Wednesday Night Services

There are some things you are just not to mix, and here in the 8th chapter of Ezekiel, we see God has given the word about not mixing pagan things with Godly things, but Israel did not listen. Now they reap the results! But this isn’t the only time this has happened!

Another chapter in Ezekiel where there is so much that relates to our current day. We are going to look at how the enemy of our faith encourages us to leave the safe places God has told us of, to go after the unsafe ones where he can destroy us. Why do so many keep falling for this? Because we forget or never learn the lessons in chapters like Ezekiel 7.

The enemy is a master at deception and compromise. If he can't get you with deception he will try compromise and it works its way in as just a thing of convenience at first, giving you opportunity to do a good thing more often. But compromise weakens us and God knows this which is why he warned Israel, specifically warning them against going after some specific compromises. Well, Israel didn't listen and in this lesson we show you how this compromise worked it's way in until it became pure idiolatry.

Today with the ultra grace gospel so popular, teaching that Jesus died for all so all must be saved, portraying a God who is all love and no judgement, Ezekiel's message is a big contrast! Through demonstration God through Ezekiel gives a message of a coming judgment on His people, Israel! If God is able to judge His own special people, how much more can and will He judge the world!

Ezekiel is told very firmly to speak the words of God to rebellious people who will not listen or heed the words spoken. He is given a very stern warning of what would happen if he doesn’t speak these words. How can we be sure that the words we speak are the words of God and is there a penalty on us for not doing so as there was with Ezekiel?

What is happening in the present day always has roots in what has happened in the past. It is no different today or in the days of Ezekiel, so we spend some time to see what led up to these prophecies and what the children of Israel have done against God up until this time. Then we take on the four living creatures. In the end we are going to see that our God is more awesome than we can even imagine He is!

Who was Ezekiel and what was the ministry God called him to? As we begin this new series on the book of Ezekiel who had many tough messages to deliver to the remnant of the children of Israel in captivity. The days of Ezekiel as it turns out were very similar in some ways to today. There were prophets "of God" who said very contrary things to the words that Ezekiel and Jeremiah spoke and people became confused. Some sided on the non God side thinking they were believing the words of God. Others became completely turned off to all prophecies. How did the word of God continue in this environment and so much more as we introduce the days of Ezekiel the prophet.

In this midweek service we are looking at 2 Timothy 3:1-3 and breaking down a few words in this passage to give us a good idea of what is happening around us in what the Bible calls the "last days." Paul gives us signs to look for in the attitudes of men and when you see what he means by the words he uses, you will understand much more the events of today.

Who do you associate with? In tonight's word study we are looking at a verse in Romans (Ch.12, Vs. 16) and study several words to get the full meaning of this verse. It seems that we should hang out with poor people over rich and people of low esteem, but this verse has great meaning that many translators had difficulty putting into the English.

In tonight's word study we will be looking at how to study a word that is used many, many times, in fact the word we study tonight is used about 350 times in the New Testament! How do you get a feel for the word when it is used so many times? Now, the word we are going to study is the Greek word "polus" and it means MANY. How appropriate right! We are going to use it’s meaning to help us better understand two passages with a similar message. One in Romans 12:4-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

The word diligence is used often in the word of God and tonight we are going to look at one particular word in the Greek that is translated diligent, zeal, earnestness, and so forth. What can we learn when we study this word out in scripture. Now this word has a noun form as well as a verb, adjective, and adverb so we can show you how to add this aspect to your word studies.

Have you done word studies in the New Testament on your own? Do you know how they differ from other types of study? In tonight's Wednesday night service we will be doing a word study and at the same time showing you how to do one on your own. Many of the tools used you can now find on the internet so there is nothing to go out and buy. The word we will be looking at is the word "nous" or the mind, understanding and is used in the verse in the attached picture. Knowing the specific Greek word used and it's meaning can very often help you understand the verse better.

There is much about the people you are praying for that should affect the way you pray for them. Many times we are affected by the wrong things in our prayers for others, but in these prayers of Jesus we will see what should influence our prayers as we pray for others. We finish our mini series tonight looking at two of the prayers that Jesus made on behalf of His disciples.

What makes a prayer effective when we are praying for another believer? As I study this question in the word of God one thing jumps out; one particular characteristic than should be present whenever we pray for another believer. If you will do this one thing, your prayers for others will be both scriptural and effective. Without this characteristic your prayers for others will be on the opposite end of the spectrum and be both unscriptural and ineffective. What is this quality? Well, I don’t just want to tell you, I want to show it to you in the scriptures. I wanted to spend a little more time looking at praying for other people and have been studying the prayers of Paul and Jesus for other people in the Bible. It took a little while to find the common trait but as we go through the word you will see it.

Our thoughts are the best evidence of our spiritual state and actually originate within our heart. Have you allowed other heart-thoughts, about who you are to change your state? Come out tonight as we discuss if you are the one.

How do you pray for other Christians? Do you say something like "Oh God be with them" or "bless them" and how do you even know if those prayers are answered? Paul is the most common leader in the Bible to ask for prayer, but what can we rightfully pray for them? Tonight, we will look at this topic with some of the most common useless prayers (and what makes them useless) as well as what are some effective things to pray and what makes them effective, as we wrap up our series on the book of Hebrews.

What is the purpose of corporate prayer? Does more people praying talk God into it? Maybe he needs to know we are interested? If "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16) why do I need others to pray at all? What things need corporate prayer and what things don't? We look at 5 Examples of corporate prayer and what its intended purpose is.

Are we not of this world or without a city? We could say both are true, but what does Hebrews have in mind in chapter 13 and verse 14? This verse is translated both ways, one with we are not of this world in mind, and the other “we have no continuing city.” So what is meant here and how does this determination make a difference in our Christian walk? We also look at verse 15 and the “sacrifice of praise,” and verse 17 “Obey those who have the rule over you.

Have you ever wondered why we do what we do as Believers. This Wednesday/ today we'll take a look at what we do, then why we do it. Finally we'll find out, if what we do, has any benefit to us. Hope to see you there.

What things visible in the lives of leaders in the body of Christ would be considered profitable or of benefit to our spiritual growth? Have you given this thought before? Apparently it is good to know and in these 3 verses in Hebrews 13 (Vs. 7-9) the benefits are made known to us. Now, if you read these three verses over the flow may not jump out at you, but it is there. Once we see it, the ultimate goal of Verse 9 "that the heart be established by grace" will become established in you.