PRAY IT! Mountain5

Hi PoC!  A little snow may have set us back a week with regards to the sermon series, but perhaps what we view as a "set back", God can use to make that we are alert and "take notice" of what He wants to say to us.  So, let's all review together how we can prepare our hearts and minds prior to Sunday as we continue to "pray it" through the Sermon on the Mount!

Matthew 5:27-30.  The Sermon on the Mount continues.  Can you picture yourself there, in the crowd, listening to Jesus?

Lust!

Well, Jesus has either gotten the people’s attention, "Oh that Jesus is bringing up all kinds of hot-button issues!" or the crowd is feeling awkward and looking up at the sky or down at their feet…at anywhere but Jesus.  "Oh, Jesus, you can't talk about that... I mean, come on Jesus, my grandma is standing right next to me...!"  Which camp would you fall in?

Regardless of how you’d envision yourself responding if you were listening to Jesus give this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, we all need to keep our attention focused on Jesus as we continue on our Sermon on the Mount journey together. 

As we focus our prayers together this week, PoC, we are going to “back up the bus” so-to-speak, and look at Matthew 4 to help form our prayers this week as we prepare for Sunday’s message.

In Matthew 4, prior to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we read how He began His ministry and called His disciples.  Prior to that, in Matthew 4:1-11, we read how Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. 

Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus fasted. 
When He was tempted, Jesus responded with Scripture.  He responded with humility.  He responded with a correct view of His Father.

Whether it's anger or lust or divorce, or anything found in the Sermon on the Mount, this is a really, really good response to look to as a model for help. 

We live in a noisy world – so many things vying for our attention.  People like to talk and give their opinions, solicited or not.  Compliments, criticisms, thoughts and general “ponderments”, down-right mean things… in-person, radio, TV, social media… it can go from opinions to requests.  Buy this… buy that… do this… do that… time is running out!  Nothing else will do!  Again, it has the potential to be noisy and exhausting. 

Lust is just one example of many, many things that someone, somewhere, is trying to use to be a competitive voice in our heads, attempting to reinforce the notion that what we have isn’t satisfying and what they offer is. 

As we pray and prepare our hearts for Sunday, PoC, we need to quiet the voices.  Whether it feels like a thousand voices, or just one quiet whisper suggesting that we know better than God and can provide better for ourselves than God can... we need to walk together in the power of God's strength and say "HUSH!" 

Romans 16:20 states that "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."

Oh yeah!  Sounds good to me.

This week we will be challenged to choose love (for God and others) over lust.  Some questions to ponder in our quiet time with God prior to Sunday:
Am I being led by the Holy Spirit? 
Am I spending time in God's presence?
Am I focused on Jesus?
Do I have a correct view of God?
Am I trusting God to meet my needs, or do I think I could do a better job?
What voices do I need quieted so that I can better hear from God?

Dear Jesus,
Please help me.

Please help me quiet any voice except for Yours.  Please help me to focus on You and hear You clearly, to lean in and trust You completely, and to prepare to choose love over lust.  Please have mercy on me and cleanse me from my sin.  Jesus, help me to depend on You.
Amen.

PoC, see you Sunday at 9:30am for prayer, 10am for worship.  We are so blessed to be able to do life together.  Your pastors love you and are praying for you!

Pastor Celia