Seeking God with Hope

01/11/2026

Matthew 7:7-11 NIV

7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!1

I hope I find what I’m seeking. I hope the door is opened to me. I hope I receive what I’m asking for. I hope the Lord gives good gifts to me as I ask Him.

What we actually means is we wish.

Qavah - to wait, to hope, to expect

Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV

28 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint. 2

Tiqvah - hope, expectation, something you hold onto

Jeremiah 29:11 CSB

11 For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the LORD’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.3

Heart:

My story – I know what it’s like to lose hope. I know what it’s like to not even wish.

· Tumors, Surgery, Recovery, Pain attacks, “I can’t see a future.”

Hands:

To live with hope we must:

1. Bind ourselves to Jesus.

2. Cling to the hope that is Jesus and His Kingdom.

3. Root our hope in the faithfulness of Jesus.

4. Wait patiently, expectantly, and in tension.

Positioned For Breakthrough

1.4.2026

Mark 11:12-14 19-25 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

Mark 11:19-25 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. 20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” 22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” NIV.

What Is A Breakthrough

Breakthrough: God’s intervention after doing everything humanly possible.

Positioned For Breakthrough

1. A condition of breakthrough is repentance & forgiveness.

Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

1. Pray expecting God is willing & ready to answer your prayer.

Mark 11:22, 24. Have faith in God… whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

3. Speak to your mountain.

Mark 11:23 if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.

4. Trust God’s presence & His timing.

Mark 11:22 “Have faith in God…”

Seek 2026

1.4.2026

2 Chronicles 7:12-16 The Lord appeared to him at night and said: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. NIV

What Is Seek

1. Seek is intentional time set aside to draw closer to God.

Psalms 27:4 One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. NIV

2. Seek resets our spiritual compass.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

3. Seek is 21 days of focused corporate prayer, fasting & worship.

Joel 1:14 Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord. NIV.

How To Participate

1. How is Holy Spirit leading you to pray & fast?

2. Participate in the Seek gatherings.

Seek 2026: January 5-28

Sunday Night Seek Gatherings: 6 PM @ Spring Arbor Campus

• Pastor Mike: Jan. 4th
• Jeremy Brown: Jan. 11th
• RT Kendall: Jan. 18th
• Night of Worship: Jan. 25th

Wednesday Seek Prayer Gathering: 6:30 PM @ Sycamore Campus

3. Pray the Seek Prayer points.

Seek is intentional time set aside to draw closer to God.

Seek resets our spiritual compass.

Seek is 21 days of focused corporate prayer, fasting & worship.

Advent: Encountering Christ’s Love

12.21.25

Isaiah 9:6-7. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! NLT

Encountering Christ Love

1. Love was God’s motive for sending Jesus.

1 John 4:9-10 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. NIV

2. Jesus’ love will transform our lives.

Titus 3:3-6 3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior. NIV

3. We must desire & respond to Christ’s love.

Revelations 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. NIV

4. Jesus’ love should flow through us.

1 John 4 :11-12 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. NIV

Luke 2:10-14 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” NIV

What Is Joy

1. Joy is a choice we make independent of our circumstances.

2. Joy is our souls response to encountering Jesus.

How To Cultivate Joy

1. Joy grows when our lives are centered on Jesus.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. NIV

2. Recall the faithfulness of God.

Psalms 126:2-3 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. NIV

3. Find reasons to laugh.

Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. NIV

Help someone in their time of need.

Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

NIV