Obedience Now Builds Faith For The Future

Review

Started the year exploring how to keep Jesus Christ out front in our lives in 2008.

Last week look at the significance of the church.

As we continue to look ahead - had this thought …

In many ways a new year is a door or a gate into a future filled with the unknown, whether good or bad, but holding possibilities and opportunities for us to step into and experience.

Through a strong relationship with God and faith, we can open up those possibilities and opportunities.

Cyrus- A Man Before His Time

Isaiah 45:1-3 (read)

Cyrus- man called by God many years before his birth

Isa 45:3 "I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden wealth of secret places, So that you may know that it is I, The Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.

Michael Q. Pink- prophetic word- 1/2/2008 …

There are many treasures hidden in darkness waiting for you and me to discover. They are not lying on the path but rather in the hidden places, requiring light and diligence to find.

What are these treasures? It could be a new invention, a cure for cancer, alternative fuels, a book, a song.

Will we be light that brings these treasures to- world?

I believe God wants to entrust those treasures to His children. But we have to be seekers, searching early for wisdom, watching daily at His gates. Michael Q. Pink

Who- going to find these treasures? Seekers/watchers.

Lk 11:5-13

A Special Trust in God (David Wilkerson)

As we look through the gate into the year 2008 it is filled with unknowns- hard/easy, good/bad?

Many say God is going to bring judgment on our nation for our arrogance/immorality/violence.

Whether these prophetic words …

are true or not true,

will happen in our life time or not?

If I were to point to any one thing that might bring God’s judgment- I would look at abortion.

Let me take a small detour here … (SOHL insert)

Story of Cyrus tells something about when life begins.

Isaiah talks about Cyrus many years before his birth.

Isa 44:28 "It is I who says of Cyrus, ’He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.’

Like Cyrus- God knows you and I long before we are even conceived in our mother’s womb (Psa 139).

Jesus- when talking about separating sheep/goats …

Mtt 25:34 … ’Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. NASU

Life begins at conception, but we were a person, conceived in God’s heart, long before conception.

There is no doubt- abortion is killing a person God created to live- a person with a destiny to fulfill.

World- abortions- 46 million/yr, 126,000/day

US- abortions- 1.37 million/yr, 3700/day

93% of abortions occur for social reasons-

unwanted or inconvenient pregnancies.

US- Since 1972- over 49 million abortions

My concern for the US …

Nu 35:33 "Don’t pollute the land in which you live. Murder pollutes the land. The land can’t be cleaned up of the blood of murder except through the blood of the murderer. MSG

If, how, or when God will judge us is unknown.

A Special Trust in God (continued)

During 2008 our nation may experience some strong storms- when they come will we be shaken?

Every Christian claims to believe in the Lord.

Most Christians have a general trust in God.

Heb 13:5 … "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER

FORSAKE YOU," NASU

Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. NASU

We understand God’s promises in the general sense.

But do we know how to apply them specifically when trouble comes our way?

In Bible- there are many promises that deal w/specific situations we might encounter- do we know them?

The promises mean nothing apart from the God.

Are we taking time to cultivate a relationship with the living God of the promises?

When storms come, will we be able to

connect His Word w/our problems and

connect with the God who spoke that word?

The Puritans … said every promise of the Lord is a holy argument. They believed a Christian should not come before the Lord with just a general faith. David Wilkerson

They believed Christians needed to know how to come to God w/requests relevant to their situation.

Psa 62:8 Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

Implication- those who have learned to …

pour out their hearts to God in prayer and

have built their lives on His Word

will be able to stand in difficult times.