Part 6 | The hour that changed the world

Spiritual Formation Training Wednesday 12th August Opening Discussion Have your routines, rhythms changed/been helped by the training over the past 6 months? If not, what have been the barriers? If so, how have they changed, what has been the impact? Introduction Bruce Murray says “Prayer is simple and profound, natural and difficult, spontaneous and structured, wordy and silent, vibrant and arid, individual and communal, self-directed and Goddirected, sporadic and continuous, fruitful and barren, delightful and distasteful … a magnetic and mysterious practice, in which we can grow as long as we live and remain beginners……….we pray to the God whom Jesus reveals who is a personal, holy, loving God who invites us into intimate spiritual relationship which impacts every aspect of our lives and changes us deeply. It’s not a relationship we can simply gain information about, opt into and then manage as we wish. It is given to us as we gratefully and humbly respond to God’s invitation on God’s terms….coming to him as His children………confident that the response they will receive will be one of generous goodness, can come to them in a simple, natural, honest and trusting manner, and speak openly.” The Hour that Changed the World This evening we are going to put this into practice using Dick Eastman’s book ‘The Hour that Changed the World’ who suggests dividing an hour into 12 periods of 5 minutes. 1.) Praise and Worship is an expression of admiration and devotion to God Psalm 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be glory, because of your love and faithfulness. - Worship God for who is, His Name, His righteousness, love, holiness, greatness, faithfulness. - Take time to praise the Father, Son and Spirit individually Pray out the different names for God - What he has done - What he is doing in sustaining His Creation. Page 1 of 5 2.) Waiting on the Lord, is an act of surrender to, and of love and admiration for God (Often wordless worship) Psalm 46:11 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” - A time of silence before God Enter into his presence Direct ourselves towards Him Rejoice in his presence Think of God the Father, God the Son (as our redeemer) and God the Holy Spirit (our perfecter) 3) Confession of sin and humiliation is an act of admitting my sinfulness to God and of cleansing me as the Temple of God, allowing me entrance into His presence. Isaiah 59:1-2 “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt.” - A time to admit our wrongs and seek and accept the forgiveness that comes from Jesus. - Try addressing God as…'O lord who sits not the throne of Grace’; ‘O one who justified me’; ‘Lord who takes away all my sin’; ‘O God who is faithful to forgive’ - Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal unconfessed sins. - When confessing sins it is not about asking God to change our circumstance but that he will change and forgive me. 4.) Praying Scripture is to feed myself spiritually and to pray according to God’s agenda and revelation. - Praying God’s promises to Him creates Fatih in our hearts. - It helps us obey His word. - Try addressing God as ‘Revealer of Truth’; ‘O Lord, whose promises are true and right’; ‘O Lord, who speaks to me’ - During this time ask God; Lord what promises can I claim, what commands must I obey, what warnings must I pay attention to? You may have your own scripture that comes to mind to pray through, but if not, pray through: John 15:1-14 The Vine and the Branches 15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you Page 2 of 5 remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other. 5.) Watching is a time of spiritual observation (perception), to be on the look-out, to be spiritually aware of matters to pray for. Colossians 4:2 ‘Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful’. - A time to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to show the plans, methods and strongholds and strategies of the evil one. - Try addressing God as ‘O Lord who directs my path’; ‘Great God, who shines a light for me to - follow’; ‘Sovereign Lord who knows before I even ask’ Be alert to any prompting of the Lord. To be mindful of any revelation from God. To ask for discernment and to know what your priorities are. To understand the will of God Are there any things that the newspapers, radio, TV lead us to pray for e.g. major events, political unrest etc. 6.) Intercession is to pray for others, to concentrate on the needs and distress of other people, to stand in the gap for someone else. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. - To stand between God and other people and pray for their needs - to ask for mercy and grace. - Try addressing God as ‘O Lord who brings me peace’; ‘Abba, Father’ - When we intercede for someone we are standing at God’s side and you work with Him for the salvation or benefit of someone else. 7.) Petition for your personal needs. Matthew 6:11 Give us today our daily bread; Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. Page 3 of 5 - Bring our own distress, emotions, crisis situations, needs and desires before God. We can pray expectantly for even the smallest of needs. Watch out for selfish motives. Try addressing God as ‘Giver on my daily bread’; ‘my great God of highest heaven who hears and delights in answering my prayers’ 8.) Thanksgiving is a time to acknowledge our appreciation to the Lord for His care and protection and for who He is. 1 Thessalonians 5:18.Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus. - Thank God for his care for you this very day and his provision for you and others; for answered prayer and for His blessings towards you. - Try addressing God as ‘Great God who abundantly provides for all my needs’ 9.) Song is melodious praise and worship Psalm 100: Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture, Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. - Sing a song of praise to the Lord, or sing/read a Psalm - This is an act of worship and praise to God with spiritual song. 10.) Meditation means to reflect upon or examine a matter more closely and to evaluate it spiritually. Psalm 1:1-2 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. - Take a specific theme of scripture and mediate on it (righteousness - Psalm 119:137; Psalm 48:10; Psalm 145:17; Rom 3:9-20, love - 1 John 4:7-8; 2 Chronicles 6:14; Romans 8:31-32; Psalm 36:7 Gal 2:20) , truth - Is 65:16; Is 10:10; John 3:33; John 7:28; John 8:26; John 17:17; 1 John 5:20, peace John 14:27; John 16:33; Phil 4:67; Num 6:26 — , holiness 1 Peter 1:16; Psalm 22:3; Is 6:3; John 17:11; Psalm 15:1). - Take a portion of scripture and meditate on it. - Make God the mean focus of your mediation; His works, His word, His character. e.g.Other helpful scriptures: 2 Cor 5:21, Gen 39:20-21, Psalm 103:13-14, John 10:28-29, Rom 5:8; 1 Cor 13:1; 2 Peter 2:9;, 1 John 4:7-21. 11.) Listening is a period in which you receive instruction from the Lord and ask Him to reveal to you the things that He wants you to notice and pay attention to. Ecclesiastes 5:2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. Page 4 of 5 - Ask the Lord “What do you expect me to do? What is Your will for me today? Receive guidance from His word We want to learnt more from God. Wait on His love. 12.) Worship is to exalt and glorify God. To tell Him that you know who He is and to who you are praying and that you trust Him with your supplications. Matthew 6:13 for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. - Let your Amen be strong at the end and confirm that you believe that God has heard you and will answer you. - Try addressing God as ‘My God who hears my prayers’; ‘My King, who has the power to do all things’ - This is the final act of putting God on the throne of your life declaring Matthew 6:13. Page 5 of 5