Need To Talk?
Posts tagged failure
Loving God, Loving Myself and Loving Others
May 4th
Luke 10: 25-37
In this paper we are going to look at how people accept, or do not accept themselves, and the images we can all project. Before doing so, we look at the context to our reading, and make a comment on God’s command to love Him.
The Context
Imagine what it would be like if every time you put your hand in your pocket you pulled out a £50 note. Undoubtedly you would be very excited, and after the initial shock, would probably think of all the people you could help. Think of the surprise on the faces of friends and others who’d struggled without finance for so long, yet were suddenly able to see how to make ends meet through your giving. It would be an amazing time.
Faith
Mar 8th
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” Heb 11:1-3
In Hebrews 11 we read of ordinary people who did extraordinary things – all out of proportion to their powers. I’m sure that, at times, this must have been a surprise to themselves as well as to others, yet it is because of the Holy Spirit within them that they were able to do these things in obedience to God.
We Are The ‘Yes’ Of God
Mar 8th
During one of my placements I worked in a police station for a few days. After a hard day’s work I stopped to read a newspaper a few minutes before clocking off. As I was reading the paper I suddenly I realised that the room had gone quiet. A man had come into the room and was staring at me. I kept on reading the paper whilst thinking to myself, “I’m sure I’m supposed to recognise you from somewhere.” Unfortunately I failed to realise that it was the Chief Inspector in charge of the station, until after he’d started having a go at me. No one on the room bothered to say anything in my defence, and before I could open my mouth he had walked out.
The Fire of Our Actions or the Fire of His Presence
Feb 28th
Once I saw a beautiful church building made up of rejected pieces of marble that were brought together into a whole. It made a very beautiful sanctuary. I have picked out certain things; pieces left over from the reckage of my life, and am trying to put them together into a temple of God – a workable way to live. If our life has gone to pieces, take the pieces and give them back to God, and he will make something out of them. It is amazing what God can do with a broken heart, or life, when you give him all the pieces.”
Worship
Feb 19th
- What is worship?
- When we stop worshipping God, what happens?
- What is the difference (if any) between worshipping and worshipping in spirit and in truth?
- How important is worship?
In worship we focus on all that God has already done, and recognise that we are blessed because of His hand of grace and not our own achievements.
“…Israel’s worship shows the same dynamic as Israel’s ethics; namely, that it is based on God’s prior action. God had already acted in blessing; therefore Israel was to celebrate that in worship and praise.”
Be Encouraged
Feb 18th
This week I was sent a PowerPoint titled “Someone Cares”. The PowerPoint contained various pictures of people, along with the following words, and background music “It’s too good to be true, I can’t keep my eyes off of you.” The words? - “Had a bad day? Feel alone and abandoned? Convinced nobody cares about you? Think no one cares about your life; your work? Are you sure nobody sees your success or failure, and doesn’t care if you live or die? You are wrong. Somebody is very interested in everything you do. When everybody else quits on you…we never stop thinking of you.” The PowerPoint concluded with the logo of the Inland Revenue.
