Prayer and Work

Prayer is the heart dialoge with God.

As we work we pray.

God has so much more to give. We are asked to ask! He is generous and will lead us in His purpose as we seek His face in prayer.

Jesus said:

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Luke 11:9 - 13

Teach Me Your way

" His sons did not follow his ways..." 1 Samuel 8:3

Samuel was devoted to God's ways. He heard God's voice; spoke His word with courage; called God's people to retrun to worship; interceded for the people in crisis; connected with people across the country. He saw a season of relative peace. However, his sons did not follow His ways.

What is God's way?

God's way is discovered in prayer:

"teach me your way, Lord that I may walk in your truth" Psalm 86:11

God's way is found in relationship with Jesus:

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Featured Ministry

Check out this web site. Formation is founded by Viv Thomas

http://formation.org.uk

About Formation:

"Formation develops people in the way they think, feel and respond to society so that they will be better able to grow in the image of God through living what we call a spectacular ordinary life. All courses are based on dynamic understanding of the Trinity, Christian scripture, contemporary culture, practical theology, media and discussion. We recognise that life is sometimes messy, confusing and just downright busy. We are committed to working with you in the reality of your everyday lives."

At the Name of Jesus

"Surely Chrst beckons us to repent of hearts that see him so small we think our works enrich Him, our programs support Him, and our lives are indispensible to His plan.... To see Him move and work in power for His names sake must become our consuming passion, deepening and intensifying as His Spirit takes control of our hearts. Let us settle for nothing less than explosive inhabitation of the Living Lord, that our childtren,our neighbours,our co-workers, and, yes, the nations, may know at last that the Immanuel has come."
Tricia Rhodes

Worship is at the heart of everything

Psalm 108
A song. A psalm of David.

My heart is steadfast, O God;

I will sing and make music with all my soul.
Awake, harp and lyre!

I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, higher than the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

and let your glory be over all the earth.

God has given us a new song to sing in the nations!

Living the reality of His presence

The community of faith experiences the dynamic presence of God as they engage in transformational mission. However, if our focus is primarily the task of mission and not communion with God then we will fail to connect adequately to God's agenda. In the business of life we need to ensure that we find times to pause and connect with God through simple steps of worship:

1. Retreat
2. Repent
3. Refresh vision
4. Refect on His word
5. Rejoice in His presence
6. Re- engage with His purpose
7. Receive His grace for the task

Intimate Identity

Jesus' leadership was centred in His intimate identity with the Father. This relationship was characterised by His authority and and His Love. We often think of Jesus as the model for servant leadership but without His life within we will not be able to give authentic spiritual leadership. Leadership that begins with our identity in the Christ embraces unlimited resources in God's grace to serve others generously

The Message

The message is written on our hearts by the grace of God. It is about a relationship that brings real transformation through the presence of Christ.

God's Way

Jesus said,

"I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure."

God's way is discovered by those who walk with childlike faith.

So far has the Lord helped us!

1 Samuel 7:12

Samuel called the people to restoration and worship at Mezpah:

1. Invitation to turn in devotion to God
2. Intercession for the people
3. INTERVENTION FOR VICTORY FROM GOD

Seeking His face

"Let us acknowledge the Lord;
let us press on to acknowledge Him.

As surley as the sun rises He will appear;
He will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth."
Isaiah 6:3

Do you have an expectant heart towards God?

We are asked to acknowledge Him, press on in knowing Him and expectantly wait for His breakthrough.

Intervening Prayer

In 1 Samuel 2: 1 - 11 Hannah (favoured by God) Sings a new song in prayer. She expresses her delight in the one who delivers and who is dependable.

"My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your delieverance.

There is no one Holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God." (1 Samuel 2:1 - 2)

Hannah delights in the Lord's deliverance.

Hannah depends on His Holiness and Strength.

The nation is in decay. The religious leaders are corrupt. God's hand of grace is on the humble and His hand of judgement on the proud.

God's design is to intervene with grace when the humble seek His face. He interrupts with judgerment when the proud refuse to regard Him.

The way of grace for the humble leads to life.

The way of greed for the proud leads to death.

If we are to experiece God's miraculous intervention, then we need to embrace God's way to His throne of grace and mercy:

"If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sins and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Translating the Vision

Catching - Vision is is first of all to be given by God as something that is caught.

Conceptualising - Understand the vision and describing it in an way that others can grasp.

Bring Clarity - communicate the vison in a way that connects with people.

Make it Concrete - transtate the vision into a strategic plan

Light transforms darkness

"The cry of the church, both in prayer and in action, must echo the Psalmist's resounding call,
"Arise , Lord! lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless."

When we seek to penetrate the darkness ourselves, bearing the light of justice, we will find that God has not forgotton. He is there already, way ahead of us, making a difference and giving strength and courage to do the same."

Joseph D'Souza
BOOK: ON THE SIDE OF ANGELS

(Justice, Human Rights, and Kingdom mission)

Silence

Life is cluttered with many activities. We begin the new year with times of silence. We open the word to receive a fresh vision of God:

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah

Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."


The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah"

Psalm 46

Ablaze for God

"Our God is a comsuming fire"

If we stay in the fire we will be ablaze for him. When we are out of the fire we will burn out quickly.

Stay close to Jesus in 2009