1 John 5:14-15, 14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

  • According to Bible Gateway- God has made us 5,467 promises in scripture!

 

  • The promises of God reveal his particular and eternal purposes to which he is unchangeably committed and upon which believers can totally depend. These promises are, however, conditional upon obedience on the part of believers. But God’s promises are irrevocable.

 

Psalm 66:18-20, 18If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. 20 Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!

 

1 Corinthians 15:10, But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

 

God’s full blessing requires RESPECTING and RECEIVING well:

  1.  God’s Word – Romans 10:8
  2. The Holy Spirit – Acts 1:8
  3. Mentors – Hebrews 13:7-8
  4. Friends – Hebrews 10:24-25

 

 

How to Respect and Receive God’s Grace Well

Hebrews 4:16, Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need

 

Acts 13:1-4, 1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

Prophet – A person with a special grace empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak for God.

Teacher – a person with a special grace empowered by the Holy Spirit to show us what is right verses wrong and true verses false.

 

  1. EMPATHY

1 Peter 3:8, . . . all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

Homophron- to be harmonious or of one mind

Sumpathes- having a fellow – feeling

  • Empathy is feeling with people not just for people.

Acts 9:26-27, Acts 11:25-26

  • People who try to EMPOWER without EMPATHY become EXASPERATING.

 

2. EMPOWER

2 Corinthians 12:7, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

Satan wants to steal 7 things from us

  1. Time – Ephesians 5:15-16
  2. Vision – 2 Timothy 1:13-14
  3. Joy – John 16:22
  4. Helpers – John 17:12
  5. Finances – Haggai 1:6
  6. Health and well-being – John 10:10
  7. Source of provision – wells – wombs – Genesis 26

1 Timothy 1:2, To Timothy my true son in the faith . . .

True – gnesios – Legitimate

 2 Timothy 1:2, To Timothy, my dear son . . .

Dear – agapetos – Beloved

  • People who have EMPATHY without EMPOWERING leave their children HUNGERING

 

3. EFFORT

Acts 13:1-3, 1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

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