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DR. LUKE ON THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS, PART 2

28/6/2020

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DR. LUKE ON THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS, Part 1

21/6/2020

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James: "Listening to the challenges," Lesson 7

14/6/2020

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The Challenge of Money, Time, and Prayer: James 5

After listening to this week's message, our last one from the book of James, consider these questions for meditation.

MONEY

REFLECT:

How do you handle money?
Do you consider yourself rich, or poor, or somewhere in the middle?
What are the greatest dangers you face around money?
What is God’s invitation to you and money?
What might be a new habit you might practice with money?

EXAMEN:

In quiet attention to God’s loving presence, reflect on the challenges of money.
In gratitude, when have you been strengthened by generosity?
How are you feeling about money?
What is something about money that you can talk to God about?
What is something about money you can look forward to?
Seek God’s guidance, help, and understanding. Pray for generosity.

EXERCISE:

Read and consider Wesley’s idea of handling money.
Prayerfully ask God’s Holy Spirit to speak to you about how you are handling money.

TIME

REFLECT:

What might be some things you are rushing right now?
What areas of your life do you need to just be patient in?
What are some tools that God is making or mending in your life?
What tools have I got now that I didn't have days or years ago?
How is time and experience making you more “real”?
How might God be using time to invite you into something new?
What do I need to say “yes” or “no” to?

EXAMEN:

In quiet attention to God’s loving presence, reflect on challenges of time.
In gratitude, when have you been strengthened by patience?
How are you feeling about time?
What is something about time that you can talk to God about?
What is something about time you can look forward to?
Seek God’s guidance, help, and understanding. Pray for patience.

EXERCISE:

Taking time to write out your time priorities.
Put them into your weekly calendar:
God: prayer, Bible, meditation, fellowship, service, Sabbath.
Spouse, children, friends, neighbours.
Work, learn, rest, play.

PRAYER

REFLECT:

How is your prayer life?
What have been some helpful prayer resources for you?
What kind of God do your prayers show you believe in?
Who has brought you back to right relationship to God?
How might God be inviting you to pray?

EXAMEN:

In quiet attention to God’s loving presence, reflect on the challenges of prayer.
In gratitude, when have you been strengthened by prayer?
How are you feeling about prayer?
What is something about prayer that you can talk to God about?
What is something about prayer you can look forward to?
Seek God’s guidance, help, and understanding. Pray.

EXERCISE:

Spend time just sitting in your heavenly parent’s lap.
Use the acronym “A.C.T.S.” for prayer:
- Adore God in praise.
- Confess your sins and distractions to Him.
- Thank Him for all the truth, love, and goodness that you get to enjoy.
- Ask Him to Supply your needs.
Plan a prayer retreat – for a few hours, a day, or longer.
Pray the Psalms.
Use fasting (from food, or your phone, or TV, or whatever) to concentrate on prayer.

ALL QUESTIONS FROM: Prette, Dr. James A. Listening to the Challenges: A Devotional Commentary on the New Testament Letter of James. Kindle Edition. Used with permission.

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James: "Listening to the challenges," Lesson 6

7/6/2020

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The Challenge of Desires and Security: James 4:1-17

Part 6 of our series through the book of James. After listening to the sermon, take some time to reflect over the following questions:

DESIRES

REFLECT:

Who do you conflict with the most?
How might God be jealous of your affections right now?
When have you experienced judgment?
When have you judged others?
When has someone’s opinion let you down?

EXAMEN:

In quiet attention to God’s loving presence, reflect on the challenges of desires.
In gratitude, when have you been strengthened by grace and truth?
How are you feeling about desires?
What is something about desires that you can talk to God about?
What is something about desires you can look forward to?
Seek God’s guidance, help, and understanding. Pray for grace and truth.

EXERCISE:

Consider Jesus’s question: “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51)
Make a list of your desires. Look at the list and consider:
1. How many of these desires are for things?
2. How many are for personal pleasure, power, or achievements?
3. How many are for a change of circumstances?
4. How many are for character development?
Read Psalm 103, 145, and 37 Spend time praying for God’s Holy Spirit to guide you into desiring God’s priorities.

SECURITY

REFLECT:

When has it felt like God has “let you down”?
What do you have control over in your life?
When has God lifted you up?
What is your confidence in?
What does your life glorify?
How might you need to “reset” your attitudes?
What has disappeared from your life like a puff of smoke?

EXAMEN:

In quiet attention to God’s loving presence, reflect on the challenges of security.
In gratitude, when have you been strengthened by trust?
How are you feeling about security?
What is something about security that you can talk to God about?
What is something about security you can look forward to?
Seek God’s guidance, help, and understanding. Pray for trust.

EXERCISE:

List the things that give you a sense of security.
Imagine each one being in God’s strong hands
Pray for each one and say, “Your will be done.”

ALL QUESTIONS FROM: Prette, Dr. James A.. Listening to the Challenges: A Devotional Commentary on the New Testament Letter of James. Kindle Edition. Used with permission.

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JAMES: “LISTENING TO THE CHALLENGES,” LESSON 5

1/6/2020

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THE CHALLENGE OF words and wisdom: JAMES 3:1-18

Part 5 of our series through the book of James. After listening to the sermon, take some time to reflect over the following questions:

WORDS

REFLECT:

Who are the trustworthy teachers you know?
What are you listening to?
What does your speech say about you?
What “good words” are you giving your neighbours?
When have you words gotten you into trouble?
When have you experienced the spark of bad words causing a fire?

EXAMEN:

In quiet attention to God’s loving presence, reflect on the challenge of words.
In gratitude, when have you been strengthened by words?
How are you feeling about words?
What is something about words that you can talk to God about?
What is something about words you can look forward to?
Seek God’s guidance, help, and understanding.
Pray about your words.

EXERCISE:

Bring your Bible, a notebook and a pen to church.
Make notes on the sermon.
Intentionally say good words to the important people in your life.
Make note of the effects of good words said to people.

WISDOM

REFLECT:

When have you encountered true wisdom?
When have you experienced bitterness?
When have you experienced strife?
Have you made peace with God?
In what circumstances is it hardest for you to be “wise”?

EXAMEN:

In quiet attention to God’s loving presence, reflect on the challenges of wisdom.
In gratitude, when have you been strengthened by wisdom?
How are you feeling about wisdom?
What is something about wisdom that you can talk to God about?
What is something about wisdom you can look forward to?
Seek God’s guidance, help, and understanding. Pray for wisdom.

EXERCISE:

Consider the eight characteristics of wisdom (James 3:17): Purity, Peace, Gentleness, Reason, Mercy, Goodness, Impartiality

Sincerity

Think of an issue in your life where there is bitterness and strife.
Imagine Jesus addressing this issue with each of these characteristics of wisdom.
What differences does “wisdom” bring to that issue? Repeat!

ALL QUESTIONS FROM: Prette, Dr. James A.. Listening to the Challenges: A Devotional Commentary on the New Testament Letter of James. Kindle Edition. Used with permission.

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DR. LUKE ON THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS, PART 2

DR. LUKE ON THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS, Part 1

James: "Listening to the challenges," Lesson 7

The Challenge of Money, Time, and Prayer: James 5

James: "Listening to the challenges," Lesson 6

The Challenge of Desires and Security: James 4:1-17

JAMES: “LISTENING TO THE CHALLENGES,” LESSON 5

THE CHALLENGE OF words and wisdom: JAMES 3:1-18

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