041920 ODF Sermon Notes Redeemers Refreshing

Our Redeemers Refreshing

Isaiah 40:1-12

New Testament Counterpart:  Acts 3:19-20

19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.

Theme: God wants His people to be comforted. He is constantly aware of our needs and is ready to give us relief and refreshment. We don`t have to wait a month, a week, or even a day - He wants us to have it now. 

Question to Consider:

Are you in need of refreshing?

By refreshing I mean this:   My heart was hard.  The soil of my soul was dry.  My faith was weakened and my mind was burdened.    Can anyone relate to these things?

What is the antidote?  Answer: Times of Refreshing!

1. God is awesome and His comfort and strength is all we need!  

STATEMENT OF TRUTH:

God is never content to give us comfort in the crisis; 

He wants deeply to give us the pleasure of HIs presence.

In what ways is God awesome to you?  Take time this week to share with a family member or friend how great God really is.

#WEAREGODSPEOPLE 

Verse to Memorize:

Isaiah 40: 8  “The grass withers and the flowers fade,  but the word of our God stands forever.”

041220 ODF Sermon Notes Jesus: Risen for Me!

Jesus: Risen For Me

Acts 1:3-8

I.              Our Mission is to witness, not to wonder!  

II.             Our Mission is to waiton the Lord not to rush!

Types of Waiting:

                                               i.     Red Light Waiting

                                             ii.     Boiling water waiting

                                            iii.     Bruised fruit waiting

                                            iv.     Short-Cut Waiting

III.           Our mission is impossible without the Holy Spirit

Statement of Truth:  

We should refocus ourselves on Gospel Living and Gospel Sharing.

            Why are we to witness?

1.      We witness because he has changed our life!

2.     We witness because others can be changed!

3.      We witness because Jesus has given us His comforting presence

040520 ODF Sermon Notes The Lord is Good

Major Truth From A “Minor Prophet”

THE LORD IS GOOD

Taken from the Book of Nahum

REVEALED ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

·     Number 1:    The Lord is avenging and He is wrathful

·     Number 2:   The Lord is slow to Anger and Great in Power

·     Number 3:    The Lord is Good

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT 

·     Number 1:  Nineveh was a bloody city

·     Number 2:  Nineveh was a city of harlotry

·     Number 3:Nineveh was a city without men

·     Number 4:Nineveh was a city with corrupt leadership  

CALL TO ACTION

1. We should cry, “No more blood in our streets”

2. We should decide to live pure lives, Free from sexual   filth

3.  We should rise up MEN who love the Lord, and would stand for God

4. We should seek to vote and demand for righteousness to be the standard in our leaders

032920Am ODF sermon notes Truth for a troubled heart

Truth For A Troubled Heart

John 14:1-7

Today’s Theme:  The word of God will go forth, and the worship of God will not die.  Jesus will meet us in our greatest struggle and bring truth to our troubled hearts.

Cultural context for John 14:

• The night of the Passover
• The washing of feet
• Proclamation of betrayal 
• Prophecy of denial by Peter
• Upper room meal with disciples
• Night of the betrayal and trial

1. When we face trouble we must trust!

Statement of Truth:  Focusing on the attributes of Christ is a powerful act of my worship and focusing on the promises of God is a powerful weapon against my worry.

II.  When we face confusion we must have confidence!

A.  Confidence inspired hope.

B.  Confidence inspired courage. 

Statement of Truth:  The promise of Jesus’ return was rooted in the character of who He was, is and always will be.  

032220AM ODF SERMON NOTES CHOOSING TO TRUST

Choosing to Trust

Matthew 6:25-34

Theme:  Every issue in life comes down to, Will I TRUST God? Do I believe He has my best interest at heart? Believe today that Jesus is ABLE to provide everything we need.

If I am going to trust I need TRUTH in times of TROUBLE

Statement of Truth:
Humans have a limited capacity to carry problems

If I am going to trust I need CONTENTMENT in times of CONCERN

Statement of Truth:

Don’t spend your life talking about what you would do with what you don’t possess. Rather, talk to God about what you will do with what you have!

If I am going to trust I need FAITH in times of FEAR

Statement of Truth:

Fear lies to us and tells us we do not have the resources to care for the responsibilities that are given to us, but  faith teaches us that we serve a GOD who can meet our every need.  

If I am going to trust I need an ANCHOR in my ANXIETY

Point to Ponder:

This text teaches me that God is not limited.  His supply never runs dry.  All we must do is ask. 

Point to Ponder: There are things we cannot control.

031520Am ODF Sermon Notes: Trusting God in a Crisis

Trusting God In A CrisisJoel 2:12-27

Theme:  God has made an abundance of awesome promises to His children, and He not only makes promises, He keeps them.  As we face crisis and trouble what better resolve than to have a faith in God?


Foundational Promises that Never Change:

1.  God is With us.  Do not fear!  Deuteronomy 3:16

2.  God is in control.  Do not doubt!  Romans 8:28

3.  God is always good. Do not despair!  Psalm 27:13

4.  God is always watching. Do not Falter.  1 Corinthians 10:13

5.  God is Victorious.  Do not fail.  Isaiah 54:17

JOEL 2 Teaches us OUR GOD IS ABLE! 

• Able to restore

• Able to enable

• Abel to give gladness, rejoicing, plenty, and sanctification.

Our Response to A Crisis:

1. These should be days of obedience

1. These should be days of grace

1. These should be days of repentance

1. These should be days of contentment

Statement of Truth:  God’s Strength is perfect in our weakness! 

Points to Ponder:
1.  We will learn things about God’s strength  in a Crisis that we would never  learn with the sun shining. 

2.  We may  say: “God take this away!”  But the Lord is right there with us!  Every time, all the time!  

3.  This current crisis is an opportunity for us to lean on God’s promises, and truth him in faith.

030820AM ODF Sermon Notes Faithfulness Produces Fruitfulness

Faithfulness Produces Fruitfulness

Matthew 13:23

Hearers of the Word:

1. MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE IN JESUS

4 Kinds of Ground:

1. The Hard Ground

B.   The Stony Ground  

C.  The Thorny Ground

Statement of Truth: 

The problem with this soil is not the hardness of heart, and it is not the stones, but the issue of this heart is that the space to be planted is already occupied!  

Study notes:  Cross reference “cares” in verse 22 with “worry or anxious” in Matthew Chapter 6:25

D.  The _________ Ground  

Life lesson:

_________ is the product of _________

Doers of the Word:

In response to the study today personally reflect on these questions:

1. What are the worries of your life that choke out the fruits of the Gospel?
2. Is your life growing good roots?  Is your life producing fruit? What re you doing right now to cultivate good soil in your heart so that you can produce all the fruit God designed you too?
3. Do you have patience and grace with others around you who are not that same as you?  In what ways can you be more gracious to brothers and sisters who are on a different degree of knowledge, application or surrender?