Yesterday we continued our “Favor” msg. series, as God REALLY showed up in our services. I can’t even explain it, but I felt His presence so strongly! Here are a few reflections from my perspective:
- We talked about faith yesterday, and after praying and working through this msg, I believe it’s the most impt. msg I’ve given in a while.
- “And without faith it is impossible to please God…” Hebrews 11:6
- HOW did Noah walk in step with God so completely?
- “It was by faith that Noah built an ark to save his family from the flood.” Hebrews 11:7
- Faith is trusting that God is who He says He is, and He can do what he says He can do.
- Faith is required to walk with God.
- “Most of us say we trust in God, but do we really? How can we know?”
- Our faith is primarily revealed through two things: our emotions and our decisions.
- If we’re freaking out all the time; driven by fear, anxiety, worry, and despair, we might SAY we trust God, but we don’t!
- Our faith is also reveled through our relational decisions, professional decisions, and our financial decisions.
- Probably NOTHING reveals whether we trust God or not,more than THIS:
- If we trust God completely, we’ll operate with complete financial integrity; and give to Him EXACTLY as He commands!
- “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Malachi 3:10 (NIV)
- “Favor requires getting in eth boat BEFORE it rains. That’s what Noah had to do.”(See Gen 7).
- Fruit from yesterday: Two kids from one of the families in my Growth Group got baptized yesterday! Congrats David & Christy!
- A lady in my Growth Group by stopped by to let me know she “checked THE box” yesterday on her communication card. WOW!
- Two different people came to me expressing their desire to begin to tithe. (even though they’re struggling), because of yesterday’s msg. WOW!
- We showed the next “Sonic knock-off” FAVOR commercial. I posted it below.
- Closed the service with “I will walk by faith” song
- Great parent/student lunch yesterday in the LOFT after the services. Helped parents in the transition from authority to influence as kids get older.
- GREAT DAY. God was here. He’s changing a lot of lives right now!
I was looking at my bible during the message Sunday, and God made me laugh. I noticed it took Him about 3 pages to create the perfect world and every perfect thing in it. It took us only about 1 paragraph to mess it all up. By page 9, God's wiping us out! I said a quick prayer thanking God for the remaining 1200 pages!
Posted by: Scott Shelton | November 10, 2009 at 12:58 PM