A few thoughts from my prayer journal this morning ... WORD and SPIRIT, Mark. These are your two legs for walking on. EVERY DAY, soak in My WORD and My SPIRIT. Allow them BOTH to saturate your soul - your mind, will, and emotions. In doing so, you will become STRONG in Spirit. Your inner world will develop a … Continue reading WORD and SPIRIT
Reflections on Jesus’ Model Prayer
Jesus taught his disciples to pray using this simple but powerful model prayer: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin … Continue reading Reflections on Jesus’ Model Prayer
Ever Felt Dry Spiritually?
Have you ever felt dry spiritually? Sometimes our faith can get a little old and our love relationship with Jesus is not what it once was. We're not in "first love" anymore. Stuff has happened. Things have changed. Sometimes, we get stuck here ... like a rut that we just can't seem to get out … Continue reading Ever Felt Dry Spiritually?
Back to First Love
Jesus' message to the church at Ephesus is always a challenging one. They were doing a lot of good things and church was going along as usual ... yet the love that they had for God and each other at the beginning had faded. Jesus wrote to warn them about the danger they were in … Continue reading Back to First Love
Knowing God More
Back in the 1980s, Steven Fry wrote a musical entitled We Are Called. It was an outstanding call to worship and our team presented it numerous times. It contains some inspiring songs. One of favourites is Oh, I Want to Know You More, which was written during a spiritually dry period in Steve's life. Here … Continue reading Knowing God More
Growing in the Dark
Jesus clearly explained to his followers that in this life there would be a good deal of challenges and difficulties (John 16:33). However, they were to not be overwhelmed by them knowing that they can overcome and continue to live with God's peace and joy, regardless of the circumstances. This perspective on trials of all … Continue reading Growing in the Dark
Questions for Different Stages of Faith
We recently shared about "stages of faith" as a helpful model for understanding our journey as disciples of Jesus. All six stages are important in our journey as each one has a profound impact and role in our lives. Also, different activities are more helpful in one stage than they may be in another. For … Continue reading Questions for Different Stages of Faith
GROW – Understanding Stages of Faith
This year as a church community we have sensed a need to go deeper and to focus more on our relationship with Jesus and our life as disciples. Our FOCUS for 2011 has been simply: Following Jesus. So far, we have looked at four aspects of following Jesus: SURRENDER, GO, LOVE and DISCOVER. This weekend we … Continue reading GROW – Understanding Stages of Faith
Paul’s Prayers
This morning, I was reading Paul's letter to the Ephesians. In chapter one we read of his prayers for these faithful followers fo Christ. "Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you … Continue reading Paul’s Prayers
Oh Love of God
I believe that this lyric contains the most profound statement about the love of God outside the Scriptures: Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made, Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade, To write the love of God above, Would drain … Continue reading Oh Love of God
A Prayer of David
Despite his imperfections and failures, King David will always be remembered as the man after God's own heart. What was it about him that God so loved? Here is a prayer that David prayed after collecting a generous offering for the Temple which his son, Solomon would build: David praised the LORD in the presence … Continue reading A Prayer of David
The Apologist’s Evening Prayer (C.S. Lewis)
From all my lame defeats and oh! much more From all the victories that I seemed to score; From cleverness shot forth on Thy behalfAt which, while angels weep, the audience laugh;From all my proofs of Thy divinity,Thou, who wouldst give no sign, deliver me. Thoughts are but coins. Let me not trust, insteadof Thee, … Continue reading The Apologist’s Evening Prayer (C.S. Lewis)
Are Our Human Longings Echoes of a Voice?
Take a close look at people anywhere today and you'll see evidence of a variety of inner longings. Here are a few that stand out: 1. The Longing for Justice. Most humans long for a united world, for healthy societies, for people, for hope and for prosperity for all. Even children understand the difference between … Continue reading Are Our Human Longings Echoes of a Voice?
God’s Longing …
Here are some interesting thoughts from Psalm 81:10-16 (NLT). "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around. So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas. Oh, that my people would listen to … Continue reading God’s Longing …
The Call to Obey (Pt.3)
The Importance of Motivation In our relationship with Jesus, it is important to realize that he does not begin with the call to obey. He calls us to come, to follow, to believe, to abide and over time he calls us to also obey. The order is important. It is similar in any relationship. God … Continue reading The Call to Obey (Pt.3)