prepare Archives - Lighthouse 805 Church

When Promises Come True

Janell Marshall — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 04:59:51 +0000

We know that God’s promises are “yes and amen”; but how do we activate them in our lives to change the lives around us for the kingdom? That’s today’s message “Producing Promise” in our “Change Your City” series.

The reasons why Jesus was able to change His city

Connected to the God
Connected to Community
Connected to Calling

The disciples were able to change their cities because

Connected to the God
Connected to Community
Connected to Calling

We are hyper-focusing on what it means to be connected to God today

There were times Jesus chose solitude over people just to pray.

We are looking at the reasons why we need to choose solitude and prayer to stay connected to God

To prepare for something big

Luke 4:1-2, 14-15.

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,[a] 2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.

14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15 He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

Jesus was preparing for His public ministry. Prayer is how we prepare.

To rest after hard work

Mark 6:30-32

30 The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. 31 Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. 32 So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.

Jesus sent the 12 disciples out. They returned and Jesus had them rest. This represents Church. We work during the week, and then rest on Sunday to go work next week. We rest to prepare.

To grieve

Matthew 14:1-13

14 When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee,[a] heard about Jesus, 2 he said to his advisers, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead! That is why he can do such miracles.” 3 For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip). 4 John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet. 6 But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him, 7 so he promised with a vow to give her anything she wanted. 8 At her mother’s urging, the girl said, “I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!” 9 Then the king regretted what he had said; but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders. 10 So John was beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12 Later, John’s disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened. 13 As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns.

John the Baptist was beheaded – Jesus went away to grieve.

Before making an important decision

Luke 6:12-13.

12 One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. 13 At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:

Jesus prayed all night before making a huge decision.

During Crisis

Luke 22:39-44

39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40 There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” 41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

Jesus knew the crisis situation he was in and what was about to happen. He prayed before and during crises.

Doing Life Together –

How do you handle stress? What do you do well and do bad? What’s a recent stressor you are going through? What does this verse mean to you?

Dealing with stress poorly costs us (time, mental health, energy) in order to see promises producing in our lives we need to be able to handle stress.

Producing Promise

Luke 5:16

16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

Jesus spent time alone praying in solitude in order to produce promise.

Next Steps: Pray daily this week. Pick a topic from today and speak with God daily to grow in that area.

The post When Promises Come True appeared first on Lighthouse 805 Church.

How do you develop strong faith?

Janell Marshall — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 03:03:52 +0000

Wondering how to develop strong faith? Faith in the face of attacks, turmoil, …life? In this latest message of our Faith Check series “Strong Faith” – we’ll look at Jeremiah’s strong faith and how it got there.

Jeremiah 1:17-19

17 “Get up and prepare for action.

Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say.

Do not be afraid of them,

or I will make you look foolish in front of them.

18 For see, today I have made you strong

like a fortified city that cannot be captured,

like an iron pillar or a bronze wall.

You will stand against the whole land—

the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah.

19 They will fight you, but they will fail.

For I am with you, and I will take care of you.

I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Jeremiahs responsibility was to prepare and proclaim…. that’s our responsibility also.

That is how we gain a strong faith.

Get up – prepare for action

Some translations say gird your loins – meaning tuck your robe into your belt cause you are about to run. The more we develop our faith the more we need to be ready to listen and act on the Word of the Lord.

Tell them everything I tell you to say. – say what the Holy Spirit speaks to you about.

Tell everything the Lord says. Don’t add to it. Don’t take away.

Do not be afraid of them – or God will make you look foolish

Jeremiah 1:18-19

18 For see, today I have made you strong

like a fortified city that cannot be captured,

like an iron pillar or a bronze wall.

You will stand against the whole land—

the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah.

19 They will fight you, but they will fail.

For I am with you, and I will take care of you.

I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Jeremiahs responsibility was preparation and proclamation.

Gods responsibility is preservation…

Doing life together in the comments:

How does Jesus preserve you?

Today I have made you strong….. foundation in Jesus. Strength comes from God making us strong….. and when does he make us strong?

Today!!!! He makes us strong.

When a city was fortified the enemy couldn’t overtake it. It was a waiting game. Either the enemy went somewhere else or the people in the city starved and let the enemy in…. Too many believers get surrounded by the enemy and allow themselves to starve and eventually cave….

Your nourishment comes from the Lord strengthening you daily. Preserving you with His word.

Eternally: He preserves your soul.

In turmoil: He preserves your mind, heart, life.

He preserves us through the enemy, through life situations…. because He is with us.

Your faith is strong because Jesus preserves you through preparing and proclaiming His Word.

There is this imagery in Jeremiah 20:11-13 of what it looks like when Jesus preserves us through our preparation and proclamation of His word.

11 But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior.

Before him my persecutors will stumble.

They cannot defeat me.

They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated.

Their dishonor will never be forgotten.

12 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,

you test those who are righteous,

and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets.

Let me see your vengeance against them,

for I have committed my cause to you.

13 Sing to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

For though I was poor and needy,

he rescued me from my oppressors.

YOUR NEXT STEP: Make sure your faith is strong: Prepare and proclaim His word.

Get a verse this week for your life to meditate on and start proclaiming it.

Double down on next steps – I want you to start preparing this verse in your spirit and begin proclaiming it…

Matthew 5:14-16

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Our next season and sermon series is “Change Your City.” The sermon series will be hyper-focused on everything happening in and around Capernaum in the Bible. And Matthew 5:14-16 happens just outside of Capernaum.

Would you begin proclaiming the word of God over our next season with me?

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