A Life Of Hope

1 Peter 1:13-16

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

6 Actions that will help you experience a life of hope

  1. Prepare your mind for action
  2. Practice self-control
  3. Fix your hope completely
  4. Always be looking forward
  5. Do not return to your former      evil ways
  6. Resemble God

What Do You Say When You Don't Know What To Say?

27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

John 12:27-28

  1. This ain't about me
    1.  
    2. We show them that       my God is real and his Word is reliable.
    3.  
    4. We proclaim My God is       stronger than the lies of my enemy.
    5.  
    6. We say my God's provisions       are sufficient.
    7.  
    8. We show that our God knows       what He's doing.
    9.  
    10. We say you should put your       trust in my God

How to change your life forever

-Richard Burton

Nehemiah 1: 4-11

4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, 5 And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: 6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. 7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. 8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: 9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. 10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. 11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

Neh 1:4-11

  1. Present condition must become      a personal burden
  2. Seek God personally and      privately
  3. I must take personal      responsibility
  4. Allow other believers to      provide support for your life
  5. Build a wall between yourself      and your enemies

The Collapse of Evangelism In The Modern Day Church

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 1:8

  1. Like the early church, we      must approach evangelism with humility, the joy of God in our hearts, and      as a joint effort.
  • Jesus is doing all the giving      and enabling. We are doing all the receiving and going.
  1. We must be honest with      ourselves and discover where we lost the Power and Reclaim it.
    1.  
    2. What limits the       power of God?
    3.  
          
      1. Resistors-        consisting of sin
      2.   
      3. Insulators- an insulated        heart as a result of hurt feelings, anger, etc.
      4.   
      5. We need to be conductors to        allow the power to flow
      6.  
  • Sooner or later, man has      always had to decide whether he is going to trust in his own power or the Power      of God.

Sermon

Mike Cothran

Colossians 4:2-6

2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; 3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. 

1. Prayer
     a. Vs 2-3
2. Place
     a. Vs 3-4
3. People
     a. Vs 4-5
4. Prepared
     a. Vs 6

1 Thessalonians 1:5-6
5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: