Inspirational sermon...

This past week we had a group of people come in from the states to do chapel in the high school and they led the teachers and workers in a worship service. I was very encouraged and inspired by the devotional they gave... Below is the notes I took as I listened.

HOW TO PRAY

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
(Colossians 1:9-14 ESV)

1. "LORD, help us know what to do." (v.9)
DISCERNMENT: We must have spiritual discernment. Our greatest need is to hear from God.

2. "LORD, help us do what we know." (v.10)
DISCIPLINE: If you only hear but don't do, you will do nothing for the kingdom of God.

3. "LORD, help us do it with the power you provide." (v.11)
DEPENDENCE: The devil tries to keep us from hearing, (business is not next to godliness) or keep us from obeying, but he's also satisfied if we try to do things in the flesh. If we start in the spirit and finish in the flesh, we will fail.

4. "LORD, help us keep doing it." (v.11)
DETERMINATION: Two things: patience and long-suffering. Patience with difficult situations, and long suffering with difficult people. Life is never going to be easy.

5. "LORD, help us do it with joy." (v.11)
DELIGHT: Duty is not enough. The world is desperate to find Christians with joy. Joy doesn't come from circumstances or people, our source is Jesus valued. We get our joy only from the hope in Jesus.

"LORD, help us know what to do, help us do what we know, help us do it with the power you provide, help us keep doing it, help us do it with joy. Amen."