Keys to Success in the Christian Life: Take Heed to Yourselves Take Heed to Yourselves Northside Mission Church (1-Apr-2012)

Keys to Success in the Christian Life:Keys to Success in the Christian Life: ““Take Heed to Yourselves”Take Heed to Yourselves”

Northside Mission Church (1-Apr-2012)

Psalms 95:1-3,6-7Psalms 95:1-3,6-71Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.3 For the Lord is the great God,And the great King above all gods.6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.7 For He is our God,And we are the people of His pasture,And the sheep of His hand.

Our ProclamationOur Proclamation

The Biggest LoserThe Biggest Loser

Lara Whalan lost 40.3 kgs in 2011

““Take heed to yourselves”Take heed to yourselves”Acts 20:28Acts 20:28Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

1 Timothy 4:161 Timothy 4:16Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

““Take heed to yourselves”Take heed to yourselves”

1. Listening to God’s Voice1. Listening to God’s VoiceExodus 15:26Exodus 15:26“If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”

Hebrew “shama shama qol Yahweh”Literally “if by listening, you will listen to the voice of the LORD your God”

Hebrew “Jehovah Rapha”

1. Listening to God’s Voice1. Listening to God’s Voice

(Read (Read Exodus 19:5-6Exodus 19:5-6) ) – “indeed obey My voice”

Deuteronomy 28:1-2Deuteronomy 28:1-2Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God

1. Listening to God’s Voice1. Listening to God’s Voice

(Read (Read Psalms 95Psalms 95))

((verses 1-5verses 1-5) ) Praise and loud shouting

((verses 6-7averses 6-7a) ) Worship, kneeling and quietness

((verses 7-11verses 7-11) ) The worshipper’s heart and spirit prepared to listen to the voice of the Lord

“Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” ( (verses 7-8verses 7-8))

1. Listening to God’s Voice1. Listening to God’s Voice(Read (Read Hebrews 3 & 4Hebrews 3 & 4) ) – directly quotes Psalms 95

((chap. 3:7-8chap. 3:7-8) ) The Holy Spirit is speaking to the Church

((chaps. 3:15 & 4:7chaps. 3:15 & 4:7) ) “Today if you hear His voice, harden not your hearts as in the rebellion”

The word “rest” occurs twelve (12) times in Hebrews chapters 3 and 4!

The key to spiritual rest -> listening to God’s voice!

1. Listening to God’s Voice1. Listening to God’s Voice

John 10:27John 10:27“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

(Read (Read 2 Corinthians 3:2-32 Corinthians 3:2-3) ) What the Holy Spirit says to us has a quality of permanence, because His words are written in our hearts!

2. Being Faithful in Prayer2. Being Faithful in Prayer

Philippians 4:6-7Philippians 4:6-7Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

"I am persuaded that God does everything by prayer and nothing without it“ - John Wesley

2. Being Faithful in Prayer2. Being Faithful in Prayer

Two types of prayers:

1.Prayers / Supplications – making our requests known to God (read (read Phil. 4:6-7Phil. 4:6-7))

2.Proclamations – using the Word of God with authority over a particular person, group or situation (read Luke 3:4-6)

2. Being Faithful in Prayer2. Being Faithful in PrayerMatthew 18:18-20Matthew 18:18-20“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Greek “sumphoneo” (symphony) - harmonize

2. Being Faithful in Prayer2. Being Faithful in PrayerRevelation 12:11Revelation 12:11And they (the believers) overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death

(Read (Read Ephesians 6:10-18Ephesians 6:10-18) ) – the whole armor of God

Weapons of attack: •Prayer / Supplication – verse 18•The Word of God – verse 17

Time and CommitmentTime and Commitment

Quality time spent with together and a strong, loving commitment to each other are two important keys to a successful marriage

– Nicky and Sila Lee “The Marriage Course”

Christians spend seven (7) times as much time on entertainment as they do on spiritual activities

– George Barna

Time and CommitmentTime and Commitment

Consider the biblical principles of the Tithe and of the Sabbath:

1.Tithe – God requires only one tenth (1/10) of our income

2.Sabbath – God requires one seventh of our (1/7) time

God desires for us to spend more time with Him than He desires our tithes and offerings!

Time and CommitmentTime and CommitmentJeremiah 7:22-23Jeremiah 7:22-23For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’