Church 1/16/2020
Offertory scripture:
Theme: Malachi 1: honor God
Sermon message:
Point: God loves you and He wants you blessed.
The Bible is a love letter to us from God.
Even though the world is full of turmoil, God will bring us through this.
The Bible will sometimes have answers that don't appear to make natural sense.
1 Corinthians
The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:14 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1%20Corinthians%202:14&version=NIV
Tonight's thesis: Welcoming God's power by raising your hands.
If God can lead the Israelites to the promised land, He can lead us.
Teaching passage:
The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.” So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.” Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. He said, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”
Exodus 17:8-16 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Exodus%2017:8-16&version=NIV
Joshua is first introduced, in this passage.
The Amalekites were also first introduced, in this passage. (They are the descendants of Esau.) Israel wasn't the one attacking. The Amalekites were the ones attaching. Satan is using these people to try to steal, kill, and destroy the Israelites. The Amalekites were part of the reason the Israelites were afraid to go into the promised land. These people are interwoven into other parts of Israelite history.
Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!
Deuteronomy 25:17-19 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Deuteronomy%2025:17-19&version=NIV
Do not forget to pray or read your bible. When you stop, Satan will attack you because you lag behind the others.
Always in exodus it talks about tomorrow. What you do today will affect your tomorrow.
I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.’”
Exodus 8:23 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Exodus%208:23&version=NIV
Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.” Moses answered, “As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord, and tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Only let Pharaoh be sure that he does not act deceitfully again by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord .”
Exodus 8:28-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Exodus%208:28-29&version=NIV
The Lord set a time and said, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the land.”
Exodus 9:5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Exodus%209:5&version=NIV
Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now.
Exodus 9:18 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Exodus%209:18&version=NIV
Raised hands are part of biblical prayer. It's a position. It's important and in the Bible.
Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the Lord. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the Lord ’s.
Exodus 9:29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Exodus%209:29&version=NIV
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven and said: “ Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.
1 Kings 8:22-23 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1%20Kings%208:22-23&version=NIV
When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord , where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven.
1 Kings 8:54 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1%20Kings%208:54&version=NIV
Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God
Ezra 9:5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Ezra%209:5&version=NIV
Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
Nehemiah 8:6 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Nehemiah%208:6&version=NIV
Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
Psalm 28:2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Psalm%2028:2&version=NIV
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
Psalm 63:4 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Psalm%2063:4&version=NIV
Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord . Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.
Psalm 134:1-2 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Psalm%20134:1-2&version=NIV
Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.
1 Timothy 2:8 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=1%20Timothy%202:8&version=NIV
Bottom line: what does the Word of God say? Don't let your tradition keep you from worship God.
Raised hands bring victory in spiritual battles. It's a spiritual weapon.
So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.
Exodus 17:10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Exodus%2017:10&version=NIV
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=2%20Corinthians%2010:3-5&version=NIV
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Ephesians%206:12&version=NIV
When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
Exodus 17:12 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Exodus%2017:12&version=NIV
Raised hands reminds us that God is fighting for us.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.”
Exodus 17:14 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Exodus%2017:14&version=NIV
Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. He said, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”
Exodus 17:15-16 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Exodus%2017:15-16&version=NIV