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Worship:
“You won’t relent until you have it all --- my heart is yours.”
“Take everything – all of me -- let it be for you. Let it be for you.”
This week, our time of worship was met with God’s holy presence. As our voices dimmed, the atmosphere was quiet with holy reverence.
“Until every drop is gone, I’ll pour my love on you.”
The Lord asked, “Am I enough?” The Lord is asking for our time, our energy, our effort, our offering – the most precious of what we possess. The Lord is asking for all our heart.
Corporate Word of the Lord:
The LORD then gave a sobering word for every ear that hears to hear: “You need to muzzle your mouth because you will be judged for every idle word.”
It was a reminder to be mindful of our words. There is a healthy fear of the LORD where we can celebrate our salvation in Jesus, but we must also honor and recognize His holiness.
Message:
The LORD is holy. As we move forward, we need to be continually mindful of His holiness because there is a reverence that comes with it. This is part of the foundation of our faith: As we reverence His holiness, we remember that He dwells in us and then we celebrate our salvation.
Faith of God:
Faith is marked by our pursuit of Him and the desire to be more like him.
Faith is marked by our trusting in His faithfulness. God is filled with faith. He is “FAITH-FULL” (even when we are not). The refining process includes having faith OF God (not only faith IN God). We are one with Him and He is one with us. The faith OF God is knowing that we operate as one with Him. This type of faith is mountain-moving faith.
We have the faith of God, and we are created in His image. Adam was molded from the dirt, but it was God’s spirit breathed into Him that gave him life -- lacking nothing. Without God’s Spirit, we go back to being just dirt.
Luke 18
The Tax Collector: His prayer was heard because he knew his sin and his need for Christ. He reverenced God and honored him.
Focus: Jesus is coming back and making all things new. He is looking for those who have the faith of God. He is looking for those whose faith is not detached from their work.
Luke 18
Faith is marked by a childlike nature. Childlike faith is operating in us when we are not willing to subject obedience to our understanding. Children do not need to have a reason for everything. They are reactive. So, we should become more reactive to the word of God. Do we have a childlike relationship with God? Do we trust Him? Is He enough?
Example: Isaiah did not ask to be sent to a certain place, he responded to God with a simple “Here I am. Send Me.” Isaiah made no stipulation. Isaiah humbled himself to the will of God and God exulted Him.
Luke 18
The Persistent Widow: She was given the verdict as a result of her persistence. Faith is marked by a persistent prayer life. A prayer life is a life of surrender that refines us and kills us (our self-will). When we are persistent in pursuing God’s will, we will be given the endurance to carry His will out.
Focus: Our prayer should be to know him and become more like him.
2 Peter 1: 3-4
Focus and Foundation: Jesus is coming back, and He is making all things new.
The enemy of this focus and foundation is the lust of the flesh (vs 4).
Example: Lot’s Wife
Lot’s family was being pulled out of the place where the fire (judgment) was coming. Lot’s wife suffered judgment because her heart was still attached to the place where God was leading them out.
Some look good on the outside, but inwardly they are still attached to worldly ways. We cannot hide from any judgment that is coming in due time. Our only way out is to repent.
We have been going through waves of God’s increasing glory. The Lord is putting order back in his house because He is also bringing His glory. He is cleaning and refining us so that we can carry His glory.
We need to spend time with the Lord -- soaking up the oil of his presence, so when the time is right God can light the fire and we can shine bright.
2 Peter 1:5-11
These verses (2 Peter 1:5-11) describe the process of becoming fruitful in Christ. It also tells us that If we are not moving forward in these things we are moving backwards. This is a good checklist for us to keep as we pursue the Lord and as we get to know Him since they are all aspects of who God is. We are in the process of renewing our minds & purifying our hearts -- staying focused on Him. By doing this, we can be unmoved by resistance, and our faith will be perfected/developed.
We should be considerate of one another in brotherly kindness and aim to be perfected in love.
Faith is marked by our pursuit of Him, and its purpose is to become more like Him.
"God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him." - John Piper