For the One – Part 3 From Darkness to Light

Awareness – True Spiritual Condition of Ottowa County

• Fallacy – Ottawa County is “sort of Christian”
• Reality – 56% of Ottawa County is “unaffiliated”
• Current population: 306,235
• Current unaffiliated: 171,491
• 70% of unaffiliated will never have a Christian share their faith with them.
• 70% of unaffiliated will never have a Christian personally invite them to church.

120,043 will never meet Jesus if current statistics hold.

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How do we grow heaven and shrink hell?

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1. We

Matt 9:36-38

 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

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Prayer has power.

• Prayer aligns our with the Heart of God.
• Prayer aligns our with the mission of God.
• Prayer aligns our with those ready to receive.

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2. We

John 1:41-42

41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus…

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Who did you invite and bring to church today?

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3. We

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We share story,

To share story,

So that others can meet Him too.

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3 Step Model:

This is who I .

This is what .

This is who I am .

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Ps. 107:1

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

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Rm 8:35-39

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?…

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,  neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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You Are Loved.

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Ps. 107:1

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

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Ps 107:2

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—

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We share our story,

To share His story,

So that others can meet Him too.

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3 Step Model:

This is who I was.

This is what happened.

This is who I am now.

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Story # 1 – Desert Dwellers – Psalm 107:3-9

Story #2 – Light in the Darkness – Psalm 107:10-16

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Ps. 107:10 – This is who I was.

10 Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,

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Some darkness is through no choice of our own.

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Some darkness is through choices of our own.

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Ps. 107:10-12 – This is who I was.

10 Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,
11 because  against God’s commands
and despised the plans of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

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The word to rebel is defined as an open resistance to authority often as a response to perceived oppression.

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Matt 4:16-17

16 the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”

17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

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Ps 107:13-14 – This is what happened.

13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
and broke away their chains.

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Ps. 107:15-16 – This is who I am now.

15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.

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How do we grow heaven and shrink hell?

1. We Pray.
2. We Invite.
3. We Share.

Personal Notes: