Category: Sermons

by Emily Wooten
In John 5, we see Jesus interacting with a man who had been crippled for 38 years. He was lying at the pool of Bethesda, waiting for a miracle. It was obvious why he was there. So why did Jesus ask him, “Wilt thou be made whole?”
Why did the man not answer with an emphatic YES? He had no clue who he was talking to.
In our lives, we have the opportunity to talk with the Creator every day. That same Jesus who raised up Lazarus from the dead, healed the lame man, and spoke to the winds and waves, “Peace Be Still,” is the same Jesus of whom Isaiah 53 says, “he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” When Jesus was beaten, He took every grief, sickness and disease and bore them for us so we don’t have to.
The man at the pool knew his story of what had happened every other year. Someone had always beaten him to the pool. He didn’t have anyone to help him, so previously he had left as broken as he came. This year was going to be different. Jesus was about to be his someone. Jesus saith unto him, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” This time the man’s answer came from a different place. The anointing of Jesus Christ took hold of the infirmity in his body and he was transformed. John 5:8 says, “…immediately the man was made whole.”
That is the same Jesus who purchased our salvation and, in the same work, purchased everything we need to have life and have it more abundantly.
We need to recognize just who it is with whom we are fellowshipping. In His ministry, Jesus didn’t make people beg Him. He never said, “No, you need to suffer some more so I can teach you something.” Jesus said things like, “I will; be thou clean” (Matthew 8:3). “Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee” (Matthew 8:13). “Thy faith hath made thee whole” (Mark 5:34).
It wasn’t enough that Jesus went about doing good. We see in Matthew 10:1, “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” He gave those who follow Him the resources to do the same. Matthew 28:18-19 says, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
When Jesus was preparing His disciples for what was about to happen, He said in John 18:20, “Neither pray I for these alone, speaking of the disciples, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;” That is us. If we have believed in Jesus as the only begotten Son of God who redeemed us, we are included. Jesus said in John 14:12, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” Let’s be doers! James 1:22

by Emily Wooten

Divine Appointments
(From Genesis 29:1–20) Jacob had been traveling to his uncle’s house when he stopped at a well. This well was important because it was where all the shepherds brought their flocks for water. He saw some shepherds who were waiting to water their sheep. Jacob asked, “Do you know a man named Laban, the son of Nahor?” They told him yes, and that his uncle was doing well.
While they were still talking, Rachel arrived, leading her father’s sheep. When Jacob saw Rachel, he was excited. Jacob went up to her, kissed her, and suddenly burst into tears. He told her who he was, and Rachel was excited too. She ran as fast as she could to tell her father the news..
This is the story of how Israel and the twelve tribes of Israel began. A young girl who was faithful was in the right place at the right time. Because of her faithfulness, a nation was born.
(From Mark 14:13-14) Jesus told his disciples, “Go into the city. As soon as you enter, you will see a man carrying a jar of water. Follow him. When he goes into a house, speak to the owner and say, ‘The teacher asks where he may eat the Passover with his disciples.’”
The man showed the disciples where the upper room was, and they prepared for the Passover meal. The man obeyed and the disciples followed instruction.
(From 1 Kings 17:7-6) God had arranged for a widow woman to feed Elijah. When he came to the gate of the city, the widow was there gathering sticks. Elijah called to her and asked her to bring him water to drink and a little bread to eat. She explained that she was preparing the last of her oil and meal for herself and her son. Elijah told her not to worry. God had a plan of provision for both the widow woman and Elijah. They obeyed God’s instructions and ate well.
In all these stories, obedience was necessary for God to successfully arrange their divine appointments. We have a role to play in receiving God’s provision.
In Jacob’s case, both he and his future wife needed to be in the right place at the right time—and they were. With the man who helped the disciples find the place where Jesus would eat the Passover meal, something as simple as being in the city street with a pitcher of water made it possible for God to move.
The woman and her son trusted God and did what they were told. Obedience caused them to have provision when those around them suffered lack.
We need to listen to our inward witness and follow God’s plan for us. A simple act of obedience could facilitate a major move of God. Obedience is the key to receiving from God. Faithfulness is the key to being where and when we need to be.

by Emily Wooten
Matthew 6:14-18: For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; That you appear not unto men to fast, but unto your Father which is in secret: and your Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward you openly.
He called us to be faithful. He warned us not to be like the Pharisees, making an outward appearance of fasting. He also warned us not to pray to be seen or heard of men.
Our fellowship with God in prayer and fasting is a private and holy act of submission. We see where Jesus was led into the wilderness, prayed and fasted for forty days. His fast wasn’t in front of the congregation at the temple. His labor in prayer wasn’t in their presence either. The battle with Satan happened while Jesus was alone in the wilderness, separating himself to seek God’s direction.
In Matthew 3 and 4 we see Jesus fresh from being baptized and anointed by the Holy Spirit, the first thing he did was to get away from the multitude of voices that would demand his attention and seek God’s instruction. That is our model for prayer and fasting. In Matthew 6 we see Jesus addressing giving, praying, forgiving and fasting. These are all acts of service and submission to God.
When Jesus was teaching the disciples to pray, he first told them to honor God. In verse 9 it is recorded, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
That is the same attitude we approach God in for submitting our giving, forgiving, prayers and fasting. We know our Righteous, Holy, Father is worthy of our time, money, emotions and desires. As we learn to yield to him as Lord of our life we submit all these things and seek his kingdom first. Recorded in Matthew 7 Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” We just need to make sure the things we are asking, seeking and knocking for are his desires for us.

by Emily Wooten

John 11:40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
Luke 5:20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
Whether Jesus was speaking to a dead man, calling him to life, or speaking health to the cripple, God thought it important to note Jesus saw their faith. How we receive from God has everything to do with how we believe.
Hebrews 11: 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Whether we come to God for forgiveness of sins, deliverance or healing for our body, it is essential that we know it is his will to forgive, deliver and heal. Without that confidence in God’s will, we don’t have the power to backup what we say.
It is useless to pretend or say we believe because someone told us.
Until we know it like we know our name, we haven’t believed.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 11:23-24 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore, I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
A steady diet of God’s word changes what we think to be true into what we know is true. That is what is described in Romans 12:2 as being transformed by renewing our minds. It pleases God when we bring his word to him, asking for help. God’s word prospers or produces results.

by Emily Wooten

In Acts 7, Stephen shares the story of Joseph’s betrayal and redemption, noting that Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him. Scripture shows that Joseph was chosen and anointed by God as a leader of His people. However, he did not begin his journey from a place of honor. On the contrary, he was mistreated and regarded as anything but a leader.

If we pick up the story in Genesis 37, we see a 17-year-old boy reporting his older brothers’ bad behavior to their father. Scripture also tells us that Joseph bragged to them about his dreams, repeatedly sharing his vision of them bowing down to him. When we hear the story of Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers, we should not overlook these details. Their resentment was fueled not only by jealousy, but also by Joseph’s lack of wisdom and his father’s obvious favoritism. While his brothers were wrong, there was plenty of wrongdoing to go around.

Genesis 37:3–5 states:

Now Israel (Jacob, Joseph’s father) loved Joseph more than all his children. When his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

The truth is that all of us are human. We share similar emotions and can suffer from diminished self-worth or exaggerated worth. Hebrews 4:15 reminds us that even Jesus was challenged by temptation: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

In Matthew 26:41, Jesus tells His disciples, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” This moment illustrates that even those closest to Jesus struggled with human frailty.

Paul reminds us in Hebrews 12:1 …let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. And in Romans 12:3 …To every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. 

It is up to us to regulate our behavior and not allow our thoughts to cause us to sin. 

by Emily Wooten

The bread symbolizes his body broken for us, and the wine his shed blood, reminding us of his life being poured out for us and the new life and relationship with God it offers.
Luke 22:19-20, Mark 14:22-24 and Matthew 26:26-28 are similar.
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
1 Corinthians 11:20-30 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? what shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
It is a call for personal introspection, confessing unrepentant sin, and ensuring one’s heart is right with God, and focusing on Christ. Failing to understand that the bread and wine represent Christ’s broken body and shed blood, can result in Christians not being able to receive the blessings God offers. We are to search our heart and submit any weakness or sin to God, asking for his forgiveness and taking our redemption.

by Emily Wooten

Matthew 27:50, 59-60 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
In Colossians 2:15 Paul said that Jesus spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
When Jesus body was laid in the tomb, that wasn’t the end of his ministry. In Revelation 1:18 Jesus told John, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
Jesus not only suffered in our place, taking our sins on him, he took away any right the devil had to torment us.
John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
In the past weeks, we have celebrated the birth of our savior and enjoyed the miraculous story of his deliverance from Herod and every enemy who tried to kill him before he could teach salvation. Jesus walked this earth teaching humans they can be saved from sin, addiction, sickness, mental torture, and all the works of the enemy. We can start the new year in faith, remembering what he has given us. Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

by Emily Wooten

Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. A savior, deliverer and preserver was born to provide safety, soundness, deliverance and share God’s love.
Luke 2: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
The next time someone says in your presence, “What kind of God would let that happen?” Too often people want to use the terrible things that are happening in the earth to portray our God as cruel and heartless. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Matthew 1:22-23 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Have you ever thought of the work God did to be able to dwell among us and live in us? Jesus being born in Bethlehem was not the beginning of the story. When Adam disobeyed God and surrendered his authority to the devil, God had to work to bring a savior into this world. Many throughout the years spoke and declared a child would be born who would take away the sins of the world.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 7:14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Isaiah 12:6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

by Emily Wooten

Zacharias and Elisabeth were faithful in the ministry. Scripture tells us they walked blamelessly. They were doing what they had done for years, as was expected of people who loved and obeyed God. It was an ordinary day in Zacharias’ life, but things were about to change.
As he attended to his duties, an angel appeared to Zacharias. Scripture says that Zacharias was troubled. It was unsettling to him.
Luke 1:13-15 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
Zacharias and Elisabeth were not strangers to the things of God, but this news was beyond anything they had experienced. Standard operating procedure had not been working in Elisabeth’s body. God chose to do a new thing.
Luke 1:18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well stricken in years.
He was looking at their circumstance and judging their reality by the familiar.
John was conceived and born with purpose. His ministry was unique and brief but powerful.
Luke 1:26-28 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
God was doing something miraculous for these two families that would affect the world. If God was planning to do something miraculous in our lives, could we overlook the fears to receive all he has for us? There was only one John the Baptist. But there is only one you. The body of Christ needs to continue to be expecting God to do something miraculous.

by Emily Wooten

It is normal for a person to look for purpose. Without it we roam aimlessly through life without direction. God offers insight into his plan. He invites us to join him in his purpose.
Proverbs 19:20-21 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
Romans 8: 26-28 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
The scriptures provide a picture of the devil pacing back and forth searching for a way to tangle us up.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
God wants to show us how to successfully navigate through this life, his way.
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.
The scripture continues to say, “You chose foolishly, therfore you will have war.’ Peace is better. God’s way is better.
We have the example of the father of our faith, Abraham.
Romans 4:20-21 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. God has a purpose for each of us. Ask God to reveal his plan for you and obey what he shows you.