This is Who We Are: Pillar 3

Introduction:

We Believe Firmly in the Power of Prayer.

Matthew 7:7 - Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

James 5:16 - The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

The Testimony of Hezekiah and Literally Everyone Else Who Believes Firmly in the Power of Prayer (Isaiah 38):

1. Desperation leads me to prayer. (Isaiah 38:10-14)
2. Prayer leads me to Provision . (Isaiah 38:15-17)

   The Testimony of Hezekiah and Literally Everyone Else Who Believes Firmly in the Power of Prayer (Isaiah 38):

   1. New Perspective
   2. Your Answer
   3. Forgiveness
3. God's provision leads me to Worship . (Isaiah 38:18-20)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Discussion
Read Isaiah 38

1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?
   

2. Tell of a time you experienced a clear and direct answer to prayer.
   

3. Why does God often employ “medical means” to bring about healing (Isaiah 38:21)?
   

4. Why did Hezekiah pray as he did, recounting his good works (praying “in his own name”)? Explain what it means to “pray in Jesus’ name” (See John 14:13-14)?

Breakout
Pray for one another to grow as pray-ers.

This is Who We Are: Pillar 2

Introduction:

We Lift High the Name of Jesus Through Worship.

"I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation…the delight is incomplete till it is expressed." - C.S. Lewis

3 Things to Say on Your Way to Church (Psalm 146):

1. I am Choosing to worship. (Ps 146:1-2)
2. I am done trusting Man . (Ps 146:3-6)
3. I am making worship Personal . (Ps 146:7-10)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Discussion
Read Psalm 146

1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?
   

2. Why is music important for congregational worship?
   

3. How - specifically - can you choose to worship when you don’t “feel like it” (Psalm 146:1-2)?
   

4. How does trusting man (Psalm 146:3-4) keep a person from worshiping God?
   

5. Name one of God’s works or promises for which you are especially thankful for right now.

Breakout
Pray for Harvest to be a worshiping church - and for YOU to be prepared to come and worship on Sundays.

This is Who We Are: Pillar 1

Introduction:

We proclaim the authority of God's Word without apology.

Isaiah 55:10-11 - For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but sit shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

Romans 10:17 - So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Psalm 19:7-9 - The law of the LORD is perfect, previving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.

The Life Stages of the One Who Receives God's Word (Psalm 19:7-9):

1. New Life . (Ps 19:7)
2. Wisdom for living. (Ps 19:7)
3. Joy . (Ps 19:8)
4. Light for my path. (Ps 19:8)
5. Clear Conscience . (Ps 19:9)
6. Confidence . (Ps 19:9)

How to Let the Word Rain on You (Psalm 19:10-14):

1. Want it. (Ps 19:10)
2. Apply it. (Ps 19:11)

   John 13:17 - If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

3. Ask for God's help with it. (Ps 19:12-14)

1 Corinthians 1:24 - but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Discussion
Read Isaiah 55:10-11 and Psalm 19:7-14

1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?
   

2. In Isaiah 55:10-11, God's Word is compared to rain. How is God's Word like rain?
   

3. Suppose someone asks you, “Why does HBC only do expository (verse-by-verse) preaching?” How would you respond?
   

4. On a scale of 1-10, how much do you desire the Word of God? (1 = not at all, 10 = I constantly want it). Specifically, how can you want it more?

Breakout
Pray for one another to grow in your hunger and application of God's Word.

Both God and Money

With over a decade of Real Estate experience, Alex began as an investor and at the market's peak in 2006 owned 11 properties including his personal residence. The bubble burst and hit his family hard, but they regrouped and carried on with a No Debt Philosophy thanks to discovering the teachings of Dave Ramsey. Alex and his wife, Stacie, began teaching Dave's course, Financial Peace University and to date have helped hundreds of people to pay off over a million dollars in debt. Alex and Stacie are members of Harvest Bible Chapel with their two college-age boys, Christian and Samuel.

Guest Speaker - Alex Giannetti
alexgiannetti.com

Introduction:

Matthew 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

1. God wants you to be a Giver .

   See: Proverbs 11:23-24

   Malachi 3:8-10 - "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."

2. Be Content . (1 Timothy 6:9-10)

   Live the life that God is calling you to live and be grateful for that which he has given you.

   See: Proverbs 12:9

3. There is no such thing as Good Debt.

   Proverbs 22:7 - "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender."

   See: James 4:3-4 | Proverbs 21:20

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Discussion
Read Matthew 6:24

1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?
   

2. Have‌ ‌you‌ ‌ever‌ ‌experienced‌ ‌first‌ ‌hand‌ ‌that‌ ‌the‌ ‌borrower‌ ‌is‌ ‌slave‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌lender?‌ ‌(Proverbs‌ ‌22:7)‌
   

3. When‌ ‌was‌ ‌the‌ ‌last‌ ‌time‌ ‌that‌ ‌you‌ ‌wanted‌ ‌to‌ ‌give‌ ‌but‌ ‌didn’t?‌ ‌How‌ ‌did‌ ‌that‌ ‌make‌ ‌you‌ ‌feel?
   

4. Do‌ ‌you‌ ‌feel‌ ‌pressure‌ ‌to‌ ‌”keep‌ ‌up‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌Jones’?”‌ ‌Do‌ ‌you‌ ‌cave‌ ‌in?‌ ‌If‌ ‌not,‌ ‌how‌ ‌do‌ ‌you‌ ‌fight‌ ‌the‌ ‌urge?‌
   

5. Is‌ ‌it‌ ‌ok‌ ‌for‌ ‌a‌ ‌follower‌ ‌of‌ ‌Christ‌ ‌to‌ ‌have‌ ‌abundant‌ ‌wealth?‌
   

6. Tell‌ ‌us‌ ‌about‌ ‌a‌ ‌time‌ ‌when‌ ‌you‌ ‌received‌ ‌a‌ ‌perfectly‌ ‌timed‌ ‌blessing‌ ‌that‌ ‌could‌ ‌only‌ ‌have‌ ‌come‌ ‌from‌ ‌God.‌

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Questions from the Congregation - Part 14

Note: The time signatures [00:00] below indicate the start of a question if you'd like to skip to a particular one of interest in the audio file.

1. [00:09] - Q: Are the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost the same thing?
   A: TBD
   
   

2. [00:54] - Q: What is a spirit/soul and how do they interact with our mind and body?

   A: TBD

3. [03:08] - Q: Since Genesis mentions God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply prior to the fall, and part of the curse was to increase pain of childbirth... will babies be born in heaven?
   A: See Matthew 22:30 - For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
   
   

4. [04:32] - Q: Did God make hell? If you go to the first book of the Bible it says God made heaven and earth so where does hell come into play?
   A: See Matthew 25:41 - Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’
   
   

5. [05:57] - Q: In the old testament God refers to Lucifer as "the morning star" (Isaiah 14:12?), in Revelation Jesus says "He is the bright morning star." (Rev 22:16) How would you explain the differences in these 2 passages to someone who believes they are the same and therefore; Jesus = Lucifer?
   A: See 2 Corinthians 4:4 - In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
   
   

6. [10:03] - Q: Are prophesies still a way that God communicates? How does God communicate to masses of people in today's world?
   A: See Romans 10:14-17
   
   

7. [13:48] - Q: We know that God is outside of time. We believe that old testament saints did not have to wait for Jesus's sacrifice to enter into Heaven (bc it was as if it already happened). We believe that absent from the body = present with God. And yet, Jesus's return will signal a new heaven and new earth, and the reception of our glorified bodies. That indicates that there is some element of time in Heaven. How is it both? How is God outside of time, but also waiting on the right time?
   A: See Galatians 4:4-5 - … fullness of time had come

   Revelation 6:10 (5th Seal) - …how long before you will judge

   Revelation 22:2 - …yielding its fruit each month.
   
   

8. [19:22] - Q: I really miss a lot of my friends that I have been very close to since childhood, but they live very sinful lifestyles and I have tried talking to them about how they act and talk, but they always say they like the way they live, so I have stopped talking to and spending time with them. I have spent a long time trying to fall out of the sinful habits they encourage and I don't want to fall back into those habits, but I have known those friends for so long and I have created such a connection to them that can't just be recreated. I know I shouldn't do anything that would encourage a Godless lifestyle but I also don't want to just abandon them. Do you have any tips or encouragement at all that could help me through this?
   A: TBD
   
   

9. [23:07] - Q: If there is evidence or individual belief that the government was elected or established through fraud or corruption, are we still called to submit to their "power"?
   A: See Mark 12:17 - Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.
   
   

10. [27:43] - Q: If Christians are the majority who don't believe in wearing masks, are we chasing non-Christians away from the church by not wearing masks? Shouldn't we be the first to want to protect others and make them feel comfortable? Thank you in advance!
    A: TBD
    
    

11. [38:27] - Q: Flat earth vs Round earth? Thoughts?
    A: See Isaiah 40:22 - It is he who sits above the circle of the earth…
    Revelation 7:1 - After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree.
    
    Any question that was missed due to time constraints during the service Pastor Jeff will address the answer on the blog.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):

Review the questions submitted above. Discuss any of these that stuck out to you, or that maybe your group finds particularly interesting.

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another!