May 1 2016 Your Loneliness And God's Presence

YOUR LONELINESS AND GOD’S PRESENCE

Genesis 2:18 – God said, it isn’t good for man to be alone.

Psalm 139:7 – Where can I go from Your presence?

FIVE CAUSES OF LONELINESS

1.  Disappointment.

Psalm 17:13 - Rise up, O Lord, confront them, bring them down, rescue me from the wicked by your sword.

2.  Mechanical world.

2 Timothy 4:9 – Do your best to come to me quickly.

3.  Commercial world.

Ecclesiastes 6:10 - Whoever loves money never has enough, whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with     his income. This too is meaningless.

4.  Busy world.

Ecclesiastes 4:8 - There was a man all alone.  There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.

5.  Artificial world.

Ecclesiastes 6:17 - All his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.

SIX WAYS TO EXPERIENCE GOD’S PRESENCE

Isaiah 41:6 – Don’t worry because I am with you. Don’t be afraid because I am your God.  I will make you strong and help you. I will support you.

1. Receive Christ into your life.

Galatians 2:20 - I will come in to you and will fellowship with you.

Galatians 2: 20 – Christ liveth in me.

Psalm 26-14 – The one thing I seek most of all is the privilege of living in His presence every day of my life.

2. Walk with God in obedience.

John 15:5 - Apart from me, you can do nothing.

1 Corinthians 2:9 - Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.

James 1:22 - Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.

3.  Fellowship with other Christians.

Hebrews 10:25 – Let us not give up meeting together, but let us encourage one another.

Proverbs 27:9 - Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart and the pleasantness of one’s friends springs from His earnest counsel.

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10- But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.

4.  Wait for God’s guidance.

Psalm 106:13 - But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.

John 11:12 - I still have many things to say to you but You cannot bear them now.

Isaiah 28:16 - He that believeth shall not make haste.

5.  Accept God’s will.

Noah

Abraham

The blessing does not come in discovering God’s will but in the doing of God’s will.

Ephesians 6:6 - Do God’s will from the heart.

6.  Recognize God’s presence.

Psalm 116:8 – The Lord stopped my tears and He kept me from defeat so I walk in the presence of the Lord. I kept on believing even when I felt completely crushed.

John 14:18 - I will not leave you as orphans.

Psalm 139 - Where can I get away from your presence?  If I go up to Heaven you are there. Anywhere on earth you are there. I can’t get away from you.

Psalm 26:14 – Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence Him.

December 6 2015 Recovering The Hope Of Christmas

RECOVERING THE HOPE OF CHRISTMAS

Isaiah 9:6 - To us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders.  And He will be called Wonderful Counselor.

FIVE CAUSES OF HOPELESSNESS

1. Disappointment.

Psalm 17:13 - Rise up, O Lord, confront them, bring them down, rescue me from the wicked by your sword.

2. Our mechanical world.

Genesis 2:18 - It is not good for man to be alone, then the Lord God made a woman.

3. The commercial world.

Ecclesiastes 6:10 - Whoever loves money never has enough, whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his     income.  This too is meaningless.

4. The busy world.

Ecclesiastes 4:8 - There was a man all alone. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.

5. Our artificial world.

Ecclesiastes 6:17 - All his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.

SIX WAYS TO RECOVER HOPE

1. Receive Christ into your heart and life.

Galatians 2:20 - I will come in to you and will fellowship with you.

2. Walk with God in obedience.

John 15:5 - Apart from me, you can do nothing.

1 Corinthians 2:9 - Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.

James 1:22 - Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.

3. Fellowship with other Christians.

Isaiah 9:6 - To us a child is born, to us a Son is given.

Proverbs 27:9 - Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart and the pleasantness of one’s friends springs from His earnest counsel.

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10- But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.

John 11:12 - I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

Isaiah 28:16 - He that believeth shall not make haste.

4.  Wait on God for guidance.

Psalm 106:13 - But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.

John 11:12 - I still have many things to say to you but You cannot bear them now.

Isaiah 28:16 - He that believeth shall not make haste.

5.  Accept God’s Will.

Noah

Abraham

The blessing does not come in discovering God’s Will. but in the doing of God’s Will.

Ephesians 6:6 - Do God’s will from the heart.

6.  Recognize God’s presence.

Isaiah 9:6 - A Child is born. A Son is given.

John 14:18 - I will not leave you as orphans.

Psalm 139 - Where can I get away from your presence?  If I go up to Heaven you are there.  Anywhere on earth you are there.  I can’t get away from you.

November 2 2014 Conquering Loneliness

Conquering Loneliness

Genesis 2:18 – It is not good for man to be alone.

2 Timothy 4:6-21

The Final Days Of Paul’s Life

I. FOUR CAUSES OF LONELINESS

1. The transitions of life. (Vs. 6-8)
…..the time has come for my departure.

2. Separation. (Vs. 9, 21)
Do your best to come to me quickly, do your best to get here before winter.

3. Opposition. (Vs. 14)
(He) did me a great deal of harm, he strongly opposed our message.

4. Rejection. (Vs. 16, 10)
….no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. Demas has deserted me.

II. HOW TO COPE WITH LONELINESS

1. UTILIZE my time. Vs. 12)
…bring my coat, and bring my books.

2. MINIMIZE my hurt. (Vs. 16)
…everyone has deserted me. May it not be held against them.

3. RECOGNIZE God’s presence. (Vs. 17a)
But the Lord stood by my side and gave me strength.

4. EMPHASIZE other’s needs. (Vs. 17b)
….so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.

September 21 2014 Experiencing God's Power In Your Life

Experiencing God's Power in Your Life

Jeremiah 32:17 – Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

God’s Omnipotence: God is almighty.

Luke 18:27 – The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

The Evidence Of God’s Power

Psalm 19:1-2 – The heavens are telling the glory of God, they are a marvelous display of his craftsmanship. Day and night they keep on telling about God.

Genesis 1-2 – And God said…And there was.

Jesus displayed God’s power

• over nature (Mark 4:36-41; Matthew 21:17; John 2:7)
• over illness (Luke 5:27)
• over death (Luke 7:11-15)
• over satan (Luke 8:27-39)

God’s Power In My Life

Ephesians 1:20 – I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great His power is to help those who believe Him, the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead.

Power Shortage #1: The power to get started.

Romans 7:18 – I often find that I have the will to do good, but not the power.

Romans 7:18 (LB) – No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right.

Romans 7:18 – (KJV) – How to perform that which is good, I find not.

Good News: God can give me the power to do His will.

Philippians 2:13 – For God is at work within you, giving you the will, and the power, to achieve His purpose.

Power Shortage #2 The power to keep going.

Psalm 6:2-3 – I am worn out, O Lord, give me strength, I am completely exhausted, and my whole being is deeply troubled.

Ecclesiastes 2:11 – (Solomon) I looked on everything I had tried, and it was all so useless, a chasing of the wind, and there was really nothing worthwhile anywhere.

Good News: God can give me the power to persist.

Isaiah 40:28-31 – The Lord is the everlasting God, He never grows tired or weary, He strengthens those who are weak and tired. Those who trust the Lord for help will find their strength renewed.

How To Appropriate God’s Power

Admit your lack of power.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 –(Paul) God said to me where there is weakness, my power is shown more completely. Therefore, I have cheerfully made up my mind to be proud of my weaknesses, because they mean a deeper experience of Christ’s power, for my very weakness makes me strong in Him.

Believe in faith.

Mark 9:23 – Everything is possible for him who believes.

Matthew 9:29 – According to your faith it will be done to you.

Speak in faith.

2 Corinthians 4:13 – With that same spirit of faith, we also speak because we believe.

Act in faith.

Joshua 3:13-27 – When the priests put their feet in the water, the Jordan River will stop flowing.

August 24 2014 Life Circumstance - The Church's Challenge

Life Circumstance: The Church's Challenge

Genesis 2:22 - “As long as the earth remains, there will be springtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night.”

Ecclesiates 3:1 - “There is a right time for everything on earth.”

FIVE FACTS ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE

1. They are beyond our control.

Daniel 2:21 - “World events are under His control. He removes kings and sets others on their thrones...”

2. They are often confusing.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 - “God does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what he is doing.”

3. God has a purpose for each circumstance.

Romans 8:28 - “We know that all that happens to us is working for our good IF we love God and are fitting into his plans.”

4. The circumstances include both good & bad times.

Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 - “There is a time to: be born/die, laugh/cry, find/lose, love/hate, plan/uproot, dance/grieve, keep/throw away, peace/war, heal/kill, gather/scatter, repair/tear, build/tear down, hug/not hug, speak up/be quiet.”

5. What I sow in one circumstance, I’ll reap in another.

Galatians 6:9 - “So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued in doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up or quit.”

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF EACH CIRCUMSTANCE

THREE QUESTIONS

1. What can I learn from this Circumstance of life?

Deuteronomy 11:2 –“ Remember what you have learned about the Lord through your experiences.”

Two Facts:

• If you flunk a test, you take it again.
• When you think you’ve learned everything, here comes another class.

2 Corinthians 1:9 – “This happened that we might learn to trust not in ourselves but in God.”

2. What’s most important in our circumstance of life?

• We need to enjoy life now.

Ecclesiastes 11:8 – “People ought to enjoy everyday of their lives.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “Give thanks in all circumstances that is God’s will for you.”

• Life is short.

James 4:14 –“How do you know what will happen tomorrow? What after all is your life? It is like a puff of smoke, visible for a little while and then disappearing into thin air.”

• You can’t have it all.

Ecclesians 3:1 - “There is a right time for everything on earth.”

Ephesians 5:18 – “Live life with a due sense of responsibility, not as those who do not know the meaning and purpose of life, but as those who do. Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties these days.”

Philippians 4:11 – “I have learned to be content in any situation.”

3. How can I help others in this circumstance of life?

Ephesians 2:10 – “Your were created for a life of good works.”

Proverbs 3:27 – “Whenever you are able, do good to people who need help.”

Ecclesiates 11:4 –“If you wait for perfect conditions you’ll never get anything done.”