Pray With Your Eyes Open 28/03/2010

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Alternatively you can listen to the "Pray With Your Eyes Open" message on your computer by clicking here (or right-click to download) (by Ruth Regan, 21mins).

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Mark 10 46-52

Our eyes were first "opened" when we realised our need for Salvation. Jesus asked us to be part of His kingdom and we accepted - our first act of faith in Him.
However, that's just the start isn't it? All of Jesus' teaching whilst He was on earth was very radical, it went much further than any religious teachings anyone had heard - it was about living a different way, loving your enemies, welcoming the unloved, the disaffected, the "sinner"!
He was clear that salvation is ongoing, an everyday outworking of the principles He taught about.
He still taught that worshipping God, learning about Him and praying to Him were as important as they knew already, but it was the practical outworking of this love that was so radical.

This week, pray that God will open your eyes to something/someone where YOU can be part of the answer to their prayers - prayers they may not even have prayed!

Look at your neighbours - is there anything you can do to help one of them?
Look at your friends - could a card encouraging them and expressing your appreciation of them be just the thing they need? An invitation to share a pint down the pub? An offer of babysitting so they can have a few hours off?
Look at your work colleagues - is there someone having a really stressful time - maybe due to a difficult relationship within work? Can you be the "oil on troubled waters" somehow?
Look at your family - is there someone who needs a bit of a lift, maybe they go about their business keeping all the family happy without being noticed themselves?

Pray that YOU can bring the Kingdom of God into a situation this week, that your eyes will be opened to the things going on around you where you can be part of God's answer.



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Faith and Doubt 21/03/2010

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Alternatively you can listen to the ''Faith and Doubt" message on your computer by clicking here (or right-click to download) (by Owen Lynch, 12 mins).

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Pray Like Jesus, Love Your Enemies 14/03/2010

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Alternatively you can listen to the "Pray Like Jesus, Love Your Enemies" message on your computer by clicking here (or right-click to download) (by Pete Grigorey, 35 mins).

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Read: Romans 12:17-21 and 1 Peter 3:9

Who might our enemies be today and why do we need to love & pray for them?

Read: James 1:2, Romans 5:3-4 and 2 Corinthians 12:10

How can loving & praying for our enemies be considered “..pure joy..”?

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
How easy is it to practise this verse?

Score yourself from 0-10 on each of the following.
"0" means, "I need a lot of improvement."
"10" means, "I'm great at this."
____ I am patient.
____ I am kind.
____ I do not envy.
____ I do not boast.
____ I am not proud.
____ I am not rude.
____ I am not self-seeking.
____ I am not easily angered.
____ I keep no record of wrongs.
____ I do not delight in evil.
____ I rejoice with the truth.
____ I always protect.
____ I always trust.
____ I always hope.
____ I always persevere.
____ My love never fails.
How well did you score, which areas do you need God’s help with?

This week’s challenge
The next time you feel irritated about someone:
• Pray for the other person's needs.
• Pray that God will help you forgive.
• Pray that God will help you love him or her.
Think about those individuals or groups who you may consider to be your ‘enemies’ - write a prayer asking God to help you be more loving towards them and others.

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Your Will Be Done. Gethsemane Choices 07/03/2010

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Alternatively you can listen to the "Your Will Be Done. Gethsemane Choices" message on your computer by clicking here (or right-click to download) (by Chris Fox, 33 mins).

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1. Think of a decision you made, as a believer or non-believer, that you now think of as a wrong choice. Can you identify/recognise reasons why you came to make that choice?

2. Identify one or two areas of life where you now as a believer still find it difficult to make right choices. What can help you to make the right choices?

3. Read Isaiah 30.21 and 48.17 and John 16.13. Make a brief list of some of the ways we can expect as believers to be guided by God to make decisions in our lives that are according to his will, adapting 'your will be done' as a lifestyle.

4. Try and imagine/envisage yourself as a believer, and the church, always being guided by the Holy Spirit to make the right choices, decisions, life moves.



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