Sunday Service

Are reading this morning is taken from James chapter 1, verses 5 and 6. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed with the Wind.

We're continuing on in our series of building Godly character and we're going to be looking at our desires today and what we need. But before we get there, let's see, let's see.

Go to prayer prayer requests. So many of you have already heard, but Kim's, father went in his father. Kim went in for surgery. This week diabetic surgery and the doctors were testing me, they found out, he'd had a heart attack, you didn't know it, but they didn't. So now we're at we're praying that things work out and they figure out how to go ahead with the surgery that he needs. So remember to keep him and his wife Sandy on the family including Tanya in, in, in our prayers in Baldwin that has an aortic aneurysm. And so, we've been praying this week for her, And then Gary Rathbone. He's he's a guy that comes to the men's bible study weekly. He had some problems this week with his car, getting stuck in the sand and having to walk a great deal of distance, while he suffers from back problems, in that exacerbated. It so need to be in prayer for him. Let's pray.

Our dear father in Heaven you who are Mighty beyond measure and our understanding of you will never be complete here on this Earth but we pray that you would continue to lead and guide us and Ross near to you in in all our times for you're the one who leads and guides and directs and does answer our prayers as we bring them before. You thank you for that father and thank you for your goodness to us. Father, we do pray that you would be with the needs that we lay before you. The greatest of those needs is that the lives of those who are lost, would come to know you. And help us as followers of you to grow in the goodness, that you are, so that we are confident as we Proclaim your name before the lost that they would hear. Because of your work in US. Father, we also want to pray for the needs that have been mentioned that we think of Kim is he? I goes in tomorrow to see the doctors again and find out where he's headed in this situation that you would be with their two with him to comfort him, and give him peace through this, to recognize your hand on his life and we pray for the family as well, Sandy and Tanya and the rest of the family is they are concerned and in prayer for him that you would bless and guide richly. We do well. Also, I think of Sharon has, she is recovering from this aneurysm in your heart, really turned to you and to look to you to find courage and strength through this difficulty. That not only your life would be healed physically, but there would be a spiritual sense of understanding and growth there as well. And we do. Pray for Gary, is he suffering from this back injury that you would give him strength and courage to go through this? And we pray for your healing touch on him, and on his car, as well. Lord, we are going to continue to worship you and communion today and the regular service. So father may you be richly here blessing in guiding us as we draw near to you that our hearts would be lifted up. And we would understand more deeply, your heart, and your desire for our lives. Bless us in this. Oh, mighty God In The Name of Christ. Jesus, our Mighty savior, we ask these things. Amen.

You came. And you can pull Hypocrites, even one like,

You carried sin and shame the guilt of every man, I've done.

A crossbow.

Amazing, Grace. I've seen and tasted it.

I cannot Escape its crib, and you must

Crosman.

Who takes who takes away our sins. play God makes us alive again, makes up

8 G.

Crosman Crosman to kill.

How do you say the father's? How fast Beyond?

Bad, you should give him.

Martin Nissan.

Behold the man.

It was my breath. I know that it is.

I will not post this is

Why should I gain from? Happy.

Remember, we're looking at building Godly character in our lives. And part of that is the habits that we put into our lives. And those habits that we put in there, Our Lives, come from the desires that we have. And so the question today is where is your desire. What do you really want from your life? And are you really seeking after that in your life? And so we are going to move forward through this message via a shorter one because of our time difference. But I hope it's one that touches your life and moves you to want what God wants for. You God wants to change our lives everyday because you know what, we're not perfect. People believe it or not. None of us is perfect but God's desire is to get you there and those are Bentley, he will but he wants that progression to happen as you live here on this Earth but it's not going to happen. If you don't have the desire to make it happen, to allow it to happen in your life because God will be the one to change. So we're going to look at just two verses today, taken from Matthew, as we're going through that, looking at that Godly character. And it's Matthew 7 7 + 8. It says, ask and it will be given you first step seek and you will find Second Step knock, some of that bread went down. Knock and the door will be open to you for everyone who asks receives and the one who seeks finds and the one who knocks on the door, it will be opened. Thank you, King.

Aren't desire ought to be working through that procession and there's a lot of ways to look at that ask seek and knock a scenario, but I'm going to look at it today is God's desire to work in your life and my life as we go along.

And the first part of it is to really want to know what we are to ask for when you go to God. What are you asking for?

Think about that, as you pray, what's the focus of your prayers? What is the main thing that you desire to ask God for? And there's lots of things that we ask God for, but one of the things that God wants, for each of Our Lives is that we are desirous of growing and knowing him. Are you asking God to help open your mind to understand who he is and what he wants from you? That needs to be a powerful part of our prayers, because if that isn't your not going to grow, you're going to stay an infant, your entire life. And God wants you to grow up and become a mature adult in Christ.

The first verse he gives you is an indication. A, John 14:14 here that I give you. It says, how you may ask me for anything, okay? And you go okay, anything while you know, I'd like a million dollars, I'd like, you know, a hot car. I'd like all these things, you know. Okay. How about that? Lord, but the next three words, kind of defying that a little bit, it says, in my name, In my name. What do you want in the name of Jesus Christ? Because if we want something in the Name of Christ, it ought to be something that he also wants for your life, right?

He says, if you do that, I will do it. So if I go to the Lord and say Lord, I really want to know and understand you more. You think he's going to want to help me new do that. You bet he is. God says, I'll do it. That's pretty exciting stuff. And the biggest thing he wants from your life and my life is that we come to know and growing him. Why? Because it changes us into the people that he wants us to be on this Earth so that we can not only have a difference in our lives, but hopefully a difference in other people's lives. Know if he has 117 says, I keep asking that the god of our Lord Jesus Christ. The glory is Father, may give you the Ephesians and you here in this church, the spirit of wisdom and Revelation so that you may know him better. That's Paul's first prayer for the Ephesian Church. Think about that if he's praying that for the Ephesian church, we are to be praying that for our church. To know and grow in him why? Here's the answer Philippians 1:10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ you see God wants to come back and find those who are following him walking in his footsteps, being ready for his coming, being pure and holy and righteous people. That's his desire. And it's always been his desire. If you go all the way back to the people of Israel that he chose his, his people, his desire was that they would walk blameless. Lady said, if you do that I'll bless your day is immensely. Well, I want God's blessing on my life. I hope you want God's blessing on your life as well. So that's what we ought to be asking God for. So the next step is, what am I seeking to build that into my life? What am I seeking to do to build that into my life? You knowing, Jesus gives the answer. If we jump back a chapter to chapter six of Matthew verse 33, he goes through this whole process leading up to verse 33 where people are asking for this thing in that thing and, and all these other things that we want physically on this Earth. But he says they're funny and he says, but seek first, the kingdom of his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. In other words, I want you to pursue what is important for your life. And if you're doing that, I'm going to provide all that other stuff for you. You don't have to worry about it. Worry about finding me first in your life. You know, when we talked about this a little bit and church what what brings contentment or peace with God? And there's two aspects of that and we find those aspects right now. By King David in Psalm 34 verse 14, he says, turn from Evil and do good.

Seek peace and pursue it. In other words what he saying is get rid of the junk in your life and taking those good things that I want and if you do that, you'll have peace. You're not going to be worried about those other things that you hope for God provides for your life. He's going to provide them. But the first thing is, Do the things that bring about that character of Christ into our lives. But he doesn't leave us alone to go ahead and do this. God gives us. So a partner in the process, you know, when you came to Jesus Christ and I hope that you here have done this, you ask Jesus Christ to be your lord and savior and to participate in your life and he said, yes, I'll do that. I'll come into you and I'll give you my spirit. It will guide and direct your pads. We have a scene where Jesus is passing through Samaria, John chapter 4, and he comes to a well and there's a lady there that has some struggles and she's struggling with whether about water and Jesus asked her for water. And they go through any talk to it and it eventually says this, in verse 14 of John 4:4, but whoever drinks the water, I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will be coming them. A spring of water, welling up to eternal life. You know, you have the spirit and we're Bound for eternity in heaven, but it is also the life that the spirit wants to build into you and me as we go along, we gained that life. Okay? So how do we go about that? Well, it involves putting Christ more into a large. That's it. It involves our prayer life. It involves are worth our time and God's word. It involves our connection with those who were actually following the Living God. In other words, that's what you're doing this morning. You're meeting with others who believe in Christ and you're coming together, but it all needs to leave somewhere. Where is it going? And that's the knock your involvement in life. And this autoplay out, you know, Desiring Christ, that's the first step, you know, building Christ into your life as a second step. But then it has to be displayed to the world. Jesus doesn't want to you to hide under a tree. You're the light of the world he wants you to shine into that world. James 1:22 says, do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves, do what it says. In other words, you know, the Bible is full of building character ideas into your life and you read it. And you say, okay, I got to build that into my life and so you pray about it and you start working that direction. Well, that needs to be displayed in your life, as you go out into the world, you can't act like the world and make a difference, do what it says, wear the garments of the Living God. On display in your life. We talked about it last week from Colossians 3:12. It talked about five things that we need to build into our lives. That really display the character of Jesus Christ later on in the chapter it talks about these being characteristics. Founded on love for our Lord and for others are the characteristics. Therefore as God's chosen people holy and dearly loved clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness humility, gentleness and patience. Those are used things to build into our lives so that when we disappoint them on display where different you are different than the rest of the world and people will notice and understand and that's what begins to make a difference in lives outside of ourselves. Not only for those around us who believe in. Jesus Christ, encouraging them along the way, but for all others who really need to know.

What can change their lives for all eternity? Many are lost in there on the foolish. Path of Hell's Hills by Journey.

And you have the responsibility and I have the responsibility to help them see that and changed the direction of their lives so that they have the good things in life. The really good things, which are that, is, that character, like I said, last week, you don't take anything to heaven with you, but what you have built into your own life and the lives of others around you.

So we need to act like that. Romans 12:16 says, live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. In other words, what God wants from our lives, your life, and my life is a continual growth in our knowledge. And understanding of who Christ is in the question. Then for each of us, is what am I doing? First of all, in my desire? Do I want that in my life? You know, Christ died for you was that enough? And are you willing to just go on and just trust in that and allow that to just be all there is to your Christian Life or do you want more? God wants you to want more and I hope you do too. I hope you want more in your life than just that salvation but you want a continual growth of knowing Jesus Christ more deeply in your life and then expressing it to a world in need. God didn't just take you home when he saved you. He gave you the ability to grow in him. You know, and that will be determined as to our success as Christians in this life. Did I grow in him? Are was my focus on. Making sure I lived well in this life.

God says, he'll give you both if you go to him first, What do you want from this life? Let's pray.

Father in Heaven again, we thank you for Your goodness to us, the love that gives us life. And we have that option to build that character into our lives day by day. What choices do we make? When we wake up in the morning, what choices do we make? When we have a bit of time to focus on issues? Are you a part of that Lord and we pray that you are and I pray that each person here would want that for their lives. What helped build that into their lives. For father, the spirit is active and alive, and each of us may it be to draw each of us closer to you. Bless us in this oh Lord. In Jesus name. Amen. Let stand.

May your struggles keep you near The Cross.

May your bad ass that God is good in your life, that God is good.

May your struggles and may your troubles.

Man in your life that God is good.

Julie, Father, in Heaven May Our Lives prove that you were good because we demonstrate the character. I've God within our lives. Bless us as we go out this week, that, that would be our cry are called upon you. The mold us into the image of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. We ask this in the precious name of our savior. Amen. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.