Kansas City, Missouri, United States - Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - “Hide and Seek” – Sunday, 24 August 2014 - Scripture: Psalm 143:1-12

Kansas City, Missouri, United States - Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - “Hide and Seek” – Sunday, 24 August 2014 - Scripture: Psalm 143: A David Psalm
1-2 Listen to this prayer of mine, God;
    pay attention to what I’m asking.
Answer me—you’re famous for your answers!
    Do what’s right for me.
But don’t, please don’t, haul me into court;
    not a person alive would be acquitted there.
3-6 The enemy hunted me down;
    he kicked me and stomped me within an inch of my life.
He put me in a black hole,
    buried me like a corpse in that dungeon.
I sat there in despair, my spirit draining away,
    my heart heavy, like lead.
I remembered the old days,
    went over all you’ve done, pondered the ways you’ve worked,
Stretched out my hands to you,
    as thirsty for you as a desert thirsty for rain.
7-10 Hurry with your answer, God!
    I’m nearly at the end of my rope.
Don’t turn away; don’t ignore me!
    That would be certain death.
If you wake me each morning with the sound of your loving voice,
    I’ll go to sleep each night trusting in you.
Point out the road I must travel;
    I’m all ears, all eyes before you.
Save me from my enemies, God—
    you’re my only hope!
Teach me how to live to please you,
    because you’re my God.
Lead me by your blessed Spirit
    into cleared and level pastureland.
11-12 Keep up your reputation, God—give me life!
    In your justice, get me out of this trouble!
In your great love, vanquish my enemies;
    make a clean sweep of those who harass me.
And why? Because I’m your servant.
“Hide and Seek” by Patricia Kissell
I know of no aspect of the Christian life that has more potential for confusion than the idea of “God’s will.”
There are those who think that they must ask God for His specific will in just about every decision: Should I go shopping today? Should I buy a Honda or a Toyota? Should I invite my new neighbors over for dinner? Some twist themselves into a pretzel agonizing over God’s will.
Then there are those who each day pray for general guidance. They then go about the day making decisions they feel are sound and within the scope of Christian living.
In working with students I often use this illustration. When God made you He gave you two lungs. What is the purpose of your lungs? the purpose of your heart, liver, gallbladder? The students respond correctly. Then I ask them, "What is the purpose of your brain? They stop!! They realize that must mean that God wants them to think, study, compare—do my part in understanding the issues at hand.

Some say if something is God’s will, everything will be positive–success, achievement, recognition. In other words, you could not fail. How many of us could counter that?

Hymn for Today:

"Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord" by B. Mansell Ramsey
1. Teach me Thy way, O Lord, teach me Thy way!
Thy guiding grace afford--teach me Thy way!
Help me to walk aright, more by faith, less by sight;
Lead me with heav’nly light, teach me Thy way!
2. When I am sad at heart, teach me Thy way!
When earthly joys depart, teach me Thy way!
In hours of loneliness, in times of dire distress,
In failure or success, teach me Thy way!
3. When doubts and fears arise, teach me Thy way!
When storms o'erspread the skies, teach me Thy way!
Shine through the cloud and rain, thro' sorrow, toil and pain;
Make thou my pathway plain, teach me Thy way!
4. Long as my life shall last, teach me Thy way!
Where’er my lot be cast, teach me Thy way!
Until the race is run, until the journey’s done,
Until the crown is won, teach me Thy way!

Thought for Today:

“Place Your Life Before God
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”(Romans 12:1-22).
Prayer Needs:
The teams showing the JESUS film in Africa.
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