NR 2/10/13  DESIGN FOR LIFE

God’s Word and Powerful Prayer - The Way It Gets Done

    The world, God’s work – they are filled with challenges.  When something looks difficult, when something IS difficult, how do we deal with it?  How can we see things happen?
    Many years ago a young Midwestern lawyer suffered from such deep depression that his friends thought it best to keep all knives and razors out of his reach. He questioned his life’s calling and the wisdom of even attempting to follow it through. During this time he wrote, “I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I awfully forebode I shall not.” But somehow, from somewhere, Abraham Lincoln received the encouragement he needed, and the achievements of his life thoroughly absolved his bout with discouragement.
Today in the Word, MBI, December, 1989, p. 20, Swindoll, You and Your Problems Transformed by Thorns, p. 58.
    How is it possible to see ANYTHING positive happen in these crazy days we live in?  It is the power of God.  I am reminded of
Philippians 4:13 NLT
13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
    Empowered by God’s strength flowing through us we can help people find the satisfaction they desperately seek.  They will discover the power of God’s Word to break the darkness and bondage people live in.
    Because of what God is doing in the very difficult places, we can be encouraged and challenged to believe for Him to do the same here.  Look at what your prayers accomplished in the past few weeks.  What will happen when we continue to be just as focused on prayer for the work of the ministry in western Wisconsin?  This is one of the key challenges I want to give to you today.
    An important question to ponder:  What desires has God put in your heart?  Do you think they will make any difference in the lives of others?  We often believe the lie that we can’t make any real difference in life.  Let me share some responses from believers in Malta about my recent teaching there.
    This seminar was a success! Many were blessed as they now have in their hands an excellent Study Bible that will help Christians study the Word of God diligently and mature in their walk with God. Thank you to all those who have contributed in one way or another to supply such an essential tool in the hands of the local believers. God bless you!
    Another response:  We were so blessed to meet together from different churches with ONE purpose in mind, i.e. to learn to use the Fire Study Bible so that we can make the best use of it. This excellent Bible Study tool was much needed in the hands of the local believers to grow and mature in the Holy Faith. Thank you to all those who played a part in providing this much needed resource.
    An e mail:
Dear Joe,
    Thank you for organising yesterdays seminar I believe it was a great success and many were blessed. I know for one my own daughter was so happy to get her hands on the Fire Bible, Global Study Edition: and she is determined to use it for her devotional time. That has blessed me because as a working-professional and mother it has been difficult for her to discipline herself to spend time in the Word. She told me with gleaming eyes that this will help her greatly.
    Greet your church for us please and thank them for making it possible for you to come to Malta.
Joe
    What do you want to accomplish for the Lord?  As He has given you a burden, a desire, He will give you the ability and provision.
DESIGN FOR LIFE
God’s Word and Powerful Prayer - The Way It Gets Done
1.  God’s design is that we will be people of prayer.
This is why we had the prayer calendar for the trip.
This is why we have prayer meetings.
This is why we have an e mail prayer chain.
This is why we have the weekly prayer cards to take home.
    Prayer is God’s plan for His people.
    His house is a house of prayer.  This is what God calls it.
Isaiah 56:7 NKJV
7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Matthew 21:12-13 NKJV
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.
    So, we must keep on praying, we must keep on praying together.  There is great strength is praying together.  Our prayer must not be limited to just special events or occasions.  Note that Jesus didn’t say His house is a house of worship, or of singing, or of fellowship, but house of prayer.
    There must be no hindrances to prayer in God’s house.  At that time they were turning the temple into everything but a house of prayer.  They were profaning God’s house.
2.  God’s design also includes generous use of the Bible, God’s Word.
    Do you sense a pressure to not use or quote the Bible these days?  Do you sense that people are offended by the Bible? Do you see misuse of scriptures?  Misapplication of what the Bible really says?
    This is why we must read it, study it, learn it. This is why we emphasize Sunday School.  This is why I encourage you to come out on Wednesday night for Bible Study.  We must read it and know what it says and learn how to properly use it.
II Timothy 2:15 AMP
Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.
PHILLIPS
For yourself, concentrate on winning God’s approval, on being a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, and who knows how to use the word of truth to the best advantage.
NASB
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
    We must make the effort to read and learn.  We must learn how to accurately understand what the Bible is really saying, not what we want it to say.  What does God’s love really mean?  What does the Bible say about judgement?  What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?
    Strive to cultivate and improve your heart and mind so you won’t be a reproach to God.
Rightly dividing the word of truth -- to cut straight, to walk in the right way.
    By rightly dividing the word of truth, we continue in true doctrine.
    We must make the commitment to spend our lives learning and applying what the Bible says.
Romans 1:16 NLT
16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
    The longest Psalm in the book, the 119th, is an expression of love for God’s Word.  It is a acrostic poem in Hebrew of 176 verses.  Let’s look at one section of it and dig into it. Look at the Psalmist’s desires.
Psalm 119:33-40 NIV
33 Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. 34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. 35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. 36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. 37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. 38 Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. 39 Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. 40 How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness.
    This is a great prayer.  This is something that should be the desire for all believers.
LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step
DESIGN FOR LIFE

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Together, now, we are going to PRAY: