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8 BODY OF CHRIST NEWSMAY 2015 As we began to approach the end of the 2014 calendar year I like so many other pastors began to seek God about what the year 2015 would repre- sent. Because you and I existed before time Jeremiah 1 times seasons are designed to aide us in fulfilling our assignment here in the earth but we must understand properly discern them. This is why in Luke 1256 Jesus marveled that for all of the spiritual- ity the people claimed to have they couldnt discern the time season they were in. The Apostle Paul even taught the importance of understanding the time season that were in maximiz- ing it in Ephesians 5. Now I am aware that many people thrive on hearing and even sharing doom gloom news and if thats what youre looking for you should stop reading this article nowbut if you are like the many pastors churches that have heard me share what Im about to share with you and have adopted this theme even taught this to their con- gregations you will discern maximize the time that were in and adopt this as the theme of your life for the remaining months in 2015. Read carefully even grab your Bible because for the next few moments youre going to receive a revelation that will ignite expectation concerning every area of your life. Youre probably saying Bishop Foreman what does the year 2015 represent The answer is one word surge. A surge is a sudden powerful forward or upward movement thats what this year has in store for every area of your life. There are 4 keys I shared on New Years Eve that you need in order to surge in 2015 but Ill share 2 with you today encourage you to visit our website at www.harvestcc.me to get the entire series or visit our Aurora Campus Bookstore Cafe to get your copy of the series. I want to use the life of a man named Jacob to briefly show you what a surge looks like. Most people think of Jacob as a trickster a player and even a two timer but that narrative isnt accurate. In Hebrew Jacob means to be a sup- planter which means to supersede not to deceive or trick. In other words Jacob was a surger. In Genesis 25 Isaac pleaded with the Lord concerning his wife Rebekah being barren and God granted his plea. Not only did God open up her womb but she became pregnant with twins. God gave her double for her trouble. Often our ceiling is Gods basement because Hes the God that does exceed- ing and abundantly above all that we ask or think. She asked to be pregnant and God gave her twinsbut some- thing interesting happened during the pregnancy. She went from being bar- ren to having severe complications in her pregnancy so much so that she prayed and asked the Lord If this is You why the struggle Just because its God doesnt mean there wont be a struggle. Just because God granted your plea doesnt mean that there wont be battles to fight. God responds by assuring Rebekah that everything is fine but there are two nations inside her. He says that one will be stronger than the other the older shall serve the younger. Notice He didnt take the struggle away He just explained to her why the struggle was present. Sometimes if God removes the struggle Hed also be removing the strength that youre building from the struggle. You need to know that whatever struggle youre fac- ing its creating strength. Its stretch- ing you causing you to grow and your surge is in your stretch. We know that while children are in the womb they respond to voices external influences so we can presume that when God answered Rebekah the children heard God also which explains why Jacob grabbed the heel of his brother Esau. Jacob heard what had been prophesied by God Himself he was simply grabbing it surging forward. Thats what youre going to have to do this yeargrab what Gods word says surge forward. You are more than a conqueror. You are the head not the tail. You are blessed even if youre being broken Fast forward many years one day during a time of famine Esau comes in from the field when hes weary he makes a permanent decision based on a temporary problem. He sells Jacob the right to receive the blessing that was customarily given to the first born son for what boils down to what we could contemporize to be an order of biscuits gravy Esau didnt value being Isaacs son but Jacob did because Jacob was a surger. Thats why we refer to our God as the God of Abraham Isaac Jacob because Esau didnt value the gift he had being the firstborn son. Esaus deci- sion was so disappointing to our God that Hebrews 12 calls his action pro- fanity. As Jacobs father Isaac is nearing the end of his life he tells Esau to go hunting make him a good meal then he would bestow the blessing upon him. Jacobs mother Rebekah overhears it tells Jacob to deceive Isaac so that he can speak the blessing over him. It was Rebekahs idea not Jacobs. He just did what Rebekah said to do. Esau comes in after preparing the meal to receive the blessing but Isaac says its too late because hed already blessed Jacob but evidently Esau forgot that hed sold it it was now Jacobs. Esau became angry because he lost what he didnt value but Jacob the surger knew the value of the blessing. When God gives you great opportunities dont be ungrateful or treat those opportunities poorly because there may be a Jacob waiting for what youre wasting. Esau hated his brother wanted to kill him so Rebekah tells him to flee to his uncle Laban to be safe and this is where the revelation begins to unfold. In Genesis 29 Jacob asks Laban for his daughter Rachel Laban asks Jacob to set the terms of receiving his promise Rachel. He says that hed work for her for seven years but I have a question Since he set the terms why didnt Jacob say 7 days or even 7 minutes Heres a question for you why have you been setting bad terms for your life through bad confessions about your life Jacob sets the terms then Laban uses them against him you probably know much of the story from this point. Uncle Laban tricks Jacob gives him the older daughter Leah whose name means weary tired in Hebrew. Watch this after seven years of labor Jacob gets weary tired but Jacob was so dedicated committed to receiving what hed worked for that he worked another seven years. Heres the first key to surge in 2015 you must be com- mitted dedicated to the right things. When we determine what we are com- mitted to its a predecision of what were not committed to. When were committed to Jesus its a predecision to not let anyone or anything be first place in our lives. Putting God first just means that you make whats important to Him important to you. Things like attending church serving in church and faithfully giving were important to Jesus so putting Him first is simply making those things important to you. Watch the surge unfold... Jacob didnt know that in Hebrew Labans name means to purify. Meaning theres some stuff that seemed to wear you out but it was just purifying you by killing your pride killing your rebel- lion killing your disobedience show- ing you the real deal about you. Then at the end of fourteen years in the fifteenth year Laban gave Jacob what hed labored for and for somebody in this fifteenth yearLaban is about to pay you what he owes you Why First numbers are impor- tant to God in Biblical numerol- ogy fifteen is the end of two sevenyear cycles and in Deuteronomy 15 the Bible says that at the end of every seven years there would be a release of debt. Fifteen is also when every Laban or situation that seemed to wear you out must pay you back. Both of these are surges. Again I cant stress enough how important you getting this entire series from www.harvestcc.me will be to maximizing the surge that were in. Pastors and churches in our region and around the country have been contacting us with praise reports of how this Word has changed the landscape of their congregations. People that seemed stagnant are surging. People that were struggling are surging. People that were suffering are surging. Its time for your praise report to be the next praise report This brings us to the second and final key that Ill share today for you to surge in 2015. In Genesis 31 Laban pursued Jacob and intended to do Jacob harm but God spoke to Laban and warned him against coming against Jacob the surger in any way. After Laban gave Rachel to Jacob he remained with Laban an additional six years was consistent in doing the right things and to surge in 2015 your consistency is required. Consistency in doing the right things even after doing the right thing begins to work for you. Yes you read that correctly even after they work. One of the most baffling realities about our human nature is that we sometimes stop doing what works even after we see it work. You were loosing weight and then you stopped eating right Your faithful giving was working for you but you stopped Your prayer was changing things but you stopped Consistency to the right things is cru- cial to surging. Less than nine years ago we plant- ed Harvest to be a lifegiving non denominational church in a place often called the church planters graveyard from scratch and today God is caus- ing us to surge. The Rocky Mountain Continued on Page 16 Its Time to Surge SERMON Bishop Foreman By Bishop Foreman