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April 2017

04
Apr

Day 13 of Prayer & Fasting

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Lamentations 3:39-41 (ESV)

39 Why should a living man complain,

a man, about the punishment of his sins?

40 Let us test and examine our ways,

and return to the Lord!

41 Let us lift up our hearts and hands

to God in heaven:

The verses for today outline a common theme that the prophets would declare to the exiled nation of Israel.  Their sin and rebellion produced a stubborn heart which eventually lead them to be enslaved by a foreign nation.  The same can happen to us.

It’s not likely that another nation’s army will invade your home because of your sin, but having a liberal approach to God’s way can lead us to a slavery of the mind, heart, and soul.

This is an example of one of Heaven’s paradoxes.  Sin says “Be free and surrender to YOUR own way”, but in the end you end up a slave.  God says, “Be holy and surrender to MY way” and as a result you will find liberty!

Application:

Ask the Holy Spirit today to reveal to you any areas of your lives that you have not surrendered to God.  If you return to God in this way God will lead you into a greater level of liberty while at the same time leading you away from being a slave to sin!

03
Apr

Day 12 of Prayer & Fasting

Posted by / 21 day of prayer & fasting 2017

Psalm 51:1-4 (ESV)

51 Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you may be justified in your words

and blameless in your judgment.

This prayer from David is a great guide for us as we continue to surrender our lives to God over the remaining days of fasting and prayer.

This confession from King David came after a difficult moment in his life, where he made a big mistakes, and then tried to cover it up instead of owning up to it.  Usually when we do this we end of making things worse.  That’s exactly what David did.

He covered up an affair that he had with the wife of one of his best warriors.  He tried to cover it up by having the husband killed.  God used the prophet Nathan to tell David that He was very much aware of everything.  This prayer is David’s response to God revealing his sinful nature to himself.

Application:

SIN is to bog to cover up.  Any attempt that you will make to RIGHT any WRONGS through your own efforts will not fix it.  Only Jesus can forgive you and purify you in the way David was asking God to do.

Always remember that God’s faithful love is enough to right our wrongs.  But first you must give Jesus to right to do so by confessing of your wrongs.

02
Apr

Day 11 of Prayer & Fasting

Posted by / 21 day of prayer & fasting 2017

Jeremiah 18:11 (ESV)

11 Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ‘Thus says the Lord, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.’

This verse could be hard for many people to deal with.  Why would God shape a disaster towards his people?

The answer….because He loves His people.  Yes, I said it.  LOVE is the motivation.

This message was directed towards a rebellious people.  Decisions have consequences, and because of God’s love, He will allow us to experience the weight of the consequences of our sins.

We all deserve the storm because of our sins.  What we don’t is a Savior from our sins.  Yet that is exactly what Jesus offers us.  We can amend our ways when we accept that Jesus is the Way that leads to eternal life.

02
Apr

Outcast Week 3

Posted by / Outcast

Week 3

Text: Luke 7:36-50

Topic: Service, Testimony

Main Idea: As this narrative illustrates, Jesus not only wants a relationship with the “outcasts,” but He wants to use them to change the world.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is one thing that stood out to you from this week’s message?
  2. What do you think this woman felt like when she showed up at this home full of religious leaders and Jesus’ disciples? What was at risk?
  3. What do you think of Jesus’ words in verse 47?
  4. What may be your “alabaster jar” that you can give to Jesus as a sign of devotion to Him? Have you already done so?
  5. Have you ever found yourself acting like the men in this story? Have you ever judged someone else’s extravagant worship? What is the remedy?
01
Apr

Day 10 of Prayer & Fasting

Posted by / 21 day of prayer & fasting 2017

Psalm 32:5 (ESV)

5 I acknowledged my sin to you,

and I did not cover my iniquity;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. SELAH

Even though it is very easy for people to keep secrets from other people, David knew that there was nothing that he could hide from God.

David also knew that there was nothing that he could do to fix his sin away from God.  When our clothes get dirty, we wash them.  When we find something in our teeth, we get it out.  SIN is something that is so deep it cannot be removed by human efforts.  Only God can do it.

Application:

The key word from the text today is SELAH.  It is a term that generally means PAUSE.  Different psalmists would use this word to create space for reflection.  In a song, we would call this an instrumental were a musician would solo.

Here David wrote in the PAUSE to reflect on the amazing realization that God had forgiven the iniquity of his sins.  TODAY, take time to PAUSE and reflect on how God has removed the iniquities of our sin on the cross.  Take time today to reflect and appreciate everything Jesus has done for us.