Bro. Mike was out sick this week, so gracefully John Rogers from lakeridge baptist in lubbock brought the message this week.
or if you have a broadband internet connection you can stream it here or from its archive.org page.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
1st Thessalonians 5:12-13
Ezekiel 8:5-12
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Report form missionary Tony Croker
isaiah 43:18
Monday, January 14, 2008
PAUL'S TWO FOLD PRAYER
I Thessalonians 3: 11-13
INTRODUCTION:
Paul was a man of prayer. We can see that in this book as he talked about his prayer life. Notice what he says in chapter one and verse two: "We always thank God for you, remembering you constantly in our prayers." In chapter 2, verse 13, he says, "We thank God without ceasing." In chapter 3, verse 10, he says, "Night and day praying exceedingly." Verses 11-13 of chapter three are also a prayer to God. Prayer was important to Paul. Prayer was more than just a ritual to Paul. Prayer was a time when Paul could fellowship with Jesus. It was a time when Paul could pour out his heart to One that would not only listen but intervene on his behalf. Paul never felt self sufficient, but he did know that when he made his request known unto God that God would answer and supply his need. Prayer was important to God because Paul prayed to a God who answered prayer. And, because prayer was important to Paul, he not only prayed for himself but he prayed for others and then encouraged others to pray. In this passage, we find Paul praying for himself that God would direct him to the Thessalonians again v. 11. Then, we see Paul praying for the Thessalonians v. 12-13.
PAUL'S REQUEST FOR HIMSELF V. 11
Notice to whom this request is made. It is made to the Father. This is how Jesus told us to pray. In the model prayer, Jesus told us to pray-- "Our Father which art in heaven." This is also the spirit that has been put in our heart when we got saved. Galatians 4: 6 says, "and because ye are sons, God hath put forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." The term Abba is a term that denotes an intimate relationship. When one receives Jesus as Savior, God's desire is that we develop a close, intimate, personal relationship with Him. As we acknowledge God as our Heavenly Father, we are acknowledging that we are dependent on Him for all our needs. We are as children totally dependent on the care and supply of the parent. When we pray, we are saying God, we need you and there is no other way our needs can be met. That dependence on God is pleasing to the Father. If our earthly fathers, flawed as we might be, know to give our children what they need, how much more will a Heavenly Father supply to the children which He loves?
Paul's prayer was also offered up to our Lord Jesus Christ. In addressing Jesus as Lord, Paul was submitting to the will and Lordship of Christ. Paul's goal in prayer was what Jesus instructed us that our goal should be: "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Also, Paul was acknowledging the intercessory work of Christ. All prayer goes through Jesus to the Father. "There is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." I Timothy 2: 5 Jesus serves as our great High priest to present us before the throne of grace faultless. The Father accepts our prayers on the basis of the Son who presents them to Him on our account. This is what it means to pray in Jesus' name. Paul came to the Father through the Son.
Paul asked that God would direct his way to the Thessalonians. By asking God to direct his way, Paul was asking God that his request would be in His will. Paul realized that the safest place for him was to be in the center of God's will. Asking God to direct our way is also asking that God would remove any obstacle keeping us from doing God's will. Satan is going to put obstacles in our way that he can use to discourage us or confuse us concerning God's will. When we pray, God can reassure us about His will and that reassurance can give us confidence to face and overcome those obstacles. As we pray, God can even remove the obstacle or show us a way around it that His will may be done. To know and then do God's will calls for the believer to pray.
PAUL'S REQUEST FOR THE THESSALONIAN BELIEVERS
Paul prayed that these believers might increase in their love for one another. To love one another means that we are fulfilling the commands of Christ. John 15: 12 says, "This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." The kind of love Jesus had for us was a love that loved us when we were unlovable and when we didn't love Him. If we love as Jesus loves, then we must love those who are unlovable. If we love as Jesus loves, we must love those who don't love us. Jesus' love was also a sacrificial love. He loved us so much that He gave up heaven and died on a cross for our sins. He loved us so much that He took upon Himself the form of a servant and came to serve the needs of humanity. That kind of love calls for Jesus' followers to serve and minister to one another. Jesus' love was also a love that compelled Him to forgive. On the cross, Jesus prayed for those who were crucifying Him. His prayer-- Father, forgive them. Jesus command to us is that we forgive one another even as Christ Jesus also has forgiven us. That kind of forgiveness will never be granted, however, until we learn how to love as Jesus loved. That is why John tells us in I John 4: 21, "And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loves God must love his brother also." People today are not looking for a doctrinally correct church as much as they are a church that will exhibit the love of Christ.
Paul also prayed that these believers might have their hearts established unblameable in holiness. Holy living begins in the heart. As a man thinks in his heart so is he. Jesus also told us in Matthew 15: 19 that sin originates in the heart. "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." Because the heart is the place where the battle is fought against sin, David said that is where he would hide God's word. And, David said he would hide God's word there that he might not sin against God. Hiding God's word in our heart calls for us to meditate on the Word. Certainly, we have to get into the Word and read it. Every believer needs a plan that will take them through the entire Bible. Meditating carries the idea of thinking about what we have read as we go through the day. It carries the idea of bringing what we have read back to mind and allowing our thoughts to dwell on the passage. The goal of meditating on the Word is to allow Jesus to use the Word to direct our walk with Him to the point we live a holy life.
CONCLUSION:
As we notice Paul's prayer, we see how we are to pray. Yes, we are to pray for ourselves. But, we are also to intercede for others. We are to pray to a loving Heavenly Father expecting Him to meet our needs. We are to pray without ceasing.
INTRODUCTION:
Paul was a man of prayer. We can see that in this book as he talked about his prayer life. Notice what he says in chapter one and verse two: "We always thank God for you, remembering you constantly in our prayers." In chapter 2, verse 13, he says, "We thank God without ceasing." In chapter 3, verse 10, he says, "Night and day praying exceedingly." Verses 11-13 of chapter three are also a prayer to God. Prayer was important to Paul. Prayer was more than just a ritual to Paul. Prayer was a time when Paul could fellowship with Jesus. It was a time when Paul could pour out his heart to One that would not only listen but intervene on his behalf. Paul never felt self sufficient, but he did know that when he made his request known unto God that God would answer and supply his need. Prayer was important to God because Paul prayed to a God who answered prayer. And, because prayer was important to Paul, he not only prayed for himself but he prayed for others and then encouraged others to pray. In this passage, we find Paul praying for himself that God would direct him to the Thessalonians again v. 11. Then, we see Paul praying for the Thessalonians v. 12-13.
PAUL'S REQUEST FOR HIMSELF V. 11
Notice to whom this request is made. It is made to the Father. This is how Jesus told us to pray. In the model prayer, Jesus told us to pray-- "Our Father which art in heaven." This is also the spirit that has been put in our heart when we got saved. Galatians 4: 6 says, "and because ye are sons, God hath put forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." The term Abba is a term that denotes an intimate relationship. When one receives Jesus as Savior, God's desire is that we develop a close, intimate, personal relationship with Him. As we acknowledge God as our Heavenly Father, we are acknowledging that we are dependent on Him for all our needs. We are as children totally dependent on the care and supply of the parent. When we pray, we are saying God, we need you and there is no other way our needs can be met. That dependence on God is pleasing to the Father. If our earthly fathers, flawed as we might be, know to give our children what they need, how much more will a Heavenly Father supply to the children which He loves?
Paul's prayer was also offered up to our Lord Jesus Christ. In addressing Jesus as Lord, Paul was submitting to the will and Lordship of Christ. Paul's goal in prayer was what Jesus instructed us that our goal should be: "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Also, Paul was acknowledging the intercessory work of Christ. All prayer goes through Jesus to the Father. "There is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." I Timothy 2: 5 Jesus serves as our great High priest to present us before the throne of grace faultless. The Father accepts our prayers on the basis of the Son who presents them to Him on our account. This is what it means to pray in Jesus' name. Paul came to the Father through the Son.
Paul asked that God would direct his way to the Thessalonians. By asking God to direct his way, Paul was asking God that his request would be in His will. Paul realized that the safest place for him was to be in the center of God's will. Asking God to direct our way is also asking that God would remove any obstacle keeping us from doing God's will. Satan is going to put obstacles in our way that he can use to discourage us or confuse us concerning God's will. When we pray, God can reassure us about His will and that reassurance can give us confidence to face and overcome those obstacles. As we pray, God can even remove the obstacle or show us a way around it that His will may be done. To know and then do God's will calls for the believer to pray.
PAUL'S REQUEST FOR THE THESSALONIAN BELIEVERS
Paul prayed that these believers might increase in their love for one another. To love one another means that we are fulfilling the commands of Christ. John 15: 12 says, "This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." The kind of love Jesus had for us was a love that loved us when we were unlovable and when we didn't love Him. If we love as Jesus loves, then we must love those who are unlovable. If we love as Jesus loves, we must love those who don't love us. Jesus' love was also a sacrificial love. He loved us so much that He gave up heaven and died on a cross for our sins. He loved us so much that He took upon Himself the form of a servant and came to serve the needs of humanity. That kind of love calls for Jesus' followers to serve and minister to one another. Jesus' love was also a love that compelled Him to forgive. On the cross, Jesus prayed for those who were crucifying Him. His prayer-- Father, forgive them. Jesus command to us is that we forgive one another even as Christ Jesus also has forgiven us. That kind of forgiveness will never be granted, however, until we learn how to love as Jesus loved. That is why John tells us in I John 4: 21, "And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loves God must love his brother also." People today are not looking for a doctrinally correct church as much as they are a church that will exhibit the love of Christ.
Paul also prayed that these believers might have their hearts established unblameable in holiness. Holy living begins in the heart. As a man thinks in his heart so is he. Jesus also told us in Matthew 15: 19 that sin originates in the heart. "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." Because the heart is the place where the battle is fought against sin, David said that is where he would hide God's word. And, David said he would hide God's word there that he might not sin against God. Hiding God's word in our heart calls for us to meditate on the Word. Certainly, we have to get into the Word and read it. Every believer needs a plan that will take them through the entire Bible. Meditating carries the idea of thinking about what we have read as we go through the day. It carries the idea of bringing what we have read back to mind and allowing our thoughts to dwell on the passage. The goal of meditating on the Word is to allow Jesus to use the Word to direct our walk with Him to the point we live a holy life.
CONCLUSION:
As we notice Paul's prayer, we see how we are to pray. Yes, we are to pray for ourselves. But, we are also to intercede for others. We are to pray to a loving Heavenly Father expecting Him to meet our needs. We are to pray without ceasing.
MIKE HONZELL, PASTOR
COLLEGE AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH
LEVELLAND, TEXAS
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Proverbs 29:18
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