That One Thing - What's the one thing you'll ask from God?

(5min) Recap from last week:

We live in a noisy world, it can be very distracting

Almost all of us will have had anxiety, or had some fear. We spend 47% of our waking moment being worried about the future or the past. It robs us from being present.

We worry about 4 things - Safety, Provision, Opinion, Purpose

We read about Jesus at Mary & Martha’s place.

We can be like Martha that is worried about the dinner, about the little details, distracted by good things that we miss out the best thing that could be happening right now— being with Jesus

Jesus encourage Martha to notice what one thing that is necessary — spending time with Jesus.

In our current predicament, it can be easy to be distracted by the good things but do we notice the one thing that Jesus is inviting us to? How can we respond towards His invitation?

Welcome to a new week! We find ourselves often split between two things - that’s what distracted means.

Opening Question: What is one thing that you were distracted with last week?

If today you were given an either or, what would you choose? (Fast round of “would you rather”)

Lifetime supply of Starbucks or Maccas

Own a giant hamster or tiny rhino

Have a hook for a hand, or peg for a leg

Always talk in rhymes or sing whenever you speak

End hatred or end hunger

Nosy Neighbours or Noisy Neighbours

Give bad advice or take bad advice

Ask good questions or give good answers

Be recognise as a cringy tiktoker or bad actor

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As a christian we often feel torn between two! What the world is doing and what i feel as a christian I should be doing!

(get response)

Even as a student, we feel torn ~ Do i pray or do i study? Do i go to church or do i go to tuition? What’s my purpose, or should i seek God for my purpose? How should we position/posture our lives? I believe God has given us solutions in his word to help guide our heads, our hearts and our hands.

We are called to be in the world but not of it(John 15:19), He calls us to not escape the world but to be light (Matthew 5:14). He has blessed us with wisdom, stature, favour with God and with man (Luke 2:52). With us around, things are tastier (we are the salt), life is better (we have a helper in the Holy Spirit), and the world is a better place.

But as christians, we find ourselves caught up with being distracted, living life of conflicted in our heart (1Ki 18:21)

How many of us have felt this certain restless in our hearts?

A sense of satisfaction that could be mildly covered up with the world satisfaction - winning a game, a new shoe/dress/table/gadget, watching a really good anime. Or to be loved, yet you find that they cannot tip it over. There is a gap.

Last week we spoke about the one thing that is necessary — have a relationship with God.

This week we are talking about one thing that we can ask for — intimacy with God.

---- P R A Y ----

Opening Question -

If you could ask the Lord for one thing, what would that be?

Solomon asked for Wisdom, Caleb asked for a mountain, Jacob asked to be blessed

What would you ask for?

Covid to end. plsthx.

Synopsis

This message is about a generation with a wholehearted devotion to God, a people whose heart desire after God. Longing after the presence of God, to behold/gaze on the beauty of the Lord, delighting in the Lord’s perfections, that they will seek God in His temple, to search for him, to meditate on him.

We are going to be reading this very familiar scripture, and we are going to narrow down on one portion.

Get everyone to get their bible + journal + pen

Main Passage: Read the whole Psalm 27

What’s something that stood out in this passage of scripture? Write down.

Introduction:

If you love somebody, what you long for more than anything else is that person’s presence with you. Photos are a comfort. Telephone calls, emails and texts are nice. Letters are good. Skype and Facetime are great ways to communicate. Yet nothing can compare to actually spending time with them in person.

Everyone who hates zoom, say ayeeeee!

What Adam and Eve lost in the Garden of Eden when they sinned was the presence of God. Even more than possessing the law, the distinguishing feature of Israel was God’s presence with them. The temple was not primarily a place of sacrifice but a place of God’s presence. The exile was such a disaster of the people of God because they were away from God’s presence!

God promised to be in the midst of his people again. This promise was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. He promises to be with you.

Breaking the Bread:

Context of Passage: Written early in David's life, during his flight from King Saul, with Charles Spurgeon suggesting specifically the incident with Doeg the Edomite.

Narrow down to a passage for today:

The One Thing that David is asking of the Lord,

“The one thing I desire” = “The presence of God, the intimacy of God”.

Psalm 27:1-14

New Living Translation Psalm 27

The one thing I ask of the LORD—

the thing I seek most—

is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,

delighting in the LORD’s perfections

and meditating in his Temple.

3 things we notice from this passage”

Dwell/Live in the house of God —

Gaze/Delight/Behold the beauty of God —

Seek Him in his temple, meditate, inquire —

David had one thing on his mind - be with God. He was a man after God’s own heart. He had loved the Lord so much that the only thing he wants to do is to be in God’s presence, to behold God, and to ask him questions. It was David sole desire — Ps 42:2

The New International Version Psalm 42

As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, my God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?

Breakdown of the 3 things we notice:

What does it mean to dwell in God’s house?

David wanted to be as close to God’s presence as possible.

It was his place of safety “For in the day of trouble he will keep be safe in his dwelling” Vs 5

David has made God’s place his home, his waking and sleeping.

2. What does it mean to gaze/delight at the beauty of God?

His attention and affection were completed given to God.

David has a whole hearted devotion towards God.

1: completely and sincerely devoted, determined, or enthusiastic 〈a wholehearted student of social problems〉

2: marked by complete earnest commitment: free from all reserve or hesitation 〈gave the proposal wholehearted approval〉

“My heart has heard you say, “come and talk with me” and my heart responds, Lord I am coming.” Verse 7

What does our heart long for, what have we spent our attention towards?

What have you spent most of your time worrying about?

What have you spent most of your time looking at?

What do you really want today?

3. What does it mean to seek Him in his temple, meditate, inquire of God?

The word “seek” is the same word that is used in the parable of the lost coin.

It means “to go in search of”, with an urgency, go after without relent; Priority

Ending:

What does this mean for us?

The New King James Version Chapter 17

“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world

In our worship, our prayer, our quiet time, our desire is for God to be with us.

Is it God’s desire? Yes, Jesus desire is for us to be with Him, as we echo our desire to be with

A quote that I read this week that sums it up:

You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. St Augustine

We often respond to God

Let me settle my life before I come back to you

Let me set my life right and I’ll pursue you.

But one thing Jesus is calling us to - to be with him.

There is a joy in loving God that comes not from this world, it’s not a happiness. It can be very painful sometimes, when we have to give up certain way of life, certain relationship, certain thought pattern. God loves us so much to leave us the way we are, He desires for us to be with him. We desire to be in his presence, behold His beauty and delight in his laws.

Our hearts are restless until they rest in God. When we rest in Him, prioritising our time with him, setting our hearts on him - we’ll learn to function out of his way, not conflicted by the things of this world vs Him.

How do we get there?

Prayer + Reflection = Coming to God.

We restore a relationship by humbly coming as we are, acknowledging what we have failed in, have a conversation. Ask if reparations need to be made, keep being consistent.

The New King James Version ה He

Incline my heart to Your testimonies,

And not to covetousness.

37 Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,

And revive me in Your way.

38 Establish Your word to Your servant,

Who is devoted to fearing You.

39 Turn away my reproach which I dread,

For Your judgments are good.

40 Behold, I long for Your precepts;

Revive me in Your righteousness.

DP Group Reflection:

Break into DP groups.

Leader to share these 3 questions as a slide.

Everyone to spend 5-7mins journalling, writing their thoughts.

You can consider doing question 1 as a warm up before spending 5-7mins journalling.

Desire: To engage everyone to spend time reflecting and considering.

What is one thing that spoke to you from the passage we read today?

What does intimacy with God mean to you? Do you remember a time in your life that you consider as being close to the Lord, what was that like.

What is God speaking to you about/calling you as Axel was sharing

Leader: Consider to do an activity this week together - start the day with worship/prayer, have a mid day prayer. To remind everyone on what is spoken today, to seek intimacy with God.