FAITH FOR HARD THINGS

INTRO

thank you for giving us another day

allowing us to gather in your name

we thank you for being present this morning

we invite your involvement in the discussion and conversation

Give us ears to hear what you are saying

open our hearts and minds to receive from you

We are finishing up the teaching series called there is no obstacle

Bishop has been in dealing with the storm narrative found in

Matthew 14 recently

I won’t re-teach what’ already been taught but I do want to go over the text so we can have context to what the spirit has led us to discuss

want to read through the narrative to pull some things out of it

so we can have context

Matthew 14:22–27 (NASB 2020)

22 Immediately afterward He compelled the disciples to get into the boat and to go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24 But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

If you were in this situation would you also be afraid?

Fleshly reason for the fear

paint the picture of legitimate fear

The fourth watch of the night is approximately 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. O Dark 30 hrs

John 6:19 “ they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia” scholars say about 3-4 miles

see somebody walking on water

Do you also feel like they should have recognize Jesus?

The diciples should have been able to overcome fear

The disciples should have known known better 2 years under Jesus

He compelled them to get in the boat in the first place

Jesus gave them power and authority to do what he could do

Matthew 14:28–33 (NASB 2020)

28 Peter responded and said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out with His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are truly God’s Son!”

Why do you feel like it had to take this specific miracle for Jesus to be recognized?

At Ft Sill

I was able to recognize my Son in the middle of the Army formation he was in

The reason why they needed this specific miracle is in Verse 31

Matthew 14:31 “ little faith ” They had very little faith

This means that they didn’t believe everything that Jesus said to them

Mark6:52 “but their hearts were hardened.”

Doubt Fear Disbelief and a hardened heart

create the obstacle that does not allow for miracles

that is why they only saw the trouble

How do we fix the “You of little faith”problem? or the hardened heart issue?

In the Replay of last week Bishop said some thing that we will focus on today,

They would not have gone through the storm if they would have worshiped him

Bishop said if you do three things consistently you can avoid some storms

Add We will go through some storms but the storms won’t matter as much

Worship, studying God’s Word, Prayer

We will talk about those then we are going to pray

These all should be common for the believer

but the truth is sometimes they are not

CONSISTENT WORSHIP

What is worship?

worship means to bow down to get into a prostrate position, as in submission, homage, humility,

Psalm 96:8–9 (NASB 2020)

8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name; Bring an offering and come into His courtyards. 9 Worship the Lord in holy attire; Tremble before Him, all the earth.

two aspects of worship are present several places

Ascribe to the Lord is giving him is due honor

Bring Offering is not just money but you are the offering

Romans 12:1 “1 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

Worship in Holy attire - (splendour of Holiness)

Hebrew word means adornment -cloth yourself from the inside out

Tremble before him

get in your proper place

What do ya’ll think are some barriers to worship?

We lack cultural understanding because of America to give people due honor

can have some carryover when dealing with spiritual things

CONSISTENTLY STUDY OF HIS WORD

what are the benefits for studying God’s word consistently?

consistent bible study means you consistently know his will

Romans 12:2 NASB 2020

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

The will of God is revealed in his word

It keeps us on the right path

Psalm 119:105 NASB 2020

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

It stabilizes you

Psalm 1:3 NASB 2020

3 He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

word should inspire you

So that when you pray you are not praying foolishness Such as praying for the extra terrestrial's

Or praying harm against people

CONSISTENT PRAYER LIFE

we have numerous examples of people having a consitent prayer life

Examples of consitent prayer lives in the Bible

David

Psalm 55:17 “17 Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and moan, And He will hear my voice.”

Daniel

Daniel 6:10 “10 Now when Daniel learned that the document was signed, he entered his house (and in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and offering praise before his God, just as he had been doing previously.”

Jesus had a consistent prayer life

Matthew 14:23 “23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.”

It was common for servants in scripture to pray more than once a day.

What does it mean to pray?

To pray,” “to pray to,” “to ask,” “prayer,” “petitionary prayer a request

having a consistent prayer life means that you are consistently communicating with God

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “17 pray without ceasing,”

when we are not talking to people we should be talking to God.

when we pray we need to remember to listen to God and not just ask

it is meant to be a conversation

whenever we struggle to listen inwardly then bring your Bible with you when you Pray

Why do you think some of us struggle to pray consistently? Or only when the storm or when trouble comes?

when we do pray I think we most of us don’t pray long enough

prayer has different flavors and different types

1 Timothy 2:1 NKJV

1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,

Chicklets is the worst gum in terms of how long it lasts

doublemint or big red might be the longest

Praying out further makes power available

James 5:16 NKJV

16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Prayer shouldn’t be a segment of your day it should be the flow of your life

James 5:16 (AMP)

16 Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].

They don’t just go up to the father, they go out to do a work

these words go out to do something spiritual

Worship - Keeps us in the correct posture allows us to acknowledge God

Study of the Word - keeps us on the correct path, reminds us of what God said

Prayer- two way Communication make our request to him and receive answers from him

all three activities can’t just simply be a segment of your day

but the flow of your life

thank you for the word

thank you for your spirit father

teach us Father

to make worship

our prayer life

and studying your word

the flow of our lives and not just part of our day