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)

July 12 2015 Renewing The Inner Passion

Renewing The Inner Passion

2 Kings 2:19-22 – The men of the city said to Elisha, “Look our Lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.” “Bring me a new bowl, he said, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.  Then he went to the spring and threw salt in it saying, “That is what the Lord says,” I have healed the water.  Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive and the water has remained whole to this day.

THREE STEPS TO INNER PASSION

1. Notice the condition.

Verse 19 – This town is well situated, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.

The people were confronted with what Jericho could be and what it was.  (This is sometimes symbolic of our lives.)

Matthew 23:25-26 – Jesus said, “Woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!  You clean the    outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. First clean the inside of the cup and dish and then the outside also will be clean.”

Matthew 15:9 –“These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.”

2. Notice the cure.

Verse 20 – Bring me a new bowl, he said, and put salt in it, so they brought it to him.

Hebrews 12:1-2 – 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.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and Perfector of our faith.  

3. Notice the conclusion.

Verse 21 – Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive and the water has remained wholesome to this day.

Ezekiel 11:19-20 – I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them.  I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.  Then they will follow my decrees.

Acts 15:9 – Peter said, “He made no distinction between us and them (Gentiles) for He purified their heart by faith”.  

John 7:37-39 – If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink, and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

July 28 2013 Trusting God When You Feel Alone

TRUSTING GOD WHEN YOU FEEL ALONE

Thoughts on Discouragement

1. Elijah was totally exhausted.
I Kings 18 - Meanwhile the sky grew black with clouds and the winds rose, a heavy rain came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.  The power of the Lord came upon Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

2. Elijah was naïve.
I Kings 19:1-3 - Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.  So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, may the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like one of them.

3.  It can lead to isolation.
I Kings 19:4 - Elijah went a day’s journey into the desert.  He came to a broom tree, sat down under it, and prayed that he might die.

Loneliness = inner emptiness.
A preoccupation with poor me.
Aloneness = is inner fulfillment.
Now that I’m alone with Jesus, I can recover, repair and regroup.

4. It hurts our self image.
Verse 4 - I have had enough, Lord, he said, take my life.  I am no better than my ancestors.

We cannot consistently live in a manner that is inconsistent with the way we see ourselves.

5.  Causes us to run from responsibility.
Verse 9 - There he went into a cave and spent the night and the Word of the Lord came to him.  “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

6. Causes us to blame others for our circumstances.
Verse 10 - I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty, but now the Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword.  I am the only one left.

7.  Makes our future look hopeless.

How did God deal with Elijah’s discouragement?

1.  Gave him rest and food.
Verses 5-8

2.  Encouraged him.
Verses 9-10

Areas I can Change:

Areas I can get changed:

Areas that are not going to be changed:

3.  Renewed relationship with God.
Verses 11-13

4.  Told him to get back to work.
Verse 15 - Go back the way you came.  Anoint the King and Elisha as the prophet to come after you.

5.  Gave him someone to minister to him.
Verse 21 - Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.