Bible Study Mark 8:22-38

Keith Waters Bible Studies 3rd June 20183rd June 2018#newconnexions, bible, communication, discipline, faith, Jesus, lies, Messiah, new connexions, power, repentance, Satan, scripture, sin, truth, unfaithfulness 0 Comment

This study is based on the above passage and you may find it helpful to listen to the accompanying sermon: Three Steps…

Take a few minutes to recap on what has been going on since Mark 7:1.
Discuss the healing of the blind man: what was unusual, what was similar to other healings, as well as the man being healed what was going on here?
What do you know about Caesarea Philippi and the journey?
Why do you think the disciples got the right answer about who Jesus is, and what was wrong about their ideas as to what that would mean for Him (and them)?
Discuss Peter’s response to Jesus talking about the cross – what might we learn?
There are three steps to following Jesus – discuss the difficulties we face in following them and how we can encourage, challenge and help each other along in our following Him together.

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There is a big cost – Week of Prayer Day 8; 2018

Keith Waters Prayer 20th May 201820th May 2018#newconnexions, bible, commitment, communication, discipline, new connexions, power, prayer 3 Comments

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:9-10

To pray these verses is a big ask. Why do I suggest that…? Simply because when we pray “May your Kingdom come” we must be ready to add, ‘and start with me – do whatever it takes Lord to have me submit completely to your will for my life, that I might be living the life You will have me live, as an obedient subject in Your kingdom, ready to willingly take my place where You put me to work for Your kingdom’.

Jesus says to us – pray like this! Are we able, will we trust Him and accept His answer? You see when we pray this prayer with sincerity we are saying, Lord I know You have called me; I know that calls is to ‘carry my cross’, I know that call is to offer You back my life knowing that it will (one way or another) be lost for the sake of living and sharing the gospel, and so I know that in praying this prayer I must be ready to accept Your call to self denial.

Have we properly grasped the demands of this prayer, have we understood it? If we are serious about our faith, we will pray this prayer with a seriousness, willingness and expectancy that the Lord will use us for His glory in His way…

Let’s pray!

Children’s Prayer Activity

Day 8

I wonder how you pray? Do you have your eyes shut? Have you tried jumping or sitting or laying or running or standing on one leg?

You can pray at anytime in any position – see how many different ways you can pray today!

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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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Building – Week of Prayer Day 6; 2018

Keith Waters Prayer 18th May 201816th May 2018#newconnexions, bible, Building, discipline, faith, God, God's will, Grace, hope, new connexions, prayer, truth 0 Comment

Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.

Psalm 127:1

In the midst of your busyness, do you ever find yourself skipping the odd prayer meeting or housegroup? Do you find your quiet times get shorter or stop completely, might your bible be less well read?

As the busyness and stresses and strains increase, does communication with God come only in short sighs of desperation? Ever considered that there is a very clear link?

There is a sense of peace that comes when we lean on God in our busyness and in our stress. Are you working hard? Is it for God? That’s great! But here’s the question, is it really for Him? Are you letting Him be in control, or are you calling the shots and making His plans for Him?

If He’s not the one in control, if He’s not the one building the house, then your work is pointless, you’re wasting your time, just as Solomon reminds us in his psalm. When this happens instead of experiencing all that God has for you, you are unnecessarily exhausting yourself, like a builders labourer who ignores the plans, digs hard all day but at the end of it has achieved nothing but a big whole…

We have a God who is the best architect, able to build the most amazing creations out of nothing, He laid His life down to give us a perfect foundation and when He builds, the gates of hell will not prevail against it Matthew 16:18. So step back… take a breath… ask Him again to slow you down, refocus you on His perfect plan and work alongside Him in it.

As a Church, it serves us well too, to remember that in our seeking for land and a building we must never step out of His plan, never drag behind Him and Never rush ahead – It is a scriptural truth that be it physically or spiritually “unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.”

So today as you take time with the Lord, seek Him on this aspect of our life as a church, ask Him to build us up and thank Him that in all things He will provide and protect His people.

Children’s Prayer Activity

Day 6

Look in the mirror today and thank God for all the things He helps you with and give Him a smile 🙂 in the mirror as you thank Him for making you such a special person.

What next? Remember to talk and listen to God every day, as He loves to get to know you better. You could learn this short bible verse about prayer

Never stop praying.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT

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