January 2009

Happy New Year

One of my favourite jokes is about the guy who was applying for a truck driver’s job. As part of the oral exam to pass the driving test, the instructor said, “Let’s say you and your sidekick Bob are going down a steep hill and all of a sudden your brakes go out, and at the bottom of the steep incline is a train stalled on the tracks. What would you do?”

The applicant replied, “I’d wake Bob up!”

Puzzled by his response, the instructor asked, “Why would you wake up Bob?”

"Well, me and Bob have travelled a lot of miles together and we have seen a lot of pretty spectacular wrecks, but Bob ain’t never seen a wreck like the wreck that’s going to happen at the bottom of the hill!”

Some things in life, it would seem, are inevitable. Growing old... paying taxes... getting chicken pox. That’s what our family has been through this Christmas. Our three year old reckoned that she had “leopard spots”. Our 7 month old was just plain covered from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. I must confess to feeling somewhat useless as I watched her cope with itchy spots during a week of hot weather (5 days over 34C). But she got through it, as did we.

Anyway, I would just like to take this opportunity to wish all of you the very best for the new year. My prayer is that you would find yourself walking closer to Jesus every day as you journey along the road less travelled, the higher road. Jesus calls you to follow Him… yet He walks with you every step of the way.

Joke of the Week

Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other, 'You stay here, I'll go on a head.

Emmanuel... God With Us

I came across a story about two little old ladies. Imagine if you will, two little old ladies, both at the right young age of 80. Both were widows who had remained on the farm long after their husbands had died. The farm was run down now. The chicken pen was falling to pieces. The sheds were falling down. The machinery was rusting away, falling apart, and the old rusted water tanks were dry. These two old ladies were as tough as nails. They had weathered every storm that life on the land could throw at them.

One day, a nephew came to visit them from the city. Whilst he was there, he took a picture of his weather worn aunts, with the sheds and the chicken pen and the rusted old machinery in the background. The two of them stood there, strait and tall as they could for the picture. The nephew sent them a copy of that picture and the old girls loved it so much that they decided to use it that year as a Christmas card. At the top of their picture they put the words, Merry Christmas, in bold letters… And at the bottom of the picture were the words… God is with us in our mess.

That story helps me to understand the true meaning of God with us. You see… God is with us… even in our mess.

And lets face it… life is sometimes messy.

What the New Testament Church Prayed For

As promised, here are the notes from Sunday nights study. As I said, these passages represent only some of what we are instucted to prayer for and this list is only taken from the Epistles. I trust that it would be helpful to you as you expand your prayer life. As one person said to me recently, "Sometimes I sit on the end of my bed wondering what to pray for... but not any more."

Prayer for the Lost…

…for God to save unbelievers, especially Israel. Romans 10:1

…for everyone, everywhere. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Prayer for the Sick…

… for the healing of unbelievers. Acts 28:7-9

… for the raising of the dead. Acts 9:36-37, 40

Prayer when Sharing the Gospel…

… using the Word of God. Ephesians 6:17-18

… for boldness in proclamation. Ephesians 6:19-20, Acts 9:29

… for signs and wonders. Acts 4:30

Prayer for Fellow Believers…

… for healing. James 5:13-16

… for miraculous deliverances. Acts 12:5, Acts 16:25-26

… to know God better. Ephesians 1:17

… for power to comprehend the love of Christ. Ephesians 3:14-19

Prayer for the Church and Church Leadership…

… for strategic wisdom. James 1:5

... to establish leadership in the outposts. Acts 14:23

... for the encouragement of togetherness. 1 Thessalonians 3:10

… for a mind of discernment. Philippians 1:9-11

… for a knowledge of his will. Colossians 1:9

… for a deeper sense of assured hope. Ephesians 1:16-19

… for strength and endurance. Ephesians 3:16-17

…that they would do good works. Colossians 1:10

Prayer for Mission…

… to send out reinforcements. Acts 13:2-3

… for the success of other missionaries. Romans 15:30-31

… that God would complete their resolves. 2 Thessalonians 1:11