The Boldness of the Apostles

The Boldness of the Apostles

Acts 5.17-42

There was only one time in the church when there was an Apostolic Age, those men whom Jesus chose to be with Him and were eye witnesses of the Resurrection. We believe John was the last apostle alive and that he died somewhere around 90AD. 

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon them on the Day of Pentecost, the movement of God was indeed unique. This is the early history of the church. 

There have been movements of God throughout the history of the church when He pours out His Spirit and wonders happen.

*The Reformation, led by Martin Luther, was one of those times. The church was in need of reforms.

*John Wesley was used by God with the Methodist Movement to bring people into the Kingdom in England and the US.

*The Faith Missions Movement began in the mid 1800’s and was used to bring the Gospel around the world. Most notably to China and India and now to the whole world. They are the ones who win most of the people to Christ.

*At the turn of the 20th Century there was a move of God underway in our country. It was during this time that the Church of the Nazarene, the Assemblies of God and the Christian Missionary and Alliance denominations were founded.

*Just after World War II Billy Graham began his nationwide ministry. Bob Pierce founded World Vision a few years later. Both he and Billy Graham were the first employees of a new movement called Youth For Christ.

*In the mid 1960’s a move of God which became known as The Jesus Movement took place. It changed the way we worship.

Here we are in 2018, in our nation, in need of a fresh outpouring. It is happening around the world today but we need it here. All of these moves of God began with people calling out to Him about the State of the Church! They were trying to correct things in the church and God moved mightily. We pray today, “Do it again, LORD!” 

Habakkuk, the prophet, summed it up well in his prayer in his prophecy...

Habakkuk 3 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.

2 Lord, I have heard of your fame;
    I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
Repeat them in our day,
    in our time make them known;    in wrath remember mercy.

Go back with me to that first century church.

The Boldness of the Apostles was seen in that...

1. They Suffered For Christ v.18

The church where and when it is the strongest suffers persecution.

*China building blown up last month

*Cuba only one mission field they can go to.

*Christians in Muslim Countries, some where it is illegal to even own a Bible

The early church suffered.

Pray for those suffering today. Pray that they will be faithful. That prayer lines up with the Biblical admonitions.

Hebrews 12.4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

We suffer very little for our faith here in America at this point. I believe part of our suffering could be amd should be in mourning over the spiritual condition of country. Heroin, Tide Pods and now sucking up condoms through their noses... the young people are lost. They desparately need Christ.

2. They Were Encouraged By Him. v.19-20

They would not have gotten this advice from a missions council.

The church where it is persecuted is opertaing without a manmade organization overseeing it.

When all the round eyed missionaries were removed from China a few years before I was born there was great concern as to what would happen to the church there. It was not until I went into the ministry that the doors were opened again. What was found shocked many. 

They expected to find the church badly beaten up, struggling to hang on. What they found was a church that had multiplied in the face of persecution and being shut off from the rest of the world and fellow believers.

In the midst of great persecution the church in China, without any help from any missionaries had grown and was very healthy! 

Their attitude was that of Peter in v.29 We must obey God, not men.

When the word of man contradicts the Word of God.

God, through His Spirit encouraged this church at Jerusalem. He was prompting them to speak and the did!

3. They Were Devoted To Him. v.21-25

They did not let fear or threats overtake them. They did not consider their own lives but were willing to lay them down for the Master. They were becoming like Jesus.

When I hear young people talking about moving to a third world country I am touched in my heart. When I see people serving the LORD in spite of personal pain I am encouraged. When I see people finishing well it blesses me.

Being devoted to Jesus Christ means following Him closely.

*He lived for His Father’s Glory.  His Kingdom come. Nothing we planned to get done... everything God planned did get done.

*He gave Himself to others... He did take care of Himself with proper rest and breaks.

*He poured out His life.

*He remained true in the worst possible circumstances.

*He was commited to His Father in heaven in both His life and his death.

I want to be like Jesus.

4.  They Were Fearless For Him. v.29-32

They saw obedience to God as Supreme. 

Him only did they serve.

I John 4.18 

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Perfect love means complete faith and trust in the LORD. When we know Him in that way, we have no need of fear. There is a witness to our spirits, there is a sense of whether we live or we die we are the LORD’s. There is the crescendo of glory. There is perfect peace and love and a fulfilled joy.

Being made perfect in love means we know God. We understand that God loves us and will take care of all our needs perfectly.

That is one reason I love journaling! It records things that I may forget... answers to prayer... His Hand... daily things...

I was thinking. All the days ordained for me were written in His Book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139.16)... then if we are journaling regularly are we not writing down on earth what already has been written in heaven?

5. They Were Joyful In Him. Vs.41-42

Joy is a state of the heart and mind.

It has to do with salvation. The joy of our salvation.

We cannot find true joy in temporal things. We may find some form of happiness but it is not joy.  

Rejoice in Him.

Pray for a move of God in our nation, in our time. Pray the prayer of Habakkuk. Pray. Pray. Pray.

What Does The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ Mean?

What Does The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ Mean?

Mark 16.1-7

We could talk about the emotional swings from Good Friday to Easter Morning

*From Hoplessness to  Exteme Elation

*From Despair to a joy that could not contained.

*From Confusion to a Surreal Sense that everything was going to come back together.

*From Unspeakable loss to having it reversed into Immeasurable Gain

Emotions played a huge part on the morning Jesus rose from the grave. We cannot discount feelings. They are part of us. We dare not make decisions based on them alone. Fenelon wrote, “Never make a major decision in time of distress.” He understood that you are not thinking your best when emotions are swinging from one end to the other.

Better to go by the facts.

There were many indisputable facts and witnesses concerning this wonderful event.

Most of all there was an Empty Tomb which means Jesus Had Risen just as He said. He appeared to Mary Magadelene, then to two of them on the Road To Emmaus, then to the disciples, behind locked doors for fear of the Jewish leaders.

This is more than a historical event, althougn it is that.

What does the Resurrection Of Jesus Christ, God’s Son mean?

1. Death Has Been Defeated.

O death where is thy sting? I Corinthians 15.55

*In our hearts

The sentence of death has been removed.

John 11.25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

When I stand at the graves of people who have loved the LORD, there is deep conviction in my heart that they are not there. They are with the LORD. When it comes time for a person who loves the LORD to go... D.L. Moody: “One day you are going to read in the papers that Dwight L. Moody has died. Don’t you believe it! For on that day I will be more alive than I have ever been!”

*In our minds

Paul the Apostle wrote to the church at Philippi:

Philippians 1.20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

We lost a professor only a few years older than I from Bible College days this week. He loved life. Someone wrote, “Too young and so sad.” I responded, “Sad for his precious family but better by far for him!”

*In our bodies

The dead in Christ

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” Revelation 14.13

Psalm 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints

Mark 12.25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

*In our future

I Thessalonians 4.13-18

Death being defeated means...

2. Eternal Life Awaits Those Who Believe

Quantity eternal/ forever eternal life

Quality in the Present

Proverbs 8.32-36

“Now then, my children, listen to me;

    blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
    do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen to me,
    watching daily at my doors,
    waiting at my doorway.
35 For those who find me find life
    and receive favor from the Lord.
36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves;
    all who hate me love death.”

3. There is More To Life Than Our Time On Earth

Proverbs teaches us how to live wisely.

Jesus told us of heaven and hell.

Our life here is brief.

Eternity is forever.

David wrote about how the LORD was his Shepherd.

He ended that Psalm with the words: “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

4.  One Day All Our Questions Will Be Answered

 We will know fully even as we are fully known.

I Corinthians 13.12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

There have been many times recently when I have been asked a question about life, particularly in the area of suffering, and I have just had to say, “I don’t know.” There are mysteries in this life, many. We can wear ourselves out trying to find answers. One day we will know. One day we will understand.

Because Jesus Rose from the Dead all to all who believe on Him

5. We Will Be In Heaven.

Revelation 21.1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! The dwelling place of God is now among men, and He will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

6. We Have Hope For This Day And All Our Days!

Luke 24

We had hoped...

Didn’t our hearts burn?

7. There is Great Joy In Serving Jesus.

He Lives!

I serve a Risen Savior!

I Will Serve Theee Because I Love Thee, You Have Given Life To Me.

The greatest joy, the ultimate is to do what God has called you to do

Works of service He has prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2.10

All the days ordained for me... Psalm 139.16     all the days ordained for me were written in your book

    before one of them came to be.

What does the Resurrection of Jesus Christ mean? Jesus said that He has come that we have life and have it more abundantly.

He died and rose again to offer it to us. Today!

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The Ride Into Jerusalem

The Ride Into Jerusalem

Matthew 21.1-11 

We call this Palm Sunday.

Why?

It begins Holy Week.

Only 2 detailed weeks in the whole Bible, this one and the week of creation in the beginning in Genesis 1. This is a very very special week.

It is celebrated by Christians.

It commemorates an event in the life of Jesus from 2,000 years ago.

The actual journey itself was forming way before Palm Sunday and way before they arrived in the vicinity of Jerusalem on Friday before Palm Sunday.

1. It Began In Galilee, Gathered Momentum in Jericho and Culminated in Jerusalem.

Passover travels

Luke 2.41-51

The roads were filled with families going to the feast. Great companies of pilgrims were heading toward Jerusalem for Passover to celebrate the feast there. This was an annual event. This one was different. More about that in moment. Estimated 2 1/2 Million

Traveling to and arriving at Jerusalem during the time of Jesus’ life on the earth they were reminded that Israel was now occupied by the Romans. This celebration of their Independence from Egypt was marred by the rule by Rome in their own land. They were celebrating a freedom they had lost. This was not the first time. It had happened during the time of Nebuchadnezzar. Both Babylon and Rome had taken over the land. The monarchy had ended. They has asked for a king to be like the other nations around them and now they were under the thumb of the Roman Empire. This happened because they had rejected the LORD. The land was sacred to them, thus the name Israel, governed by God or the Holyland. And so He brought them to the border of His holy land, to the hill country His right hand had taken. Psalm 78.52

Let me describe for you what attending a Passover Feast was like in Jerusalem during David’s reign, 1,000 years before this one. David become King when he was 30, the same age Jesus began His ministry. 15 years into David’s reign would have made him 45. The tabernacle was there. The plans for the temple were in his heart. Appropriations were being firmed up for it. Music was now added to the worship by David . On the way the people thought of the blessing of their freedom and peace on all sides. They would no doubt get to see their beloved King during the feast. They remembered the bitterness of the Egyptian bondage and the joy of being set free. They were going to Jerusalem to celebrate that in their past and revel in their present and filled with hope for the future. National Pride was at an all time high. Here they were, celebrating their independence day, in their own land, with military conquests that began with Joshua and ended with King David. He had killed Goliath, the champion of the Philistines and the rest is history. The army of Israel would have a presence but it was more for show than practical reasons. The nation was at peace with all its neighbors. David, through God’s strength, had made it so. God was with him and God’s blessings was on the nation. This was their finest hour.

Now let me describe the Passover when Jesus was here on the earth. It was a bittersweet. Passover was always a celebration. Yet as the crowds journeyed to Jerusalem in 32 AD, the presence of the Roman Soldiers were all around. Those traveling on foot compelled some men to carry their load a mile. Those whose lives had been touched by Jesus and became followers of His were asking those soldiers to carry it two miles. I am sure there were some very interesting conversations following this... we need to engage people in conversations! This week... 7-Eleven

There were many others who resented this interuptive reminder of their plight, that at a time they are celebrating their independence there is this reminder that they are no longer free. The had become an occupied territory in the Roman Empire.

Upon arriving at Jerusalem they saw the Roman security forces beefed up, lest the people riot. There were also even more forces because Herod and Pilate were in Jerusalem for the feast. There was no Jewish Monarch, no palace, no army like Saul had raised and David led. In its place were occupied forces. This was such an emotional sight. Once where the armies of Israel in reverence bowed in worship were Roman forces that were their to enforce the strong arm of Caesar. It was profane.

To add injury to insult their so called spiritual leader, the High Priest, had sold out to Rome. Instead of the natural succession that had been the order since Aaron, the  position of High Priest was now determined in part by the Roman Government. The Gentiles controlled the Jewish Preisthood!

Going to Jerusalem reminded them of their beloved King David. It was David who captured Jerusalem from the Jebusites and made it the capital of Israel and the place of worship. Here Abraham offered Isaac on the same mountain range that the new temple had been built on. Here Solomon had built the temple David envisioned. Here Nebuchadnezzar’s troops destroyed it and Jeremiah wrote Lamentations, the deep sorrow for the once beautiful City of Jerusalem. Here Nehemiah returned from Persia to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. Here Zerubbabel, inspired through Zechariah, the prophet rebuilt the temple upon the return of Jews to Jerusalem. Herod had added to it in an extensive rebuilding project, even more evidence that although Israel was in the land they did not have the right to goven anymore.

The thought of the Messiah going to Jerusalem for the Passover in the First Century brought thrills to the souls of the people.

Healing a blind man along the way electrified that crowd. They were watching every move Jesus made. They were longing to be free from Roman oppression. They had hoped He would be the one to redeem Israel (Luke 24.21)

2. The Donkey

This was in fulfillment of prophecy by Zechariah. v.5

The significance is the animal. An animal of peace. A beast of burden. Men did not go to war on donkeys. They rode out on horses. Riding in on a donkey symbolized peace.

Jesus rode into Jerusalem that day to bring it peace. 

Listen to His lament over the city: 

Luke 19.41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

3. The Timing

Passover

Fulfilled

Pentecost

People from all over the world there.

It gave the faithful the sign they had been waiting for.

It focused the whole city’s attention on Jesus. The whole city quake to shake, agitate, cause to tremble

1. 1. of men, to be thrown into a tremor, to quake for fear
      metaph. to agitate the mind

It flung down the final gaunlet to His enemies.

He lamented over the city.

This was not a proclamtion of an earthly victory. Jesus was riding to the throne God had given Him in heaven. It would not be until the end of time that His earthly reign would be established. He would say to Pilate at the end of this week, “My Kingdom is not of this world...  If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” John 18.36                                                                                 

4. The Fulfillment of Prophecy.

Fulfilled by Daniel’s prophecy in 

Daniel 9.25-26

"Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens. After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing.'’ 69 7's or 483 years. In Nehemiah 2.1 we are given the exact year and month this decree to rebuild Jerusalem was given: Nisan 445 B.C. Nisan is the first month of the Jewish calendar. Since Nehemiah names no other day, the prophetic period must be rendered according to Jewish custom from New Years’ Day. Nehemiah’s date was the 14th of March, 445, BC.
A prophetic year was 360 days. We see this in Daniel and Revelation. (11.2-3) Luke tells us that Jesus’ ministry began in the 15th year of Tiberius AD14. Tiberius began his reign on August 19, 14AD. 
Jesus began his public ministry in 29AD Three Passovers after this in 32AD Jesus was crucified. The Julian date of the 10th of Nisan (the Sunday before the Passover that year) was Sunday April 6, 32AD. The length of time between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem March 14th 445BC and the first Palm Sunday April 6th 32 AD when Jesus rode into Jerusalem was exactly 173,880 days, 483 prophetic years of 360 days.
This event of Jesus riding into Jerusalem was so significant.

Yet to be fulfilled.

You will not see me again until you say blessed is He Who comes in the name of the LORD. Matthew 23.39

They will look on the One they had pierced. Zechariah 12.10; John 19.37

These words were quoted and spoken by our LORD after Palm Sunday. It refers to His Return. Palm Sunday events tie into that as well as do discourses during Holy Week.

5. Holy Week

Palm Sunday was a prelude to the most intense week in history.

First, week

Celebrated each year

Pastor Weller, Pastor Bond

Celebrated this year... get into it, embrace the cross, break out of old habits... come to the meetings you are able to attend.

My granddaughter, Lily, yesterday, “Mom, can we get my new dress for Easter?” Something new... in our hearts, routine is good, breaking out for something special liberating

Quiet times this week, personal times... make this a week of walking with Jesus. Go through Mark’s Gospel each day.

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Opening The Windows of Heaven Through Prayer

Prayer and The Windows of Heaven

Acts 4.29-30

29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

Prayer is the secret of spiritual strength.

The three greatest needs in the church today are to experience the Power of the Resurrection, the Baptism With the Holy Spirit and the Power of Prayer. In the first four chapters of Acts we see all three of these components dominating the early Church. In fact, in  each chapter in the Book of Acts you have heard me say, “They were either on their way to a prayer meeting, at a prayer meeting or coming from a prayer meeting.”

After this first persecution we see their prayer in vs.24-29. I love how they begin by addressing the LORD God as the One Who created the heavens, the earth and the sea and everything in them. It was His power that did this. It is recorded for us in the first words of the Bible, “In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Then the next verses give the order of how He created everything in that first week of the earth’s history. Very important that we accept this for what it says. If we can’t we are going to have trouble with the rest of the Bible.

Proverbs 8.22-31

“The Lord brought me forth as the first of His works,
    before His deeds of old;
23 I was formed long ages ago,
    at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
    when there were no springs overflowing with water;
25 before the mountains were settled in place,
    before the hills, I was given birth,
26 before He made the world or its fields
    or any of the dust of the earth.
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,
    when He marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28 when He established the clouds above
    and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29 when He gave the sea its boundary
    so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when He marked out the foundations of the earth.
30     Then I was constantly at His side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
    rejoicing always in His presence,
31 rejoicing in His whole world
    and delighting in mankind.

So wisdom and prayer and the Word of God are all tied into His Creation... the admonition finishes: (vs.32-36)

“Now then, my children, listen to Me;
    blessed are those who keep My ways.
33 Listen to My instruction and be wise;
    do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen to Me,
    watching daily at My doors,
    waiting at My doorway.
35 For those who find Me find life
    and receive favor from the Lord.
36 But those who fail to find Me harm themselves;
    all who hate Me love death

I imagine these apostles seeing Jesus instantaneously heal helped them accept the Creation Account as it is written. They certainly used it as jump off in their prayer for power. When we see God work it builds up our faith. When we see the Word of God confirmed the church is strengthened in its faith.

Notice they did not pray for protection. They did pray politically. This is a very non politically correct prayed prayer! They named names!

This prayer was addressed to the LORD God Almighty. It was calling on Him to grant help on the earth in their endeavor to obey the LORD. We need to pray this more!

This prayer is a wonderful model. It opened up the windows of heaven! Prayer originates in the heart from the throne of God. Then it goes back up to heaven and the windows of heaven are opened and blessing flow.

We need to realize that the spiritual blessings are above the material blessings. We are well off here in America. We pray more for physical blessings. Go outside the USA and you will see the church crying out to God for strength, for souls to come to Him, for His Name to be glorified. We need to learn from our brothers and sisters in the third world on how to pray.

Jesus said that His Kingdom was not of this world.

What was it about this prayer that shook the place where they were praying?

What kind of prayer opens the windows of heaven?

1-Believing prayer. Hebrews 11. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

His existence... He was, He is, He always will be.

His Goodness in action (rewards) = One Who pays wages promised.

When believing prayer is offered and it unites with God’s will mountains are moved! 

We have seen God’s Hand upon us, upon our lives.   We have  seen some amazing answers to prayer. 

Faith is persistent. Luke 18.1-8

The day before yesterday the doctor told Carolyn that she had a leak in her stomach due to a perforation intestine and if it wasn’t repaired immediately she would be dead by morning.. Because the prognosis wasn’t good they life flighted her to a hospital in Columbus for the emergency operation they had to preform on her due to stomach acid that was draining into her abdomen and causing sepsis!   They did 2 scans that showed the perforation and prepared everything for surgery,  Then they did another  scan but this time the perforation was closing.    The doc ordered another scan.   He showed Carolyn and Ray both scans and the doctor told them "  I don't understand,  it seems to be healing itself"   (I love it when doctors say this!)  But it is clear that all the prayers being offered that it was GOD doing the healing.   Tomorrow she’s leaving the hospital! She didn’t have to have the operation because SOMEHOW her perforated stomach/intestine is no longer perforated! Somehow she’s healed....THANK YOU GOD YOU ARE SO GOOD.. thanks for all your prayers from friends and family. 

Many of you probably didn’t even know what was happening. Mostly because everything happened so fast and we were all an emotional wreck.  I cant imagine life if I lost another child. I cant stop thanking God for HIS healing Carolyn and for His wonderful love.  Pearl.

2-United Prayer v.24

United believing prayer is one of the mightiest weapons God has out within reach of His Church. They raised their voices together in prayer to God... they were in one accord...with one mind, with one passion.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4.3)

Coming together in prayer, uniting our hearts together around the purposes of the Kingdom of God is an amazing thing.

The results are out of this world!

3-Definite Prayer v.29

They were specific. They knew what they were asking for.

They were asking for what got them in trouble with the authorities! Christian Sarmiento, “Don’t pray for the presecution to stop. Pray that they will continue to be faithful in it.”

We ought to be specific. We have not because ask not.  (James 4.2)

We have blessing from asking. “Make this Church a Lighthouse to the community.” Thursday night...

3-Christ Honoring v.30

All for Jesus!

This means that the answer is going to be according to the will of God.

This eliminates selfish prayers.

This means that people are going smell the aroma of Christ. II Corinthians 2.15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

4-Answered v.31

The joy of answered prayer. 

It shakes things up!

It accomplishes it purposes!

Our prayers need to change, take in the lost more. Pray over souls!

Seth Rees

May God give us enough religion to stir things. I would rather make folks mad than to have them go to sleep. It is an awful thing to think of people going to hell as they are, and I put the matter to myself sometimes, and say: "Seth Rees, do you believe there is a hell? Do you believe people are going there? Do you preach and act as if you did?" Most of us do not half believe that the people we come in contact with day after day are going to hell. I frequently preach to men who stand on the border lines of eternity, who hear me preach the last time they ever hear any man preach.

Mad at praying!

The early church depended upon prayer. They prayed to a Sovereign God Who can do anything! 

Let’s pray!

May there be a demonstration of the Spirit’s power!

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