This past Sunday, our pastor was out of town so an associate pastor delivered the sermon. Trail Post 1 was on the topic of baptism. Today, we covered the next two posts on the trail. Trail Post 2 is God's Word and Trail Post 3 is Prayer.
The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon. You are invited to worship with us here.
Trail Post 2: God's Word
Getting into God's Word is a requirement.
God wants you to get into His Word.
This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:8-9
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God wants His Word to get into you.
God wants you to immerse yourself in His Word so you can internalize it.
There is a reason God requires you to get into His World.
God wants you to get into His Word so that you will live in obedience which is to live out God's truth.
Getting into God's Word yields a result.
The result of getting into God's Word is success. Remember that God's idea of success might be different from your idea of success.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. - Isaiah 55:8
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But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. - Matthew 6:33
Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. - Psalm 37:4
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6
Trail Post 3: Prayer
What if your prayers seem unanswered? When you think your prayers have gone unanswered, here are some things you can do.
1. Look to yourself.
Is it your manner of living? Are you living in unconfessed sin?
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. - Isaiah 59:1-2
2. Look at your motives when you pray.
You might be praying for an increase in your salary, but you are not receiving it because you are not honoring God with the salary you already have.What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. - James 4:1-3
3. Look to your prayers.
Are your prayers "according to God's will?"
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. - 1 John 5:14-15Our prayers must be in line with the Word of God.
4. Look at your God.
Sometimes God answers our prayers differently. Remember that His ways are not our ways. Sometimes God answers our prayers delayed. Sometimes God answers prayers later so that He can answer them better.
The last few minutes of the video, our pastor talks about salvation. Do you know Jesus? If you want to know more about how to be saved, click here.
You'll find all posts in the Trailhead series here.
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| Image Credit: Public Domain Image via Freely Photos |
