Sermon Notes 3 29 20

I can do that for Kingdom Hall Alyssa's voice. The Earth melts Lord Almighty is with us the god of Jacob The Fortress come and see what the Lord has done the desolations. He has brought on the earth. He makes Wars. To the ends of the Earth he breaks the bow and shatters the spear. He burns the shield with fire be still and know I am the Lord I will be Exalted among the Nations. I will be exalted in the Earth. The Lord Almighty is with us. The god of Jacob is our Fortress a man a man. My friends again. We we find encouragement from that says it's our hope that he is our he is our foundation. He is our Rock he is our Fortress. He's a place of refuge and we we enjoy that or we should be we should be treasuring that in our hearts as we know these truths and the guy that we serve but we as Believers we have that promise we have that hope and if our hearts remain broken and contrite Before him through this journey and we can have the head knowledge. But if we don't let the Lord do that work in our heart if we don't allow these truths to take the take root in in our heart and our life. It's we miss out on the joy and in the end the piece that comes with it so we can enjoy these things. But what about the unsaved who have no hope and you turn on the news and and we hear we hear all this going on in our world then and again, we're very fortunate. I mean that we're even sheltered. I just think about it going to our little grocery store here in town and and how there hasn't been there's no toilet paper, but there hasn't been the the rush the the madness that you see within the larger towns and the sword but My prayer is that would not allow us as individuals to and his followers of Christ to to become numb or indifferent to the hurt for the pain or the last message that the world is experiencing around us. And so just a couple things that were just going to let me chew through it through the week here and you know, the thing that I'm I guess I'm really praying for is one a Revival in my own heart that and I will desire the things of the Lord more than ever and I I want to just share with you what the Revival and what is the definition of Revival it said increased spiritual interest in renewal in the life of a church congregation or Society with a local National and Global Effect revivals are seen As the restoration of the church itself to a vital and fervent relationship with God after a. Of moral decline. boy, if we

don't need Revival today is you think of our world than the the moral decline that we have seen throughout throughout our world truly just even within our own country went alone the world but oh how we should be praying for the Lord to bring about Revival A Renewed sense of of a passion for him, right and in a turning to him. Well the Book of Joel It's it focuses on the prophetic Judgment of the Southern Kingdom of Judah and worship and it's just so you know in life and things are going on in in in in Joel's time in the book of Joy the second book of the Minor Prophets. We see that book totally centers upon something and really the first of its of the books in the Old Testament that specifically brings it up over and over and talks about is the day of the Lord. It is coming the day of the Lord the Lord second coming it is is coming and it could be it could be sooner. We believe that the Rapture is going to take place first. And then after 7 years of of Great Tribulation that that God is going to return and Joel explains that in days cloaked in darkness armies that conquered like a roaring fire the Moon turning to blood you give some some vivid description and explanation of what the day of the Lord which is coming. And it's still for us a day to come. It's in the future and in and 2nd Thessalonians 2 verse 2. It's his not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching alleged allegedly from us whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. So we see you in that Paul is is is giving encouragement and challenge them. It hasn't happened. And so he's he's trying to remind people this is something to come. Will it still is something to come for us today still it's coming and are are we living in such a way that that displays that end in 2nd Peter 3 and verse about the day of the Lord will come like a thief the heavens. Disappear With A Roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire in the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare my friends. This is what is to come and Joe was prophesying of a bit of that day and end and inverse 15. This is what he says and Joel 150 says I'll ask for that day for the day of the Lord is near even in his day. He's that he saying this is something. It's coming in light of God's perspective. The Eternal perspective day is like a thousand years a thousand years is like a day my friends in light of Eternity. It's it's it's coming soon and we need to know that and then we need to live it out God's word is still clear in that and it will come like destruction from the Almighty. He uses a current plague in Joel. He uses a current flag that they were dealing with there as in the beginning and in chapter one. He talks about the plague of locusts and he talks about the things that were taking place and in that time and he says in verse to hear this you Elders listen all who live in the land has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers. It's interesting is that there is looking at this plague that was taking place there in his time and then he uses that as a springboard to to then remind them. God's judgments, the day of the Lord is coming. It's coming and that is true for us today. We look at the coronavirus think as this invisible thing just like the Bubonic plague is this invisible thing that just seems to be raising Havoc around the world and putting people in all sorts of fear and concern.

is it true that we can Or that we should maybe look at this as God is trying to tell the world something significant. And we as Believers more than ever boy. We should be tuning in to what it is that he has for us in these days in this moment to bring it. We are needing to be reminded of the judgement to come but my friends as as Joel does in in his little book here. He also reminds us of the hope of repentance. And so Joel tells us in in Chapter 2 verses 12 through 13. Really what what's at the heart of it. What is it that needs to be done? And and if we look at that and and Joel chapter 2 and verses that 12 and 13, it says even now declares the Lord return to me with all your heart. With fasting and weeping and mourning Rend your heart and not your garments return to the Lord your God for he is gracious and compassionate slow to anger and abounding in love. And he relents from sending calamity. It's amazing how long you don't we can look in and Peter talks about that he is he is not to Lacking Ridge is he is he is patient. He is waiting right but but his time will be over at some point. He is going to say enough is enough and judgment. For the whole world in the sense of judgment just coming as we see with the day of the Lord and it's coming. I hope that maybe we can be challenged from what Joel is saying here to to the to those in Judah at this time of their need to be broken their need to return their heart. Turn to me with all your heart. You know, the second chronicles. We always go to that in the end 2nd Chronicles says 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. What a wonderful truth that the Lord is longing for our hearts to be broken before him as a people and if we long for the world and for our country to be redeemed to be at the Sea Bright Revival take place. It's going to start with us. We we hear the message. We know the message. We know what he says in and we have the ability of truly being broken and turning our hearts to him because the spirit of the Living God now lives within us because we have trusted in him as our savior and I hope and pray that that's true for each one is listening to yesterday that you have made that decision to place your faith and trust in Christ. But if we have my friends we have we have the ability to turn our hearts to the Lord where we are at Eternal heart back to him and make all that. We're doing the passion of our life. The purpose of our life is it's about him. It's about serving him. It's about having that broken and contrite spirit Rendon. Heart that isn't that repentance and he tells us here is Judge rinder heart you said repent? He says not the tearing of your clothes, but Rend your heart repent and horse that in in his time that that of sackcloth and Ashes. It was a symbol and an action that they get to the heart of the issue. repent turn your heart towards Chords, Jesus turn our hearts towards him and in help us to have his passion my friends the day of the Lord is coming. What does that mean for us? We know what it means for us as it's that we're not going to be here and we're going to enjoy the presence of the Living God, but but what does it means for those who are left behind? What does it mean for them? They're they're lost their they're hopeless and we see a world that is that that's where that's where we are go back. Please return to the Lord is gracious and compassionate slow to anger abounding in love. That's the guy that we know and that is what we are to be displaying to the world around us. Displaying his grace and his compassion and his his being slow to anger and abounding in love. How can we display that how can we do that? I've been in the fridge. Within our own church family. If some different things just on the last week year of people being having a hearts desire to care for those who are laughing and who have have less than and the willingness and the desire to be a part in and being a couragement in a blessing to others showing love and compassion in these times. It is tricky in these days. I will say when we're told that we're supposed to stay apart. How do we do that? And how do we do? We really need to be asking the Lord to give us wisdom and there are many ways in which we can

White people to Jesus in these days. This day is coming has Joel was saying the day is coming and we better be ready to get serious about God's call. And our purpose and it's interesting how it tells us in scripture. He instead get myself situated.

He tells us. Inversa a backup and verse 12. He says with fasting and weeping and Mourning. Fasting fasting is not something that maybe we often think about it's a it's a new testament thought also and I remember years ago. I did a series of messages just on prayer and fasting and and Heavenly Touch down that much and I am in quite some time. But the reality is is my friends. These days should be driving us to this getting serious with God. That's really what fasting is about his and it doesn't have to just mean food it can it can mean many different things honestly basically setting aside maybe the Cravings in the desires of our flesh in many different ways setting it aside for a time to just focus upon. The god that we serve in our in our need to to turn to him and to get our own Hearts right that we might be useful right for him for his glory fasting talks about fasting and Acts Chapter 13, Verse 2. It says while they were worshiping the Lord and fasting that's what the early church was doing fasting the holy spirit said set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.

I would encourage us to really ask ask ourselves. What is it? The Lord wants for us to be doing in this time does call upon us in this moment and what his purpose is for us. What we should be passionate about in Acts. 14:23 of dad said that says Paul and Barnabas holders from them in any church and here you see that the function of the body right within each group of people and that's how we're set up. That's who we are as a body the body of Christ Callaway Community Church with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had put their trust. Fasting one encourage you to consider that too. If is that something that the Lord would ask of you personally to do with stuff asking is not something that is to be a public display or some you know, I'm suffering so great for Jesus and I'm doing this but it's a personal thing. It's something that you do. It's between you and the Lord but us getting serious about

wanting him above it at everything else and that's really the heart behind fasting and praying. We should be a people of Prayer in closing. I I I can't help but think of Isaiah 6:5 and and we see how and Isaiah 6:5

It's Isaiah's prayer to the Lord right? He's just got done seeing this Vision this vision of God his holiness. and and this is our war cry of a prayer and in our heart right towards the Lord in our time of prayer. I am ruined he says woe. Woe is me. I am ruined for I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips. In my eyes have seen the king the Lord Almighty. My friends if we know Jesus we can Revel in his glory and his goodness. It lives within us, right. We've been talking about that in Ephesians and I hope and pray that in these days. I hope that the Lord is is stirring in our hearts that we are letting him drive us to our knees that we would have a concern in a care for the world that we live in cuz I'm telling you we live in a world that's hurting right now and it's easy for us to maybe not feel that all the pressure. I know there's a lot of financial pressure. There's a lot of uncertainty. Yes in our community here for sure. And we need to we need to be praying for one another Lord use these things to drive us to you that there might be great Revival in our own hearts and that we might see many people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus so important Times in history that we are living in unprecedented.

These are important days my friends and I hope that that we will turn our hearts towards him. And that's the think about juuls challenge to the people here in the enjoy in this and that has he was prophesying of the Lord's coming in because of it my friends boy. We better be we better be busy about the Lord's work and effort his glory. so in a closing prayer in maybe maybe we'll during the week here. My thought is to maybe have a time of will do a zoom meeting and we can do together and we just go ahead and open it up and down and be able to have a prayer meeting together. I think that could be really good. But maybe maybe we'll plan on doing that on Wednesday evening for all those that would like to participate in that. Okay, so let's pray. Father we love you. We thank you Lord for your word. We thank you Lord for the encouragement in the challenge that comes from from a Mazar scuse me from Joel Lord is as we see how he was living in very difficult times. Also with the the Locust plague Lord in and what they were observing and seeing and is he says they had never seen anything like it didn't Lord. We live in the same days today. We're seeing things that are unprecedented.

It's affecting the the whole world Lord and so many ways and I pray father that you will help us to be on our knees before you asking for you to do a work in our own heart for this community for that for those that we have interaction with each and every day. I hope and pray that we do our hearts will be turn towards you and allow you to work through us that Lord. We will be broken and contrite that in spirit that Lord you can work through us and that you can bless bless us and blend in the blessing that can come from us Lord as we are yielding to you as as followers of Christ Lord. Thank you for this time this morning. Thank you for getting us through the the bumps along the way here this morning and for us to be able to worship through song. I pray the Lord that you'll just continue to give us a song in her heart and then in and with our voice Lord to this way. Sing praises to you and giving you thanks Lord. We love you, and we look forward to the day when we can meet together face-to-face and to be able to shake hands and another and enjoy our time together and what a day that's going to be used in a way to drive us back to you and to our needs and and we thank you for this time lord. We love you. Just be with our week. Help us to honor in Jesus precious and holy name. Amen. I certainly can unmute you off for just a moment if you wish and you can all come to say goodbye or you are all unmuted. So I sure love you all. I mean that and praying for you all through the week if there's any of you guys know of anybody that's needing anything whether they're part of our church or not. Please let me know or anyway, so we can reach out at one other thing. I forgot to mention our current plan is is that we are going to have a drive-in Easter Service on Easter Sunday. Unless of course we have we have issues with whether or they put us in lockdown, but the thought is is Tiaras going to get us set up with his sound system on the the east side of the church and we're going to have a drive in church. Stay tuned. That's the plan for Easter Sunday. Okay, so we'll have more information to come and also be looking for an announcement that Crystal sent something to me this morning that I will be getting out as to get involved with a walk that is happening.

Is that is that eminent do I need to do we need to announce that right now Crystal?

She's shaking her head. No, okay. I'm not seeing this. Okay, sounds good. Well, we will we will get that announcement out. Okay, so I trust you all have a wonderful day. Love you all and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus the author and Perfecter of our faith. belies