02/23/03 - "Strengthen our stakes" - by Pastor Mike Baker

Is 54:1-3
5 Exhortations:

• Enlarge the place of your tent
  • place
    • locality & condition (of our hearts, dreams, visions, expectations)
    • God has big things in store for us
    • expectancy is the atmosphere for miracles
  • tent
    • clearly seen & attracts attention
    • as we enlarge our capacity to serve Him, it will make us obvious and attract people to us
• Stretch out our curtains
  • pulls out of our comfort zone
  • God expects more out of us today than yesterday
• Do not spare/hold back (be passionate, Ecc 9:10)
• Lengthen your cords
  • add to;keep what you have and make it bigger
  • build unto your foundation
• Strengthen your stakes
  • deals with foundations
  • when increase comes, we need to be able to handle it
  • our Stakes
    1. foundation in word of God
    2. vocation & know that we are saved
    3. election
    4. corporate vision
    5. unity
    6. Christian disciplines
    7. love
    8. commitment to God & one another
    9. our distinctives as a church
    10. our heart for the unsaved

Mk 16:15-18
Mt 28:16-20

1. Need to better understand who we are so that we can convey that to those we bring
2. not just worshipping to get blesses, but worshipping to bless God so that we can bless those who are around us
3. there must be a sensitivity to the lost without sacrificing the anointing of the service.

Jn 4:35
Mt 9:35-38

• we cannot expect people to get saved just by showing up
• we need to be intentional about making reaching the lost an everyday part of our lives