Notes from today, 2/26/2017's service:

Visible haven on the other side.

1 Corinthians 15:12-19.

Everyone knew Jesus' tomb was empty.

If we don't believe in the resurrection of the dead, our faith is worthless.

The knowledge that God exists is not enough.

Too much religion and not enough resurrection.

It's not about being comfortable.

This world is fallen. 

It's easy for us to be comfortable in our faith.

Do you know?

Can you see the house on the other side of the cemetery? Is there evidence in my life where I'm walking?

Purpose vs browsing/strolling.

We cannot stroll in our faith.

#1 Are you living life as if this is all there is?

#2  What's the most important thing to you?

#3 What's the biggest priority in your life?

#4 Do you feel an urgency to call others to Christ?

There's only one person who really went to heaven who could tell us about it -- Jesus!

If we don't take the invitation our place will be empty.  Resurrection is what we'll happen to us.

Daniel 12:2.

People get prepared for a wedding.

We are getting ready to see the Bridegroom. 

Acknowledgement of what we've been given. Our life should be an expression of our faith.

Are we window shopping or living?

1 Corinthians 15:58:28-34.

(Notes from today's sermon taken by Jane)

Work the prayer muscle.

Prayer should always come first. 

He was preparing himself for a crisis. It has to become a habit.

When apostles asked how to pray Jesus gave them this:

Matthew 6:9-13.

Little bit of a change means we need to make some adjustments.

Go to God confidently.

Hebrews 4:16.

If you can't think of what to pray, sing. Hymns (and choruses) can open up our hearts to God.

"I need you, Oh I need you. Every hour I need you."

Come to Him.
 
You don't need to "fix" yuorself before you come to God. Prayer changes everything within us. Prayer doesn't change God. He is always the same. We're in a different place when (and after) we pray.

Ephesians 6:18

We have no idea how many things haven't happened becaues of prayer (for good and bad). 

Can we sense God? If we know Him we can learn how to sense Him continually.

James 4:14-15

1 John 5:14-15

Confidence comes from consistency.

Prayer.

Matthew 7:7 (ask, seek, knock).

Ask with humility. We don't demand from God. We ask.

Philippians 4:6. Don't be anxious about ANYTHING.

James 4:3.

Coming forward and asking for help. Our pride tells us we can handle it. Pride interferes with our asking. "I know I can't but you can Lord."

Throw off our pride and know God wants us to ask. He knows when we should be asking but aren't. We are Not of this world. Being lost is probably an okay thing at times.

Seek -- constantly seek. Don't stop seeking. I'm alive, the learning is not done.

Trying to seek better ways to do what we're doing. Seeking to make it better.

Seek God in the way we would seek something we've lost -- like our keys right before we need to leave. Seek God like that. If we do this we will have thoughts about God.

During the day, seek.

Philippians 4:8.

The enemy will fill your mind if you don't.

The enemy can steal your witness. If we aren't seeking God, other stuff will seek us. This needs to be an intentional act.

Re-evaluate my God seeking.

Re-evaluate my life. 

The search for God needs to be my passion. Whatever I'm passionate about will drive me. It iwll fill my thoughts. 

Jeremiah 29:13.

When I seek God with all my heart I will find Him!

Am I searching for what I want from God or for Him?

Knock and the door will be opened for you. A persistent knock. You knock constantly.  Don't quit asking. Don't quit knocking. Draw attention to yourself at the door. Knock loudly. There's something we have to knock on doors we don't want opened.

God wants us to keep asking, keep coming to Him. Don't overlook the fact that there is a door. God put a door up -- not a wall.

Jesus says I am the way, the truth, the life, the door. Jesus is the door. Jesus is the gate. The door we are knocking on is Jesus. Faith comes by asking, seeking, knocking. 

Pray God cleans out our hearts and minds. Pray we can be silent within so we can hear God. Sometimes we don't stop long enough to listen to God

"I was so afraid to knock on the door that I found an excuse NOT to knock on the door."

​God doesn't want us to wait for anything.