God is Able

 

Scripture Text

Ephesians 3:20-21

Intro: The apostle Paul had just finished his powerful prayer for the Ephesian church. He closed with a doxology of praise to God because there was nothing that God couldn't do when He is allowed to work through His people. His power is unlimited and great things can happen when we allow God's power to work in us.

I. God is able to do more than we could ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV) 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. Think about just how strong and powerful God is. He is able to do..."exceedingly": to surpass; to go beyond any request; to overcome and do anything. "abundantly": to overflow and to do more than enough. "above": He is able to go over and above, and beyond any need that we might ask." What do you need right now in your life or the life of someone else? Don't wait for someone else to pray, you do it and have faith that God will do what He says. He is willing and ready to answer our prayers. All that we can think. Imagine going beyond anything we can think! What is the greatest answer or deliverance we can think of? God is far above and beyond our finite minds. God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we can think. God is able to fulfill our prayers even if they are humanly impossible. He is more than willing to do great things for us. David said in Psalm 23:5 “my cup runs over” with God's mercy, grace and blessings. God who could be working in us once spoke the universe into existence. He meted out the heavens and measured the oceans in the palm of His hands. God who could be working in us is able to heal the sick, correct the wayward, help the helpless, give hope to the hopeless and raise to life in Christ those who are dead in their sins and trespasses. He could help us with all the problems we have in our nation and our personal lives. He could bring spiritual awakening and revival to us and our nation.

II. What it takes for this to happen? It will happen according to the working of His power in us. The same power Ephesians 1: ²⁰  which God worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹  far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. This power refers to the Holy Spirit. Philippians 2:13 (NLT) For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. The Spirit of God is constantly at work in our lives, seeking to produce a Christlike character in us, convicting us of sin, guiding us in prayer, inspiring us in worship, directing us in service. The more we are yielded to Him, the greater will be God's effectiveness in doing more through us. Are you allowing God's Spirit to work in you?We are to completely surrender to God's Spirit, then ask and believe He is more than able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask. Our belief in God to do what He promises is crucial to seeing great things happen.

III. God's purpose in doing these things for us. Ephesians 3:21 (NKJV) to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. God's purpose is so that Glory is given to Him in the church. The church, the body of Christ, exists to glorify God. The church is the instrument God uses to accomplish His plan here on earth. The ability to give glory to God comes only through Christ Jesus, for he brought the church into existence through his sacrifice for sin and his resurrection from the dead. Giving God glory will go on through endless ages, it will never cease because of who He is and what He has done.

Conclusion: May we all begin to ask God for great and awesome things knowing He is well able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could ask or think. He waits for us to bring everything to Him believing that He will do what He has promised. We have not because we ask not. Ask and receive that your joy may be full.

Invitation: The most important thing you can ask is for Jesus to forgive your sins against God and ask Him to save you and invite Him to come into your life if you have never done that. Now is the perfect time to receive your miracle of eternal life and begin to live for Him and watch Him do more in your life than you could ask or think.

We Know

 

Scripture Text

1 John 5:17-21

Intro: There are some things God wants us to know for sure. He does not want us to be in doubt about our relationship with Christ and with Him. He does not want us to be deceived by the devil.                        We become strong Christians when we know some things.

I. We are to know what sin is. 1 John 5:17 (NKJV) All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. We know that all unrighteousness is sin. Unrighteousness is disobeying God and breaking His commandments. Too many people think too lightly of some sins. They rank sins, feeling that some sins are not so bad and are more acceptable to God. No unrighteousness is acceptable to God. It's all sin. Sin cost the life of God's only begotten Son.

II. We are to know Christians do not sin. 1 John 5:18 (NKJV) We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We are to live pure and holy lives. We have been born of God are set apart for Him and His service. This means that the believers must stay close to God and his people, not listening to false teachers who would try to pull them away. We are to keep ourselves in the love of God. Jude 1:20-21 ²⁰  But you, beloved, build yourself up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹  keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. We keep ourselves in the love of God by letting it to flood our minds, overwhelm our souls and sink deep into our hearts. Way too many Christians are only skimming the surface, and are not diving into the depths of God’s love for them. Way too many Christians are not believing, knowing and experiencing the love God has for them. When we keep ourselves in God's love the evil one can not touch us.

III. We are to know our position in God. 1 John 5:18b-19 (NKJV) ^18b but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. ¹⁹  We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. True Christians are to know their position in God and eternity. We are to know we are children of God, and because of that, we have been freed from Satan’s power. We know that evil comes from the ruler of this world because the world is under the power and control of the evil one. Therefore we are to humble ourselves before God and submit to Him. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. [James 4:7] We know as Christians we stand apart, separate from the world of unsaved people and from Satan, we are united together with God in Christ. Because of our position in God we are to ¹⁴  Do all things without complaining and disputing, ¹⁵  that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. [Philippians 2:14-15] Only when we know our position in God will one shine as a light in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation.

IV. We are to know Jesus gives us spiritual understanding. 1 John 5:20 (NKJV) And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Jesus Christ gives us the knowledge of God, not just head knowledge but experiential knowledge. Knowledge that comes from a personal relationship with God. 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 ³⁰  But of God you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Jesus Christ gives us the knowledge that we are in Him and He is the true God. The Holy Spirit has placed us in Jesus and in the Father God. Jesus has given us knowledge that we live, move, and have our being in God and in Him; that we are secure forever in God because we have been given the very divine nature of God Himself when He placed His Spirit within us. We know the true God who lives eternally, and we will never die, but will live with Him and Jesus forever and ever.

V. We are to keep ourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21 (NKJV) Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. Because of the spiritual understanding that Christ has given us we are to “keep yourselves from idols.” We are to “Beware of any teachings which are opposed to the truth of the bible.” We are to guard ourselves from any ideas concerning God, other than those which have been made known to us through Jesus Christ. Any other thought is idolatry. An idol is a substitute or false god taking the place of the true. An idol can be a material thing or a false teaching. An idol is anything that takes first place in a person's life, anything that a person puts before God. An idol is anything that consumes our focus and thoughts, that consumes our energy and efforts more than God.

Invitation: Do you know you are born of God? If not, confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and save you. Invite Him into your life to take charge of you. Then make a public profession of your faith in Jesus by being baptized!

Freedom and Truth

Intro: When you look at this nation compared to other nations, what makes America special is our trust in God. If we ever get away from God we will cease to be a free nation.

I. Freedom depends on God. Psalm 33:12  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance. This nation was founded on Christian principles. The pathway of freedom and blessing lies in cooperating with God. Happy, fortunate and to be envied is the nation that acknowledges Jehovah, the God of Israel as its Lord. Such a nation is blessed or happy because: He is a REAL God, the true God, and is in charge of all the universe. His laws are just and good, and right. Observing them will always tend to promote the public welfare, prosperity and real freedom. The people God has chosen as His own inheritance are those who honor and trust in Him. The founders of our independence called upon God to bless and help them in their efforts to establish a free and independent nation. They knew without His help there could be no true freedom.

II. Truth is necessary for freedom. John 8:31-32 (NKJV) ³¹  Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³²  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

The bible is truth. Without the truth of God's word we could not be free. If you don't have the truth of God's word, then you have the lies of Satan and his evil, sin, deception and darkness. Jesus said through Him we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.

Jesus said in John 14:6 (NKJV) "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. A free nation has to have a standard to live by. That standard is the Jesus and God's word. Jesu is the living word. It doesn't matter what anybody else says about what is the truth. There are not many truths but only one and His name is Jesus. When a person or a society departs from the truth of God's word there will be problems and we see that in America today. There is an effort in this nation by some of the elite, our government and news media to suppress the truth and try to set up another standard based on what man wants. We must never turn from the truth of the bible. We must stand for the truth of the word of God no matter what.

III. Freedom is the duty of the church. John 8:34-36 (NKJV) ³⁴  Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵  And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. ³⁶  Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

1. Our duty as Christians is to keep spreading the good news about Jesus who is the truth who gives people and our nation freedom. The truth of Jesus binds the hand of Satan the destroyer.

2. We are to live the truth before others. We are to be examples for the world to see. We as Christians can influence our society.

Matthew 5:13-16 (NKJV) ¹³  "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. ¹⁴  You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Jesus said We are to be the salt and light of the earth. Light drives away darkness and evil. Salt preserves from corruption.

3. We are to pray for the Father's help in keeping this nation free. Moses prayed for the forgiveness of the Israelite's and God spared the nation from His judgment. God said in 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 (NKJV) ¹³  When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, ¹⁴  if My people who are called by My name will (1) humble themselves, and (2) pray and (3) seek My face, (seek for God's presence) and (4) turn from their wicked ways, (what God will do) then (1) I will hear from heaven, and (2) will forgive their sin and (3) heal their land. ¹⁵  Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.              God makes the promise that if we do these things His eyes would be open and His ears attentive to our prayers.

In conclusion there is much we Christians can do to help keep America free and blessed of God. We have God on our side. Lets make use of what God has given us!

Invitation: Personal freedom from the penalty and power of sin comes by confessing your sins to Jesus and asking Him to forgive you and inviting Him into your life to help you live for Him.