Prayer is...

Psalm 27:4 (NKJV)

⁴ One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:

Prayer is the pursuit of having a intimate relationship with God. 

That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,

 Prayer is a desire to dwell in God's presence. 

To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.

Prayer is a desire to gaze upon Him.

Dino Rizzo, Church of the Highlands

21 Days of Prayer

(Psalm 90:12) “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” 

1. Set your prayer objectives. (James 4:2-3) “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” 

2. Decide what type of fasting you will do. (Matthew 6:16-18) “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” 

3. Make it a heart thing not a food thing. (Joel 2:12-13) “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God… 

4. Put to death the flesh. (Romans 8:13) “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live…” 

5. Choose a different lifestyle. (Isaiah 58:3) “Why have we fasted,” they say, “and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?” “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please…” 

6. Expect results. (Isaiah 58:8-9) “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I…” 

First Love 

(Matthew 22:37) “Jesus replied: ʻLove the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.ʼ” 

(John 4:23-24) “…the Father seeks worshippers… and His worshippers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” 

(2 Samuel 6:20-22) When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel--I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this…” 

(Revelation 2:4-6) “Yet I(Jesus) hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” 

 Remember your first love. 
 Remove the obstacles. 
 Rejoin the path of obedience.

Video
https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/first-love

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands

A Time to Change

How can I find the best version of myself?  

When I do, it will bring me great joy regardless of my circumstances. 

If it were easy, I'd already done it. 

(Luke 9:57-62 MSG) 

On the road someone asked if he could go along. “I’ll go with you, wherever,” he said. Jesus was curt: “Are you ready to rough it? 

We’re not staying in the best inns, you know.” Jesus said to another, “Follow me.” He said, “Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father’s funeral.” 

Intentions are easy, but my execution has been bad. 

Jesus refused. “First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God’s kingdom!” 

Then another said, “I’m ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home.” 

Jesus said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.”

My goal is to get you moving to where you always wanted to travel.   

Auld Lang Syne means days gone by.

1. Move on from old history.

(Isaiah 43:18-19) “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I (God) am doing a new thing! 

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

From your previous year, what should you allow into your New Year?

   

2. Move on from old habits.

(Isaiah 58:6) “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?”

What are you addicted too?  

What do you need to lay aside?  

Where you are is either good or bad, but you're not supposed to be there permanently. 

If we want something that we've never had, we've got to do something that we've never done. 

   

3. Move on from old hurts.

(2 Corinthians 5:17-18) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ…

It is the distractions that are keeping you in the past.   

You can't do anything about it, but to move on.  

Don't be stuck in the same place.   Take this time seriously.  You can be healed.

I can’t start the next chapter of my life if I keep re-reading the last one.

Time to Make a Change

(Matthew 4:17) From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Repent simply means to change your thinking.  You need to think about your situation like God thinks about it. 

1.It’s time to get closer to God.

(James 4:8 NLT) Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

Don't do this year your way, but God's way.  God is a lot closer than you might think, and it's easier than you think.  God is not far from you, but near. 

2. It’s time to get honest with a friend.

(James 5:16 NLT) Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

God asks you to become accountable to someone.  Ask them to hold you to this.  That's why we have church small groups.

  

If you what to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go with others.   

3. It’s time to get in tune with your purpose and passions.

(Galatians 6:3-4) If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 

Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else.

We can't make anything external great.  Joy comes from knowing that what we did matters. 

4. It’s time to get on doing something 

greater than myself.

(Ephesians 2:10 MSG) (God) creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

If we dedicate ourselves to something greater than ourselves, God will fill it with adventure and passion.  

I can’t go back and change the

beginning, but I can start where I am  

and change the end.

JOIN US FOR 21 DAYS OF PRAYER – January 6-26, 2019

Prayer services: Monday-Friday 6:00 a.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. CST, United States. 

All services streamed live at www.churchofthehighlands.com.  

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands

Video

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/time-to-make-a-change1

All scripture is from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

Detox your Soul

Your Soul is the part of your body that houses your emotions. 

Psalm 42:5 (MSG)

5 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
    Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
    soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
    He’s my God.

Soul Toxins

1. Eliminate  Unforgiveness.  Let them go and set yourself free. 

Hebrews 12:15  (NLT)

Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

2. Eliminate Comparison. 

James 3:14-16  (NLT)

14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 

15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 

16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

3. Eliminate Anger. 

James 4:1-2 (NLT)

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 

2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

Expectation is the root of all anger.  Don't depend upon circumstances, but trust in your relationship with God.

3. Eliminate worry (fear).   We can't change the past or control the future. 

Matthew 6:27 (NLT)

27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

You actually lose the moment. 

Soul Detox 

Proverbs 4:23  (NKJV)

23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.

1. Add right relationships.

Proverbs 13:20  (NLT)

20 Walk with the wise and become wise;
    associate with fools and get in trouble.

Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future. 

2. Add a God-defined identity.  Let God who made you tell you who you are.

Galatians 6:4-5 (MSG)

4-5 Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

3.  Live a Crucified life.  

Galatians 2:20  (NLT)

20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 Corinthians 15:31 (NLT)

31 For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you.

4. Have an eternal perspective.   This life is not your reality.   We're just passing through. 

Colossians 3:1-2  (NLT)

3 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/soul-detox

Detox your spirit

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 (NLT)

14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 

15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 

16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:

“I will live in them
    and walk among them.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.
17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
    and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don’t touch their filthy things,
    and I will welcome you.[f]
18 And I will be your Father,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,
    says the Lord Almighty.

7 Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.

Psalm 13:2 New Living Translation (NLT)

2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
    with sorrow in my heart every day?
    How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

Romans 8:5, 13 (NLT)

5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 

13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.

Starve... 

1. Starve Doubt.  I will tune out the world to focus on God.  I will trust what God says no matter what we see.

Proverbs 3:5 (NLT)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV)

7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2. Starve Negativity.  I will think what God thinks.

Isaiah 26:3  (NKJV)

3 You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

We are defined by what we can't live without. 

3. Starve Sin.  I will turn from sin to do what God wants.

Romans 6:13 (NLT)

13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.

Feed...

1. Feed on God's Word.  I will read God's Word daily.

Psalm 1:1-2  (GNT)

1 Happy are those
    who reject the advice of evil people,
    who do not follow the example of sinners
    or join those who have no use for God.
2 Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord,
    and they study it day and night.

2. Feed on the Worship of God. I will live a life of Worship.  

John 4:24 New Living Translation (NLT)

24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Philippians 4:8-9  (NLT)

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

3. Feed your Prayer Life.   Pray everyday throughout the day.

Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV)

17 pray without ceasing,

2 Chronicles 7:14  (NLT)

14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/spirit-detox