On Your Mark, pt 6 – “Freedom in Christ”
“This time will be different.”
With Christ, we can go from chains to change
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Mark 5:1-20
They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. 14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
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Three things we need to recognize to experience freedom and transformation:
1. We are in a very desperate situation without Jesus
Mark 5:3-4
No one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him.
We are completely powerless to fix our own brokenness.
Apart from Christ, we are like a ship tossed at sea, without an anchor, drifting toward destruction.
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2.Jesus has the power and authority to deliver us
Mark 5:6-7
And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?
“There is no power in hell or on earth that can resist the authority of Christ. When He speaks, even the darkest forces must obey.” – Billy Graham
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3. Jesus not only transforms us, but commissions us.
Mark 5:15
And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Mark 5:19-20
“Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
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Application:
- Acknowledge your desperate need for Jesus
- Tell others how much the Lord has done for you
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Lord of Your Storm | On Your Mark, Part 5
Jesus wasn’t ;
He was about to
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Mark 4:35-41
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
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We need to know three things when facing our own storms:
1. Jesus is
Mark 4:38,40
But , asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’” 40 “He said to them, ‘? Have you still no faith?’
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very .
Isaiah 43:2a
When you pass through the waters, ;
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2. Jesus has
Mark 4:39
And he awoke and and , ‘Peace! Be still!’ And , and there was .
Colossians 1:16-17
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— were created and . 17 And he is before all things, and .
“He who controls the wind and waves also controls the circumstances of your life.” – Charles Spurgeon
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3. Jesus’ sovereignty
Mark 4:41
And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’
We are not in control—.
Peace comes from knowing .
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Application:
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Rest Redefined | On Your Mark, Part 4
What if real rest isn’t something we achieve or purchase but is found in the One we draw near to?
Mark 2:23-28
One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
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How does Jesus redefine the purpose of the Sabbath and what does it mean for how we can truly find rest today?
1. The Sabbath was meant to be a gift, not a burden
Mark 2:27
And he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.’
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2.Jesus is Lord over our religious practices and traditions
Mark 2:28
So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.
“Religion says, ‘I obey; therefore, I am accepted.’ The gospel says, ‘I am accepted; therefore, I obey.’” – Tim Keller
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3.True rest is found in a relationship with Jesus
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
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Colossians 2:16-17 [
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
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“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” – St. Augustine
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Application:
- Set aside intentional Sabbath time each week
- Receive His gift of grace
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The Healing We Need | On Your Mark, Part 3
What if our greatest need isn’t physical or circumstantial?
Faith is not just about what we say or believe but how we respond.
Healing is not always about God meeting our physical needs but our spiritual brokenness.
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Mark 2:1-12
And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
What does true faith in Jesus look like, and how does it address our deepest need?
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Jesus honors faith that moves into action
Mark 2:5
And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Faith is something that requires movement
“Faith takes God without any ifs. If God says anything, faith says, “I believe it” – D.L. Moody
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2. Jesus has the authority to forgive
Mark 2:7
“Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” – Corrie ten Boom
True forgiveness is only possible through the authority of Jesus.
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3. Jesus has the power to transform lives (Mark 2:11-12)
Mark 2:11-12
“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
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Application:
- Bring your friends to Jesus and watch what He can do
- Take time to pray for healing—for yourself and for others
James 5:14-16
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working
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On Your Mark, pt 2 – “A Life-Altering Invitation
“Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?” – Steve Jobs
“Follow me.”
Responding to Jesus’ call means giving Him your all!
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Mark 1:14-20
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand;[e] repent and believe in the gospel.” Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
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What does it mean to truly follow Jesus?
1. There is an immediate response to Jesus’ call
Mark 1:17-18
And Jesus said to them, “Follow me”…And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Delayed obedience is disobedience
“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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2. There is a transformation of our life’s purpose
Mark 1:17
And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot
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3. Following Jesus is a life-altering decision
Mark 1:20
And they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
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Application:
- Make following Jesus THE PRIORITY of your life
- Live for a purpose beyond yourself
“Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?”
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The Beginning of the Gospel and ME | On Your Mark, Part 1
“I know the Gospel is true because I am living proof.” – Chuck Colson
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Mark 1:1-11
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3. the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” 9. In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
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Jesus’ arrival redefines our relationship with God.
How does Jesus’ arrival redefine our relationship with God?
Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises
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Mark 1:1-2
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way.’
Repentance is/was a big part of the preparation for Jesus’ arrival
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Mark 1:4
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
“True repentance is a change of mind about our sin and about Christ that results in a change in the direction of life away from transgression and toward the Savior.” – R.C. Sproul
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3. Our identity comes from our Heavenly Father
Mark 1:10-11
And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’
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Application:
1. Embrace repentance as way of life
2. Anchor your identity to God’s affirmation
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What Are You Waiting For? Christmas at Crosstown, Part 3
What are you really waiting for?
The Christmas story, seen through the eyes of Simeon.
Jesus Christ is revealed as the Savior
Luke 2:30
“for my eyes have seen your salvation…”
Luke 2:31-32
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
“He’s making a list, he’s checking it twice, he’s gonna find out
who’s naughty or nice…”
A decision has to be made
Luke 2:34-35
“Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Will you embrace Jesus as your Savior, or will you turn away?
Christmas is not only about receiving a gift.
It’s about about recognizing the gift requires a response.
Next Steps:
- Receive God’s gift of salvation through Jesus
- Ask: Are you living like you truly believe Jesus is the Savior?
His Peace for Our Problems | Christmas At Crosstown, Part 2
Peace often feels like something just out of our reach.
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“Prince of Peace”
A teenage mother giving birth in a stable
A paranoid king ordering the death of innocent children
A nation oppressed by Roman rule
True peace cannot come from us; it has to come to us.
Through His atoning sacrifice
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Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Our greatest obstacle to peace isn’t what’s happening around us; it’s what’s inside of us.
“Now my debt is paid, it is paid in full,
By the precious blood that my Jesus spilled.”
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Ephesians 2:14
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.
By justifying us through faith
Romans 5:1
“Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” “The peace of God is not the absence of trouble but His presence in the midst of it.”
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True peace isn’t something we achieve; it’s something we receive from Jesus.
“When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.”
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Application:
- Trust Jesus with your greatest problem—your sin
- Bring your troubles to the Prince of Peace
- Share His peace with others
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The Infinite For The Finite | Christmas At Crosstown, Part 1
WHY???
John 1:1-3, 14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made….14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
#1 WHO
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth
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&
John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made
Logos= The Word= Jesus
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Jesus is eternal–
“In the beginning WAS the Word”
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John 17:5
And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
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Jesus is GOD!
“Word was WITH God, AND the Word WAS GOD”
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Jesus is Creator
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
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#2 WHAT
Became flesh
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Romans 8:1-4
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin(or as a sin offering), he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
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Dwelt among us
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Jesus demonstrated 3 essential aspects of his character
-Love
John 3:16– For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
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-Humility
Phil 2:7– But emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men
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-Fellowship
John 17:19-21- 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. 20 I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
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Jesus was…
-The Infinite for the finite
-The Eternal for the temporal
-The Boundless for the broken
-The Creator for creation
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Action steps
#1 Draw near to Him
#2 Pour yourself out
#3 Share the cure
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Moving Forward By Looking Back | The Incredible Life of King David, Part 11
The Incredible Life of King David, pt 11 – “Moving Forward by Looking Back”
David looks back in a way that allows him to move forward.
By looking back, David recognized three things about God’s character that gave him the confidence to move forward in faith.
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1. God is personal
2 Samuel 22:2-3
“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, 3 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.
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2 Samuel 22:47
“The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation,
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2 Samuel 22:20
He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.
If your life feels empty, could it be you are not in a personal relationship with God?
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2. God is present
2 Samuel 22:7
“In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears.
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Are you living with that same awareness of God’s presence in your daily life?
I was sick but I got better.
I was sick but God healed me!
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We had a baby.
God blessed us with a child!
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I lost my job and went through a difficult season.
I lost my job but Jesus has carried me!
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3. God is powerful
2 Samuel 22:5-6
“For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me; 6 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.
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2 Samuel 22:8-18
“Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations of the heavens trembled and quaked, because he was angry. 9 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. 10 He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. 11 He rode on a cherub and flew; he was seen on the wings of the wind. 12 He made darkness around him his canopy, thick clouds, a gathering of water. 13 Out of the brightness before him coals of fire flamed forth. 14 The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice. 15 And he sent out arrows and scattered them; lightning, and routed them. 16 Then the channels of the sea were seen; the foundations of the world were laid bare, at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils. 17 “He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. 18 He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
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My enemies might be big but my God is bigger
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Application:
- Look back on God’s faithfulness
- Surrender your life to Jesus
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