Read 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. Romans 12:1-2
The fount of all knowledge, the internet, tells me that to have a powerful life I need to adopt the six B’s each morning. These 6 B’s include Body & Brew - a good coffee and a 10-15 minute stretch to get blood flowing; Bible and Prayer - open God’s Word, read it, apply it and pray; Blessing Journal - write down one thing you are truly grateful for and why; Books - read a book for 30 minutes; Big Picture - think about the big picture of your life; and Block Out - map out where and how you want the day to go.
While the Lord definitely agrees with Bible reading and prayer and possibly even journaling (it’s not actually commanded in Scripture even thought it’s a good idea) God would never have His Word on par with other books. Unfortunately the Bible is often seen as a book for the “inner me” while the other books are for getting my life in order and for having a great impact. It appears that we need the Bible plus other helps to have a powerful life!
God encourages us to lead a quiet life which does not equate to being uninvolved and inactive. It means that we are not needlessly bothering others and meddling in their business. We are to work hard and to be attentive to our own duties. By this kind of life we win the respect of outsiders or non believers.
Living a God focussed and productive life is as much ‘worship’ as any part of our life. We gather for Sonday morning and evening “worship” but we should never think that after the church service that “worship” has finished. Indeed, it has only just begun. Our Sonday services prepare us and equip us to ‘worship’ God with our lives.
The way we conduct our selves and the way we live our lives and the way we work are as much an integral of our “worship” of God as our Sonday morning gatherings.
A productive life lived in worship to God is a powerful life indeed.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Ask the Lord to give you strength and wisdom to worship Him in daily life - among your family, through your work and through the daily grind of life.
V Ask God to strengthen our children’s ministry and youth ministry so that the peers of our children see that God is truly worshipped. Pray that God would continue to mature and deepen the love these children and youth have for each other and for God.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What is the difference between leading a quiet life and being inactive and uninvolved?
2. How would you sum up what God is saying to you today?
3. Explain how we can adhere to this passage and still be actively promoting the gospel and the church in our local community
Saturday 29 June 2013
Friday 28 June 2013
Friday June 28, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10. John 13:34-35
Zahid lived in Pakistan and was following in the footsteps of his father and uncles, all of whom were teachers in the local mosque. Like his predecessors he hated Christians and wanted nothing more than to eradicate them. After rallying a group of Christian-haters and after whipping them into a frenzy, he set off to attack and beat any local Christians they could find. As they chased one believer down an alley way, the Bible he was carrying fell to the ground. Normally Zahid would tear up and burn these Bibles. But this time he had a strange desire to read the believers holy book to gain evidence against their false teachings and ridiculous beliefs.
However as Zahid started to read that Bible he actually met Christ and was converted to the faith. His hatred of Christians melted away instantly. Zahid was eventually arrested and sentenced to death for apostasy. After a long stint in prison Zahid was miraculously released. He now spends his life teaching about Jesus and supporting believers, the very believers he once hated and persecuted. This love is having a powerful witness to the non believing world.
Christ taught us this very truth - that as we love each other as He has loved us then the world will know that we are His disciples. The world will see the selfless, sacrificial love of Christ and will be drawn to or pushed away from Jesus. You simply cannot see Jesus and have a mediocre reaction to Him. Some will come to Jesus. Others will reject Him.
Love communicates across all national and religious boundaries. The world needs to see Christian love in action. But, be warned! If they don’t see Christians loving other Christians they will never believe that this Jesus we claim to worship can love them. They will never be drawn to a Jesus whose followers slander each other, gossip about each other, withhold forgiveness from each other or who simply don’t care about each other’s needs.
But as we sacrificially love each other and put each other’s needs above our own, the world will see a Christ who can and does love them. They will be drawn powerfully to our God because they have a tangible model of love before them.
We are commanded to love one another for the sake of each other but also for the sake of the non believing world. A life of love is a powerful life indeed.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that God would bring reconciliation and love where it is needed in your church. Ask Him to humble hearts so that people are willing to give and receive forgiveness as Christ has forgiven us. Pray that this reconciliation will bring many to Christ through repentance and faith.
V Pray that Shiloh Church ministries will communicate the love of Christ to the orphans they care for. Pray that this love is seen by the world and that many are drawn to Christ because of it.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Why is it necessary for a Christian to love other Christians?
2. Some have said, ‘I have to love you but I don’t have to like you.’ Discuss your thoughts about this statement.
3. What does it mean to love someone with the love of Jesus?
Zahid lived in Pakistan and was following in the footsteps of his father and uncles, all of whom were teachers in the local mosque. Like his predecessors he hated Christians and wanted nothing more than to eradicate them. After rallying a group of Christian-haters and after whipping them into a frenzy, he set off to attack and beat any local Christians they could find. As they chased one believer down an alley way, the Bible he was carrying fell to the ground. Normally Zahid would tear up and burn these Bibles. But this time he had a strange desire to read the believers holy book to gain evidence against their false teachings and ridiculous beliefs.
However as Zahid started to read that Bible he actually met Christ and was converted to the faith. His hatred of Christians melted away instantly. Zahid was eventually arrested and sentenced to death for apostasy. After a long stint in prison Zahid was miraculously released. He now spends his life teaching about Jesus and supporting believers, the very believers he once hated and persecuted. This love is having a powerful witness to the non believing world.
Christ taught us this very truth - that as we love each other as He has loved us then the world will know that we are His disciples. The world will see the selfless, sacrificial love of Christ and will be drawn to or pushed away from Jesus. You simply cannot see Jesus and have a mediocre reaction to Him. Some will come to Jesus. Others will reject Him.
Love communicates across all national and religious boundaries. The world needs to see Christian love in action. But, be warned! If they don’t see Christians loving other Christians they will never believe that this Jesus we claim to worship can love them. They will never be drawn to a Jesus whose followers slander each other, gossip about each other, withhold forgiveness from each other or who simply don’t care about each other’s needs.
But as we sacrificially love each other and put each other’s needs above our own, the world will see a Christ who can and does love them. They will be drawn powerfully to our God because they have a tangible model of love before them.
We are commanded to love one another for the sake of each other but also for the sake of the non believing world. A life of love is a powerful life indeed.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that God would bring reconciliation and love where it is needed in your church. Ask Him to humble hearts so that people are willing to give and receive forgiveness as Christ has forgiven us. Pray that this reconciliation will bring many to Christ through repentance and faith.
V Pray that Shiloh Church ministries will communicate the love of Christ to the orphans they care for. Pray that this love is seen by the world and that many are drawn to Christ because of it.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Why is it necessary for a Christian to love other Christians?
2. Some have said, ‘I have to love you but I don’t have to like you.’ Discuss your thoughts about this statement.
3. What does it mean to love someone with the love of Jesus?
Thursday 27 June 2013
Thursday June 27, 2013
Jesus Challenge:
Having brainstormed and came up with a potential outreach event, make a list of non believers that you would like to invite to that event. Assign the job of printing invites to one cell member, making sure dates and times are right and agreed to by all.
Should you need help with the printing then please talk to the office staff.
Spend time deciding how the outreach will run and what jobs/responsibilities need to be allocated to various members of your cell.
Issues to think about:
Who are you aiming to reach by this event?
How will the gospel be shared?
How will you follow up those people who came and heard the gospel?
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8. Ephesians 4:1. Philippians 1:27
If you were to join the local athletics team, it would come with a set of expectations. You would be expected to train with them and to eat well and to exercise regularly, apart from the corporate training session. If you indulged in unhealthy food and didn’t attend training regularly, you would prove yourself to be a false member of the team. If you joined the local gardening club or car club, both would come with a set of expectations. Even membership in the local chess club and the photography club comes with a set of expectations. If you didn't meet these expectations you prove yourself a false member of the team.
Christianity is no different. When a person becomes a Christian, as we’ve seen before, their very centre is changed from self to sacrifice. And since Jesus now fills the centre of that person, he or she cannot continue in the same lifestyle that he or she had before Christ entered. Christ’s indwelling will make that person want to live differently to how they used to live.
The expectation from God is that the Christian life is holy and pure. We simply cannot worship a holy and righteous God and continue to live an unholy lifestyle no more than we can join the local athletics club and continue to live an unhealthy lifestyle.
The word ‘holy’ means to be set apart or to be different. In the ancient world, things could be set apart for almost any god or official person. The difference was seen depending on who or what you were set apart for. When we are set apart for God we take on His characteristic of holiness. God has called us to a life of holiness, a life of purity.
That calling to a life of purity has implications for the way we live in every department of our lives. God calls us to be holy and pure in our relationships, in our financial dealings, in our sports endeavours and even in our thoughts and day dreams. God will not settle for half hearted holiness or part time purity. He wants us and equips us to be pure and holy in every single area of lives.
Such lives speak volumes to the non believing world. When they see Christian lives that are no different to their own lifestyles they feel justified in using the ‘hypocritical’ tag for us believers. But when they see lives that are different, set apart for God, they are challenged and drawn to the source of that difference - Christ Jesus himself.
A holy life is a powerful life indeed.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Praise God that He has given us the power to live a holy and distinct life. Pray that God would be making you and your congregation more and more holy. Pray that He would be weeding out the sins in your life and the lives of your brothers and sisters. Pray that God would create a desire for purity in our hearts.
V Pray for the various Presbyterian churches in the Darling Downs. Pray that God would raise up men and women to do the work He’s given us to do. Pray for faithful preaching, for dedicated children’s and youth workers. Pray that God would bring growth to these churches through evangelism and conversion.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. How important is a holy life to spreading the gospel message?
2. What is the Christian motivation for purity?
Having brainstormed and came up with a potential outreach event, make a list of non believers that you would like to invite to that event. Assign the job of printing invites to one cell member, making sure dates and times are right and agreed to by all.
Should you need help with the printing then please talk to the office staff.
Spend time deciding how the outreach will run and what jobs/responsibilities need to be allocated to various members of your cell.
Issues to think about:
Who are you aiming to reach by this event?
How will the gospel be shared?
How will you follow up those people who came and heard the gospel?
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8. Ephesians 4:1. Philippians 1:27
If you were to join the local athletics team, it would come with a set of expectations. You would be expected to train with them and to eat well and to exercise regularly, apart from the corporate training session. If you indulged in unhealthy food and didn’t attend training regularly, you would prove yourself to be a false member of the team. If you joined the local gardening club or car club, both would come with a set of expectations. Even membership in the local chess club and the photography club comes with a set of expectations. If you didn't meet these expectations you prove yourself a false member of the team.
Christianity is no different. When a person becomes a Christian, as we’ve seen before, their very centre is changed from self to sacrifice. And since Jesus now fills the centre of that person, he or she cannot continue in the same lifestyle that he or she had before Christ entered. Christ’s indwelling will make that person want to live differently to how they used to live.
The expectation from God is that the Christian life is holy and pure. We simply cannot worship a holy and righteous God and continue to live an unholy lifestyle no more than we can join the local athletics club and continue to live an unhealthy lifestyle.
The word ‘holy’ means to be set apart or to be different. In the ancient world, things could be set apart for almost any god or official person. The difference was seen depending on who or what you were set apart for. When we are set apart for God we take on His characteristic of holiness. God has called us to a life of holiness, a life of purity.
That calling to a life of purity has implications for the way we live in every department of our lives. God calls us to be holy and pure in our relationships, in our financial dealings, in our sports endeavours and even in our thoughts and day dreams. God will not settle for half hearted holiness or part time purity. He wants us and equips us to be pure and holy in every single area of lives.
Such lives speak volumes to the non believing world. When they see Christian lives that are no different to their own lifestyles they feel justified in using the ‘hypocritical’ tag for us believers. But when they see lives that are different, set apart for God, they are challenged and drawn to the source of that difference - Christ Jesus himself.
A holy life is a powerful life indeed.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Praise God that He has given us the power to live a holy and distinct life. Pray that God would be making you and your congregation more and more holy. Pray that He would be weeding out the sins in your life and the lives of your brothers and sisters. Pray that God would create a desire for purity in our hearts.
V Pray for the various Presbyterian churches in the Darling Downs. Pray that God would raise up men and women to do the work He’s given us to do. Pray for faithful preaching, for dedicated children’s and youth workers. Pray that God would bring growth to these churches through evangelism and conversion.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. How important is a holy life to spreading the gospel message?
2. What is the Christian motivation for purity?
Wednesday 26 June 2013
Wednesday June 26, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:6. Luke 16:19-31
If you saw a child about to walk onto a busy road into the path of an oncoming vehicle I have no doubt that you would call out and warn that child. You would probably even try to physically stop that child. If one of your fellow work mates was working in an unsafe environment and you saw an accident about to happen, I have no hesitation in believing that you would warn your work mate of the impending danger.
Warning people of impending danger is a good and healthy thing, a thing that we should all be involved in. God’s forth coming punishment has been predicted and talked about since the prophets of old. God has been warning His people that this day of judgment is coming. He’s been telling us about it for centuries. God has been wanting us, even commanding us, to warn the world that this judgement is coming.
Even so, many churches have eradicated the warning message from their preaching and teaching. Some argue that it’s too unpopular to teach about. Others say that it’s too negative and gives the wrong focus. Still others say that God’s love is a far more important message.
Can you imagine a person yelling out ‘I love you’ to that child about to walk in front of a vehicle? Can you picture a work mate professing his mateship to a fellow worker as a load drops off a crane or shelf above him? It’s ridiculous. The love for the child and the love for the work mate are shown in issuing forth the warning.
Our love for the world and for each other is shown by issuing forth the warning from God. He will judge all mankind for the rebellious things they do and say and think. He will weigh up every deed by his perfect standard. Our warning is not a gloom and doom message, however. It’s a positive message that lets people know that they are dearly loved by God and that He has provided a way for them to avoid the oncoming judgement. God has sent His one and only Son into the world so that He might be punished in our place and provide free and everlasting forgiveness to all who turn to Him in faith. In warning people, we are also witnessing to them of the immense love that God has for them.
Warning people of God’s impending judgement is not a horrible act of unkindness as many churches make it out to be. It’s an act of immense love that shines forth the magnitude of love that God has for each and every individual. Sure, it may scare the hell out of people, but that’s a good thing if they turn to Jesus for rescue!
A warning given in the context of love creates a powerful life indeed.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that God would bless Student Life Australia with many opportunities to share the full gospel with students across the land. Pray that they would see many come to Christ in repentance and faith. Pray too that many new centres would be started in universities that have no Student Life Group on Campus.
V Pray that God would use each of us to preach the full gospel to people in our respective lives who are still rejecting Christ. Pray that we’d see many come to Christ in faith.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What role does the warning of judgement play in our gospel presentation?
2. What are the possible results of preaching the love of God without the warning of judgement?
3. What are the possible results of preaching the judgement of God without the love of God?
If you saw a child about to walk onto a busy road into the path of an oncoming vehicle I have no doubt that you would call out and warn that child. You would probably even try to physically stop that child. If one of your fellow work mates was working in an unsafe environment and you saw an accident about to happen, I have no hesitation in believing that you would warn your work mate of the impending danger.
Warning people of impending danger is a good and healthy thing, a thing that we should all be involved in. God’s forth coming punishment has been predicted and talked about since the prophets of old. God has been warning His people that this day of judgment is coming. He’s been telling us about it for centuries. God has been wanting us, even commanding us, to warn the world that this judgement is coming.
Even so, many churches have eradicated the warning message from their preaching and teaching. Some argue that it’s too unpopular to teach about. Others say that it’s too negative and gives the wrong focus. Still others say that God’s love is a far more important message.
Can you imagine a person yelling out ‘I love you’ to that child about to walk in front of a vehicle? Can you picture a work mate professing his mateship to a fellow worker as a load drops off a crane or shelf above him? It’s ridiculous. The love for the child and the love for the work mate are shown in issuing forth the warning.
Our love for the world and for each other is shown by issuing forth the warning from God. He will judge all mankind for the rebellious things they do and say and think. He will weigh up every deed by his perfect standard. Our warning is not a gloom and doom message, however. It’s a positive message that lets people know that they are dearly loved by God and that He has provided a way for them to avoid the oncoming judgement. God has sent His one and only Son into the world so that He might be punished in our place and provide free and everlasting forgiveness to all who turn to Him in faith. In warning people, we are also witnessing to them of the immense love that God has for them.
Warning people of God’s impending judgement is not a horrible act of unkindness as many churches make it out to be. It’s an act of immense love that shines forth the magnitude of love that God has for each and every individual. Sure, it may scare the hell out of people, but that’s a good thing if they turn to Jesus for rescue!
A warning given in the context of love creates a powerful life indeed.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that God would bless Student Life Australia with many opportunities to share the full gospel with students across the land. Pray that they would see many come to Christ in repentance and faith. Pray too that many new centres would be started in universities that have no Student Life Group on Campus.
V Pray that God would use each of us to preach the full gospel to people in our respective lives who are still rejecting Christ. Pray that we’d see many come to Christ in faith.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What role does the warning of judgement play in our gospel presentation?
2. What are the possible results of preaching the love of God without the warning of judgement?
3. What are the possible results of preaching the judgement of God without the love of God?
Tuesday 25 June 2013
Tuesday June 25, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
“Pastor, I don’t know God’s will for my life.” I’ve heard that cry many, many times over the last 2 decades. So many Christians don’t know God’s will for their life and are desperately seeking direction and guidance. Perhaps you are one of them.
Scripturally, there are many ways to understand God’s will. There is his immutable will. That will of God is His unchanging will which will come to pass. For example, it is God’s will that Jesus be Lord and Judge and that He will judge the living and the dead. This will happen no matter what you and I do or don’t do.
Then there is God’s moral will. This is what God would have us believe and how He would have us act. In any and in every situation God’s will is that we believe and act in ways that conform to His character. God’s moral will is never that we sin or indulge ourselves.
Finally, there is God’s will for our individual lives and circumstances. While we may not have a degree of ‘revelation’ from God about which job to take or which person to marry, we do have considerable teaching about God’s will in many different circumstances. It is, for example, God’s will that we be sanctified. This means that God wants and wills for us to be different, to be holy and separate from the world in everything we do. Likewise, it is God’s will that we avoid sexual immorality. It is God’s will that we control our bodily desires and that we do not give into these desires. It is God’s will that we live holy and honourably in a way that befits our new centre - Christ Jesus.
In some sense a lot of the decisions in life are simplified when we consider God’s moral will and His individual will as revealed in Scripture. Which ever choice we make, God wants us to walk down that road in accord with His Word and His character.
Sometimes when a believer says ‘Pastor, I don’t know God’s will for my life’ they might be asking, ‘How do I know which pathway will cause me the most happiness?’, or ‘Which direction will lead to the least amount of pain?’ This is the wrong question. The right question is, ’How can I please God regardless of the pathway I walk down?’
A life lived in conformity to the will of God is a powerful life indeed.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray for the work of Mustard Seed Orphanage in Myanmar as they seek to care for children, the lame and the outcast of society. Pray that God would raise the daily funds and supplies they need so that they can focus on preaching the Word and making disciples. Pray that many would come to know Christ personally through their work.
V Pray similarly for the work of Shiloh church ministries.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Have there been times when you didn’t know God’s will for your life? What did you do and what happened?
2. How do you normally go about finding God’s will for your life?
“Pastor, I don’t know God’s will for my life.” I’ve heard that cry many, many times over the last 2 decades. So many Christians don’t know God’s will for their life and are desperately seeking direction and guidance. Perhaps you are one of them.
Scripturally, there are many ways to understand God’s will. There is his immutable will. That will of God is His unchanging will which will come to pass. For example, it is God’s will that Jesus be Lord and Judge and that He will judge the living and the dead. This will happen no matter what you and I do or don’t do.
Then there is God’s moral will. This is what God would have us believe and how He would have us act. In any and in every situation God’s will is that we believe and act in ways that conform to His character. God’s moral will is never that we sin or indulge ourselves.
Finally, there is God’s will for our individual lives and circumstances. While we may not have a degree of ‘revelation’ from God about which job to take or which person to marry, we do have considerable teaching about God’s will in many different circumstances. It is, for example, God’s will that we be sanctified. This means that God wants and wills for us to be different, to be holy and separate from the world in everything we do. Likewise, it is God’s will that we avoid sexual immorality. It is God’s will that we control our bodily desires and that we do not give into these desires. It is God’s will that we live holy and honourably in a way that befits our new centre - Christ Jesus.
In some sense a lot of the decisions in life are simplified when we consider God’s moral will and His individual will as revealed in Scripture. Which ever choice we make, God wants us to walk down that road in accord with His Word and His character.
Sometimes when a believer says ‘Pastor, I don’t know God’s will for my life’ they might be asking, ‘How do I know which pathway will cause me the most happiness?’, or ‘Which direction will lead to the least amount of pain?’ This is the wrong question. The right question is, ’How can I please God regardless of the pathway I walk down?’
A life lived in conformity to the will of God is a powerful life indeed.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray for the work of Mustard Seed Orphanage in Myanmar as they seek to care for children, the lame and the outcast of society. Pray that God would raise the daily funds and supplies they need so that they can focus on preaching the Word and making disciples. Pray that many would come to know Christ personally through their work.
V Pray similarly for the work of Shiloh church ministries.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Have there been times when you didn’t know God’s will for your life? What did you do and what happened?
2. How do you normally go about finding God’s will for your life?
Monday 24 June 2013
Monday June 24, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2
In the movie ‘Rise of the Guardians’, North (aka Santa) asks Jack (aka Jack Frost) what his centre is. The centre of a person is the driving force at their very core. It’s what motivates them and keeps them going. The story revolves around Jack finding his true centre - bringing fun and joy to others. While it is only make believe, the story captures a true element of human nature. We have at the centre of our being some rule or guide by which we live our lives. Some people live to be happy and make all decisions on the degree that the outcome affects their happiness. Others have vowed to themselves that they will never be hurt by a relationship and spend a lifetime avoiding deep and meaningful scenarios. Still others have created the icon of wealth in their heart. They decide everything on the money or wealth it brings them. Some want a pain free life. Others want to inflict as much pain on others as they can. There are countless ‘centres’ that could reside in the hearts of believers.
The Thessalonians were once self centred people who sought only to indulge themselves and their fantasies. They worshipped mute idols in the hope of fulfilling their lustful desires. All “religions” and idol worshipping groups are simply a tool to get what we want. The basic premise is always the same. If you do this then you will get that. If I say the right words I’ll get what I want. If I go through the right motions I’ll get what I desire. If I live the right way I’ll end up where I want to end up. Get the picture? The “centre” for the Thessalonians, as it is for so many today, was self. They worshipped mute idols to please and to fulfil themselves.
But when they when they came to Christ in repentance and faith, Christ changed the centre from self to sacrifice. Jesus filled their centre and gave them a deep, other centred love for each other. Their goal was no longer to make oneself happy or comfortable or to meet one’s own needs but rather to please God in everything and to love others.
The centre of the Christian life is Christ Jesus. If we have lost that centre or filled it with someone or something else we may need a realignment. But with Christ as our centre, every decision is made from the vantage point of what pleases God. Sometimes that decision will be easy and straightforward. At other times it may be a difficult, hair raising situation. But no matter what the situation, with Christ at the centre, the decision and the acting out of that decision will be made with joy and confidence.
A Christian life with Christ truly at the centre is a powerful life indeed.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that the Lord will bless the Schache’s in Vanuatu as they serve in the Bible college there. Pray that their maintenance work will be a joy and that God would provide all their needs so that the college can continue to faithfully train up and send out preachers and teachers.
V Ask the Lord to bless the work of Reformed Bible College in Myanmar. Pray that all of their daily needs will be provided for so that they can focus on the task at hand - preparing ministers for the gospel work in the villages of Chin state. Pray that many more would enrol in the college and serve faithfully in that state.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. How can you tell if ‘self’ or ‘Christ’ is at your centre?
2. How can we make sure that Christ remains at our centre each and every day?
3. What role do others play in helping me keep Christ at my centre?
In the movie ‘Rise of the Guardians’, North (aka Santa) asks Jack (aka Jack Frost) what his centre is. The centre of a person is the driving force at their very core. It’s what motivates them and keeps them going. The story revolves around Jack finding his true centre - bringing fun and joy to others. While it is only make believe, the story captures a true element of human nature. We have at the centre of our being some rule or guide by which we live our lives. Some people live to be happy and make all decisions on the degree that the outcome affects their happiness. Others have vowed to themselves that they will never be hurt by a relationship and spend a lifetime avoiding deep and meaningful scenarios. Still others have created the icon of wealth in their heart. They decide everything on the money or wealth it brings them. Some want a pain free life. Others want to inflict as much pain on others as they can. There are countless ‘centres’ that could reside in the hearts of believers.
The Thessalonians were once self centred people who sought only to indulge themselves and their fantasies. They worshipped mute idols in the hope of fulfilling their lustful desires. All “religions” and idol worshipping groups are simply a tool to get what we want. The basic premise is always the same. If you do this then you will get that. If I say the right words I’ll get what I want. If I go through the right motions I’ll get what I desire. If I live the right way I’ll end up where I want to end up. Get the picture? The “centre” for the Thessalonians, as it is for so many today, was self. They worshipped mute idols to please and to fulfil themselves.
But when they when they came to Christ in repentance and faith, Christ changed the centre from self to sacrifice. Jesus filled their centre and gave them a deep, other centred love for each other. Their goal was no longer to make oneself happy or comfortable or to meet one’s own needs but rather to please God in everything and to love others.
The centre of the Christian life is Christ Jesus. If we have lost that centre or filled it with someone or something else we may need a realignment. But with Christ as our centre, every decision is made from the vantage point of what pleases God. Sometimes that decision will be easy and straightforward. At other times it may be a difficult, hair raising situation. But no matter what the situation, with Christ at the centre, the decision and the acting out of that decision will be made with joy and confidence.
A Christian life with Christ truly at the centre is a powerful life indeed.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that the Lord will bless the Schache’s in Vanuatu as they serve in the Bible college there. Pray that their maintenance work will be a joy and that God would provide all their needs so that the college can continue to faithfully train up and send out preachers and teachers.
V Ask the Lord to bless the work of Reformed Bible College in Myanmar. Pray that all of their daily needs will be provided for so that they can focus on the task at hand - preparing ministers for the gospel work in the villages of Chin state. Pray that many more would enrol in the college and serve faithfully in that state.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. How can you tell if ‘self’ or ‘Christ’ is at your centre?
2. How can we make sure that Christ remains at our centre each and every day?
3. What role do others play in helping me keep Christ at my centre?
Saturday 22 June 2013
Saturday June 22, 2013
Read Matthew 21:18-23. Ephesians 3:20-21
This passage in Matthew’s Gospel may seem like a strange passage to turn to after studying Paul’s prayers for the Thessalonians throughout this week. But it was Paul who wrote Ephesians 3:20-21. He knew what God could and would do in response to his prayers. Paul prayed with confidence that the creator of the universe would listen and answer his prayers. Paul prayed expectantly that things would happen because he prayed.
One of the reasons we see little or no answer to our prayers is that we pray with no or little expectation. We often pray half heartedly, already convinced that God will not or cannot hear and answer our prayers. We often tend to pray with an edge of disbelief. In my own prayers, I often catch myself having negative thoughts such as, ‘God won’t do that’ or ‘God’s not interested in this stuff.’ Such a heart of prayer is destructive.
Jesus encourages us to pray with full and confident belief. He used the fig tree to teach His immediate disciples and us to pray expectantly. We know that when Jesus went to pick the fruit from the fig tree that it was not the season for figs to be ripe. Check out Mark 11:13 and you’ll see how true this is. When Jesus sees that there is no fruit on the tree He curses it and it withers immediately. The disciples are understandably awestruck. Jesus then teaches that if they or we pray with belief then God can and will do mighty things through our prayers. Jesus teaches that we should pray expectantly and confidently.
When we pray with faith we believe that God is both willing and able to answer our prayers. Sometimes we may doubt that He is willing. At other times we may doubt that He is able to answer our prayers. We must believe both in our hearts before our faith is effective.
Tomorrow the people of the Lord will again gather in His presence. This gathering necessitates prayer. When you are praying tomorrow or listening to someone else pray, will you give the confident and believing ‘Amen’ or will you harbour doubt and disbelief? Be assured of this. God wants you to be praying. God wants to hear your prayers and to answer. He is willing and able to do more than you could ever ask or imagine.
Step out in faith tomorrow and pray with a believing and faithful heart.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Ask the Lord to work powerfully among your congregation tomorrow as you gather together. Pray that He would heal, reconcile, lift up, admonish and teach as He desires so that His people would grow in love and compassion.
V Pray that non believers would be at your service and that they would be granted repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ through the grace of God. Pray that there would be much rejoicing and praise as people turn to God through Christ.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Why do we doubt God’s willingness and ability to answer our prayers?
2. How can we grow in confidence in God’s ability and willingness to answer our prayers?
This passage in Matthew’s Gospel may seem like a strange passage to turn to after studying Paul’s prayers for the Thessalonians throughout this week. But it was Paul who wrote Ephesians 3:20-21. He knew what God could and would do in response to his prayers. Paul prayed with confidence that the creator of the universe would listen and answer his prayers. Paul prayed expectantly that things would happen because he prayed.
One of the reasons we see little or no answer to our prayers is that we pray with no or little expectation. We often pray half heartedly, already convinced that God will not or cannot hear and answer our prayers. We often tend to pray with an edge of disbelief. In my own prayers, I often catch myself having negative thoughts such as, ‘God won’t do that’ or ‘God’s not interested in this stuff.’ Such a heart of prayer is destructive.
Jesus encourages us to pray with full and confident belief. He used the fig tree to teach His immediate disciples and us to pray expectantly. We know that when Jesus went to pick the fruit from the fig tree that it was not the season for figs to be ripe. Check out Mark 11:13 and you’ll see how true this is. When Jesus sees that there is no fruit on the tree He curses it and it withers immediately. The disciples are understandably awestruck. Jesus then teaches that if they or we pray with belief then God can and will do mighty things through our prayers. Jesus teaches that we should pray expectantly and confidently.
When we pray with faith we believe that God is both willing and able to answer our prayers. Sometimes we may doubt that He is willing. At other times we may doubt that He is able to answer our prayers. We must believe both in our hearts before our faith is effective.
Tomorrow the people of the Lord will again gather in His presence. This gathering necessitates prayer. When you are praying tomorrow or listening to someone else pray, will you give the confident and believing ‘Amen’ or will you harbour doubt and disbelief? Be assured of this. God wants you to be praying. God wants to hear your prayers and to answer. He is willing and able to do more than you could ever ask or imagine.
Step out in faith tomorrow and pray with a believing and faithful heart.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Ask the Lord to work powerfully among your congregation tomorrow as you gather together. Pray that He would heal, reconcile, lift up, admonish and teach as He desires so that His people would grow in love and compassion.
V Pray that non believers would be at your service and that they would be granted repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ through the grace of God. Pray that there would be much rejoicing and praise as people turn to God through Christ.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Why do we doubt God’s willingness and ability to answer our prayers?
2. How can we grow in confidence in God’s ability and willingness to answer our prayers?
Friday 21 June 2013
Friday June 21, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13. John 13:34-35
Think ahead to the day when Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead. On that day a trumpet will blast and the Lord will descend with His holy angels to gather the elect and to judge the rest of mankind. It will be both a glorious day and a terrifying day, depending on where you stand with the Lord Jesus Christ.
As you cast your mind forward to that day, imagine you have a list of all the prayers that you ever prayed. Which ones would be relevant and enduring on that final day? Which ones will have really mattered?
Of course it’s important to pray about our physical and immediate needs. Jesus taught us to ask God for our daily bread in the Lord’s Prayer. But notice what Paul prays in these closing 3 verses of chapter 3.
Firstly he prays that God would open the way for himself and his team to come to the Thessalonians. He is asking that they might enjoy rich, deep and Christ centred fellowship yet again. He prays that the church members would grow in love for each other, effectively asking that the world would truly see them as Jesus’ disciples. He’s asking that they grow in love for non Christians, which we presume is a prayer that more and more people would come into the faith as they see the love of Jesus. He asks God to strengthen their hearts so that they avoid temptation, stop sinning and walk away from previous addictions. He prays that when Jesus does return to judge the living and the dead that they would be able to stand tall because they have lived a life worthy of their calling. Finally, he prays that there will be nothing that they are ashamed of on that great day of Christ’s return.
Perhaps it might be time to reform our prayers. While it’s not wrong to focus on the physical and the immediate, sometimes these do tend to form the crux and majority of our prayers. Let us not stop praying for these needs but let us also pray prayers that endure through eternity. Let us adopt and add prayers that will matter and prove fruitful on that day when Christ Jesus Himself returns.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Ask the Lord to use Shiloh Church Ministries in India to grow and make disciples in the 3 orphanages that they run. Pray that these children will grow into Christ loving, Christ serving people and that Shiloh will be able to meet their daily needs.
V Pray that God’s work through PIM (Presbyterian Inland Missions) across Australia would bear much fruit. Pray that the individual padres would have many opportunities to speak of Christ, to run church services and to bring many people to the Lord for salvation.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What percentage of your prayers generally are focused on the immediate and physical and what percentage are in line with the type of prayers we’ve looked at today?
2. Why do you think this pattern has emerged in your life?
Think ahead to the day when Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead. On that day a trumpet will blast and the Lord will descend with His holy angels to gather the elect and to judge the rest of mankind. It will be both a glorious day and a terrifying day, depending on where you stand with the Lord Jesus Christ.
As you cast your mind forward to that day, imagine you have a list of all the prayers that you ever prayed. Which ones would be relevant and enduring on that final day? Which ones will have really mattered?
Of course it’s important to pray about our physical and immediate needs. Jesus taught us to ask God for our daily bread in the Lord’s Prayer. But notice what Paul prays in these closing 3 verses of chapter 3.
Firstly he prays that God would open the way for himself and his team to come to the Thessalonians. He is asking that they might enjoy rich, deep and Christ centred fellowship yet again. He prays that the church members would grow in love for each other, effectively asking that the world would truly see them as Jesus’ disciples. He’s asking that they grow in love for non Christians, which we presume is a prayer that more and more people would come into the faith as they see the love of Jesus. He asks God to strengthen their hearts so that they avoid temptation, stop sinning and walk away from previous addictions. He prays that when Jesus does return to judge the living and the dead that they would be able to stand tall because they have lived a life worthy of their calling. Finally, he prays that there will be nothing that they are ashamed of on that great day of Christ’s return.
Perhaps it might be time to reform our prayers. While it’s not wrong to focus on the physical and the immediate, sometimes these do tend to form the crux and majority of our prayers. Let us not stop praying for these needs but let us also pray prayers that endure through eternity. Let us adopt and add prayers that will matter and prove fruitful on that day when Christ Jesus Himself returns.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Ask the Lord to use Shiloh Church Ministries in India to grow and make disciples in the 3 orphanages that they run. Pray that these children will grow into Christ loving, Christ serving people and that Shiloh will be able to meet their daily needs.
V Pray that God’s work through PIM (Presbyterian Inland Missions) across Australia would bear much fruit. Pray that the individual padres would have many opportunities to speak of Christ, to run church services and to bring many people to the Lord for salvation.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What percentage of your prayers generally are focused on the immediate and physical and what percentage are in line with the type of prayers we’ve looked at today?
2. Why do you think this pattern has emerged in your life?
Thursday 20 June 2013
Thursday June 20, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 3:6-10
Jose Dilson Da Silva is a missionary with the Brazilian Presbyterian Church in the Senegalese capital Dakar. Zeneide Moreira Novais, who works for Missao Servos, runs an orphanage for street children in Mbour, 80 kilometres south of Dakar. Earlier this year, both of these men were imprisoned without charge for evangelising. One young adult, said to be about 17 years old, heard about Christ from their programs and started acting like a Christian. Trouble and arrest soon followed.
For about 5 months the family of these men knew very little about their fate and had little idea of what the future would hold. If you can imagine their joy and relief when these men were released from prison then you are starting to picture some of the joy that Paul felt when he learnt about the Thessalonians from Timothy.
Paul was filled with joy that they were standing firm in their faith. He was glad that they were filled with positive memories of their initial meeting and that they longed to see him again, just as he longed to see them. He was encouraged and spurred on to greater heights of service and love because of the report he had just received. And the joy led to praise and adoration. He couldn’t thank God enough for the joy that the Thessalonians had brought him.
Praising God for other believers and finding joy in their spiritual growth and maturity was not an isolated event for Paul. He praised God for the Corinthians, even though they rejected him and caused great anguish for the apostle. He praised God for the Colossian believers, the Thessalonians and the Philippians. He even praised God for individuals like Timothy who laboured in the gospel.
Where does our joy come from? Do we set aside time in our prayers to thank God for other believers and to praise Him for their growth and maturation in the Lord? Do we see God at work in the lives of our brothers and sisters and do we take time to praise Him?
Developing an attitude of gratitude is a great way to deepen our prayers and to encourage one another.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Spend time praising God for His work in 5 other believers that you know of. Be specific.
V Spend time praising God for the work he is doing in your congregation. Be specific.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What are the dangers associated with praising God for his work in the lives of other Christians?
2. Why do we not praise God for other believers regularly in our prayer times?
Jose Dilson Da Silva is a missionary with the Brazilian Presbyterian Church in the Senegalese capital Dakar. Zeneide Moreira Novais, who works for Missao Servos, runs an orphanage for street children in Mbour, 80 kilometres south of Dakar. Earlier this year, both of these men were imprisoned without charge for evangelising. One young adult, said to be about 17 years old, heard about Christ from their programs and started acting like a Christian. Trouble and arrest soon followed.
For about 5 months the family of these men knew very little about their fate and had little idea of what the future would hold. If you can imagine their joy and relief when these men were released from prison then you are starting to picture some of the joy that Paul felt when he learnt about the Thessalonians from Timothy.
Paul was filled with joy that they were standing firm in their faith. He was glad that they were filled with positive memories of their initial meeting and that they longed to see him again, just as he longed to see them. He was encouraged and spurred on to greater heights of service and love because of the report he had just received. And the joy led to praise and adoration. He couldn’t thank God enough for the joy that the Thessalonians had brought him.
Praising God for other believers and finding joy in their spiritual growth and maturity was not an isolated event for Paul. He praised God for the Corinthians, even though they rejected him and caused great anguish for the apostle. He praised God for the Colossian believers, the Thessalonians and the Philippians. He even praised God for individuals like Timothy who laboured in the gospel.
Where does our joy come from? Do we set aside time in our prayers to thank God for other believers and to praise Him for their growth and maturation in the Lord? Do we see God at work in the lives of our brothers and sisters and do we take time to praise Him?
Developing an attitude of gratitude is a great way to deepen our prayers and to encourage one another.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Spend time praising God for His work in 5 other believers that you know of. Be specific.
V Spend time praising God for the work he is doing in your congregation. Be specific.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What are the dangers associated with praising God for his work in the lives of other Christians?
2. Why do we not praise God for other believers regularly in our prayer times?
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Wednesday June 19, 2013
Jesus Challenge: Spend time thinking about an outreach event that your cell could run to share the gospel with non believers. Brain storm ideas and thoughts. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box.
When you come up with an idea, list the steps that would be necessary to get that idea into motion.
Try to set a date for this event to actually happen.
If you are planning to use the church facilities please let the office staff know as soon as possible.
Use the rest of this page for notes etc.
Read 1 Thessalonians 3:5, 1 Corinthians 10:13
Experience teaches us that temptation from the evil one is most intense and focused just before, or soon after, a person becomes a Christian. Satan will do anything to stop a person from becoming a Christian and to lead a new believer off the track. When I witnessed a young lady give her life to Christ it wasn’t long afterwards that her de-facto husband went on a rage and stopped her from attending church. Satan wanted to destroy her faith. A young adult male gave his life to the Lord on the door step as we doorknocked a particular area. Immediately he found old friends from his wayward lifestyle calling him, encouraging him to join them in drinking binges and drug-fests. Satan wanted to destroy his faith.
Satan will use temptation to draw new believers away from Christ. He’ll deceive them and use that deception to stop them praying and fellowshipping and reading the Word.
More stable converts though are not immune to temptation. Satan will deceive long term believers into thinking that prayer is pointless. He’ll try to convince them that intercession is impotent and that meeting together is a waste of valuable time. He’ll do anything to stop our fellowship, our praying and our reading of the Word.
But you and I have a valuable arsenal in our fight against the adversary. God has promised us that when we are tempted He will strengthen us and allow us to stand up under the weight of that temptation. God doesn’t necessarily promise to remove the temptation immediately. He promises to strengthen you and to give you a way out so that you can stand up victorious through the temptation.
If we have such a promise then we need to be praying for ourselves and our brothers and sisters. Jesus taught us to pray such a prayer in the Lord’s Prayer. He told us to pray, ‘Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one’.
Given that we have a promise and a prescription to pray, we should be praying for each other and ourselves to stand firm against temptation. Missionaries need prayer that they will not be given over to depression or apathy about their mission work. Elders and teachers need prayer that they won’t be tempted to skimp on teaching preparation time or that they won’t just regurgitate someone else’s teaching. Men in the church need prayer against the temptation to lust. Women need prayer against the temptation to find their security in things rather than in God. Youth need prayer against the temptation to chase image or sexuality or careers and to leave God out of the picture. Children need prayer against the temptation to forget God and to let their mums/dads worry about that kind of stuff!
Paul was concerned that the Thessalonians would give way to the wiles and temptations of the evil one. What did Paul do? He prayed for them and did his utmost to encourage and strengthen them. Let us take a leaf out of his book.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray for those who teach in your congregation - Sonday school teachers, youth leaders, elders, pastors and preachers. Pray that they would know God’s hand upon them leading them in truth and victory. Pray that God would strengthen them and guide them through times of trial and temptation. Pray that each one would stand strong and be victorious in their hour of temptation.
V Ask God to strengthen the men in your congregation to be men of integrity. Pray that men would be encouraging one another and putting aside addictions, temptations and lustings to focus on the Word of God, fellowship and prayer. Pray that these men would lead valiantly in Christ.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Who do you know in your church that might be facing temptation? Spend time praying for them today.
2. What do you think praying against temptation will achieve?
3.
When you come up with an idea, list the steps that would be necessary to get that idea into motion.
Try to set a date for this event to actually happen.
If you are planning to use the church facilities please let the office staff know as soon as possible.
Use the rest of this page for notes etc.
Read 1 Thessalonians 3:5, 1 Corinthians 10:13
Experience teaches us that temptation from the evil one is most intense and focused just before, or soon after, a person becomes a Christian. Satan will do anything to stop a person from becoming a Christian and to lead a new believer off the track. When I witnessed a young lady give her life to Christ it wasn’t long afterwards that her de-facto husband went on a rage and stopped her from attending church. Satan wanted to destroy her faith. A young adult male gave his life to the Lord on the door step as we doorknocked a particular area. Immediately he found old friends from his wayward lifestyle calling him, encouraging him to join them in drinking binges and drug-fests. Satan wanted to destroy his faith.
Satan will use temptation to draw new believers away from Christ. He’ll deceive them and use that deception to stop them praying and fellowshipping and reading the Word.
More stable converts though are not immune to temptation. Satan will deceive long term believers into thinking that prayer is pointless. He’ll try to convince them that intercession is impotent and that meeting together is a waste of valuable time. He’ll do anything to stop our fellowship, our praying and our reading of the Word.
But you and I have a valuable arsenal in our fight against the adversary. God has promised us that when we are tempted He will strengthen us and allow us to stand up under the weight of that temptation. God doesn’t necessarily promise to remove the temptation immediately. He promises to strengthen you and to give you a way out so that you can stand up victorious through the temptation.
If we have such a promise then we need to be praying for ourselves and our brothers and sisters. Jesus taught us to pray such a prayer in the Lord’s Prayer. He told us to pray, ‘Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one’.
Given that we have a promise and a prescription to pray, we should be praying for each other and ourselves to stand firm against temptation. Missionaries need prayer that they will not be given over to depression or apathy about their mission work. Elders and teachers need prayer that they won’t be tempted to skimp on teaching preparation time or that they won’t just regurgitate someone else’s teaching. Men in the church need prayer against the temptation to lust. Women need prayer against the temptation to find their security in things rather than in God. Youth need prayer against the temptation to chase image or sexuality or careers and to leave God out of the picture. Children need prayer against the temptation to forget God and to let their mums/dads worry about that kind of stuff!
Paul was concerned that the Thessalonians would give way to the wiles and temptations of the evil one. What did Paul do? He prayed for them and did his utmost to encourage and strengthen them. Let us take a leaf out of his book.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray for those who teach in your congregation - Sonday school teachers, youth leaders, elders, pastors and preachers. Pray that they would know God’s hand upon them leading them in truth and victory. Pray that God would strengthen them and guide them through times of trial and temptation. Pray that each one would stand strong and be victorious in their hour of temptation.
V Ask God to strengthen the men in your congregation to be men of integrity. Pray that men would be encouraging one another and putting aside addictions, temptations and lustings to focus on the Word of God, fellowship and prayer. Pray that these men would lead valiantly in Christ.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Who do you know in your church that might be facing temptation? Spend time praying for them today.
2. What do you think praying against temptation will achieve?
3.
Tuesday 18 June 2013
Tuesday June 18, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4. Ephesians 3:16-19
We live in an age of instant communication. The phone means that we can instantly chat with almost anyone around the world. The internet means that we can access information from almost anywhere, about anything, at any time. The social media networks (Face Book, Twitter, Linked In, My Space, Google + and so on) mean that we can communicate literally anything on our minds to our fans and friends. One face book message I happened to read was a note of appraisal from a spouse for the romantic dinner that they had just had and for the willingness of the other spouse to get dessert ready. In between dinner and desert this Face Book fanatic told the world about his dinner and soon to be served dessert!
In Paul’s day communication was slower than snail mail in Siberia! It took months to get word to friends and family who lived in other regions or countries. It’s for this reason that Paul sends Timothy to the Thessalonians to encourage them, to strengthen them and to make sure that they weren’t put off by reports of their own persecution. Even though Paul had warned them that this would happen (which it did) he wanted to send Timothy to them as a reassurance that they weren’t turned off or discouraged by this persecution.
But Paul’s approach to others went beyond the physical. He wrestled day and night in prayer for all the believers he had made and met over the years. It’s obvious from Ephesians 3:16-19, and many other similar prayers in his letters, that Paul prayed for the spiritual well being of his brothers and sisters. He cared more for their holiness and righteousness than their “happiness”. He cared more that they were growing in Christ-likeness than their asset base.
Compared to living in Paul’s day, you and I are truly blessed. We can use our instant communication to bless people, to build them up and to benefit them. We can use Face Book or Twitter or even the old fashioned mobile phone to build each other up in the faith. One church was so switched on that they sent a bible verse to each member each day just to encourage them! We can make the most of this instant communication to bless believers world wide. When’s the last time you skyped a missionary or posted a bible verse or prayer on their Face Book page?
Unlike Paul we don’t have to wait months to hear how people are going. Like Paul we can also be praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Like Paul let us endeavour to pray prayers that have eternal value. Prayers regarding our physical health and physical things have some value but they really should take a back seat to growth in godliness, maturation in the love of God and similar prayers that endure through eternity. Scour the pages of Paul’s prayers and you’ll find dozens of prayer relating to Christ-likeness, to spiritual health, to maturity in Christ and so on. Keep scouring and you’ll find comparatively few prayers that related to the physical. Of course they are present but in comparatively less volume.
When you pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ, when you bring your congregational members before the Lord what are you praying for? Are you praying prayers that have eternal value? Are you praying prayers that touch a person’s core relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you praying for real, deep inner change that brings the Christ-light to the surface to shine out brightly? It’s time for a reformation in our prayers so as to bring them more into line with the prayers of Scripture.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Choose five members/families of your congregation and pray that God would grow them in love for Christ, in understanding of His love for them and in their ability to communicate that love with non believers.
V Pray that God would grow the elders of your church in wisdom and knowledge of Scripture. Ask the Lord to make them men who seek to apply God’s Word to their own hearts and lives before they apply it to anyone else. Pray that these men would grow in holiness and righteousness.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Have your prayers been based more on the physical or the spiritual in the past? Why do you think this is?
2. How can we ensure that our prayers are balanced?
3. If a church’s prayers are unbalanced towards the physical, how can the individual bring change?
We live in an age of instant communication. The phone means that we can instantly chat with almost anyone around the world. The internet means that we can access information from almost anywhere, about anything, at any time. The social media networks (Face Book, Twitter, Linked In, My Space, Google + and so on) mean that we can communicate literally anything on our minds to our fans and friends. One face book message I happened to read was a note of appraisal from a spouse for the romantic dinner that they had just had and for the willingness of the other spouse to get dessert ready. In between dinner and desert this Face Book fanatic told the world about his dinner and soon to be served dessert!
In Paul’s day communication was slower than snail mail in Siberia! It took months to get word to friends and family who lived in other regions or countries. It’s for this reason that Paul sends Timothy to the Thessalonians to encourage them, to strengthen them and to make sure that they weren’t put off by reports of their own persecution. Even though Paul had warned them that this would happen (which it did) he wanted to send Timothy to them as a reassurance that they weren’t turned off or discouraged by this persecution.
But Paul’s approach to others went beyond the physical. He wrestled day and night in prayer for all the believers he had made and met over the years. It’s obvious from Ephesians 3:16-19, and many other similar prayers in his letters, that Paul prayed for the spiritual well being of his brothers and sisters. He cared more for their holiness and righteousness than their “happiness”. He cared more that they were growing in Christ-likeness than their asset base.
Compared to living in Paul’s day, you and I are truly blessed. We can use our instant communication to bless people, to build them up and to benefit them. We can use Face Book or Twitter or even the old fashioned mobile phone to build each other up in the faith. One church was so switched on that they sent a bible verse to each member each day just to encourage them! We can make the most of this instant communication to bless believers world wide. When’s the last time you skyped a missionary or posted a bible verse or prayer on their Face Book page?
Unlike Paul we don’t have to wait months to hear how people are going. Like Paul we can also be praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Like Paul let us endeavour to pray prayers that have eternal value. Prayers regarding our physical health and physical things have some value but they really should take a back seat to growth in godliness, maturation in the love of God and similar prayers that endure through eternity. Scour the pages of Paul’s prayers and you’ll find dozens of prayer relating to Christ-likeness, to spiritual health, to maturity in Christ and so on. Keep scouring and you’ll find comparatively few prayers that related to the physical. Of course they are present but in comparatively less volume.
When you pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ, when you bring your congregational members before the Lord what are you praying for? Are you praying prayers that have eternal value? Are you praying prayers that touch a person’s core relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you praying for real, deep inner change that brings the Christ-light to the surface to shine out brightly? It’s time for a reformation in our prayers so as to bring them more into line with the prayers of Scripture.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Choose five members/families of your congregation and pray that God would grow them in love for Christ, in understanding of His love for them and in their ability to communicate that love with non believers.
V Pray that God would grow the elders of your church in wisdom and knowledge of Scripture. Ask the Lord to make them men who seek to apply God’s Word to their own hearts and lives before they apply it to anyone else. Pray that these men would grow in holiness and righteousness.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Have your prayers been based more on the physical or the spiritual in the past? Why do you think this is?
2. How can we ensure that our prayers are balanced?
3. If a church’s prayers are unbalanced towards the physical, how can the individual bring change?
Monday 17 June 2013
Monday June 17, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20. 1 John 5:14-15
The evil one, satan, is not frightened or deterred by many things that happen in our churches today. He doesn’t care one iota how much we talk about the footy, the weather and our work lives. Satan wants nothing more than to fill our churches with idle chit-chat and meaningless clutter. He wants nothing more than to make our fellowship times idle and hollow. He wants us to focus on our sports, our cars and our new house cleaning tips.
But he shudders when we talk about spiritual issues - our faith, the Gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan hates it when we encourage one another, bless one another and selflessly serve each other to build each other up in the faith. He hates it when we share Scripture together and even more so when we pray.
Fellowship based around the Word and our Lord and Saviour is a scary thing to the evil one. As Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 3:18 satan will oppose Christian fellowship. The evil one stopped Paul and his team from coming to the Thessalonians. He opposed them again and again because the fellowship that Paul encouraged was a dangerous thing.
Paul loved the Thessalonian believers so much that he couldn’t wait to find out how they were growing in their faith. Idle chit-chat was not an option for Paul. He yearned to know how their faith was working outwards and shining forth the light of Jesus. He was desperate to hear how they were leading more people to Christ and serving God in their local communities and cities. Such fellowship scares the evil one into opposition. Such fellowship attracts antagonism.
Think of the fellowship in your local church. Most congregations finish the sermon with a rousing song and then sip on tea and enjoy quaint biscuits and cakes. Look beyond that and ask yourself, ‘What’s the focus of fellowship in my church?’ Is it based around sports and cars and homes? Is it based on my achievements and my week? Do people stand around making idle chit-chat? Or do they talk about spiritual issues? Do people willingly encourage each other with Scripture? Do people talk about the Word of God that was preached and discuss its application and implementation in their own lives? Do people wrestle with the Word of God and seek to understand it more?
You can be the agent of change in your church. There are two ways to attack this issue. Firstly, like Paul, you can pray most earnestly (See 1 Thess 3:10) night and day that God would bless the fellowship times. Such prayer is in line with the will of God and we can be confident that God hears and answers such prayers. Secondly, you can be engaging in rich, deep & God focused fellowship on Sondays at church. Don’t be afraid to ask others the hard questions and to share what things from the sermon caused you to rethink or change your life. Share the things that challenged you personally. Whatever you do, rise above superficiality.
This is dangerous fellowship and will no doubt precede persecution. The evil one will be frightened into action as you begin to turn the tide during fellowship times at your local church. Go on, live dangerously!
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that God would use you to engage others in deep, meaningful fellowship that encourages and blesses others based on the Word of God. Pray that God would be raising up more and more people who are willing to go beyond the superficial each and every Sonday.
V Pray that God would continue to provide for the needs of the Richards in NZ as they work with Uni Impact. Ask God to supply their material needs so that they can concentrate on reaching the lost and making more disciples for Christ. Pray that many will come to Christ through their ministry.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Is there a pattern to the fellowship in your local church?
2. How can you be changing that pattern?
3. What benefits do you see for your local congregation arising from deep, intimate fellowship based on the Word that was preached that morning?
The evil one, satan, is not frightened or deterred by many things that happen in our churches today. He doesn’t care one iota how much we talk about the footy, the weather and our work lives. Satan wants nothing more than to fill our churches with idle chit-chat and meaningless clutter. He wants nothing more than to make our fellowship times idle and hollow. He wants us to focus on our sports, our cars and our new house cleaning tips.
But he shudders when we talk about spiritual issues - our faith, the Gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan hates it when we encourage one another, bless one another and selflessly serve each other to build each other up in the faith. He hates it when we share Scripture together and even more so when we pray.
Fellowship based around the Word and our Lord and Saviour is a scary thing to the evil one. As Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 3:18 satan will oppose Christian fellowship. The evil one stopped Paul and his team from coming to the Thessalonians. He opposed them again and again because the fellowship that Paul encouraged was a dangerous thing.
Paul loved the Thessalonian believers so much that he couldn’t wait to find out how they were growing in their faith. Idle chit-chat was not an option for Paul. He yearned to know how their faith was working outwards and shining forth the light of Jesus. He was desperate to hear how they were leading more people to Christ and serving God in their local communities and cities. Such fellowship scares the evil one into opposition. Such fellowship attracts antagonism.
Think of the fellowship in your local church. Most congregations finish the sermon with a rousing song and then sip on tea and enjoy quaint biscuits and cakes. Look beyond that and ask yourself, ‘What’s the focus of fellowship in my church?’ Is it based around sports and cars and homes? Is it based on my achievements and my week? Do people stand around making idle chit-chat? Or do they talk about spiritual issues? Do people willingly encourage each other with Scripture? Do people talk about the Word of God that was preached and discuss its application and implementation in their own lives? Do people wrestle with the Word of God and seek to understand it more?
You can be the agent of change in your church. There are two ways to attack this issue. Firstly, like Paul, you can pray most earnestly (See 1 Thess 3:10) night and day that God would bless the fellowship times. Such prayer is in line with the will of God and we can be confident that God hears and answers such prayers. Secondly, you can be engaging in rich, deep & God focused fellowship on Sondays at church. Don’t be afraid to ask others the hard questions and to share what things from the sermon caused you to rethink or change your life. Share the things that challenged you personally. Whatever you do, rise above superficiality.
This is dangerous fellowship and will no doubt precede persecution. The evil one will be frightened into action as you begin to turn the tide during fellowship times at your local church. Go on, live dangerously!
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that God would use you to engage others in deep, meaningful fellowship that encourages and blesses others based on the Word of God. Pray that God would be raising up more and more people who are willing to go beyond the superficial each and every Sonday.
V Pray that God would continue to provide for the needs of the Richards in NZ as they work with Uni Impact. Ask God to supply their material needs so that they can concentrate on reaching the lost and making more disciples for Christ. Pray that many will come to Christ through their ministry.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Is there a pattern to the fellowship in your local church?
2. How can you be changing that pattern?
3. What benefits do you see for your local congregation arising from deep, intimate fellowship based on the Word that was preached that morning?
Saturday 15 June 2013
Saturday June 15, 2013
Read 2 Timothy 1:6-14. 1 Corinthians 12:7
There’s something serene and quite satisfying about sitting beside an open fire whether in one’s lounge room or under the stars by a lake or gently flowing river. It’s peaceful. It’s relaxing. It’s heart warming.
But have you ever thought what it took to get that fire going? Many times I’ve tried hopelessly to start a fire with damp or wet wood, blowing and fanning a small flame into life, hoping and praying that it would ignite and take. A small flame only becomes a fire through the provision of fuel and oxygen (the fanning).
God tells us that the Lord Himself has given us the fuel and the oxygen. It is up to us to fan into flame the gift that He has given us. That gift will become a roaring fire as we put it into practice and step out in faith to use that gift for the benefit and blessing of others.
Tomorrow at church you can fan into flame the gift of God by using it to bless others in your church. Are you gifted at talking to people? Welcome them and make them comfortable by greeting them at the door and by engaging them in conversation. Are you gifted at encouraging people? Seek out the lonely or the new and encourage them. Are you gifted at giving? Give generously and let God be glorified. The Lord makes it clear that each person has a gift, a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, given to them to use for the blessing and benefit of others. Tomorrow is the day to use your gift and as you do, it will grow and be fanned into flame.
Hiding a gift in the closet is contrary to the will of God. Even though we may be shy and timid in ourselves or even unwilling to get involved in the lives of others, God has remedied this by giving us a Spirit of power, of love and of self control/discipline. God has given us everything we need to bless and benefit others. God has done it all for us. Al we need to do is step out in faith, unashamed of the Lord and His gospel. We need not fear anything because of all that our God has done for us.
Tomorrow is the day that believers gather together around the throne of God Almighty. Tomorrow is the day that we stand corporately in the presence of the Holy One and worship in Spirit and truth. Tomorrow is the day that you can be an agent of benefit and blessing to those who stand beside you in the Lord’s throne room.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that God would be powerfully present among your congregation tomorrow as you gather around the throne of the Almighty and worship Him in Spirit and Truth. Pray that God would be healing, convicting, challenging and drawing near to all the believers. Pray that many non believers would be brought to repentance and faith by the grace of God in Christ Jesus.
V Pray that God would cause the truth of His Word to be preached powerfully in all churches across the land. Pray that He would silence those who seek to preach lies, heresies or things of their own fancy. Pray that the Spirit of God would be powerfully moving and working in all churches across the land tomorrow.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Why does God want everyone to be actively involved in the gathering of Believers on the Lord’s Day?
2. How can Christians be preparing themselves for the ‘worship’ service on the Lord’s Day?
There’s something serene and quite satisfying about sitting beside an open fire whether in one’s lounge room or under the stars by a lake or gently flowing river. It’s peaceful. It’s relaxing. It’s heart warming.
But have you ever thought what it took to get that fire going? Many times I’ve tried hopelessly to start a fire with damp or wet wood, blowing and fanning a small flame into life, hoping and praying that it would ignite and take. A small flame only becomes a fire through the provision of fuel and oxygen (the fanning).
God tells us that the Lord Himself has given us the fuel and the oxygen. It is up to us to fan into flame the gift that He has given us. That gift will become a roaring fire as we put it into practice and step out in faith to use that gift for the benefit and blessing of others.
Tomorrow at church you can fan into flame the gift of God by using it to bless others in your church. Are you gifted at talking to people? Welcome them and make them comfortable by greeting them at the door and by engaging them in conversation. Are you gifted at encouraging people? Seek out the lonely or the new and encourage them. Are you gifted at giving? Give generously and let God be glorified. The Lord makes it clear that each person has a gift, a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, given to them to use for the blessing and benefit of others. Tomorrow is the day to use your gift and as you do, it will grow and be fanned into flame.
Hiding a gift in the closet is contrary to the will of God. Even though we may be shy and timid in ourselves or even unwilling to get involved in the lives of others, God has remedied this by giving us a Spirit of power, of love and of self control/discipline. God has given us everything we need to bless and benefit others. God has done it all for us. Al we need to do is step out in faith, unashamed of the Lord and His gospel. We need not fear anything because of all that our God has done for us.
Tomorrow is the day that believers gather together around the throne of God Almighty. Tomorrow is the day that we stand corporately in the presence of the Holy One and worship in Spirit and truth. Tomorrow is the day that you can be an agent of benefit and blessing to those who stand beside you in the Lord’s throne room.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that God would be powerfully present among your congregation tomorrow as you gather around the throne of the Almighty and worship Him in Spirit and Truth. Pray that God would be healing, convicting, challenging and drawing near to all the believers. Pray that many non believers would be brought to repentance and faith by the grace of God in Christ Jesus.
V Pray that God would cause the truth of His Word to be preached powerfully in all churches across the land. Pray that He would silence those who seek to preach lies, heresies or things of their own fancy. Pray that the Spirit of God would be powerfully moving and working in all churches across the land tomorrow.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Why does God want everyone to be actively involved in the gathering of Believers on the Lord’s Day?
2. How can Christians be preparing themselves for the ‘worship’ service on the Lord’s Day?
Friday 14 June 2013
Friday June 14, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16. 2 Timothy 3:12
Not long ago, Rimsha Masih was accused and sentenced to death under Pakistani’s blasphemy laws for not believing in the state’s religion. As a Christian she was sentenced to die for her faith. But God intervened and allowed her to be released, bringing to light the truth that she was framed for her faith.
In the Central African Republic Pastor Mbaye-Bondoi reports that his church was shelled by the army and over 20 believers were wounded and several were killed. Pastors in Vietnam are routinely rounded up and thrown into jails for re-education and retraining. Several are never heard from again. In Iraq and Iran and Sudan and India and Arabia and…. Persecution is a way of life. Persecution is seen as part and parcel of being a Christian.
The church in Thessalonica accepted the Word of God and almost immediately suffered what Jesus Himself suffered. They began to experience what Paul had also experienced soon after his conversion - persecution. People who once co-existed peacefully as friends and neighbours became enemies because one of them had turned to Christ Jesus.
Look beneath the surface and you see the work of the evil one. Like in Paul’s day, the evil one will today stop at nothing to hinder the Gospel from being proclaimed. He will use non believers to create opposition and antagonism to the Gospel. He will use anything to stop you from using your lips and life to proclaim the good news to all and sundry.
But as I mull over the persecution I and my brothers and sisters have received in Australia, I’m astounded at how much we’ve endured for the Gospel. O how we’ve suffered for Jesus’ sake! We’ve been laughed at. We’ve had eyes rolled at us. We’ve been the butt of a few jokes and we’ve been called horrible names like ‘hypocrite’ and ‘weirdo’. O how much we’ve endured! (I hope you can hear my sarcasm).
In Australia we are relatively free from persecution. We live in a land where it is still ok to speak of Jesus and to make disciples in His name. Rather than running from the possible persecution that may come our way, let’s rethink and reorient our lives and hearts. Let’s make the most of every opportunity and let’s make as many disciples for Jesus as we can before Australia is no longer a free country. Let’s make a pact to step out in faith and to start having spiritual conversations with people and to use those conversations to share the gospel and to invite people along to our cells, our church services and our outreach events.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Ask the Lord Jesus Christ to give you a spirit of courage and tenacity as you seek to make disciples for the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that God would give you at least one name of a person you can share with this coming week. Make a promise to God to share with that person the gospel of salvation. Pray for wisdom and strength and tactfulness as you plan to step out in faith.
V Pray that God would work equally powerfully in the lives of your fellow believers in your home church.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. How many people have you evangelised in the past
Week?
Month?
Year?
2. Why do you think our churches are not growing in number?
3. How can you be changing this pattern?
Not long ago, Rimsha Masih was accused and sentenced to death under Pakistani’s blasphemy laws for not believing in the state’s religion. As a Christian she was sentenced to die for her faith. But God intervened and allowed her to be released, bringing to light the truth that she was framed for her faith.
In the Central African Republic Pastor Mbaye-Bondoi reports that his church was shelled by the army and over 20 believers were wounded and several were killed. Pastors in Vietnam are routinely rounded up and thrown into jails for re-education and retraining. Several are never heard from again. In Iraq and Iran and Sudan and India and Arabia and…. Persecution is a way of life. Persecution is seen as part and parcel of being a Christian.
The church in Thessalonica accepted the Word of God and almost immediately suffered what Jesus Himself suffered. They began to experience what Paul had also experienced soon after his conversion - persecution. People who once co-existed peacefully as friends and neighbours became enemies because one of them had turned to Christ Jesus.
Look beneath the surface and you see the work of the evil one. Like in Paul’s day, the evil one will today stop at nothing to hinder the Gospel from being proclaimed. He will use non believers to create opposition and antagonism to the Gospel. He will use anything to stop you from using your lips and life to proclaim the good news to all and sundry.
But as I mull over the persecution I and my brothers and sisters have received in Australia, I’m astounded at how much we’ve endured for the Gospel. O how we’ve suffered for Jesus’ sake! We’ve been laughed at. We’ve had eyes rolled at us. We’ve been the butt of a few jokes and we’ve been called horrible names like ‘hypocrite’ and ‘weirdo’. O how much we’ve endured! (I hope you can hear my sarcasm).
In Australia we are relatively free from persecution. We live in a land where it is still ok to speak of Jesus and to make disciples in His name. Rather than running from the possible persecution that may come our way, let’s rethink and reorient our lives and hearts. Let’s make the most of every opportunity and let’s make as many disciples for Jesus as we can before Australia is no longer a free country. Let’s make a pact to step out in faith and to start having spiritual conversations with people and to use those conversations to share the gospel and to invite people along to our cells, our church services and our outreach events.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Ask the Lord Jesus Christ to give you a spirit of courage and tenacity as you seek to make disciples for the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that God would give you at least one name of a person you can share with this coming week. Make a promise to God to share with that person the gospel of salvation. Pray for wisdom and strength and tactfulness as you plan to step out in faith.
V Pray that God would work equally powerfully in the lives of your fellow believers in your home church.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. How many people have you evangelised in the past
Week?
Month?
Year?
2. Why do you think our churches are not growing in number?
3. How can you be changing this pattern?
Thursday 13 June 2013
Thursday June 13, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:13. Hebrews 4:12-13. Acts 17:11.
As a preacher of the gospel and a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ I have to ask myself regularly, ‘Do I want people to follow me or to follow Christ?’ While it may appear an innocuous question, it has deep and dire implications. Following a preacher and taking what the preacher said as gospel is dangerous, because many preachers have sought to build up disciples or followers after themselves. Many preachers have twisted the Scriptures to suit their own ends and desires. Many preachers have spoken lies from the pulpit, seeking to tickle itching ears and to please the crowd. Such preaching cannot and will not bring salvation to the lost nor will it mature and grow true believers.
Our job when listening to someone preach the Word is to be like the Bereans. We need to have our Bibles open and we need to constantly check that the word proclaimed is the Word of God. What we should look for in a preacher is not nice stories or funny anecdotes but the truth of Scripture expounded, taught and brought out to apply in our lives. A dry and dreary Bible based preacher is far more beneficial than a lively, funny story teller. Stories don’t save and grow us, the Word of God does.
When Paul came to Thessalonica many people turned and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. They accepted what Paul was saying as the Word from God because it came to them with power, with conviction and with a demonstration of the Holy Spirit’s witness and work. The Word of God was powerfully at work in them, just as it was in the messenger who brought that Word.
As we saw yesterday, each of us is a preacher through our lives. Our lives are an advertisement backing up the gospel message that we proclaim. Today we need to realise that it’s not just our lives that preach the message of Christ Jesus. Each of us needs to be speaking the Gospel into the lives of non believers. They will never come to believe if they never hear the Gospel. You can serve and give and love and honour people for decades but that alone cannot and will not save them. They need to hear the Word of God, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ from your lips. People are not saved by osmosis. The Gospel cannot and will not just seep into their heart. They need to hear the Gospel from you. And praise God, some, if not many, of those people will receive that word as it really is - the Word of God. Only when you begin to share the Word will you see it as powerful and active, living and sharp, able to do the work and will of God in your life and the lives of those around you.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Ask God to create opportunities for you personally to preach the gospel to the people in your life that are not believers. Pray for tact, wisdom and gentleness as you share the Word with them. Pray this for everyone in your congregation.
V Pray that the preachers in your church would be faithful to the Word this weekend. Ask God to lead those who are going to teach the Word. Pray for diligence in preparation and wisdom/insight into the Word. Pray that God’s Holy Spirit would use the Word faithfully proclaimed to challenge and convict the non believers and to grow/mature the believers.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What things stop us from sharing the Word of God with non believers?
2. How can we overcome the obstacles mentioned in question 1?
3. How can we spur each other on to share our faith with others?
As a preacher of the gospel and a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ I have to ask myself regularly, ‘Do I want people to follow me or to follow Christ?’ While it may appear an innocuous question, it has deep and dire implications. Following a preacher and taking what the preacher said as gospel is dangerous, because many preachers have sought to build up disciples or followers after themselves. Many preachers have twisted the Scriptures to suit their own ends and desires. Many preachers have spoken lies from the pulpit, seeking to tickle itching ears and to please the crowd. Such preaching cannot and will not bring salvation to the lost nor will it mature and grow true believers.
Our job when listening to someone preach the Word is to be like the Bereans. We need to have our Bibles open and we need to constantly check that the word proclaimed is the Word of God. What we should look for in a preacher is not nice stories or funny anecdotes but the truth of Scripture expounded, taught and brought out to apply in our lives. A dry and dreary Bible based preacher is far more beneficial than a lively, funny story teller. Stories don’t save and grow us, the Word of God does.
When Paul came to Thessalonica many people turned and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. They accepted what Paul was saying as the Word from God because it came to them with power, with conviction and with a demonstration of the Holy Spirit’s witness and work. The Word of God was powerfully at work in them, just as it was in the messenger who brought that Word.
As we saw yesterday, each of us is a preacher through our lives. Our lives are an advertisement backing up the gospel message that we proclaim. Today we need to realise that it’s not just our lives that preach the message of Christ Jesus. Each of us needs to be speaking the Gospel into the lives of non believers. They will never come to believe if they never hear the Gospel. You can serve and give and love and honour people for decades but that alone cannot and will not save them. They need to hear the Word of God, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ from your lips. People are not saved by osmosis. The Gospel cannot and will not just seep into their heart. They need to hear the Gospel from you. And praise God, some, if not many, of those people will receive that word as it really is - the Word of God. Only when you begin to share the Word will you see it as powerful and active, living and sharp, able to do the work and will of God in your life and the lives of those around you.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Ask God to create opportunities for you personally to preach the gospel to the people in your life that are not believers. Pray for tact, wisdom and gentleness as you share the Word with them. Pray this for everyone in your congregation.
V Pray that the preachers in your church would be faithful to the Word this weekend. Ask God to lead those who are going to teach the Word. Pray for diligence in preparation and wisdom/insight into the Word. Pray that God’s Holy Spirit would use the Word faithfully proclaimed to challenge and convict the non believers and to grow/mature the believers.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What things stop us from sharing the Word of God with non believers?
2. How can we overcome the obstacles mentioned in question 1?
3. How can we spur each other on to share our faith with others?
Wednesday 12 June 2013
Wednesday June 12, 2013
Jesus Challenge:
When you think about planning a Gospel outreach event list down the essential elements that need to be included in that event. Please be specific and detailed. When you have made a list, keep a copy of it for future reference. You will need it in several weeks when you come to planning your event.
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:6-12
The greatest advertisement for Christianity is your life. Let me say it again. The greatest advertisement for Christianity is your life. Of course that doesn’t remove the need to speak the Gospel into people’s lives. Your life backs up and confirms the Gospel.
I spent many years being surrounded by ministers and Christians who wanted nothing more than to just blend into society. They worked really hard at being like everyone else around them. But I don’t think non believers want to see Christians blending in. What draws people to Christ is not similarity but difference. Others will not be drawn to Christ through me and my life if my life is a mirror of theirs. Why would anyone come to a church and a god that produces NOTHING?!!!
When Paul and his team came to Thessalonica he could have thrown his apostolic weight around. But he chose to be like a child. The team was gentle among them, more like a mother caring for her children than a heavy handed father. They shared the Gospel with the non believers in the midst of sharing their lives as well. They were honest and open. They were pure and holy. They were hard working and righteous. Put bluntly, they were different! The non believers could see that there was something different about Paul and his crew. It is this difference that powerfully combines with the gospel message to draw many to Christ for salvation.
Here’s a hard hitting truth. If your life denies the Gospel or contradicts the Gospel then non believers will tend to shy away from the Gospel you are preaching. But, if they see something different in you, if they see that the Gospel has impacted your life and changed your life for the better then they will be powerfully drawn to that Gospel.
Here’s another hard hitting truth. If the Gospel hasn’t changed your life then it won’t change the lives of others!
People don’t want ‘same old, same old’. People don’t want a religion that shackles them. People don’t want to be bound and tied to an institution that highlights their hypocrisy and sinfulness. People want to, and need to, be freed. People need to see the power of the gospel. People need a powerful intervention to break the shackles and to fill their hearts with joy. If they can’t see this in our lives, they simply won’t be interested in hearing what we have to say!
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that each and every person in your congregation would have a powerful life of witness and testimony through the power of the Gospel at work in their lives. Pray that God would be breaking the chains of sin and addiction as well as destroying the work of the evil one in the lives of your fellow believers.
V Pray that your congregation would grow in number as more people confess Jesus as Lord. Pray that there would be a great desire in the hearts of believers to make more disciples. Pray that the church would double in size this week - effectively meaning that each believer makes just one disciple.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What kinds of things in our lives might contradict the Gospel?
2. Why does our life give such a powerful message for or against the Gospel?
3. How can we be making sure that our lives back up the Gospel rather than deny it?
When you think about planning a Gospel outreach event list down the essential elements that need to be included in that event. Please be specific and detailed. When you have made a list, keep a copy of it for future reference. You will need it in several weeks when you come to planning your event.
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:6-12
The greatest advertisement for Christianity is your life. Let me say it again. The greatest advertisement for Christianity is your life. Of course that doesn’t remove the need to speak the Gospel into people’s lives. Your life backs up and confirms the Gospel.
I spent many years being surrounded by ministers and Christians who wanted nothing more than to just blend into society. They worked really hard at being like everyone else around them. But I don’t think non believers want to see Christians blending in. What draws people to Christ is not similarity but difference. Others will not be drawn to Christ through me and my life if my life is a mirror of theirs. Why would anyone come to a church and a god that produces NOTHING?!!!
When Paul and his team came to Thessalonica he could have thrown his apostolic weight around. But he chose to be like a child. The team was gentle among them, more like a mother caring for her children than a heavy handed father. They shared the Gospel with the non believers in the midst of sharing their lives as well. They were honest and open. They were pure and holy. They were hard working and righteous. Put bluntly, they were different! The non believers could see that there was something different about Paul and his crew. It is this difference that powerfully combines with the gospel message to draw many to Christ for salvation.
Here’s a hard hitting truth. If your life denies the Gospel or contradicts the Gospel then non believers will tend to shy away from the Gospel you are preaching. But, if they see something different in you, if they see that the Gospel has impacted your life and changed your life for the better then they will be powerfully drawn to that Gospel.
Here’s another hard hitting truth. If the Gospel hasn’t changed your life then it won’t change the lives of others!
People don’t want ‘same old, same old’. People don’t want a religion that shackles them. People don’t want to be bound and tied to an institution that highlights their hypocrisy and sinfulness. People want to, and need to, be freed. People need to see the power of the gospel. People need a powerful intervention to break the shackles and to fill their hearts with joy. If they can’t see this in our lives, they simply won’t be interested in hearing what we have to say!
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that each and every person in your congregation would have a powerful life of witness and testimony through the power of the Gospel at work in their lives. Pray that God would be breaking the chains of sin and addiction as well as destroying the work of the evil one in the lives of your fellow believers.
V Pray that your congregation would grow in number as more people confess Jesus as Lord. Pray that there would be a great desire in the hearts of believers to make more disciples. Pray that the church would double in size this week - effectively meaning that each believer makes just one disciple.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What kinds of things in our lives might contradict the Gospel?
2. Why does our life give such a powerful message for or against the Gospel?
3. How can we be making sure that our lives back up the Gospel rather than deny it?
Tuesday 11 June 2013
Tuesday June 11, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:3-6
Over the years I’ve heard so many preachers preach not Christ but themselves. It truly is deflating to constantly hear how wonderful the preacher is and how he or she has his/her act together. One preacher even had the audacity to encourage the congregation to be more like himself because in his own eyes he was the epitome of godliness and righteousness. Another centred 90% of her illustrations around her own piety and righteousness, effectively exhorting the congregation to learn from her wisdom and goodness. Still others have an issue or message from their own heart that they want to preach and they simply scour the bible in search of any passage that may back up their message. Others feel that telling funny stories is enough to feed to the congregation on Sondays.
In contrast Paul preached Christ as Lord. We read in 2 Corinthians 4:5
For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
How heartening it is when a person’s motives are true. How refreshing it is to hear what the Scriptures actually teach rather than hearing someone’s opinion or the latest scholarly trend. How challenging to hear exposition of Scripture rather than the latest joke doing the rounds of the Christian churches. How motivating to hear the Word of God preached with confidence and authority that it is the Word of God. How warming it is to see a preacher seeking to please God and not mankind.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray for the MOPS and Playpals ministry that runs out of the ChristLife building. Pray that God would speak powerfully to the non church women involved through the women that are believers. Ask God to open doors of evangelism and that He would grant repentance and faith to many of those women and their families.
V Pray that our children’s ministry would continue to grow and thrive. Ask God to use this ministry to reach out into the neighbourhood and to bring many to Christ.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What makes a good sermon?
2. What is the responsibility of the preacher?
3. What is the responsibility of the hearers of a sermon?
Over the years I’ve heard so many preachers preach not Christ but themselves. It truly is deflating to constantly hear how wonderful the preacher is and how he or she has his/her act together. One preacher even had the audacity to encourage the congregation to be more like himself because in his own eyes he was the epitome of godliness and righteousness. Another centred 90% of her illustrations around her own piety and righteousness, effectively exhorting the congregation to learn from her wisdom and goodness. Still others have an issue or message from their own heart that they want to preach and they simply scour the bible in search of any passage that may back up their message. Others feel that telling funny stories is enough to feed to the congregation on Sondays.
In contrast Paul preached Christ as Lord. We read in 2 Corinthians 4:5
For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
How heartening it is when a person’s motives are true. How refreshing it is to hear what the Scriptures actually teach rather than hearing someone’s opinion or the latest scholarly trend. How challenging to hear exposition of Scripture rather than the latest joke doing the rounds of the Christian churches. How motivating to hear the Word of God preached with confidence and authority that it is the Word of God. How warming it is to see a preacher seeking to please God and not mankind.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray for the MOPS and Playpals ministry that runs out of the ChristLife building. Pray that God would speak powerfully to the non church women involved through the women that are believers. Ask God to open doors of evangelism and that He would grant repentance and faith to many of those women and their families.
V Pray that our children’s ministry would continue to grow and thrive. Ask God to use this ministry to reach out into the neighbourhood and to bring many to Christ.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What makes a good sermon?
2. What is the responsibility of the preacher?
3. What is the responsibility of the hearers of a sermon?
Monday 10 June 2013
Monday June 10, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2.
So you’ve come to the decision in life to get fitter. You’ve decided, after much to-ing and fro-ing, to join a gym. You’ve decided to visit four local gyms, all around the same cost and to choose the best one. The first gym you visit seems to be in a state of disrepair. The machines squeak and grind. The members seem half hearted in their training. Even worse, the instructors all seem to have an ‘I don’t really care about you’ attitude. As you speak to them, it appears that they aren’t interested in you as a person. Keeping you fit and strong doesn’t seem to be at the top of their priority list. Would you even consider joining this particular gym? Of course you wouldn’t!
When it comes to the gospel message, we need to realise that the way the message is presented and the way the messenger lives are very important even though they’re not as important as the message itself. Put yourself in the shoes of a non-believer and you’ll see what I mean. A friend half heartedly asks you to church. Rather than being excited and passionate, he is somewhat apathetic and makes excuses for you not to come. He says something like, ‘I know you really don’t want to come along and you’re probably busy anyway, but our church is having a lunch and even though it’ll be pretty average food, would you come along?’ Let’s pretend that you did accept the invitation, which I highly doubt. You go along to the church and the building is messy and the food is poorly handled and people are rude to you. Some even ignore you completely! Let me ask you this. Would you want to worship this particular god that is being presented to you?
Contrast this with what you see in Paul and his team. Paul is bruised and scarred from the lashings he received in Philippi. The wounds are still raw. He’s tired from the sleepless nights in prison. As he comes to Thessalonica he endures much powerful opposition. Certain other religious men constantly hound him and try to stop him preaching. The local Jews try to run him out of town. But despite all of this, he tells you the gospel passionately, with tears in his eyes, with pleading and with begging.
Paul’s gospel and Paul’s God were worth fighting for. What the non believing world finds truly amazing and unbelievable is that some Christians have a God and a gospel not worth fighting for. Christian apathy has made more atheists than any other single cause!
Do you have a gospel worth fighting for? Is your God worth fighting for? Do you so love the Gospel and the God who gives it to you that you would endure hardship and opposition to share it with another? Would you suffer mistreatment, false arrest, a whipping and strong opposition for the Gospel that has been entrusted to you? If you can answer ‘Yes’ to these questions, the world will see a Gospel worth accepting and a God worth following.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V If you celebrated the Lord’s Supper in church yesterday pray that this celebration will continue to motivate you, to push you and to cause you to be focused on Christ and His death/resurrection on your behalf. Pray that everyone in your congregation would be the same this week.
V Pray that you and you and your congregation would grow in passion and commitment to the Gospel and the God who gives you that gospel. Pray that this passion and vitality would cause many to go out on mission, even in their own neighbourhoods and that it would lead many to faith in Christ.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What image of the Gospel are you presenting to non believers?
2. What factors stop you from getting excited about the Gospel?
3. What things about the Gospel excite you and make you want to speak it out to everyone?
So you’ve come to the decision in life to get fitter. You’ve decided, after much to-ing and fro-ing, to join a gym. You’ve decided to visit four local gyms, all around the same cost and to choose the best one. The first gym you visit seems to be in a state of disrepair. The machines squeak and grind. The members seem half hearted in their training. Even worse, the instructors all seem to have an ‘I don’t really care about you’ attitude. As you speak to them, it appears that they aren’t interested in you as a person. Keeping you fit and strong doesn’t seem to be at the top of their priority list. Would you even consider joining this particular gym? Of course you wouldn’t!
When it comes to the gospel message, we need to realise that the way the message is presented and the way the messenger lives are very important even though they’re not as important as the message itself. Put yourself in the shoes of a non-believer and you’ll see what I mean. A friend half heartedly asks you to church. Rather than being excited and passionate, he is somewhat apathetic and makes excuses for you not to come. He says something like, ‘I know you really don’t want to come along and you’re probably busy anyway, but our church is having a lunch and even though it’ll be pretty average food, would you come along?’ Let’s pretend that you did accept the invitation, which I highly doubt. You go along to the church and the building is messy and the food is poorly handled and people are rude to you. Some even ignore you completely! Let me ask you this. Would you want to worship this particular god that is being presented to you?
Contrast this with what you see in Paul and his team. Paul is bruised and scarred from the lashings he received in Philippi. The wounds are still raw. He’s tired from the sleepless nights in prison. As he comes to Thessalonica he endures much powerful opposition. Certain other religious men constantly hound him and try to stop him preaching. The local Jews try to run him out of town. But despite all of this, he tells you the gospel passionately, with tears in his eyes, with pleading and with begging.
Paul’s gospel and Paul’s God were worth fighting for. What the non believing world finds truly amazing and unbelievable is that some Christians have a God and a gospel not worth fighting for. Christian apathy has made more atheists than any other single cause!
Do you have a gospel worth fighting for? Is your God worth fighting for? Do you so love the Gospel and the God who gives it to you that you would endure hardship and opposition to share it with another? Would you suffer mistreatment, false arrest, a whipping and strong opposition for the Gospel that has been entrusted to you? If you can answer ‘Yes’ to these questions, the world will see a Gospel worth accepting and a God worth following.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V If you celebrated the Lord’s Supper in church yesterday pray that this celebration will continue to motivate you, to push you and to cause you to be focused on Christ and His death/resurrection on your behalf. Pray that everyone in your congregation would be the same this week.
V Pray that you and you and your congregation would grow in passion and commitment to the Gospel and the God who gives you that gospel. Pray that this passion and vitality would cause many to go out on mission, even in their own neighbourhoods and that it would lead many to faith in Christ.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What image of the Gospel are you presenting to non believers?
2. What factors stop you from getting excited about the Gospel?
3. What things about the Gospel excite you and make you want to speak it out to everyone?
Saturday 8 June 2013
Saturday June 8, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:7-10. Luke 12:35-48
Idolatry can occur in many different shapes and forms. In some cultures worship of god statues is common. In others the worship of ethereal spirits is commanded. Still in others ancestors or their spirits are worshipped. In our own culture we tend to worship our castles, our vehicles, our social status, the mighty Dollar Bill and, of course, our sporting heroes (at least while they perform well).
In the city of Thessalonica there was a plethora of gods to worship. One could choose to bow down to Roman gods, Greek gods or to other pagan gods. Statues were rife and religious ceremonies and festivals were everywhere to be engaged in. Being a military city rather than a trade city, each person was pressured to worship Caesar as well.
Even so, the Gospel was so powerful in that city that many of them welcomed the Apostles and having heard the message of the Gospel were empowered to turn from these idols of stone and wood to the one true and living God. They walked away from their previous idols and icons to serve God.
Their belief visibly showed itself in service. Their conversion, as we saw before,
issued itself in work, in labour and in an outward flowing love for others. Theirs was not a dead, impotent faith but a living and active faith.
The Thessalonian believers were also filled with a deep hope that allowed them to wait patiently for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we read in the Gospels, such waiting is neither inactive nor idle. It is a determined waiting of a servant busily going about the Master’s business as he waits for the Master’s return. Such servants will indeed be greatly rewarded at the anticipated return.
As we prepare for “worship” tomorrow as a gathered body of Christ, are we ready and willing to also give up our idols? Are we ready to serve the only Living and True God? Are we ready to lay down our treasures and to give all to God as we wait patiently, though neither idly nor inactively, for His Son Jesus to return? Do we pray together Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that idolatry will be a thing of the past in your church. Pray that people would be willing and happy to worship Christ alone and to serve Him actively as you wait together for His glorious return.
V Pray that your Committee of Management and other Committees would be gospel focused and willing to serve God and to further his kingdom through their work as they wait for Jesus to return.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What idols do we have in Australia that people in general worship?
2. Are any of these worshipped in our churches? If yes, how can they be removed?
3. What is the relationship between greed and idolatry?
Idolatry can occur in many different shapes and forms. In some cultures worship of god statues is common. In others the worship of ethereal spirits is commanded. Still in others ancestors or their spirits are worshipped. In our own culture we tend to worship our castles, our vehicles, our social status, the mighty Dollar Bill and, of course, our sporting heroes (at least while they perform well).
In the city of Thessalonica there was a plethora of gods to worship. One could choose to bow down to Roman gods, Greek gods or to other pagan gods. Statues were rife and religious ceremonies and festivals were everywhere to be engaged in. Being a military city rather than a trade city, each person was pressured to worship Caesar as well.
Even so, the Gospel was so powerful in that city that many of them welcomed the Apostles and having heard the message of the Gospel were empowered to turn from these idols of stone and wood to the one true and living God. They walked away from their previous idols and icons to serve God.
Their belief visibly showed itself in service. Their conversion, as we saw before,
issued itself in work, in labour and in an outward flowing love for others. Theirs was not a dead, impotent faith but a living and active faith.
The Thessalonian believers were also filled with a deep hope that allowed them to wait patiently for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we read in the Gospels, such waiting is neither inactive nor idle. It is a determined waiting of a servant busily going about the Master’s business as he waits for the Master’s return. Such servants will indeed be greatly rewarded at the anticipated return.
As we prepare for “worship” tomorrow as a gathered body of Christ, are we ready and willing to also give up our idols? Are we ready to serve the only Living and True God? Are we ready to lay down our treasures and to give all to God as we wait patiently, though neither idly nor inactively, for His Son Jesus to return? Do we pray together Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that idolatry will be a thing of the past in your church. Pray that people would be willing and happy to worship Christ alone and to serve Him actively as you wait together for His glorious return.
V Pray that your Committee of Management and other Committees would be gospel focused and willing to serve God and to further his kingdom through their work as they wait for Jesus to return.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What idols do we have in Australia that people in general worship?
2. Are any of these worshipped in our churches? If yes, how can they be removed?
3. What is the relationship between greed and idolatry?
Friday 7 June 2013
Friday June 7, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8. Luke 15:1-7
The Gospel worked so powerfully among the Thessalonians that they became a model for believers in all Macedonia and Achaia. Go back to page 2 and just see how far and wide the news of their conversion rang out. Have a look at the wide ranging influence that the Thessalonians' conversion had. Yet the glory goes not to them but to God.
Conversions should always be exciting and cause for great celebration. Conversions should always fill us with joy because another soul has been taken off the road to destruction and put on the road to eternal life. A conversion means that there is one less person who will be sent to eternal condemnation on the day of judgement.
Paul and his team were ecstatic when just one person was converted, let alone a large group in a town or city. It caused them to bow the knee and to bring tearful and joyous praise and adoration to God. When’s the last time you and I wept in joy over the conversion of another person?
But let us not stop there. For each person that is converted, let us be praying that they too will become a role model for others to follow. It’s very hard for non Christians to remain indifferent or antagonistic when they see a non believer come to Christ and change dramatically for the better. It’s a powerful witness to them and a great draw card, pulling them closer to Christ. It’s also a powerful incentive and motivation to current believers to strive and race towards the glory that we have in Christ Jesus.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray for the recent converts in your church. Ask God to grow them, to mature them and to use them as a powerful model to other believers and to non believers in their world.
V Pray that God would allow you to share your faith with other non believers and that these people would come to the Lord through your testimony. Pray that your church would be growing and expanding as individuals share their faith.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Describe a conversion you have personally seen or been involved in.
2. Why should we get excited when a person is converted?
The Gospel worked so powerfully among the Thessalonians that they became a model for believers in all Macedonia and Achaia. Go back to page 2 and just see how far and wide the news of their conversion rang out. Have a look at the wide ranging influence that the Thessalonians' conversion had. Yet the glory goes not to them but to God.
Conversions should always be exciting and cause for great celebration. Conversions should always fill us with joy because another soul has been taken off the road to destruction and put on the road to eternal life. A conversion means that there is one less person who will be sent to eternal condemnation on the day of judgement.
Paul and his team were ecstatic when just one person was converted, let alone a large group in a town or city. It caused them to bow the knee and to bring tearful and joyous praise and adoration to God. When’s the last time you and I wept in joy over the conversion of another person?
But let us not stop there. For each person that is converted, let us be praying that they too will become a role model for others to follow. It’s very hard for non Christians to remain indifferent or antagonistic when they see a non believer come to Christ and change dramatically for the better. It’s a powerful witness to them and a great draw card, pulling them closer to Christ. It’s also a powerful incentive and motivation to current believers to strive and race towards the glory that we have in Christ Jesus.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray for the recent converts in your church. Ask God to grow them, to mature them and to use them as a powerful model to other believers and to non believers in their world.
V Pray that God would allow you to share your faith with other non believers and that these people would come to the Lord through your testimony. Pray that your church would be growing and expanding as individuals share their faith.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Describe a conversion you have personally seen or been involved in.
2. Why should we get excited when a person is converted?
Thursday 6 June 2013
Thursday June 6, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:6. Hebrews 6:12, 13:7. 3 John 11. Ephesians 5:1.
Imitation is the best form of flattery isn’t it? Not really. It all depends on who you are imitating! Think for a moment about the young adults and youth in world and more particularly in our churches. They are imitating the world and the artists of the world. That’s a scary thing.
Nicky Minaj wants to be the “Va Va Voom” for the man she meets in a bar. Salena Gomez proudly proclaims, ‘I'm not too shy to show I love you, I got no regrets. So baby whenever you're ready…’
Not to be outdone, Icona Pop is giving our young generation driving lessons as she sings, ‘I got this feeling on the summer day when you were gone. I crashed my car into the bridge. I watched, I let it burn.
I threw your sh*t into a bag and pushed it down the stairs. I crashed my car into the bridge.’
And Lady Gaga seems to have gone all gaa gaa with her lyrics, ‘A little gambling is fun when you're with me, I love it. Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun.’
And MGMT have hit the highlife as they sing, ‘I'm feeling rough, I'm feeling raw, I'm in the prime of my life. Let's make some music, make some money, find some models for wives. I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin, and *&^% with the stars… This is our decision, to live fast and die young. We've got the vision, now let's have some fun…Forget about our mothers and our friends… We'll choke on our vomit and that will be the end’ .
Now if that’s what the younger generation are hearing and imitating then we are in big trouble.
Where are the role models in the church? Where are the godly men and women standing up and showing our younger generations what it means to serve God and to live lives that are pure and holy? If our younger generation can’t see the light of Christ in us, they’ll certainly look for meaning and value elsewhere.
God wants us to be imitators of others who are godly and worth imitating. Paul would often call people to imitate himself but only as he was imitating Christ.
The reality is that you and I are to be worthy role models for others to imitate. It means that we must examine our lives and allow God, as a skilful surgeon to cut out any sinful cancer we find in our lives. God wants us to be so pure and holy that our lives are attractive and worth imitating.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that your church would be filled with believers whose lives count for eternity and project a lifestyle worth imitating. Pray that each and every single believer would be involved in a mentoring relationship. Pray that the elder and more experienced Christians in your church would be actively mentoring the younger believers.
V Pray that the elders of your church would be men of God who take the Word seriously and live it out in their lives first and foremost. Pray that they would be wise and discerning in their pastoral care over the flock.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What is involved in a mentoring relationship from the perspective of the mentor and the mentored?
2. Why should every believer be in such a relationship?
3. What benefits can you see from being in such a relationship?
Imitation is the best form of flattery isn’t it? Not really. It all depends on who you are imitating! Think for a moment about the young adults and youth in world and more particularly in our churches. They are imitating the world and the artists of the world. That’s a scary thing.
Nicky Minaj wants to be the “Va Va Voom” for the man she meets in a bar. Salena Gomez proudly proclaims, ‘I'm not too shy to show I love you, I got no regrets. So baby whenever you're ready…’
Not to be outdone, Icona Pop is giving our young generation driving lessons as she sings, ‘I got this feeling on the summer day when you were gone. I crashed my car into the bridge. I watched, I let it burn.
I threw your sh*t into a bag and pushed it down the stairs. I crashed my car into the bridge.’
And Lady Gaga seems to have gone all gaa gaa with her lyrics, ‘A little gambling is fun when you're with me, I love it. Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun.’
And MGMT have hit the highlife as they sing, ‘I'm feeling rough, I'm feeling raw, I'm in the prime of my life. Let's make some music, make some money, find some models for wives. I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin, and *&^% with the stars… This is our decision, to live fast and die young. We've got the vision, now let's have some fun…Forget about our mothers and our friends… We'll choke on our vomit and that will be the end’ .
Now if that’s what the younger generation are hearing and imitating then we are in big trouble.
Where are the role models in the church? Where are the godly men and women standing up and showing our younger generations what it means to serve God and to live lives that are pure and holy? If our younger generation can’t see the light of Christ in us, they’ll certainly look for meaning and value elsewhere.
God wants us to be imitators of others who are godly and worth imitating. Paul would often call people to imitate himself but only as he was imitating Christ.
The reality is that you and I are to be worthy role models for others to imitate. It means that we must examine our lives and allow God, as a skilful surgeon to cut out any sinful cancer we find in our lives. God wants us to be so pure and holy that our lives are attractive and worth imitating.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that your church would be filled with believers whose lives count for eternity and project a lifestyle worth imitating. Pray that each and every single believer would be involved in a mentoring relationship. Pray that the elder and more experienced Christians in your church would be actively mentoring the younger believers.
V Pray that the elders of your church would be men of God who take the Word seriously and live it out in their lives first and foremost. Pray that they would be wise and discerning in their pastoral care over the flock.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What is involved in a mentoring relationship from the perspective of the mentor and the mentored?
2. Why should every believer be in such a relationship?
3. What benefits can you see from being in such a relationship?
Wednesday 5 June 2013
Wednesday June 5, 2013
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5. Romans 1:16-17
Jerry (not his real name) was a drug and alcohol addicted young man. Covered in tattoos, freakishly masculine, skin-headed and dangerously violent, Jerry would oppose anyone who stood before him. He thought nothing of beating another person to a pulp for almost any reason. For many years he had engaged in wizardry, witchcraft, and satan worship. Let’s imagine for a moment that you are in a coffee shop queue about to order a coffee and Jerry walks in and stands right behind you in the queue. Would you turn to Jerry and share the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, with him? Think about that seriously! Would you share the gospel with Jerry?
In Thessalonica there were many satan worshippers and witches and warlocks and many evil people. Bowing down to statues and icons was common place. Yet Paul knew the power of the Gospel. He was not afraid of mankind. He was not afraid of potential persecution. He would willingly endure a beating for the sake of the gospel.
So Paul stepped into the synagogue that fateful Sabbath and shared the truth of Christ Jesus. Praise the Lord. The gospel came to the Thessalonians with power. Chains were broken. Sin was defeated. Bad habits were undone. The power of the evil one was undone. The Holy Spirit worked powerfully among them. He brought deep conviction to them and transformed them as many turned to the gospel in repentance and faith. By the power of the Holy Spirit they were convicted of the sinfulness of their former ways. They could see the error of bowing down to statues and icons. They could now see the evil in witchcraft and the other ungodly activities they may have indulged in. This is the power of the Gospel. This power is greater than any man, woman or child living on this planet.
Jerry did actually go into a café one day. And God in His sovereignty had already called another man, a man of small insignificant stature, to open the Gospel to Jerry. Nervously he turned around and spoke the truth to Jerry. Praise God. That powerful Gospel message changed Jerry’s life and caused him to bow the knee and to confess Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour. Jerry now attends a local church and often shares his testimony with others.
You and I should praise God for the power of the Gospel. But more so, we should praise God for the way the Gospel has worked in the lives of other believers.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Choose 5 people or 5 families in your congregation and praise God for the way that you have seen the gospel powerfully at work in their respective lives.
V Pray that the Gospel would work powerfully in the lives of 5 different people or families that don’t yet confess Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
V Pray that both Uni Impact in NZ and Student Life in Australia will see the gospel powerfully changing the lives of students in various campuses. Ask God to bless the work of both of these institutions.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. List 3 people you know personally that need to hear the gospel.
V Spend time praying for these people to respond positively to the gospel when you share it with them.
V Pray that God would open avenues for you to share the gospel with them.
Jerry (not his real name) was a drug and alcohol addicted young man. Covered in tattoos, freakishly masculine, skin-headed and dangerously violent, Jerry would oppose anyone who stood before him. He thought nothing of beating another person to a pulp for almost any reason. For many years he had engaged in wizardry, witchcraft, and satan worship. Let’s imagine for a moment that you are in a coffee shop queue about to order a coffee and Jerry walks in and stands right behind you in the queue. Would you turn to Jerry and share the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, with him? Think about that seriously! Would you share the gospel with Jerry?
In Thessalonica there were many satan worshippers and witches and warlocks and many evil people. Bowing down to statues and icons was common place. Yet Paul knew the power of the Gospel. He was not afraid of mankind. He was not afraid of potential persecution. He would willingly endure a beating for the sake of the gospel.
So Paul stepped into the synagogue that fateful Sabbath and shared the truth of Christ Jesus. Praise the Lord. The gospel came to the Thessalonians with power. Chains were broken. Sin was defeated. Bad habits were undone. The power of the evil one was undone. The Holy Spirit worked powerfully among them. He brought deep conviction to them and transformed them as many turned to the gospel in repentance and faith. By the power of the Holy Spirit they were convicted of the sinfulness of their former ways. They could see the error of bowing down to statues and icons. They could now see the evil in witchcraft and the other ungodly activities they may have indulged in. This is the power of the Gospel. This power is greater than any man, woman or child living on this planet.
Jerry did actually go into a café one day. And God in His sovereignty had already called another man, a man of small insignificant stature, to open the Gospel to Jerry. Nervously he turned around and spoke the truth to Jerry. Praise God. That powerful Gospel message changed Jerry’s life and caused him to bow the knee and to confess Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour. Jerry now attends a local church and often shares his testimony with others.
You and I should praise God for the power of the Gospel. But more so, we should praise God for the way the Gospel has worked in the lives of other believers.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Choose 5 people or 5 families in your congregation and praise God for the way that you have seen the gospel powerfully at work in their respective lives.
V Pray that the Gospel would work powerfully in the lives of 5 different people or families that don’t yet confess Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
V Pray that both Uni Impact in NZ and Student Life in Australia will see the gospel powerfully changing the lives of students in various campuses. Ask God to bless the work of both of these institutions.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. List 3 people you know personally that need to hear the gospel.
V Spend time praying for these people to respond positively to the gospel when you share it with them.
V Pray that God would open avenues for you to share the gospel with them.
Tuesday 4 June 2013
Tuesday June 4, 2013
Jesus Challenge:
As a cell group, take time to share your individual testimonies. If you’re not sure how to write a testimony, think about your life before you came to Christ, how you came and what it’s like now that you have come to Him. Make sure that it’s about Christ and not inadvertently about you.
If you are game, make a pact together that each person at cell would seek to make at least one other disciple by the end of the year.
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3
You can tell what a person really believes by the way they live life. If, for example, I believe that today will bring pouring rain but walk out of my house without an umbrella or raincoat then my lifestyle betrays my true beliefs. Either, I don’t really believe that it will rain or I’m a hypocritical imbecile who lives contrary to my beliefs. Either way it’s not a pretty picture.
The Thessalonians came to believe in Christ Jesus and their life showed clearly what they believed. The Apostle Paul and his companions were so inspired that they knelt in praise and adoration to God. They continually praised God for the power of the Gospel at work in the lives of the Thessalonian believers.
Regarding the Thessalonians, Paul remembered before God their work produced by faith, their labour prompted by their love and their endurance inspired by their hope in Christ Jesus. Paul praises God for the work, the labour and the endurance that flows out of the Thessalonians’ conversion.
While is it possible to make changes and to do noble things by our own power and strength, it cannot match the changes and work produced by the power of the Gospel. Even though it is possible to change by transforming ourselves, it can never compare to or last as long as the spiritual transformation and renewal that comes from genuinely receiving Christ as Lord and Saviour.
When a person genuinely receives Jesus as their own Lord and Saviour that person changes from the inside out. The heart is transformed by the power of the Gospel. The result is unavoidable. Work, labour and endurance for Christ will flow outwards. When a group of people in the same city or region are transformed by the power of the Gospel it is truly revolutionary. That city had better watch out!
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Even as believers we continue to sin but sin should be the exception rather than the rule. Pray that God would work so powerfully in yourself and in your fellow believers at church that He would break the power of sin and undo the work of the evil one. Pray that the chains of sin that bind people in your church would be completely and utterly broken.
V Pray that Shiloh Church Ministries would continue to preach the Word and to make disciples. Pray that all of the orphans they care for would come to know Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Pray that God would raise the resources needed to continue this vital and powerful ministry.
V Pray that your city would be revolutionised by the power of the Gospel as believers work from their faith, labour out of their love and endure because of their hope in Christ Jesus.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Why is the Gospel so powerful?
2. How can a person be sure they are a Christian? Should we worry about such questions as this?
3. What changes have you seen in your life since you became a Christian?
As a cell group, take time to share your individual testimonies. If you’re not sure how to write a testimony, think about your life before you came to Christ, how you came and what it’s like now that you have come to Him. Make sure that it’s about Christ and not inadvertently about you.
If you are game, make a pact together that each person at cell would seek to make at least one other disciple by the end of the year.
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3
You can tell what a person really believes by the way they live life. If, for example, I believe that today will bring pouring rain but walk out of my house without an umbrella or raincoat then my lifestyle betrays my true beliefs. Either, I don’t really believe that it will rain or I’m a hypocritical imbecile who lives contrary to my beliefs. Either way it’s not a pretty picture.
The Thessalonians came to believe in Christ Jesus and their life showed clearly what they believed. The Apostle Paul and his companions were so inspired that they knelt in praise and adoration to God. They continually praised God for the power of the Gospel at work in the lives of the Thessalonian believers.
Regarding the Thessalonians, Paul remembered before God their work produced by faith, their labour prompted by their love and their endurance inspired by their hope in Christ Jesus. Paul praises God for the work, the labour and the endurance that flows out of the Thessalonians’ conversion.
While is it possible to make changes and to do noble things by our own power and strength, it cannot match the changes and work produced by the power of the Gospel. Even though it is possible to change by transforming ourselves, it can never compare to or last as long as the spiritual transformation and renewal that comes from genuinely receiving Christ as Lord and Saviour.
When a person genuinely receives Jesus as their own Lord and Saviour that person changes from the inside out. The heart is transformed by the power of the Gospel. The result is unavoidable. Work, labour and endurance for Christ will flow outwards. When a group of people in the same city or region are transformed by the power of the Gospel it is truly revolutionary. That city had better watch out!
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Even as believers we continue to sin but sin should be the exception rather than the rule. Pray that God would work so powerfully in yourself and in your fellow believers at church that He would break the power of sin and undo the work of the evil one. Pray that the chains of sin that bind people in your church would be completely and utterly broken.
V Pray that Shiloh Church Ministries would continue to preach the Word and to make disciples. Pray that all of the orphans they care for would come to know Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Pray that God would raise the resources needed to continue this vital and powerful ministry.
V Pray that your city would be revolutionised by the power of the Gospel as believers work from their faith, labour out of their love and endure because of their hope in Christ Jesus.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Why is the Gospel so powerful?
2. How can a person be sure they are a Christian? Should we worry about such questions as this?
3. What changes have you seen in your life since you became a Christian?
Monday 3 June 2013
Monday June 3, 2013
Read Acts 17:1-14
Paul was on his second missionary journey when he came to the Roman city of Thessalonica. To help you understand where the city lies there's a map at the bottom of this page.
It’s 50-51AD. As Paul entered this major city with a population of about 200,000 people, he went, as usual, to the synagogue on the Sabbath. There in front of potentially hostile Jews he argued and reasoned from the Scriptures that Jesus had to be the Christ, the Messiah. A few Jews joined Paul as did a larger number of Greeks and perhaps even a larger number of prominent, important women. The second Christian church, behind Philippi, had been started in Europe!
But sailing was not to remain smooth for Paul. The Jews became jealous of the growth of the new church. They rounded up some ruffians from the marketplace. The goal was to remove Paul and his companions from the city. The crowd approached the city officials and effectively made the same cry that the crowd made in calling for Jesus’ execution. As the crowd gathered before Pilate they cried out, ‘We have no king but Caesar!’ (John 19:15) Here in Thessalonica they cried out that Paul was ‘defying Caesar’s decrees advocating ‘that there is another king, one called Jesus’.
Paul had an effect in the city of Thessalonica, not because he was a revolutionary or because his character inspired revolt but, because he faithfully preached the gospel. He opened the Word and showed from that Word that Jesus was the Christ.
If only Christians would open up the Word and show people that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. If only we too would preach the gospel to non believers. If only we were to be so bold we too would see a powerful Gospel. We too would see people, maybe even “not a few” people, come to Christ for salvation. We too would see a powerful Gospel that changes lives and transforms people. In fact, if we were to actually preach the gospel to non believers then we would see a Gospel so powerful that it will call forth opposition.
Let’s continue praying that God would bring many people into His kingdom and into His church. But let’s be radical and let’s pray that God uses us and our Gospel preaching to that effect. Let’s send each other out with the express task of telling non believers about the gospel. Here’s a truth you and I need to hear: The Gospel will never be powerful if we never tell it to anyone!
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that the Lord God Almighty would use you personally to share the gospel with non believers this week. Pray that as God opens doors to share your faith you would be courageous and actually speak the gospel in that situation.
V Pray that your church would be a gospel preaching church, making the most of every opportunity to speak the truth of Jesus into people’s lives.
Paul was on his second missionary journey when he came to the Roman city of Thessalonica. To help you understand where the city lies there's a map at the bottom of this page.
It’s 50-51AD. As Paul entered this major city with a population of about 200,000 people, he went, as usual, to the synagogue on the Sabbath. There in front of potentially hostile Jews he argued and reasoned from the Scriptures that Jesus had to be the Christ, the Messiah. A few Jews joined Paul as did a larger number of Greeks and perhaps even a larger number of prominent, important women. The second Christian church, behind Philippi, had been started in Europe!
But sailing was not to remain smooth for Paul. The Jews became jealous of the growth of the new church. They rounded up some ruffians from the marketplace. The goal was to remove Paul and his companions from the city. The crowd approached the city officials and effectively made the same cry that the crowd made in calling for Jesus’ execution. As the crowd gathered before Pilate they cried out, ‘We have no king but Caesar!’ (John 19:15) Here in Thessalonica they cried out that Paul was ‘defying Caesar’s decrees advocating ‘that there is another king, one called Jesus’.
Paul had an effect in the city of Thessalonica, not because he was a revolutionary or because his character inspired revolt but, because he faithfully preached the gospel. He opened the Word and showed from that Word that Jesus was the Christ.
If only Christians would open up the Word and show people that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. If only we too would preach the gospel to non believers. If only we were to be so bold we too would see a powerful Gospel. We too would see people, maybe even “not a few” people, come to Christ for salvation. We too would see a powerful Gospel that changes lives and transforms people. In fact, if we were to actually preach the gospel to non believers then we would see a Gospel so powerful that it will call forth opposition.
Let’s continue praying that God would bring many people into His kingdom and into His church. But let’s be radical and let’s pray that God uses us and our Gospel preaching to that effect. Let’s send each other out with the express task of telling non believers about the gospel. Here’s a truth you and I need to hear: The Gospel will never be powerful if we never tell it to anyone!
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
V Pray that the Lord God Almighty would use you personally to share the gospel with non believers this week. Pray that as God opens doors to share your faith you would be courageous and actually speak the gospel in that situation.
V Pray that your church would be a gospel preaching church, making the most of every opportunity to speak the truth of Jesus into people’s lives.
Saturday 1 June 2013
Saturday 1 June 2013
Read: Matthew 7:24-29
The thought of your house collapsing with a mighty crash in the face of rain and wind is a frightening thought isn't it. If you have experienced flooding or other natural disasters this might conjure up all sorts of memories and thoughts. The image of a house knocked over by natural forces is hard to forget. Jesus warning in this passage is clear: if we are not living our lives based on Him and according to His teachings our lives will be like those collapsed houses, broken and destroyed.
Think back over our study of the Sermon on the Mount this week. Are you living according to Jesus teachings? Are you living a life which is different from the way that the world lives? Are you being salt and light to those around you who don't have faith in Him? Is your heart changed by your relationship with Christ so that you follow God's law? Is your primary focus and attention on the Kingdom of God rather than anything in this world? Are you living for God's glory alone? Are you living with humility and wisdom?
This is an incredible challenge to us as God's people however this parable is not all doom and gloom. Notice verse 25. If we do live according to the teachings of Jesus and base our lives on Him then this parable provides a great encouragement: nothing will be able to shake us. Though storms come in all our lives if our foundation is in Christ and in His teachings then nothing will be able to destroy or collapse us. If God is our strength and help then we can endure anything and everything the world would throw at us.
The choice is yours. You can live according to Jesus' teachings and set your life on the rock or you can build your life on the sand apart from Christ. Which do you choose?
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for all those who have been studying the Sermon on the Mount at Christlife and through these notes. Pray that God would cement in their hearts all the things that they have learnt and that they would put them into practice. Pray that God would help all of us to be salt and light in our communities.
¥ Pray for the Presbyterian church in Stanthorpe. Pray that God would grow a spirit of generosity in the hearts of the people and that they would be giving so that costs and wages can be met. Pray that God would grow in the congregation a greater passion to see many in the Stanthorpe community come to faith in Christ through the preaching of the gospel.
Discussion Questions For Families
and Groups
1. What can you do to tell if you are building your life on the rock or the sand?
2. Spend some time praying for each other. Pray that the Holy Spirit would grow you in holiness and help each of you to follow Jesus more closely and to live by His teachings.
The thought of your house collapsing with a mighty crash in the face of rain and wind is a frightening thought isn't it. If you have experienced flooding or other natural disasters this might conjure up all sorts of memories and thoughts. The image of a house knocked over by natural forces is hard to forget. Jesus warning in this passage is clear: if we are not living our lives based on Him and according to His teachings our lives will be like those collapsed houses, broken and destroyed.
Think back over our study of the Sermon on the Mount this week. Are you living according to Jesus teachings? Are you living a life which is different from the way that the world lives? Are you being salt and light to those around you who don't have faith in Him? Is your heart changed by your relationship with Christ so that you follow God's law? Is your primary focus and attention on the Kingdom of God rather than anything in this world? Are you living for God's glory alone? Are you living with humility and wisdom?
This is an incredible challenge to us as God's people however this parable is not all doom and gloom. Notice verse 25. If we do live according to the teachings of Jesus and base our lives on Him then this parable provides a great encouragement: nothing will be able to shake us. Though storms come in all our lives if our foundation is in Christ and in His teachings then nothing will be able to destroy or collapse us. If God is our strength and help then we can endure anything and everything the world would throw at us.
The choice is yours. You can live according to Jesus' teachings and set your life on the rock or you can build your life on the sand apart from Christ. Which do you choose?
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for all those who have been studying the Sermon on the Mount at Christlife and through these notes. Pray that God would cement in their hearts all the things that they have learnt and that they would put them into practice. Pray that God would help all of us to be salt and light in our communities.
¥ Pray for the Presbyterian church in Stanthorpe. Pray that God would grow a spirit of generosity in the hearts of the people and that they would be giving so that costs and wages can be met. Pray that God would grow in the congregation a greater passion to see many in the Stanthorpe community come to faith in Christ through the preaching of the gospel.
Discussion Questions For Families
and Groups
1. What can you do to tell if you are building your life on the rock or the sand?
2. Spend some time praying for each other. Pray that the Holy Spirit would grow you in holiness and help each of you to follow Jesus more closely and to live by His teachings.
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