Acts 12:1-18

We all have some hard things to deal with. Some of us may need urgent deliverance from certain problems.

1. Critical Challenges (vv 1-4) - James was beheaded brutally already. Now Peter was arrested by Herod who planned his public trial the next day.
2. The Praying Church (vv 5,12) - The church people in Jerusalem focused on what they could do - praying earnestly for Peter the whole night.
"If you prayed as much as you worried, you would have a lot less to worry about." (Rick Warren)

3. The Deliverance (vv 6-11,13-17) - Peter was bound in chains, waiting to be executed. But Peter was sleeping soundly between two soldiers. The angel of the Lord appeared standing beside Peter.
> God's presence is what we need.
> When God's word is heard, the problem disappears.
> Peter went to the house of Mary where the church was meeting and praying. Herod and his soldiers were looking for Peter, but they couldn't find him. God is our hiding place.
> Herod, a violent persecutor of the early Christians, was said to be eaten by worms and died untimely.

What is your biggest struggle that's hold you back?
Stop worrying over what you cannot do. Just focus on what you can do - pray.
And God can do it. God is bigger than your struggle

Luke 5:32; Mark 8:34

Problems of Nominalism

• Challenges in families, in churches, in 2nd and latter generation Christians

 Roman Catholic remarks:
Nominal Christians are the hardest to reach with the Gospel message.
Nominal Christians give the world a false sense of the strength of the Church.
Nominal Christians give us a false discouragement about our declining numbers.
Nominalism is found in …

• Israel's life cycle around Sin – Crisis – Return – Freedom.
• Adopting a worldly mentality: Religion rather than Relationship with Christ, Self-centered rather than Christ-centered life, Unchanged rather than Transformed life, Disobedient to God's Word, Commitment rather than Surrender, Knowledge of God without Love of God, etc.
  
• A syndrome of Sardis church (Rev. 3:1) to whom the Lord says, "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead."
  
• Nominal faith is not faith but a dead faith.
  

1. God Called… (Rom 8:28-29)

• "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:31-32)
• "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matt. 4:19)
• "Come to me, all who labor and are heaven laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28)

This divine call is his invitation to all for salvation. It is God who invites, not we invite Him.
            It was Jesus who called and invited Zacchaeus. (Luke 19:1-10)
 
2. Many are called, but few are chosen. (Matt. 22:14)

3. Taking our own cross and following Jesus (Mark 8:34)
            The crowd + disciples = all Christians are required of two things:

1. To deny our self
   
2. To take up our cross and follow Him.
   

But this general call to salvation, a call to know Jesus himself, a call into a relationship with Jesus, is effective and realized only in the lives of those who respond in faith.
2Cor 13:5
"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.
Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test?"
It is our part to respond to the call. We can either receive it or reject it within our own rights. The Holy Spirit will not force us because it is not his nature. But the Spirit will help us effectively if we are open to him and allow his work in us.

Come worship with us at our English service of this International Church in Yangon.

“His witness to the ends of the earth”
(Acts 23:11)

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Joshua 18:3

• After the spies' report Joshua with the other Israelites were wandering in the desert for 40 years.
  
•  The promise of the land was for the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob (Gen. 12:6-7 "To your offspring I will give this land").
  
• Israel would continue to struggle with the evil practices and influence of those former inhabitants.
  
• God wanted Israel to cut loose and drive out all of them (24:2-3).
  
• After entering the promised land, at the assembly at Shiloh Joshua asked the people, "How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land, which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?" (Joshua 18:3) The following verses tell about a strategic plan of taking the land: Let the people choose their leaders; Give them clear job descriptions; then, they go and together took possession of the land.
  

• What promises are there for us today? How can we know them?
  

1. We need to study the Word closely (Start with 1 John 1:8-10 "confessing our sin" is where the Christian life starts).
   
2. We need to have the peace of Jesus (John 14:27). Do we have the assurance and peace of going to heaven if we died now?
   
3. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak the Word boldly. This way we can closely connect with Jesus and have the Holy Spirit manifest Jesus in us.
   

So, what to do?

• Like Joshua, Be decisive and obedient.
  

Come worship with us at our English service of this International Church.

“Return to Your First Love”
(Acts 19:1-10; Rev 2:3-5)

1. The City of Ephesus
2. Paul's Strategy
3. Warning
4. Repentance
5. Wearing the shoes of the Gospel of Peace
Open this message...

For Lifenet groups and personal reflection:
1) At the beginning, what the church in Ephesus was like? (Acts 19:1-20)
2) Read Rev 2:3-5. Remember your first love for Jesus, the season when you started to love Jesus. How was it like?
3) Look back on the last 12 months. Is your love for Jesus growing?
4) If Yes, how would you make it deeper? If No, what change do you need? What kind of help do you need?
 
NLIF is an international church in Yangon. Come and join our English Sunday worship service.