Divine Encounters

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Are You Wrestling?

Divine Encounters

Are You Wrestling?

Date: 09 February 2020
Speaker: Duane Lowe

There is a “peer pressure” among Christians that says, “God is to be understood.” Frustration always follows the one who tries to understand God.

There are two things to know about God and our place in His grand purpose:

  1. God is to be encountered!

God designed each of us to have encounters with Him, so that He’s our source of Life, peace and joy instead of our family heritage or denominational persuasion being identity.

  1. We play a specific role in our God encounter!

Our encounters at times will have likenesses, which specifically tell us it’s our Creator; our Father at work in us but in the end, we have a specific role that is like no one else that makes each of us special to our Father.

Acts 10:34 (NLT)

Question: How many believe today that if you weren’t in the wrestling match, you’re in, your life would be so much better? God wants to help you move past the thing you’re wrestling with today.

Jacob’s God encounter: Genesis 32:22-30 NIV

Many of us are wrestling between who we’ve become and who we’re supposed to be.

Question: How many of us are in a place , hold an identity, or are in a wrestling match we didn’t think would be the way it is presently? However, you know God has a better plan and purpose for you!

Divine Appointments often include “Wrestling” with something we think we’re supposed to be in control over.

3 Things Jacob Wrestled with:

  1. We Wrestle with our past.

Most people are still discouraged over what they’ve experienced in their past.

Too much energy is spent thinking about and regretting how we’ve arrived at where we’re at instead spending our energy thinking about and going where we’re supposed to be!

Philippians 3:13 (NLT)

Deuteronomy 4:29 (NIV)

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

  1. We Wrestle with our secrets.

There are some appetites that we often feed that are standing between us; our encounter with God and our eternal blessing.

God cannot bless who we pretend to be. Proverbs 28:13  (NIV), Psalm 32:3-5 (NLT)

  1. We Wrestle with God

Whatever conflict you are dealing with, at some point in your life you will reach for God. Everyone does at some point.

  • Try everything and anything and when you have tried everything, God will remain the only One Who can help you!
  • Everyone has to get alone with God at some point!

Life has a way of convincing all of us that God is the only answer! Hebrews 3:7-11 (NLT)

Two Principles that usher us into our Divine Appointment with God

1.Brokenness precedes breakthrough Psalm 51:17 (NIV), 1 Peter 5:5-6 (NIV)

God I’m tired and I’m done with trying to be somebody without You! I can’t do this! I empty myself! I repent! Give me a new way of thinking!

  1.  I Give my Whole Life to God

Putting God in our little world and personal box will not assist us with our present tension and stressed out life.

If you want God’s best, you must go all in! Mark 8:34 (MSG)

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you about this message?

Hinderances

Divine Encounters

Hindrances

Date: 16 February 2020
Speaker: Duane Lowe

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (MSG)

Every God encounter in our lives directly impacts our belief about “who we are.”

Question: What’s hindering your God encounter? 

There are things that we believe about ourselves because you see ourselves from a lens skewed by experiences and circumstance from your past. We often defined ourselves from a perspective we believe about ourselves.

Three Voices we listen to:

  1.  Voice of failure or rejection – “l am what I did”
  2.  Voice of social pressure – “l am who they say l am“
  3.  Voice of inferiority – “You are not good enough” 

Jesus want to personally talk to you about YOU! 

As Jesus taught, when we have an ear to hear what His Spirit is saying, it’s easy to believe you are significant and valued! 

James 1:23-25 (NIV)

Moses encounters God through a burning bush, that wasn’t consumed… God gives Moses a mission. However, before Moses embarks on the mission God works on Him to get him ready. Moses responds to God with FOUR insecurities.

Moses’ Four Insecurities:

  1.   “Who am I?” Exodus 3:11-12 (NIV); 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NIV)
  2.   “Who are you (God)?” Exodus 3:13-14 (NIV)
  3.   “What if they?” Exodus 4:1 (NIV); John 12:42-43 (NIV); Romans 1:16 (NIV)
  4.   “I have never…” Exodus 4:10-12 (NIV); Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you about this message?

The Path

The Path

Date: 23 Februrary 2020
Speaker: Craig Ashcraft

Enhancing Your Encounter

Enhancing Your Divine Encounter

Date: 8 March 2020

Speaker: Craig Ashcraft

 

  • While heaven is the source of all encounters, there is always a call for our participation to seal the deal and see God’s full intentions come to light.

 

  • We will look at Mary, the mother of Jesus’ encounter with God and His angel and what she did and what she received.

 

  1. She HEARD the Word- Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! Luke 1:30 NLT
  2. She HUMBLED herself- Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. Luke 1:38 NLT
  3. She HOSTED the Word- Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. Luke 1:38 NLT
  4. She HONORED the Word. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. Mt. 1:25
  5. She HELD a miracle. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. Luke 2:7 NLT  KJV says, “she brought forth…”
The Purpose of Pain

Divine Encounters

The Purpose of Pain

Date: 15 March 2020

Speaker: Duane Lowe

Acts 17:26-28 (NLT)

God wants more interaction with us; He wants to encounter us much more than we want to encounter Him. 

Encounters and interaction with God assist each of us with the continual challenges we endure with insecurities and identity issues. 

God designed us to encounter Him, which always includes an assignment. Often, these assignments come with painful experiences and we will be tempted to assign the blame to God.

Psalm 34:18 (NIV) 

When God sees you in your darkness moments, He’s already close to you. 

Acts 14:22 (NKJV) 

It’s never been His plan to rescue us from all the pain but to encourage us through INTERACTION with Him TO STAND STRONG in the middle of our pain.

2 Corinthians 13:3-5 (NLT)

Ephesians 1:3 (NLT)

There is a place in God’s presence that is perfect for you; it’s the place where you can be who He designed you to be; it’s the place where you are the winner He designed you to be in Him; it’s the place where you are completely fulfilled! 

Psalm 34:18 (NIV) 

Pain doesn’t have to be a problem; it can be a platform for God to bring greatness out of your life if you know how to recognize it. 

Isaiah 6:1-4 (NIV)

Isaiah had regular interaction with God, let’s consider its impact on him in.  When things weren’t going so good, Isaiah sees the Lord and sees three things. When you’re going through a challenging time, you need to look for these three things.

  1. When something is happening to me, God wants to reveal Himself in me.

Isaiah 6:5 (NIV)  

We often say that God is an awesome, loving and kind God but He’s also a consuming fire. Our attitude and respect level for Him is often off or out of spiritual balance.

  1. When we see God clearly, we see ourselves clearly.

When we see Who God is, we see who we are. 

Condemnation shames us for what we’ve done. Conviction shows us how we can change.

Isaiah 6:6-8 (NIV)

  1. When we see ourselves clearly, we see our future clearly.

Callings from God happened to us in painful times. 

All of us have been designed by God with purpose and all of us need to be a part of a:

  • Work that has meaning attached to it (Life Changers)
  • Community with unconditional love for us. (Small Groups) 
  • Our suffering must have meaning/purpose. 

Genesis 50:20 (NLT)

Romans 8:28 (NLT)

My pain is either a jail that imprisons me or a school that empowers me. God is actually at work when we feel our worst. 

There’s Purpose in my pain. Here are three responses we should have for our pain: 

  1. Stop running from God and run to God.

Your emotions and mind will tell you God has let you down, but He hasn’t. He’s actually very close to you in your darkness.

Isaiah 55:6 (NIV) 

Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)

  1. Take the steps to grow.

The reason bad days body slam us is because there is little depth in our lives. 

1 Peter 2:2-3 (NLT)

  1. Allow God to use what I’ve been through to help others.

Allow this experience you have with God to actually qualify you. What you’ve been through in life doesn’t disqualify you, it qualifies you! 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT)

 

God Is Seeking You
Date: 22 March 2020
Speaker: Duane Lowe

John 4:23 (NIV)

God is looking for believers that speak His living words and follow His lead! 

GOD IS LOOKING FOR YOU!! NOW!!! You’ve gotten yourself into trouble and He’s actually running you down in your pride and self-will to graciously and mercifully invite you to interact with Him. | 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NLT)

  • If you can’t find God, worship Him; He’ll find you. 
  • When we worship God the way He wants us to worship He always shows up in our lives!

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

  • God designed us to desire Him and to come to Him, but not without experiencing His Love and passion for us first! | John 4:23 (NIV)

Here’s three encounters that will encourage you to get hungry and thirsty for God.

  1. The worship leader challenges Jehoshaphat |  2 Chronicles 20:14-15 (NIV), 2 Chronicles 20:20-22 (NIV)
  2. David and his men of valor doing what they do as men of war | 1 Samuel 30:1-4 (NLT), 1 Samuel 30:6-7 (NLT)
  3. Paul and Silas cast out demons | Acts 16:22-26

What kind of worshipper are you going to be?

  • Those who meander around as though they can take Jesus or leave Him, will never experience finding Him and the joy that comes with experiencing Him…
  • Proof that God is wanting to be found: Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)
  • What is worship and what does it look like? Mark 12:28-30 (NIV)

3  Ways we can seek God to open up the divine encounter

  1. Expressing my affection to him
  2. Focusing my attention on him
  3. Using my abilities for him

There are parts of God you’ll continually discover when you maintain an “all in” heart: 

  1. What do I love most? Heart & Soul
  2. What do I think about most? Mind
  3. What do I do most? Strength

In 2020, what if we determine to love Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength? What if we commit to seeking Him out until we’re all in with Him; only saying what He says and doing what He does? 


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