So we’ve looked at the 1st three parts of this prayer and we now move to the 4th. We will see that our Pursuit (That He is our King and we are living for His kingdom and not our own) is so closely tied to our Purpose (That our will be the same as the Lord’s will for our live), that the two are tied together. In fact, our purpose comes out of our deep abiding Passion (Making the name of Jesus great above any other) because of our relationship, and the Privilege of that relationship with our Heavenly Father!
What is the Kingdom of God? It means the rule and reign of God both in heaven and here on earth. It is not a reference to geography as much as it is to God's sovereignty and dominion over everything. This kingdom has only one King and no earthly king or president can take that throne. It belongs solely to our Father in heaven! He alone is the ruler of the universe. He created it, He controls, and He holds it together. The Kingdom of God is the gospel of Jesus Christ. What does that mean for us?
We talked last week about who we pray to, and who we pray with, but this morning we turn our hearts to "why". Why do we pray? Listen to, "What's So Important About a Name" where Brother Brad really breaks this down for us.
Fellowship with God - Talking to the Lord, fellowshipping with Him, sharing our hearts with Him, worshiping Him, listening to Him, seeking Him. It is not about getting things from God, but instead aligning our hearts with His will and living for His glory. As we do that we then bring our petitions before the Lord. “Prayer is not trying to get God to agree with us or to provide for our selfish desires. Prayer is affirming God’s sovereignty, righteousness, and majesty and seeking to conform or desires and our purposes to His will and glory.” - MacArthur
No great move of God ever began without it first being birthed in prayer. Look back at all the revivals of years gone by – each one started with people having a deep sense and burden that they needed to pray, and must pray. The Bible says much about prayer and its importance. Our Sovereign God calls on us to pray to Him who knows all things. Prayer changes us and it changes things. It connects us to our Father and somehow God uses our prayers for His will to be accomplished in our lives and world.
More than just wishful thinking, hope sustains you. Hope moves you forward. Hope keeps you going through the hardship and uncertainty. But, did you know that hope is at the very heart of Easter? Plan now to join us on March 27th, Easter Sunday, for either of 2 identical services at 8:45 or 10:30 AM, and experience the passionate love that God has for each of you. So passionate that on Easter, He sacrificed His only Son, that you may have eternal life.
In 1 Corinthians, apostle Paul gives some very clear instructions about the meaning and purpose of the Lord’s Supper and how we are to partake in that supper.
Since becoming a Christ follower it has been my desire to be an example and a model of a believer to those who are around me and certainly to those who are coming behind me. I have a desire to live convictionally in such a way that I would not allow anything that could damage my witness, my walk, my words or the work that the Lord has called and entrusted to me. I realize that there is a lot of controversy surrounding the subject of the use of alcohol when used responsibly, recreationally, in moderation, etc.
93% of males will have viewed pornography before the age of 18 and 62% of females. The average age of exposure is 11 and some studies suggest even as young as 9. 20% of 16 year olds & 30% of 17 year olds have received a "sext" 71% of teens hide their online behavior from their parents. 51% of pastors say Internet Pornography is a possible temptation and some say that 50% have viewed pornography. 64% of Christian men and 15% of Christian women view pornography once a month. The porn industry is a $10 billion a year industry according to an ABC World News Report and some studies say it is as high as $13 billion a year. To put that into perspective, that is more than the NFL, NAB, and MLB combined for a year! That’s more than ABC, NBC, & CBS put together. Take a listen and read the notes from this sermon... the statistics don't stop here. Learn what God's word says about sexual immorality, as well as ways you can experience the deliverance and freedom of Jesus Christ!!
