Melissa\'s sermon

1. Listen…

2. We live in a world of NOISE.

3. Almost everywhere we go, We find sounds competing with our minds.

4. From the moment we wake up,

5. Our day becomes alive with noise…

6. Children running, screaming, playing, laughing Police sirens wailing Ice cream trucks endlessly playing “it’s a small world after all” Cell phones ringing Car stereos blaring The t.V. buzzing

7. After awhile… Silence almost seems to be nonexistent.

8. But what if we took the time to stop.

9. And listen.

10. To intentionally take time out of our day to be Quiet. Still. Silent.

11. And in this silence, Taking advantage of the time to PRAY And LISTEN to God.

12. “ Be still, and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10

14. “ But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” Habakkuk 2:20

17. “ O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1

19. “ My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” Psalm 62:1-2

20. “ We begin to experience his presence more throughout the day as we listen for God’s call to us in our heart through scripture, and develop the inward attentiveness to God’s divine whisper.” -excerpt from“Be Still” video

21. “ For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight…

22. … Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13

23. “ Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth so let your words be few… Therefore stand in awe of God.” Ecclesiastes 5:1-2, 7b

24. “ Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:15-16

27. “ One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” Luke 6:12

30. “ Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love!” Psalm 36:5-7

31. “ But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” Titus 3:4-5

32. “ Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life in everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.” Nehemiah 9:6

34. “ For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be…

35. … How precious to me are you thoughts O God! How vast the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.” Psalm 139:13-18

37. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9

38. “ My whole heart has not one single grain, this moment of thirst after praise. I feel alone with God; He fills the void. I have not one wish, one will, one desire but in Him. He hath set my feet in a large room. I have wondered and stood amazed that God should make a conquest of all within me, by love.” -Lady Huntingdon

39. “ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7

40. “ When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

41. “ The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

42. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul.

43. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

44. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

45. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

46. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23