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Posts tagged relationship
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.
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.”
Religion?
Feb 28th
Someone once bought me a lottery ticket and I started thinking of all the ways I could help people. For example, it would be great to see the face of someone who was struggling to pay the mortgage when they opened a letter and found a cheque that paid off their mortgage. It would be great to see the face of someone who’d had years of trouble with an old banger of a car, as they opened a letter and found keys to a brand new car parked outside their home. It would be great to help out Christian organisations that were struggling, or to see the face of a friend when you gave them the holiday of a lifetime. Yet, in all this thinking about the help and freedom that people could find, there was this deep down feeling that all this would not really bring about true freedom of heart and mind. This is because the Bible says, only God can really do that. He wants us to find freedom in the life He offers us. And this, rather strangely to some, brings us to the word ‘religion.’
The Church
Feb 19th
A general conception
Many non-Christians and sadly some Christians, don’t understand what is meant when the word ‘church’ is referred to. We have all heard statements like the following: ‘I used to go to church as a child’ or ‘My parents go to the Parish Church’, or ‘We had a lovely church wedding’ or ‘My grandparents were church-goers’ etc. This reflects a misunderstanding of the meaning of ‘Church’. This short booklet will address the true meaning of Church, and correct common misunderstandings. Let’s begin with what the church is NOT.
The Church is not:
A material building.
James 5 13-18
Feb 19th
In James 5:15 we read that the elders of the church/Christian community can pray over a person and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord, and that “the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.” Although this promise is very clear there are many that have suffered and died, despite having been anointed with oil. So what is going on? Is the lack of results due to lack of faith, or maybe failure because the correct procedures were not followed?
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.
