Sermon Central
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That I May Know Him.the Gift Of Understanding!
Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 17, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: We have choices set before us. One choice should be seeking that we might know Jesus in His power. We need to have understanding growing in our families and churches.
THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING!
LORD, GIVE ME AN UNDERSTANDING HEART ---
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I. THAT I MAY KNOW HIM ...
TEXT:
Philip. 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
A. WE MUST SUBMIT TO GOD.
B. RESIST THE ENEMY.
FLEE FROM SIN.
C. AS WE DRAW NIGH TO GOD --- HE PROMISES TO DRAW NIGH TO US.
D. TO UNDERSTAND:
To grasp the meaning of
To be thoroughly familiar with
To have the power to comprehend
To show sympathetic or tolerant attitudes
To have a firm mental grasp
A true and just evaluation or judgment of worth and value
E. TO KNOW :
To understand the meaning of something
To perceive directly
To apprehend
To have direct cognition of
To discern, to recognize
To be familiar with
To have experience
To be aware of the truth or facts
To have knowledge
To be in possession of exclusive knowledge or information
F. TO LEARN:
To gain understanding or knowledge or skill by study, instruction or experience
To come to knowledge
II. OUR GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND THE CHURCH THAT IS MUCH BIGGER THAN WHO WE ARE? OR WHAT WE ARE? DREAM BIGGER!
A. WE MUST KEEP OUR HEARTS AND MOTIVES PURE.
B. WE MUST ALIGN OUR HEARTS WITH HIS WORD.
C. CONDITIONAL BLESSINGS ARE OURS TO CLAIM.
THE PROBLEM OF THE HEART IS THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM.
1 Kings 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
III. WILL WE DARE TO ASK WHAT WE WANT GOD TO DO?
THERE ARISES BEFORE US TODAY THE OPPORTUNITIES OF DIVINE POSSIBILITIES!
WILL WE SEE GOD CAN DO ABOVE OUR POTENTIAL?
A. Do we understand the choices we make today can set in motion God’s potential?
B. Poor choices can become a trap of great doom?
1 Kings 3:5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
C. We must arise with the heart of a humble, willing servant. We must acknowledge our limitations in the LIGHT OF HIS DIVINE POSSIBILITIES.
1 Kings 3:7 And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
D. SOLOMON KNEW TO ASK BOLDLY --- WHY NOT BELIEVE FOR A RELEASE AND DELIVERANCE.
We can not allow the failures of the past dictate our DIVINE POSSIBILITIES!
1 Kings 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
E. THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING IS THE GIFT THAT REACHES BEHIND THE VEIL OF TODAY --- INTO THE REALM THAT PLEASES GOD!
BLESSINGS ARE RELEASED WHEN GOD’S PEOPLE MAKE GOD PLEASING CHOICES.
1 Kings 3:10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not
asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern
judgment;
F. GOD RELEASES A SPECIAL GIFT TO SOLOMON.
1 Kings 3:12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee
before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
IV. HOW SHALL WE DECIDE A SITUATION WHEN OUR UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE IS LIMITED?
GOD CAN GIVE DISCERNMENT INTO SITUATIONS AND PROBLEMS THAT IS BEYOND HUMAN POWER OF REASONING.
A. Solomon’s first case before the throne was impossible, the best lawyer or judge cannot resolve this?
B. God knows, God reveals when man conceals.
1 Kings 3:16 Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.
C. There were these two Momma’s.
Their integrity was at question, neither of the women were reliable sources of truth.
D. One baby was dead, one baby was alive?
E. One woman claimed the baby was hers?
The other lady claimed the baby was hers?
F. Solomon hears the case, and there were still serious questions?
G. UNDERSTANDING KNOWS THE POWER OF TESTS, TESTING IS A PROCESS OF GROWTH.
