God's Delight 7/28/2019

Welcome to Branches Church. I am thrilled that you are here. It is good to have Sam King with us today. He is here helping us get better images of the church and some video for us to use in marketing and promotion. Yesterday he and I went around the county and city finding some unique places for pictures and video.

I just have to say, what a great city that we all live in…

Last week I started a two sermon series on the subject of Prayer. We are getting ready to launch weekly prayer meetings on Monday night each week starting next Monday. Make it part of your Monday to come by the church between 6-8pm for some prayer as a church family. God takes action when we pray.

2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV

if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Last Sunday was such a good move of the Spirit of God. We had great church! I have no doubt God is going to speak to someone here today too.

I want to preach under this title: God’s Delight

Song of Solomon 2:13–14 NKJV

The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away! “O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely.”

The book of the Song of Solomon is a series of six poems or songs. Each one is written by Solomon and written to the Shulamite woman. In his lifetime Solomon had over seven hundred wives and concubines. Theologians believe the Shulamite woman was his first wife who he married before becoming King of Israel.

The Shulamite woman is described as a common girl from the countryside. She was beautiful, and Solomon was deeply and emotionally committed to her as we can see from these songs.

The book serves two purposes for us.

First it is Spirit inspired so that you and I may know that God is the one who designed the marriage relationship as a pure source of human love and joy.

Second it is Spirit inspired to be a reflection of God’s love and affection toward His bride, the Church.

With this second understanding let’s read the words that Solomon wrote one more time.

Song of Solomon 2:13–14 NKJV

The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away! “O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely.”

He calls to his bride and says “rise up, come away with me.” “Let’s go to a secret place.” Let’s get away from the crowd and the routine of life.

“Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice;” “your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.”

This picture of how God sees the church, how he feels about us when we pray. He delights to hear the voices of his people lifted up in prayer.

When you are praying and start to ask for His help. God is not sitting there thinking. Oh here we go, they are about to get selfish.

He delights in just hearing your voice and seeing your face. He is joyfully waiting for you to meet with him in prayer.

Let God hear your voice!

If you learn to pray, and get a desire to spend precious time with the Lord. There is nothing that can not happen.

If I can stir you to prayer! It is the highest ministry that can be done in the church.

We are called to prayer!

1 Timothy 2:1–8 NKJV

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

First of all prayer!

Why? Because it is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

Prayer is powerful and prayer is the most important thing you will do this week!

I want you to serve in ministry in the church, this church would not exist without people who sacrifice time and energy.

I want you to pay tithe and give offerings, it is biblical, God blesses those who do, we couldn’t operate without commitment and support.

I want you to fast, read your bible, study the bible, be an evangelist and invite someone into a bible study or to service.

But prayer can make us giants before the Lord. It is the most important thing you will do!

Two types of prayer.

Current prayers - these are the now prayers. I pray and God moves.

Memorial prayers - prayers that build up over time. When you are building a memorial everyday you are adding a new level of prayer to the memorial that is going to get God’s attention.

You have to have confidence in your prayer.

Mother Freeman in Louisiana many decades ago. Prayed for her son. His soul was lost and she feared for him that if he died he would go to hell. So she prayed, everyday she prayed. One day she felt God press upon her that her son would be saved before he died.

Her son got sent off to war and went missing. Must be dead on the battle field. The military sent her his belongings and some medals with a letter expressing their sympathies. She sent them back with a letter. In the letter she said God had told her that her son would be saved before he died. So there is no way that he is dead.

They thought she just was having a hard time grieving. So they sent it back. Again she sent it back. Told them to keep them until her son returned.

It was years and years that went by. When one night the family was gathered together having a meal and good time. A stranger with long hair and bushy beard walked in. No one recognized the man except for Mother Freeman. She grabbed her son and said I’ve been waiting on you.

God saved him from war, and saved his soul.

She had confidence in those prayers and the God who said He was going to answer those prayers.

The angel who appeared to Cornelius said “your prayers and alms have come up as a memorial before God.”

Don’t stop praying that prayer just because you have not seen the answer.

Faith

A life walking with the Lord can be no simple choice. We are attacked by a spiritual enemy. We are set at odds with the world and culture. There are constant tests and trials of faith.

To walk with the Lord rightly we have to have faith. There are only three ways a person can have their faith increased.

By hearing the word of God

Romans 10:17

Romans 10:17 NKJV

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

By trials

James 1:2-3

James 1:2–3 NKJV

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

Our trials bring strength to our faith. We look back at the mountain we just overcame and say “I didn’t know God could get me thru, but now I know.”

By prayer

Jude 20

Jude 20 NKJV

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

Praying in the Spirit! When you tap in to praying in the Holy Spirit, that deep place where you lose consciousness of time and you are just with Him. Praying in the Holy Spirit. You are building your self up on your faith.

I want you to understand: His attitude toward your prayer. Nothing pleases Him more than when you lift your voice in prayer. Prayer is a memorial. Prayer will build your faith. Prayer will save the people you love.

Altar Music

Genesis 18 God intends to destroy Sodom for their wickedness and gross sin.

Genesis 18:17 NKJV

And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,

Genesis 18:19 NKJV

For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”

Shall I hide what I am doing? I have known him. I know his heart. I know how he leads his family.

God does not have to tell Abraham his plans. God wants to share His heart with his servant. God wants someone that He can trust with what He is about to do.

He choses those that He knows and has had communion with.

God tells Abraham, I am going down to Sodom to see for myself if their sin is as great as the cry I hear. I will judge them.

Genesis 18:23 NKJV

And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Abraham came near...

Abraham saves Lot and his family from judgement.

Judgement is coming. God will judge. A person who can draw near and pray the prayer that needs to be prayed will save some people from judgement.

Your family needs you to pray. Your friends need your prayers. The family whose world is being shaken with tragedy needs you to pray.