"Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:25-27

Listening is an art form. You have to train yourself to learn to listen well. Humans are naturally good at it. We naturally just listen for what we want to hear. And we can hear God's voice if we pay attention. He is speaking and wants each of us to hear Him.

"he said, “Listen to my words:
“When there is a prophet among you,
    I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions,
    I speak to them in dreams." Numbers 12:6

"But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit." Matthew 1:20

"For God does speak—now one way, now another--
    though no one perceives it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on people
    as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak in their ears
    and terrify them with warnings,
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
    and keep them from pride,
18 to preserve them from the pit,
    their lives from perishing by the sword." Job 33:14-18

To be part of a relationship you have to do your part. You have to communicate. You have to listen. 

Have caution -- don't take someone else's words at face value. Do your own research. Speak to God yourself. 

"The idols speak deceitfully,
    diviners see visions that lie;
they tell dreams that are false,
    they give comfort in vain.
Therefore the people wander like sheep
    oppressed for lack of a shepherd." Zechariah 10:2

"Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God." Ecclesiastes 5:7

God can speak to us anyone He wants to. He spoke to Moses the first time thorugh a bush!

Then there was the long silence:



"The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.”" 1 Samuel 3:1-4

Silence was in preparation for the next step.

Jesus didn't have to stay around and have a ministry. He did all this so we could have a relationship with Him. God has not changed. 

 “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed." Malachi 3:6

 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8

If you aren't hearing from God, you aren't listening. 

The more familiar you are with God's voice, the more you will hear Him.

God will speak to us through His word.
 
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a]may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Our Father is speaking to His children. 

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

the Word is alive!

He speaks to us intentionally and personally. If you're walking in faithfulness, God will speak. What you fill your world with is what You will focus on.

"Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:23-26

"Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit." 1 Corinthians 12:3

The World wants us distrated and following impulses and totally disorganized. 

Often, God will speak to us through circumstances.

"or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Give your testimony from the point of weakness. Use discernment and prayer.

"But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults." Psalm 19:12

"Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
    for I trust your commands." Psalm 119:66

"let the wise listen and add to their learning,
    and let the discerning get guidance—" Proverb 1:5

Don't take stuff at face value. Do your own research.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

If you ask God a question, give Him time to answer.

Focus on God. Dwell with Him. Listen. He has something to tell you.

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness,righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord." Ephesians 5:8-10

Are you listening for the Shepherd's voice?

 "for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16

God the Father.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name," Matthew 6:9
"But if your eyes are unhealthy,[a] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matthew 6:23

"Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[a] Father.” Galatians 4:6

Abba means "daddy."

"So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned."Ephesians 4:17-20

Set yourself apart from the Old way of life. When you come in dirty from the field you take off your dirty clothes and take a shower, but you don't stop there if you plan on going anywhere. You put on clean clothes. We need to clothe ourselves in the new self.

Practical Advice -- and an example to Follow.

“In your anger do not sin”[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry," Ephesians 4:26


"The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;" Psalm 103:8-9

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.5 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for usas a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 4:31-5:2

Follow God's example. Our goal is for people to see the Father in us.

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

God's standard -- do as God does.

The absolute truth -- God is our standard.

Be like Him.

Obey or break.

The love of the Father overcomes the failures of the children.

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1

World doesn't understand absolute truth. 

Until I understand the love of God I won't understand anything else.

The standard is perfection. 

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48

Perfect means "complete" or "mature."

"But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:14

Grow. Keep growing. Grow toward God. Grow to be like God. 

Every day we get a do-over. That's grace!

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:11-13

What is that evil?

Understanding the enemy is the first step in overcoming the enemy. We can't go blindly into battle.

Who is Satan?
-- He is a fallen angel.
-- He has been given control over the whole world.

"We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one."
1 John 5:19

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LordGod had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:1-5

Satan likes when people don't believe he's rearl and he likes to stay hidden. These are great ways to do his work without interruption or interference.

He uses:

DECEPTION.
"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44

He'll use half-truths, outright lies; other people to lie. Surface stuff doesn't tell the whole truth. 

Lies are just empty promises, a trap.

Deny the truth of the Word.

He makes the truth complicated. Asks, "but what if?" and "But how can?"

Faith is simple.

He uses wordsmithing, spinning. He will also overwhelm people with sheer volume of information so they just get callous or immune to it.

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1

Make sure you test what you hear. Look for the truth yourself. Test the source. Jesus said, "You are either for me or against me." 

DIVISION:

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one,Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one" John 17:20-22

Nothing is more damaging to the church than division in a church body (or division between Christians). 

"So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature[a] a slave to the law of sin." Romans 7:21-25

Whatever we feed internally will win (either our flesh or the Spirit).

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12

Externally, we will always be looking for something better -- this divides us from within and away from what God has for us.

We shouldn't be afraid of the devil but we need to respect the threat.

DIVERSION: TURN US OFF THE PATH:

"Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Matthew 16:23

How do you avoid diversions? Be alert and then avoid them. Pushing through them sometimes will cause very negative consequences. If we have been diverted from the path, we will be too absorbed in the world and will have no time for prayer, church and the Word. If you value something, you'll find time for it. 

ANXIETY AND FEAR:

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28

The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God. We know what God is capable of, so why fear?

DISCOURAGEMENT:

Discourages us because aspirations are open-ended. God knows and understands we are in process. This is grace. If you live in fear you will always fail (or never try). Do not let perfection get in the way of "good enough."
There's always room for improvement. This doesn't mean we are failures. It means we are human. Fatigue, worn out. He tries to make us give up. We aren't alone. Let God carry your load.

"They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 2 Peter 3:4

What's wrong with waiting? Giving us His grace, something to energize us!

"In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." 2Timothy 4:1-5

Forewarned is forearmed!

Faith is rooted in love!

"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." Luke 10:19

Use the power that is given to you!

Keep your eyes on the Cross!

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18

Are you willing?

Surrender to God and let go of your own agenda. The enemy cannot and will never defeat our Father!!

(Jane left the voice recorder at church!! Sorry! I will try and load up the recording later this week. It was a really good sermon.)

Hesitation -- we see the door open and we hesitate. Hesitation in battle can be deadly. 

The "forlorn hope." Someone has to charge up to the hole to secure the opening. There is a high casuality rate. You have to volunteer and if you survived it was guaranteed promotion. 

"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing; the next best thing is the wrong thing; and the worst thing is to do nothing." Theodore Roosevelt.

"You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 2:1

Be strong!

Without Him I am nothing. With Him, I am invincible!"

There is no such thing as an Army of one. God can overcome anything.

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." Ephesians 6:10

"And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others." 2 Timothy 2:2

We need to share the Gospel and the work. Don't hoarde it. Share it.

"Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord." Jeremiah 23:28

"It is better to train ten people than to do the work of ten people. But it is harder." D.L. Moody

The rule of multiplication: if you disciple 2 people and both of them disciple 2 people, in ten steps it becomes 1024 people!

"Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 2:3

Stay Faithful (even when the battle is hard). 

If you are not currently experiencing spiritual warfare ask yourself if you are doing anything for God. 

Seek the resistance and overcome it.

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of lifethat the Lord has promised to those who love him." James 1:12

By not quitting, we win.

If you fail, get up and push again. Persevere. We can't win if we stand still. Must go forward.

"No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules." 2 Timothy 2:4-5

Stay out of worldly junk. Just do your job. Look forward. Don't be distracted. 

Do your eyes get taken off the battleground and go onto the playground?

If something overtakes you, it becomes sin.

"I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown." Revelation 3:11

No one ever goes into battle expecting to lose. 

"The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops." 2 Timothy 2:6

Do your share. Earn your pay. Do your part. Do the best you can with the part you've been given.

"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building." 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

"Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this." 2 Timothy 2:7

Remember your training.

Remember the truth you've learned. Same foundational training for everyone. The elemental training is the same for all of us. Remember and build on the knowledge. You can read the Bible over and over and learn something new each time you read it.

"We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life."
1 John 5:20

"Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained." 2 Timothy 2:8-9

Remember what your purpose is. Remember why you are here.

Just go!

Remember where you are going.

"fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 2:2-3

We can finish our races because Jesus finished His.

"Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." 2 Timothy 2:10

Endure for your brothers and sisters.

I shall finish my race strong so it will give others courage to finish theirs. Sometimes we need to carry each other.

"Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2:10

I do what I do to strengthen others.

If you hesitate and stand back, others may too. Cowardess begets cowardess. Courage can beget courage.

"Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
    we will also live with him;
12 if we endure,
    we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
    he will also disown us;
13 if we are faithless,
    he remains faithful,
    for he cannot disown himself." 2 Timothy 2:11-13

You are reborn for a purpose in God's kingdom.

Which do you want to hear?

"Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" Matthew 7:22-23

OR

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:21

1. We have been given everything we need through Jesus!

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3

If we choose not to know, that's on us.

2. Escape the world -- participate in heaven now.

"Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." 2 Peter 1:4

The world didn't change when Jesus came. We are the ones who are supposed to change.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

Renewing your mind -- use the Bible. Conform to God's will. When we fail to do this, we are failing to develop the way God intends us to develop.

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love." 2 Peter 1:5-7

Check out the progression -- where are you?

Faith -- add Goodness.
Goodness -- add Knowledge.
Knowledge -- add Self-Control.
Self-Control -- add Perseverance.
Perseverance -- add Godliness.
Godliness -- add Mutual Affection.
Mutual Affection -- add Love.

Going toward these things. When we go back to God. it will all come back in line.

If you try and skip the knowledge, you will miss it all. 

3. We are meant to be different than the rest of the world.

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

God did this to free us. But some of this is our responsibility.

"For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:8

"If!"  Increasing measure means always increasing.

4. The Sacred Secret.

Secret means a mystery or religious secrets.

"Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly." Ephesians 3:2-3

Jesus changed all this.

"The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them." Matthew 13:10-11

If you know Jesus, the secrets of heaven are open to you.

5. We are part of the family.

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1

We are living in the time of Grace.  Galatia church had a problem. 

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervertthe gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:6-10

This church started the right way. Then they starting adding to it. Why? To please people! If we lose sight of God and His ways, we are going to wander off the path. If we try to please people first before God, we are going to wander off the path He has for us.

6. We have a job to do -- be the hands and feet of Jesus.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free," Luke 4:18


"But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins." 2 Peter 1:9

We are to be used by God. We have to take what He gives us and use it. A chainsaw is great but if we don't put our hands to it it is useless.

7. We have been chosen for a purpose.

"Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:10-11

The story of Jesus cursing the poor fig tree has always bothered me a bit. The scripture says it wasn't the season for fruit so I thought it wasn't really the fig tree's fault it didn't have fruit. This talk has made me feel a whole lot better about this story. If you ever read something in scripture that bothers you do some research. God is good all the time. If we think something is wrong that He does, it is usually because we don't understan the entire situation.

I hope you enjoy this recording Shannon and I made called "The Fig Tree."

(We recorded this at our kitchen table because church was cancelled today. We hope you will take time to listen to the recording. Jane even chimes in a couple of times. It is a good sermon!)

A lot of us might be feeling like we are alone in the darkness right now. 

"Who among you fears the Lord
    and obeys the word of his servant?
Let the one who walks in the dark,
    who has no light,
trust in the name of the Lord
    and rely on their God." Isaiah 50:10

"I will give you hidden treasures,
    riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the Lord,
    the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:3

It's more important to be with Him in the darkness than to try and figure it out.

We live by promises, not by explanations.

How to navigate through the darkness:

1. Rely on God.
It isn't about reasons. It is more important to say "Here I am, God" rather than, "Why, God?"

God gets a lot of work done in the valleys.

This blessing of being challenged in the dark -- God is using it as a tool. God uses it. God gives examples in nature on how to deal with dark times, with "winter." 

(Here, Jane talks about decidious trees and how the process of dropping their leaves in the fall protects them for the winter. Also why evergreen trees bend their branches downward is mentioned -- really, listen to the recording -- you'll be glad you did). 

God's producing steadfastness in us. Challenges were necessary to prepare you for bigger challenges. The more challenges we get the more we rely on Him.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a]whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." James 1:2-3

Clay and pot process:

baptism in water first step.

Kneading -- second step. Clay has to surrender to potter's hand, get maleable. 

Being thrown and shaped on wheel is third step. Here the clay gets its permanent shape.

It looks done but it needs to be fired and glazed and fired again. Fire finishes us. Sometimes the object will be fired a third time -- the firing solidifies and brings out the beauty and its usefulness. 

A great example in scripture of God's children not waiting on Him, trying to get out of the darkness quicker is Abraham and Sarah getting a child by Hagar. They ran out of patience. We need to be careful about doing it ourselves -- getting ahead of God. We can really make a mess of things for us and others.

We seek for reasons. Instead, seek God. 

3. God uses trials to prepare us to work with others. 

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountainin the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper."1 Kings 19:11-12

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." Ephesians 6:18

Praying in the Spirit

"I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:49

The Spirit is fighting with us.

“‘In the last days, God says,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your young men will see visions,
    your old men will dream dreams." Acts 2:17

Prayer is the breath of Christian life.

Prayer should be like oxygen for us.

Without prayer we will start to decay -- lack of prayer will make our hearts grow cold. We will just live in our heads.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God." Romans 8:26-27

So many times we struggle on what to pray. We don't need to fret -- the Spirit prays for us.  Praying in the Spirit is power. We are in a battle every day. Continue your connection with God always. We then will always be ready.

Pray individually and pray together. God will speak to you. It helps strengthen us. The Spirit will lift us up.

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."
1 John 5:14-15

Pray according to God's will.

Recognize who God is.

Pray according to His will. What God has in store for us is always good. God isn't Santa Claus.j

A.C.T.S.

Adoration -- Confession -- Thanksgiving -- Supplication

Adoration - recognize who God is.

"in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.[a]" Proverbs 3:6

Confession -- without Christ there is no forgiveness.

9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

Confession is part of our individual relationship to God. Talk to God about everything.

Thanksgiving

"give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Salvation paid for at a great price.

God does give. His grace is sufficient forever.

Supplication=the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly.

Come to me with your problems.

Lean on Me.

Give them to God and don't take them back. Give me enough for today. Think about your relationships. You need regular and frequent communication.  God wants to be part of your life always. He wants to be in the forefront of our minds. God's "waiting on the Phone" for your call. Spend time with Him. Do we live in a prayerful way? Stop long enough to listen.
"Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14

"I wait for the Lord

    more than watchmen wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning." Psalm 130:6


Wait for the Lord like a night watchman waits for the sun to come up.

Sometimes God blesses us with things we don't want. He can change us through things we don't anticipate.

Ask God to show you the blessing in the suffering.
Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.