wants us to focus on the here and now! Where do you want to go in God? What is the big dream He has placed inside of you? Why aren't you there yet? When we focus on the future, we neglect the present--a present that has problems that need to be addressed. Take inventory of your life. You dream of a great marriage; how is you marriage right now? You dream of owning a thriving business; how is your business right now? There are details in the present that must be addressed before the BIG LIFE God has for you can come to pass. Don't fret, though. We are all a work in progress. We all lack. We all want to be better, to be what God wants us to be; however, we lack the ability to do so. Don't focus on what you don't have, least you get down on yourself and begin to think about what YOU can do to fix it. That leads to a work's mindset, and a work's mindset is dangerous territory. Focus on GOD! God has more than enough to meet where you leave off! God never lacks. As Paul wrote in the above passage, God has unlimited resources! If you want to love, He gives you love. If you want faith, He gives you faith! He wants you to work at it. He plants the seed so that you can work it and grow it, but He is always there to help feed the seed! Whatever you don't have, GOD has for you. It is hard to believe in a BIG GOD when life gets hard. Finances get tight. Prayers don't get answered. Relationships fall apart. Suddenly, feels God is a million miles away and the Bible becomes bland. How do you cope in this sort of situation? How do you apply the promises of God when all hell is breaking loose? You go back to the place where you trusted God. There, as Paul writes, you find the inner strength given to you by the Holy Spirit. Ask God to reveal that strength to you. The BIG LIFE is out there! But there will be moments in your world that will so radically test your resolve that all you can do is cling to the inner strength and wait! You CHOOSE to wait! Choice is the key. Choose now to hold on! Choose now to make that change. Choose now to work on your marriage. Do it NOW! And when the good days come, strengthen your relationship with Christ. He will become more and more at home in your heart. Then, when the chaos of life swoops in, you will be strengthened to stand against it. With Jesus by your side and the strength of the Holy Spirit inside you, you will have the ability o pursue you dreams! So, choose now! Choose now to pursue the BIG LIFE God has for you. And choose now to hold onto the strength of the Spirit inside you. Choose now! C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA USA clean 33:13 Living life with bigness, capacity and passion http://deansweetman.com/2008/04/25/living-life-with-bigness-capacity-and-passion/ http://deansweetman.com/2008/04/25/living-life-with-bigness-capacity-and-passion/#comments Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:24:20 +0000 Dean http://deanandjill.com/2008/04/25/living-life-with-bigness-capacity-and-passion/ II Corinthians 6:11 – (the Message) – “I can’t tell you much I long for you to enter this wide open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I am speaking as plainly as I can, and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively.”

Capacity and bigness – we are going to make this a “no small life zone”.

A lot of times I speak in such a way as to not offend people. I try to be gentle, but I won’t take that approach with this subject. Because of the Olympics coming up, I have been doing a lot of research lately into professional athletes. These people train for years and years in the hopes that they will perform and excel in a single moment. They focus their whole life on one moment. The majority of athletes will never win a medal, and many train knowing they will never win a medal. But does this stop them from training to their fullest anyway? It doesn’t stop them because most athletes in the Olympics aren’t trying to win a medal. Most athletes are just trying to perform their best – at their top capacity. They give their lives to mastering their personal best and performing at their peak. It’s intense sacrifice.

Let’s bring this into the Kingdom. Let’s think about a church or a group of people who are going to start thinking and operating and sacrificing and goal setting and performing and being disciplined in the way that these athletes do. Let’s start to think about a group of people who are going to the next level. I know that is a cliche, but it is a good one. I want us to shatter the old records. I want to obliterate the best we have done before. I want to get into the race and smash the record. I am talking about living your life in front of the record – in front of where you have been. I am talking about living your life in a totally new place.

You don’t just stumble to get there. It takes discipline, focus and sacrifice. It doesn’t come for free, and it doesn’t come cheap. So why do you want to put yourself through that? Why do you want to live your life at your peak performance? Because it’s time to get radical. I believe in sustained lifestyle, but I also know that there are seasons and times when we need to perform at a peak level. Most people are never willing to pay the price, because the sacrifice to have ever part of your body performing at peak level is immense. I am giving permission for radical behavior for anyone who wants to be radical. There are people giving their lives to the presidential race. People are donating money and time, and organizing themselves so passionately around their candidate because they believe so much. There are athletes giving up their whole lives for an Olympic moment and an Olympic dream. This level of passion is inspiring. Sometimes they make the church look lethargic and ineffective.

Passion is connected to peak performance – to generating fruit for a cause. I don’t get depressed by someone’s passion for something. Whether or not I agree with their cause, I get inspired by their passion. They are usually radical people. It starts with a little maverick streak and a sense of not wanting to go with the status quo. A sense that you want to break out, be different, and not be counted amongst the mediocre or the same as everyone else. In sports they call it the Independent Spirit.

The Kingdom is the many, but it is also the one. He left the ninety-nine to go after the one. The Kingdom is all of us, but it functions on what is going on in the individual. When what God is doing in you joins with what is going on with others, you have the church. But without a bunch of passionate people with the individual fire burning on the inside, it doesn’t work and you only have a small group that is fired up and passionate. I don’t want one small group fired up and passionate – I want the whole church fired up and passionate. Working for peak performance. Working to shatter records in how we treat others, our attitudes, our giving – all the attitudes of kingdom life. We are going to get ahead of previous levels and smash records to do radical things for the Kingdom.

I am focused on the goal. I am focused on starting a fire. I am focused on passion level increasing. It will manifest itself. Sometimes it will take some guts – you have to stand up and be radical. You have to be passionate about what you believe and be passionate for God and spreading the Kingdom. Shake up the status quo. Don’t get held up by religiosity, arbitrary parameters or other obstacles. We are doing this so we can reach people. Be passionate about it. Get on fire for God – fire makes people bold. When we get bold, God starts doing awesome things.

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