January 29 2017 Getting A Grip On Prayer

GETTING A GRIP ON PRAYER

Luke 11 and John 15

Luke 11:1 – And they said, Lord, teach us to pray.

Misconceptions About Prayer:

• Magic wand.
• Make God into a genie.
• First aid kit.
• Tug of war.
• Religious duty.

Four Purposes Of Prayer:

1. It’s an act of dedication.

John 15:5 – I am the Vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, but apart from Me, you can do nothing.

John 15:5 – If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned.

John 15:7 – But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

2. Prayer is an act of communication.

John 15:15 – I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.

John 15:16 – You did not choose me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name.

3. Prayer is an act of supplication.

Phil. 4:6 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer present your request to God.

Phil. 4:7 – And the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

John 16:23 – I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name.

John 16:24 – Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete.

James says – You have not because you ask not.

Psalm 145:16 – You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Psalm 37:4 – Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desire of your heart.

Psalm 84:11 – No good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

4. Prayer is an act of cooperation.

John 14:12 – I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things, because I am going to My Father.

John 14:13 – And I will do whatever you ask Me, for anything you ask in My Name, I will do it.

July 31 2016 Accept No Substitutes

ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES

Ten Values That Build Strong Families - Part 2

"You shall not make any idols ... you must never bow to an image or worship it in any way." Exodus 20:4-5 (LB)            

TWO PRINCIPLES

I.  DON'T `IDOLIZE' ANYTHING!

"Idolize" - to look to something more than God.

"For your own good ... don't sin by making an idol in any form at all."  Deuteronomy 4:15-16 (GN)
    
Why?

1.  Idols will disappoint me.

"...those who make idols are disillusioned because the gods they make are false and lifeless."    Jeremiah 10:14 (GN)

"What's the use of an idol?  It's only something a man has made.  What good does it do ... to trust it?  Habakkuk 2:18(GN)
    
2.  Idols will dominate me

"... (before you knew Christ) you were controlled by dead idols, who always led you astray."  1 Corinthians 12:2 (GN)

3.  Idols will deform me

"Those who make idols will become like them, and so will those who trust in them." Psalms 115:8 (GN)

"They worshiped worthless things and became worthless themselves." Jeremiah 2:5 (GN)

II.  WORSHIP ONLY GOD!

"Worship" -- to give my highestlove and devotion

"(Many) exchange the truth about God for a lie; they worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator himself!" Romans 1:25 (GN)

The Benefits of Worshiping Only God

1.  IT WILL DELIGHT ME

"Seek your happiness in the Lord and He will give you your heart's desire.” Psalm 37:4 (GN)

"Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed." Romans 10:11 (GN)
    
2.  IT WILL DELIVERME

Jesus said, "If you obey my teaching ... you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32

"If the Son sets you free, you will be really free." John 8:36

3.  IT WILLDEVELOP ME.

"As the Spirit of the Lord works with us, we become more and more like Him."      2 Corinthians 3:18b (LB)

"We arrive at maturity -- that measure of development which is meant by `the fullness of Christ.'" Ephesians 4:13-15 (Ph)

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God." Colossians 1:5

ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES

January 6 2013 How To Know The Real God

HOW TO KNOW THE REAL GOD
Exodus 20:4-5

The second commandment is a natural extension of the first.  Once you understand that God is to have first place in your life, the natural question is:  What kind of god is God?  What is He really like?

Step two to the Better Life in 2013:
“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything, you shall not bow down to it or worship it.”

The principle things are to be used, but not loved.

I.  What happens when we turn things into “gods?”

3 Consequences

1.  Things will disappoint you.
Jeremiah 10:14 - Those who make idols are disillusioned because the gods they make are false and lifeless.

Hebrews 2:8 - What’s the use of an idol?  It’s only something that a man has made.  What good does it do for its maker to trust it?

2.  Things will deceive you and lead you astray.
Ezekiel 14:3 - They have given their hearts to idols and are letting idols lead them into sin.

3.  Things will begin to dominate you.
Psalm 115:8 - Those who make idols will become like them, and so will those who trust them.
Jeremiah 2:5 - They worshiped worthless things and became worthless themselves.

II.  How to know the real God.

Isaiah 40:18 - To whom, then, will you compare God?  What image will you compare Him to?

Acts 17:29 -  We should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image made by man’s design and skill.

2 Corinthians. 4:4 - Christ is the exact likeness of God.

Colossians 1:15 - Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.

Benefits of Worshiping the Real God

1.  There is fulfillment.
Romans 10:11 - Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.

Psalm 37:4 - Seek your happiness in the Lord and He will give you your heart’s desire.

2.  There is freedom.
John 8:31-32 - Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Galatians 5:22 - The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy and peace.

3.  You become like God.
2 Corinthians 3:18 - As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him.

October 21 2012 The Choice Of Satisfaction

THE CHOICE OF SATISFACTION

Matthew 5:6 - Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for true goodness, for they will be fully satisfied.

Why Are So Many So Unsatisfied?

•  You don’t find lasting satisfaction in
Pleasure

Ecclesiastes 1:8 - No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied; no matter how much we hear, we are never content.

Hebrews 11:25 - The pleasures of sin last a short time.

•  You don’t find lasting satisfaction in
Performance

Ecclesiastes - What does a man get for all his hard work?  Days full of sorrow and grief and restless nights.

Ecclesiastes - (Man) is always working, never satisfied.

•  You don’t find lasting satisfaction in
Possessions

EcclesiastesHe who loves money will never have enough.  The foolishness of thinking wealth brings happiness.

Psalm 37:4 - Seek your happiness in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desire.

How To Experience Satisfaction In Life

1.  Recognize my real hunger.
Deutoronomy 8:3 - God humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna.  He did this to help you realize that real life comes by obeying every command of God.

2.  Stop eating junk food.
Isaiah 55:2 - Why spend your money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?

3.  Start looking to Christ.
John 8:35, 51 - Jesus said, I am the Bread of Life.  Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.  If anyone eats of the bread, he will live forever.

John 4:13-14 - Jesus said, whoever drinks water will get thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again.  I will be in him a spring of living water.

March 18 2012 The Effective Lifestyle For The Life Without Limits

The Effective Lifestyle For The Life Without Limits

Mark 13:35 - So you also must keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back.
Luke 21:34-36 - Be careful or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. Be always on the watch and pray.

1. Prayer is an act of dedication.

John 15:5 - (Jesus) I am the vine and you (Christians) are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in Him, he will bear much fruit. But apart from Me you can do nothing.
Verse 6 - If anyone does not remain in Me he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
Verse 7 - But if you remain in Me (if you remain dependent upon Me) and my Words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you.

2. Prayer is an act of communication. 

John 1:15-16 - I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his Master’s business. Instead,
I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have make know to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit. Fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name.

3. Prayer is an act of supplication.

Philippians 4:6-7 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer, present your request to God.
Verse 7 - And the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
John 16:23 - I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name.
Verse 24 - Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete.
Psalm 37:4 - Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 84:11 - No good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

4. Prayer speaks of an act of cooperation.
John 14:12-13 - I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater thins because I am going to My Father and I will do whatever you ask in My Name.

Two Great Truths To Remember

1. We are to be faithful to God to the end.
Matthew 6:33 - Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.

2. We are to communicate His love and enable other people to know Him.