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Psalm 19:1-2

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

Everyone wonders about God from Time to Time.

It’s the Nature of Faith.

Pointers to God’s Existence:

1. The Existence of “Stuff”.

The Universe is Real. Where did it come from? Cause and Effect.

…the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1

2. The Nature of “Stuff.”

From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature. Romans 1:20 (NLT)

3. My Sense of Right and Wrong.

Even when Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, instinctively follow what the law says, they show that in their hearts they know right from wrong. They demonstrate that God’s law is written within them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what it right. Romans 2:14-15 (NLT)

If there has really been a Change of Master in your life, there is no way that you can go on Absolutely Unchanged.

Paul reminds them that they are Under New Management.

Paul notes 3 important truths:

1. The Truth is we have a New Liberty.

2. The Truth is we have a New Loyalty.

3. The Truth is we have a New Life.

Connecting with God through prayer:

1. Begins with the Right Attitude.

It involves:

a. Genuineness.

b. Humility.

c. Transparency.

2. Happens with the Right Priorities.

Our prayers should have Priorities.

He is Teaching us to pray, this could be the “Disciples Prayer”.

Right priorities in prayer:

a. God and His Kingdom.

b. Our Greatest Personal Needs.

3. One more Truth.

There is Power in praying with Others.

Prayer is the Natural outflow of Personal Relationship with God.

Connecting with God through prayer:

1. Begins with the Right Attitude.

God is always Interested in our Attitude.

Prayer is not a Speech. Prayer is a Conversation.

What then does the right attitude in prayer is look like?

It involves:

a. Genuineness.

b. Humility.

c. Transparency.

Jesus says don’t Babble on and on.

Let us be Open, Revealing, Honest, Transparent, with Him.

1. Characteristics of Large/Small Churches.

1. They Study God’s Word.

2. They Fellowship.

3. They Shared Communion.

4. They Prayed.

5. They Support Each Other.

6. They Practice Hospitality.

7. They Worshipped.

8. They Reach Out.

2. Benefits of being in a Small Group.

1. I will Understand more of God’s Word.

2. Prayer will be more Meaningful and Natural.

3. Sharing about our Spiritual Growth and Challenges.

4. A great place to receive Personal Support.

5. Best Environment to Discover your Spiritual Gift.

6. We get Connected with God’s People.

Every Growing/Maturing believer in Jesus Christ

Needs other Growing/Maturing followers in their Life.

The first Big/small church had 2 types of Meetings:

1. Large Group Meetings.

2. Small Group Meetings.

There are Significant Advantages to being a part of a Small Group.

1. Your Limitations are Different.

2. There is a more Intimate Atmosphere.

3. They are Expandable.

4. They are Geographically and Generationally unlimited.

5. They are good Serving Opportunities.

Seven Principles:

1. Numerical Growth is Biblical.

2. Numerical Growth creates Problems.

3. Most Problems are due to Unmet Needs.

4. Pastors cannot do it All.

5. Leaders are to Assist the Pastor.

6. Pastor’s are to focus primarily on Preaching and Teaching God’s Word and Prayer.

7. The Result of a Shared Ministry was Two-fold:

a. Unity.

b. More Numerical Growth.

Connecting with God through His Word:

1. Begins with the Right Attitude.

2. Involves Getting God’s Word Into Our Lives.

Ways to Get the Word of God into our Lives:

a. Receive It.

b. Read It.

c. Study It.

d. Retain It.

e. Meditate On It.

This is simply taking God’s Word and Considering how the Word Effects our lives.

3. Requires us to Apply Biblical Truth in our Lives.

That is when Transformation will come.

The Bible was written by various Authors over Thousands of years.

Yet all of them Inspired by the Holy Spirit, all of them Testifying to the same Truth of the only true and Living God.

The Good News is that God wants us to Connect with Him.

God wants us to Grow in Christ-likeness.

God wants us to Know what he Says, and has Done, and will Do.

It is impossible for us to grow as believers, without the Consistent and Regular times of Opening and Studying God’s Word.

Connecting with God Through His Word:

1. Begins with the Right Attitude.

4 competing authorities in the world:

a. Culture.

Culture is the “Everybody does it” mentality.

b. Tradition.

Tradition is the “We have always done it that way” mentality.

c. Rationalisation.

Rationalisation is the “I always though” mentality.

d. Feelings.

This is the “How can it be wrong when it feels so right” mentality.

God’s Word needs to be the Authority in the lives of Believers.

How Should Christians Respond to these Days?

1. What we Should Not Hold on to.

a. We cannot Rely on our Human Assets.

b. There is very Little that we can Control.

2. What Should our Response Be?

a. Pray for our Leaders.

b. To Trust In the Lord.

We can Still Trust in Him even when we have more

Questions than we have Answers.

c. Refuse to Speak for God, when God is Silent.

Declare God’s Word and let God Speak for God.

d. Extend a Positive Witness to the World.

* Show them the Love of Christ.

* Reach out in Friendship, witness by your Life.