Consumed Conference Part 2

Why Not?
Consumed. Saturday Morning
Mark Venti


- God wants us to "daydream" about what will be not what could be.

- We say "Wouldn't that be cool." and God says "Why not?"
                          *Our "Knee Jerk Reaction" to dreams as humans is to think that would be cool not that could be cool.

Mark 1:40-42
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”  Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 
- God loves to give to and bless His children!
                          *When you're doing God's will and are on you're knees begging that He will bless it and it will all work out, He whispers that He cares even more about this than you do. He is willing!

- God's will is bigger than yours.
                          *When you run out of will power and get tired and sloppy, God's will keeps going.

Mathew 9: 1-7
Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.” But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?” Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?  So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up and went home! 

- "When He saw their faith..."
                          *The paralytic had good, faithful friends who carried him when he couldn't go any further on his own.
                          *We see the same thing in John 21 when Peter encourages his friends, some of the other disciples, even through his own trials.
                          *Your "atmosphere is important!" Your friends, music, stuff, etc.

Hebrews 3: 12 - 14
See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.