“Let’s do more than pray”

I have never understood this comment.  Perhaps you can explain it to me.

Prayer brings us into the presence of God, who is All Powerful and full of love and concern for ordinary people.  What “more” can we do than pray to this God?

Prayer changes lives, communities and nations.

About 15 years ago, I was in prayer meetings in India when people where making ridiculous requests of God! They were asking him to save India, and to bless it’s economy!

Today India is one of the fastest growing economies; and the gospel is spreading at record speed through this nation.

Prayer changes everything – because God is, and he answers prayer. Nothing is too difficult for him.

So what “more” can I do than pray?

I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you (Hosea 14:8, the Bible NLT)

He was full of peace, and an unearthly joy. It was incredible!

As we talked about various things, I remarked, “Our lives are always full of purpose.”…

always full of hope for a better day, always full of a happiness that can never be achieved apart from knowing how much God loves us.

We are the happiest people in the world.

No matter what our circumstances, we remain in the Father’s loving/protective embrace. Our future is secure.

for the happy heart, life is a continual feast

(Proverbs 15:15, the Bible NLT)

Pastors who are so “hands-on” that they have neglected their duty of  watching over their flock in prayer. Who have little time to “do their best” when it comes to preaching God’s word.

In contrast, read what Peter the first Pastor of the church had to say about this:-

“It wouldn’t be right for us to abandon our responsibilities for preaching and teaching the Word of God to help with the care of the poor. .. we’ll STICK to our assigned tasks of prayer and speaking God’s Word.” (The Bible, Acts 6:4 MSG)

God has assigned pastors the task of praying and preaching – not to become distracted and to lose focus! If shepherds go astray, the sheep will follow.

God has commanded us to love our community – not to worship it!

The church has made idols of flesh – of people.

God commanded us to serve people; NOT to give them our time of worship.

Jesus taught us to, “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”

We cannot give to our community what belongs only to God – our time of personal prayer and bible-study.

The act of individual worship is so neglected in the modern church.  Few Christians have a daily hour alone with Jesus.  Few Christians know the importance of prayer, or it’s singular power to transform human lives.  Many don’t know how to pray for more than a few minutes on their own. Prayer is seen as the “gift” of weak Christians.

In contrast, the great Christian leaders of the past (Spurgeon, the Wesley brothers, Smith Wigglesworth to name but a few) were known for their prayer lives. Today’s leaders are known for their wealth, their celebrity status, their charity – and falling into sin!

They have led the church astray into depending on our muscle power, and human understanding – idols of flesh; rather than the power of God that comes through prayer and fasting.

The believers in the first century church understood God better.  Their leaders were devoted to prayer, bible-study and preaching God’s word.  The congregation followed suit.  As a result, the first century church succeeded beyond any rational explanation.

What was their secret?

ALL the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, … and to prayer.

(Acts 2:42, the Bible NLT)

Scripture references: Proverbs 3:5, Zechariah 4:6, Matthew 22:21

he gave thanks…* 

At the start of the new year, it is time to look back and give thanks…

1. For God’s free gift of salvation

2. For his faithfulness

3. For his healing

4. At Hallowed – for his favour, for opening new doors, for bringing us this far, for being completely reliable

5. For the new year

6. For church, for family and friends – old and new

7. For food and shelter

I am about to do something new.
      See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?

(The Bible Isaiah 43:19, NLT)

*Jesus in the Bible, Matthew 14:19

Many contemporary Christians live and act as if there is no God!

No God who should be feared, no God who loves us so much that we should seek to know him through daily prayer and bible study.

No God who can solve even the biggest problems in the world.

Listening to contemporary sermons, you would think it was all down to us to change the world! And God is a mere spectator! But God says,

‘(renewal and transformation) only come about through my Spirit’* 

If Christians really believed there was God, they would pray fervently.

It is through much prayer and diligent Bible-study that God influences Christians – who become the catalysts of change in the world.  Without prayer and personal bible-study, a Christian is but a moral atheist who is trying to do good through their own efforts.

“Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists

and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him”

(The Bible, Hebrews 11:6 NLT)

* (The Bible, Zechariah 4:6 MSG with my own additions within brackets)

Is smoking a sin?

If I were to light up a cigarette among other Christians; will they judge?

Why would they judge me? Why would they judge me over someone who abuses their body with the wrong food? Or too much of the “right” food?

Is smoking a sin?

Is it more of a sin than gluttony?

Why are smokers judged by Christians, while the obese are treated with compassion?

We are God’s temple.

If anyone destroys God’s temple (our bodies, minds or spirits) God will destroy him (1 Corinthians 3:17). Why is smoking an attempt to destroy God’s temple; when over-eating cheese-cakes, or gobbling crisps is not?

Why are smokers treated with scorn, and the obese made into bishops?

It is time we recognise greed (including gluttony*) as a sin – against God’s temple; and self-control as a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or GREEDY people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.

(1 Corinthians 6:9-10 the Bible, NLT)

*I don’t smoke. Although I am not over-weight, I struggle to control my appetite sometimes.

God gave Israel it’s festivals to create a place of joy and fellowship. Indeed, Jesus was known for his “partying-lifestyle” (Luke 7:34)! God is the God of Isaac (which means laughter).

How good God is to give us festivals! During this recession, many people suffering it’s consequences will pause to laugh and smile.  Many depressed people will be filled with joy.  As people give gifts to one another, let us take time to remember the greatest gift of all – Love.

Jesus was born homeless, to a poor family. Let us remember the poor in our prayers, and do all that we can in our power to help them.

Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests (Luke 2:14 NIV)

Merry Christmas to you all!

David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skilful hands he led them (Psalm 78:72)

Leadership = Integrity + Skill

Integrity in relation to:-

1.             Money: paying taxes,fair wages
2.             Time: being on time
3.             Words: saying what you mean, being gracious

Don’t rely on unfaithful people – you will pay the price

Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint. Prov 25:19

Leaders also require skills:-

1.            Communication skills: prompt, clear, effective
2.            Time management skills
3.            Social skills
4.            Conflict resolution skills
5.            Negotiation skills
6.            Mediation skills

Leadership is not about passion, or talent, but commitment, faithfulness and a willingness to learn.

25% of girls in Britain have sex before the age of 16 years

Around 40,000 teenage pregnancy a year in the UK

Over 60% of abortions are by unmarried women

93% of abortions are for social reasons

£118 million of public funds spend on abortions (?? surgeries per year)

Over 45000 births a year in the UK registered without a father

The human cost of sexual “liberation” = a father-less generation, the rape of childhood, the genocide of the “unwanted” child

Has the sexual revolution been the liberty of a few at the cost of the many?