September 27 2015 The Prayer Of Connection

THE PRAYER OF CONNECTION

Matthew 6:9 – Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

WHAT KIND OF FATHER IS GOD?

1. God is a caring God.

Psalm 104:13 – As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who honor Him.

1 Peter 5:7 – Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you!

Psalm 35:37 – The Lord delights in the being of His servants.

2. God is a consistent God.

James 1:17 – Every good and perfect gift is from the Father who does not change like shifting shadows.

2 Timothy 2:13 – Even if we are faithless, He remains faithful for He cannot disown Himself.

Psalm 18:20 – What a God He is!  All His promises prove true!

3. God is a close God.

Acts 17:27 – God did this so people would reach out for Him and find Him, since He is not far from each of us.

GOD:

• Is never too busy for you.

Psalm 145:18 – The Lord is near to all who call on Him.

• Loves to meet your needs.

Matthew 7:11 – If you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!

• Is sympathetic to my hurts.

Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

4. God is a capable God.

Luke 1:37 – For nothing is impossible with God.

Ephesians 3:20 – God is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes!

Galatians 3:26 – We are children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:19 – My God shall supply all your needs.

July 19 2015 The Person God Uses

The Person God Uses

2 Chronicles 7:14

THE PROCESS OF RENEWAL

Christians pray, God cares
Christians repent, God shows us ourselves
Christians minister, God empowers and equips

THE PERSON GOD USES

1. That person has one great purpose.

Philippians 3:7-14

To “know God” there must be:

Evaluation How well do I know God?

Exchange What must I do to know Him better?

Trade off What price will I pay to know Him better?

2. That person has, by God’s grace, removed every known hindrance.  Hebrews 12:1-2

Observations:

1. We can have victory over all sin.

2. If God’s Word says lay it aside, it can be done.

God didn’t say these things to frustrate us, but help us by God’s Grace.

“Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of your body over your mind, that thing for us is sin.” (Susanna Wesley)

3. That person has placed themselves at God’s disposal.

Romans 12:1-2

Observations:

1. For those who have been saved.

2. Sign my name to a blank sheet of paper.

3. Give Him control of your life.

4. That person who has learned to prevail in prayer.

James 5:13-18

Observations:
1. Things beyond my control.

2. Things that are bigger than myself.

3. Things that seem impossible.

5. That person is a student of the Word.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

6. That person has a giving Spirit.

John 3:16

7. That person expects results.

Romans 4:16-21

8. That person lives under the anointing of God the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18-20

“The renewal we need is simply a return to normal New Testament Christianity, where the Churches are full of prayer, full of power, full of people, full of praise full of divine happenings all the time.  We want something normal, not just ‘special.’  God’s normal, that is.  God’s normal is greater than most of our specials put together. (Dr. Armin Desswein)

January 18, 2015 Becoming an Authentic Christian

Becoming an authentic Christian

James 2:19 – You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder.

James 2:26 – Faith without works is dead.

FOUR TESTS OF AN AUTHENTIC CHRISTIAN

1. The test of a major change.

Verse 8 – By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went even though he did not know where he was going.

Lesson Number One – An authentic Christian will follow God's leading without knowing where.

2. The test of a delayed promise.

Verse 9 – By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country, he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

Lesson Number Two – An authentic Christian will wait for God's timing.

3. The test of an impossible problem.

Verses 11 & 12 – By faith, Abraham, even though he was past age, and Sarah herself was barren, was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise and so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Genesis 18:10, 12, 14 – The  Lord said, I will     surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son, so Sarah laughed to herself, then the Lord said, is anything too hard for the Lord?

Lesson Number Three – An authentic Christian will expect a miracle without knowing how.

4. The test of why.

Verses 17-19 – By faith, Abraham, when God tested him offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

Lesson Number Four – An authentic Christian will trust God's purpose without knowing why.

Mark 9:24 – I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.

September 22 2013 Trusting God With Impossibilities

Trusting God With Impossibilities

Verse 1 - After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat.

Step One: Tune into God.
Verses 3-4 - Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.  The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord.

Step Two:  Pray about your problem.
Verse 5 - Then King Jehoshaphat went and stood before them and prayed aloud.

Verses 5-12:
•  Remind yourself who God is.  (Verse 6)
    Are you not……?
•  Remind yourself what God has done.  (Verse 7)  
    Did you not……?
•  Now ask God to do it again.  (Verse 12)
    Will you not……?

Step Three:  Admit your need for help.
Verse 12a - O our God, will you not judge them?  For we have no power to fail this vast army that is attacking us.

Step Four:  Focus on God, not your problem.
Verse 12c - We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You!

God’s Response:  The battle belongs to God.
Verse 15 - Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army.  For the battle is not yours, but God’s.

Step Five:  Get some support.
Verse 13 - All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood before the Lord.

Step Six:  Relax in Faith.
Verse 17 - You will not have to fight this battle.  Take up your positions, stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you.

What do I stand firm on?  (Verse 20b)
• God’s character.

• God’s Word.

Step Seven:  Thank God in advance.
Verse 21 - Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him as they went out at the head of the army.

The Results

Verse 22:  God gave the victory.

Verses 25-26 - There was a great blessing.

Verses 29-30 - Great testimony to unbelievers.