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SWS-24
160717PM
Tonight our goal is to practice the words from God in Hebrews 10:24-25.
As we turn there we are looking at the simple reality of applying God’s Word.
How do we stir up others for God?
God says we are all to have as our goal, every time we gather that we are to think about our mandate, or our mission from God as we gather:
1. How to Considering One Another:
2. How to Get Stirred.
3. How to Stir Others.
4. How to Stay Stirred
First the basics
There are simple areas that have always been the marks of a healthy believer.
Time listening to God by feeding on His Word. (Scripture Reading)
Time applying the Word to my life. (Scripture Memorizing & Meditating)
Time Talking to God. (Prayer)
Time talking to others about God. (Witnessing & Soul Winning)
How do we Stir Ourselves & Others?
By learning how to be talking aloud, among ourselves about—
1. What are you reading and feeding your soul upon from God’s Word?
You should be able in an instant to turn to a passage that has often fed your soul.
You should have a series of “all time” favorite pathways you love in God’s Word.
They should be so vivid, so clear that you just glow when you talk about them.
These places are where you have met the Lord in so many times of need.
2. What are you memorizing & meditating upon from God’s Word?
You need to be a life-long collector of verses that are the first aid for your soul.
The cough & cold medicine, the Advil & Tylenol for your life.
Those Scriptures that provide immediate relief, strength, or deliverance.
They are short, pointed, and powerful in your daily walk.
You look for these as you read.
You collect them, and find ways to remember them.
Soon are always with you.
3. What are you praying and beseeching God for?
God loves for us to ask.
We have not because we ask not.
God loves us to seek and knock.
God responds to persistent faith.
What are you regularly, systematically, and passionately asking for from your Father?
God blesses prayer in agreement with other godly believers.
Who are you cultivating as your prayer team?
4. Who are you seeking & sharing the Gospel with?
There’s only one thing we can take to Heaven, people we win to Christ.
Who are you seeking to take with you?
Who will be your joy in Heaven, and your crown of rejoicing?
Who will come to you in Heaven to thank you for sharing the Gospel with them?
Who are you trying to see God save?
Who do you share Gospel tracts with?
Who do you have on your target list that you ask God to open a door for your witness?
We were never designed to do this alone
It is not good for us to be along is God’s declaration.
The Church that Jesus bought and is building is one of connected individuals, not un-connected islands.
Are you connected to His Flock, a functioning member of His Body, and a living stone in His Temple?
How do other believers help us?
By speaking faith-stirring, and hope-building words that feed our souls.
In two of the clearest passages in Hebrews, God calls each of us as believers to encourage those around us.
Hebrews 3:12-13 (NKJV) Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort (impv) one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Sin is deceitful. Sin hardens us. We need others to exhort us God says. Are you close enough to any godly believer to get exhortation?
Look at what we are all supposed to be doing as we turn onward to Hebrews 10.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NKJV) And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Did you catch that?
As members of Christ’s Body we are to be:
Be Connected, Communicating & Caring
The Body of Christ is designed to be connected, communicating, and caring.
We are to speak the truth to each other empowered by the Spirit of God.
Our words can exhort, our words can encourage, and our words can correct.
As John Piper likes to say—
“and the Holy Spirit breathes upon what is otherwise babbling to effect real devil-defying faith in our lives”.
The spiritual battle raging around us is designed to isolate us.
Satan wants the swirl of battle to separate us from other believers who can challenge and encourage us with God’s Word.
Then, we can get swallowed-up in the storms of our own soul.
Like a wolf picking off the weakest in the flock, Satan’s plan is to separate us from the flock so he can devour us.
Let’s Practice Stirring Ourselves & Others
In our small groups of 3, 4, or 5.
Two are too few for tonight.
Three, four or five are okay.
Six is too many to handle, or we won’t get all the way around each time.
1. What Are You Reading & Feeding Your Soul Upon From God’s Word?
1 minute each.
Someone time it to keep going around.
Go around again if you have time
You should be able in an instant to turn to a passage that has often fed your soul.
You should have a series of “all time” favorite pathways you love in God’s Word.
They should be so vivid, so clear that you just glow when you talk about them.
These places are where you have met the Lord in so many times of need.
2. What Are You Memorizing & Meditating Upon From God’s Word?
1 minute each.
Someone time it to keep going around.
Go around again if you have time
You need to be a life-long collector of verses that are the first aid for your soul.
The cough & cold medicine, the Advil & Tylenol for your life.
Those Scriptures that provide immediate relief, strength, or deliverance.
They are short, pointed, and powerful in your daily walk.
You look for these as you read.
You collect them, and find ways to remember them.
Soon are always with you.
3. What Are You Praying & Beseeching God For?
1 minute each.
Someone time it to keep going around.
Go around again if you have time
God loves for us to ask.
We have not because we ask not.
God loves us to seek and knock.
God responds to persistent faith.
What are you regularly, systematically, and passionately asking for from your Father?
God blesses prayer in agreement with other godly believers.
Who are you cultivating as your prayer team?
4. Who Are You Seeking & Sharing The Gospel With?
1 minute each.
Someone time it to keep going around.
Go around again if you have time
There’s only one thing we can take to Heaven, people we win to Christ.
Who are you seeking to take with you?
Who will be your joy in Heaven, and your crown of rejoicing?
Who will come to you in Heaven to thank you for sharing the Gospel with them?
Who are you trying to see God save?
Who do you share Gospel tracts with?
Who do you have on your target list that you ask God to open a door for your witness?
Stay Connected, Keep Communicating & Never Stop Caring
Resist the temptation to isolation.
Break into someone’s life with words from God’s Word.
Reach out and see the wiles of the devil frustrated in their life, and yours.
When we speak God’s Word there is power, not from us but from Him who is the Word.
Jesus has destroyed the power of the Devil (Heb. 2:14).
Jesus destroys every work of the Devil He is confronted with (1 John 3:8).
When we love Jesus, we love His family.
Church is the gathering of Christ’s family.
Come.
Speak the truths of the Gospel of Christ.
Remind yourself and all around you that nothing and no one can snatch you or them (John 10:28-29); or separate you or them (Rom. 8:35-39), from Christ’s love.
As believers, who walk in the Spirit as Paul said we are to do, we walk through life clothed in the protective gear God designed just for us; and we walk through life in community with those around us making sure they too are making it through the battle.
We are not alone. We are part of a family.
We help each other through the battles of life.
