Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, Genesis 2:15-17
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked, ‘Why God would allow _______?’, I would be a literal millionaire. So many unbelieving people are asking this kind of question. Even worse, so many people are saying that they can not and will not believe in God because of evil and suffering and death. I’ve personally heard far too many people declare that they reject God because someone they loved died.
Interestingly, many of these people are happy to be or to support the “pro-choice” movement, giving the royal nod to the innocent killing of 90,000 babies each year in Australia alone. Yet they immediately reject God and blame God for death. I’m not sure the inconsistency sits well.
Death was not God’s doing. When God created mankind, He gave mankind a command with a consequence. Adam and Eve were told not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The consequence of disobedience was death. Mankind, in choosing to disobey God, brought death into the world.
But even with death, we see a tinge of goodness and grace from God. When mankind rejected God, they became biased towards sin and God brought death into the world. But can death ever be positive and good? Think of people like Hitler, Mussolini, Mao, Stalin who between them killed millions and millions of innocent people. Without death in the world, their reign could go on forever and ever. Death brings an end to evil and limits the evil that one person or one group can perpetrate. God in His wisdom has allowed death into the world as a consequence of mankind’s rebellion and as constant reminder that all is not as it should be.
Prayer:
Write down at least one prayer point in each category based on the following verse.
...Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where O Death is your victory? Where O Death is your sting?
1 Cor 15:54-55.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for the older members of your congregation. Ask the Lord to enable them to pass on their wisdom and Bible knowledge and experience to the younger generations. Pray that we would see many people grow in their faith and love for Jesus through their ministry and mentoring.
¥ Pray that the Lord would grow the children in your congregation in their faith, their boldness, their willingness to live for You. Ask God to raise up an army of ambassadors who put God first in their entire lives.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What comfort can we give Mary Jo if she had lost someone close to her?
2. How does Christian grieving differ to non Christian grieving?
Showing posts with label Standard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Standard. Show all posts
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Tuesday September 10, 2013
Read Ecclesiastes 2:17. John 6:27. 1 Corinthians 15:58
As a young man fresh out of school I landed a job in an insurance company in the city. That meant travelling to the city on a train each morning. After only about 2 weeks of travelling to and from work I began to see the futility of such a life. For the next 40-50 years I would be waking up early, getting on a train, going to work, doing my work, catching a train home, spending a bit of time at home and then doing it all again tomorrow. Even though I loved my job, I could see my life turning into a weekend existence. As a non-believer the thought of such a cold existence made me shudder. It seemed so totally futile.
I suspect that many people are stuck in a similar rut of just existing. They go to work. They come home. They do it all again tomorrow. They live for the weekend, for that party or for the annual holiday. Most of the year is a pointless, endless treadmill existence that really has no meaning or value except to gain money to buy a few things to make life that little bit more bearable.
Jesus turns the whole situation upside down. As the crowds that feasted on the loaves and fishes chased Jesus around the lake He told them not to work for food that spoils but to labour for food that endures to eternal life. Earning money to buy food and “things” is not sinful but has little eternal value. The food that endures to eternal life is to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and to worship Him.
What Jesus was saying is that our life is not to centre around the pursuit of life’s necessities such as food but rather should be centred around Him. Paul concurs with this in 1 Corinthians 15:58. Having just given a detailed proof for the resurrection of Jesus, he now tells the believers to stand firm in their faith. They should not let anything move them from Christ Jesus because their labour in the Lord is never in vain.
Here is the key the turns a treadmill existence into a meaningful life. When we centre our life around Christ and serve Him our daily work becomes a service to God. As we work with all of our heart and soul, working as though we are serving God not man, we bring glory to God. Work becomes an opportunity to serve the Lord and to bless others. It also becomes a mission field in which we can make disciples for Jesus’ sake. Hard work, discipline, honesty and integrity never go unnoticed.
Everything changes when we serve the Lord at work. Our income becomes a means to serve the Lord. Tithing becomes a fragrant offering acceptable to the Lord, not a heart wrenching exercise. The annual holidays even take on a whole new air of importance. Many a believer has spent their annual leave on mission, some local and some international.
Your work and your daily grind takes on a whole new dimension of significance when you serve God wholeheartedly.
Prayer:
Write down at least one prayer point in each category based on the following verse.
Therefore my brothers stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labour in the Lord is never in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for the work of Creation Research as they continue to teach and educate people about the truthfulness of creation. Pray that God would continue to open doors for them both in Australia and oversees. Pray that they would see many come to faith in Christ through their work.
¥ Pray that God would continue to bless the work of PIM - Presbyterian Inland Mission. Pray that each padre would be well equipped and resourced and that they would have open doors to share their faith in outback towns and stations.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
After Xavier’s work accident, he has told the minister of the church that he’s not going to waste his life just working. He’s going to enjoy every minute of it. He then tells you that he won’t be at church for 2 Sondays each month because of this.
1. How do you counsel Xavier?
2. What is good/bad about Xavier’s view of life?
3. What is good/bad about Xavier’s view of work?
As a young man fresh out of school I landed a job in an insurance company in the city. That meant travelling to the city on a train each morning. After only about 2 weeks of travelling to and from work I began to see the futility of such a life. For the next 40-50 years I would be waking up early, getting on a train, going to work, doing my work, catching a train home, spending a bit of time at home and then doing it all again tomorrow. Even though I loved my job, I could see my life turning into a weekend existence. As a non-believer the thought of such a cold existence made me shudder. It seemed so totally futile.
I suspect that many people are stuck in a similar rut of just existing. They go to work. They come home. They do it all again tomorrow. They live for the weekend, for that party or for the annual holiday. Most of the year is a pointless, endless treadmill existence that really has no meaning or value except to gain money to buy a few things to make life that little bit more bearable.
Jesus turns the whole situation upside down. As the crowds that feasted on the loaves and fishes chased Jesus around the lake He told them not to work for food that spoils but to labour for food that endures to eternal life. Earning money to buy food and “things” is not sinful but has little eternal value. The food that endures to eternal life is to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and to worship Him.
What Jesus was saying is that our life is not to centre around the pursuit of life’s necessities such as food but rather should be centred around Him. Paul concurs with this in 1 Corinthians 15:58. Having just given a detailed proof for the resurrection of Jesus, he now tells the believers to stand firm in their faith. They should not let anything move them from Christ Jesus because their labour in the Lord is never in vain.
Here is the key the turns a treadmill existence into a meaningful life. When we centre our life around Christ and serve Him our daily work becomes a service to God. As we work with all of our heart and soul, working as though we are serving God not man, we bring glory to God. Work becomes an opportunity to serve the Lord and to bless others. It also becomes a mission field in which we can make disciples for Jesus’ sake. Hard work, discipline, honesty and integrity never go unnoticed.
Everything changes when we serve the Lord at work. Our income becomes a means to serve the Lord. Tithing becomes a fragrant offering acceptable to the Lord, not a heart wrenching exercise. The annual holidays even take on a whole new air of importance. Many a believer has spent their annual leave on mission, some local and some international.
Your work and your daily grind takes on a whole new dimension of significance when you serve God wholeheartedly.
Prayer:
Write down at least one prayer point in each category based on the following verse.
Therefore my brothers stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labour in the Lord is never in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for the work of Creation Research as they continue to teach and educate people about the truthfulness of creation. Pray that God would continue to open doors for them both in Australia and oversees. Pray that they would see many come to faith in Christ through their work.
¥ Pray that God would continue to bless the work of PIM - Presbyterian Inland Mission. Pray that each padre would be well equipped and resourced and that they would have open doors to share their faith in outback towns and stations.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
After Xavier’s work accident, he has told the minister of the church that he’s not going to waste his life just working. He’s going to enjoy every minute of it. He then tells you that he won’t be at church for 2 Sondays each month because of this.
1. How do you counsel Xavier?
2. What is good/bad about Xavier’s view of life?
3. What is good/bad about Xavier’s view of work?
Monday, 9 September 2013
Monday September 9, 2013
Read Ecclesiastes 2:12-16. Genesis 2:15-17
Some say that the only things you can’t avoid in this world are death and taxes! While some cunning accountants make it possible to avoid paying taxes, no one can make death avoidable. We will all die someday.
As Solomon ages and grows nearer to death he realises that death is the great leveller. Whether you are wise or foolish, whether you are educated or not, you will die. Solomon wrestles with the whole notion of death and the place of wisdom and folly in the world.
Such wrestling though is not meant to produce apathy within us or depression or despair but rather is meant to draw us nearer to the Lord in total and utter dependence.
Death entered the world through the disobedience of our first parents. Adam was told by God that he could eat from all the trees of the Garden except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eating from that tree would result in death. And as you know, Adam and Eve tested God and ate from that tree. Death has been in the world ever since.
God, however, through His mercy and wisdom, has given us a way through death. That way is through placing our faith and trust in Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of the world and was raised to life, never to die again. Even though we will all still die, death need not be the end. The Bible assures us that those who die in Christ rest from their labours and return to the be with the Lord. They will spend eternity with Christ in a perfect paradise where all evil has been eradicated.
Those who continue to reject Christ and His antidote for death will receive the desires of their heart and they will spend eternity away from Christ. The Bible pictures this eternity as a horrid eternity of torment and suffering.
Yet the Bible assures us that God longs for all men to be saved and to come to a saving knowledge of the truth. God has paved the way for people to be saved. God is holding out His hand inviting all to come to Jesus in repentance and faith for eternal life.
Even though death stares each of us in the face, the question is whether or not we are prepared for death and the aftermath. Are you prepared for death? Are you prepared to face the aftermath of your choice in this life?
Prayer:
Write down at least one prayer point in each category based on the following verse.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Continue to pray for the Presbyterian Inland Mission. Pray that the padres going out to isolated regions and stations will have opportunity to speak of Christ, to make disciples and to bring hope and joy to many. Pray that God would watch over the padres as they travel great distances.
¥ Pray that God would bless the work of the student ministers at the Reformed College in Myanmar. Pray that these students would grow in knowledge and love of God, in wisdom and application of the Scriptures and that God would provide their needs as they study. Pray that those who have family members they haven’t seen for years will be comforted and blessed for their willing sacrifice.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
Xavier is a believer who spends long hours working in a factory. After a serious work accident recently in the factory he has confided in you that he fears death.
1. How should Christians feel about death?
2. How can a fear of death be overcome by a believer?
3. Should young believers be concerned with death? Why or why not?
Some say that the only things you can’t avoid in this world are death and taxes! While some cunning accountants make it possible to avoid paying taxes, no one can make death avoidable. We will all die someday.
As Solomon ages and grows nearer to death he realises that death is the great leveller. Whether you are wise or foolish, whether you are educated or not, you will die. Solomon wrestles with the whole notion of death and the place of wisdom and folly in the world.
Such wrestling though is not meant to produce apathy within us or depression or despair but rather is meant to draw us nearer to the Lord in total and utter dependence.
Death entered the world through the disobedience of our first parents. Adam was told by God that he could eat from all the trees of the Garden except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eating from that tree would result in death. And as you know, Adam and Eve tested God and ate from that tree. Death has been in the world ever since.
God, however, through His mercy and wisdom, has given us a way through death. That way is through placing our faith and trust in Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of the world and was raised to life, never to die again. Even though we will all still die, death need not be the end. The Bible assures us that those who die in Christ rest from their labours and return to the be with the Lord. They will spend eternity with Christ in a perfect paradise where all evil has been eradicated.
Those who continue to reject Christ and His antidote for death will receive the desires of their heart and they will spend eternity away from Christ. The Bible pictures this eternity as a horrid eternity of torment and suffering.
Yet the Bible assures us that God longs for all men to be saved and to come to a saving knowledge of the truth. God has paved the way for people to be saved. God is holding out His hand inviting all to come to Jesus in repentance and faith for eternal life.
Even though death stares each of us in the face, the question is whether or not we are prepared for death and the aftermath. Are you prepared for death? Are you prepared to face the aftermath of your choice in this life?
Prayer:
Write down at least one prayer point in each category based on the following verse.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Continue to pray for the Presbyterian Inland Mission. Pray that the padres going out to isolated regions and stations will have opportunity to speak of Christ, to make disciples and to bring hope and joy to many. Pray that God would watch over the padres as they travel great distances.
¥ Pray that God would bless the work of the student ministers at the Reformed College in Myanmar. Pray that these students would grow in knowledge and love of God, in wisdom and application of the Scriptures and that God would provide their needs as they study. Pray that those who have family members they haven’t seen for years will be comforted and blessed for their willing sacrifice.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
Xavier is a believer who spends long hours working in a factory. After a serious work accident recently in the factory he has confided in you that he fears death.
1. How should Christians feel about death?
2. How can a fear of death be overcome by a believer?
3. Should young believers be concerned with death? Why or why not?
Wednesday, 4 September 2013
Wednesday September 4, 2013
Read Ecclesiastes 2:8, Philippians 4:10-13
Australians spend up to $110 million on Lotto each week, trying to win the big one. Melbourne Cup gambling hovers around $150 million per race. Added to this, the Problem Gambling Website reports that New South Wales clubs and hotels make around $3.5 billion each year on gaming machines while Australian casinos have an income of around $2.2 million. What these figures suggest is that Australians are, by and large, seeking to become wealthy. The mighty dollar bill has never been so mighty and sought after.
The Teacher in Ecclesiastes amassed for himself the treasure of kings. He grew his fortune of silver and gold and had, literally, everything he ever wanted. 1 Kings 10:14-29 details the extravagance of Solomon’s wealth. Each year he received about 25 tons of gold plus revenue from merchants and traders. He received income from all the Arabian kings and from the governors of the land. Visitors from around the world sought his audience and brought expensive and lavish gifts as well as gold. He was so wealthy that silver became as common as stones in Jerusalem. Yet for all this, he concluded that money or wealth was meaningless. It could not satisfy the human heart. It could not and would not fill the God-shaped void that exists in every human heart.
When Jesus came into our world He described Himself as greater than Solomon (Luke 11:31). He promised His followers better wealth than Solomon and encouraged His followers to store up eternal wealth in heaven where rust and moth and tax man could not destroy it.
Pursing Jesus is the key to fulfilment above and beyond wealth so much so that the Apostle Paul could declare that he had learnt the secret of being content in any and every situation whether he was well fed or hungry, whether he was in want or had plenty. Paul was content apart from his situation because he was in Christ. The secret to being content is to be growing in Christ Jesus.
Regardless of our financial situation we can be content and happy in Him.
Prayer:
Write down at least one prayer point in each category based on the following verse.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:12-13
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that each and every single believer in your congregation would be content in what they have and that they would willingly and joyfully submit to God and worship Him. Pray that each person would do everything through the power of Christ.
¥ Pray that God would provide the needs of Straight Talk Ministries. Ask God to bless Jim and Faye in this ministry and to lead and guide them as they seek to serve in schools.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Do you think that the people who are arguing about the service at Ducksville are content in Christ? Why or why not?
2. How can they grow in contentment in Christ?
3. Why should we be seeking to grow in contentment?
Australians spend up to $110 million on Lotto each week, trying to win the big one. Melbourne Cup gambling hovers around $150 million per race. Added to this, the Problem Gambling Website reports that New South Wales clubs and hotels make around $3.5 billion each year on gaming machines while Australian casinos have an income of around $2.2 million. What these figures suggest is that Australians are, by and large, seeking to become wealthy. The mighty dollar bill has never been so mighty and sought after.
The Teacher in Ecclesiastes amassed for himself the treasure of kings. He grew his fortune of silver and gold and had, literally, everything he ever wanted. 1 Kings 10:14-29 details the extravagance of Solomon’s wealth. Each year he received about 25 tons of gold plus revenue from merchants and traders. He received income from all the Arabian kings and from the governors of the land. Visitors from around the world sought his audience and brought expensive and lavish gifts as well as gold. He was so wealthy that silver became as common as stones in Jerusalem. Yet for all this, he concluded that money or wealth was meaningless. It could not satisfy the human heart. It could not and would not fill the God-shaped void that exists in every human heart.
When Jesus came into our world He described Himself as greater than Solomon (Luke 11:31). He promised His followers better wealth than Solomon and encouraged His followers to store up eternal wealth in heaven where rust and moth and tax man could not destroy it.
Pursing Jesus is the key to fulfilment above and beyond wealth so much so that the Apostle Paul could declare that he had learnt the secret of being content in any and every situation whether he was well fed or hungry, whether he was in want or had plenty. Paul was content apart from his situation because he was in Christ. The secret to being content is to be growing in Christ Jesus.
Regardless of our financial situation we can be content and happy in Him.
Prayer:
Write down at least one prayer point in each category based on the following verse.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:12-13
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that each and every single believer in your congregation would be content in what they have and that they would willingly and joyfully submit to God and worship Him. Pray that each person would do everything through the power of Christ.
¥ Pray that God would provide the needs of Straight Talk Ministries. Ask God to bless Jim and Faye in this ministry and to lead and guide them as they seek to serve in schools.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Do you think that the people who are arguing about the service at Ducksville are content in Christ? Why or why not?
2. How can they grow in contentment in Christ?
3. Why should we be seeking to grow in contentment?
Monday, 2 September 2013
Monday September 2, 2013
Read Ecclesiastes 2:1-3. Acts 20:33-35
Today’s world has become a pleasure seeking world. Life has evolved to be about my happiness, in my entertainment and my pleasure. We see this life-philosophy in the number of people seeking extra-marital affairs, in the party-hard mentality of the masses and in the myriad of advertising that promises happiness or pleasure from the particular product advertised.
Unfortunately, the negative effects of a pleasure seeking society are seen in the high rates of alcohol & drug abuse, in the high levels of mental illness, the growing rate of relational breakdown & isolation and in the growing rates of suicide.
The Teacher in Ecclesiastes sought to find meaning and value in pleasure. He sought pleasure in wine, in laughter and ‘fun’ and in foolish behaviour. His goal was to find out what was worthwhile for mankind to do in his short life-span. However, during this foray into pleasure the Teacher made sure that it was never wanton abandonment. He was never lost in the pleasure or in the search. His mind was always guiding him with wisdom. Unlike so many in the world, he remained totally focused and totally in control.
There is no room in the Teacher’s report for suspense or drama. From the outset, see verse 1, he tells us that seeking pleasure proved to be meaningless. In verse 2 we are told that laughter is foolish. The Teacher wants us to understand the conclusion from the very beginning. He wants us to avoid being tempted to go down the very same road. He wants us to learn from his experience. Chasing pleasure is meaningless. It cannot and will not fulfil you.
Interestingly, a UCLA study has unexpectedly confirmed this. The results of a 10 year study shows that the human genome was positively affected by doing good to others but was adversely affected from hedonistic, self pleasure seeking. In the study the level of ‘happiness’ was the same in each category. What the Teacher proclaimed centuries ago, science is beginning to understand. Jesus also backed this up when He said, ’It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
We need to understand though, that no where in the Bible does it say that Christians are to be fun police, making sure that no one is having any fun. No where does it say that Christians are to be miserable lemon suckers who never smile.
Rather, our joy is to come from serving God, from being His light in the community and from loving others as ourselves. Our joy is a joy based not on what we get or what we have but is based on our relationship with God through Christ Jesus. That kind of joy gives life purpose, meaning and value that nothing in this world can imitate.
Prayer:
Write down at least one prayer point in each category based on the following verses.
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive”.
Acts 20:35
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that your congregation would be a giving and generous congregation that finds real joy in giving and sharing. Pray that your mission budget would grow and multiply so much so that your mission committee would have to seek more missionaries to support.
¥ Pray that God would continue to bless the work of Teen Challenge here in Toowoomba. Pray that God would provide for all their financial, physical and personal needs. Pray especially that the residents would find meaning and value in Christ Jesus.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
Ducksville Presbyterian Church has a dilemma. The congregation is almost split down the middle between older Christians and young families. The older believers want to sing hymns and to have a more serious tone to church service. The younger believers want to have a bit of fun, together with some boppy songs.
1. What advice can you give to this congregation?
2. What do you think is the way forward?
3. If people threaten to leave the church because of this service issue, what could you do?
Today’s world has become a pleasure seeking world. Life has evolved to be about my happiness, in my entertainment and my pleasure. We see this life-philosophy in the number of people seeking extra-marital affairs, in the party-hard mentality of the masses and in the myriad of advertising that promises happiness or pleasure from the particular product advertised.
Unfortunately, the negative effects of a pleasure seeking society are seen in the high rates of alcohol & drug abuse, in the high levels of mental illness, the growing rate of relational breakdown & isolation and in the growing rates of suicide.
The Teacher in Ecclesiastes sought to find meaning and value in pleasure. He sought pleasure in wine, in laughter and ‘fun’ and in foolish behaviour. His goal was to find out what was worthwhile for mankind to do in his short life-span. However, during this foray into pleasure the Teacher made sure that it was never wanton abandonment. He was never lost in the pleasure or in the search. His mind was always guiding him with wisdom. Unlike so many in the world, he remained totally focused and totally in control.
There is no room in the Teacher’s report for suspense or drama. From the outset, see verse 1, he tells us that seeking pleasure proved to be meaningless. In verse 2 we are told that laughter is foolish. The Teacher wants us to understand the conclusion from the very beginning. He wants us to avoid being tempted to go down the very same road. He wants us to learn from his experience. Chasing pleasure is meaningless. It cannot and will not fulfil you.
Interestingly, a UCLA study has unexpectedly confirmed this. The results of a 10 year study shows that the human genome was positively affected by doing good to others but was adversely affected from hedonistic, self pleasure seeking. In the study the level of ‘happiness’ was the same in each category. What the Teacher proclaimed centuries ago, science is beginning to understand. Jesus also backed this up when He said, ’It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
We need to understand though, that no where in the Bible does it say that Christians are to be fun police, making sure that no one is having any fun. No where does it say that Christians are to be miserable lemon suckers who never smile.
Rather, our joy is to come from serving God, from being His light in the community and from loving others as ourselves. Our joy is a joy based not on what we get or what we have but is based on our relationship with God through Christ Jesus. That kind of joy gives life purpose, meaning and value that nothing in this world can imitate.
Prayer:
Write down at least one prayer point in each category based on the following verses.
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive”.
Acts 20:35
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that your congregation would be a giving and generous congregation that finds real joy in giving and sharing. Pray that your mission budget would grow and multiply so much so that your mission committee would have to seek more missionaries to support.
¥ Pray that God would continue to bless the work of Teen Challenge here in Toowoomba. Pray that God would provide for all their financial, physical and personal needs. Pray especially that the residents would find meaning and value in Christ Jesus.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
Ducksville Presbyterian Church has a dilemma. The congregation is almost split down the middle between older Christians and young families. The older believers want to sing hymns and to have a more serious tone to church service. The younger believers want to have a bit of fun, together with some boppy songs.
1. What advice can you give to this congregation?
2. What do you think is the way forward?
3. If people threaten to leave the church because of this service issue, what could you do?
Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Wednesday August 28, 2013
Jesus Chellenge
The goals we set for ourselves can cover a multitude of areas. We can make goals for our personal life, our work life, our relationships and even our leisure time.
This week, we will focus on personal goals - goals that sum up who we are as a person.
As a cell, take time to individually share about the kind of person you want to be. This will form the crux of your personal goal. Give time for each person to make some notes as to how to progress from their current state to their desired state. Think about what things need to change and how they can change.
You don’t necessarily have to write out a goal this week. Just think about it and make notes.
Share your thoughts/notes with the wider group. Try to keep each other accountable in making the changes you wrote down.
A Short Note About Goals.
Goals that have the following characteristics are most useful.
Specific: When we are specific in our goals, they are much easier to reach because the pathway to that goal is much easier to work out.
Measureable: With each goal, we need to know what we are measuring or what to look for in reaching that goal. If we cannot measure a goal we will never know if we’ve made it or not.
Accountable: If you make yourself accountable for your goals you will be more motivated to reach them. If you are the only one who knows your goals then apathy could easily set in.
Reasonable: Goals should be reasonable and reachable. Unreasonable or unreachable goals will tend to drive us the other way because we know we are doomed to fail.
Timed: A goal should have a cut off point by which you should have reached your target.
Read Ecclesiastes 1:15-17. 1 Kings 3:4-15
Solomon, more than any other person before or after Christ Jesus, was apt to make a ruling about the usefulness of knowledge or wisdom in finding meaning and value in our lives. God granted Solomon so much wisdom and discernment that there never has been, and never will be, anyone like him.
With that God-given wisdom, Solomon sought to understand knowledge as well as madness/foolishness. He learned that this is a chasing after the wind. It cannot produce the desired results.
To really understand the foolishness of chasing knowledge apart from God, you need only consider the current state of “science” in the western world. As Ben Stein proves in his recent documentary “Expelled. No Intelligence Allowed”, science is the search to intelligently assassinate God. Science is geared towards disproving the existence of God and hence freeing mankind from the shackles of religion. But what kind of world will such a pursuit produce? Science can do nothing to produce love, other centeredness, kindness and sharing. Science cannot produce the sacrificial love of a mother for her baby. It cannot create the comfort of a father for his daughter with a scraped knee. A world built on ‘science’ will leave us cold, heartless and willing to kill or exterminate those who don’t produce or contribute to society. Rather than putting our aged parents into a nursing home to be cared for, such science will allow these older people to be eradicated for the sake of our own recreation, and leisure time and financial security. Without God in the picture killing babies for convenience is just simply OK.
Knowledge without God is a chasing after the wind. It simply cannot fulfil our deepest needs. It cannot fix humanity’s deepest problem - the problem of sin and rejection of God. As Thomas a Kempis said, ‘Every man naturally desires knowledge; but what good is knowledge without fear of God? Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars.’
Prayer:
Write down from your heart at least one prayer point for each category based on the following verse
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints and His incomparably great power for us who believe.
Ephesians 1:18
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that God would bless the work of PIM - Presbyterian Inland Mission as they send Padres into the Australian outback. Pray that God would open doors for Padres to share their faith, to make disciples and to encourage the saints in the outback.
¥ Pray that God would work powerfully in the lives of the residents at Teen Challenge - Toowoomba. Ask the Lord to grow these men and women in into a true knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and that they might be the start of a powerful harvest within this region.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. In what way would you say that Jack’s knowledge is meaningless or a chasing after the wind?
2. Let’s assume Jack came to you and asked for your advice. What advice would you give him to help him grow in Christ Jesus?
3. How could Jack change so that his head knowledge became parallel to or in line with biblical knowledge?
The goals we set for ourselves can cover a multitude of areas. We can make goals for our personal life, our work life, our relationships and even our leisure time.
This week, we will focus on personal goals - goals that sum up who we are as a person.
As a cell, take time to individually share about the kind of person you want to be. This will form the crux of your personal goal. Give time for each person to make some notes as to how to progress from their current state to their desired state. Think about what things need to change and how they can change.
You don’t necessarily have to write out a goal this week. Just think about it and make notes.
Share your thoughts/notes with the wider group. Try to keep each other accountable in making the changes you wrote down.
A Short Note About Goals.
Goals that have the following characteristics are most useful.
Specific: When we are specific in our goals, they are much easier to reach because the pathway to that goal is much easier to work out.
Measureable: With each goal, we need to know what we are measuring or what to look for in reaching that goal. If we cannot measure a goal we will never know if we’ve made it or not.
Accountable: If you make yourself accountable for your goals you will be more motivated to reach them. If you are the only one who knows your goals then apathy could easily set in.
Reasonable: Goals should be reasonable and reachable. Unreasonable or unreachable goals will tend to drive us the other way because we know we are doomed to fail.
Timed: A goal should have a cut off point by which you should have reached your target.
Read Ecclesiastes 1:15-17. 1 Kings 3:4-15
Solomon, more than any other person before or after Christ Jesus, was apt to make a ruling about the usefulness of knowledge or wisdom in finding meaning and value in our lives. God granted Solomon so much wisdom and discernment that there never has been, and never will be, anyone like him.
With that God-given wisdom, Solomon sought to understand knowledge as well as madness/foolishness. He learned that this is a chasing after the wind. It cannot produce the desired results.
To really understand the foolishness of chasing knowledge apart from God, you need only consider the current state of “science” in the western world. As Ben Stein proves in his recent documentary “Expelled. No Intelligence Allowed”, science is the search to intelligently assassinate God. Science is geared towards disproving the existence of God and hence freeing mankind from the shackles of religion. But what kind of world will such a pursuit produce? Science can do nothing to produce love, other centeredness, kindness and sharing. Science cannot produce the sacrificial love of a mother for her baby. It cannot create the comfort of a father for his daughter with a scraped knee. A world built on ‘science’ will leave us cold, heartless and willing to kill or exterminate those who don’t produce or contribute to society. Rather than putting our aged parents into a nursing home to be cared for, such science will allow these older people to be eradicated for the sake of our own recreation, and leisure time and financial security. Without God in the picture killing babies for convenience is just simply OK.
Knowledge without God is a chasing after the wind. It simply cannot fulfil our deepest needs. It cannot fix humanity’s deepest problem - the problem of sin and rejection of God. As Thomas a Kempis said, ‘Every man naturally desires knowledge; but what good is knowledge without fear of God? Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars.’
Prayer:
Write down from your heart at least one prayer point for each category based on the following verse
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints and His incomparably great power for us who believe.
Ephesians 1:18
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that God would bless the work of PIM - Presbyterian Inland Mission as they send Padres into the Australian outback. Pray that God would open doors for Padres to share their faith, to make disciples and to encourage the saints in the outback.
¥ Pray that God would work powerfully in the lives of the residents at Teen Challenge - Toowoomba. Ask the Lord to grow these men and women in into a true knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and that they might be the start of a powerful harvest within this region.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. In what way would you say that Jack’s knowledge is meaningless or a chasing after the wind?
2. Let’s assume Jack came to you and asked for your advice. What advice would you give him to help him grow in Christ Jesus?
3. How could Jack change so that his head knowledge became parallel to or in line with biblical knowledge?
Monday, 12 August 2013
Monday August 12, 2013
Read John 1:10-13. Ephesians 1:1-6
It’s absolutely vital to know who we are, isn’t it?
Think about the upshot of not knowing who we are. Teenagers who struggle with their identity inevitably drift towards finding acceptance by any means. A young believing teenager who doesn’t know his identity in Christ might quickly drift to the “in-crowd” at school. Pretty soon he’s stealing and bullying others just to stay in the “in-crowd”. The man or woman who lacks a depth of comfort in their true identity may seek to find value and meaning in wealth, in work, in their children’s education or performance. They may fight for a cause, believing that this is who they really are. They may become workaholics or worse, alcoholics or drug addicts as they seek release from the burden of not knowing who they really are.
To know who we are is vital for our own well being and sanity. To know who we are lifts the burden and allows us to live a life of freedom and value and purpose.
Our identity must be firmly grounded in Christ. Jesus came into the world but was rejected by the world so that you and I can be grounded in Him. He wore the shame of crucifixion so that you and I could bear the royal seal of God. Everyone who believes in Jesus is a child of God. That means that from the very beginning of creation God designed you and made you for the express purpose of having a relationship with Himself.
Your identity comes from being in God through Christ. You will never find full meaning or value or identity in anything without God. But when you draw near to God and find yourself in Him, you could be a garbage collector or a neuro surgeon and you’ll still be filled with your identity in Him. You could be a millionaire or a pauper and still be content in Him. You could be famous or just one person among the masses and still have a life of meaning, impact and value because you remain in Him.
Life without Christ is an eternal search for identity filled with pretence and pretending. Life in Christ is a life of purpose, value and power.
Prayer:
From the verse below, write down at least one prayer point in each category.
Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name,
He gave the right to become children of God -
children born not of natural descent,
nor of human decision or a husband’s will,
but born of God.
John 1:12-13
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that the planning for our upcoming September Extreme Week will progress smoothly. Pray for those planning the lessons, the crafts, the games, the activities and the afternoon events. Pray that God would watch over the process of planning and allow it to progress well.
¥ Pray that our singles will be growing and maturing in Christ and deepening in love for Him and in fellowship with others.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
Marcus has grown up in a Christian family and has regularly attended church for the last 18 years. Recently he moved to the big city to attend uni but has drifted towards the gangs. He says that he feels loved and accepted and finally, after all these years, he feels like he belongs.
1. How might today’s passages apply to Marcus?
2. If Marcus shared with you that he is struggling with his identity, what would you say to him?
3. If you were a fellow uni student with Marcus, how could you support and encourage him?
It’s absolutely vital to know who we are, isn’t it?
Think about the upshot of not knowing who we are. Teenagers who struggle with their identity inevitably drift towards finding acceptance by any means. A young believing teenager who doesn’t know his identity in Christ might quickly drift to the “in-crowd” at school. Pretty soon he’s stealing and bullying others just to stay in the “in-crowd”. The man or woman who lacks a depth of comfort in their true identity may seek to find value and meaning in wealth, in work, in their children’s education or performance. They may fight for a cause, believing that this is who they really are. They may become workaholics or worse, alcoholics or drug addicts as they seek release from the burden of not knowing who they really are.
To know who we are is vital for our own well being and sanity. To know who we are lifts the burden and allows us to live a life of freedom and value and purpose.
Our identity must be firmly grounded in Christ. Jesus came into the world but was rejected by the world so that you and I can be grounded in Him. He wore the shame of crucifixion so that you and I could bear the royal seal of God. Everyone who believes in Jesus is a child of God. That means that from the very beginning of creation God designed you and made you for the express purpose of having a relationship with Himself.
Your identity comes from being in God through Christ. You will never find full meaning or value or identity in anything without God. But when you draw near to God and find yourself in Him, you could be a garbage collector or a neuro surgeon and you’ll still be filled with your identity in Him. You could be a millionaire or a pauper and still be content in Him. You could be famous or just one person among the masses and still have a life of meaning, impact and value because you remain in Him.
Life without Christ is an eternal search for identity filled with pretence and pretending. Life in Christ is a life of purpose, value and power.
Prayer:
From the verse below, write down at least one prayer point in each category.
Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name,
He gave the right to become children of God -
children born not of natural descent,
nor of human decision or a husband’s will,
but born of God.
John 1:12-13
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that the planning for our upcoming September Extreme Week will progress smoothly. Pray for those planning the lessons, the crafts, the games, the activities and the afternoon events. Pray that God would watch over the process of planning and allow it to progress well.
¥ Pray that our singles will be growing and maturing in Christ and deepening in love for Him and in fellowship with others.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
Marcus has grown up in a Christian family and has regularly attended church for the last 18 years. Recently he moved to the big city to attend uni but has drifted towards the gangs. He says that he feels loved and accepted and finally, after all these years, he feels like he belongs.
1. How might today’s passages apply to Marcus?
2. If Marcus shared with you that he is struggling with his identity, what would you say to him?
3. If you were a fellow uni student with Marcus, how could you support and encourage him?
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.
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.
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Monday 27 May 2013
Weekly Challenge
Try to read the whole Sermon on the Mount in one sitting today. Make notes about what Jesus is teaching His followers to do then write down one small thing that you can change or do today to begin to put some of these teachings into practice.
Read:
Matthew 7:24-29,
James 1:19-27
Everyone who is consistently involved in public speaking knows that the conclusion is one of the most (if not the most) important parts of any speech. The conclusion is the part of the speech which is most likely to stay in the mind of the audience, the most likely to be remembered and the most likely to be acted upon. In this, the last section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus proves just how masterful He is as a speaker and teacher by concluding with a gripping and chilling parable.
The point of Jesus' conclusion is exceedingly clear: those who build their lives on Him and live by His teaching are like those who build their houses on the rock, they will be able to withstand much. On the other hand, those who do not live by Jesus teaching are like those who build their lives on the sand. Because their foundation is weak and untrustworthy they cannot stand when tough and difficult times come their way.
This applies directly to our lives as followers of Jesus. If we truly follow Jesus then we must obey His teaching and live as He commanded us. We cannot merely listen to what Jesus says and claim that that is enough. We cannot say that we believe unless we can prove it by the way that we live. James echoes this same thought in James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what is says."
This should not undermine the wonder of what Christ has done on our behalf. We do not earn our salvation or make ourselves right with God by what we do. This should cause us to pause and reflect on what Jesus has taught in the whole of the Sermon on the Mount. If Jesus chooses to finish with this powerful parable we must seriously consider everything He has taught and seek to put it into practice. Which words is Jesus referring to in verse 24? How should we live to base our lives on the rock? This week as we take a broad look again at the whole of the Sermon on the Mount, consider how you might be able to put these words of Jesus into practice. Are you living on the rock now? Does your life reflect your faith in Jesus?
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for the Presbyterian church at Warwick. Pray that God would raise a spirit of unity amongst the congregation and the leadership. Pray that God would raise up preachers and worship leaders from the congregation and that the church would grow as the gospel is preached and many come to faith in Christ.
¥ Pray for the ministry of Student Life on university campuses around Australia. Pray that God would use the students and leaders to preach the gospel faithfully and boldly so that many might believe. Pray that God would give wisdom to the leadership team that they might be able to make good decisions for the sake of His kingdom.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Read the whole of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) together as a group. Take turns reading if you need to.
2. What do you think is the main point Jesus is making in the sermon on the mount?
3. What would you say if you had to summarise the message of the Sermon on the Mount for a non-Christian?
Try to read the whole Sermon on the Mount in one sitting today. Make notes about what Jesus is teaching His followers to do then write down one small thing that you can change or do today to begin to put some of these teachings into practice.
Read:
Matthew 7:24-29,
James 1:19-27
Everyone who is consistently involved in public speaking knows that the conclusion is one of the most (if not the most) important parts of any speech. The conclusion is the part of the speech which is most likely to stay in the mind of the audience, the most likely to be remembered and the most likely to be acted upon. In this, the last section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus proves just how masterful He is as a speaker and teacher by concluding with a gripping and chilling parable.
The point of Jesus' conclusion is exceedingly clear: those who build their lives on Him and live by His teaching are like those who build their houses on the rock, they will be able to withstand much. On the other hand, those who do not live by Jesus teaching are like those who build their lives on the sand. Because their foundation is weak and untrustworthy they cannot stand when tough and difficult times come their way.
This applies directly to our lives as followers of Jesus. If we truly follow Jesus then we must obey His teaching and live as He commanded us. We cannot merely listen to what Jesus says and claim that that is enough. We cannot say that we believe unless we can prove it by the way that we live. James echoes this same thought in James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what is says."
This should not undermine the wonder of what Christ has done on our behalf. We do not earn our salvation or make ourselves right with God by what we do. This should cause us to pause and reflect on what Jesus has taught in the whole of the Sermon on the Mount. If Jesus chooses to finish with this powerful parable we must seriously consider everything He has taught and seek to put it into practice. Which words is Jesus referring to in verse 24? How should we live to base our lives on the rock? This week as we take a broad look again at the whole of the Sermon on the Mount, consider how you might be able to put these words of Jesus into practice. Are you living on the rock now? Does your life reflect your faith in Jesus?
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for the Presbyterian church at Warwick. Pray that God would raise a spirit of unity amongst the congregation and the leadership. Pray that God would raise up preachers and worship leaders from the congregation and that the church would grow as the gospel is preached and many come to faith in Christ.
¥ Pray for the ministry of Student Life on university campuses around Australia. Pray that God would use the students and leaders to preach the gospel faithfully and boldly so that many might believe. Pray that God would give wisdom to the leadership team that they might be able to make good decisions for the sake of His kingdom.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Read the whole of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) together as a group. Take turns reading if you need to.
2. What do you think is the main point Jesus is making in the sermon on the mount?
3. What would you say if you had to summarise the message of the Sermon on the Mount for a non-Christian?
Friday, 24 May 2013
Thursday 23 May 2013
Read: Hebrews 4:14-16, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
How can we be sure that we can trust Jesus' teaching? If we are truly taking seriously His command to evaluate the teaching of others then shouldn't we apply the same standard to His teaching? Surely the teacher is not above the rules. As we study Jesus' command for us to evaluate teaching by the fruit we see in the lives of the teacher we should also turn the microscope on Jesus' life. Did He really live up to the standard He taught?
In Hebrews 4:15 the writer makes the most stunning statement about the character (or fruit) of Jesus life: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -yet was without sin." If we ever had any questions about the character of Jesus or the fruit in His life this passage seems to quash them all. Jesus is the perfect example of good fruit showing the truth of one's teachings. Not only is the trustworthiness of Jesus' teachings proved by His sinless life, the fact that He was tempted in every way means that He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses and His teaching becomes practical and relevant to our lives.
2 Corinthians 5:21 also proves Jesus' character: "God made Him who had no sin be sin for us..." Because Jesus had no sin and resisted all temptation He is able to die in our place, taking the penalty for our sins, and restore us to right relationship with God. However, Jesus did more than just live without sin, He also exemplified the fruit we studied yesterday in Galatians. Think about this:
Love - Jesus showed perfect love for all of us by dying on the cross for His enemies.
Joy - Despite being homeless and many trying to kill Him Jesus demonstrates a life of incredible joy and love for others.
Peace - When enemies surrounded Him, Jesus was not flustered or stressed, His peace was in God.
Patience - Jesus showed boundless patience with mankind, dying for us when we continually turn away from Him.
Kindness - Jesus demonstrated love and kindness even to the outcasts of society.
Goodness - As God, Jesus is perfectly good, demonstrating this in giving good things to us, even His own life.
Faithfulness - Jesus promises to be with us always, even to the end of the age. Jesus always keeps his promises.
Gentleness - Jesus shows incredible gentleness to the abused and the broken, even allowing the sinful woman to wash His feet.
Self-control - Despite being tempted in every way Jesus never gave in to sin (Hebrews 4)
The fruit shown in Jesus' life is overwhelming. We can trust Jesus' teachings without any question or hesitation. Of course, no other teacher can live up to the perfect standard set by Christ, but we should be constantly weighing up the teaching we hear with the fruit we see in the life of the teacher. We should compare the way they live with the way that Jesus' lived and see how they are striving to live a holy life. Only then can we trust their teaching.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Praise God that He lived a life without any sin so that you might be able to have a relationship with Him. Pray that God would help you to be more like Christ in every way and that He would show you the areas where you fall short of His standard.
¥ Pray for Andrew and Marilyn Schache in the service at the Talua Ministry Training Centre in Vanuatu. Praise God that He has supplied the necessary financial support. Pray that they would be a blessing to the staff and students at the centre and that God would use them to build His kingdom.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Why do you think it was important that Jesus was without sin?
2. How would Christianity and the message of Jesus be different if Jesus had sinned?
How can we be sure that we can trust Jesus' teaching? If we are truly taking seriously His command to evaluate the teaching of others then shouldn't we apply the same standard to His teaching? Surely the teacher is not above the rules. As we study Jesus' command for us to evaluate teaching by the fruit we see in the lives of the teacher we should also turn the microscope on Jesus' life. Did He really live up to the standard He taught?
In Hebrews 4:15 the writer makes the most stunning statement about the character (or fruit) of Jesus life: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -yet was without sin." If we ever had any questions about the character of Jesus or the fruit in His life this passage seems to quash them all. Jesus is the perfect example of good fruit showing the truth of one's teachings. Not only is the trustworthiness of Jesus' teachings proved by His sinless life, the fact that He was tempted in every way means that He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses and His teaching becomes practical and relevant to our lives.
2 Corinthians 5:21 also proves Jesus' character: "God made Him who had no sin be sin for us..." Because Jesus had no sin and resisted all temptation He is able to die in our place, taking the penalty for our sins, and restore us to right relationship with God. However, Jesus did more than just live without sin, He also exemplified the fruit we studied yesterday in Galatians. Think about this:
Love - Jesus showed perfect love for all of us by dying on the cross for His enemies.
Joy - Despite being homeless and many trying to kill Him Jesus demonstrates a life of incredible joy and love for others.
Peace - When enemies surrounded Him, Jesus was not flustered or stressed, His peace was in God.
Patience - Jesus showed boundless patience with mankind, dying for us when we continually turn away from Him.
Kindness - Jesus demonstrated love and kindness even to the outcasts of society.
Goodness - As God, Jesus is perfectly good, demonstrating this in giving good things to us, even His own life.
Faithfulness - Jesus promises to be with us always, even to the end of the age. Jesus always keeps his promises.
Gentleness - Jesus shows incredible gentleness to the abused and the broken, even allowing the sinful woman to wash His feet.
Self-control - Despite being tempted in every way Jesus never gave in to sin (Hebrews 4)
The fruit shown in Jesus' life is overwhelming. We can trust Jesus' teachings without any question or hesitation. Of course, no other teacher can live up to the perfect standard set by Christ, but we should be constantly weighing up the teaching we hear with the fruit we see in the life of the teacher. We should compare the way they live with the way that Jesus' lived and see how they are striving to live a holy life. Only then can we trust their teaching.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Praise God that He lived a life without any sin so that you might be able to have a relationship with Him. Pray that God would help you to be more like Christ in every way and that He would show you the areas where you fall short of His standard.
¥ Pray for Andrew and Marilyn Schache in the service at the Talua Ministry Training Centre in Vanuatu. Praise God that He has supplied the necessary financial support. Pray that they would be a blessing to the staff and students at the centre and that God would use them to build His kingdom.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Why do you think it was important that Jesus was without sin?
2. How would Christianity and the message of Jesus be different if Jesus had sinned?
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Read: Matthew 7:15-21, Galatians 5:16-26
Do you ever have trouble picking good fruit in the supermarket? You can't cut a piece of fruit open in the supermarket to check if it is ripe enough, we need to figure out what is going on inside the fruit based on its outside. Every fruit has a different 'good fruit rule' for determining if it is ripe or not. For example, the skin of a ripe Hass avocado will turn brown and the fruit will be soft to the touch. When ripe, bananas go from green to yellow and begin showing black spots. By using these rules you can determine what is going on inside the fruit and whether or not it is worth eating.
Jesus commands us to be just as discerning and careful (if not more!) about false prophets and teachers in the church. But what are the 'good fruit rules' for teachers in the church? How do we tell which teachers are bad apples and which teachers serve up the sweet goodness of the Truth?
Jesus explains how to be discerning in Matthew 7:16: "By their fruit you will recognise them." In fact this is so important that Jesus repeats it again in verse 20! Jesus explains that a false teacher will always produce bad fruit whereas a good teacher will always produce good fruit. This is the 'good fruit rule' for teachers and prophets. We don't look for brown skin or squeeze them to see if they are soft, we look for the good fruit in their lives.
So what sort of good fruit is Jesus talking about? Verse 21 shows us: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my father who is in heaven." Good fruit is not merely acknowledging that Jesus is Lord or crying out to Him. Good fruit is doing the will of God by obeying and honouring Him with our actions and by our character. Good fruit is about how we live. Galatians 5 shows us what this sort of life looks like.
Think about the Bible teachers who you benefit from in your own life. This could include those who you read, listen to or watch. Can you see good fruits in their lives? Does the way they teach the Word show the fruits of the spirit in Galatians? Can you see that they honour God in their family life, in their work life, in their speech and actions? Do you discern good teachers by their fruits?
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Praise God that technology allows good Bible teaching to be distributed globally with ease. Pray that Jesus' followers all over the world would be discerning and wise with what teaching they consume. Pray that the true gospel would be preached boldly and faithfully all over the world and that many would come to faith in Jesus.
¥ Pray for the MOPS group which is gathering this morning. Pray that the mothers who attend from the community would be encouraged and blessed by the time and that they would hear the truth of Christ and turn to faith in Him. Pray that God would raise up carers who can serve the mothers and bless the children.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What sort of bad fruit would you have to see in the life of someone before you rejected them as a false teacher?
2. What sort of good fruit would you expect to see in the life of someone who is faithfully teaching the word of God?
3. How should we maintain a humble attitude as we measure teachers by their fruits so that we don't slip into the judgment talked about in Matthew 7:1-5?
Do you ever have trouble picking good fruit in the supermarket? You can't cut a piece of fruit open in the supermarket to check if it is ripe enough, we need to figure out what is going on inside the fruit based on its outside. Every fruit has a different 'good fruit rule' for determining if it is ripe or not. For example, the skin of a ripe Hass avocado will turn brown and the fruit will be soft to the touch. When ripe, bananas go from green to yellow and begin showing black spots. By using these rules you can determine what is going on inside the fruit and whether or not it is worth eating.
Jesus commands us to be just as discerning and careful (if not more!) about false prophets and teachers in the church. But what are the 'good fruit rules' for teachers in the church? How do we tell which teachers are bad apples and which teachers serve up the sweet goodness of the Truth?
Jesus explains how to be discerning in Matthew 7:16: "By their fruit you will recognise them." In fact this is so important that Jesus repeats it again in verse 20! Jesus explains that a false teacher will always produce bad fruit whereas a good teacher will always produce good fruit. This is the 'good fruit rule' for teachers and prophets. We don't look for brown skin or squeeze them to see if they are soft, we look for the good fruit in their lives.
So what sort of good fruit is Jesus talking about? Verse 21 shows us: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my father who is in heaven." Good fruit is not merely acknowledging that Jesus is Lord or crying out to Him. Good fruit is doing the will of God by obeying and honouring Him with our actions and by our character. Good fruit is about how we live. Galatians 5 shows us what this sort of life looks like.
Think about the Bible teachers who you benefit from in your own life. This could include those who you read, listen to or watch. Can you see good fruits in their lives? Does the way they teach the Word show the fruits of the spirit in Galatians? Can you see that they honour God in their family life, in their work life, in their speech and actions? Do you discern good teachers by their fruits?
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Praise God that technology allows good Bible teaching to be distributed globally with ease. Pray that Jesus' followers all over the world would be discerning and wise with what teaching they consume. Pray that the true gospel would be preached boldly and faithfully all over the world and that many would come to faith in Jesus.
¥ Pray for the MOPS group which is gathering this morning. Pray that the mothers who attend from the community would be encouraged and blessed by the time and that they would hear the truth of Christ and turn to faith in Him. Pray that God would raise up carers who can serve the mothers and bless the children.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. What sort of bad fruit would you have to see in the life of someone before you rejected them as a false teacher?
2. What sort of good fruit would you expect to see in the life of someone who is faithfully teaching the word of God?
3. How should we maintain a humble attitude as we measure teachers by their fruits so that we don't slip into the judgment talked about in Matthew 7:1-5?
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
Wednesday 8 May 2013
Jesus Challenge:
Get each member of your cell to write down a list of names of people they know who don't know Jesus and commit to pray for those people persistently. Spend time praying each week as a cell that they would come to know salvation through Christ. Brainstorm some ways that you can be reaching into the lives of these people as a cell.
Read: Matthew 7:9-11, Ephesians 3:20-21
Imagine if Jesus taught us to pray without expecting God to answer. It might sound something like this:
"Our father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name
If it is possible, would your kingdom come,
Maybe would your will be done?
on Earth as it is in heaven.
If it is your will, and if you could, would you provide us today our daily bread?
If you can would you forgive us our debts
as we also have forgiven our debtors?
And, if it is your will, lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from the evil one."
The Lord's Prayer
New Unexpectant Version
Can you imagine if this was the sort of prayer that Jesus prayed when His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray? Can you imagine if this weak, doubt filled prayer was all Jesus could come up with? Praise God that Jesus taught us to pray with confidence and with the expectation that God will work. How often do we revert to this type of doubting, half-hearted prayer though? Do we really pray as if we confidently expect God to answer our prayers?
This is Jesus' point in today's reading from Matthew 7 though. Have a look closely at what Jesus is saying. If we, people who are broken by the fall and (apart from Christ) sinful at heart, give our children good gifts how much more will God, the perfectly holy, perfectly good ruler of the universe, give His people good gifts. Do you see why this means we can pray confidently and expectantly? Our trust and our faith when we pray is in the person of God, our perfectly good, perfectly kind God. We can truly pray expecting God to answer because of who He is.
But that's not quite enough is it. God might be the kindest, most good being in the universe (and He is!) but if He was powerless to act we would have no reason to pray with confidence. Ephesians blasts that out of the water! Not only is God good, He is able to do more than we could possibly ask or imagine! Our God is powerful and more than able to act to answer prayer and to keep His promises.
Turn your mind to your own prayer life. Do you pray confidently, truly believing that God will act? Do you pray with expectant faith, knowing that God is good and more than able to answer your prayers?
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Praise God that He is good and able to do more than we could ask or imagine! Pray that He would grow your faith in Him and that He would help you to pray boldly, confidently and expectantly.
¥ Pray for the ministry of Shiloh Church Ministries in India. Pray that God would protect and encourage the orphans which they look after. Pray that they would preach the Word of God boldly and with power and that many might come to faith in Christ.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Often we are not bold or ambitious in our prayers because we don't truly expect that God will answer our prayers. How should we pray differently if we truly expect that God will answer our prayers?
2. What are some practical ways that we can encourage one another to pray with expectancy?
Get each member of your cell to write down a list of names of people they know who don't know Jesus and commit to pray for those people persistently. Spend time praying each week as a cell that they would come to know salvation through Christ. Brainstorm some ways that you can be reaching into the lives of these people as a cell.
Read: Matthew 7:9-11, Ephesians 3:20-21
Imagine if Jesus taught us to pray without expecting God to answer. It might sound something like this:
"Our father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name
If it is possible, would your kingdom come,
Maybe would your will be done?
on Earth as it is in heaven.
If it is your will, and if you could, would you provide us today our daily bread?
If you can would you forgive us our debts
as we also have forgiven our debtors?
And, if it is your will, lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from the evil one."
The Lord's Prayer
New Unexpectant Version
Can you imagine if this was the sort of prayer that Jesus prayed when His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray? Can you imagine if this weak, doubt filled prayer was all Jesus could come up with? Praise God that Jesus taught us to pray with confidence and with the expectation that God will work. How often do we revert to this type of doubting, half-hearted prayer though? Do we really pray as if we confidently expect God to answer our prayers?
This is Jesus' point in today's reading from Matthew 7 though. Have a look closely at what Jesus is saying. If we, people who are broken by the fall and (apart from Christ) sinful at heart, give our children good gifts how much more will God, the perfectly holy, perfectly good ruler of the universe, give His people good gifts. Do you see why this means we can pray confidently and expectantly? Our trust and our faith when we pray is in the person of God, our perfectly good, perfectly kind God. We can truly pray expecting God to answer because of who He is.
But that's not quite enough is it. God might be the kindest, most good being in the universe (and He is!) but if He was powerless to act we would have no reason to pray with confidence. Ephesians blasts that out of the water! Not only is God good, He is able to do more than we could possibly ask or imagine! Our God is powerful and more than able to act to answer prayer and to keep His promises.
Turn your mind to your own prayer life. Do you pray confidently, truly believing that God will act? Do you pray with expectant faith, knowing that God is good and more than able to answer your prayers?
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Praise God that He is good and able to do more than we could ask or imagine! Pray that He would grow your faith in Him and that He would help you to pray boldly, confidently and expectantly.
¥ Pray for the ministry of Shiloh Church Ministries in India. Pray that God would protect and encourage the orphans which they look after. Pray that they would preach the Word of God boldly and with power and that many might come to faith in Christ.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Often we are not bold or ambitious in our prayers because we don't truly expect that God will answer our prayers. How should we pray differently if we truly expect that God will answer our prayers?
2. What are some practical ways that we can encourage one another to pray with expectancy?
Monday, 6 May 2013
Monday 6 May 2013
Weekly Challenge
What things have you given up on praying for in the past? Set aside a block of time this week to spend time in silence, solitude and prayer regarding those things.
Read: Matthew 7:7-12, Luke 11:1-13
I (Josh) genuinely look forward to the day that my daughter can talk to me. Since she is only four months old she will quite happily make all sorts of cute baby noises but she is not yet able to have a conversation with me. I can only imagine what it would be like to be able to talk to her one day. Conversely my heart aches at the idea that she would be able to talk to me and yet would choose not to. I wonder if this is the way God feels about us praying to Him. Does God also, like a loving father, long for the times when we sit and talk with Him. Does the fact that we could freely communicate with God through prayer and yet end up too busy to do so grieve God?
This comparison between the prayer relationship of God and mankind and the relationship of a parent and child is an important one to allow us to truly understand prayer. Jesus actually uses this language to describe prayer both in today's reading from Luke and earlier in the sermon on the mount. Before we explore how God's people are to pray and what Jesus teaches us about prayer in this section of the sermon on the mount it is worthwhile to briefly define prayer and discuss why God would have us pray to Him.
Simply put: "Prayer is personal communication with God." (Grudem, 2004 Systematic Theology: An introduction to biblical doctrine). Chuck Missler once put it this way "We have a 24-hour hot line to the throne room of the universe". The simplest way to think of the prayer relationship is to think of the way a child can personally communicate with a parent. That communication is not only about expressing needs but also talking about dreams, discussing life in general, proclaiming love and building relationship. Prayer is the same between man and God. Prayer is personal communication with the ruler of the universe where we are able to express our needs, praise God for who He is, talk about our lives and build relationship with Him.
God does not need prayer to know our needs. Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:8 that He knows what we need even before we ask, but still Jesus teaches about the need for us to be actively asking God, seeking God and knocking at God's door through prayer. Why? Because God desires that we pray in order to express our faith in Him and reliance on Him, to deepen our relationship with Him and to be involved in His work around the world. As a result He promises to answer our prayers: to the man who asks it is given, it is the man who seeks who finds and it is the man who knocks to whom the door is opened.
Consider your own prayer life this week. Do you regularly spend time together with God in prayer? Do you aim to build your relationship with Him by praying or do you neglect your prayer life? Do you set aside time to pray together with your family? With your spouse? With your cell? With the other members of your congregation? Consider again how you might grow in your relationship with God this week through intentional, regular prayer.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Praise God for who He is. Praise God that He has made a way for us to have relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Pray that God would grow in His people deep faith in Him and a passion to pray to Him.
¥ Pray for all the members of the congregation who are going back to work again today after the weekend. Pray that they would be able to glorify God in their work and that their focus would be on Him in all they do.
My Additional Prayer Points.
1/.
2/.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Is prayer for God's sake or for the sake of mankind?
2. Do you think prayer ever changes the way God acts? Why or why not?
What things have you given up on praying for in the past? Set aside a block of time this week to spend time in silence, solitude and prayer regarding those things.
Read: Matthew 7:7-12, Luke 11:1-13
I (Josh) genuinely look forward to the day that my daughter can talk to me. Since she is only four months old she will quite happily make all sorts of cute baby noises but she is not yet able to have a conversation with me. I can only imagine what it would be like to be able to talk to her one day. Conversely my heart aches at the idea that she would be able to talk to me and yet would choose not to. I wonder if this is the way God feels about us praying to Him. Does God also, like a loving father, long for the times when we sit and talk with Him. Does the fact that we could freely communicate with God through prayer and yet end up too busy to do so grieve God?
This comparison between the prayer relationship of God and mankind and the relationship of a parent and child is an important one to allow us to truly understand prayer. Jesus actually uses this language to describe prayer both in today's reading from Luke and earlier in the sermon on the mount. Before we explore how God's people are to pray and what Jesus teaches us about prayer in this section of the sermon on the mount it is worthwhile to briefly define prayer and discuss why God would have us pray to Him.
Simply put: "Prayer is personal communication with God." (Grudem, 2004 Systematic Theology: An introduction to biblical doctrine). Chuck Missler once put it this way "We have a 24-hour hot line to the throne room of the universe". The simplest way to think of the prayer relationship is to think of the way a child can personally communicate with a parent. That communication is not only about expressing needs but also talking about dreams, discussing life in general, proclaiming love and building relationship. Prayer is the same between man and God. Prayer is personal communication with the ruler of the universe where we are able to express our needs, praise God for who He is, talk about our lives and build relationship with Him.
God does not need prayer to know our needs. Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:8 that He knows what we need even before we ask, but still Jesus teaches about the need for us to be actively asking God, seeking God and knocking at God's door through prayer. Why? Because God desires that we pray in order to express our faith in Him and reliance on Him, to deepen our relationship with Him and to be involved in His work around the world. As a result He promises to answer our prayers: to the man who asks it is given, it is the man who seeks who finds and it is the man who knocks to whom the door is opened.
Consider your own prayer life this week. Do you regularly spend time together with God in prayer? Do you aim to build your relationship with Him by praying or do you neglect your prayer life? Do you set aside time to pray together with your family? With your spouse? With your cell? With the other members of your congregation? Consider again how you might grow in your relationship with God this week through intentional, regular prayer.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Praise God for who He is. Praise God that He has made a way for us to have relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Pray that God would grow in His people deep faith in Him and a passion to pray to Him.
¥ Pray for all the members of the congregation who are going back to work again today after the weekend. Pray that they would be able to glorify God in their work and that their focus would be on Him in all they do.
My Additional Prayer Points.
1/.
2/.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Is prayer for God's sake or for the sake of mankind?
2. Do you think prayer ever changes the way God acts? Why or why not?
Friday, 12 April 2013
Friday April 12, 2013
Read Matthew 6:11
Jesus has taught us about how NOT to pray and then models for us how we ought to pray. Notice that Jesus doesn’t do or promote anything He’s decried in His earlier teaching? He shows us how to pray in a way that is acceptable to our great and mighty God.
In seeking that our daily needs be met, we simply have to ask. There is no need to seek to manipulate God with babbling. Nor is there need for showy or lengthy prayers or for any hocus-pocus that seeks to magically conjure up that which we think we need. Our God knows what we need before we even ask. Thus we can faithfully and trustingly ask God to meet our daily provision by giving us the bread we require for sustenance.
But it’s hard for us to ask God for our daily bread when we know that we’ll be paid next week or fortnight. We know that there’ll be food on the table. We know that we’ll have enough. In a society as rich and blessed as ours, such prayers as ‘give us today our daily bread’ mean little, if anything.
But the Greek Text speaks of asking God to grant us the bread we need today to sustain us. We are asking neither too much nor too little but exactly what we need to be sustained for another day’s service to our Lord and Saviour.
Corporately such a prayer may mean little in terms of a gathered congregation. But as a family, the plural aspect can be kept. Imagine a family praying each morning that God would grant them their daily needs and sustenance. Imagine a family so devoted and committed that they diligently and lovingly seek God’s provision for their sustenance each and every single day. Such a family will be rejoicing and praising God for every meal they share together and even for those meals they take to work or school or wherever.
The word ‘today’ here in the Lord’s prayer suggests that we are to seek God daily and not to worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will have enough worries of its own so we are to concern ourselves with the here and now and seek God’s provision for today. Each and every single day is another day in which we can rely on and depend on our God.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ What are the needs you have at the moment? Ask God to provide for these needs.
¥ What needs does your congregation have at present? Ask God to meet these needs.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Even though we live in a blessed and rich land, why should we ask God to provide our needs each and every single day?
2. Is it wrong to list your needs to God and to ask Him about each one? Defend your answer.
Jesus has taught us about how NOT to pray and then models for us how we ought to pray. Notice that Jesus doesn’t do or promote anything He’s decried in His earlier teaching? He shows us how to pray in a way that is acceptable to our great and mighty God.
In seeking that our daily needs be met, we simply have to ask. There is no need to seek to manipulate God with babbling. Nor is there need for showy or lengthy prayers or for any hocus-pocus that seeks to magically conjure up that which we think we need. Our God knows what we need before we even ask. Thus we can faithfully and trustingly ask God to meet our daily provision by giving us the bread we require for sustenance.
But it’s hard for us to ask God for our daily bread when we know that we’ll be paid next week or fortnight. We know that there’ll be food on the table. We know that we’ll have enough. In a society as rich and blessed as ours, such prayers as ‘give us today our daily bread’ mean little, if anything.
But the Greek Text speaks of asking God to grant us the bread we need today to sustain us. We are asking neither too much nor too little but exactly what we need to be sustained for another day’s service to our Lord and Saviour.
Corporately such a prayer may mean little in terms of a gathered congregation. But as a family, the plural aspect can be kept. Imagine a family praying each morning that God would grant them their daily needs and sustenance. Imagine a family so devoted and committed that they diligently and lovingly seek God’s provision for their sustenance each and every single day. Such a family will be rejoicing and praising God for every meal they share together and even for those meals they take to work or school or wherever.
The word ‘today’ here in the Lord’s prayer suggests that we are to seek God daily and not to worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will have enough worries of its own so we are to concern ourselves with the here and now and seek God’s provision for today. Each and every single day is another day in which we can rely on and depend on our God.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ What are the needs you have at the moment? Ask God to provide for these needs.
¥ What needs does your congregation have at present? Ask God to meet these needs.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. Even though we live in a blessed and rich land, why should we ask God to provide our needs each and every single day?
2. Is it wrong to list your needs to God and to ask Him about each one? Defend your answer.
Thursday, 7 February 2013
Thursday February 7, 2013
Read Matthew 5:14-15. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7.
Having talked about salt, Jesus changes metaphor and talks about being the light. But it’s not like a light that can be turned off and on at will. Jesus is talking about the light shining from a light source that simply cannot be turned off and on. While the light is on, the light will be shining.
Notice Jesus doesn’t say that you could be or that one day you might be the light of the world. He says, ‘You are the light of the world.’ It’s a part of your inherent being since you came to Christ by repentance and faith. At that point, God made the light of the knowledge of Christ shine in your heart and it’s that light that God wants to shine outwards. It’s that light of Jesus that God wants to radiate outwards.
You are a vessel of clay and have a powerful light within that nothing can extinguish. That light shines outwards through the toughest of situations and causes all in your world to see the light. As Jesus said, ‘Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.’ When Christ came into your life, the light was lit. God wants you to shine brightly for Him. He wants you to radiate Christ so that all see Jesus in you.
And here’s the wonderful thing. God wants YOU to shine as YOU. He doesn’t want you to imitate another Christian and he doesn’t want you to model your life on someone else. God created you uniquely as you and wants you to shine for Jesus. You alone are the only one who can shine as you. People in your world (your work, your school, your family and friends) need to see you shining for Jesus. There is no better advertisement for Christ than you shining for Jesus.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that the Lord would bring/provide all the needs of the Reformed Bible College in Myanmar. Pray that God would be the God of their provision whether through supporters in Australia or through other means.
¥ Pray for the pastors in Myanmar as they serve and minister in adverse conditions. Many have to work as well as pastor the church to earn enough income to feed family and to pay bills. Pray that God would provide for them, especially with clement weather for crops etc as many are farmers.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. How would it have been different if Jesus said, ‘You are to be the light’ instead of ‘You are the light’?
2. What does it mean to be the light of the world?
3. What things stop you from shining the light of Jesus?
Having talked about salt, Jesus changes metaphor and talks about being the light. But it’s not like a light that can be turned off and on at will. Jesus is talking about the light shining from a light source that simply cannot be turned off and on. While the light is on, the light will be shining.
Notice Jesus doesn’t say that you could be or that one day you might be the light of the world. He says, ‘You are the light of the world.’ It’s a part of your inherent being since you came to Christ by repentance and faith. At that point, God made the light of the knowledge of Christ shine in your heart and it’s that light that God wants to shine outwards. It’s that light of Jesus that God wants to radiate outwards.
You are a vessel of clay and have a powerful light within that nothing can extinguish. That light shines outwards through the toughest of situations and causes all in your world to see the light. As Jesus said, ‘Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.’ When Christ came into your life, the light was lit. God wants you to shine brightly for Him. He wants you to radiate Christ so that all see Jesus in you.
And here’s the wonderful thing. God wants YOU to shine as YOU. He doesn’t want you to imitate another Christian and he doesn’t want you to model your life on someone else. God created you uniquely as you and wants you to shine for Jesus. You alone are the only one who can shine as you. People in your world (your work, your school, your family and friends) need to see you shining for Jesus. There is no better advertisement for Christ than you shining for Jesus.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that the Lord would bring/provide all the needs of the Reformed Bible College in Myanmar. Pray that God would be the God of their provision whether through supporters in Australia or through other means.
¥ Pray for the pastors in Myanmar as they serve and minister in adverse conditions. Many have to work as well as pastor the church to earn enough income to feed family and to pay bills. Pray that God would provide for them, especially with clement weather for crops etc as many are farmers.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. How would it have been different if Jesus said, ‘You are to be the light’ instead of ‘You are the light’?
2. What does it mean to be the light of the world?
3. What things stop you from shining the light of Jesus?
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Tuesday January 22, 2013
The best way to escape temptation is to run to God.
Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
An unusual list called The 100 Least Powerful People in the World appeared in the online publication 24/7 Wall St. Among those selected were corporate executives, sports figures, politicians and celebrities who share one common characteristic - they used to be powerful. Some were victims of circumstances, others made poor business decisions while others lost their influence because of moral failures.
In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul draws a sombre lesson from Old Testament history. The people Moses led from slavery in Egypt towards freedom in the Promised Land kept turning their backs on God who had delivered them (vv 1-5). Idolatry, immorality and grumbling were among the things that brought them down (vv 6-10). Paul points to their collapse as an example to us and sounds this warning: “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (v 12).
Every follower of Jesus can stand firm on God’s promise: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (v 13). All of us have power to influence others in their faith. How tragic to squander it by yielding to a temptation that God has empowered us to resist.
Lord, there are temptations to sin everywhere.
Help me not to give in.
Make me sensitive to see the ways out that You provide.
I want my love for You to be real
And to encourage others in their faith journey.
Prayer:
¥ Pray that
¥ Pray that
Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
An unusual list called The 100 Least Powerful People in the World appeared in the online publication 24/7 Wall St. Among those selected were corporate executives, sports figures, politicians and celebrities who share one common characteristic - they used to be powerful. Some were victims of circumstances, others made poor business decisions while others lost their influence because of moral failures.
In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul draws a sombre lesson from Old Testament history. The people Moses led from slavery in Egypt towards freedom in the Promised Land kept turning their backs on God who had delivered them (vv 1-5). Idolatry, immorality and grumbling were among the things that brought them down (vv 6-10). Paul points to their collapse as an example to us and sounds this warning: “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (v 12).
Every follower of Jesus can stand firm on God’s promise: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (v 13). All of us have power to influence others in their faith. How tragic to squander it by yielding to a temptation that God has empowered us to resist.
Lord, there are temptations to sin everywhere.
Help me not to give in.
Make me sensitive to see the ways out that You provide.
I want my love for You to be real
And to encourage others in their faith journey.
Prayer:
¥ Pray that
¥ Pray that
Thursday, 13 December 2012
Thursday December 13, 2012
Every knee in heaven is bending
To the Lamb for sinners slain;
Every voice and harp is swelling
"Worthy is the Lamb to reign!”
Read Revelation 5:1-12
In Revelation 5, the apostle John portrays Jesus, the Lion of Judah (vs 5) as a wounded Lamb (vs 6). Referring to this word picture, preacher Charles Spurgeon asked, “Why should our exalted Lord appear in His wounds in glory?” His reply: “The wounds of Jesus are His glory.”
Typically the symbol of a lamb does not represent power and victory. Most people prefer symbols that invite admiration. Yet God chose to be incarnated as a baby born into a poor carpenter’s home. He lived as a itinerant preacher died “as a lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7) on a Roman cross. Everyone, including His disciples thought that His crucifixion spelled the end of the One who had dared to defy the established religious order of His day. But when Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He demonstrated mightily God’s incomparable power and glory.
The day is coming when Jesus will return in glory to rule what is rightfully His. On that day, all will bow before Him and say, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing!” (vs 12). Jesus, the Lamb who is also the Lion, deserves our praise!
Prayer:
¥ Pray for the music team in your congregation. Include the leaders, the musicians, singers and technical people. Pray that God would bless these people for their dedication and hard work. Pray that God would continue to use them to lead us in our Sonday worship and that we would be blessed by their service and drawn closer to our Lord and Saviour.
¥ Pray for our cell groups. Ask God to knit each group together in a Christ-like love and to grow each cell in depth of knowledge and insight into the Word. Pray that our cell groups grow in number as well.
To the Lamb for sinners slain;
Every voice and harp is swelling
"Worthy is the Lamb to reign!”
Read Revelation 5:1-12
In Revelation 5, the apostle John portrays Jesus, the Lion of Judah (vs 5) as a wounded Lamb (vs 6). Referring to this word picture, preacher Charles Spurgeon asked, “Why should our exalted Lord appear in His wounds in glory?” His reply: “The wounds of Jesus are His glory.”
Typically the symbol of a lamb does not represent power and victory. Most people prefer symbols that invite admiration. Yet God chose to be incarnated as a baby born into a poor carpenter’s home. He lived as a itinerant preacher died “as a lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7) on a Roman cross. Everyone, including His disciples thought that His crucifixion spelled the end of the One who had dared to defy the established religious order of His day. But when Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He demonstrated mightily God’s incomparable power and glory.
The day is coming when Jesus will return in glory to rule what is rightfully His. On that day, all will bow before Him and say, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing!” (vs 12). Jesus, the Lamb who is also the Lion, deserves our praise!
Prayer:
¥ Pray for the music team in your congregation. Include the leaders, the musicians, singers and technical people. Pray that God would bless these people for their dedication and hard work. Pray that God would continue to use them to lead us in our Sonday worship and that we would be blessed by their service and drawn closer to our Lord and Saviour.
¥ Pray for our cell groups. Ask God to knit each group together in a Christ-like love and to grow each cell in depth of knowledge and insight into the Word. Pray that our cell groups grow in number as well.
Thursday, 29 November 2012
Thursday November 29, 2012
The cross of Christ bridges the gap we could never cross on our own.
Read 1 Thessalonians 3:12 - 4:10
A rallying cry often heard today in our economically challenged world is “Less and less”. Governments are called to balance their budget. People are urged to use less energy and decrease consumption of limited resources. It is good advice that we should all heed. In the realm of faith. However, there are no shortages of love and grace and strength. Therefore, as followers of Christ, we are urged to demonstrate His love on our lives in ever-increasing measure.
In the apostle Paul’s first letter to the believers in Thessalonica, he urged them to “abound more and more” in a lifestyle that pleases God (vs 4:1). He also commended them for their demonstrations of love for each other and called them to “increase more and more” in brotherly love. (vs 10)
That kind of ever-increasing love is possible only because it comes from God’s limitless resources, not from our own dwindling supply.
Poet Annie Johnson Flint wrote:
His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power has no boundary known to man;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.
The apostle Paul expressed his desire for the believers: “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you.” (vs 3:12)
How much should we love God and others? More and more!
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that your faith and the faith of your brothers and sisters in church would not go less and less but rather more and more. Pray that the believers in your church would be standing up and attempting great things for God because their faith is growing and maturing.
¥ Pray that God would pour out His Holy Spirit and give gifts to believers in the church as He promised. Pray that the church would make the most of these gifts and seek to bring blessing, challenge and repentance to the world.
My Additional Prayer Points.
1/.
2/.
3/.
Read 1 Thessalonians 3:12 - 4:10
A rallying cry often heard today in our economically challenged world is “Less and less”. Governments are called to balance their budget. People are urged to use less energy and decrease consumption of limited resources. It is good advice that we should all heed. In the realm of faith. However, there are no shortages of love and grace and strength. Therefore, as followers of Christ, we are urged to demonstrate His love on our lives in ever-increasing measure.
In the apostle Paul’s first letter to the believers in Thessalonica, he urged them to “abound more and more” in a lifestyle that pleases God (vs 4:1). He also commended them for their demonstrations of love for each other and called them to “increase more and more” in brotherly love. (vs 10)
That kind of ever-increasing love is possible only because it comes from God’s limitless resources, not from our own dwindling supply.
Poet Annie Johnson Flint wrote:
His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power has no boundary known to man;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.
The apostle Paul expressed his desire for the believers: “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you.” (vs 3:12)
How much should we love God and others? More and more!
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that your faith and the faith of your brothers and sisters in church would not go less and less but rather more and more. Pray that the believers in your church would be standing up and attempting great things for God because their faith is growing and maturing.
¥ Pray that God would pour out His Holy Spirit and give gifts to believers in the church as He promised. Pray that the church would make the most of these gifts and seek to bring blessing, challenge and repentance to the world.
My Additional Prayer Points.
1/.
2/.
3/.
Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Wednesday November 14, 2012
Read Revelation 13:1-10
We sat around the dinner table chatting, having read our “devotion” from the well known book, ’Jesus Freaks’. My daughter commented that it would be very scary to die at the hands of a non-believer. How right she was! But after we reflected on the statement, we concluded that if God ever did call us to such an act of service He would give us the strength to glorify Himself through it.
Such was the case in the dark days of Antiochus the madman. Many faithful believers fled to the hills and to the caves and gave their lives in sacrifice to their God.
Eleazar was a 90 year old priest who had faithfully served and followed God all his life. He was killed in hand copying the Scriptures (hence he was a scribe). The mad ruler declared that he should eat swine, the epitome of unclean animals for the Jews. Eleazar refused. He was ordered to eat his own lawful meat as though it were swine. Again he refused, knowing that many would be deceived by his example. He was mercilessly beaten until the Lord took him home.
The Lord assures us that a time is coming when a world power will command all peoples to worship himself and his image. This is no different to what happened in the dark days of God’s silence. The ruler will declare war on the saints and many will be put to death. Even up to that day, many will be harassed and persecuted and ridiculed for their faith in Christ Jesus.
But do not fear. Do not fret and do not hide the light of Christ. The Lord will walk by you and He will strengthen you. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear and when you are surely tempted, He will provide a way out so that you can stand up under that testing. If you are called to give your life as a dying testimony to your God, He will hold your hand the entire way. He will be by your side each and every second. He not forsake you. He will not leave you. Be confident in Him. Walk tall in Him. Stand up, speak out and shine for Him and because of Him.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that God would strengthen and encourage and challenge believers to be speaking up and living out their faith in Christ. Pray that He would give more and more opportunities to share your faith and to model the love of Christ to many.
¥ Pray for the 5 non Christians you prayed for earlier this week. Pray that God would grant them repentance and faith.
My Additional Prayer Points.
1/.
2/.
3/.
We sat around the dinner table chatting, having read our “devotion” from the well known book, ’Jesus Freaks’. My daughter commented that it would be very scary to die at the hands of a non-believer. How right she was! But after we reflected on the statement, we concluded that if God ever did call us to such an act of service He would give us the strength to glorify Himself through it.
Such was the case in the dark days of Antiochus the madman. Many faithful believers fled to the hills and to the caves and gave their lives in sacrifice to their God.
Eleazar was a 90 year old priest who had faithfully served and followed God all his life. He was killed in hand copying the Scriptures (hence he was a scribe). The mad ruler declared that he should eat swine, the epitome of unclean animals for the Jews. Eleazar refused. He was ordered to eat his own lawful meat as though it were swine. Again he refused, knowing that many would be deceived by his example. He was mercilessly beaten until the Lord took him home.
The Lord assures us that a time is coming when a world power will command all peoples to worship himself and his image. This is no different to what happened in the dark days of God’s silence. The ruler will declare war on the saints and many will be put to death. Even up to that day, many will be harassed and persecuted and ridiculed for their faith in Christ Jesus.
But do not fear. Do not fret and do not hide the light of Christ. The Lord will walk by you and He will strengthen you. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear and when you are surely tempted, He will provide a way out so that you can stand up under that testing. If you are called to give your life as a dying testimony to your God, He will hold your hand the entire way. He will be by your side each and every second. He not forsake you. He will not leave you. Be confident in Him. Walk tall in Him. Stand up, speak out and shine for Him and because of Him.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that God would strengthen and encourage and challenge believers to be speaking up and living out their faith in Christ. Pray that He would give more and more opportunities to share your faith and to model the love of Christ to many.
¥ Pray for the 5 non Christians you prayed for earlier this week. Pray that God would grant them repentance and faith.
My Additional Prayer Points.
1/.
2/.
3/.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)