13/7 The Power of Story

Pastor Bruce Hills (Garden City Christian Church, Brisbane, Australia)

Luke 18:1

God speaks:

4. By visions and dreams

5. By providential circumstances

6. By angels

7. By audible voice

8. By the power of story

Jesus used story...

· To teach disciples

· To help people understand

· To refute detractors

Luke 13

1. “Do not judge” – Matt. 7:1

· Based on incomplete facts

· Heart, verbal

· E.g., military man, baby, cashier

2. “ Power of blood” – 1 John 1:7

· Covered by blood of Jesus, I belong to him

· He purified us

· Protected, cleansed, justified

3. “Importance of maintaining vision” – Neh. 2.12

· What god places in your heart

· Between Holy Spirit & our spirit, reveals what God wants us to do

· When you see something not as it will be

· See with your eyes closed ßà what has been placed in your heart

· Devil will target your vision and attack you. To make you lose sense of direction, real sense of purpose of God

· Discouragement, critical words of others... to take away what God really wants you to do

· Lost the ability to see

· Have faith and believe what God says

· God’s purpose doesn’t change, just that we lost our eyes

· Vision!!!

· Natural à Supernatural

· Ordinary à Extraordinary

· Get that sense back!!!

4. “Love and value each other” – John 13:34-35

· Identification, serving, sacrifice

· Selfless

· Father’s love, Jesus’ love

· Sickness affects health, physical, motion...

· E.g., Leukemia lady, lifegroup à shaved their hair, don’t want to let her feel alone.

· What love?

· Show genuine interests in others

· Incarnation

· Don’t disengage left in others

· Take initiative

· Value lives of one another

· Make difference in somebody’s life

5. “God do all things for the good” – Rom. 8:28

· God sent or God used.

· Redeemed by God

· God’s mercy, He has the best interest and heart

· God’s good, powerful, love

· God’s divine purpose

· Trust him, worship, call upon him at all circumstances

6. “Keep hungry for Jesus” – Rev. 2:4

· Jer. 2:2

· When you want God as much as you want an heir, you will find Him.

· Pursue, listen Him

· Presence of Jesus

ð Gasp, Yield, Hungry, Thirsty for Him.