But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:9–10,14 ESV

• The Unbeliever unable to see the good things God has prepared for them so they pursue the things they personally desire, taking whatever they can poses or comes their way.

• The Believer experiences revelation from the Holy Spirit of the good things God has prepared for them, so that they can pursue them with confidence.

  • Spirit reveals in the LOGOS Word

  • Spirit reveals in the RHEMA Word

  • Spirit reveals in prophecy, dream, visions, etc.

  • Spirit reveals in through experiences that trigger desires of your heart

  • Spirit reveals through spiritual leaders

The believers ongoing connection with the Holy Spirit is critical! - If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25, ESV

OUR 19/20 VISION

1. Presence Filled Gatherings (gatherings, students, FPU, etc.)

• Our presence paves the way for His Presence

• Presence brings distinction - And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” Exodus 33:15–16, ESV

• Intention brings His Presence: worship, prayer, words, unity

• Presence opens the door: salvation, healing, faith, breakthrough, strength, signs, wonders, and more of the same!

2. Connected Relationships

• And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:42–47, ESV

3. Strategic Leadership Development

• Moses and the Israelites – The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.” So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country. Exodus 18:13–27, ESV

• Jesus first steps, building leaders - While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18–20, ESV

• Paul’s first steps, appoint qualified leaders - This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— Titus 1:5, ESV

• our personality is distinct – we will lean into our C3 flavor

4. Permanent Facilities

• New Testament disciples used borrowed facilities - And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19:8–10, ESV

• property is an asset, a tool to be leveraged

• our 12 acres - $700K owed on $2.5 million property; new facility costs - 3.5 million dollars

• likely in-between place or places

• facilities are in our future

• facilities fund - $50,000 + $150,000 = $200K

• sense of permanent facilities – searching, dialogue

5. BEYOND Projects

• “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14–16, ESV

• we give 10% of all non-designated income (historically 15%)

• $25,000 given outside our four walls to date

• NE PDX Project; Fall project; April 2010 – building project in Oaxaca Mexico

6. Presence Conference and NW C3 Presence

• When God does something magnificent, there’s a wisdom to travel to see it - Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her. And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.” 1 Kings 10:1–9, ESV

• Presence Conference - attend! There is a clear view of the thing we are doing here, its seen there, there is information, and then there is impartation, there is an alignment that takes place.

• God is calling us to do here what has happened in other places

And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. Habakkuk 2:2, ESV

Since December 2, 2018 when we became C3 Church SWWA

• 50+ volunteers every Sunday

• 200+ first time visitors

• 50+ children in our C3Kids program every week

• 30+ students at MyCity Youth every week

• $25,000 given to outreach

• 40+ said YES to Following Jesus and received a Following Jesus book

• 24 water baptisms

• Healings, healings, healings!!!

• 10 salvations in the last two weeks

• last week, 1 acre property sale - $165,000 under contract

• Current VISION OFFERING approximately $70,000

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. Genesis 12:1, ESV

• vision is the process of discovering the promise God already sees.

For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. Romans 4:13

• faith is the act of moving forward with HIM toward the promise that you have seen but doesn’t yet exist.

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Romans 4:13, 19–21, ESV

Heaven See’s Our Future And Destiny In Advance

• No longer shall your name be called Abram (exalted father), but your name shall be Abraham (the father of nations), for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. Genesis 17:5–6, ESV

• The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. Genesis 21:1–3, ESV

You struggle to see but Heaven does not!

The Unbeliever’s Future: whatever is won or whatever happens

The Believer’s Future: prepared by the Lord, discovered while following Him both naturally and supernaturally

6 Things The In Our C3 Future

1. Presence Filled Services

2. Strategic Leadership Development

3. Connected Relationships

4. Permanent Facilities

5. BEYOND Projects

6. Presence Conference and NW C3 Presence

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 2 Corinthians 2:14–16, ESV

The different seasons of Jesus’ life:

• conception & birth

• visit of Magi and the vision to flee

• brief childhood snapshot

• launch of his ministry at a wedding

• temptation

• mass ministry while gathering & training team

• mass ministry while sending out team

• mass ministry while preparing team for the future

• crucifixion

• resurrection & ascension

• return

Each season required a transition to move into the next. Each season of your life will require the same.

The fragrance of your next season is determined in your transition. Aligning with Heaven aromatizes your future!

• Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. John 12:3–7, ESV

• In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” Matthew 26:12–13, ESV

• While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” Luke 22:47–53, ESV

Your fragrance matters. It arrives before you do and remains after your gone. It invites more of the same.

• But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 2 Corinthians 2:14–16, ESV

KEEP SMELLING GOOD (smells never improve on their own!)

1. remain connected to Heaven

2. focused on the Author & His narrative

• Jesus knew this transition was coming - the Lamb who was slain. Revelation 13:8, ESV some are seen afar off (graduation), others are unexpected (fired)

3. ignore the noise

• ignore the jolt:

• there will be all sorts of distractions

• distractions are hell’s attempt to stink up your world

• Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1–2, NIV

4. hate foul smells, not foul smelling people

5. bless: do not curse!

• the most important aspect of the transition are your words

• Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverbs 18:21, ESV

• So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. James 3:5–12, ESV

6. keep spraying Heaven’s scent

• Jesus let Judas kiss him

• Jesus told the disciples to stop fighting

• Jesus healed a man injured

• later Jesus remained silent

Deuteronomy 1:6-8 (NIV) 6 The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the moun-tains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. 8 See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Ja-cob—and to their descendants after them.”

It’s time to advance! To break camp and advance!

And here we find them camping…. What’s got you camping today?

• addiction

• failure

• pain / loss

• success / comfortability

• comfort

It’s God’s desire that we break camp today and advance!

One of the biggest misconceptions about advancing is as-suming that you’re waiting for the perfect conditions. Or assuming that those around you that are crushing it are doing so because it’s easy. You ever think, “man, everything always go good for them” or “if I had that, then I’d be advancing too.”

We preach a theology of ease in our culture and too of-ten in our pulpits. But, the reality is that most if not “all” of our advance-ment will come via adversity. God tells the Israelites to advance! Well, what were they about to advance into? Giants, Jericho and other adversity that they’d have to face. Our personal lives and the kingdom of God will not advance by ease but in adversity.

ADVANCE IN ADVERSITY

1. Embrace Adversity As a Gift

See Adversity as a gift not a punishment. The test/struggle produces something in you.

Romans 5:3-5 (NIV) 3 Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perse-verance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

We live in a “if I don’t like it then I don’t have to” culture.

2. Don’t Quit!

We’re Quitting Too Soon

• relationships

• community/church

• job

• dreams

Stop looking for Do-overs and just continue. Don’t need a do-over, you just need to not quit. Advancement requires perseverance. Your pain threshold will determine your ability to advance! If your pain threshold is low, so will your impact be.

What’s the biggest key to being ready and strong enough to continue and advance in adversity?

3. Stay Close To Jesus

Look for peace/Jesus in the storm, stop trying to avoid the storm.

John 16:33 (NIV) 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Where’s the strength? in Him!

Psalm 23:1-6 (NIV) 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will fol-low me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

As We Gather

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” Psalm 122:1, ESV

Some have reduced the gathering of the church to be a spiritual duty, others an accessory to the Christian life, others an opportunity to refuel to survive another day, and others an option to be selected as need. But we see it as so, so, so much more. We believe that Heaven sees it much differently, and as we do also, our gatherings will take on greater impact in our lives and those who enter the room where we meet with Him!

God’s agenda has always been to meet with his people!!!

• the garden - And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8, ESV

• the Tent of Meeting - Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. Exodus 33:7–11, ESV

• the Tabernacle - Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. Exodus 40:34–38, ESV

• the Temple - And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 1 Kings 8:10–11, ESV

• our Temple, as we gather together with Him!

  • And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16–17, ESV

  • When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1–4, ESV

As We Gather TOGETHER WITH Him:

• LIFE IS PRESENT

• Salvation Comes

• Miracles Happen

• The Word Has Power

• We Lean Into Mission

Mankind is born on this earth, blind. It’s not physical blindness. It is spiritual blindness: But God is the great revealer of hidden things. He gives VISION to see what actually is:

• Matthew 13:44, ESV  “The kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

2 Corinthians 1:19–20, NLT For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says. For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

One of the most effective tactics of every demon in hell is to suggest and insist that God is the one to blame every time the Devil steals, kills, or destroys. This tactic further characterizes him to be against us and ultimately, the God of NO. 

• 2 Corinthians 4:4, ESV  In their case the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

GOD wants to show you what Heaven already sees – HE is the GOD of YES!

1.    God’s Says YES to Everyone & Jesus Is the Proof 

• John 3:16–18, ESV  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

• Luke 4:19, ESV  “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

• Matthew 11:28, ESV  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

• John 12:32, ESV  “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

• 2 Peter 3:9, ESV  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

2.    Seeing His YES Invites Our YES

• Mark 2:14, ESV  And as he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

3.    Our YES Puts the Rest of Heaven’s YESES Within Reach

• 2 Corinthians 1:20–22, The Message  Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.