Searching For God

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Searching For God

April 7, 2024 • Pastor Brody Christian

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JEREMIAH 29:13-14 msg “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me.

“Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree.

1 Corinthians 2:10 ESV / These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God

Luke 6:24-26 But it’s trouble ahead if you think you have it made.

What you have is all you’ll ever get.

25 And it’s trouble ahead if you’re satisfied with yourself.

Your self will not satisfy you for long.

And it’s trouble ahead if you think life’s all fun and games.

There’s suffering to be met, and you’re going to meet it.

26 “There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.

2 Peter 1:3-4 msg Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.

1. JESUS IS THE ROAD

John 14:1-7 “Don’t let this rattle you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I’m taking.”

5 Thomas said, “Master, we have no idea where you’re going. How do you expect us to know the road?”

6-7 Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You’ve even seen him!”

PSALM 103:1-5 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

2. JESUS IS OUR SHEPHERD

- Sheep have no sense of direction

- Sheep are defenseless

- Sheep can’t get up without help

- Sheep are emotional and recognize the Shepherd’s voice

- Sheep are not meant to carry burdens

- Sheep will settle for less

- Sheep are valuable

- Sheep cannot care for themselves when wounded

PSALM 23:1 God, my shepherd!

I don’t need a thing.

3. JESUS IS OUR EVERYTHING

John 15:5 NIV “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

4. JESUS GIVES US REVELATION

THE ONLY WAY TO GET REVELATION, IS THROUGH PERSONAL DEVOTION.

- WHAT YOU DO IN PRIVATE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN HOW YOU FAKE ACT IN PUBLIC?

MATTHEW 11:28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

DISTANCE CREATES DISTORTION…SO YOU BRIDGE THE GAP WITH COMMUNICATION

5. JESUS IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL SATISFY YOU

MATTHEW 5:6… “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

PROVERBS 27:7 tbt. - when your soul is full, you turn down even the sweetest honey. But when your soul is starving, every bitter thing becomes sweet

6. JESUS IS LOVE

The biggest indicator of how much influence Jesus has in your life, is how well you love.

1 Corinthians 13:3-7

So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

Love doesn’t strut,

Doesn’t have a swelled head,

Doesn’t force itself on others,

Isn’t always “me first,”

Doesn’t fly off the handle,

Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn’t revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.

7. JESUS IS THE FIRM FOUNDATION

1 Corinthians 3:9-15 Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you’ll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won’t get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn’t, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won’t be torn out; you’ll survive—but just barely.

Luke 6:43-47 You don’t get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree. The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives. It’s who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.

46-47 “Why are you so polite with me, always saying ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘That’s right, sir,’ but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.

Vs 48 But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation.

JEREMIAH 29:13-14 msg “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me.

“Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree.

2 Chronicles 26:3-5 - 3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear[a] of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

Searching For God

April 28, 2024 • Pastor Brody Christian

Ephesians 3:20 (TMSG) God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. God wants us to leave a mark on humanity Acts 20:24 (NLT) But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God Five Things about being intentional about a life with an IMPACTFUL shadow: 1. Your shadow has influence whether you want it to have or not A life casting a Godly shadow, moves others onto God’s agenda. HEBREWS 12:14csb Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness — without it no one will see the Lord. A self-centered shadow causes those in your shadow to drift 2. Your shadow is always consistent with your life A shadow is a reflection not a projection 3. An Impactful shadow comes from God’s ongoing work in your life. Jeremiah 18:2 New Living Translation (NLT) 2 “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” if you want to have a lasting impact yield to - GOD'S HANDS - GOD'S DESIGN - GOD'S PROCESS 4. Our greatest impact does not come from our access to many but our access to few John 4:39 (NRSV) Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” John 4:40 (NRSV) So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. John 4:41 (NRSV) And many more believed because of his word. John 4:42 (NRSV) They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.” - We think stages and crowds – God thinks coffee shops and relationships - We see websites and followers – Gods sees ordinary 1:1 conversation - We see conference and campaigns - God sees doing life together 5. Obeying His impulses, and take the risk The power of our shadow is not for status but for service Acts 20:24 (NLT) But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God Ephesians 3:20 (TMSG) God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us

Our House

April 24, 2024

1. John 17:16 They are not of this world even as I am not of this world. 2. We live in an environment of expected microwave results to rotisserie circumstances, but some things just take time. 3. Matt 6:6 NASB https://www.bible.com/bible/compare/mat.6.6 4. Eph 6:10 https://www.bible.com/bible/compare/eph.6.10 5. John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 6. John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 7. John 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” 8. Isaiah 61:10 I will rejoice greatly in the Lord , My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 9. Matt 4:4 “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God ” 10. PHIL 4:19 https://www.bible.com/bible/compare/php.4.19 11. James 4: 7-10 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord and He will exalt you. 12. Matt 6:10 Your Kingdom come Your will be done on earth as it is in Heavan. 13. Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Searching For God

Pastor Bracken Christian

Hosea 6:3 So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.” THE RAPTURE IS ONE THE LORD’S MOST PRECIOUS PROMISES TO THE CHURCH 1 Thess 1:10 Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. 37 For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith; 38 And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. THERE IS A 7 YEAR TIME PERIOD RAPIDLY APPROACHING Jeremiah 30:7 “The time of Jacobs trouble” Daniel 12:1 “A time of distress such as has never occurred” Revelation 3:10 “The hour of testing” Matthew 24:21 “A time of great tribulation” Revelation 7:14 “The great tribulation” Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, 2 who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. Rev 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. THE CHURCH IS PICTURED HERE IN CHAPTERS 4 & 5 5:9 And they *sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10 “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” THE CHURCH IS NOT SEEN AGAIN UNTIL Rev 19 WHERE WE THE CHURCH WILL RETURN WITH JESUS TO THE EARTH AT HIS 2ND COMING. Rev 19:7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 1 Cor 10:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God (SAINTS): Rom 11:25 for I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fulness of the gentiles has come in; 26 and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “the deliverer will come from Zion, he will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” 27 “and this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” IN SCRIPTURE YOU HAVE THE CHURCH AS WELL AS JEWS WHO HAVE YET TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST. Luke 21:29 Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. ANOTHER MYSTERY PAUL TALKS ABOUT “EPH 5” THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE CHURCH IS LIKE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A HUSBAND AND WIFE A MYSTERY – “IT WAS NOT UNDERSTOOD IN THE OLD COVENANT” ANOTHER MYSTERY “1 Cor 15” 1 Cor 15:51 “BEHOLD, I TELL YOU A MYSTERY” THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH “CATCHING AWAY OF THE SAINTS” THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH IS SOMETHING THAT PAUL GOT BY REVELATION (GAL 1:12, 2:2) 1 Cor 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “death is swallowed up in victory. 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the lord. THERE ARE TYPES OF IT HAPPENING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT GENISIS – A MAN BY THE NAME OF ENOCH. HE WALKED WITH GOD BY FAITH AND GOD TOOK HIM ANOTHER PICTURE IS THAT OF ELIJAH THE PROPHET… HE WENT TO HEAVEN IN A CHARIOT SOME OTHER TYPES AND SHADOWS ARE IN THE LIVES OF NOAH AND LOT. THEY DIED BUT THEY WERE BOTH DELIEVERD FROM JUDGMENT. WHEN THE WORLD WAS JUDGED AROUND THEM, THEY WERE SPARED AND SEPERATED. GO TO 1 Thess 4 AND LOOK AT WHAT PAUL SAY’S ABOUT THIS EVENT WHERE THE RIGHTEOUS ARE SEIZED UP OFF THE EARTH 1Thess 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep (dead in Christ), that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so god will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. WE WILL HAVE A BORN-AGAIN GLORIFIED BODY Matt 24:36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. 1 Thess 5:1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. PAUL WAS PREVIOUSLY TALKING ABOUT THE CATCHING AWAY OF THE CHURCH NOW HE TALKS ABOUT SOMETHING THEY ALREADY KNOW ABOUT. EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT THE DAY OF THE LORD SAY’S, “JUDGMENT”, “DOOM AND GLOOM – TROUBLE”, DESTRUCTION NOW WE HAVE’NT READ ANYTHING IN 1 Cor 15 OR 1Thess 4 THAT PERTAINS TO THE BELIEVER THAT SOUNDS LIKE DOOM AND GLOOM PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS HERE 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 while they are saying, “peace and safety!” Then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; And they shall not escape. 4 but you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; 5 For you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 for God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ WHEN THE DAY OF THE LORD COMES ON PLANET EARTH IT IS A DAY OF WRATH ON HIS ENEMIES Today there are 8 billion people in the world. If 2 billion were taken in the rapture. That would leave 6 billion behind. The seal judgements (Rev 6:8) are going to kill one fourth of those people (1.5 billion), leaving a total of 4.5 billion. The trumpet judgments will kill one-third of those remaining (another 1.5 billion), making a total of 3 billion gentileswho will die during the first half of the tribulation; Half of the world’s population. Percentage wise, more Jews will die in the tribulation. Zec 13:8 “Two-thirds of them will be killed by the antichrist. There are approximately, 15.3 million Jews in the world today. So the total number of Jews destined to be killed is about 10 million – one third more than those killed in the holocaust. THE WORLD/GENTILES ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE A MASS SLAUGHTER THAT IS UNPARALLELED IN ALL OF HISTORY. THE TRIBULATION PERIOD IS A TIME FOR MEN TO MAKE THEIR FINAL CHOICE. THERE’S A LOT OF SIFTING THAT TAKES PLACE… IF YOU’VE ALREADY MADE YOUR CHOICE THEN THERE’S NO NEED FOR YOU TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SIFTING HERE WE SEE THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN APPOINTED TO WRATH 1 Thess 1:10 and to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.