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Prayer Power

12/28/2014

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(Matthew 6:5-15)

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.


They say America is the land of the Free, but is it really free? There are lots of laws and regulations but still people prefer to call it that way. The Bible also has lots of laws in the old testament and also in the new testament but people are unable to follow it. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow so nothing has changed and the Bible still makes people free from sin and this world.

WHAT IS PRAYER?

Prayer is the natural outcry from the heart of a human being to his Maker based on his relationship.

-       The key is relationship which he is expecting from you.

-       Also making sure that you ask him.

-       It is a "one-to-one " fellowship with God

The bible says that the new God expects you to ask him via prayer for this freedom.

"Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocked it shall be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)

PRAYER FOR COMMUNICATING WITH THE LORD

Moses and God spent 40days and 40nights on the Mountain. They had a one on one time with each other.

This special relationship between you and God is important and you should take part in it every day.

When it came to God and the Children of Israel it was important that the camp of Israel was not complained by prophet Baalam. So God even made the donkey talk for maintain the good relationship.

Also in the similar way David was accused of complaint by Ahithophel (a wise man in Davids counsel), and God had to take action against David for Bathsheba. So it is very important to have a forgiving heart when having a relationship other people including God.

PRAYER SHOULD BE WITHOUT CEASING

  • Luke 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God
  • Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

PRAYER SHOULD BE ONE on ONE (even in a group)

  • 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
  • 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

PRAYER SHOULD NOT BE Vain Repetitions OR it will not be HEARD

  • 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
  • 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

PRAYER is best accepted for a forgiving heart

  • 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
  • 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.


The bible says as in Proverbs 15:29 - "The LORD is far from the wicked: but he hears the prayer of the righteous".

PRAYER AS SUPPLICATON TO THE LORD

In prayer, we are to pour out our hearts to God, not simply recite memorized words to God.
       
  • 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

PRAYER FOR WOMAN

1 Corinthians chapter 11 talks about how a woman should worship which follows the new testament laws given by Apostle Paul, but this is for a woman to follow based on her conscience.

Not going over this subject but it is important that prayer be made as a supplication to maintain the relationship with God.

PRAYER IS INTERCESSION TO THE LORD
The bible says in Romans 8:26 - "Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

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Christmas Message

12/26/2014

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Names are of great importance in the Bible especially in Hebrew language. 
Some names have historical significance and some are description of a character.
Some Biblical names have profound theological meaning.
On this Christmas morning we will look at names of Jesus recorded in OT as well as in NT.
The Prophet Isiah describes names of Jesus in two places.
In Isaiah 7:14, the prophet says “Therefore the Lord (God) Himself will give you a sign: The virgin (Mary) will conceive and give birth to a Son, and will call HIM (Jesus) Emmanuel.” The inserts in parenthesis are mine.
Immanuel means God is with us – the child who was born in Bethlehem to Virgin Mary.
Isaiah 9:8b “And He (Jesus) will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
What Prophet Isaiah was saying here is all the names Jesus will be called belong to God.
Simply to say Immanuel is God.
Gospel writer Matthew says in 1:21, “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins."
The word "Jesus" means "Jehovah is salvation." 
This is appropriate since Jesus is Jehovah, second person of the Trinity, who became flesh and is our salvation.
On this Christmas morning we study the name “Immanuel.”
BEFORE INCARNATION 
In Colossians 1:16-17, Apostle says Emmanuel is Christ who created the worlds and sustains them, I mean holding them together.
Eternally God, Christ literally holding everything that is created - God with us.
Immanuel was Christ before HE was born as a child in Bethlehem.
He was with Abraham, Moses, all the prophets, and some kings and always with HIS people Israel – Malachi 3:6.
AFTER INCARNATION
In Human Nature
On a Christmas Day Christ became Jesus as a man according to divine plan.
Apostle Paul in Romans 8:3 says that Lord Jesus came “in the likeness of sinful flesh” to become a sin offering.
In human form HE was tempted as any other human being but not succumbed to sin.
In human form HE revealed the invisible God to the humanity.
In human form Christ Jesus identified with us – experienced the life one earth.
Immanuel, God is with us literally proved in HIS human nature.
His Death on the Cross
In Isaiah 53:5-6 Prophet Isaiah profoundly describes HIS death on the cross.
In 1 Cori 15:3 Paul affirms that Christ died for our sins.
The death of Christ is given a very prominent place in the Bible.
Immanuel God is with us bearing our sins and dying for us in our place.
Lord Jesus Christ is with us NOW and forever
In the new covenant HE was with the HIS disciples, HIS church and throughout the church period.
The Scriptures are filled with promises that God will be with HIS people on a daily basis. 
In Matthew 28:20 Lord Jesus says “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Since the great commission given to the disciples, Lord Jesus is with every person who believed in HIM from that day.
HE was with those missionaries who traveled to faraway lands to proclaim the gospel.
HE was with those who were persecuted and killed for their faith.
HE is with every person who puts their faith in HIM alone.
HE is with us today in every believing heart.
Immanuel, God is with us is a proven fact – no other religion can confidently say this fact.
Immanuel, God is with us, is not a Christmas description of Jesus Christ.
Immanuel is an everyday reality that God is with us.
It is an experience - it is a relationship with the Living Savior Lord Jesus Christ.
HE is going to come back not as a baby but as King of kings and Lord of lords.
On this Christmas morning we praise God for Immanuel, the eternal presence of Jesus Christ with us.

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December 14th, 2014

12/14/2014

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Luke 2: 8-20
On that ordinary night the shepherds began to watch over their sheep.
Many travelled to their respective hometowns to register for census.
Many came to Bethlehem for census and the town was packed with tourists.
For the people of Judea It was just another ordinary cold winter night to survive.
That ordinary night in Bethlehem was transformed into an extra-ordinary night because of an extra-ordinary birth of a baby boy.
The Creator God chose to become a human at a precise time in the human history.
That is why it will always remain an extra-ordinary night in human history.

Christ’s birth was not only extra-ordinary but also very strange for multiple reasons.
God chose a virgin teenager around 16-17 years to become the mother of HIS incarnation.
God chose a cattle shed to become His birth place.
God chose a manger to become His cradle.
God chose only one group of people the shepherds to announce His birth
.
Shepherd played an important role in our Lord’s birth because they were the first to announce HIS birth to others.
So they are called the first evangelists so to speak.
We come across the Scripture learning about shepherds – for some reason God like them.
People of Israelites were shepherds – King David was a shepherd boy who wrote Psalm 23 describing God as Shepherd.
Sheep was used as the sacrificial lamb for the sins at the Jerusalem temple.

Lord Jesus became the Lamb of God to take away the sin.
HE describes Himself as the Good Shepherd – we are HIS sheep.
God’s ways are mysterious and beyond human comprehension.
God intentionally chose the foolish shepherds to announce the Lord’s birth.
Eternal God, Infinite God, Almighty God, breaks into human realm and time in the most humble circumstances possible.
So that HE could include all humanity in HIS eternal plan of salvation.

When God became man, He emptied His glory so that Mary could hold a human baby.
The glory of God is a visible, concentrated manifestation of the nature or presence of God.
Always glory of God associated with shining, brilliant, and extra-ordinarily bright.
In Exodus 33:18-23 we read about God’s glory which no human can see and live.
Glory of God produces awe who perceives it.
When people “see” the glory of God they have heightened, acute awareness of the presence and power of God, the majesty and authority of God Almighty.
Verses 10 to 13 describe 4 things:
1. Good news that causes great joy to all people – birth of Lord is good news
2. A Savior is born – HE is Messiah – the Lord – the Anointed ONE – the Deliverer
3. HE is a little baby boy in a manger
4. Multitude of angels proclaims peace on earth.

The idea of Savior is the extension of the Old Testament for the Deliverer who saves His people
Salvation applies to all areas of life – physical, psychic, and spiritual.
Verb “save” is always used in conjunction with the Lord Jesus Christ – no one else.
To call Jesus Savior is to relate to HIM to God.
The phrase ‘Jesus saves from sin’ is unique to Christian faith.
No other god or goddess is associated with this phrase “who saves from sin”
Verse 14 talks about peace - Peace that comes only thru the Lord Jesus Christ because the sinner is reconciled with a Holy God forever.
From the shepherd’s involvement in Christmas story we learn that:
First the shepherds were willing to take the risk to leave everything behind to visit the new born King.
Secondly, the shepherd understood the importance of the good news of great joy which came to them directly from heaven.
Thirdly, they shared the good news of great joy with everybody.
Fourthly, they themselves were filled with great joy of good news and praised God.
Good news of great joy is for all people of the world and we have to share with those who did not know about it.

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    Author

    Pastor John Sesham
    Abundant Grace Community Church, Hayward.

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