Sermons: Recent Episodes
Pastor Carl Toti
RESOURCE—FULNESS | Making the most of God’s BlessingsProverbs 1:2-4Pastor Carl TotiAugust 20-21, 2022 MAIN IDEA | How do you make the most of God’s provision andblessing in your life? It’s not about your resources but yourresourcefulness that counts. Proverbs 1:2-4 (TEV)2 Here are proverbs that will help you recognize wisdom andgood advice and understand sayings with deep meaning. 3 Theycan teach you how to live intelligently and how to be honest, just,and fair. 4 They can make an inexperienced person clever andteach young people how to be resourceful.RESOURCEFULNESS Resourceful: the ability to find quick and clever ways to overcomedifficulties. 1. See Opportunity in Adversity Ephesians 5:16 (NLT2) 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 2. Little Becomes Much When God is In It Psalm 37:16 (NKJV) 16 A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches ofmany wicked. John 6:12 (ESV) 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples,“Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 3. Think Imaginatively Isaiah 54:2 (MSG) 2 “Clear lots of ground for your tents! Make your tents large.Spread out! Think big! Use plenty of rope, drive the tent pegsdeep.” Judges 5:24-26 (NLT) 24 Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber theKenite. May she be blessed above all women who live in tents. 25Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk. In a bowl fit fornobles, she brought him yogurt. 26 Then with her left hand shereached for a tent peg, and with her right hand for the workman’shammer. She struck Sisera with the hammer, crushing his head.With a shattering blow, she pierced his temples. 4. Keep it Simple Psalm 116:6 (AMP) 6 The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and Hehelped and saved me. “In critical and baffling situations, it is always best to recur to firstprinciples and simple action.” — Winston Churchill
Did God Say That?Isaiah 43:1-7Pastor Carl TotiJuly 30-31, 2022 Isaiah 43:1–7 (NIV)1 But now, this is what the LORD says— he whocreated you, O Jacob, he who formed you, OIsrael: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; Ihave summoned you by name; you are mine. 2When you pass through the waters, I will bewith you; and when you pass through the rivers,they will not sweep over you. When you walkthrough the fire, you will not be burned; theflames will not set you ablaze. 3 For I am theLORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, yourSavior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush andSeba in your stead. 4 Since you are preciousand honored in my sight, and because I loveyou, I will give men in exchange for you, andpeople in exchange for your life. 5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring yourchildren from the east and gather you from thewest. 6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bringmy sons from afar and my daughters from theends of the earth— 7 everyone who is called bymy name, whom I created for my glory, whom Iformed and made.” 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No testing has overtakenyou that is not common to everyone. God isfaithful, and he will not let you be tested beyondyour strength, but with the testing he will alsoprovide the way out so that you may be able toendure it.” 1.) REASSURING2.) REDEEMING 3.) REMEMBERING
Sight Without Vision 2 Kings 6:14-17Pastor Carl TotiJune 25-26, 20222 Kings 6:14–17 (NLT)14 So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses tosurround the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morningand went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, whatwill we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. 16 “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him.“For there are more on our side than on theirs!” 17 Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, openhis eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when helooked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots offire.MAIN IDEA: Having sight doesn’t guarantee you have vision.2 Kings 6:16–17 (NLT)16 “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” 17Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened theyoung man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha wasfilled with horses and chariots of fire. OUR FEARS REIGN WHEN WE DON’T SEE THE UNSEEN. See the invisible!Hebrews 11:27b (GW)“...Moses didn’t give up but continued as if he could actually see the invisible God.”ELISHA’S SERVANT SAW “BY FACTS” BUT NOT “BY FAITH.”PARALYZED BY THE FEARFUL FACTS INSTEAD OF TRUSTING IN A FAITHFUL GOD! 4SIGHT 1. ________ Gives the Power to See 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV)7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.Jesus said, “...without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).What is faith?Heb. 11:1“It is, the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen;”2. Spiritual _________ is Universal 2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLT)4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe.They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand thismessage about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. We are born blind-John 9:2 (NIV) 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was bornWe live in a world within a world. “We are not physical beings having a spiritual experiencewe are spiritual beings having a physical experience.” -Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, French Philosopher3. Sight Must Be _____________Mark 8:18 (NKJV)18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you notremember?Psalm 119:18 (NCV)18 Open my eyes to see the miracles in your teachings.4. Sight Comes Through the _____________ of Prayer2 Kings 6:17“Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the youngman’s eyes...”Ephesians 1:18 (NKJV)18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope ofHis calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,Proverbs 29:18 (NKJV)18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps thelaw.ANSWERS:1. FAITH2. BLINDNESS3. PRIORITIZED4. POWER
Heal Yourself Luke 4:23Pastor Carl TotiMay 28-29, 2022Luke 4:23 (ESV) 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘ “Physician, healyourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown aswell.’ ”Spiritual Healing: According to the Oxford Bible Dic. States: “The expression,occasionally used as a synonym of psychotherapy, is properly confined to the attempt toheal the whole personality by prayer and sacramental means, sometimes combinedwith religious suggestion. Among the methods in general use are *Unction and thelaying on of hands. Most of those who practice such methods believe that the patientshould at the same time make full use of medical skill...”-F. L. Cross and Elizabeth A. Livingstone, eds., The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), 1542. Luke 4:23 (ESV)“...Physician, heal yourself.”Three Words of Healing-Spirit (spiritual healing)-Soul (mental healing)-Body (physical healing)Three Cycles of Healing-You have been healed. (1Peter 2:24)-You need to be healed. (James 5:14)-You are being healed. (Hebrews 11:1)Why Healing is RequiredHealing isn’t confined to simply physical healing. This is important because we all havea birth-wound.Psalm 51:5 (GW)5 Indeed, I was born guilty. I was a sinner when my mother conceived me. Heal Yourself 1. __________ Time TravelPhilippians 3:13 (NLT)13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing:Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,Matthew 6:34 (NASB)34 “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each dayhas enough trouble of its own. You forget when you accept!2. __________ The Accuser’s VoiceJohn 10:4–5 (NET)4 When he has brought all his own sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheepfollow him because they recognize his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger, but willrun away from him, because they do not recognize the stranger’s voice.”3. _________ For PraiseHebrews 13:15 (ESV)15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, thefruit of lips that acknowledge his name.“Be grateful for what you do have, and you will find that it increases.” Joyfulness and gratitude are closely linked. James 5:14–16 (NKJV)14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let thempray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faithwill save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he willbe forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, thatyou may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ANSWERS:1. STOP2. SILENCE3. PAUSE