Bible Text: Genesis 3:1 | Preacher: Frank Bolling | Series: 2018 Summer Series

July 25, 2018 – Summer series

Where are you?

Gen 3:1-
Serpent in garden, “eyes will be opened”, knew they were naked, sewed from g leaves into loin cloth, heard the Lord, hid themselves, God asked “Where are you?” This was first question asked in the Bible.

1 Tim 4:6-
Train yourself for godliness, transformation happens when you connect with God.

Acts 4:13
Authorities were astonished at the boldness of Peter and John , they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Transformation happens when you discipline yourself for God.

In “The Screwtape letters”, Wormwood’s charge has become a Christian Screwtape tells him not to worry because most “Christians” do not remain as Christian.

Gal 6:6 in order to grow in the Spirit you must cast the correct seed.

What is keeping you from connecting with God?

You must ask “Where am I”

Mat 6:9 Lord’s prayer, ““Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

The closer we get to God the more we realize that He is leading us to lead others to God.

When we connect to God we reveal our dependence on him. Reveals our sin and His forgiveness.

Isaiah 6:1 Call of Isaiah, can see God the king the lord of hosts.

Connecting to God through prayer also let’s us connect to our Christian family.

Connecting to God allows us to connect to true strength, God the founder and perfector of our faith.

We need to connect to our strength, brothers and sisters and through the faithful witness of normal people.

Where are you?, what’s keeping you from connecting?

Bible Text: Genesis 1:26 | Preacher: Frank Bolling | Series: 2018 Summer Series

How God envisions our work as part of His plan.
What was your first job?
There many philosophies regarding jobs. You have to make a living some how. There are mouths to feed, etc. Retirement leaves people with the feeling of, “What’s my Purpose?”
God designed us to work. Gen 1:26 “fill the Earth and subdue it…”
God is a worker, creator, Gen 2:7 “God formed man, God planted a garden, Psalms 104:10 says “You (God) make valleys.. plant trees.. made the Sun and the moon”
God made us in his image, he is a worker, therefore we should be workers. God rested after His work. God did not design us to be lazy.
He designed the cycle, Rest -> work -> play. God intended for us to participate in this cycle. Work was a part of the Eden paradise.
God’s plan for our work is that we actually do stuff with our life, Work has an inherent dignity to it. The Greeks believed that physical work was demeaning and work of the mind was more noble and dignified. Gen 3:17 God cursed Adam to eat of the work of the ground. People blame Adam for the hard work. Work is not the result of the fall of Adam but work has been profoundly effected by the fall. Rom 8:18-23. Ecclesiastes 2:17 says “all is vanity, all of his days are full of sorrow, toil leads to leaving it to someone else, work is a vexation, sorrow.” ECC 3:12 says, “Everyone should eat and take pleasure in their work as it is a gift from God”.
IF we set our expectations realistically then our work does n0t seem so dreary. A Christian’s main work is to do God’s will. A Christian’s secular work goal is to be the best worker that you can be. When we connect our faith to our work we realize we are loving our neighbor as ourselves, by contributing to the advancement of our society. Committed to be engaged in this world, we need to be faithfully present wherever we are being a Christian and representing God. Our work is what God has designed us to do.