DISCOVER FRESH HOPE

Review last week. Did you create your list of your desires to grow in God this year?

Understand Your Soul’s Deep Desire Psalm 42:1-5
Our most basic need in life is to know God intimately and sense His presence in our lives. Whether we are willing to admit it or not, all of us need God. When we don’t feel God’s presence how do what emotions do we feel?
Memories of intimate, joyful times with God should serve to strengthen us. They can however, make us more sad when we are feeling isolated because of the longing for those joyful times. Faith that God is with us through all times, good and bad – joyful and sad, gives us the ability to praise God in any circumstances. Remember the poem “Footprints”?

Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there were one set of footprints. This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints. So I said to the Lord, "You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?" The Lord replied, "The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand, is when I carried you." Mary Stevenson
What does this poem say about God with us?

Depend on God’s Faithful Love Psalm 42:6-11
Have you ever felt forgotten by God?
How did you renew your hope in Him?
How has God used your experience to help others?
Ask God to speak through you to others who may be struggling. God may want to use you to be the answer to their prayers for help and encouragement. Our job is to be available and obedient; God will take care of the rest.

Follow God’s Light and Truth Psalm 43:1-5
What advice would you give someone facing injustice or unfair treatment? What steps would you take to encourage that person to remain positive?
Everyone write responses down and keep them where you can draw on them when you need them. (Your Encouragement list)

Notice again that even though the Psalmist felt abandoned and rejected by God, he still praised God and calls out to God for help. Have you ever battled with these emotions?

Vs. 3 – Send Your light and Your truth; let them lead me…
Where do we find God’s light and truth?

Vs. 4 – Then I will come to the altar of God… The psalmist was thinking of the temple, a building where God dwelt. Where is your altar of God?

Challenge: Use your list of desires to grow in God this year. Keep your encouragement list with it. Review your list weekly and evaluate how you’ve done. Confess to God where you need help and praise God for works you see Him doing in and through you.

Wanted: Missionaries

Wanted: Missionaries December 28, 2008

Missionaries are Called Acts 26:15-19; Gal. 2:6-10

Last week we read about Paul being entrusted with monetary relief for the Jewish Christians sent from the Gentile Christians. These passages are about Paul defending himself to King Agrippa on his return to Jerusalem. Paul knew before he went to Jerusalem that it was a dangerous trip for him. His focus was on the welfare of the Jewish Christians instead of his own.

• What mission situations cause you to fear?

Paul also speaks of God calling him to take the gospel to the Gentiles just as Peter was called for the Jews. Paul was called to leave his fields while Peter worked within his. Another example of how some are called to leave their homes and travel to other fields to witness and some are called to witness at home. Regardless of where you are called, you are called to be a witness for Christ.

• How would you respond if you felt God calling you to leave your field to serve Him? http://going.imb.org provides information about International missions.

Missionaries are Commissioned Acts 13: 1-3

These verses speak of a local church, like View Acres, who the Holy Spirit spoke to. Barnabas and Saul (Paul) were to be set apart for the work they had been called for. In an act of obedience the church prayed and laid hands on Barnabas and Paul and sent them off.

• Is this a familiar scene to you? Why do we lay hands on and pray for those in our church who are called and go out?

Missionaries are Connected Acts 14:26-27

After everything they had been through, Paul & Barnabas came back home. Notice that they didn’t tell of the things they had done, they reported everything God had done with them and the door of faith God had opened to the Gentiles.

• We need to always remember to report what God has done through us, not what we have done.

• Why is it important to both the missionary and the church for the church to hear about how God is using the missionary?

One way to connect is through the Acts 1:8 Challenge at www.ActsOne8.com

• Pray and watch for the doors of opportunity God provides through you this week.

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Sunday School was great this morning as we discussed Spiritual Gifts. If you did not get to participate you can find a link to the Spiritual Gifts Survey and Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts at the left. The study today went through the verses I emailed everyone a week ago. There was a lot of good input from everyone. My favorite was the Mentos in Coke analogy.

If you haven't seen what Mentos does when dropped into Coke check out YouTube and type in Mentos in Coke, it's really cool. Anyway, we decided that we are Coke (or Diet Coke) and God's grace is the Mentos. God gives us the Mentos, I mean gifts, free. We don't do anything to earn it and we don't work for it. Until we take in the grace and the gifts God has given to us we are just Coke. When we allow the Mentos, gifts of grace, to come in and affect us we project that gift onto everyone around us. John warned us not to play grenade with our Coke and Mentos. Ask him about that story.

As you go through the week I pray you talk to God about what gift He has graced you with and how He wants to bless you through your gift.

Have a blessed week!