How do we do this? – Week of Prayer Day 7; 2018

Keith Waters Prayer 19th May 201818th May 2018#newconnexions, communication, faith, Holy Spirit, Jesus, love, new connexions, power, prayer, truth 0 Comment

Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

Luke 11:1

Isn’t this a great question? I wonder which disciple it was who asked…

Yes a great question followed by a famous answer. An answer which provides Jesus’ framework to help us with prayer. But there is something in this request and answer that we can easily sidestep, or overlook – both the question and the answer make an assumption that we will pray. You see The disciples are eager to pray (“Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”) and Jesus is eager to help them, as we find out if we read on (Luke 11:2-11).

A regular question in churches today is “how can I get better a praying?” It’s a great question and rightly Pastors across the world will turn up many passages of scripture to encourage us, to lead us, to remind us and be examples to us. God has provided all of this, but, as with all of the Bible, to profit from what we read we need at have hearts that are eager to understand, and get busy with what we learn – in short, the way to learn about prayer is to pray – do just what this disciple did, ask Jesus and be willing to respond to the answer.

Here are a few more pointers about prayer:

Remember that ike everything we do well in our lives, we need to practice prayer.
Use the framework set by Jesus for a start, or find one of the psalms that fits the need and pray it relating it to your circumstances.
Make prayer a habit every day.
Find a time and a space where you can focus.
Expect to find prayer rewarding.
Expect to find prayer hard work at times.
Expect to God to respond, and watch out for those answers.
Expect to be challenged by God.
Expect to be Encouraged by God.

Direct communication with the Living God! Why wouldn’t we want to pray?

Children’s Prayer Activity

DAY 7

Adoring God – When you’re saying your prayers to day think of as many things as possible you really love and thank God for them, and remember too to tell God how much you love Him 🙂

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On A Mission! Week of Prayer Day 1; 2018

Keith Waters Prayer 13th May 201814th May 2018#newconnexions, bible, communication, faith, Holy Spirit, love, new connexions, prayer, Trinity, truth 0 Comment

“…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8

Christian people ARE filled by The Holy Spirit of God; we are filled for many different purposes, and to fulfil many different needs.

Some of those needs will be personal, in that we have our needs met and our lives changed, bit by bit, as He works in our lives to sanctify us (that is to make us more and more like Christ). But here we also see that as He comes to live in our hearts we will, as a matter of course, become His witnesses; we will become people who have His grace, compassion, wisdom, and power to share that Gospel truth. Yes, to share that truth where we are and wherever He will lead us, even to “the ends of the earth”!

Today then, let us welcome afresh the truth of these words and the impact of them on our lives, and let us give ourselves over to His filling, and as we do so recommit ourselves where we are, and also recommit ourselves in prayer for others where they are, be it in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria or to the ends of the earth…

Children’s Prayer Activity

Day 1

Today use a ball inside or outside. Each time you catch or kick it remember that without the air inside it wouldn’t work well, and that unless we have God in our hearts we don’t work well either!

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A Study of Storms…

Keith Waters Bible Studies, Prayer 18th March 2018bible, communication, discipline, healing, new connexions, prayer, storms, teaching, testing, truth 0 Comment

This study is based on Mark 4:35-41 and the sermon The Teacher Tests Us

What is the setting of this passage, i.e. what has been going on during the day before we get to the ‘that evening’ in our passage?
Did Jesus know that there would be a storm? If so, why did He tell His disciples to sail into it?
How do we know whether our circumstances are as a result of, spiritual attack, our own disobedience or our obedience?
Why does Jesus test us, and what should we expect to learn through that testing?
take a look at our verses of the year and compare them to this passage. How might our following the encouragements of those verses enable us to support one another and be supported in the storms that come our way?
Spend some time lifting up the work and life of God’s Church at New Connexions in prayer.

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Where’s Your Baggage Handler?

Keith Waters Bible Studies 18th February 2018bible, calling, communication, discipleship, discipline, following, humility, Jesus, new connexions, truth 0 Comment

A study based on Mark 3:1-15 and based on this sermon: Stretch Out In Faith

What was it about Jesus that really annoyed the Pharisees? Who were the Herodians and why would they be an unlikely ally for the Pharisees?
What did Jesus ask the man with the crippled hand to do? What must we learn from this?
In the sermon we spoke a lot about how we might have surplus baggage. What was meant by surplus baggage and how might it drag us down? How can we help each other deal with it?
Discuss whether we have the authority to drive out demons…
Why is it important for disciples to be willing to leave everything and spend time with Jesus? How might this be a challenge for us?

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