1. Will You Contend?

2. McMurdo Dry Valleys The Coldest Deserts on Earth O God, you are my God. At dawn I search for you. My soul thirsts for you. My body longs for you in a dry, parched land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1

3. We Are a Desert But the people of Israel will refuse to listen to you because they refuse to listen to me. All the people of Israel are very stubborn and hardheaded. Yet, I will make you as stubborn and as hardheaded as they are. I will make you as hard as a diamond, harder than stone. Don’t be afraid of them. Don’t be terrified in their presence, even though they are rebellious people. Ezekiel 3:7-9

4. We Are a Desert He [God] turns a wilderness into pools of water, and dry land into watersprings. There he makes the hungry dwell, that they may establish a city for a dwelling place, and sow fields and plant vineyards, that they may yield a fruitful harvest. He blesses them, and they multiply greatly; and he does not let their cattle decrease. Psalm 107:35-38

5. We are Becoming an Oasis The power of the LORD came over me. The LORD brought me out by his Spirit and put me down in the middle of a valley. The valley was filled with bones. He led me all around them. I saw that there were very many bones at the bottom of the valley, and they were very dry. Then he asked me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘Only you know, Almighty LORD.’ Ezekiel 37:1-10

6. We are Becoming an Oasis Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones. Tell them, “Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD. This is what the Almighty LORD says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live. I will put ligaments on you, place muscles on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”’ So I prophesied as I was commanded. While I was prophesying, suddenly there was a rattling noise, and the bones came together, one bone attaching itself to another. As I looked, I saw that ligaments were on them, muscles were on them, and skin covered them. Yet, there was no breath in them. Ezekiel 37:1-10

7. We are Becoming an Oasis Then the LORD said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath! Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, “This is what the Almighty LORD says: Come from the four winds, Breath, and breathe on these people who were killed so that they will live.”’ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath entered them. Then they came to life and stood on their feet. There were enough of them to form a very large army. Ezekiel 37:1-10

8. Will You Fight for Her? Jesus went to all the towns and villages. He taught in the synagogues and spread the Good News of the kingdom. He also cured every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them. They were troubled and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is large, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord who gives this harvest to send workers to harvest his crops’ Matthew 9:35-38

9. Will You Fight for Her? When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. One of them, an expert in Moses’ Teachings, tested Jesus by asking, ‘Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in Moses’ Teachings?’ Jesus answered him, ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” All of Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets depend on these two commandments.’ Matthew 22:34-40

10. What Do I Do? 1)Pray with Boldness 2)Serve with Stubborn Love 3)Build Community with Purpose 4)Give with Extravagance

11. What Do I Do? 1) Pray with Boldness So admit your sins to each other, and pray for each other so that you will be healed. Prayers offered by those who have God’s approval are effective. Elijah was human like us. Yet, when he prayed that it wouldn't rain, no rain fell on the ground for three-and-a-half years. Then he prayed again. It rained, and the ground produced crops. James 5:16-18

12. What Do I Do? 1) Pray with Boldness When he went back to the disciples, he found them asleep. He said to Peter, ‘Couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour?’ Matthew 26:40 One Hour of Private Prayer

13. What Do I Do? 1) Pray with Boldness I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free. I can guarantee again that if two of you agree on anything here on earth, my Father in heaven will accept it. Where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them. Matthew 18:18-20 One Hour of Private Prayer One Corporate Prayer Meeting

14. What Do I Do? 2) Serve with Stubborn Love Jesus called the apostles and said, ‘You know that the rulers of nations have absolute power over people and their officials have absolute authority over people. But that’s not the way it’s going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant. Whoever wants to be most important among you will be your slave. It’s the same way with the Son of Man. He didn’t come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people.’ Matthew 20:25-28

15. What Do I Do? 2) Serve with Stubborn Love John’s disciples came for the body and buried it. Then they went to tell Jesus. When Jesus heard about John, he left in a boat and went to a place where he could be alone. The crowds heard about this and followed him on foot from the cities. When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw a large crowd. He felt sorry for them and cured their sick people. Matthew 14:12-14 One Area of Service

16. What Do I Do? 3) Build Community with Purpose Instead, as we lovingly speak the truth, we will grow up completely in our relationship to Christ, who is the head. He makes the whole body fit together and unites it through the support of every joint. As each and every part does its job, he makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Ephesians 4:15-16 One Small Group

17. What Do I Do? 4) Give with Extravagance Moses turned over to them all the contributions the Israelites had brought for the work of constructing the holy place. But the people still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning. Finally, all the skilled craftsmen who were working on the holy place stopped what they were doing. They all came to Moses. They said, ‘The people are bringing much more than we need for doing the work the LORD commanded us to do.’ So Moses gave instructions to have the following message announced all over camp: ‘No man or woman needs to make anything more to give as their special contribution to the holy place.’ Then the people stopped bringing gifts. The material they had was more than enough to do the job. Exodus 36:3-7

18. Will You Contend?

19. For Zion’s sake I will not remain silent. For Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until its righteousness shines like the dawn and its salvation burns brightly like a torch. The nations will see your righteousness. All kings will see your glory. You will be given a new name that the LORD will announce. Then you will be a beautiful crown in the hand of the LORD, a royal crown in the hand of your God. You will no longer be called Deserted, and your land will no longer be called Destroyed. But you will be named My Delight, and your land will be named Married. The LORD is delighted with you, and your land will be married. As a young man marries a woman, so your sons will marry you. As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you. I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. They will never be silent day or night. Whoever calls on the LORD, do not give yourselves any rest, and do not give him any rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it an object of praise throughout the earth. Isaiah 62:1-7