Prayer at Bible Study

Bible study starts up again this week. Jeff's group is going to start with a study on prayer this Thursday night. 

I've noticed I often pray for the same thing each week at bible study because it's easy and it means I don't have to go into the details of what I really need prayer for. This year I'm going to challenge myself to think of different prayer points and to share them instead of the mundane everyday things that I have been saying each week. And if I can't think of anything I need to ask God for I want to thank Him for the good things in my life – for the sun coming up each day, for a friend, for my job, for the opportunity to talk to Him and the freedom we have in doing so, for His love and for the relationship we can have with Him because of what Jesus did on the cross. And if I can't think of anything to pray for, have I really been listening and taking in what bible study was on that night? There should always be something to pray for after studying the bible for an hour and a half! 

I'm looking forward to learning to be a better pray-er. What about you? Do you want to join me in my challenge?

Psalm 86

A prayer of David.
 ¹ Hear me, LORD, and answer me,
   for I am poor and needy.
² Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
   save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; ³ have mercy on me, Lord,
   for I call to you all day long.
⁴ Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
   for I put my trust in you.
 ⁵ You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
   abounding in love to all who call to you.
⁶ Hear my prayer, LORD;
   listen to my cry for mercy.
⁷ When I am in distress, I call to you,
   because you answer me.
 ⁸ Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
   no deeds can compare with yours.
⁹ All the nations you have made
   will come and worship before you, Lord;
   they will bring glory to your name.
¹⁰ For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
   you alone are God.
 ¹¹ Teach me your way, LORD,
   that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
   that I may fear your name.
¹² I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
   I will glorify your name forever.
¹³ For great is your love toward me;
   you have delivered me from the depths,
   from the realm of the dead.
 ¹⁴ Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
   ruthless people are trying to kill me—
   they have no regard for you.
¹⁵ But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
   slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
¹⁶ Turn to me and have mercy on me;
   show your strength in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
   just as my mother did.
¹⁷ Give me a sign of your goodness,
   that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
   for you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

Bible Study

Bible studies are starting back next week. Have a chat with your leader if you want to change groups or if you have any suggestions etc. If you haven't already you'll probably hear from your leader in the next few days about whats happening.

Our Small Groups underpin the way we try to build community at church. They are a key part of the way we seek to care for and get to know people within our church family. They are a way for us to reach out beyond our usual age/stage/lives. They are also an important forum for feeding on God’s word in a more in depth manner than Sundays

Bible study is a great way to learn more from God's word - to dig deeper into the bible, to develop relationships with other Christians, to be encouraged and to encourage. If we all went to bible study  with the attitude of wanting to get something out it then it probably wouldn't work as a ministry. But if you change your attitude and ask yourself what can I put into the group, how can I help others, we will all probably get more out of the study time.
We're all tempted to do something other than go to bible study. You may be tired or have an assignment or you've had an offer to do something else, but it would be great if people could make a commitment to coming each week, a commitment to preparing for the study and turning up on time and join with each other to worship and study God's word.
So have a think and a pray about where you're at with bible study and see where God leads you.

Galatians 5:16

So I say, walk by the Spirit, 

and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

The Power to Love

I receive an email called Living Love by Gary Chapman every couple of weeks. He writes about different ways we can love each other because of the love we have been given by Jesus Christ. Gary Chapman wrote the book The Five Love Languages as well as The Love as a Way of Life and The Love as a Way of Life Devotional. I thought today's email was very appropriate..... Galatians 2:20. 

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. —GALATIANS 2:20
Most of the world's religions are based on human effort. Some religions encourage editation and the repetition of mantras designed to free the mind of selfish desires. Other religions emphasize giving alms or repeating prayers or making a pilgrimage. But as Christians, we know that we can never do good and love others in our own power. We are morally flawed, and left to our own devices, we will be inwardly focused. We will seek our own happiness and not what is best for those around us.Knowing the reality of our weaknesses, we can find great freedom in realizing that the key to becoming a loving person lies not with us but with God. It is God's love that we seek to share, not a love manufactured on our own. It is God's Spirit who pours love into us and enables us to give to others (see Romans 5:5). And it is Christ's life, death, and resurrection that give us a new perspective on life. That radical perspective focuses not on self but on our Creator. We have more than enough love to offer others because behind everything that exists in the universe is a personal God who loves us and wants to express his love through us.
Prayer Holy Spirit, I want to receive your love and express that love to others.

The Right View

I listened to a sermon series a little while ago on money called The Right View. It was talking about financial wisdom and the view of the ownership of money. With money you can buy cars and houses and clothes and games and toys and a lot of other things. All things that we can so easily be jealous or envious of. 

But if you read Psalm 24:1 it says "The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”  This includes money. It is the Lords; we’re just the managers of it. If we think we own our money we’ll use it for our own purposes, but the truth is it has your name on it, but God owns it. So what are you using it for?

Stanley said money was never meant to be an idol or a tool of power, prominence or prestige. It’s simply a medium of exchange. It can’t buy you peace, love, joy, forgiveness or eternal life. These are the things we actually want in life – they will make us happier than power and popularity and possessions. And we can have all of these because Jesus bought them for us with His life. His life!! Not silver and gold but His life. How amazing is that!! 

Stanley gave some wisdom on how to manage and acquire money. 

First of all and most importantly he says you need to work for it. “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest.” Exodus 34:21. He said we shouldn’t sit around doing nothing and wait for the Government to give us money. We need to go out there and get jobs and work hard for the money we earn. He also talked about investing your money, accept money as gifts and saving your money, but his main focus was on working for it.

It can be hard to not be envious of other people’s money and to not compare how much you have with them. Maybe God is seeing how faithful you are with a small amount before he gives you more. God wants us to be generous with our money, to use it to glorify Him. There is a lot of talk out there about tithing and whether you have to give 10% of your money to the church. I’m not saying I agree or disagree, but I believe it is important to be giving towards God’s work, such as in the offering at church. 

Philippians 2:14-15 says "Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. “

SSS

Don’t forget SSS is on this week. It is a great opportunity to spread the true and good news of Jesus Christ to the people of Bathurst. If you have some spare time in the mornings this week you could go to the showground, have a coffee and a chat – maybe you could take a friend along and introduce them to some other Christians too! 

Pray for open hearts and minds and that people might come to understand the love of God. Pray for energy and patience for the team as it is a long week that often gets harder as they get more tired. Pray for safety for the team and the kids and teenagers. Pray that many adults will attend the events on Tuesday (men) and Thursday (women) nights. Pray that Christians in Bathurst will remember that this isn’t a church event for themselves but that they will remember it is an evangelistic week and they won’t be scared to take a friend along with them. 

We would both love to be praying for you too, so if there is anything please let us know!

Bible Gateway

I receive an email from Bible Gateway each day with a Verse of the Day. When I get to work each day I read it and it gives me something to think about. It also makes me want to read on from that verse. This is today's verse. 

Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age...

If you're looking for a Bible reading plan to start this year there are a few different ones available here. All you need to do is put in your details and it will email you each day with the reading. Now is a good time to start! If you know of any other good reading plans please let us know in the comments because different plans suit different people and yours may be better for someone rather than the Bible Gateway ones. 


My prayer today is that you and I may say no to ungodly and worldly passions so that we can live better lives – self controlled, upright and godly lives – for Christ.