Welcome to Refinery Life Australia.
This week we are continuing our series titled Voices of the World.
The focus is on sharing the good news of Christ.
Today we are talking about Quiet Lessons.
Text
Psalm 65:8 AMP
8 So they who dwell at the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs [the evidence of Your presence].
You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.
Scripture Reading
2 Corinthians 4:6-18 (AMP)
6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the glory and majesty of God [clearly revealed] in the face of Christ.
7 But we have this precious treasure [the good news about salvation] in [unworthy] earthen vessels [of human frailty], so that the grandeur and surpassing greatness of the power will be [shown to be] from God [His sufficiency] and not from ourselves.
8 We are pressured in every way [hedged in], but not crushed; perplexed [unsure of finding a way out], but not driven to despair;
9 hunted down and persecuted, but not deserted [to stand alone]; struck down, but never destroyed;
10 always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown in our body.
11 For we who live are constantly [experiencing the threat of] being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the [resurrection] life of Jesus also may be evidenced in our mortal body [which is subject to death].
12 So physical death is [actively] at work in us, but [spiritual] life [is actively at work] in you.
13 Yet we have the same spirit of faith as he had, who wrote in Scripture, “I believed, therefore I spoke.” We also believe, therefore we also speak,
14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and will present us [along] with you in His presence.
15 For all [these] things are for your sake, so that as [God’s remarkable, undeserved] grace reaches to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of [our great] God.
16 Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day.
17 For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]!
18 So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable.
Prayer
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Introduction
Today God is trying to teach His people some very important lessons.
His teaching method is not forceful or obtrusive.
Instead, God wants to teach us quiet lessons.
He seeks willing, teachable, responsible students.
Both from the Bible and life, God’s Spirit presses these quiet lessons upon us.
Let us listen to God’s inspiration in the following lessons.
- There is a world to be won.
The psalmist spoke of this lesson, Psalm 2:8 AMP
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will assuredly give [You] the nations as Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth as Your possession.
In Psalm 65:8 we read of “the farthest corners of the earth” where God’s amazing acts are done.
But there is a race against evil going on in the world, and time is running out.
Christians must respond more faithfully to Christ’s command to win the world, in Mathew 28:19, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
We must continue to declare Christ’s love and His Lordship everywhere He is not known, for there is a world to be won.
2. God is putting light in dark places.
Matthew 4:16 AMP
16 “The people who were sitting (living) in [spiritual] darkness have seen a great Light,
And for those who were sitting (living) in the land and shadow of [spiritual and moral] death,
Upon them a Light has dawned.”
All over the world new congregations are sprouting up and growing.
Surely this is God putting light in dark places.
3. We must depend on the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is ready to empower us, to do the humanly impossible.
He is ready to guide this church into just those activities that will lead great numbers to respond to Christ.
The power of God’s Spirit will accomplish His purpose with signs, wonders, and miracles.
4. Most of what God wants to do is done through His church.
Jesus said, “I will build my church” in Matthew 16:18.
In Ephesians 5:25 we read that Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.
The church with all its weaknesses is still the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, the school of Christ, and the people of God.
Let us not criticise or tear down Christ’s church.
Instead, let’s stay in it and change it if necessary.
Improve the church so that it increasingly wins people to the Master and effectively matures the believers.
God can bring victory out of defeat!
Our helplessness is God’s opportunity!
God never gives up on any one, should we?
God knows the way, and He has the power!
Conclusion.
These are some of the quiet, yet vital lessons for life that God is trying to teach us.
Are we willing to become teachable?
Are we willing to unlearn some things from our past?
William Carey, the Baptist missionary to India said, “attempt great things for God and expect great things from God.”
Have we recently attempted any great things for God?
We are in a spiritual war.
Lets us get prepared for this war.
Let us use the Spirit’s gift teach each of us as we seek new ways in these new days to be effective soldiers of Christ.
Then with these quiet lessons learned, let us step forth in faith.
Until next time
Stay in the Blessings
I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word.
When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer.
Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body!
You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at www.refinerylife.org
When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you.
So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us
2021 IS A YEAR OF REFORMATION
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