Story about kids answering the question; “What does love mean?”
Read Ephesians 3:14-19
Paul’s prayer that we read this morning reveals to us the wellspring from which the power and the glory of God –which we read about last week — rise up in our midst. He prays that the Ephesians would grasp hold of something that would pave the way for God’s work among them.
Why is it that when Paul talks about knowing God loves him, he is so excited he can hardly contain himself, but when we hear about it, we’re more tempted to yawn than to dance? Because we don’t really get it. We know it, but we don’t get it.
Paul is not praying that God’s people would know that God loves them, but that they would know God’s love. Did you hear the difference?
Do you know God’s love, or do you only know that God loves you?
There are four dimensions of God’s love that Paul prays we might understand. As we consider them in our minds, may they also penetrate our hearts.
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Do you have any idea how much God loves you?
That’s not a platitude. And you may sometimes feel like you’re as unlovable and unhuggable as that stinky, sticky little girl. But God wants to pick you up, like that Daddy picked up his baby and hold you close and love you. He’s not worried about getting dirty or messy – in fact He was willing to take on all of our mess, cover it with blood and carry it to Calvary.
You know God loves you – but do you know? Do you really know?
Turn to somebody and say: God is crazy about you!
Now all you have to do is believe it!
How can you go out this week and put this sermon you just heard into practice?
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How can we be praying for you?
Good Morning Folks,
We are wrapping up a series called Surrender to Jesus today. Over the past month I was challenged by the Lord to look at how do I (we) get to the next level in our walk with Christ. How do we display a surrendered heart daily; “For me to live is Christ and to Die His Gain”
We started in Joshua 3:5, A surrendered life chooses Holiness Daily. Then we looked at NOAH, A Surrendered life adjusts its ways to God’s ways, not expecting God to change His ways to fit your life. Then we took a deep dive into how to pray scripture over your life every day. A Surrendered life Prays Scripture over your life daily!
Today let’s look at A Surrendered Life runs to God, not from God: To do that I want to look at the encounter Isaiah had with the Lord.
Can I give this to you today… Encounters with God come to those who are open to the Spirit of God. Those who show up to church asking God to do something in their life today. Those who wake up each day and say – Lord may I experience you today. Those who open their Bible to read it expecting God to reveal a new truth that day. I pray daily we have encounters with God throughout our lives.
Today I want to look at how Isaiah was open to having an encounter with God.
Isaiah 6:1-13
FUN FACT: Never place your faith in a Kingdome, a king, a man, a woman, a church, or a country…. Place your faith in JESUS. This world and the people in it will let you down but your God will not!!!
What are three things that you have taken away from this mornings message:
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What are you willing to do to surrender your life to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Are you willing to put your pride away and say YES to the King of Kings? To give the Author of Life your pen and allow him to write your story?
Have a great day.
SURRENDER TO GOD – PART 3
This is part 3 of our series on what it looks like to surrender to God.
Do you know where the WHITE FLAG COMES FROM? A Roman historian named Cornelius Tacitus wrote about it in 109AD speaking of the fall of the Eastern Han dynasty. Before this moment Soldiers would lift their shields in a sign of defeat. Yet that blinded in and often fighting keeps happening. So, soldiers started pulling out white cloths and would put them on the end of their swords and wave them saying….we quit, we surrender.
2 Chronicles 7:14
PS 37:23
May I follow God’s direction and conviction over my desires and wants today.
I CHRONICLES 4:10
Pray the Armor of God over your family every day.
This is found in EPH 6:10-20.
Pray – Lord give me the strength to WIN the battle over SIN today and to walk in peace and freedom!!
John 6:63
Revelation 3:7
Today I Trust the path you have for me. Lord, I recognize that where I am is where you want me today, may I make the most of it. I chose to find joy in the doors you open, and I accept the doors you shut no matter how hard it hurts.
Phil 2:13
Prov 3:5-6
This is trusting in the Sovereignty of God. Trusting in Him being in charge.
Jer 7:23
We speak of faith steps often so how do you pray for faith steps?
Joshua 1:9
Proverbs 4:25-27
Acts 1:8
Ex 33:15
Matthew 19:6
Pray Daniel 5:20
PS 90:17
Romans 12:20
Lord give strength to find freedom in forgiveness and letting go. You know there is a truth about forgiveness…. forgiveness is not something we offer to another but for us to find freedom for ourselves.
We live a surrendered life to Jesus because we KNOW we cannot do it on our own. We need to set aside all the pride, arrogance, that we have as sinners and GIVE IT ALL to Him. Once we do that we will start to see His Blessings in our life.
“Thank you for joining us at Bolton Community Church this week!
We are a community of imperfect people seeking the grace and mercy of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We’re so glad you took the time to be with us today.
Be sure to check out our information board in the next room to learn more about what’s happening at BCC. While you’re there, grab a snack and some coffee—it’s our way of saying we appreciate you!
I always say that BCC is a place where faith, family, and community come together—and we hope you feel that today.
Have a blessed week!”
Last week we talked about Recognizing God’s Voice.
- Thoughts that come to us can originate from God, from ourselves or Satan.
- We are called to TEST the spirits in 1 John 4, to check these impressions and thoughts.
How do we do that? We went through 4 ways to test an impression:
- Does it agree with the Bible?
- Does it make me more like Christ?
- Does my church family affirm it?
- Do I sense God’s peace about it?
Today we want to end the series with this – how to receive guidance from God.
- We want to look at the experience of a prophet Habakkuk – 5th last book of the OT.
- This book is unique in that it has to do with the prophet conversation with God. Usually prophets proclaim God’s messages to the people, but this book record the prophet’s complain to God and God’s answer to him.
- You see the subtitles in your bible – Habakkuk’s complaint and the Lord’s answer; his 2nd complaint and God’s answer. Chapter 3 ends with his prayer of praise to God.
- He was upset at the violence and injustice he saw in his own nation Judah (Southern Kingdom). The Northern Kingdom, Israel has already been destroyed.
Read Hab 2:1-3
Learning from Habakkuk, there are 3 attitudes we can adopt, if we are serious about receiving guidance from God.
- Believe God cares about you.
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- Ask God for specific request (question).
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- Expect God to answer.
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- He WITHDRAW to the watchtower – a DESIRE to hear God
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- He wants to WAIT for God’s answer – an EXPECTATION of God’s response.
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- He was told to WRITE down God’s answer – note what He says, be SERIOUS about it
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Conclusion:
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We continue our series on “Talking with God”.
- The 1st session on ‘how to hear God’s speaks’ we talked about our attitudes – whether you get the message or not, depend very much on your attitude. We want to cultivate an open mind, allocate time to listen, eliminate the distractions, and cooperate with what God says
- The 2nd session on ‘how God talks to you’ we talked about the four most common ways. First, God speaks through the Bible, the number one way. He speaks also through teachers, the impressions He put in our minds, and painful experiences.
Today, we want to learn how to recognize God’s voice.
- If God gives us impressions in our mind, then we want to know how best to understand them. Read 1 John 4:1-6.
God never contradicts His written Word.
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Phil 2:5 “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…”
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When you become a believer, you did not just get a new relationship with God your Father, you get a new relationship to other people. You become a member of God’s family, the church.
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John 10:2-5 – 2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.
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Conclusion:
Communication breakdown between us and God can happen because of sin.
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SERMON TITLE: How God Talks to You
DATE: October 13, 2024 Sunday Morning Service Sermon.
Thanks for joining us this morning and I look forward to visiting with you after the service.
~ Pastor Scotty
God wants to talk with you because you can’t have a relationship without communication.
So HOW DOES GOD TALK TO US?
We’re going to identify the FOUR most common ways that God speaks to us.
2 Tim 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
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So, why is it important to really hear God speak? Two reasons:
Loving Like Jesus Loves Me
God wants us to love others like Jesus loves us.
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The Importance of The Church
Decisions are basically made on four motivations:
- Circumstances
- Convenience
- Critics
- Convictions
If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.
True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade, but our God’s Word stands firm and forever.” Isaiah 40:8 (MSG)
CONVICTION #1: JESUS LOVES HIS
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, Ephesians 5:25 (NKJV)
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”
1 John 3:16 (NIV)
I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18 (NKJV)
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)
CONVICTION #2:
JESUS WANTS IN HIS CHURCH
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV)
Jesus prayed …that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:21 (NKJV)
The world will be when the church is
Watch out for those who would cause
One final word of counsel, friends. Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble. Give these people a wide berth.
CONVICTION #3: THE CHURCH WILL
I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
Matthew 16:18 (MSG)
Through Christians like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels! Ephesians 3:10 (MSG)
What is the Purpose of The Church
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (NKJV)
S – ______________________________.
For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10 (NKJV)
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV)
“Through Christ, God has made peace between us and himself, and He gave us the work of telling everyone about the peace we can have with Him… So we have been sent to speak for Christ!” 2 Corinthians 5:18, 20 (NCV)
H – _____________________________.
“God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.” Ephesians 2:10 (NCV)
WARNING:
The primary purpose of The Church is not a ____________________.
10 Don’t you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? “If you don’t work, you don’t eat.” 11 And now we’re getting reports that a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings are taking advantage of you. 12 This must not be tolerated. We command them to get to work immediately—no excuses, no arguments—and earn their own keep. 13 Friends, don’t slack off in doing your duty. 2 Thessalonians 3:10-13 (MSG)
“God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings.” 1 Peter 4:10 (LB)
I – ______________________________.
Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9 (NKJV)
“Jesus and the people he makes holy all belong to the same family. That is why he isn’t ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.” Hebrews 2:11 (CEV)
N – ______________________________.
“From the very beginning God decided that those who came to him–and all along he knew who would–should become like his Son, so that his Son would be the First, with many brothers.” Romans 8:29 (LB)
E – ______________________________.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. Psalms 34:3 (NKJV)
“You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:11 (NKJV)
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (NKJV)
S – SEEK and to SHARE.
H – HELP.
I – INCLUDE.
N – NURTURE.
E – EXALT.
What is the Church Notes:
‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.’” Matthew 16:15-18(NKJV)
- The Bible says The Church is a
A top priority in fellowship is
We need to
8 Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers, and be compassionate and humble, 9 not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:8-9
- The Bible says The Church is a
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ…” Romans 8:16-17
A top priority in family is
We need to
1 Timothy 5:1-2
- The Bible says The Church is a
A top priority in the body is .
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
1 Corinthians 12:21-22
We need .
- The Bible says The Church is a .
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
1 Peter 5:2-4
A top priority in the flock is .
We need to .
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10 (NKJV)
Thank you for coming today and I hope that you will consider being a part of our church family on a regular basis.