Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjfToqk5w5g
Prayer: Father God, thank you that you are all we need and that you are always with us. Thank you for sending us Holy Spirit to teach us, guide us and lead us into all truth. Be with Bears baby and all who need a healing touch tonight, be it physical, emotional or spiritual. Help us to set aside the cares of this day and simply be with you for this next bit of time. In Jesus name amen.
Before we actually start i want to go back to the hymn we sang. In verse 2 it says, “here I raise my Ebenezer”. You have probably sung it a bunch of times. Ever wonder why it says that? We shall see…
It is very important that we think about what we sing in our worship to God if we want to be pleasing to Him. God commanded singing as worship, and not entertainment. Paul taught, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:16). Since the songs we sing should teach and admonish, we risk vain worship if we sing words that are in conflict with scripture.
The phrase, Here I raise my Ebenezer, is the beginning of the second verse of the familiar hymn, O Thou Fount of Every Blessing. This hymn, written by Robert Robinson in 1758, stresses the joy of Christianity and the Christian’s need to rely on the Lord. Robinson chose the phrase, Here I raise my Ebenezer, from 1 Samuel 7:12, because it reminds God’s people how He he delivered Israel from danger.
Chapters 4 through 7 of 1 Samuel describe a series of battles between the Israelites and the Philistines. In an attempt to defeat the Philistines, the Israelites took the ark of the covenant into battle as a sort of good luck charm. To their anguish, however, the Philistines captured the ark and took it back to their pagan temple. God then sent plagues upon the Philistines and caused the idol of their god Dagon to fall over on its face. Fearing God, the Philistines sent the ark back to the Israelites, but continued to fight. As they fought more battles, the prophet Samuel led the Israelites as their last judge. As prophet and judge, Samuel offered sacrifices to God, so that when the Philistines approached, God thundered with a great thunder (1 Samuel 7:10). In the confusion that followed, the Israelites soundly defeated the Philistines.
As a reminder of the great victory God gave to Israel, Samuel took a great stone and raised it as a memorial between Mizpeh and Shen. As he raised it he called the name of it Ebenezer [or stone of help], saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us (1 Samuel 7:12). Whenever the Israelites looked at the stone, they would remember how God had helped them. Unfortunately, the exact site of the stone is unknown today.
When we sing, Here I raise my Ebenezer, we are poetically quoting Samuel, who raised the Ebenezer stone to remind the Israelites of God’s help for them in their time of trouble. The words fit well with the sentiment expressed in the hymn: O Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me ever to adore Thee, May I still Thy goodness prove, While the hope of endless glory Fills my heart with joy and love. Here I raise my Ebenezer, Hither by Thy help I’ve come; And I hope by Thy good pleasure Safely to arrive at home. The words of the hymn remind us that God is truly the fount of every blessing, Who deserves our worship and our praise. Although the words, Here I raise my Ebenezer sound obscure to us, they do express the sincere attitude of gratitude we should have to God Who is our help in time of trouble. – Bob Prichard
I saw a poster with common negative statements and the Biblical truth to counter them. Often the devil or the world will whisper lies to us about who we are, our purpose and even our identity. It is good to have Biblical truth at our fingertips.
The Word says…..take every thought… and pretentions that set themselves us…and this is one way to do that.
The actual verse is 2 Cor 10:5 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Tonight we are going to look at some lies people may believe and the truth that counters those lies.
Lie: This (whatever your current “this” is) is too BIG or too HARD etc.
Truth: We are not asked to do ANYthing without God and HE is bigger.
Verse: Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Dodi Note: God is holy. Perfect. Blameless.
God is also “wholly other” meaning vastly different than us.
This verse is God speaking to us thru Isaiah.
He is reminding us that his thoughts are NOT our thoughts. That would be because His are perfect.
He also says his ways are not our ways and they are higher than ours.
Often difficult things are going on and we simply do not “get it”.
Sometimes we wonder if God even sees or cares what is going on or if he is actually going to help us.
This verse reminds us, that we simply cannot understand the why or what of what God is up to. But we CAN choose to trust that God is good and his ways and thoughts are so different than ours that sometimes in the moments we wont understand.
A wise friend once told me that when we are upset “Why?” is not the best question to ask God. Instead we can ask “What?” What do you want me to do now? Right now? And that is a question God loves to answer.
Lie: I am not worthy (worth it, whatever “it” is).
Truth: We are chosen and dearly loved by God.
Verse: Colossians 3:12 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
Lie: No one “see” me. Another version is “no one cares”.
Truth: God not only sees us, he knows us.
Verse: Luke 12:6-7 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Lie: I’m too weak. Also stated, “I can’t do this”.
Dodi Note: Isn’t this a common response? And there is a measure of truth in it. Often we ARE too weak and we are NOT able to “do this”. Whatever our current “this” is. But there is a Biblical truth.
Truth: Our strength is in and comes from the LORD.
Verse: Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Dodi Note: They were scared. In the natural this was an impossible task. Moses was going to die, and Joshua was being appointed their leader. They were now going to take the Promised Land. Which seemed impossible. They were out numbered but God told them to be strong. Have courage. Do not fear “them”. Why? Because the LORD is going with them.
Do you have a Promised Land place right now? If God has called you there, God WILL be with you.
Another good verse is Psalm 37:34.
Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
Dodi Note: WAIT for the LORD. KEEP his way. Then he will help you.
One of my favorite ones and a famous one is Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Dodi Note: WAIT…. wait for the Lord’s timing and wait for his presence and your strength/courage will be renewed. You WILL be able to walk the paths God has set before you…whatever it entails
Lie: I will NEVER get past the past.
Dodi Note: Anyone? A loss? A betrayal? A difficult childhood? That recent fight with your friend? We feel like we can never heal. We can never fully forgive. Or who knows what we feel. But it seems like an impossible barrier to the full rich abundant life we are promised.
Truth: We are holy, redeemed and restored BECAUSE we are God’s son/daughters.
Dodi Note: That’s it. We are holy, redeemed and restored simply because we belong to God.
Verse: Ephesians 1:3-7
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
Dodi Note: This is a beautiful passage. We have every spiritual blessing…we are/were chosen before time even really began to be holy and blameless. (Because of Jesus).
We were chosen to be adopted as his own children and we ARE BLESSED in the Beloved (Jesus). We also have redemption, forgiveness and all we need because of the riches of HIS GRACE.
Lie: God can’t possibly forgive me.
Dodi Note: I have met people who think God will never forgive them because whatever they did was “too bad”. Or this attitude comes across as , “I can never forgive myself for…..”.
Truth: Our sins are removed.
Verse: Psalm 103:12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
1 John 1:7, 9
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Dodi Note: CLEANSE totally remove our sins from us. As if it never happened.
Lie: I am/will never be enough.
Dodi Note: Did you know that this is a universal fear? Deep down we all have it. Men and women have it. Not being enough…not being good enough..not able to live life, etc.
Truth: God can use even the hardest parts of our story for His purposes.
Verse: 1 Peter 2:9 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Dodi Note: The part I like is “his own”. We were called/invited by God out of darkness into HIS marvelous Light. We are chosen.
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Dodi Note: Which things work out for our good?
What is the condition? Submit to His purpose for our lives.
And the next one is GREAT too.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
Dodi Note: ALL GRACE, ALL SUFFICIENCY in ALL things, at ALL times so we can abound in EVERY GOOD WORK.
Lie: I’m a terrible person.
Dodi Note: Anyone ever get this nasty thought? What we did might be pretty bad, but that is not WHO we are. Here is the truth:
Truth: I am lovely; there is no flaw in me.
Verse: Song of Songs 4:7 7
You are altogether beautiful, my love;
There is no flaw in you.
And even when we mess up…we have this assurance: Philippians 1:6
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Lie: I am quitter.
Dodi Note: Now this may be a tad bit true. We might WANT to quit. But quitting is not an option.
Truth: God gives me staying power/endurance.
Verse: Philippians 4:13 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Hebrews 12:1 [ Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith ] Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Lie: My heart will never heal.
Dodi Note: Often it feels true that our hearts will never heal from this or that thing. And it may take time…sometimes a long time. But the truth is:
Truth: Jesus came to heal our broken hearts.
Verse: Luke 4:18-19 18
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
Dodi Note: Do you like this reminder?
Lie: God can’t use my life.
Dodi Note: There is not one single person in here tonight who can’t be used by God. Probably none of us will ever be famous by the world’s standards. But every one of us will encounter people, maybe tomorrow, who need a kind word or a helping hand. And ALL of us can do that.
Truth: God equips us.
Verse: Hebrews 13:20-22
20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen
Dodi Note: This is a lovely prayer…equipped to do his will. Doing things, which are pleasing in his sight. Have you heard that sweet newish song about small things? Dream Small.
I will play it in a minute…or give you a link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOBaLrItEyc
This is the last one. It can be crippling and often I feel all alone myself. In one way I actually am a large part of the time.
Lie: I’m in this all alone. I am ALL ALONE.
Truth: We are safe, he covers and defends us.
Dodi Note: Yes, we feel alone. The following passages speak truth.
Verse: Psalm 91:4 4
He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
Gen 16:13 So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”
Dodi Note: This was Hagar who went into the desert to die…but God had other plans.
Deut 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
Genesis 28:15
Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
Jeremiah 32:40
I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will never turn away from Me.
Dodi Note: An EVERLASTING covenant.
Thank you for coming. I will post that song and the room is open for fellowship now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOBaLrItEyc