Sunday Night, April 26

Spontaneous Fellowship

One of the benefits of smaller congregations is the ease in which things can change on the spur of the moment with everyone having a voice. Such was the case last night as we opted to have our "service" at a local eatery. It was a wonderful time of fellowship, encouragement, and inspiration as we spoke to our building needs and new session assignments, all with a great expectation of what the Lord is going to do in the coming days.

Last night's message was to be an encouragement to continue our personal prayer times. Here is the outline.

Finding God

(Matthew 6:6)

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

1. In the following verse, Jesus would teach us how to pray, but first he teaches us where to pray
   
   1. your father is already in the secret place
      
   2. once you shut your door you are in the presence of your father
      
   3. "I answered you in the secret place of thunder" (Psalm 81:7)
      

 

Hearing God

(Psalms 95:7)

For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

1. Hearing the voice of God is largely a matter of the will
   
2. God speaks only to those who are quiet enough to hear His voice. It takes quietness of soul and heart to allow the Lord to speak to us through His Word.
   
3. Intimacy proceeds insight; passion proceeds purpose
   

 

Being before Doing

(Exodus 24:12)

And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

 

(John 15:5)

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

1. Focus on being before doing: you teach what you know but reproduce what you are. Remember it is the Lord who "does" we are to "be."
   
2. Exodus 3:5, 6: Moses: unshod feet and hidden face.
   
   1. Shoes denote the "go and do" in us,
      
   2. but the Lord is looking for us to first "stop', hide our face, and hear Him.
      
3. "Always has the Holy One of Israel estimated men by their inner nature, and not by their outward professions; to Him the inward is as visible as the outward, and he rightly judges that the essential character of an action lies in the motive of him who works it."
   
   1. (Psalms 51:6) Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
      

 

Lectio Divina

An overview of our time with the Lord:

1. Read (10 minutes)
   
2. Meditate (5 minutes)
   
3. Pray (10 minutes)
   
4. Contemplate (5 minutes)
   

 

Scripture Readings

Deuteronomy 32:1-4

Isaiah 33:20-24

 

Definitions: To Meditate, Contemplate, Intend. We meditate a design when we are looking out or waiting for the means of its accomplishment; we contemplate it when the means are at hand, and our decision is nearly or quite made. To intend is stronger, implying that we have decided to act when an opportunity may offer. A general meditates an attack upon the enemy; he contemplates or intends undertaking it at the earliest convenient season.