Fasting

John 4.27-34

27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people,29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”

32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.

Are you full from nibbling on the things of this world? How can you hunger for God if you have filled yourself with worldly things?

Job 23.12

12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. 

Psalm 19.7-10

7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are sure
and altogether righteous.

10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.

2 Chronicles 7.14

14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

1-Humble self

2-Pray

3-Seek my face

4-Turn from wicked ways

Isaiah 58

Fasting, do it for God. Not you.

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For His Name Sake

Titus 3:1-7

1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,

2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Notes:

God is doing work here.

Great Awakenings

In the last 250 years there have been 4 Great Awakenings.  These are periods of time where we have  had a heightened awareness that we need the Lord.

Interesting Link to Today's Great Awakening via YouVersion 

Why did they happen?

Ezekiel 36.22-27

22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone.23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.
24 ” ‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

It is not for your sake:

Not because God did not care for Israel, but because they did not deserve what he is about to do.

The nations will know that I am the Lord:

Will give you a good heart and a new spirit

I will put my spirit within you

Revival only comes through brokeness.

If God was here in town would God stop here and say "yes I can use you." or would He keep walking by.

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Spreading His Fame

We preach to others everyday through the way we interact with those around us.

*We preach to spread His fame

*We teach to spread His fame

*We heal to spread His fame

      Jesus healed in three ways:

         1) Physically

         2) emotionally

         3) the demon possesed

      God wants to heal us so we can become a tool for Him.

*We spread His fame through following Him.

Do people sense Jesus when they around you?

Ask yourself 2 questions;

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Who do you want to be when you grow up?

God wants us to spread His fame! 

Matthew 4:18-25

The Calling of the First Disciples

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them,

22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus Heals the Sick

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon‑possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.

25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. 

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Living the New Life - Sunday January 3, 2010

Colossians 3

Colossians 3

Living the New Life

1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand.2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.4 And when Christ, who is yours life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
  5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.s7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.9 Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.11 In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,s circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,s slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
  12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.13 Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
  16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Instructions for Christian Households

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.
  19 Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.
  20 Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord.21 Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.
  22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.s25 But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.