BRICK-BY-BRICK Part 2 - Center of Praise Ministries

WEEKLY
BRICK-BY-BRICK Part 2
Center of Praise Ministries,
Sacramento, CA
Week of December 20, 2015
Issue No. 33
T
he generous heart exudes from the discipline that embraces life through transparent and honest
self-assessment: not self-judgment. It is in this posture that individual immerses his/herself within
the embrace of the Lord’s provision of joy and strength. This type of living moves beyond making
lemonade when life hands you a lemon. God’s joy (true joy) and strength facilitates transformation and
wholeness within every area of our existence. God’s joy sustains. It is at this point we hear God speaking
clearly into our life and through our life towards others.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
Based Upon the Teachings of Bishop Parnell M. Lovelace, Jr., D.Min.
RESPONDING TO LIFE’S CHALLENGES
As a believer you love God, and you do not reject Him; however,
there are times when you do not walk completely in His will or
His pleasure. It is at these times you need to conduct a selfassessment to determine where your heart is in contrast to His
heart. Are you in alignment with the Lord?
There are times when you live as if your reception has dropped:
much like a mobile phone. When your heart is out of sync and
out of alignment with the Lord, God is saying, “Can you hear Me
now?” “The heart is full of deceit and desperately sick” (Jeremiah
17:9). Rather than immersing yourself in things that would build
your own status or gain more stuff, connect your heart with the
heart of the Father. It is He who administers JOY.
God has more than enough joy for any and all situations. You have
a God who gives you the type of peace capable of surpassing
all understanding, and He can sustain and bring you through.
There are times, however, when disciples of Christ fall outside of
the boundaries of His joy, and become shaken.
In Mark chapter 6, Jesus sent out the Twelve Disciples into the
community in order to administer healing, deliverance from
demon possession, and to transform lives in His name. Later,
they gathered, and thousands upon thousands were drawn to
hear Jesus’ teaching. He took a little boy’s little lunch, and fed
the multitudes using only two fish and five small loaves of bread.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. The Heart’s Ability to Respond to Life’s
Challenges
2. Jesus’ Pattern: Our Example
Jeremiah 17:9-10 (ESV)
9
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
10
“I the Lord search the heart
and test the mind,
to give every man according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Mark 6:51-52
51
And he got into the boat with them, and
the wind ceased. And they were utterly
astounded, 52 for they did not understand
about the loaves, but their hearts were
hardened.
DISCUSSION POINT 1:
The human heart automatically follows
the will of the flesh (carnality). Recognize
the times when your heart is out of
alignment from the heart of the Father.
How can you use the Word of God to
determine your state of alignment? Are
you in or out of alignment with God?
What do you do when God gives you instructions to do something? It is not the time to go into self-judgment
and freak out. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Rather, align yourself with the God who has given you
the assignment by embracing the power of the Holy Spirit to give you everything required to fulfill His will, plan
and purpose. God requires you to use everything He has provided for you to use. You become “freaked out”
when you choose to rely upon your own strength and resources.
Jesus told His Disciples to travel by boat across the lake and He would meet them on the other side. The storm
welled up, and the faith of the men was impacted due to the hardening of their hearts because of the condition
of their situation (Mark 6:52). Jesus approached them, walking on the water, and instructed them to “Take
courage.” They had forgotten about what Jesus had just accomplished only a few hours ago with the loaves.
Don’t forget about the loaves that God has already provided for you. It’s not worth you stressing out or giving
up. Give God praise for the loaves He has already given to you. Give Him praise for His provision.
ELEMENTS OF A WEARY HEART
The weariness of the heart is the prelude of the hardening of the
heart. The fleshy heart becomes hardened when you are tired
and frustrated. There exist element that cause a weary heart:
•
•
•
Consideration is given to the things of the natural more
than to the things of the Holy Spirit. Realign by His Spirit.
Anxiety, disillusionment, sense of loss (grief), loneliness,
confusion, frustration, or Apathy grips the thoughts more
than that of faith. Hush these things that would preoccupy
your mind. Identify and call them out.
There is a familiarity with the routine versus awe at the
divine interruptions of God. Do not miss out on the
opportunities to observe God’s grace and goodness in the
things around you. Look at nature.
Hebrews 12:2-3
2
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of
our faith, who for the joy that was set before him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is
seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
3
Consider him who endured from sinners such
hostility against himself, so that you may not
grow weary or fainthearted.
Galatians 6:4-10 (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.
“Look to Jesus!” He wrote out your faith (Hebrews 12:2). You 6
cannot walk faith out in your own strength. Rather, grab ahold Be very sure now, you who have been trained
to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into
of His faith. He has perfected a faulty and struggling faith, and
a generous common life with those who have
transforms it into a dynamic faith that operates.
trained you, sharing all the good things that you
Peter denied Jesus not long after he defended Him with a sword.
Jesus was tried in the midst of the a partial Sanhedrin council at
night in the house of Caiaphas the High Priest: not how, where
nor when the council would typically meet. Peter stayed close
by, in earshot of this a trial full of false accusations. His faith
was shaken, but Peter’s heart stayed close. Though his heart was
conflicted, he remained close.
have and experience.
Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of
God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The
person who plants selfishness, ignoring the
needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a
crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life
is weeds! But the one who plants in response to
God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in
The cocks crow had nothing to do with the rooster. It was the him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.
time of the changing of the guards when the trumpets would
sound. Do not run from God. Rather, stay close and run to Him.
7-8
So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued
doing good. At the right time we will harvest
When your heart is not right you cannot think, see nor hear the a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right
now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let
blessing of the Lord. Adjust your attitude in order to receive His
us work for the benefit of all, starting with the
favor. Can you hear the heart of the Father? Are you positioned people closest to us in the community of faith.
9-10
in the right place where you have the clearest reception? Don’t
lose heart. Rather, pray and touch the heart of the Lord.
DISCUSSION POINT 2:
Acknowledge the reality of pain, but do not
Pain, loss, grief and struggle are all real. But do not allow these become consumed by it. Share an area of pain
to take you away from the heart of the Divine One. Routine is or struggle, and then pray as a group that God
no replacement for the wonderment of God: He authored and would sustain on another.
perfected our faith. Do you hear Him now?
2
FACTORPOINTS
HE’S HERE...WORSHIP - Reflect and meditate upon the following words of the song
“Speak to My Heart” (Donnie McClurkin). Make the lyrics of this song your prayer.
Speak to my heart, Holy Spirit
Give me the words that will bring new life
Words on the wings of the morning, the dark night will fade away
If You speak to my heart now
Speak to my heart, Holy Spirit
Message of love, love to encourage me
Lifting my heart from despair, how You love, love me, and care for me
Speak to my heart now, oh Lord
Speak to my heart, that’s what I want You to do
Speak to my heart, ‘cause I’m waiting to hear from You
Speak to my heart, that’s what I want You to do
Speak to my heart
HE KNOWS... LEARN - Write down three areas in your life that require less distraction
and more surrender to the Father so that joy exudes without hindrance towards others.
HE’S ABLE... SERVE - Practice unsolicited generosity towards another person today and
offer praise to the God of all joy! Give without expectation of anything in return. You find
yourself receiving the Joy of the Lord in new ways.
Mark Your Calendar
CENTEROFPRAISE.NET
To view the complete teaching, please go to our website and click on the Media tab and select Centered Life TV.
Scripture taken from the The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
3