AMBASSADORS: 1) To represent/protect mother countries interests/concerns.

1. AMBASSADORS: • 1) To represent/protect mother countries interests/concerns. • 2) To represent/bring forth mother countries ways. • 1) Stand up to sin/error and bring forth the truth • 2) Be the Light expected of us & bring Good News to the lost • THIS IS OUR PURPOSE!!!!!!!!

2. What is going to prepare and train us to be the Ambassador God wants of/from us? • Who has increased their study and prayer time in recent weeks? • Mt 7:26,27 Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the flood came, and the wind blew and slammed against that house: and it fell – and great was its fall.

3. Rom 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. • Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mins, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and prefect.

4. WHY ??? – see Rom 12: 1 & 2 • HOW??? • STUDY/PRAYER/ RLTNSHP

5. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 (all passages from NASB) • All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for: • teaching • for reproof • for correction • for training in righteousness • So that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work

6. MK 11:17 And Jesus began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My House shall be called a house of prayer for all the nation’s’?” • Acts 1:14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer … • Jhn 14:13,14 Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name will do it. WHY NOT PRAY? DON’T CARE?

7. God is able/willing: • Leviticus 26:3-6 (NASB): 3 If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, 4 then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. 5 Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time. You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land. 6 I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land.

8. God is able/willing: • Deuteronomy 28:2-12 (NASB)2 All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God:3 “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.4 “Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock.7 “The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways.

9. God is able/willing: • 8 The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. 9 The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. 10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you. 12 The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.

10. Israel – promised blessings untold if they are obedient. • Romans 8:16-17 (NASB) 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. • Ephesians 1:3-5 (NASB) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will

11. God Listens & Cares FOR US: • Romans 8:14-16 (NASB) 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God • John 3:16

12. God Listens & Cares FOR US: • We need to grasp, hold onto and believe that as children of God He is going to be the Father of love just like in the Prodigal Son story. • I John 4:8 confirms this when he declares that God is love.

13. Prayer Guidance: • Philippians 4:6 (NASB) 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

14. Luke 18:1-8 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3 There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ 4 For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; 7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

15. Luke 18:1-8 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3 There was a widow and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection.’ 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge *said; 7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” • Not an allegory: no this means this or that means that • Judge’s qualities not = to God; bike when mature enough and not a day late (when mature enough)(look at answers next week) • re-read underline • Will he find YOU as a man of faith/woman of faith = elect

16. Matthew 7:9-11 (NASB) 9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

17. If we are not convinced of God’s love and devotion to us then the words in Jas 1:6-8 needs to warn us of our danger: “But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind, for that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” And he adds in 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may send it on your pleasures.”

18. According to Rom 4:18-21 Abraham was the perfect anti-thesis of this wavering attitude: 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall yourdescendants be.” (stars) 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. (NASB)

19. Eph 3:11,12,20 (not disclosing the method of man’s salvation) This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.(Holy Spirit)

20. HOW is this relationship and power to be developed within us? • SCRIPTURE • PRAYER

21. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 (all passages from NASB) • All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for: • teaching • for reproof • for correction • for training in righteousness • So that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work

22. PRAYER FORMAT: • Praying: pray regularly, privately, sincerely, specifically & include writing your thoughts out to the Lord • ACTS: • Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication

23. Adoration – sovereign(ruler), majestic, omnipotent, omnipresence, creator, giver of all good things, holy, perfect, provider, just, lover, merciful, patient, forgiving, dependable, faithful, righteous – HIS character, personality, actions • Ps; Lk 1 songs • Grow in your prayers

24. Confession: specific vs one dirty pile, honest, analytical, searching • relief/forgiveness, • humility/weakness, • strength

25. Thanksgiving: I Thess 5:18 T. in all circumstances; • Rom 8:28,37 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. • 4 areas = • 1) Spiritual blessings, • 2) Relationships, • 3) Material blessings • 4) Answered prayers (high lights)

26. Supplication: Phil 4:6 In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. • HONESTY (according to His will) – • 4 areas: • 1) Ministry (church), • 2) People (church/lost), • 3) Family • 4) Personal(character, physical, attitude, understanding)

27. Written: focus, clarity, growth, everything??? • all inclusive – I Pe 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you ; • Write out your prayer one day • Write one letter (A, C, T, S) per day. • Write in a column format. • Write spontaneously! • WRITE – WRITE – WRITE

28. WHY DO WE STUDY/PRAY/WORK ON OUR RELATIONSHIP? • Because our lives lived according to our wants/wishes and our wisdom leads to problems. • Problems that we can neither solve nor do we want to live with. • Our lives lived according to God’s plan leads to an abundantly blessed life and eventually heaven. • IF

29. We believe in: • Rom 8:28,37 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. • I Pe 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you • Jhn 14:13,14 Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name will do it. • John 3:16 For God so love the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.