Homecell notes 1/9/2013
Welcome: make them feel welcome. Ice breaker: If you had 1 wish what would it be?
Worship: sing songs we sing in church to create a great vibe and unity.
Word: facilitate word and involve everyone in the homecells
Works: pray for people to be decisive about what they say & do. Pray that they make decisions in line
with god’s word & will.
Dry Bones Live!!
Ezekiel 37:1-14 (NLT)
The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with
bones. [2] He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were
scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. [3] Then he asked me,
"Son of man, can these bones become living people again?" "O Sovereign Lord," I replied, "you
alone know the answer to that." [4] Then he said to me, "Speak a prophetic message to these
bones and say, 'Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! [5] This is what the Sovereign Lord
says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! [6] I will put flesh and
muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.'" [7] So I spoke this message, just as he told me.
Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body
came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. [8] Then as I watched, muscles
and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no
breath in them. [9] Then he said to me, "Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man.
Speak a prophetic message and say, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath,
from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.'" [10] So I spoke
the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and
stood up on their feet-a great army. [11] Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones
represent the people of Israel. They are saying, 'We have become old, dry bones-all hope is
gone. Our nation is finished.' [12] Therefore, prophesy to them and say, 'This is what the
Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again.
Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. [13] When this happens, O my people, you will
know that I am the Lord. [14] I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return
home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what
I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!'"
New Testament is hidden in the Old Testament & Old Testament is revealed through the New
Testament.
Ezekiel the prophet is giving us a story of hope & life & faith, that no matter how dead, forgotten
or impossible something seems, with God & faith in God -Dead Dry Bones Will Live Again.
Dry bones Live!!
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One of the greatest tragedies in life is that so many Christians today are living as if hopeless in
some areas of their life, yet, we have been given the life breathing, life forming, life creating
Spirit of God to live in us which enables us to live victoriously on the earth.
Psalm 34:19-20 (NLT)
The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. [20] For
the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!
God is looking to rescue you in every area of your life but we know that our faith is what pleases
God & brings reward & victory to our lives.
Ezekiel's analogy is referring to not only Jesus, His death & resurrection but also our death to
the old & raised with the new grace & hope & faith & victory given through a relationship with
Jesus.
John 11:25 (NLT)
Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even
after dying.
Philippians 3:10 (NLT)
I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to
suffer with him, sharing in his death..
Ephesians 2:1-8,10 (NKJV)
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, [2] in which you once walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
who now works in the sons of disobedience, [3] among whom also we all once conducted
ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by
nature children of wrath, just as the others. [4] But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His
great love with which He loved us, [5] even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive
together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), [6] and raised us up together, and made
us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] that in the ages to come He might
show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8] For by
grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, [10]
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand that we should walk in them.
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Shout out: Dry bones Live!!
Q: Are there areas of your life that feel dead?
Relational? Mental? Financial? Spiritual?
Q: Are there areas of guilt & shame& condemnation?
Good news today!! Dry Bones can live today!!
For Dry Bone areas to live in your life all starts & ends with God.
1-Starts with God first needing to get hold of you.
Ezekiel 37:1 (NLT)
The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with
bones.
Has God taken hold of you?
If he has you will never be the same!!
God took hold of Saul!!
Acts 9:3-6 (NLT)
As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down
around him. [4] He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul! Saul! Why are you
persecuting me?" [5] "Who are you, lord?" Saul asked. And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the
one you are persecuting! [6] Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you
must do."
Allow God to take hold of you!!
2-Learn to trust in God's sovereign plan.
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Ezekiel 37:3 (NLT)
Then he asked me, "Son of man, can these bones become living people again?" "O Sovereign
Lord," I replied, "you alone know the answer to that."
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NLT)
For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for
disaster, to give you a future and a hope. [12] In those days when you pray, I will listen. [13] If
you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
Proverbs 3:5-8 (NLT)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. [6] Seek his
will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. [7] Don't be impressed with your
own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. [8] Then you will have healing for
your body and strength for your bones.
3-When God sets you on your life journey it will require faith to see it manifest on
earth.
Ezekiel 37:4 (NLT)
Then he said to me, "Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, 'Dry bones, listen to
the word of the Lord!
Mark 11:22-23 (NKJV)
So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever
says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart,
but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
Romans 10:17 (NKJV)
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
4-Spoken unseen faith will eventually become visible tangible life.
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Ezekiel 37:5-8a (NKJV)
Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you
shall live. [6] I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put
breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD."'"
So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a
rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. [8] Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and
the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over...
Visible faith:
James 2:17, 22 (NKJV)
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
[22] Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made
perfect?
5-Only where God's Spirit is present can He receive glory & honour & permanence,
everything else is manmade & temporary.
Ezekiel 37:8b-10 (NKJV)
..but there was no breath in them. [9] Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy,
son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O
breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live."'" [10] So I prophesied as He
commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an
exceedingly great army.
Ezekiel 37:14 (NKJV)
I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you
shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it," says the LORD.'"
Time to prophesy to your future!!
Time to speak to the valley of dry bones!!
What you tolerate will dominate you!!
Life starts when Jesus takes hold of you!!
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Matthew 19:16 (NKJV)
Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may
have eternal life?"
John 10:10 (NKJV)
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may
have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Revelation 3:20 (NKJV)
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come
in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
REMINDERS: This week Dreamweek. Harvest Event 9 Oct 7pm at CRC Cape Town. Invite
your world to church! STB WOW 16 Oct, CPT WOW 23 Oct. Please drive through the zones!
Join any of the many CRC ministries and commit to serving in church. Follow us on twitter
@aidan_jeffery, @crccpt and @crcstb.
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