word for the year "seek, live, share"

8/7/2019 Word for the Year "Seek, Live, Share"

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Pastor Jon Cobler January 15/16 2011

Church of Living Water Saturday/Sunday

Olympia Foursquare Church

SEEK LIVE SHARE2011 Word for the Year

TEXT: Ezra 7:10

I. HOW DO WE APPROACH THE NEW YEAR?

A. Through the lens ofpast experiences.

OR

B. Through the lens offuture expectations that Gods promises are secure.

C. If things in the world get more difficult, the Good News looks even better!

D. You have been called for a purpose!

II. A LOOK AT THE WORD FOR 2011

A. A quick historical look into our text:

1. The Jews had been deported to Babylon in 606BC.

2. The temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.

3. In 536BC the Jews were permitted to return to Jerusalem.

4. Zerubbabel led the reconstruction of the temple.

5. Ezra returns 60 years after the completion of the temple.

6. The people had wandered away from their God.

7. Ezra comes to restore holiness and puritya return to their roots.

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B. A look at Ezra:

this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law ofMoses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given, andthe king granted himall that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.

(Ezra 7:6 ESV)

1. Ezra had the complete backing of the king.

2. Wouldnt that be a great way to start a project?

C. Why did he have such favor?

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to doit, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. (Ezra 7:10 NKJV)

1.Seek

Live

Share Gods Word

2. Church isnt the only place to find Godbut if youre not coming to church

expecting, you need to know that God wants to have a radical encounterwith you here.

III. THREE CHALLENGES FOR THE CHURCH OF LIVING WATER

A. Seek through the challenges. (Dont Just Respond)

Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble

ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our littleones and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request of the king anescort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road,because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is uponall those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are againstall those who forsake Him.So we fasted and entreated our God for this,and He answered our prayer.(Ezra 8:2123 NKJV)

B. They heard from the Lord and left the city. Then they realized there were badguys between them and the promise. They didnt want to ask the king to dosomething they had already said that God was going to accomplish.

1. We can request help from a pagan king

OR

2. We can put Gods reputation on the line.

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C. Our challenge is to resist the easy road of requesting from the king what hasalready been promised by the Lord.

1. The Word does not say we are exempt from difficult decisions orcircumstances.

2. When we face a difficult challenge, before we rely on the help of man, letus seek the Lord and trust His Word.

a. Seek Him in devotion. (Prayer // Word // Community // Service //Worship)

b. Seeking is an active, rather than responsive, stance.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes toGod must believe that He is, andthat He is a rewarder of those who

diligently seek Him.(Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)

3. We will always face obstacles and challenges which attempt to prohibit usfrom seeking.

a. Weariness

b. Disappointment

c. Distraction

c. Competing priorities

B. Live like Gods hand is upon you.

for (because, according to, like) the hand of the Lord his God was onhim. (Ezra 7:6 ESV)

1. QUESTION: How would you live differently if the hand of the Lord was on

you?

2. Ezra wasnt arrogant when he went to the kinghe was confident that if

the hand of the Lord was on him, the rest of the Lord was with him!!!

3. You will struggle to walk like the hand of the Lord is upon you when yourenot seeking the Lord.

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4. When we read the promises of God and dont see them transpire

immediately we must conclude the problem is with our eyes, not Hispromises.

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in

the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. (2Corinthians 5:67 ESV)

C. Share with intention.

1. Ezra was poised to pass on what He had learned.

2. We need to be willing to pass on what we have learned that ispraise-worthy about God!

3. If we continue to build on the corner stone of Jesus Christ, the gates of

hell do not stand a chance in this city.

We must decide where we want our ministry to count -- in the momentaryapplause of popular recognition or in the reproduction of our lives in a fewchosen people who will carry on our work after we have gone. Really it is aquestion of which generation we are living for. -- Oswald Sanders

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word for the year "seek, live, share"

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