#NewThing

Hi Everyone!!!

Welcome back to the Bible Study Blogs.

We will meet here until February when in-person Bible Study resumes. You're invited to read, share, and comment. Did something strike you during service that wasn't mentioned here? Please add your comment. Know some social media friends who may want/need to get Sunday's message? Feel free to share the link to this post on your social platforms. #GoodNewsIsForSharing

On Sunday, we focused on:

Isaiah 43:18-19 NLT

“But forget all that—

    it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
For I am about to do something new.

    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?

I will make a pathway through the wilderness.

    I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Wow, right? 
#NewThing

To provide a little context for these verses, in verses 14-17, God is highlighting the amazing things He has done, and then in verses 18 and 19, He's saying yes, those are all great things, but what I'm about to do doesn't even compare to those things. Sheesh!

I invite you to think about some of the things God has done for you that made you speechless. Like you just knew "thank you" wasn't sufficient for what just happened. Now think about God doing something even greater than that!

I know, I know. Take your time. Let that sink in.

Your wilderness, your desert/wasteland...pathways and rivers!

This is like God's proof that He can keep you despite your setting. 

How can, or even better, why would He provide your pathway and river if you're in a place where those things are common? If those things were common to that location, you wouldn't be able to fully appreciate that it was only because of God; there's too much room for questioning and doubt.

God wants to do a #NewThing in our lives! Talk about keeping it spicy! 

Is that you, #NewThing?

Hey! 

Word of Caution: Be aware of what's happening around you. 
Make yourself aware of the things God is doing for you. Don't allow His hand to be so common that we view His miracles, signs, and wonders as if they were something He owes us. We have to condition ourselves to see it for what it is, a miracle, sign, and/or wonder -- a gift! 

In addition to being aware of what He's doing, don't diminish the value of the obstacles you're crushing along the way. Celebrate the small victories because they lead to the big victory!

#OuncesMakePounds

You can never lose a pound if you don't lose ounces.

Hebrews 11:1 KJV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Ounces are the substance of pounds 

Pounds are made up of ounces

Faith makes the thing you hope for a substance. 

The thing you're hoping for (your biggest dream) is made up of smaller units of faith. 

Over time the faith increases and makes the dream a reality.

The enemy wants to discount your faith moves. He wants to convince you that your faith drop (your small victories) was meaningless. He wants to remind you of your past and the mistake(s) you've made along the way. 

#OldNews Old news can't matter to a new creature! 

Flip what he's saying into a faith drop. Celebrate what you've done well; don't dwell on the mistake(s). 

Learn from the mistake, but entertain the win more than you consider the mistake.

The more faith drops you make, the more you fill your faith container. It will eventually run out of space resulting in a need for more space. There's no faith cap, so the only other option is an #EnlargedTerritory

As you're promoted and you experience greater, there will be some people who will have questions wondering how you got to where you are, why you're there and they aren't, etc. Having haters and discreditors can be a side effect of your accumulation of faith drops. People don't see all the background work that you've put in; they just see the big win. That's okay. Let them talk and wonder because it opens doors of discipleship and evangelism. 

The Goliath victory doesn't come unless you've gotten a little dirty.
"...and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!" 1 Samuel 17:46 NLT

Additional Sermon Points:

• When your faith account is up, you are no longer afraid to lose because you're assured in knowing that you can get it again and maybe even better.
• Focus on your today drops. You'll cross tomorrow's bridge when you get to it. Today matters today and tomorrow will matter tomorrow. 
• This is the season where faith will pay your way.  Keep depositing your faith drops in your faith account. Don't chase what faith will bring you and don't allow your spiritual check to bounce because of insufficient funds.
• Don't worry about others and where they are. God is specially crafting a pathway specifically for you!
• Grind to increase your faith instead of grinding to enlarge your own territory.
• Faith is your spiritual EZ-Pass. You get an easy, quick-moving lane because the toll is taken care of. What traffic?
• It won't always make sense and be in your time, but it's going to be good!

The key to the believer's life of victory is to live by FAITH!

"If it ain't good, it ain't over."

If you'd like to go back and watch the live stream of Sunday's sermon, you can find it here.

Have you made any faith drops this week? If so, please comment and share them.

If you would like to come to visit us, you're more than welcome to join us!

Word of Prayer Cultural Center

1450 Mercantile Ln. Ste. 227

Largo, Md. 20774

9:30 a.m.  

Upcoming Events:

• L2LA Lock-In 
• Date: December 21-22
• Time: 6:00pm Friday - 9:00am Saturday; Laser Tag is at 7:30pm
• Location: WOPCC
• Ages: Potty trained to 30
• Cost: $20

• WOPCC's Christmas Extravaganza
• Date: December 23, 2018
• Time: 9:30am
• Location: WOPCC

• WOPCC's New Year Praise Party
• Date: December 31, 2018
• Time: 10pm
• Location: WOPCC
• Colors: Black, Gold, Burgundy

Until next time,