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Sunday, October 4, 2009
Northeast & Northwest Regions: CAMPUS SERVICE
Ron Drabot -- Announcements
Baptism at CPCC Campus - Medoi
new couple transferring here from South Africa, Middle East, Malaysia, they will be working at Davidson Day School -- Shawn and Isabell and Chris
Timothy Lauren studied with them in Johannesburg, S. Africa
Phil 4
Special Contribution -- last year we gave $66,000 in September and $120,000 by December
Last week we gave $84,000, well on our way to our goal
HOPE Charlotte -- volunteers for Charlotte Rescue Mission 10/20 4 - 6 pm
128 people live in the home there -- see Mike Dames
10/24 Red Cross Disaster training 10 - 11 am free, sign-up
Communion -- David and Diane
Lamentations 3:19-24
Diane -- inspired by The Notebook (Chick Flick)
Her 1st love is Jesus - eternity
she will know God because of Him
death will only bring her closer to Jesus
Jesus sends love letters, even when she didn't love him
He never gave up on her
She always knew Jesus loved her
dementia consumed her in the movie, just like sin consumed Diane
She didn't know who he was (Jesus)
Against all odds, Jesus continues in our lives, continues to love us
Even when we question and doubt
He promised to never leave our side
David -- need to let Jesus' blood cleanse us
Things hold us back, consume us
This is when we remember Christ
Harmony -- Passion to Please God
John 8:27-30
God will be with me when I am trying to please Him
who am I working for?
pleasing people? myself? or God?
If we focus on pleasing God, everything will run smoothly
serving for my life, running for my life, studying with people -- is it to please God?
1) What pleases God?
Eph 5:8-10
how often do we think about if what we are doing is pleasing God?
we need to have the heart to please God, to want to find out
watching a particular TV show -- it may not cause us to struggle or sin, but does it please God?
I am going to stay away because it doesn't please God
We need to see the world through God's eyes
All sin is equal -- God sees it that way but the world doesn't
Is this truth? righteousness? We read the Bible to see what pleases God
How much of it is instinct to please God? natural to us?
We have a pleasure sensor -- what pleasures us? Are we trying to be God's pleasure sensor?
Rom 8:5-6 our mind set on what the Spirit desires
Does my pleasure sensor match God's pleasure sensor?
or are we still pleased by sin?
Are we being renewed every day? our mind should be set on what the Spirit desires
It's not a burden for us to please God
boast in our weaknesses and have the desire to please God
JayLou -- Passion about Sin
Mt 19:17 God's good, we are well (only one is good)
Gen 1:31 it was all good
Is 59:2 separated from God
In the midst of sin, what do you think about?
his desires can be hidden from us because of our sin
Psalm 119:11 hidden your word in my heart -- that's how we protect ourselves from sin
How much do we value the Bible?
We are perfect creations, except for sin
The Bible is the key to getting us passionate about eliminating our sin
Connecting with God needs to be a regular thing
The Bible is not routine and a set of rules
To the older disciples: we can't read every day intellectually, we have wisdom and so much to teach, we've gone through so many experiences
Teach the young how to be secure in God
Look to the cross
Jesus' blood sets us free
it's like a 3 legged race -- sin is bound to us, makes us stumble
We make it harder to run the race for God
sin ties our shoelaces together
we cannot do it on our own
1 Cor 15:10 Paul -- the grace of God was not without effect
We can be effective by standing on God's grace
God hates our sin, He puts the sin aside through Jesus so he can love us
When that is written on our hearts, we can be passionate
Are we as passionate today as we were when we were first baptized?
Do we call out other's sins?
Like walking around with cereal on my face, I want to know. I need someone to tell me.
When we focus on the grace given to us, it is easier to be strengthened
Paul didn't focus on his past, but what he could do now
The word can cut us, and strengthen us
Rely on God's strength and what he can do for us, and already did for us
Uchenna -- Passion for Prayer
Jesus prayed more than any other man. He lived 33 years on earth. Jesus couldn't do without prayer in his life.
Jesus' prayer life inspires him to get on his knees even more.
Luke 22:44
Jesus prayed so intensely that he bled
We have been called by God to live a life of prayer
If God looked at my prayer life right now, what would he say?
Is he moved when I pray?
Prayer is not part of life, prayer is life.
It takes us in the presence of God.
We must be connected.
Mark 1:35 very early
he was very disciplined in his prayer life
He didn't pray when it was convenient for him.
How often do we allow challenges to affect when we pray?
We shouldn't just pray when things are good or bad
When was the last time I just wanted to spend time with God?
How disciplined am I with my prayer time? How sacrificial? How radical?
Getting up at 3 am to pray on his knees, he fell asleep
we need to demonstrate to God that we need him and cannot live without him
Some of us are trying to live that way
Luke 5:16 withdrew to lonely places
Jesus had many challenges in his life, he had temptations
He had crazy people trying to kill him
Jesus needed to connect with God throughout the day
We can't check prayer time off the list in the morning and be done for the rest of the day
Pray continually scriptures:
Rom 12:12
1 Thess 5:17
Col 4:2
How much is God's involvement in my life?
Do I try to solve my own problems?
When times are tough, do I pull away and go spend time with God?
We need to not fix the problem now, go to God
God will humble us, we need to learn to rely on God
If we want to please him, prayer is one way we can do that
Friendships grow closer because of praying together
We need to be devoted to prayer
People should be able to look at our lives and see we are devoted to prayer
Luke 6:12 Jesus prayed all night
We had all night prayer once -- 11 people -- mountain dews, energy drinks to keep us awake. Around 3 am it got pretty rough, they ended up with 2 people awake.
When was the last time you spent an hour or more in prayer?
We talk a lot
we spend hours on the phone
Are you that close to God?
Am I that in love with God that I can talk to Him all day?
Jesus was very passionate about it
He was not distracted by his life - he left the house
We can be praying and answer the phone -- not good
If we are not devoted to God in prayer, we are not giving God our hearts
Driving and praying is not enough - we are too distracted
We need to give our full attention to God
2 Chr 7:14 God calls us by name
God is ready to meet our needs but we are not praying enough
We should be growing and changing, we will when we pray