January 12, 2020

 So Much More: Conversations and Commitments
January 12, 2020
Pastor Jonathan

What are some things that give you a feeling of excitement, or anticipation—long before they have come about? Can you share?

Open: Today we begin five intense weeks of seeing if our “Walk” lines up with our “Talk” as a Christian. It is never enough to know the right verses, the right Christian phrases, or the right posture in church worship: what is right is the attitude of the heart as we each do life in our own sphere of influence. Is your heart sold out to God? We begin today with the importance and power of prayer and fasting, seeking to realize God’s “so much more” in our life and in our church.

Key Verse: Ephesians 3:20: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…”

Focal Passage: Mark 9:14-29.

Prayer is the reflection of our relationship with God

A relationship between THE CREATOR AND HIS CREATION

  • Read Psalm 8:3-9. Why is it so important to see God as the Creator?
  • Read Isa. 64:8-9. What will happen when you see God as the Creator, and man as the Created?
  • Read John 1:3. What did God start with when He created the world?

A relationship between the KING and HIS SUBJECTS

  • Read Matt. 28:18-19. Where does Jesus’ authority begin and end?
  • Read Psalm 5:1-3. How do this Psalm accurately portray the submission of the Subject to the King?

A relationship between a FATHER and HIS CHILDREN

  • Read Psalm 103:13 and Matt. 6:9. In these verses, how does God love us?
  • Read Rom. 8:14-16 and John 1:11-13. As believers, what is our position before God?

Why we miss out on GOD’S “MORE”

Our LACK OF FAITH

  • Read Mark 9:19a. What did Jesus call the disciples in this verse?
  • Read 9:22-24. What did the father realize he had said to Jesus in this conversation? How did he correct himself? Do you ever find yourself failing in faith about God’s ability to perform what you need?

Our LACK OF COMMITMENT

  • Read Psalm 37:5. What is the promise in this verse? Have you tested this promise?
  • Read Luke 16:11. What is the drawback of a lack of commitment?

Our LACK OF ASKING

  • Read Mark 9:29 in NKJV. Why were the disciples not able to cast out the demon in the boy?
  • Read Luke 18:1-8. Why does God desire us to pray often about a matter that is important to us? Can you liken your experience as a parent to this?

The Importance of BIBLICAL FASTING

 In the Bible, God’s people fasted BEFORE A MAJOR VICTORY

SEEKING MIRACLES                                                                  

  • Read 2 Samuel 12:16. What was David seeking from God in this passage? How much did this mean to David?

SEEKING REPENTANCE

  • Read 1 Samuel 7:65a. What was the sin of the children of Israel in this passage? When is the last time you cared so much about a sin that you fasted and prayed before God?

MAKING DECISIONS

  • Read Acts 13:2-3. What were the believers looking for God to clarify?

Why PRAYER AND FASTING MATTERS

We rely on HIS STRENGTH

  • Read Ezra 8:21. Why did Ezra proclaim the fast? Are those reasons still valid?
  • Read Esther 4:15-16. How seriously did Esther take the matter of going before the King? What did she need? Who did her request through Mordecai affect?

We FOCUS ON THE ETERNAL

  • Read Nehemiah 1:4. What was Nehemiah focusing on as he fasted?
  • Why does it matter to keep distractions to a minimum while praying and fasting?

We REPENT OF OUR SINS

  • Read 1 John 1:9. What is it necessary to keep a “short account” with God?

We RECEIVE THE DIRECTION WE NEED

  • Read Isaiah 58:4b-5. In Isaiah 58, God calls Israel to task for taking fasting lightly, and accomplishing nothing. What does He desire from our fasting?

HOW TO PRAY:

  • Read Philippians 4:6. What does this verse say prayer should include?
  • TELL HIM WHAT YOU NEED
  • THANK HIM FOR ALL HE HAS DONE

HOW TO FAST:

  • Set a REALISTIC GOAL
  • Determine THE SCOPE OF YOUR FASTING
  • Make it about YOUR HEART
  • Focus on WHAT YOU HAVE TO GAIN RATHER THAN WHAT YOU MIGHT MISS

Close:

Over the period of one’s life, it becomes a familiar feeling to anticipate

certain life events: Christmas morning with the children, having one’s first

child graduate from high school and college, walking one’s daughter down

the aisle. Somehow, in the spiritual realm, seeing one’s church come together

in a church-wide fast for three weeks creates butterflies in the stomach,

wondering, “what is God getting ready to do in our church?!” When it is out

of the norm, it lends an anticipation of the unknown—not a fearful unknown,

but one that can be like standing on the brink of a whole new vista of

spiritual growth for the church.

Your church may not be involved in a fast, but perhaps God is calling

you to be the catalyst that will bring it about. Perhaps you can’t fast from food

for health reasons, but you can always fast from worldly pleasures, like no

television, sweets, or something that you’re willing to give up to show God

you are serious about His business! Whatever you do, it will be like sweet-

smelling incense before God. And if fasting is out of the picture for you, you

can pray. The effectual, fervent prayers of a righteous person avails much,

James wrote.

There is always more work than the are workers. Find what you can

do the next few weeks to lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, and know

this can be a season of personal growth as you come before the LORD!

/by