Sunday, November 25, 2012

Isaiah 30 - God's will

God’s Will

How to know God’s will – After the fact.
Walking by faith – Sometimes the “Faith” part of our walking with the Lord is to use the tools God has given us (education, wisdom, knowledge, common sense, etc.) to decide on a given course of action.

Hannibal Smith – A Team -Have you ever heard the saying, “I love it when a plan comes together”.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit will confirm to us that we have made the right decision in a very special way.
There are a couple of scriptures where we can see how God confirms the rightness of obedience after the fact. Let’s look at those this morning:

Exodus 3:10-12
10 Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 And He said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.”
Two Promises: I will be with you; I will give you a sign
How did giving Moses a sign after he obeyed the command help Moses?
Have you ever had a situation where you were sure you did what God wanted – but only after the dust had settled?

Isaiah 30:19-22
19 People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. 20 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” 22 Then you will desecrate your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, “Away with you!”

Passage written for Judah, and speaks prophetically about Christ’s coming and the work of the Holy Spirit. The OT context for this passage is Isaiah telling Judah they would be punished for worshipping Idols, they would then turn back to God and he would hear and answer them.
God has not changed. He sometimes molds us and allows us to grow in our reliance on him through adversity.

Do we look at adversity and affliction as bread and water?

How can adversity help us to hear that voice saying “This is the way; walk in it.”?


Sunday, November 4, 2012

Psalm 127 Prosperity

Prosperity Comes from the Lord.
A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.
Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors;
For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

What does it mean for the Lord to build the house?

Solomon talked about Vanity in Ecclesiastes.
2:12-17 Wisdom is vanity
2:18-23 Work is vanity
5:10-11 Being rich is vanity

Ultimately he says in Ecclesiastes (12:13) Fear God and keep his commandments.

Children
Blessing and a responsibility

3 Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.
5 How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Blessing
Tim speaking at Graduation Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Responsibility

How do the blessings and responsibilities of being a parent impact you?

How can fulfilling the responsibilities of parenthood be a blessing?