Freedom, liberty in communion with God

Sometimes we need a fresh start, we've been a failure and need to get back in step with the Lord. Sometimes a quick prayer doesn't feel like enough. Hebrews reminds us that God made a special day called "today" - today WHEN you hear his voice don't harden your heart, today is the day of salvation. Warn each other every day, while it is still "today", so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. (Heb 3:13) 

• Before work talk to God and give your ideas to him: “O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham. (Gen 24:12-14)
• Then Pay attention:  Before he had finished praying... (he witnessed the answer)... “Praise the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham,” he said. “The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for he has led me straight to my master’s relatives.” (Gen 24:15-27)
• Acknowledge the Lord to others: “So today when I came to the spring, I prayed this prayer: ‘O Lord, God of my master, Abraham, please give me success on this mission. (Gen 24:42)

Sometimes our prayers are interrupted by thoughts, obsessions, or desires that want to carry us away from the LORD. We need to "be still" and turn the lights on inside our heart, have a moment of reflection, let the word of Christ dwell within ourselves and take Holy Communion. In our hearts we can hold up the shield of faith that extinguish the enemy arrows from the outside, but on the inside of faith is peace. 

• Psalms 11:5 says that “the LORD tests the righteous,” and in Job 23:10, Job says of God, “When he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” Similarly, God told Jeremiah, “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind” (Jeremiah 17:10), and Proverbs 17:3 declares that “the LORD tests hearts.”

 Communion: The Meal of Absolute Victory - Bill Johnson (Sermon Clip) | Bethel Church

• "This is my body" - "broken for you"
• "By His stripes you WERE healed" - today I get to experience the liberty and forgiveness 
• Put someone on your lips and declare healing for them, in Jesus name. 
• As for me and my house we will serve the LORD. 

Communion, the body and blood and the weekend (Psalm 23, John 13-21, Exodus 12)

Psalm 19

Don't hold on theology of problems, hold onto theology of our solution. Take time with the LORD. 

Psalm 19:13: Who can discern his own errors? Cleanse me from my hidden faults. Keep me safe (from arrogant people/things), also, from willful (presumptuous, flagrant, conspicuously offensive, obviously inconsistent with what is right) sins; don't let them rule (control, dominion) over me. Then I shall be perfect (blameless, without spot) and free (acquitted, declared innocent, cleansed) from the evil of sin (transgression, greatest sin). May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

• But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. / Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:14-15
• If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. / If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. / If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10
• Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires. / Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. / For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Romans 6:12-14
• So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. / For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want. Galatians 5:16-17
• No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
• And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ Matthew 6:13
• Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Hebrews 12:1
• or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. / Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. / But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9