John Newberry » have you been shot by John?

I recently got to preach at a women’s state jail in Texas. It was recorded for tv. After I got home, I edited it and sent it off to tv stations. I had a few requests for some of the content within the sermon and I want to share it.

The sermon is very simple but can hit on some deep aspects in our life. I simply talked about how we as people are not able to live a fulfilled life without Jesus. We were born capable, but with Jesus, we are able. What do I mean by capable? We are capable to choose what we want to do in our life. We can only succeed so much on our own power. With Jesus in our life helping us out, He has made us able to do far more. Because God is able, he’s made us able. For example.

1. Through our FAILURE, He is able.

Romans 5:20-21 (The Message) All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.

We are going to fail and God’s “aggressive forgiveness we call grace” covers it up and never uncovers it again. We might uncover, but God never will. God has made us able to not fail.

1. Through our FEELINGS, He is able.

1 John 5:13 does not say, “I write this to you who believe in the Son of God so that you may feel you have eternal life.” He says, “…so that you may KNOW.”

I know for me, I have lots of “feelings.” Feelings of not being loved, feelings of lonliness, rejection, feelings of being UNABLE. I’ve realized that when I KNOW that Jesus’ presence is right there, I don’t FEEL, I KNOW. I don’t feel like I’m not loved. I don’t feel like I’m lonely. I don’t feel like I’m being rejected. I don’t feel like I’m unable. Because I know, I’m able.

1. Through our DOUBTS, He is able

Mark 4

35-38Late that day he said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?”

39-40Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?”

41They were in absolute awe, staggered. “Who is this, anyway?” they asked. “Wind and sea at his beck and call!”

I’ve had many doubts in my life. I doubt people. I doubt myself. I have even doubted certain aspects of God. I find myself being just like Jesus’ disciples. Knowing that we both have Jesus right there(the disciples had him on the same boat, I’ve got him in my heart), we both have doubted that Jesus is there to help us get through storms in our life. What’s even more sad is that I find myself calling on Jesus only when I feel like the storm is about to take me away, WHEN I’M ABOUT TO DROWN.

So God gave me the BOAT THEORY:

Imagine this is your own mind. Picture yourself on a boat. Picture yourself in the boat on a body of water in the middle of a storm.
Take a mental picture of the storm. Remember every detail around you. Remember what it looks like.
What kind of boat are you in?
How big is your boat?
A yatch? A sailboat? A rowboat?
What is your boat made of? Wood? Metal?
Is it daytime or nighttime?
What are the waves like?
Are they coming over the boat? Are they tossing you all over the place?
Can you see a shore?
Is anyone besides you on your boat?
Is Jesus on your boat?

I have to be honest, Jesus is not on my boat during my storms.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble or in time of need.

Through my doubts, God is able.

Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

In conclusion, I wanted to share this with you. My wife has had this and made this a part of her life. I’m so blessed to have a wife that was able to share this with me. Copy this text and put it everywhere. I promise, it will give you strength, courage, hope, and will help you not to be fearful.

PERSONAL CONFESSIONS

JESUS IS LORD OVER MY SPIRIT, MY SOUL, AND MY BODY.

(ACTS 10:36; I CORINTHIANS 12:3; PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11)

JESUS HAS BEEN MADE UNTO ME WISDOM, RIGHTEOUSNESS, SANCTIFICATION, AND REDEMPTION.

I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME. (I CORINTHIANS 1:30; PHILIPPIANS 4:13)

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.  I DO NOT NEED ANYTHING.  MY GOD SUPPLIES ALL MY NEEDS

ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES AND GLORY IN CHRIST JESUS.  (PSALM 23:1;PHILIPPIANS 4:19)

I DO NOT FRET OR HAVE ANXIETY ABOUT ANYTHING.  I DO NOT HAVE A CARE. (PHIL 4:6; I PET 5:6-7)

I AM THE BODY OF CHRIST.  I AM REDEEMED FROM THE CURSE FOR JESUS BORE MY SICKNESSES AND MY DISEASES IN HIS OWN BODY.  BY HIS STRIPES I AM HEALED.  I FORBID ANY SICKNESS OR DISEASE TO OPERATE IN MY BODY.  EVERY ORGAN, EVERY TISSUE OF MY BODY FUNCTIONS IN THE PERFECTION IN WHICH GOD CREATED IT TO FUNCTION.  I HONOR GOD AND BRING GLORY TO HIM IN MY BODY.

(I COR 12:27; GAL 3:13; I PET 2:24; PSALM 118:17; II COR 5:7; HEB 11:3; ROM 4:7; MT 8:17; I COR 6:20)

I HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST AND HOLD THE THOUGHTS, FEELINGS AND PURPOSES OF HIS HEART.

(I CORINTHIANS 2:16; ROMANS 15:6)

I AM A BELIEVER AND NOT A DOUBTER.  I HOLD FAST TO MY CONFESSION OF FAITH.  I DECIDE TO WALK BY FAITH AND PRACTICE FAITH.  MY FAITH COMES BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.  JESUS IS THE AUTHOR AND DEVELOPER OF MY FAITH. (HEBREWS 4:14; HEB 11:6; ROM 10:17; HEB 12:2)

THE LOVE OF GOD HAS BEEN SHED ABROAD IN MY HEART BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND HIS LOVE ABIDES IN ME RICHLY.  I KEEP MYSELF IN THE KINGDOM OF LIGHT, AND LOVE,

AND THE WICKED ONE TOUCHES ME NOT. (ROMANS 5:5; I JOHN 4:16; I JOHN 5:18)

I TREAD UPON SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS AND OVER ALL THE POWERS OF THE ENEMY.  I TAKE MY SHIELD OF FAITH AND QUENCH HIS EVERY FIREY DART.

GREATER IS HE WHO IS IN ME THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD. (PSALM 91:13; EPH 6:16; I JOHN 4:4)

I AM DELIVERED FROM THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD.  I AM SEATED WITH CHRIST IN HEAVENLY PLACES.  I RESIDE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD’S DEAR SON.  THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HAS MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH. (GAL 1:4; EPH 2:6; COLOSSIANS 1:13; ROM 8:2)

I FEAR NOT FOR GOD HAS GIVEN ME A SPIRIT OF POWER, OF LOVE, AND OF A SOUND MIND.

GOD IS ON MY SIDE. (II TIMOTHY 1:7; ROMANS 8:31)

I HEAR THE VOICE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD.  I HEAR MY FATHER’S VOICE, AND THE VOICE OF A STRANGER I WILL NOT FOLLOW.  I ROLL MY WORKS UPON THE LORD.  I COMMIT AND TRUST THEM WHOLLY TO HIM.  HE WILL CAUSE MY THOUGHTS TO BECOME AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL,

AND SO SHALL MY PLANS BE ESTABLISHED AND SUCCEED.  (JOHN 10:27; PROVERBS 16:3)

I AM A WORLD-OVERCOMER BECAUSE I AM BORN OF GOD.  I REPRESENT THE FATHER AND JESUS WELL.  I AM A USEFUL MEMBER IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.  I AM HIS WORKMANSHIP RECREATED IN CHRIST JESUS.  MY FATHER GOD IS ALL THE WHILE AFFECTIONATELY AT WORK IN ME

BOTH TO DO HIS WILL AND TO DO HIS GOOD PLEASURE. (I JOHN 5:4-5; EPHESIANS 2:10; PHILIPPIANS 2:13)

I LET THE WORD DWELL IN ME RICHLY.  HE WHO BEGAN A GOOD WORK IN ME

WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE DAY OF CHRIST. (COLOSSIANS 3:16; PHILIPPIANS 1:16)

Pro-2011-12 from Pro-Claim on Vimeo.

John Newberry speaks to the ladies at the Plane State Jail.

These guys!  Wait for it to load all the way.

Hope you enjoy this maternity shoot of 5 pregnant women. Danica, Trina, Hannah, Kesa, and Melissa. This photo takes just a little bit to load.