Quiet Times Search

He jumped up, stood on his feet and began to walk - Acts 3:7-8

That is the power of a transformed life

This man was not looking for a miracle

The apostles had no money to give him but they did not leave him empty handed

Get up your mat and walk and he took off running and leaped and praise God

Thousands likely turned to Jesus Christ from the personal testimony of one man - Acts 4:4

A changed life is a powerful testimony to the reality of the gospel

You may not feel qualified to a large crowd about Bible doctrine or deep theology but can certainly testify to what God is doing in your life

Abram built an alter there and dedicated it to the Lord - Genesis 12:7

Ever thought about the power available through praise and worship of the heavenly Father?

God inhabits the praise of his people - Psalm 22:3

Praise and worship are avenues through which we enjoy fellowship with God

Abraham was a rich man who obeyed God's call to leave his home and travel to an unknown land

Whenever he settled, Abraham always took time to build an alter and worship God

Through the Holy Spirit, are you making praise and worship a key component of your daily life?

Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven - Matthew 19:21

He was a good man who kept God's commandmetns,yet he was aware of an empty place in his life

Jesus called him to leave everything behind and follow him

The rich man wanted to follow Jesus but not as much as he wanted to hang on to his stuff

This reluctant young man ended his life as a sad case of unfulfilled potential

Neve see Jesus' call to follow him as a deal breaker

I will give the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me - Judges 11:30

As it would happen, the first to leave his house was Jephthah's daugther

The Bible contains hundreds of God's conditional promises of blessings

Jephthah's vow went terribiy wrong when he tried to set his own conidtions for blessing rather than appoarching God in faith

Have you felt that you needed to offer God something to receive his promised blessing?

You can't buy what God already wants to give you.

Didn't our hearts burns within us as he talked with us - Luke 24:32

If I look at myself, I am depressed
If I look at those around me, I am disappointed.
If I look at my circumstances, I am discouraged
But if I look at Jesus, I am constantly, consistently and eternally fulfilled

When Jesus died, as the disciples saw it, all hope for a better life was gone

At just the right moment, Jesus reveal himself to them

When he disappeared from their sight, he took with him the pain, despair, and disappointment

When you face situations that leave you feeling despressed, disappointed, and discouraged, look to Jesus

Listen, stay right here with us when you gather grain - Ruth 2:8

Kindness in word and deed is a powerful equalizer

Boaz was consistently kind and compassionate

He greeted the harvesters with a "The Lord be with you!" they would answer "The Lord bless you!"

Ruth, a transplanted Moabite widow, had come to his field to gather bits of grain left behind

Boaz was moved by her story:

• Invited Ruth to eat with him - Ruth 2:14
• Commanded his reapers to leave some bundles for her to find - Ruth 2:15

Do you know anyone like Boaz? How can you be more like him?

Don't make us leave this place - Exodus 33:15

He who has God and many other things has no more than he who has God alone - C S Lewis

Moses had an acute sense of his need for God's presence;

Expereince brought him to this conculsion:

• 40 years living in Midian
• Faced down a stubborn Pharaoh
• Saw God's power in freeing his people from salvary

None of these things could have taken palce if God had not been with him

As Moses was considering the trip to the Promised land, he did not want to take another step  further without the assurance of God's presence

The Promised Land without the Promise Giver didn't hold much promise

How much does the presence of God mean to you?

We decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there - Acts 16:10

In Acts 16, Luke's language changed from third person to first person as he took an active part of the ministry

We decided to leave for Macedonia at once - Acts 16:11

Luke was not content to just sit back and observe other people's experiences of faith

He became an integal part:

• Doing the same work
• Taking the same risks
• Preaching the same message
• Reaping the same rewards

Christian growthis throwing yourself into the work of the KIngdom

God changed his mind and did not carry out the destructionhe had threatened - Jonah 3:10

Jonah disliked God's command to warn Nineveh of its coming destruction and became angry with God for sparing the city after the Ninevites heard Jonah's preaching and repented

I knew you were a merciful and compassionate God; you are eager to turn back from destroying people - Jonah 4:2

Jonah hated the Ninevties and wanted them killed because he saw them as a treat to his people

God's deviated from Jonah's perfect plan

Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city? - Jonah 4:11

Jonah was God's servant, not his advisor

You will be more happy and peaceful when you simply do what God tells you to do and leave the results to him

Leave your native country and go to the land I will show you - Genesis 12:1

God didn't give Abram a lot of details - Leave your lifelong home for the land I will show you

He promised Abram to be a father of a great nation and the entire earth would be blessed through him - Genesis 12:2-3

There had to have been questions:

• Where exactly is this place?
• What will we do once we get there?
• Where would this nation come from with a baren wife?

Abram went without questioning God or asking for signs

He believed God enough to step out in obedience and helped bring the salvation we enjoy into the world

Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit - 2 Kings 2:9

Prophet-in-training Elisha achieve greatness because he had the faith to ask for a blessing when he had the opportunity

Three times Elijah told him to stay behind, three times he said I will never leave you - 2 Kings 2:2-6

Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted, he didn't hesitate - double portion of his spirit

Elisha got exactly what he requested

When we need God's empowerment, take your shot and for it in faith

A faithful, sensible servant is the one who the master can give responsibility - Matthew 24:45

There are two people in the workplace:

1. Employees who must be watched like a hawk - get the job done that is it
2. Employees  who do their best with enthusiasm

Jesus told a story about a master's trust in a servant who demonstrated faithfulness in big and small issues

That led the master to leave more important responsiblities to the faithful servant

Are you faithful in serving God and your employer? He will reward your faithfulness

Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daugther and instead to share the oppression of God's people - Hebrews 11:24-25

He left his life of ease under Pharaoh and indentified himself with the suffering of his own people

Mose was born to a poor Hebrew mother, but he was raised in a world of privilege

He left Pharaoh's family and inheritance for being a descendant of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob

When you identify yourself with Christ you leave your old ways and thinking.

Then he went with Elijah as his assistant - 1 Kings 19:21

Elisha couldn't help becoming a prophet of the Lord

Elijah approached him and silently threw his cloak over his shoulder, Elisha knew what he meant

The Holy Spirit had touched his heart and he felt ready to leave everything to follow Elijah

First let me go and kiss my father and mother goodbye - 1 Kings 1:19

Elisha had no choice in the matter, for it was God who had called him to leave everything and follow hi,

When the Holy Spirit is allowed to have free reign in your life, you can do nothing but say yes when God calls you to serve Him

"You you love me moew than these?" "Yes, Lord," Peter replied - John 21:!5

Peter promised Jesus he would never leave him nor deny him

In his moment of cowardince, he denied even knowing Jesus three times

After Jesus had risen from the grave, Peter knew that this little incident had to be resolved

Jesus wasn't about to let Peter's temporary failure get in the way of his incrediable future

Jesus fully restored Peter's relationship him with a lesson and Peter would no longer make primise he had no way of keeping

Your failures don't have to be final - God will use that failure to move you closer to enjoying everything he has planned for you

Summary

Isaac and Rebekah had twins: Esau and Jacob. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a meal.

Observations

Genesis 25:22 - the two children struggled with each other in the womb
Sibiling rivaly starts early - even before they born in this case. Our thoughts and personalities are formed before we leave the womb. Sure, we can learn and further be formed afterwards but in some sense their parents did not help smooth the relationship. Their parents practiced favoritsm: Issac's love for Esau was conditional based off performance and Rebekah's love for Jacob was consistant and uncondtional [Genesis 25:28].

Genesis 25:32 - I'm dying of starvation... what good is my birthright to me now?
Short term pleasure can lead to long term consequences and lose of sight of the future. Was Esau really going to die of starvation? It does not seem so from his actions after he ate as he just got up and left quickly [Genesis 25:34]. Esau resorted to exaggeration to prove his point. The issue was nothing else mattered at the time except for food and Esau lost perpective of what was most important. Jacob, ironically, was the hunter in this case by patiently laying a trap for his brother's arrival. 

Application

Getting through the short-term pressure-filled moment is often the most difficult part of overcoming tempation. I need to have God's long term perpective when confronted with a short sided want.

Prayer

Praying for God's strength in my weaknesses