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Men don't do brunch but we are bros, so we do bro-unch. Please join us for a time of fine food and fellowship. There will be a sign up sheet at Church. We will need a head count. We can start at 9 and folks can hang out or even go for doughnuts next door after we eat.
If you have an older son, bring him, bring a friend.
Men's Bro-unch
November 18, 2017, 9:00am - November 18, 2017, 12:00pm
Men don't do brunch but we are bros, so we do bro-unch. Please join us for a time of fine food and fellowship. There will be a sign up sheet at Church. We will need a head count. We can start at 9 and...
Praying the tough prayers.
King David, womanizer, murderer, prone to drinking, by all appearances arrogant and yet he is referred to in scripture as a man after God's own heart.
We know God's heart was not like David's, seeking and desiring the things of the flesh. So how can David be who we read about and still be a God chaser?
David knew David!
David's prayers are tough because they began inward.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.”
Psalms 139:23-24 NASB
In the Psalms 139 David ask God to search his heart. In the previous verses of this Psalms David acknowledged he couldn't hide anything from God nor could he escape God's view/ reach. He is acknowledging that God has already searched and knows David; even from his mother's womb.
David is asking God to reveal to him those things that are offensive to God and then he ask God to " lead me in the everlasting way".
David didn't just ask to be made aware of his faults he asked to be directed by God. He prayed for change.
In Psalms 51, David confessed his sins to God and asked God to use him.
Here's just a few verses of the Psalms.
“Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.”
Psalms 51:7, 10-12 NASB
The tough prayers are not for others, they are for us as individuals. Our prayers should be; to be made in the image of Christ so we may reflect God's glory.
It requires courage, sacrifice, change and the desire to be God's man/woman.
Jesus prayed tough prayers and he taught his disciples to pray tough prayers.
“saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done."”
Luke 22:42 NASB
“'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10 NASB
So, I encourage you to take the chance and pray the tough prayers, but....only if you're ready for the change.
If you pray God's will from your heart, I assure you change is coming.
Pray with Courage, with Conviction and with Confidence, you're a Child of God.
Try praying Psalms 139 and 51 throughout the next few days, but only if you're courageous enough for an adventure.
Peace
Bishop Jim
All battles are not yours to fight.
I know that many of us type A, control freaks think we can fix everything and win every battle. We exhaust ourselves trying to fix things. As Christians when we engage in every battle we are not trusting our God to do battle for us. Sometimes we need to stand up, not to the battle but in the house of God and cry out to Him to do deliver us, to fix what is broken.
When you're facing a war, trial, brokenness or find yourself in a storm.
Cry out to God.
When threatened with invasion from three different kings, King Jehoshaphat gathered the men women and children and went to the house of God and cried out to God to deliver Israel. God heard Jehoshaphat and the Holy Spirit showed up.
2 Chronicles 20:5-6, 9, 14-15 NASB
“Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD before the new court, and he said, "O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You.
'Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us. '
Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; and he said, "Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's.”
2 Chronicles 20:16-17 NASB
“Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you."”
Stand firm in God and His peace will be with you.
Bishop Jim
“God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.”
Genesis 1:4 NASB
Light-Darkness, two simple words. Both can create anxiousness in mankind. Who hasn't been in complete darkness and not found themselves feeling lost, confused and maybe a little anxious?
Light can create concerns also... traveling on a dark road and the glare of bright lights from the oncoming vehicle or of a parked vehicle that suddenly appears out of nowhere with bright lights. Those red and blue lights flashing behind you when no one else is on the road. They can startle us and create a sense of panic.
Though for most of us, light brings confidence and comfort. Bright lights help the surgeon, the miner, the driver and the photographer to see who, where and what needs to be seen more closely and clearly.
We should recognize, light never retreats, it always pushes forward. The light traveling from the sun doesn't retreat, its constantly piercing the darkness. When it lands on an area of this blue globe we call home that area is illuminated. The progress of the light never ceases.
This is true also in the spiritual world. The love of God for the world is like sunlight piercing the dark depths of space. It never ceases and is constant. We like the earth are constantly moving and therefore are constantly cycling between light and darkness.
When we seek the presence of God in every aspect of our beings we are then in God's Will. He desires for us to constantly be in His light and presence. He never tires of our companionship. His light brings healing, and His presence brings peace. He wills for us to also reflect His light. When we are plugged into Him, we become a light to others that may be living in darkness.
“"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16 NASB
Walk in God's light, seek His presence and have faith that He will respond to you and we can become like Enoch.
Enoch was a man that constantly sought the presence of a God and it was his faith in knowing God was with him that became his reward.
“Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” Genesis 5:24 NASB
“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:5-6 NASB
Seek God, look for Him in everything trusting and believing you will find Him. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Have a blessed and joy filled Sunday.
Bishop Jim... somebody turn on the lights.