God Is Building Us

CLICK TO EDIT MASTER TEXT STYLES 1 IMAGINE YOURSELF AS A LIVING HOUSE. GOD COMES IN TO REBUILD THAT HOUSE. AT FIRST, PERHAPS, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT HE IS DOING. 2 HE IS GETTING THE DRAINS RIGHT. AND STOPPING THE LEAKS IN THE ROOF AND SO ON. THESE JOBS NEEDED DOING AND SO YOU ARE NOT SURPRISED. THEN HE KNOCKS THE HOUSE ABOUT IN A WAY THAT HURTS 3 AND DOES NOT SEEM TO MAKE SENSE. WHAT ON EARTH IS HE UP TO? THE EXPLANATION IS SIMPLE. HE IS BUILDING A DIFFERENT HOUSE FROM THE ONE YOU THOUGHT. ( PAUSE ) 4 THROWING OUT A NEW WING HERE. PUTTING ON AN EXTRA FLOOR THERE. RUNNING UP TOWERS, MAKING COURTYARDS. YOU THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE MADE INTO LITTLE COTTAGE, 5 BUT HE IS BUILDING A PALACE. HE INTENDS TO COME AND LIVE IN IT HIMSELF. ( PAUSE ) WE CAN MAKE LIFE ABOUT WHAT WE WANT. OR WE CAN MAKE LIFE ABOUT WHAT GOD WANTS FOR US. 6 WE NEED TO MAKE LIFE ABOUT WHAT GOD WANTS FOR US. TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT PAUL COMMUNICATING SOME THINGS GOD WANTS FOR US. TURN IN YOUR BIBLES TO COLOSSIANS 4:2 7 PAUL IS COMING TO THE END OF HIS LETTER. HE IS GOING TO GIVE THEM ONE LAST SET OF INSTRUCTIONS. BEFORE SAYING HIS FAREWELL. THE POINT OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS 8 IS TO GET THE COLOSSIANS BACK ON TRACK. THEY HAD RECEIVED FALSE TEACHING WHICH HAD PULLED THEM AWAY FROM PROPER BEHAVIOR. 9 PAUL CALLS THEM TO RETURN GODLY INTERACTIONS WITH NON-CHRISTIANS. HE CALLS THEM TO A LIFE OF PRAYER. GIVING THANKS TO GOD, AND PRAYING FOR OTHERS. 10 COLOSSIANS 4:2 DEVOTE YOURSELVES TO PRAYER, KEEPING ALERT IN IT WITH AN ATTITUDE OF THANKSGIVING ; 11 Θ PRAYER AS A PRIORITY PRAYER IS AS VITAL TO SPIRITUAL HEALTH AS BREATHING IS TO PHYSICAL HEALTH. 12 PRAYER SHOULD BE CONTINUAL, NOT CASUAL. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:17 PRAY WITHOUT CEASING; “DEVOTED” MEANS HOLDING TO SOMETHING WITH STRENGTH 13 NOT NEGLECTING IT OR LETTING IT DROP. IT NEEDS TO BECOME A LIFESTYLE, NOT AN EVENT. RIFF ON PRAYER AS LIFESTYLE . 14 Θ ALERT IN PRAYER IN PRAYER, A CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE WATCHFUL, ALERT, AWARE. WE NEED TO GUARD AGAINST SPIRITUAL DROWSINESS OR DISTRACTION. 15 1 THESSALONIANS 5:6 SO THEN LET US NOT SLEEP AS OTHERS DO, BUT LET US BE ALERT AND SOBER. “ALERT” TO GIVE STRICT ATTENTION TO, TO BE ACTIVE. 16 ON GUARD SO THAT THROUGH LAZINESS OR INATTENTION BAD THINGS DO NOT HAPPEN. PRAYER IS A BATTLE: ( PAUSE ) MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL EFFORT IS INVOLVED IN PRAYER. RIFF DISTRACTED IN PRAYER. 17 A COLLEGE PROFESSOR HAD THE MYSTERIOUS HABIT. HE WOULD REMOVE A TENNIS BALL FROM HIS JACKET POCKET AS HE WALKED INTO THE LECTURE HALL EACH MORNING. 18 HE WOULD SET IT ON THE CORNER OF THE PODIUM. AFTER GIVING THE LECTURE FOR THE DAY. HE WOULD ONCE AGAIN PICK UP THE TENNIS BALL. AND PLACE IT INTO HIS JACKET POCKET AND LEAVE THE ROOM. 19 NO ONE EVER UNDERSTOOD WHY HE DID THIS. UNTIL ONE DAY A STUDENT FELL ASLEEP DURING THE LECTURE. THE PROFESSOR DIDN’T MISS A WORD OF HIS LECTURE. HE WALKED OVER TO THE PODIUM. 20 HE PICKED UP THE TENNIS BALL AND THREW IT. HE HIT THE SLEEPING STUDENT RIGHT ON THE TOP OF THE HEAD. THE NEXT DAY, THE PROFESSOR WALKED INTO THE ROOM. 21 HE REACHED INTO HIS JACKET, REMOVED A BASEBALL… NO ONE FELL ASLEEP IN HIS CLASS THE REST OF THE SEMESTER!  22 Θ GRATITUDE IN PRAYERS THIS IS REALLY ONE OF THE MAIN THEMES OF THIS BOOK. GRATITUDE, THANKFULNESS, GIVING THANKS TO GOD. PAUL HAS MENTIONED THANKFULNESS OVER & OVER IN THIS BOOK. 23 BEING THANKFUL SHOULD ALWAYS ACCOMPANY PRAYER. IT PLACES A BELIEVER IN THE PROPER ATTITUDE BEFORE GOD. 24 PHILIPPIANS 4:6 BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING, BUT IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD. 25 THANKSGIVING IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE. RIFF NEVER TO THANKFUL. IN ADDITION TO THANKING GOD WE NEED TO BE SURE WE PRAY FOR THOSE DOING HIS WORK. 26 COLOSSIANS 4:3–4 PRAYING AT THE SAME TIME FOR US AS WELL, THAT GOD WILL OPEN UP TO US A DOOR FOR THE WORD, 27 SO THAT WE MAY SPEAK FORTH THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST, FOR WHICH I HAVE ALSO BEEN IMPRISONED; THAT I MAY MAKE IT CLEAR IN THE WAY I OUGHT TO SPEAK. 28 Θ PRAY FOR THOSE DOING GOD’S WORK PAUL ASKED THEM FOR PRAYERS THIS WAS NOT A SELFISH REQUEST 29 HE DID NOT ASK FOR HEALTH, PEACE, WEALTH, SAFETY HE ASKED FOR AN OPEN DOOR A CHANCE TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL 30 2 CORINTHIANS 2:12 NOW WHEN I CAME TO TROAS FOR THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST AND WHEN A DOOR WAS OPENED FOR ME IN THE LORD, 31 WE ALWAYS NEED TO PRAY FOR OTHERS WE NEED TO BE SURE TO PRAY FOR THOSE DOING GOD’S WORK THOSE IN MINISTRY AND MISSIONS ALWAYS NEED OUR PRAYERS 32 Θ PRAY GOD OPENS DOORS THIS PRAYER IS FOR GOD TO REMOVE OBSTACLES THAT HINDER THE GOSPEL OPENING A DOOR IS PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL 33 IT IS VITAL THAT WE NOTICE SOMETHING HERE GOD IS THE ONE THAT OPENS THE DOOR ( PAUSE ) PAUL DOES NOT ASK THAT HE MIGHT OPEN A DOOR HE ASKS THAT THEY PRAY GOD OPENS A DOOR ( PAUSE ) 34 ISAIAH 22:22 THEN I WILL SET THE KEY OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID ON HIS SHOULDER, WHEN HE OPENS NO ONE WILL SHUT, WHEN HE SHUTS NO ONE WILL OPEN. 35 IT IS VERY COMFORTING TO ME TO SEE PAUL ASK FOR THIS IF PAUL NEEDS GOD TO OPEN A DOOR FOR THE GOSPEL I DON’T FEEL SO BAD KNOWING I NEED GOD TO OPEN DOORS FOR ME 36 IN 1269 KUBLAI KHAN SENT A REQUEST FROM PEKING TO ROME. HE REQUESTED "100 WISE MEN OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.” “AND SO I SHALL BE BAPTIZED.” “AND WHEN I SHALL BE BAPTIZED ALL MY GREAT MEN WILL BE BAPTIZED.” 37 “AND THEIR SUBJECTS BAPTIZED. AND SO THERE WILL BE MORE CHRISTIAN HERE THAN THERE ARE IN YOUR PARTS." THE MONGOLS WAVERING IN THE CHOICE OF A RELIGION. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, AS KUBLAI FORECAST. 38 THE GREATEST MASS RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. THE HISTORY OF ALL ASIA WOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED. BUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED? 39 POPE GREGORY X SENT TWO DOMNICAN FRIARS. THEY GOT AS FAR AS ARMENIA. THEY COULD ENDURE NO LONGER AND RETURNED HOME. SO WAS MISSED THE GREATEST MISSIONARY OPPORTUNITY IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. 40 GOD OPENED THE DOOR, BUT NO ONE WAS THERE TO GO IN. WE NEED TO PRAY FOR DOORS TO BE OPEN WE ALSO NEED TO PRAY THAT WHEN GOD DOES OPEN A DOOR SOMEONE NOTICES. ( PAUSE ) 41 Θ CLARITY IN THE GOSPEL “THAT I MAY MAKE IT CLEAR IN THE WAY I OUGHT TO SPEAK.” PAUL WANTED AN OPEN DOOR BUT ALSO CLARITY IN HIS PREACHING NOW THIS REALLY MAKES ME FEEL BETTER 42 PAUL KNEW VERY WELL WHAT NEEDED TO BE COMMUNICATED HE ASKS IN PRAYERS THAT GOD HELP HIM BE CLEAR IN HOW HE SAID IT IF YOU EVER PRAY FOR ME PLEASE ADD THIS 43 CLARITY IN WHAT I PREACH PAUL WANTS CLARITY IN PREACHING “THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST” PAUL EXPLAINS THIS MYSTERY IN ANOTHER LETTER 44 EPHESIANS 3:6 TO BE SPECIFIC, THAT THE GENTILES ARE FELLOW HEIRS AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE BODY, AND FELLOW PARTAKERS OF THE PROMISE IN CHRIST JESUS THROUGH THE GOSPEL, 45 THERE ARE MANY COMPLEX THINGS IN THE BIBLE THINGS WE NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHEN WE EXPLAIN THEM WE NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT COMPLEX CONCEPTS WE NEED TO BE EQUALLY CLEAR ABOUT HOW WE ARE TO ACT 46 COLOSSIANS 4:5–6 CONDUCT YOURSELVES WITH WISDOM TOWARD OUTSIDERS, MAKING THE MOST OF THE OPPORTUNITY. 47 LET YOUR SPEECH ALWAYS BE WITH GRACE, AS THOUGH SEASONED WITH SALT, SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW HOW YOU SHOULD RESPOND TO EACH PERSON. 48 Θ ACT WITH WISDOM CONDUCT IS THE SAME GREEK WORD WE TRANSLATE WALK PAUL TOLD THEM TO WALK IN A MANNER WORTHY OF THE LORD NOW HE TELLS THEM TO WALK WITH WISDOM TOWARDS OUTSIDERS ( PAUSE ) 49 THIS IS GOD’S WISDOM NOT MAN’S WISDOM WE ARE CALLED TO DO THIS SO THAT WE DON’T CHASE PEOPLE OFF 50 MATTHEW 5:16 “LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS, AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN. 51 THIS IS A MAJOR PART OF BRINGING THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD DRAWING PEOPLE TO IT BY HOW WE CONDUCT OURSELVES (PAUSE) 52 YEARS AGO THE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT IN CHINA COMMISSIONED A BIOGRAPHY OF HUDSON TAYLOR. 53 THE PURPOSE WAS TO DISTORT THE FACTS AND PRESENT HIM IN A BAD LIGHT. TO DISCREDIT THE NAME OF THIS GREAT MISSIONARY OF THE GOSPEL. 54 AS THE AUTHOR WAS DOING HIS RESEARCH HE WAS INCREASINGLY IMPRESSED HE WAS IMPRESSED BY TAYLOR'S CHARACTER AND GODLY LIFE. 55 HE FOUND IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CARRY OUT HIS TASK WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE. EVENTUALLY, AT THE RISK OF LOSING HIS LIFE HE LAID ASIDE HIS PEN, RENOUNCED HIS ATHEISM. 56 HE RECEIVED JESUS AS HIS PERSONAL SAVIOR. WHETHER WE REALIZE IT OR NOT HOW WE TREAT PEOPLE LEAVES AN IMPRESSION ON OTHERS. 57 Θ OUR BEST WITH THE LOST “MAKING THE MOST OF THE OPPORTUNITY” THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING PHRASE A LITERAL TRANSLATION IS “BUYING UP THE TIME” 58 THIS PHRASE CAME TO MEAN USING SOMETHING TO ITS BEST USE OR MAKING THE MOST OF AN OPPORTUNITY WE ARE TO MAKE THE MOST OF INTERACTIONS WITH THE LOST 59 DO OUR BEST TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE GOSPEL THIS SAME WORD IS USED IN EPHESIANS 5:16 MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME, BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE EVIL. 60 NEVER PUT OFF WITNESSING TO SOMEONE UNTIL TOMORROW PROCRASTINATION IS THE THIEF OF TIME ( PAUSE ) 61 Θ USE KIND WORDS   “LET YOUR SPEECH ALWAYS BE WITH GRACE, AS THOUGH SEASONED WITH SALT” ONE WAY TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE OPPORTUNITY IS TO SPEAK WITH GRACE 62 GRACE IS GETTING BETTER THAN YOU DESERVE SPEAKING WITH GRACE IS BEING MORE KIND IN YOUR WORDS THAN PEOPLE DESERVE 63 PROVERBS 15:1 A GENTLE ANSWER TURNS AWAY WRATH, BUT A HARSH WORD STIRS UP ANGER. 64 FOOLISH REMARKS, UNGRACIOUS GOSSIP, CUTTING INSULTS THESE THINGS TURN PEOPLE FROM CHRIST AND DO US NO GOOD 65 OUR SPEECH SHOULD BE SOMETHING PEOPLE SEEK OUT SEEK IT MORE AND MORE UNTIL THEY BECOME CHRISTIANS 66 Θ PERSONAL RESPONSE “SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW HOW YOU SHOULD RESPOND TO EACH PERSON.” THIS TELLS US THE REASON WE SHOULD DO ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE CONDUCT OURSELVES WITH WISDOM, 67 MAKE THE MOST OF THE OPPORTUNITY AND SPEAK WITH GRACE FOR THE PURPOSE OF KNOWING HOW WE SHOULD RESPOND TO EACH PERSON IT IS VITAL THAT WE UNDERSTAND SOMETHING HERE 68 THERE IS NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL GOSPEL PRESENTATION THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL NEVER CHANGES HOW WE PRESENT IT MUST BE TAILOR FIT TO EACH PERSON WE TALK TO 69 ONLY WHEN WE ARE ACTING IN GOD’S WISDOM, ONLY WHEN WE ARE DOING OUR BEST, 70 ONLY WHEN WE ARE USING WORDS OF GRACE ONLY THEN WILL WE KNOW THE VERY BEST WAY TO BRING THE GOSPEL TO EACH PERSON ( PAUSE ) 71 IT TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF WISDOM TO KNOW HOW TO GIVE AN ANSWER TO EVERYONE IT IS IMPORTANT WE UNDERSTAND THE CONTENT OF THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS THE SAME 72 THE WAY WE PRESENT IT, THE WORDS WE CHOOSE, WAY WE ACT WILL NEED TO CHANGE FROM PERSON TO PERON 73 GOD IS BUILDING HIS HOUSE IN EACH OF US GOD WANTS FAR MORE FOR US THAN WE WANT FOR OURSELVES WE MAY THINK WE HAVE BIG DESIRES, MONEY, LONG LIFE, POWER 74 BUT GOD WANTS FAR MORE THAN TEMPORARY THINGS FOR US HE IS WORKING ON US, BUILDING US UP SO WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS REALLY THE GREATEST THING POSSIBLE SERVE HIM 75 TO DO THIS WE HAVE SOME THINGS WE NEED TO BE BUILDING ON PAUL INSTRUCTS US TO BUILD ON OUR PRAYER LIFE TO BE DEVOTED TO PRAYER TO STAY ALERT AND FOCUSED IN PRAYER 76 TO BE THANKFUL IN OUR PRAYERS HE WANTS US TO BUILD UP EACH OTHER BY PRAYING FOR ONE ANOTHER PRAY FOR THOSE SERVING GOD IN MINISTRY 77 PRAY THAT THEY HAVE DOORS OPENED BY GOD DOORS FOR PRESENTING THE GOSPEL PRAY THAT THEY PRESENT THE GOSPEL CLEARLY PAUL WANTS US TO BUILD UP OUR CONDUCT AND OUR SPEECH 78 TO WALK IN GOD’S WISDOM ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THOSE NOT IN CHRIST TO MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY CHANCE WE GET WITH THEM TO SPEAK WITH GRACE KINDER WORDS THEN THEY DESERVE 79 WE ARE TO DO THESE THINGS SO THAT WE WILL KNOW HOW TO BRING THE GOSPEL TO EACH PERSON BECAUSE GOD LOVES EACH AND 80 AND WANTS AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM HOWEVER WE ALL SIN… 81 82