Living Before God - a weekend away

This weekend I had a very encouraging time at the Heath Church Houseparty. Rev Andrew Davies was preaching on the theme 'Living Before God' from 1 Thessalonians 5 vs 16-18. I will share my notes here below from the three sessions.

Session 1 - Friday evening - Christian Joy

Worship is the whole of our lives lived for the praise of God. Joy is at the heart of this.

Rejoicing always is only possible in the Lord (v18 says 'this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you') Joy is more important than debatable matters of corporate worship.

God is the God of joy rejoicing over Himself, His people, His creation.

Joy sets the tone for everything in our church and our personal lives.

Are you a joyful Christian?

1. What kind of joy?

2. What causes the joy?

3. Why rejoice?

1. It is not happiness which comes and goes depending on circumstances.

Our happiness tends to be self absorbed.

It is not presumptuous joy. Some have no business to rejoice (e.g. the people in the book of Hosea). Our lives must be consistent with what we confess.

It is not fanaticism which is not produced by truth or the Holy Spirit and where you just want to feel good and not think. Joy must be based on truth and reality.

It is not ecstatic joy where we feel like we can take on anything. You can't always dance and sing.
This joy is a deep sense of calm or peace. It is a conviction that whatever God does is right.

2. In Luke 10 vs 17-24 we see the joy of success, the joy of salvation (which is a greater joy) and the joy of the Saviour in His Father.

When struck down we have joy in the fact that our names are written in Heaven. Our confidence is in Him.

God Himself is the greatest reason for joy. He was once our Judge but is now our Father. We may know joy in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Though all may be catastrophic, it is true that we can rejoice.

3.
i) Joy is our strength. What can Satan offer to a joyful Christian? "Now none but Christ can satisfy"

Worldliness is whatever cools your affection for Christ.

Dependence upon drugs, alcohol, etc is a reflection of a deeply unhappy person.

Joy teaches us to say no.

ii) Encouragement to other people. Some Christians refresh, renew, reinvigorate you. There is something of the Lord in them.

iii) It attracts outsiders.

iv) Nothing glorifies God more than a joyful Christian. We have a motive, purpose and reason for existence.

Session 2 - Saturday morning - Pray without ceasing

The Christian life begins with prayer and it continues with prayer. It is a proof of having the Christian life.

Why
Prayer is moulding our will to God's will. We seek a stirring of the heart in prayer where our desires are purified.

We live in a busy, rushing and frantic world but we must take time to contemplate and meditate and reflect upon God.

What
It can't mean constantly verbalising prayer or constantly being in particular postures, places or times.

It's about a spirit of devotion and dependence.

Paul interjects prayer throughout his letters.

When
Private quiet time set aside is very valuable and a daily priority.
Corporate prayer meetings (e.g. in Acts 4) are also very important. They can be meetings with a collective great aim.
God may lay burdens and prayers on our hearts.

How - with what attitude

Reverence: disciplining and controlling distracted thoughts. "Scatter the birds" Be ready and prepared to pray always.

Come confessing your need to be forgiven.

The order is important: He promises, so we pray.

Come with believing hope and trust.

What for

Recommended book: Praying the Saviour's Way by Derek Thomas.

Use the petitions of the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6 to help you.

The discipline of prayer is the most difficult in the Christian life.

Session 3 - Sunday Evening - Giving thanks

See also Philippians 4

This is not giving thanks for everything but in everything. It is thanks for that which is rich and wonderful and it is wonderfully positive and glorious.

Joy, prayer and thankfulness - this is how Jesus lived.

Rejoice in the truth made known to us with a settled disposition of the soul.

Our relationships affect our joy (4v2)
It is very difficult not to be anxious (4v6)
We need prayer.

We cannot live the Christian life without a healthy relationship with God.

We must reflect on God's providence and give thanks.

We must give thanks for the marvellous works of the Lord in salvation and creation.

We must even give thanks in our sufferings as they can soften us, more us more fruitful, gentle, caring accepting of God's will.

God's will for us is joy, prayer and thanksgiving in fellowship with the Trinity.

On addiction to sin

"What made you crash?"

"It's always the same. When you're an addict you can lose it any time, any place, for any reason. They haven't designed a wagon that can hold me. I'm an addict, Bro, plain and simple....Last night it was booze and beer, same tonight, same tomorrow. By the end of the week I'll be doing nastier stuff."

"Do you want to?"

"No, but I know what happens"

This is a conversation between Ray and Forrest, two brothers in the book 'The Summons' by John Grisham. As you may have deduced Forrest is an addict. The previous day he learned of the death of his father and he knows the depths of his addiction that will ensue over the course of the next few days/weeks.

By nature we are all very much like Forrest. However we may not addicted to something well known for its addictive properties such as alcohol, tabacco or drugs, etc. We are addicted to pleasing ourselves.

Looking back over my life in recent times I have started to spot the kind of prompts that make me 'lose it', as Forrest puts it in the conversation. One in particular is lack of sleep. I have found recently that for me "tiredness kills" (as the motorway roadsigns warn us). I've always been the kind of person to think I can just plough on through my tiredness. I tend to think I can stay up later and watch tele when already tired or do whatever it is I may be doing because being more tired tomorrow doesn't matter that much does it?

But it turns out it does matter. It matters spiritually. I find I am more likely to actively and knowingly walk with God when I am regularly in His word and in prayer. So the obvious flip side of that is that when I regularly not reading the Bible and regularly not seeking Him in prayer I am more likely to wander off into temptation unguarded. When I am tired I do not fight temptation so vigorously. When I am tired I do not make Bible study and prayer a priority. I make 'rest' a priority.

On Saturday I went to see the mighty Swansea City defeat Premiership Portsmouth in the FA Cup on their own ground. It was a great day out, spent with some top lads in glorious January weather with fantastic football before us. But I did all the driving in one day. So obviously Sunday I was shattered. In my mind it was well worth it for such a great day out. But let's look at some facts. Did I make time for a quiet time that day? Well I got up as late as possible (6am - we were leaving Swansea at 7) and then got in exhausted at 10.15pm. Has following the Lord been normal, easier or harder since Saturday? Much harder.

I was reading a good friend's prayer letter on Wednesday and in it he talked about 'being deliberate in our discipleship'. I think for me I need to make some of those revolutionary decisions to not put 'a great day out' or a great experience or anything like that before what will most help me follow God.

Also it means making the decision to ensure I get enough sleep each day so I am awake and ready to fight the good fight of faith each and every day.

So if you see me ask me how my sleep is! Cheers

Zechariah: Rebuke & Return

The Lord speaks to rebuke us so that we will return to Him.

The book of Zechariah takes place after the exile. The people have returned but they are now discouraged. 'Zechariah' means the Lord remembers.

Key verse: 1:3 - Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the LORD of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts.

Rebuke

1:4 - the people did not hear

2: 1-2 - What's your spiritual temperature?

7:13 - Cold hearts

14:1 - The Day of the Lord is coming

14:12 - What happens to rebels

Are we sure everything will be alright on that day?

12:10 - they will look on me whom they have pierced
Everyone will see Him

13:7 - Quoted in the NT

11:17 - a rebuke for pastors

7:5 - Was it for me you did this?

Return

We meet the Lord at the cross.

4:10 - an often misquoted verse. We want more!

4:6 - that's the key

10:1 - ask the Lord for rain

9:8 - I will defend my house

9:16 - God will save them

10:6 - 'I will strengthen them'

10:12 - They shall walk in His name

14:9 - The Lord will be King over all

14:21 - No imposters, spies, troublemakers, enemies anymore on that day

Augustine of Hippo "God waited patiently for me to return"

Sort out the big things first

13:1 - There is a fountain filled with blood

Start 2009 by pressing on!

Set the Lord before me

Today I was reading Psalm 16. It's a great Psalm but the verse that jumped out to me the most was verse 8:

I have set the LORD always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

David's assurance that he was doing the right thing was that he set the Lord before him always. This is what I should be doing always. Safe and secure in the knowledge that I am in the centre of the Lord's will.