The Open Word (Audio)

God isn’t impressed with religious ceremony and self-importance. So if we become more concerned about what people think through the demonstration of religious activities, rather than pleasing God, we’ll walk in self-deception. In today’s message with Pastor David, let’s take the opportunity to hear how the Word of God weighs our actions and motivations concerning worship. If what we seek are the praises of men that is all we’ll get. But if our hearts are pure, we will bless the Lord.

JESUS always confronted the religious for their unbelief. Abraham, who they claimed as Father, was justified by faith. Yet when JESUS came to fulfill the Scriptures, they continued to reject Him and refused to receive Him by faith. As we get into today’s teaching with Pastor David, we’ll consider the religious people continued to challenge His identity and authority as Messiah. JESUS, the Son of God was in their midst yet they would not believe what they saw and heard with their very eyes.

Our relationship with God is more black and white than we like to think. As Pastor David explains in today’s teaching, when we coast through life, we will inadvertently partner with the enemy. If we allow the flesh to take control by living for ourselves, we will give up too much ground when we should be powerfully advancing the Kingdom of God. The enemy loves it when we sit back and rest on our eternal assurance. Unless we are growing in Christ, we will surely be ripped off by the enemy of our souls.

JESUS was continually tested by the religious authorities. And while it’s not a bad thing to test what we hear, wrong motivations can blind the eyes of those administering the test! As we listen to Pastor David, we’ll learn about the thoughts and motivations that blinded the eyes of the religious authorities who came in attempt to expose Him. God knows our thoughts, and by the power of the Holy Spirit we can discern the hidden motivations of a person’s heart too. With JESUS, nothing is left unexposed.

God is a loving giver. And when He gives, He doesn’t do so begrudgingly. So when we persist in prayer according to His will, He will give to us generously in keeping with His Word. In our time with Pastor David, we’ll hear how our Heavenly Father responds when we ask, seek, and knock on His door, even if it’s in the middle of the night. So be persistent in prayer. He delights in us when we express our hearts before Him. God loves to show Himself faithful when we come to Him in prayer.

God answers prayer. And God is never hindered by what we may consider an inconvenient time to approach Him. As we’ll hear in today’s study with Pastor David, God is always available to meet our need no matter the day or hour. JESUS is the door and also the bread of life. Anyone who comes to the door and knocks, seeks, or asks for bread will never be disappointed. God delights in supplying His children with what they need. And will open the door to anyone who will come to Him by faith.

We need God today, tomorrow, and always. The question is, do we ask for Him every day? Pastor David today looks in depth at the Lord’s Prayer, and shares with us the importance of asking God each day to provide what we need. Today, we may need food, or help on a difficult task, or love for another person. Tomorrow, we will likely need those things again and possibly more! Asking God each day to provide what we need reminds us to rely on Him for everything, big and small, and to put Him first always!

There are certain truths in the Bible that are fairly common knowledge to Christians, but it never hurts to repeat them and remind ourselves of the reasons behind them. One of those truths is that prayer is vital to our walk with God! Pastor David shares this truth again in today, but also points out that Jesus, the Son of God and probably the only person to walk the earth with that direct a connection to God, prayed frequently! If Jesus needed to pray, and still prays, we should find it absolutely necessary!

Serving God is an important part of our time here on earth. We were not put here simply to move through our days, waiting for death or for Jesus to return! God blessed us with abilities, and loved us enough to save us, giving us a great reason to serve Him! However, Pastor David cautions us today to not let serving God become the only thing we do. God also wants to have a relationship with us, one where we stop long enough to sit at His feet and drink in His presence! That is the most important thing!

Each person on earth has unique gifts and talents that God has given us. These gifts are to be used to glorify God, and to help bring His message to everyone we meet. Today, Pastor David reminds us that sometimes this can seem lonely, as if you are the only one serving God amidst the evil of the world. You are not alone, however! Everyone brings their uniqueness to serving God, but everyone is still capable of serving God, and many are! Our task is to serve Him the way we were designed to serve Him!