Untitled Sermon (6)
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Intro:
Intro:
Last week in Praying with Paul Series.
I have seen and heard of Fruit how the Lord has used this series… (Pray + Pray for others)
Today
Today
We are diving into praying for our greatest desires.
Forbes article:
Forbes article:
from 2016 “The Top 8 Things People Desperately Desire But Can't Seem To Attain”
"If you could say in one word what you want more of in life, what would that be?"
The Articles conclusion: The reality is that it's a tough world out there, with many challenges we're simply not prepared to face. But throughout those challenges, there are countless ways we can remain true to ourselves, leverage our gifts, and foster our self-esteem and passion for life and work. And we can continually build our confidence, happiness, and fulfillment, despite these challenges. For that, we need an abundance of self-love, and also support from others who don't want to tell us what to do, but instead, want to help us follow our own, internal value system and beliefs. And we need to believe in ourselves without fail, despite the evidence around us that says we’re not “ready” to soar in creating what we long to.
Today I am going to provide a different solution.
B.I. = Jesus is the source of Hope, Joy, and Peace.
B.I. = Jesus is the source of Hope, Joy, and Peace.
Read/Pray
Read/Pray
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
The God of
The God of
Recap from Last week?
The God of = The Source
The God who = Author, and giver
Jesus simply give you what we need rather he is it.
This is why we pray to him.
Because he can fulfill our request
jESUS Tells a parable in Luke 11 = A friend making a request to a friend who has what you are asking for in abundance.
For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Prayer is a statement of our dependance on God.
We are needy people.
God already Possesses all that we need.
Transition: we keep going to God in prayer because he is the one who can grant us all that we need… and in him there is peace.. Now what specifically is Paul praying for in these verses. Last week it was endurance, encouragement, harmony
Hope (What is Paul specifically praying for?)
Hope (What is Paul specifically praying for?)
What is hope?
What is hope?
Hope = expectation
Biblical hope is a confident expectation and desire for something good in the future. There is moral certainty in it.
What has been promised will come to be true.
“Help me Obi-Wan, you are my only hope - Princess Lei
Hope in?
Hope in?
You cant find hope from looking within yourself, you cant find hope from looking outside, and you cant find hope from looking back. - HB Charles.
The Spirit enables us to have hope.
We can only truly have hope in Jesus.
Hope what you please; but remember, that hope without truth at the bottom of it, is an anchor without a holdfast. A groundless hope is a mere delusion.
Charles Spurgeon
What is offered in Jesus? = Abounding Hope
“Abound” is perisseuō (περισσευω), “to exceed a fixed number or measure, to be over, to exist in abundance, to be in affluence.”
The noun perissos (περισσος) means “more than is necessary, superadded.”
Hope Lived out?
Hope Lived out?
In the flesh we are not drawn towards hope… we are drawn towards doubt.
Pessimism vs optimism
I live on a razor thin edge of one or the other.
I dont think Paul is suggesting that those in Christ never will doubt.. but he is praying that in doubt they will turn back to God and find hope….
“in the believing,” interpreted, “in the sphere of the act of habitually believing.”
Have you read the psalms?
The Psalmist always has to remind himself of the Hope offered in Jesus
A typical pattern: Fear/Doubt, Name the trial, and now turn and look to God, be reminded who he is and now of the strength to carry on.
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation
The Best sermon you may preach to yourself this week is simply this… “Hope in God” - John Piper
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Lauren Daigle “Look Up Child” Where are you now when the darkness seems to win, when the world is crumbling, when I doubt, when I cant figure it out. Look up child.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
Standing in these truths…
We have the ability to live out hope…
Another Angle: Hope is a fruit of the spirit?
Another Angle: Hope is a fruit of the spirit?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
As believers we should be growing in these things until the day we die.
There is a reason the 102 year old who is walking with the Lord is no longer fearful of death.
Transition: We should represent hope to a world that is bleak. I am not asking you to muster it up but encouraging you to rest in Jesus. If you do not sit in hope today turn to him. Who is your life lacks hope… Pray that Jesus may give it to them!
Transition: We got two more to go!
JOY
JOY
What is Joy?
So much deeper than happiness
Happiness is momentary Joy is withstanding.
There is a big difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is a reaction to something great. Joy is the product of someone great.
The first time for me I understood this: 10 years ago I was watching the Livestream of a church conference and a speaker showed up… He began this talk with these words “I am here for your Joy I am not here for your happiness” and then he went on to challenge this church and provide some corrective measures.
What is Joy in?
What is Joy in?
IF the source of Joy is not circumstance.
The source of Joy must be something greater… Jesus.
The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
resting in him
when we are powerless to do a thing, it is a great joy that we can come and step inside the ability of Jesus - Corrie Ten Boom (Christian who hid Jews during the hollocoust)
True Joy is found in the person and work of Jesus.
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
Walking in Joy?
Walking in Joy?
FlashBack to our Habakkuk story.
Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.
For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
Among the most joyful people I have known have been some who seem to have had no human reason for joy. The sweet fragrance of Christ has shown through their lives. - Elisabeth Elliot
Walking Joy out looks like our eyes on Jesus and his promises.
We must see everything through this lense.
Sifting our circumstances through the truths of scripture.
When you zoom off your circumstance.. now matter how big it is we can put it into perspective.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
This is your eternal promise for those in Christ.
Those outside of Christ come along…
In this moment put your hope and trust in Jesus
Transition: May we be a hopeful people. May we be a joyful people. and lastly may we be a people of….
PEACE
PEACE
What is Peace?
What is Peace?
Peace is Joy resting.. . and Joy is Peace Dancing - Charles Spurguon
= Freedom from Worry
So much to be worried about
If we staying sitting on our worries we will never get out of it.
Inception - Cobbs wife begins to treat the dream like a reality.
It is the drug addict who can find no serenity apart from being high.
Worry, Fear, Control, They very well may be your drug…..
Jesus can set you free from that.
remember the Jesus who sweat blood and then went and was killed on a Cross. He knows worry.
Peace in?
Peace in?
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Peace Lived out?
Peace Lived out?
Friends we should have peace.
He that is not a son of peace is not a son of God.
Richard Baxter (Puritan Divine)
2 Believing prayer ushers in God’s peace. Not a random, nebulous, earthly peace, but his peace. Imported from heaven. The same tranquility that marks the throne room, God offers to you.
Max Lucado
Are you resting in Jesus.
Have you gotten your eyes off of your circumstance long enough for this.
I dont say this to guilt you but out of love…
We need this
The world needs this
Jesus is the solution for this.
Prayer Time:
Prayer Time:
Acts
