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.

December 11 2011 Christmas: The Answer To Discouragement

Christmas: The Answer To Discouragement

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 Everlasting Father.

FIVE CAUSES OF DISCOURAGEMENT

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 CURE DISCOURAGEMENT

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.
I 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.
Isa.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.

December 4 2011 Christmas Is The Answer To Life's Demands

Christmas Is The Answer To Life's Demands

The Mighty God

Isa 9:6 - And His name shall be called the Mighty God.

Some Demands In Life

• Demands of circumstances.
Prov. 1:27 - When calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and troubles overwhelm you.

• Demands of life's relationships.
Psalm 102:7-9 - I lie awake, I have become like a bird alone on a house top. All day long my enemies taunt me. Those who rail against me use my name as a curse.

• Demands that are emotional.
Job 30:22 - You snatch me up and drive me before the wind. You toss me about in the storm.

1. We need to see the meaning of Mighty God.
John 5:23 – That all should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.
John 10:30 – I and My Father are One.
John 14:9 – He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father.
John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word and the Word with God and the Word was God.
John 20:28 – My Lord and My God.
Luke 19:9 – Zacchaeus, this day is salvation come to this house. 

2. We see the might of the Mighty God.
John 1:3 – All things were made by Him, without Him was not anything made that was made.
Col. 1:15, 16 – Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature, for by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, all things were created by Him and for Him.
John 8:56 – Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see My day.
Hebrews 4:26 - The reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Eqypt.
Joshua 5:13 -15 -
John 5:26 -I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it up again. 

3. We see the Mission of the Mighty God.
Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Col. 1:9-11 – For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to His glorious peace, unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness.
Phil. 4:19 – But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

4. We see the must of the Mighty God.

The Psalmist said He is the Lord, Worship Thou Him.
Isa. 9:6 – For unto us a Child is born, His name shall be called, The Mighty God.

November 27 2011 A Wonderful Counselor For Life's Decisions

A Wonderful Counselor For Life's Decisions

Isa 9:6 - A child shall be born and His name shall be called wonderful Counselor.

Why we need guidance:

° We have a selfish nature.
Jeremiah 10:23 – O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Jeremiah 17:9 - The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?

° Our minds are limited.
Isa. 55:8 – For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
Rom. 12:2 – But be ye transformed by the renewing or your mind.

° The Pressures surround us in our world.
Psalm 1:1 - Blesses is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.
Rom. 12:2 – Be not conformed to this world.
James 1:5 – If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask God, that giveth to all men liberally.

I. He is a wonderful Counselor because of His perception.
John 1:1 – The Word was God. 
Gen. 1:27 – So God created man in His Own image.
Gen 3:15 – He (Christ) will crush your (satan) head.
Rev. 13:8 – The Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world.
Hebrews 4:16 – Let us then approach the Throne of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

II. He is a wonderful Counselor because of His personal attachment.
John 15:13 – Greater love has no man that this, that a man lay down his life for another.

III. He is a wonderful Counselor because of His power.
Matt. 28:16 – All power in heaven and earth has been given to Me.
I Cor. 2:4 – My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power.

IV. He is a wonderful Counselor for He waits for permission.
Gal. 2:20 – Christ lives in me.
Isa. 9:6 – For unto us a Child is born and He will be called wonderful, Counselor.