Introduction: Has our Lord answered prayers in your life? Remember, unoffered prayer is unanswered prayer. Also keep in mind that our Lord answers prayer according to His will and ultimate purpose.

Consider the following truth:

1. If you ask anything…

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (1John 5:14-15).

Do you know what this will do? It should give us great confidence in praying the right way!

2. Jesus sees the “Big Picture”!

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ” (Eph 1:10).

Notice the progression:

* our inheritance – heaven

* His plan- predestinated

* His glory

Conclusion: So keep praying but also remember His will is supreme. Really, if the truth be known, Jesus has our best interest in mind. 

“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:22-24).

A couple of thoughts:

1. The Object of our Faith is GOD! – “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.”

In the context of Mark’s inspirational writing in this chapter, Jesus had cursed a fig tree while traveling back and forth to Jerusalem. Peter is astonished, and points out the withered fig tree. From there Jesus seizes the opportunity with a teaching moment on Faith and Prayer.

2. The Overcoming of Doubt! – “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

In other words, “doubt and do without” or “believe and receive”.

3. The Opportunity of Prayer! – “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

This should make us want to pray!

Introduction: It’s one thing to get down, but it’s quite another to stay down! Do you ever get down? How can you get up?

1. We get down at times like the Psalmist! (Psa 42:4,6) – “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me:”

Various reasons cause us to get down; i.e. disappointments, setbacks, people, problems, etc. Are you down today?

2. The Lord can get you up! (Psa 42:5) – “… hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”

“… therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.”

No matter what we go thru Jesus Christ can sympathize with our troubles and temptations! Therefore, we can have hope in Him!

Introduction: There’s nothing like a cup of cold water on a hot summer day! Do you need a drink? Is life handing you a scorching east wind? Will you give a cup of cold water to someone and quench their thirst?

Who needs a cup of cold water?

Those dying in Sin! (Matthew 10:40-42) – “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”

People are facing death everyday. Many are not ready to meet the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23).

And again our Lord said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

This statement by our Lord indicates that most people are not saved and thus not prepared to go to heaven. Have you made preparations?

Have you trusted by faith Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?

Note: There will not be any cold water in the lake of fire…. only fire and torment.

Conclusion: Not only do those who are dying in sin need a cup of cold water, but also those who are dying from sin! Will you give a cup of cold water to someone today? According to Jesus, it will not go unrewarded!

Introduction: Have you ever spent some time with someone who is grieving or hurting? It is a heart wrenching situation. Why? Because you want to help but feel so limited. It is not necessarily what you say, in fact you can say the wrong thing, but it is simply listening that really counts. Some who are going thru a difficult time do NOT want to talk, but some do. Please use Spirit-led caution when approaching this kind of situation. This brings to mind a teacher who once asked her 2nd grade class to spell COMPASSION. One little girl got out of her seat, walked up to the teacher’s desk, held her arms up, and wrapped them around the teacher’s neck and squeezed lightly. Needless to say, the girl got an A+!!!

Paul wrote to the Romans and believers today, these words:

“Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits” (Romans 12:15-16).

Keep in mind these believers were becoming stumbling blocks to the weaker CHRISTians. How we identify and edify believers, especially when they are going thru hard times, is important. The bottom line is… when we reach out and pray (only if wanted), we need to exercise sympathy, empathy, and great compassion as our Lord Jesus demonstrated through His earthly ministry.

Introduction: Are we living in the days of the Judges? Before you answer, read the text.

“In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 29:21).

Several insights emerge from this verse.

1. No Leadership – no real King in Israel! (Judges 29:21) – “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

2. No God – fearing Leadership in America! (Judges 29:21) – This would be the modern translation of that verse! 

In these days, there is no real, godly leadership in America: therefore, we are seeing every man doing that which is right in his own eyes.

Most anything goes….away with moral truth, whatever one decides is truth. Really? This my friend is where our nation has departed from the God of the Bible – the living God, Jesus Christ. 

How about you? Do you submit to authority? How about the LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ? Is He Ruler of your life? He desires to be, and really demands to be Lord!

Conclusion: Instead of doing right in our own eyes, we have a great need to be led by our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ!

Amen.

Introduction: Are you free? Free from the penalty of sin? Power of sin? Jesus sets us free!

How can we tell we are free?

* No condemnation

* No more a slave to sin

* No fear of eternity

* No bitterness

* Free to love

* Free to forgive

* Free to worship

* Free to pray

* Free to witness

* Free to give

* Free to help

* Free to care for others

* Free to love Jesus

* Free with a clear conscience

* Free to believe the TRUTH

Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

The truth about…. God’s great Love, Grace, Mercy, Goodness, Provisions, Peace, Joy, Power, Forgiveness!

Conclusion: So may we live in FREEDOM because of the mighty cross of Jesus Christ, the redeeming blood of the lamb, and the enablement of His Holy Spirit!

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal 5:1).

Introduction: Do you need a fresh filling? This writer does….daily. 

Three questions emerge from this text.

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18).

1) Who? (Eph 5:18) – “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”

These words in the Greek are plural in form which means that it is not just for preachers and deacons or Sunday School teachers but for all CHRISTians. The words “be filled” is πληρόω, which means to make full, or to complete.

Are you under control of the Holy Spirit?

2) Why? (Eph 5:18) – “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”

The answer is because without being filled we cannot fulfill our biblical role in the home as husbands and fathers (Eph 5:22-33).

3) How? (Eph 5:18) – “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”

The only way a full cup of milk can be filled with water is to empty the cup of milk first then fill it with water. Do you get the point? We must be emptied of ourselves first in order to be filled with the Spirit.

Conclusion: Needless to say, this is a very practical passage of Scripture. Perhaps it is the key to being an effective witness in our homes, church and world.

Introduction: Apparently, some angels did some bad “stuff”! Both Peter and Jude mention them in their writings. These are called the “Fallen Angels”.

1. Who are these Fallen Angels? (2Peter 2:4,5) – “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.”

Are these the angels that committed fornication with human women? From this text, it appears that the Fallen Angels were judged and confined by the Lord. Whatever they did, it was deserving judgment.

2. What did these “Fallen Angels” do? (Jude 1:6,7) – “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

Did you notice that the Lord tied the angel’s sin thru Jude’s writing to Sodom and Gomorrah’s sin of fornication? Is there a connection between the two?

Some believe that the Angels committed fornication with the “daughters of men” (Gen. 6:1-4).

3. Why did the “Fallen Angels” do this hideous sin?

If this reference is to the angels that procreated with women then the reason seems plausible. In other words, from day one Satan attempted to be like God (Isa 14; Ezek 28). And because he was ejected out of the third heaven, he rebelled and led a revolt against the human race by deceiving Eve, and then Adam, into disobeying God. In so doing, he gained some authority back.

Next, it stands to reason that he wanted to thwart the plan of God by contaminating the human blood line by defiling the offspring. Ultimately, the promise of Messiah’s coming would be derailed. However, his plan failed.

Conclusion: While this is not necessarily clear about the Fallen Angels, it is evident that something happened to cause God to confine them in darkness to be ultimately judged by Him.

Jesus Christ will carry out the judgment upon Satan and his followers.

Jesus will reign forever.