second chance – Page 5 – New Connexions Church

Broad Shoulders

Keith Waters Bible Studies 28th November 201628th November 2016advent, bible, communication, end times, eschatology, faith, faithfulness, forgiveness, healing, Holy Spirit, hope, humility, Isaiah, Jesus, new connexions, power, redemption, second chance, truth 0 Comment

A short study on Isaiah 9:1-7

If you missed the sermon you can pick it up at: It is written it will happen!

Where are verses 1 and 2 quoted in the New Testament? What does this teach us about the meaning of the passage?
What blessing is promised in verses 3-5? (Discuss the reference to Midian. cf. Judges 7)
Who is predicted in verses 6 and 7? Explain what these verses teach about His role.
Talk about the significance of each name used for Him [* Wonderful Counsellor –* Mighty God –* Everlasting Father –* Prince of Peace], what do they mean for Israel, for us today and in their future fulfilment?
If you haven’t covered it in your discussions, pick up on the application for us today, this advent.

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A Committed Christian?

Keith Waters Bible Studies, Christian Comment, Prayer 10th October 201613th October 2016bible, communication, discipline, faithfulness, forgiveness, Holy Spirit, hope, Jesus, love, mercy, morals, new connexions, prayer, redemption, repentance, resurrection, second chance, Trinity, truth, unfaithfulness 0 Comment

So often in our Christian lives we spend inordinate amounts of time talking about prayer, wanting to seek the Lord and do His will; which I believe are great sentiments, but as we approach the end of the year I’m drawn back to some words we used at the start of our year in our covenant service, words which were borrowed from a great puritan called Richard Alleine:

I am no longer my own but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and wholeheartedly give all things to you. Glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it. This my covenant with you my God, made here on earth, let it be confirmed in heaven. Amen

Why not take that prayer again, study it, meditate on it, discuss it and consider: as individuals, and as Christ’s Church, have we yet made this prayer our own? How can we encourage one another, and what is the Lord asking of us as individuals walking in covenant with Him? If studying in a group: spend a good time in prayer seeking the Lord for each other and the wider Church. When studying alone: also, of course, pray through the issues that arise in your heart.

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Micah 1 – Study Questions

Keith Waters Bible Studies 3rd October 2016discipline, faith, faithfulness, forgiveness, heaven, hell, judgement, justice, Micah, new connexions, prophecy, redemption, repentance, scripture, second chance, truth 0 Comment

If you missed the sermon on this you can pick it up here: Puns aren’t always funny…

Read through the chapter – what are your first impressions of the book?
What do we know about Micah, the time he was ministering, which other prophets were about at the same time etc.
How did God give His messages to Micah, and what did Micah do with those messages? What can we learn from this about being open to God and obedient to him?
On Sunday, after a brief overview of the chapter, we looked at three specific questions – what were they? Take some time to discuss each of them as a group, considering why the question is important, how Micah helps us answer the questions, and how we as individuals and as a church might need to take these things more seriously in our lives (there is probably a whole study just in this question…).

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Comfort or affliction…

Keith Waters Bible Studies 19th September 2016bible, faithfulness, judgement, justice, money, new connexions, persecution, power, redemption, repentance, Satan, second chance, unfaithfulness 0 Comment

A study on James 5: 1-12, based on the sermon: Are You Ready To Meet Your Maker?

Take a few minutes as a group to recap on the issues James has been addressing in his letter up to the end of chapter 4, are any of those issues more or less relevant today? Discuss.
Read verses 1-6. Why are the rich people being told to weep and groan; is it their money, if not what?
How much do we have to have before we’re rich? Read 1 Chronicles 29: 10-20 for context.
If these verses are predominantly aimed at rich people who aren’t Christians, where is the lesson/application for us today?
Read verses 7-12. As you read through notice and discuss each one of the commands or instructions James gives, how do they apply to us today in 21st century Ely?
How do these two halves of the reading (1-6 &7-12) fit together to give a clear message about justice?
take some time as a group to pray for each other and the whole church as we seek to apply this passage to our lives – Also please focus some prayer time on ‘the brick’ (God building His Church).

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