Be Careful How You Pray

We haven't known them a whole long time, but it's been having them with us and maybe some of the leadership team. If you would like to join us would you do that, Don't be bashful.

Baba's Baba's take a position with his company in Denver area and and they'll be leaving this will be their last day with us and we just want to bless them and believe God to give them Ministry there as he has given them ministry here in Northern Utah. And that would you pray with us father? We thank you for Bob and Suzanne and their lives in you. Their family Lord, we come to you with an expectation that as they seek you you truly will direct their pass guide their way. I pray Lord that you would just Minister your peace and all of the activities of moving and transition God you would take care of every detail as they look to you. We thank you Lord. Would you provide help for them? lied just sustaining Grace as they move through the transition. And all of your goodness in all of your blessing be theirs today. We thank you for the time. We've had to be a part of them and they be a part of us and Lord. We know that friendships in the Kingdom. Never end the Lord though. They leave this place. We will remember and pray for them as they pray for us and we give you all the glory and the praise is Ford in the precious name of Jesus.

Hey, man, I would like to see.

The flat ramp by the way, just saw your all that you may be seated just so you're all aware. I tried to tell the engineer that was looking at our plans that we have had this same platform 12 inches high for almost 18 years have never had a need to have a wheelchair ramp. But they said in today's cold world. We will have one way love to just exercise that thing. Hey, man. So, you know. I move you know that transition and moving and remodeling and all those things aren't necessarily free. You've got that. That means we need your help. We do have all of the carpet for this room. And by the way the carpet under the drums in the carpet that's on the ramp over there. That is the carpet that we will do in this whole room and the entry and we have some great gifts that I've come for that but we could use your help.

You wouldn't think that the ramp would cost much but it was a fairly expensive little activity. We could use some help with that some of the other things that we've had to do to meet their code. And and fire code in those kinds of things are doors now have what they call Panic bar exit. So anybody can get out of the building. You just can't get in.

It's a crazy thing, isn't it? Thursday morning. I came after the youths and then work on Sat on Wednesday nights and Quinn said he had a little trouble getting his key in the lock to lock the door there in the center and the way out Thursday morning. I couldn't get the key in to get back in the building. And the $270 later, we have a new lock. And another 20 some dollars for keys for the so we're into it about three hundred bucks for a lock for the front door. If God speaks to your heart to help us with some of those things. We definitely appreciate it for the last 6 months just so you're aware the last six months. We have been paying the lease on this building Elise on the other building there on 1300 North and our property payments on 1000 West so we had doubled our cost for facilities for the last six months and we haven't yet met up missed two payments or a rent paid all utilities. God has been faithful at all of that. And so we continue to believe that God is leading us and taking care of us. And so Just say thank you Lord. Thank you Lord father we come. With Open Hearts Open Hands. We thank you for your blessing. We thank you for your caring. We thank you for your vision in our hearts and lives. I pray Lord that you would bless every individual as we give in obedience to you today that you would be glorified in this place in our lives in this community. And in the world that we serve to spread your glorious good news. We thank you. We give you praise for all Lord in the precious name of Jesus we ask

Well, I truly believe this is the most wonderful time of the year and sometimes it can be also a little bit of a crazy time of the year to love singing the old songs, but just a couple years ago. There was an interesting song that really touched me called O Come All You Unfaithful and it kind of just struck me as interesting but it is it truly reminded me. It's been a pretty interesting kind of chaotic here, but we actually think about the Christmas story. That was a very chaotic story with you. Think about it. With them having to move because of the census and then having no place to stay and and it's just neat that she used to come. Such a crazy world. for us who are unfaithful in God's word. It says the we can be faithless. He remains faithful and that's why he came so I hope that you're blessed by this new song.

Old Town all weekend and stay no you are not

Oh, come on.

we have prayed to you what your

rice dishes

How come it's your hand broken? McPherson Spokane

How come you don't?

Christ

Christ is born

for those are the

Christ

Rice Bowl

Haha. Thanks.

Well, here we are.

I always look forward. Opening the word and I also look forward to Christmas.

You can ask my wife and she will be very blunt to tell you. I hate decorating.

in fact working in the building the last couple of weeks here has been really good because I haven't had to get out the decal.

But I am told this afternoon it's indeed a that's a dude a right.

Christmas and the message of Christmas is always intrigued me. I read on one of those blogs that I'm part of being all Facebook friends and all that. I'm part of communities, you know how that all works and one of them is a pastor's community and and one faster route. How do you not preach the same message for Christmas every year? Well, I've been out at forty some years now. And I find something new and fresh every time I read it. Hopefully it comes across to you. That way it is not boring to you. The message is so fantastic. It could only be a message from God The says I want you to understand. What does he want us to understand? He wants us to understand that this wasn't happenstance. This wasn't something that just, you know, suddenly happened without any thought God had planned. God has plans. For what? We are celebrating.

the passage in Luke chapter 1 We could read much of the chapter, but I was just want to share with you as we begin. Luke chapter 1 verse 13 the angel said to him do not be afraid Zacharias for your prayer is heard and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you will call his name John.

I don't know if you've noticed that God has a good memory.

Now when you confess your sins to him. The word says that they get cast as far as these the front of the way I was buried in the deepest sea doll that so he doesn't remember the sins that we have confessed and given to him. What he does remember is your petitions in your prayers. What he does remember is your hurts in your cares.

The Simpsons zakariyya, there is an inn just the setting is incredible because Siri is he has gone into perform his Priestly Duty in the temple and it was his lot to burn the incense.

Such a striking thing because Zacharias burning the incense man. He was there as an advocate for the people of Israel.

They're on the other side of the altar. Stan's Gabriel I have to admit. I probably would have been a little fearful myself.

This is not something that happens every day. We look back at the history of Israel and we realized that God had not spoken to the children of Israel for hundreds of years.

They had turned their back on him and he was not prophetically speaking into their lives for a long long long time.

You're Zacharias. He's an old guy like me.

Range Rover engines to talk to him about a future events that I believe Zacharias.

The Liberation of Israel the Messiah and the coming King everybody is excited about that.

And the angel says them don't be afraid. I've heard your prayer your wife's going to have a child and he's a

I'm an old man.

My wife's no spring chicken either.

I don't know how old she was. But that's Chapel paraphrase or what it says. He says my my wife is also older.

But I want us to talk this morning just a little bit about what I see there that would cause lots. To think about how God loves and cares for us.

First of all, this prophetic message was the last message in a series of messages that we would look at it as the old Covenant the Old Testament the old time under the law when God spoke through His prophets.

This is what he says. I want to just run through them real quick so that you get it.

The angel comes to Zakaria to break the Silence of God over all these years.

He says Don't Be Afraid.

Your prayer has been heard. Your wife will have a son. You'll call him John. You'll have joy and gladness many Will Rejoice at his birth. You with me you'll be great in the sight of the Lord. It will not be a drinker of wine or alcohol and be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth. You'll turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord will go before him Capital H. Jesus the Messiah in the spirit and power of Elijah and make the people ready to receive the Lord.

What's left? Angel juice filled out in great detail to Zacharias and this is what is going to happen.

Zacharia because God has heard your prayer. I do not know how many years before that Zachariah Praises prayer, but I'll guarantee it wasn't that day.

Are you still with me?

I believe that day there at the altar he was praying for the sins of Israel praying that God would somehow turn them back to the Lord and the angel says hey, guess what? Not only am I going to cause that to happen because of you.

But I'm going to answer your prayer from 50 years ago.

So what? Be careful how you pray?

God is Not forgetful about our petitions and our prayers and our desires as we serve him.

Think back for a moment. What have you prayed in your life? What have you felt that God was speaking to you about and he says yes. Yes.

Then we get all excited and then it gradually dissipates because it doesn't happen today tomorrow next week next month next year and we forget about it.

I'm for child bearing for Elizabeth was probably well gone.

Was no longer thought.

And the angel of the Lord comes and says, hey guess what? God has heard your prayer.

I would have to somewhat question. Zechariah did Nothing grabs me the most about it is that the angel says something to Zachariah that causes me to believe that unbelief desires proof.

Are you and me unbelief desires proof? We want God to show us that he really means what he says. listen friends be still got he's the god of the ages. He's God of the universe that when he says something he will do it.

Here's our cry. He hears our petitions he walks with us through the dark times as I believe he walked with Elizabeth it all over more thing in frustration because no child.

Zacharias says How will I know? I like to say to you today. Don't ask that question.

Easy answer God is God in the angel says he has sent me I stood in his presence and he sent me to you. I want you to understand today. The reality is we think about Jesus. The Messiah is the fact that those angels who stand in the presence of God come to us many times. I know whereof we read the scripture about knowing their angels.

let's say God has heard your prayer.

I can think of all kinds of things we've prayed for. I think of wayward children I think of wayward parents. I like a wayward siblings. I think of communities that are lost and dying without Jesus where our prayers how long does it take for us? Just answer to the prayer that we friends. I said it just not long ago.

What has been our prayer for the last Seventeen actually 20 some years now as Pam and I first began to pray believing that God wanted us to be getting here soon as I clean.

twenty-some years now

We still aren't there. in the sense that we own the building that we own the property type thing, you know, depending on how your mind works, but he has put us here with purpose his purpose. after all of this time

You know, we were on the wrong side of the tracks for a lot of years some of you may remember what that means.

I would challenge you now that we're on what we would look at us the right side of the tracks. We don't forget the wrong side of the tracks. Recognize God put us there with great purpose as well.

God comes to speak to Zacharias. It's not because he wasn't faithful. It's not because he wasn't True Believer. It's not because he wasn't serving God it's not because they were out of sorts with him.

The voice was filled with Ministry to the Lord if we read this passage of scripture. He lived a god. Do you have the characteristics of war did he serve?

Yet.

Even though they were both righteous before God. Not everything was perfect. Hey buddy relate. Sometimes we feel God. We're humbly Saint before you and your righteousness, but things aren't perfect. I don't get everything I wish for. Especially in the timing that I want it.

God does not forget.

Third thing I see in this passage of scripture is constant questioning has consequences.

questioning God I'm speaking about

UC the angel gives him the answer probably wasn't all the answer that he wanted. Although he didn't get some answer. That probably was exciting for him. Number one Gabriel says, I'm Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, that would be a pretty exciting part of it. Second part that was pretty exciting as well was he has sent me to you to give you exciting news.

Tell the next part Wasn't So Far. He says because of your unbelief you are going to be mute for the next 10 months or so.

10 months can talk for 10 months. What would it be like?

because Questioning unbelief. He says you are sign will be you cannot speak until this comes to pass.

So, I don't know how many days he was actually in his service of the Lord there before he went home to his Mountain Home and his wife but then we have at least 9 months and then we have a few days after that. Well for what day was it that he got his voice back the day that he named John at his circumcision 8 days after birth. So we know it was at least nine probably nine and a half months something like that. no voice

I want to challenge you today.

When you ask God for something and you feel like he has said yes.

Don't doubt. his worth don't doubt his word to you.

It doesn't matter time is of no consequence to God, but timing is everything.

Elizabeth was without child because God had a purpose Beyond her just having a house full of kids. God had a miraculous purpose that said this one that is going to be born. Do you do is going to create great joy. This one is going to Harold the Messiah. This one is going to be great in the kingdom of God.

Sometimes because we don't see what God wants to do right away. We get discouraged we get disillusioned and we don't think God is hearing listen. God is hearing pay attention. pay attention I send you.

Glad Tidings If there were something that you would want to share with those around you this time a year, it would be good news. I want to give you good news.

And you'll have 9-10 months to think about it.

dollar meditating for the next few months and when it happens Then you look at that next few versus there.

He comes out with the boys. As he writes his name will be John. His tongue is loosed his voice comes and he begins a prophetic. I want to call a ramp but that's why they had a prophecy.

That is like no other. Because everything he says is what God promised hundreds of years before is about to happen. And John is going to lead it.

What am I really trying to say to you today? I'm try to say to you that your words have consequences Proverbs chapter 18 verse 21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit. If we love the power of the tongue. The problem is that we can either spew hate beard out or we can spew love kindness Grace.

You have a choice are we talk to her family's do our work made to our social? People interactions. How do we communicate with a world that God has placed Us in for his glory.

Matthew chapter 12 verse 37 Jesus set at this way for by your words. You will be justified or by your words. You will be condemned.

James chapter 1 verse 19 so then my brother let every man be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath or slow to anger.

when we really learned

old black guy and his wife heard from God after all these years.

God promises some things that are just a sounding.

I want you to understand today. God is still the same God. He was 2,000 years ago. He is still the same God however many thousand years before that that you want to believe.

God is still God. God is still the god of doing that which you and I cannot do but when we ask him for it timelines are not always like ours but he will accomplish that he says he will accomplish. I believe some 20 years ago.

We stood at a funeral over here on 2000 West. 12 people But we believe God has called us to Clinton.

We could have bought 10 acres of ground for a half a million dollars course, we had 12 people in 20 cents between us but it didn't matter.

We believe God called us.

We spent years. Actually a year as we develop the leadership team here.

Gilroy

Off Campus Center that God had use me as as I would see it. to build as I did all the research and I was involved in off-campus centers and I'll campus programs and God gave us a hard to build a center in Roy. And there on Saturday nights. We began to believe God. Clinton To be the center of our ministry.

You know how it is when you get excited.

You get excited about a new car and I'll let you can see his new cars. If you see a red car all you see is red cars, by the way, if you say why everywhere there says billion white cars.

You decide that God is leading you to buy a new house and all you can think about is the new house. All you can think about is looking at all of the things that you want to put in it how soon can it happen. What's going to happen? How's it going to take place? We just get excited. We got excited about moving the Clinton. I drove the streets of Clinton day after day after day looking for a place that we could lease to begin Lakeside Community Church, and there was nothing in Clinton that was available. nothing Nothing over and over and over nothing.

One day one of the people that was in our congregation who lived them on 1300 North in Clinton. I was driving by that old building there in Sunset and said hey, did you know that the two businesses on the East End of moved out? No, I wasn't looking for a place in Sunset. I was looking for a place in Clinton.

and there I believe God prospered us.

As I sat down with the owner of that building 2 days after Christmas. 2002 and As I begin to probe him a little bit. He said so what do you want? And I said I want You to pay the rent to yourself for a year.

Let me tell you how God works. I won't take too much time, but let me just rehearse a little bit.

God took care of our rent for the first year half rent second year.

when we moved and shares a facility with elevation 10 years later because their rent had gotten really high. We came back and they said Well, we'd really like to have you back in the building will cut your rent in half.

I wish okay.

During that time. We bought two houses in Roy and in Sunset there. And it's just Financial Miracles over and over as God did those things and then? the the land in the house and all those things that are there on 1000 West and 800 North

All have led us to a place.

That we will now call home in Clinton.

Who would have dreamed when God gave us the vision to come to Clinton?

But it would take us at circular route to get here. What I'm really trying to say friends is don't get discouraged because God's timing is not our timing. Well, I want it done now. I want to rip the walls out of here and remodel this place now.

I'm up for it just as well get a little piece of land over there. You need to sell first.

We've had some really good interest in the land we've had several back out. We have one this sort of on the edge.

I don't know what God's timing is but I know one thing God has called us with a purpose. To minister to make a Ministry base in the middle of Clinton that we can reach out. all directions from here

by the way We are. The only Protestant Evangelical Church in this city.

That means we have a big job to do that means we got a long ways to go. spread the good news of Jesus God is Not slack concerning his promises as he says it's 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 9. The Lord is not slack or what we would look at in their English as late concerning his promise as some count slackness, but his long-suffering tortoise not willing listen carefully that any should perish but all should come to repentance.

May our heart desire be Every individual we communicate within this community in the communities we live it would come to Jesus. I am not nearly so concerned about filling a building that says look what we've done as I am about leading people to the Saving Grace of Jesus Christ on cars.

Angel dolls Zakaria. Guess what you get to be the herald of the Messiah of the Messiah Jesus Christ the savior of the world.

The last thing I want to say to you.

is God is way ahead of us.

God knows our future.

his timing just perfect. Isaiah 55 verse 8. Sorry, I can't see it.

In the New Living Translation says my thoughts are not like your thoughts says the Lord in my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. I like it. I like it.

And God loves you. And God loves all of the people around you.

Just as he loves you.

He Loves Us beyond our wildest dreams

You understand that the coming of John what we call John the Baptist was a wonderful Force telling of the Messiah. Guys, like Zacharias and been waiting for years all their lives to hear the good news of the Messiah looking forward. Today I believe.

That there are people that are without hope. Without knowledge without understanding that are looking for a savior.

The enemy of their soul is convincing them that Jesus is not it. You and I have a task. We have a job just as I cry as went into the temple during his route. May we come to worship the phrase to be in the recognized to be strengthened by the spirit of God so that we can Proclaim. Jesus is still Lord. Jesus is still the savior.

Revelation 4:11 is the passage. I like in the Old King James. It says in for his pleasure. We were created we were created. He created us. Just enjoy a relationship with him. I believe he's calling us today new and fresh at this season of the year to say, would you look to Jesus the savior of the world would you focus on the reality of what we are trying to celebrate? Recognize God and all of his awfulness has you in his timing? He has you in his plan. He has Lakeside Community where he wants us. To touch his world for his glory.

Don't get discouraged. Because it doesn't all happen at once. Don't get upset because you don't see the fruit of. What you're doing at the moment?

recognize God remembers God is paying attention.

You may be here this morning. And you say I I feel like God has failed me sometimes.

I feel like I've been forgotten. I feel like he doesn't care. I want you to understand God's ways are far above our ways you understands more than you can believe or understand.

Take a moment and trust him today. Believe him. Don't worry about all the others. Don't worry about your physical issues.

We all have them I move you don't have a physical issue. Look around look around. Nobody raised a hand because we all got them. Solace album lots of issues with God bless you all.

but in what we have and Who We Are Diaz plays the desire to serve him to love him to move forward his kingdom would be glorified in US it in that we can say. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him All Creatures here below

May this be a joyous time for you maybe a time this year as leading up to our celebration of the birth of the Messiah to recognize that he knows exactly where we are. And what's going on in our lives and he cares for us. And we are in his plan.

for his future Not only ours. Father I thank you for your word to us today.

I get so excited about celebrating the birth of Jesus the Messiah such an awesome thing. I pray Lord that you would stir our hearts toward you.

So many things going on around is so much to do. Just to live in this life.

Lord would we focus recognize?

You love us you care for us. Do you have a plan for us?

May we walk in your way and your steps? You be glorified in US Lord in the precious name of Jesus. I wonder you're here. You may be listening watching on. Livestream maybe this week you'll watch this. Recording and you would say the Lord speaking to my heart. I need to focus new and fresh and him you just slip up and I like to play with you those of you that are here Lord speak into your heart. Let me pray with you you here trusting trusting. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Thank you, Lord.

I love you.

We love you Lord. We love you Lord. You've been so gracious to us. There are Hearts be filled with joy and peace.

Because you have given us life.

Give you praise for Lord. the precious name of Jesus

Craigslist

Houston

Christ my savior.

You rescue?

Yorkie

3 Christ my chart

Eli

send turn my heart.

Set me up.

Thank you, Jesus. You said me free. You rescue.

thank you g

Thank you.

Are we thank you God. Your ways are far above our ways.

What show is what you have for us?

Help us Lord to be piped John the Baptist Lord. We're just like you came you are coming again and people need to know people in this city people in the cities that we live in Lord. Cause us to be the church. Just here on Sunday mornings. but everyday Lord for cause us to live our lives. Are we? Proclaim Your Kingdom Come holding out about it I give you praise and glory and thank you for all that you've done for us both now and in the future in Jesus name, we pray that God bless have an awesome week in the Lord.

Related Media

Related Sermons