Just been asked, as a couple with another couple, to run some seminars during the Carey Family Conference. The subject is 'protecting marriage and the family'. An idea for one seminar:
Title: 'Being naked and unashamed: strengthening marriage by making yourself vulnerable'
We would look at three areas where marriages can be strengthened, and need to be protected.
1. Physical nakedness
2. Emotional nakedness
3. Spiritual nakedness
More when I've got it!
Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Monday, 17 May 2010
James 1v5-8
Prayer Meeting 2. Single-minded, not double-minded
James 1v5-8
E.M.Bounds writes 'prayer moves the hand that moves the world'. But this influence is not automatic. In this passage James tells us of a person who 'will not receive anything' from the Lord.
In speaking of wisdom, James is applying a biblical principal - 'God desires to fulfil His promises'. Our prayers must be in accordance with God's character and promises. However, prayers must also be fueled by faith in those promises. We must be single-minded, reliant only on the promises and power of God.
What does it mean to be double-minded? James writes in 4v8: 'Purify your hearts, you double-minded'. To be double-minded is to allow something of the world to share the rule of your heart with the Lord. It is to lack the faith to believe that only God can give you satisfaction, whether that is in answer to prayer (1v6) or in the way you live (4v8).
James 1v5-8
E.M.Bounds writes 'prayer moves the hand that moves the world'. But this influence is not automatic. In this passage James tells us of a person who 'will not receive anything' from the Lord.
In speaking of wisdom, James is applying a biblical principal - 'God desires to fulfil His promises'. Our prayers must be in accordance with God's character and promises. However, prayers must also be fueled by faith in those promises. We must be single-minded, reliant only on the promises and power of God.
What does it mean to be double-minded? James writes in 4v8: 'Purify your hearts, you double-minded'. To be double-minded is to allow something of the world to share the rule of your heart with the Lord. It is to lack the faith to believe that only God can give you satisfaction, whether that is in answer to prayer (1v6) or in the way you live (4v8).
Saturday, 15 May 2010
Ideas for a bible study series
Someone told me the other day that the last thing you should speak about at a prayer meeting is prayer - it will surely make everyone feel as though they aren't able to pray properly, and discourage prayer within the meeting. This suggestion inspired the following outline for the first of a series of meetings:
Prayer Meeting 1: Pray first, ask questions later
Romans 8v26: 'Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.'
1. We do not know what to pray for as we ought, and that is ok.
2. It is ok because we are made acceptable prayer offerers by the work of Christ, and our prayers are made acceptable offerings by the intercession of the Spirit.
3. This freedom, which allows us to pray as we ought not to, should inspire us to pray more as we ought.
The aim of this outline is to encourage people to 'pray first, and ask questions later'. In other words, we pray because of the work of Christ and the Spirit, not because of our work studying the bible to learn about prayer. However, while we 'pray without ceasing', we strive to learn more about prayer because we wish to be more like Christ, the perfect prayer offerer.
Prayer Meeting 1: Pray first, ask questions later
Romans 8v26: 'Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.'
1. We do not know what to pray for as we ought, and that is ok.
2. It is ok because we are made acceptable prayer offerers by the work of Christ, and our prayers are made acceptable offerings by the intercession of the Spirit.
3. This freedom, which allows us to pray as we ought not to, should inspire us to pray more as we ought.
The aim of this outline is to encourage people to 'pray first, and ask questions later'. In other words, we pray because of the work of Christ and the Spirit, not because of our work studying the bible to learn about prayer. However, while we 'pray without ceasing', we strive to learn more about prayer because we wish to be more like Christ, the perfect prayer offerer.
Friday, 7 May 2010
John 17v24
From 'Pierced by the Word' by John Piper
"Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world" (John 17v24)
'I assume that this prayer is a loving act of Jesus. But what does He ask? He asks that, in the end, we might see His glory. His love for us makes Himself central. Jesus is the one being for whom self-exaltation is the most loving act. This is because the most satisfying reality we could ever know is Jesus. So to give us this reality, He must give us Himself. The love of Jesus drives Him to pray for us, and then die for us, not that our value may be central, but that His glory may be central, and we may see it and savor it for all eternity.'
"Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world" (John 17v24)
'I assume that this prayer is a loving act of Jesus. But what does He ask? He asks that, in the end, we might see His glory. His love for us makes Himself central. Jesus is the one being for whom self-exaltation is the most loving act. This is because the most satisfying reality we could ever know is Jesus. So to give us this reality, He must give us Himself. The love of Jesus drives Him to pray for us, and then die for us, not that our value may be central, but that His glory may be central, and we may see it and savor it for all eternity.'
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