I Lean

6/21/15

- When you lean on God it means more than just "I believe in God." It means, "I am trusting Him to hold me up."

- leaning on the approval of other people is a very shaky foundation. People are going to let you down. Nobody can hold you up all the time

- If you say, "I'll just depend on me!" you'll disappoint yourself.

- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5 NIV) 

- Leaning on the Lord is scary. It's uncomfortable sometimes. But that's what leaning in faith is all about.

(Rick Warren Daily Devotion)

S: Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’ ” When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers. So the Lord’s message spread throughout that region. (Acts of the Apostles 13:46-49 NLT)

The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers.

But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. (Acts of the Apostles 14:1, 3 NLT)

You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! (Psalms 139:5-7 NLT)

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. (Psalms 139:13 NLT)

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (Psalms 139:23-24 NLT)

O: In Metro Kids we sung a song with the lyrics, "I lean, I lean, I lean, I lean, I'm leaning on the Lord's side." What it means to lean on the Lord's side is to trust in God, trust the prices for God is the process. People have always failed me. I have always failed myself,  God however, has never failed me. He has been the constant thing in my life. Therefore, leaning on the Lord's side in every area of my life is greater than leaning on myself and the recognition of others. I will acknowledge God always that he direct my path. Not me or John, Paul, or Chris. 

A: My spiritual gift is exhortation and my Biblical example is Barnabas. Barnabas in all his ways leaned on the Lord not his self and definitely not the approval of others. He spoke out boldly and declared the good news to all who God has called him to. Some of the Jews rejected the message yet Barnabas, along with Paul, too the good news to the Gentiles. For God had commanded them to be there light. No matter the opposition, they preached with power. They continued to preach boldly and God proved there message to be true by the miraculous things they had down. They trusted in God even when people rejected there message. They did not lean on themselves or each other they trusted in the process. Therefore I to must lean on God and trust the message he has given me and speak it boldly. Parents will reject it, Paul, Ash, the students will reject it but I must continue to preach the message God has given me and trust him and he will approve my message!

P: I know you are for me husband daddy. I know that you believe in me and have called me abba father. Worthy is your name! Worthy are you and your ways almighty God! I lean oh how I lean on you and trust you by trusting the process. My understanding of what you are doing is insignificant. I am nothing you are everything. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. In the powerful name of Jesus, amen.