Quiet Times Search

• Blood of Jesus
• Word of our testimony - Revelation 12:11

1. In all places, the harvest is plentiful
2. In all places, God hears and answers us

• Judas had already decided in his heart and actions to betray Jesus. Then he watched for an opportunity to carry out sin.
• Share: A person's heart can be so hard that they no longer fear God - Psalms 36:1-3
• In spite of knowing that Judas was lying and plotting to have him killed, Jesus still loved him.
• The disciples had no clue who it was.
• Jesus' heart and actions never expressed any anger/resentment toward Judas

• Peter accepted the words of Jesus until it came time to apply them to his life.
• Share: Peter's prideful refusal to accept Jesus will for his life lead other down the wrong path

• Our heart should be to give "cheerfully" out of gratitude for all that God's done for you
• Weekly contribution is an opportunity to express our gratitude to God weekly.
• Share: You wouldn't want someone to love you because they "have to" instead because they "want to".
• God doesn't make you give he wants you to give "cheerfully"
• Question: How do you feel about giving contribution weekly?
• Share: Once a year we have a special contribution to help in special areas (explain what special is about)

• Each disciple is different (racially, socially, economically, culturally, etc) and God wants it that way.
• Each disciple is different but each person is important. What gift do you see yourself adding to the body?
• v18 - God arranges the body parts the way he wants them to be (our relationships are orchestrated by God)
• God has the person that He wants you to (marry, roommate, etc) already in mind for you (trust him)

• Each disciple is different but each disciple is valuable to God and the body
• Just as your foot can't live without the body neither can a disciple live without the body
• The relationships in the church are very important. You have an opportunity to be close to a lot of people
• Question: How do you feel about the opportunity to be close friends with so many different types of people?

• God wants us to be successful but it's up to us to seek advice and apply it to our lives
• Question: What area in your life do you need to seek advice in?
• Question: Why is it important to seek advice? So we don't give Satan a foothold.

• Acts 20:22-24 - It was everything to him to finish the race
• 2 Corinthians 11:28 - Felt daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches
• Colossians 1:28-29 - Struggled with all his energy

a. He utilized every opportunity.
b. He created opportunities for evangelism

Accept whatever comes…with faith.

Disappointment? Faith
Unfairness? Faith.
Fear? Faith.
Temptation? Faith.
Opportunity? Faith.
Victory? Faith.

Galatians 5:6 - The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love
Hebrews 11:8,11, 13 - Abraham believed in a promise he could not see
1 John 5:4 - Faith is the conquering power that has conquered the world

1. Why does your hope in Christ go beyond this earthly life?
2. Why are we as Christians to be pitied if there is no eternal life?

1. What is the mystery Paul tells us (vs.51)?
2. Why do we normally fear death - and why should we no longer be afraid of dying?
3. Why should we work for the Lord? What will happen when we give ourselves completely?

1. When were you raised with Christ?
2. What should you be thinking about from now on?
3. What things should you stop thinking about so much?

1. When I feel like I am failing, I have to ask, "What is God trying to teach and show me through this?" and also get input from other disciples.
2. I need to study out how people in the Bible dealt with challenges and failures that are similar to the ones I'm experiencing.
3. I need to build the faith of others who are in the midst of challenges by openly sharing about my failures, what I learned from them, and how God helped me overcome.

Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark; Paul did not - Acts 15:37-38

Edison tried several thousand time before creating the light bulb.

Reguarding failure as opportunity for growth encourages you to keeping going

John Mark returned home during the last trip because of possibly because he was frightened, discouraged, or homesick - Acts 13:13

Barnabas wanted to give him another chance; Paul disagreed and brought along Silas

John Mark matured and eventually Paul recongnized him as a effective minister of the gospel - 2 Timothy 4:11

Do you believe your past failures disqualify you from effective service in the church?

Must we bring you water from this rock? - Numbers 20:10

Sometimes we say "I did the best I could" but instead, we should say "I should have called you sooner"

An independent spirit often keeps us from doing our best

Moses became a humble, obedient servant yet in a moment he lost everything that he had worked so hard to gain

• The Israelites were thirsty and grumpy
• They complained about the lack of water
• Moses angerily rebuked them and struck the rock twice

His prideful self-reliance cost him the opportunity to lead them to the promised land.

What would it mean for you to rely on God?

By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city - Daniel 4:30

Breakdown of how much we learn from our senses:

• 1% - taste
• 2% - touch
• 5% - smell
• 11% - hearing
• 83% - sight

Nebuchadnezzar was given a dream and Daniel told him what it meant - the king's pride would result in a severe bout of divine discipline

Daniel begged the king to give up his pride so that God could relent

God had given Nebuchadnezzar an opportunity to humble himself

God immediately accounced that the king would no lose his kingdom and be sent out to live a wild animal

Nebuchadnezzar had to learn the hard way from taste and smell of grass since could not learn from sight

Are you teachable? When God speaks to you, take it to heart

God created human beings in his own image - Genesis 1:27

Nothing defines and motivates a man like a sense of purpose and reason for being

Adam never questioned his purpose in life - The Lord put him on earth to enjoy fellowship with God 

Adam belonged to God and God belonged to Adam

He alone could intentionally respond to God in obedience and love and relate to the Father

Adam's sin threw all creation in choas

Jesus, the second Adam, came to give us the opportunity to enjoy the fellowship Adam had orginally enjoyed with God - 1 Corinthians 15:45-49

Do you ever wonder why God created you and put you where you are?

Jesus sat wearily beside the well; soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water - John 4:6-7

Jesus understood the importance of making the best use of every opportunity to preach and teach his message

He was ready for the opportunity to share his message with the people of Samaria via the woman he jusr meet

Jesus' words made a lasting impression on the woman, her neighbors - John 4:39

They were stunned that she meet the Messiah

Life will present you with opportunities to serve God through serving others

Publius' father was ill; Pual went in and prayed for him and laying hands on him, he was healed - Acts 28:7-8

Paul was in a place where he could have used some rest and relaxation

He travel to Rome but became shiprecked at Malta - a beautiful place which remains a popular tourist destination today

You would think Paul might have taken a break during this opportunity but his commitment motivated him to make best use every moment God gave thim

Paul did the same thing he did on his previous missionary journeys:

• Healed the sick
• Preach the Word of God
• Planted seeds of faith

Make the best use of every moment God gives you, whatever your situation

Go away for now; When it is more convenient, I'll call for you again - Acts 24:25

Procrastination is a great enemy of accomplishment

It prevents you from being all that God wants you to be

Felix had an opportunity to repsond to the message of salvation but he allowed his fears to drive him away from Christ instead of toward him

Tragically, the "more convenient" time never came

You know the evil these people are, "Make us gods who will lead us" - Exodus 32:22-23

Aaron had a opportunity to stand up for God - he failed

He had been with Moses long enough to know better

God had commanded the Israelies not to make themselves any kind of idol - Exodus 20:4-5

Aaron could not find within himself to stand up to the people and claimed to be an innocent bystander 

He failed both when he buckled under the pressure of the people as well as taking responsibility for his part of the sin

Take this young man to the commander. He has something important to tell him - Acts 23:17

Bible counsels us to alert and ready to move when God gives us a message of blessing, teching, or warning

Paul's nephew saved his life because he remained alert and ready to act on what he knew

Paul was chosen to speak his message of salvation to "the Gentiles and to kings" - Acts 9:!5

As Paul waited in jail for his opportunity to speak to Caesar, his nephew alerted him and his guards of a plot against his life

When you remain alert and step out in faith at the opportune time, the Lord can use you to alter the course of history

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

Make us some gods who can lead us - Exodus 32:1

With Moses away, Aaron heard many insistent voices wanting him to do wrong

Aaron knew the commandments about idol worship very well, but one moment he caved - Exodus 20:4

He agreed what they demanded

Aaron had a golden opportunity to make a bold statement but instead he made a golden idol

When leadership get difficult and you feel tempted to cave, can you stand strong?

Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he lived in Mahaneh-dan - Judges 13:24-25

The man who learns to put himself aside is the one who makes a difference for God's kingdom

From the time Samson was a boy, the Spirit began to stir within him

That is when self got in the way

Something went wrong between God's Spirit and Samson

Samson didn't use the gifts of God had given him as a leader and deliever God called him to be

He used his gifts for his own agenda:

• Consistantly proud
• Often immoral
• Arrogantly disregarded the counsel of others
• Used strength for revenge and settle scores

God gave Samson all the strength he needed to succeed

Samson squandered an opportunity for greatness and left a legacy of pride

Will you use your gifts for his benefit or just for yourself?

Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this - 2 Samuel 13:22

Absalom showed what happens when the lines of communication between two people break down

He had every right to feel angry  about Amnon rapping his sister

What went wrong is his refusing to talk about it and making no effort to try to resolve the situation - Amnon felt sorry for what he had done

Absalom's anger grew deep inside until it became implacable hatred

He waited for the right opportunity to order his servants to kill Amnon - 2 Samuel 13:28

Absalom paid a heavy price for his failure to resolve his conflict openly and peacefully

Summary

Isaac dug wells, and at Beersheba the LORD blessed him.

Observations

Genesis 26:14 - Harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him

Genesis 26:22 - Isaac moved on and dug another well. This time there was no dispute over it

• When Abraham prospered, there became a conflict between his shepherds and Lot [Genesis 13:5-7]
• Philistines grew jealous because everything that Issac did seemed to go right
• Jealousy is a dividing force strong enough to tear the mightiest nations

Genesis 26:28 - We can plainly see that the Lord is with you

• Thanking God for their blessings is a great way to overcome this
• Before striking out in anger, consider what you may lose - a friend, a job, etc (foolish pride)
• We should be receptive to those who want to make peace with us
• When God influences our lives, our lives attracts people, even enemies
• We must take the opportunity to reach out to them with God's love

Application

When we see God's blessings, it is an opportunity to share with others with what God has given to us

Prayer

Please help me to see my many blessings and share with others freely

Summary

Rebekah and Jacob tricked Isaac into giving Jacob his blessing. Esau vowed revenge so Rebekah told Jacob to go to her brother Laban.

Observations

Genesis 27:12 - What if my father touches me... he'll curse me instead of bless me

• How we react to a moral dilemma often expresses our real motives
• Jacob was more concerned about being caught than doing what was right
• Jacob's questioning gave Rebecca an opportunity to reconsider but she was too wrapped in her plan instead of God's plan
• Correcting yourself in the middle of doing wrong may hurt but it will also bring freedom from sin's control

Genesis 27:20-24 - How did you find it so quickly?... Come closer so I can touch you and make sure that you are really Esau... But are you really my son Esau?

• Issac voiced suspicion three times
  • Logical - The timing of his return answer
  • Touch - Feeling his arms for confirmation
  • Vocal - Ask him directly
• Although Jacob got the blessing he wanted, he paid dearly
  • Never saw his mother again
  • His brother wanted to kill him
  • He was deceived by his uncle
  • His family became torn of strife
  • Esua became the founder of an enemy nation
  • He was exciled from his family for many years
• Jacob's blessing was part of God's plan all along but he did it his own way [Genesis 25:23]

Application

How am I implementing God plan via his promises? My own way or in God's timing?

Prayer

Lord, I want to be obedient and hunble to your plan and in your own way and your own timing.