Unforgettable Mountains: Hope

The children's future included hope on a rope. Andrea
Hope is something God has put in our hearts. The disciples climbed the mount of Olives with Jesus. 40 days after the resurrection they were looking forward to his kingdom on earth. Everything would be great after that. But Jesus told them to go and teach the world. Then Jesus rose into the heavens. Their best friend was gone. Then 2 men in heavenly clothes told them that Jesus is coming back. That gave them hope. We can now wait with hope.

Delbert Enns pastor www.EasTview.org
Today we are looking at the Mount of Olives. Maria had open heart surgery. She is doing well now. Abe was healed from a brain aneurysm and says thank you for answered prayer.
Sometimes we wish we had more faith or hope.
When the clouds cover the hope we had we struggle in the darkness. We think we can get over it all by trying harder.
Is there something out there? Ps 42.5 why am I discouraged? I will put my hope in God and praise him again. Rom 15.13 I pray that God the source of hope will fill you with joy and peace.
We can be filled with positive feelings but the only way to fill your bucket of hope is through the Holy Spirit. The mount of Olives is covered with grave yards because people believe that Jesus will return there and those who are buried there will see him right away. It is also full of churches.
King David bought the Mountain from a pagan. During the Absalom rebellion David walked and wept up the hill of mount Olives.
David understood that you can't fight God. His son was coming after him to kill him.
Ps 33. My hope is in the Lord  We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.
A weight machine in the attic doesn't do any good. Faith means exercising hope and change will come.
Modern day idols include possessions. The dark side of the mount of Olives Eze 11. The people of Israel had false hope. The presence of God left. Jerusalem was without the protection of God and waited 3-1/2 years for a change but nothing happened and then left for 400 years until Jesus came.
If you trust in your own things you will lose.
Some of us are building the wrong castle of hope. Trust the one who wants to give you the power of the Holy Spirit. We are blessed with that hope.

Unforgettable Mountains: Victory / Defeat

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that left Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

Mount Calvary
Pastor Delbert www.EasTview.org

The world changed that day on that mountain.
Often there is a valley of distress before getting to the summit.
We often have to go through the valley. The quality of life is not measured by the summit experience but by the way we walk through the valley. Are we in a place of ease and our defences are down and we are caught by surprise.
28 years ago a NW flight took off without proper preflight checks. It crashed and a 4 year - old girl survived because her mom covered her. She became the shield of protection.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Airlines_Flight_255

Jesus has shielded us from the fireball of hell. He have his life to save us.

Calvary. Golgatha. The hill of the skull.
It was the crucifixion place the Romans used. It was meant to get rid of bad people.
Worship is what we give worth ship. Things we value highly. The greatest value gets our best.
That hill has a story. King David wanted to count his army for his own pride.

http://bible.com/116/2sa.24.10.nlt But after he had taken the census, David's conscience began to bother him. And he said to the lord , "I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt, lord, for doing this foolish thing."

David built an alter on the land owned by a non Israelite. It became the place of worship for David. He understood his priorities needed to change. He took the ownership for his wrong doing.
The good news is that when I confess my sin God extends forgiveness. That gives us victory in life.
David paid the price for the oxen and the threshing floor.
http://bible.com/116/1ch.22.1.nlt Then David said, "This will be the location for the Temple of the lord God and the place of the altar for Israel's burnt offerings!"
That's also the place where Jesus was crucified.
You don't have to live in pain.

All People's Church

Dr Gingrich's family from Steinbach with special music.
Ladies vocal trio plus 3 instrumental musicians.
Come ye who mourn

† A Perfect Heart †

Morning sun, light of creation,
Grassy fields of velvet flow.
Silver clouds of shimmering curtains,
He's designed a perfect world.

I'm amazed at His talents,
Stand in awe of one so great,
Now my soul begins to sing out,
To the source from which it came.

Bless the Lord, who reigns in beauty.
Bless the Lord, who reigns with wisdom and with power.
Bless the Lord, who arranged my life with so much love,
He can make a perfect heart. (sing three times)........

Pastor Brian
Welcome
Bible kids camp starts tomorrow Way To Everest
Need a few more volunteers

Lots of kids today

Prayer
Lord, it's a joy to be in your house this morning. Forgive us for the times we forget to honour you. Rejuvenate our spirits and build us up.
Forgive us for ignoring the needs of others. We pray for those in need today. You know what gives is angst this morning.
We look to our nation and pray that you would be with those who want to enter public service that they may remember they serve you. Help us to see that as Christians we are called to pray for the new government that they may uphold your justice.
We pray for those countries with closed doors that the gospel may change their lives.
We pray for our church to be sensitive to the needs of our community.
We pray that our lives may reflect the joy and blessings of Christ who is our life.
Acts 26. Knowing and living in the will and Word of God.
What's next. What should I do?
What is God's will? His Will will be in line with that.
The Scriptures are our guide.

Personal Guidance
How can I distinguish God's will for me?
Paul got arrested and was offered freedom in exchange for money.

2 years later Paul was
brought out to explain himself to the King.  V19 I did not disobey the vision.

http://bible.com/392/act.26.19.CEVUS06 King Agrippa, I obeyed this vision from heaven.
God guides us but there is no formula to figure it out. It's a relationship that leads to discernment. It's not a GPS that directs us turn by turn. In all your ways acknowledge God and he will direct your path.
If we're too busy to spend time with God we can't expect Him to guide us.
God's guidance is not restricted to missionaries. He guides business people as well.
No matter what our profession our main purposes to to serve and honour God.

What is a vision? What do we do with it? Paul got his vision from heaven not his own mind.
The first step has to come from a relationship with God. Psalm delight yourself in God and he will give you what you want is not the right interpretation. If we delight in God his desires will delight us. They become God given desires.

Dr Alf Bell told us to write the key events of your life. The Times when you felt you were in God's will.
Spend time in quite meditation of Scriptures.

A vision from heaven will really envelope you. If you can't really do anything else you'll know you are on the right path.
2 Corinthians 2 we serve God no matter what. We own nothing yet we have everything.
The Christian life has nothing to do with building yourself. The man who built more graneries lost.
Concentration on building your own empires is wrong. A vision from God will always serve others.
A vision will be eternal in significance. Last forever. High profile or behind the scenes - it is about eternal significance.
God's visions will have eternal consequences. Nehemiah 2 he did not say anything about his passion. Eventually the King recognized his vision. God's delays are not God's denials. We may not see all the dreams we expect.
Older people will dream dreams and impart them to young people. Look forward. Join the mission of God.
It's about an eternal vision. That will energize you.

Father we thank you that you are alive and lead us in your steps. We pray that we will have no ambition but to serve you.
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.

Prayer

Dwight Plett Mennville EMC
http://www.emconference.ca/churches/mennville/

Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting.

Moses had a 2 way conversation with God. Sometimes Lorna and I walk through our garden in the evening.
There are many biblical instances of God speaking to people. Job. Enoch. Adam and Eve. Abraham entertained God and spoke to him. John the Baptist was told how to recognize Jesus. Jesus he is God. The disciples heard from God. Paul on the road to Damascus. John and his revelation.

People talk to God. God talks to people.

Does God still speak today? We can as easily stop God from speaking as we can stop the wind.

Are we ready to listen?

What Jesus did on the cross speaks to us for all time. The recorded words of God in the Bible keep us on track.
The stars talk to us about God. Romans 1. No one has an excuse about not knowing God. God speaks to me through nature. In a thunderstorm God speaks about his power. Job, does the rain have a father.

God spoke to me through the safe arrival of a small heifer's calf without help from the vet.

God told me to intervene with an old man. The next day the man thanked me.

It's hard sometimes to make a decision. I had a dream that gave me the confidence to move ahead with a decision.

You have your own stories about how God has spoken to you.
God has the right and ability to speak to you the way he chooses.

God wants to have further conversations with you. He's given us his Word but wants to chat with us. He spoke the first word and we need to respond to him.

We have every advantage. The Holy Spirit, the Bible, Jesus. God will never contradict what he has already said.
Moses had met God and knew he had nothing to brag about.

God has good things in store for us. Let's trust him to be wise and loving even when things are hard.