There Is No God Like You- 1 Kings 8:22-30

Feb 8, 2015 Prayer Requests Ruth Gawith Lua McNew Helen Carpenter Ginny Jellison Lucy McKinney Richie & Mary Merryman Linda Anderson Kathy Davis Trenton Hattler Jack Enright Young families – Gods guiding in upcoming changes. Gods leading and direction in our Church Families College Students Keith McNew-Christ’s working in his life. James Alexander -- Dialysis Unspoken

SandraGreat Britain DavidMexico Saurabh Bangladesh, Angola, Namibia RuthIndia, Israel, Australia, New Zealand Keith & Ruth Switzerland SarahSwaziland WayneAfrica April 14, 2015 RJ Strickland, pastor of Living Waters Church of the Nazarene This past summer we were doing a VBS (vacation Bible school) with some of the Work & Witness teams. As we were getting closed down, one of the interns from our church said, “Can you do a kids’ blessing?” It’s 9 p.m. We’re cleaning up from VBS. I’m trying to think of a Hawaiian blessing. Once I get there, I look up and realize that something very different is going on. There’s over 100 homeless people in a circle. I’m brought to the very center to an older gentleman holding a dead baby. …At that point I realized they’re not asking for a baby blessing. I asked them what had happened and they said the baby hadn’t been breathing or alive for about 10 minutes. The baby was gone. I turned and told someone to call 911. Then I turned back to the baby and I just started praying. I was screaming the prayer. Every other word was, “In the name of Jesus, Baby, wake up!” I’m screaming, and at some point I’m asking God to show that He exists, to show specific people He’s real, and after 5 minutes of prayer, the baby came back to life. My eyes were closed so I didn’t know it. I heard the crowd changed. I turned and looked. The baby was smiling at me. The crowd backed away like they were scared of me. I told them that it was God who healed the baby, not me. The ambulance came and took the baby to the hospital.

Praying for the US & Canada Richie Merryman: NY, NM, CA Alexanders: CA, OK, GA, QC Vanderpool: NM (SE ABQ) Jellisons: UT, TX, AK Shultzs: CA, DC, MA, BC Moores: AZ, NM, DC, CA, YT, QC Abby Nielson: MA, OH, VT, QC Aliece Nielson: NM, VT, PEI L. Kilgore: VA, MI T. & P. Brown: IL, HW, PA, DC Nielsons: OH, PEI, VT, MA, RI Griffins: VT, OH, (Northeast) C. Yazzie: NM, AZ, & Navajo Nation Adams: NM, CA, MA B. Brown: GA, OR, ON B. Vito: NY,ID region.org/ Hawaii Pacific District churches cooperate in compassionate ministry Lily (not her real name) is a sixth grade girl who has lived for two years at the Hope for a New Beginning transitional shelter for the homeless at Onelau'ena in Kapolei, Hawaii, U.S. Lily’s mother died last year, leaving the girl alone with just a 19-year-old sister who has three boys of her own. Not even out of grade school, Lily spends most of her time caring for her nephews. Members of local Nazarene churches began visiting the shelter to minister to the residents, particularly to provide tutoring to the children and youth. They are doing this through the Hawaii Pacific District’s new compassionate ministry, Kokua Compassionate Group).

1 Kings 8 (NIV) 22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the L ORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven 23 and said: “L ORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below— you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 24 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today. 5

The Incomparable God Recall the three things that make Christianity unique among the world’s religions. Why does Solomon say that God is unique? What emotion does God’s uniqueness engender in Solomon? The Hebrew word for love is hesed – Covenant loyalty Loving-kindness Devoted faithfulness Grace Such love is always expressed in a covenant relationship; how does this affect our everyday life?

1 Kings 8 (NIV) 25 “Now L ORD, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me faithfully as you have done.’ 26 And now, God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David my father come true.

The Promise Keeping God As recorded here, God’s promise is conditional; how does this passage compare to 2 Samuel 7? How were both versions of the promise correct? Are God’s promises always conditional? 8

1 Kings 8 (NIV) 27 “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 28 Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, L ORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29 May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. 9

The Uncontainable God How would you explain God’s relationship to the temple? In what ways did the temple prove a help and a hindrance to the Israelites? How is our relationship to the church buildings the same and different from that of the Israelites? 10

Next Week Unit 2: Prayers & Sermons of God’s People Prayers & Sermons of God’s People Lesson 3: Our Eyes Are On You 2 Chronicles 20:

12 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. Heb 8:10 (Jer 31:33)

SundayTeacher.com Lesson Password: Prayer Illustrated Bible Life Password: Devotion

How to help Ebola relief Africa West Field Strategy Coordinator Daniel Gomis suggests the following activities to support Ebola relief efforts: Have a time of fasting and a time of prayer at least once a week Pray for God to bind any fear and loose peace in the hearts of the people of West Africa Pray for our district superintendents, pastors, leaders, and churches in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea Conakry, that the Lord will use them powerfully as agents of hope and salt and light of Jesus in these difficult days Pray for God's wisdom and protection over the medical doctors and health personnel in the Ebola-affected countries Pray for God's wisdom for the head of nations and decision makers in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea Conakry Inform and educate by checking the World Health Organization and International SOS websites for updates Funds contributed through the Africa Emergency Relief Fund will go toward Ebola education programs, prevention and hygiene supplies, and food and vitamins for individuals and families in affected communities. 14 The Eurasia Regional Office is inviting Nazarenes across the Eurasia Region to link hearts with our brothers and sisters in the Africa Region by joining them in prayer and fasting for the people suffering from the Ebola virus outbreak in Western Africa, for those who are sick, those who have lost loved ones, communities impacted negatively by quarantine, fear, loss of producers and earners, and for those brave medical workers treating the sick.

15 1.Secularization is on the rise: 38% of the nation's adult population now qualifies as post-Christian. This includes 10% of Americans who qualify as highly post-Christian and 28% as moderately post-Christian. In other words, more than 1/3 of U.S. adults are essentially secular in belief and practice. The younger the generation, the more post-Christian it is. 48% of Millennials, 40% of Gen-Xers, 35% of Boomers and 28% of Elders qualify. 2.People are less open to the idea of church: The unchurched are becoming less responsive to churches' efforts to connect with them. 20 years ago, 65% of churchless Americans were open to being invited to church by a friend vs. 47% today. 3.Churchgoing is no longer mainstream: Churchgoing is slowly but incontrovertibly losing its role as a normative part of American life. In the ‛90s, about 1 in 7 unchurched adults had never experienced regular church attendance vs. nearly 1 in 4 today. 4.There are different expectations of church involvement: Today only 57% of churchless adults say they would be interested in Sunday worship as their starting point vs 70% in the ‛90s. 5.There is skepticism about churches' contributions to society: When the unchurched were asked to describe what they believe are the positive and negative contributions of Christianity in America, 49% could not identify a single favorable impact of the Christian community, while 37% were unable to identify a negative impact. 1.Secularization is on the rise: 38% of the nation's adult population now qualifies as post-Christian. This includes 10% of Americans who qualify as highly post-Christian and 28% as moderately post- Christian. In other words, more than 1/3 of U.S. adults are essentially secular in belief and practice. The younger the generation, the more post-Christian it is. 48% of Millennials, 40% of Gen-Xers, 35% of Boomers and 28% of Elders qualify. 2. People are less open to the idea of church: The unchurched are becoming less responsive to churches' efforts to connect with them. 20 years ago, 65% of churchless Americans were open to being invited to church by a friend vs. 47% today. 3.Churchgoing is no longer mainstream: Churchgoing is slowly but incontrovertibly losing its role as a normative part of American life. In the ‛90s, about 1 in 7 unchurched adults had never experienced regular church attendance vs. nearly 1 in 4 today Praying for the US & Canada

4. There are different expectations of church involvement: Today only 57% of churchless adults say they would be interested in Sunday worship as their starting point vs 70% in the ‛ 90s. 5. There is skepticism about churches' contributions to society: When the unchurched were asked to describe what they believe are the positive and negative contributions of Christianity in America, 49% could not identify a single favorable impact of the Christian community, while 37% were unable to identify a negative impact. 16