Episodes
Sunday Feb 24, 2019
Am I Ready to Pray? (Bude, Cornwall, UK)
Sunday Feb 24, 2019
Sunday Feb 24, 2019
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Am I Ready to Pray? (Bude, Cornwall, UK)
INTRODUCTIOIN -- Prayer is: 1) spending time with God – acknowledging God’s presence in all our lives’ activities; and 2) conversation with God – listening to and talking with God. Prayer reflects on our relationship with God. Why don’t we pray. The Apostle James, in James 4:2-3, provides a perspective regarding Prayer Life: “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."
SUNDAY MESSAGE – In James 4:3, we are told: “You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”. As followers of Jesus, we are given the awesome privilege of being able to come before God, the Creator of the Universe, in our prayers. We are given a multitude of alternatives for our prayers that include prayers of "petition" (praying for one's own needs) and prayers of "intercession" (praying for the needs of others). God wants prayers of "petition" from us -- all our needs and concerns should be brought to Him in prayer because He loves and cares for us. However, God want us to, also, focus on others and their needs (intercession) -- physical and spiritual. "Intercessory prayer” is fundamental to deepening our prayer life and our personal relationship with God.
However, we often enter into our prayers unprepared – there is sin in our lives, or our prayers are all about “us”; and we seek “our will” and not “God’s will”. Therefore, we need to learn to “pray rightly”.
To “pray rightly”, we need to consider: “1) Am I “clean” before the Lord – have I confessed the known sins in my life that I have not repented? 2) Am I in “communion with others” – are there people with whom I am not at peace? 3) Am I “confident in God’s Word” – do I believe God’s promises are true? 4) Am I “committed to God’s will” – am I committed to act on and obey God’s answer to my prayers even though His answer is not my desire? 5) Am I “centered in the Holy Spirit” – am I focused and tuned in on the Lord, filtering out the “noise of the world”? and 6) Am I “concerned for God’s Glory” – the ultimate purpose of our prayers is uplifting and glorifying God’s name?”.
Additionally, in both our worship and our prayers: “Are we expecting to encounter God?”.
Remember, Jesus taught us that: 1) God is more ready to answer prayer than we are ready to pray; and 2) we must be persistent in our prayers until we have an answer.
Pray specific prayers, in the Holy Spirit and in Scripture, for ourselves and for others -- be persistent.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21).
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S RECENT VIDEOS: https://awftlvser.podbean.com/.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): James 4:3; Isaiah 59:1-2; 1 John 1:8; Matthew 5:23-24 Matthew 6:14; 1 Peter 3:7; Luke 11:9-13; Jeremiah 33:3; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:7; Hebrews 11:6; 1 Peter 5:7; 1 John 5:14; Psalms 37:4; John 14:23; James 1:5; Romans 8:26-27; John 14:26.
Sunday Feb 17, 2019
Praying with Perseverance (Fowery Parish; Cornwall, UK)
Sunday Feb 17, 2019
Sunday Feb 17, 2019
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Praying with Perseverance (Fowery Parish; Cornwall, UK)
INTRODUCTIOIN -- Prayer is: 1) spending time with God – acknowledging God’s presence in all our lives’ activities; and 2) conversation with God – listening to and talking with God. Prayer reflects on our relationship with God. Why don’t we pray. The Apostle James, in James 4:2-3, provides a perspective regarding Prayer Life: “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."
In praying, we should know the difference between prayers of "petition" (praying for one's own needs) and prayers of "intercession" (praying for the needs of others). God wants prayers of "petition" from us -- all our needs and concerns should be brought to Him in prayer because He loves and cares for us. However, God want us to, also, focus on others and their needs (intercession) -- physical and spiritual. "Intercessory prayer” is fundamental to deepening our prayer life and our personal relationship with God.
SUNDAY MESSAGE – Jesus’ parable, in Luke 18:1-8, is about both faith and prayer. In this text from Luke, Jesus speaks about the power of persistent prayer. In Luke 18:1, Jesus tells us: “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.". In Luke 18:2-3, Jesus is speaking about an “unrighteous judge” who is constantly appealed to, for justice, by a widow. For a while, this judge refused to hear the plea of this widow. However, because the widow was so persistent in her appeal, the judge the Judge hears the widow’s appeal for justice: “For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” (Luke 18:4-5).
In further comment regarding the message of His parable in Luke 18:6-8, Jesus tells us that persistence in both our faith and prayer matters greatly: “And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’".
Additional lessons, that we can learn from this parable, include: 1) God is more ready to answer prayer than we are ready to pray; and 2) we must be persistent in our prayers until we have an answer.
Pray specific prayers, in the Holy Spirit and in Scripture, for ourselves and for others -- be persistent.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. 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 11:13).
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S RECENT VIDEOS: https://awftlvser.podbean.com/.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 18:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; James 1:5; 1 Peter 5:7; Psalms 55:22; Philippians 4:6; Matthew 5:25-34; Luke 11:5-8; Luke 11:10-12; 1 Timothy 2:1,3-4.
Sunday Feb 10, 2019
Sunday Feb 10, 2019
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
INTRODUCTIOIN -- Prayer is: 1) spending time with God – acknowledging God’s presence in all our lives’ activities; and 2) conversation with God – listening to and talking with God. Prayer reflects on our relationship with God. Why don’t we pray. The Apostle James, in James 4:2-3, provides a perspective regarding Prayer Life: “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."
In praying, we should know the difference between prayers of "petition" (praying for one's own needs) and prayers of "intercession" (praying for the needs of others). God wants prayers of "petition" from us -- all our needs and concerns should be brought to Him in prayer because He loves and cares for us. However, God want us to, also, focus on others and their needs (intercession) -- physical and spiritual. "Intercessory prayer” is fundamental to deepening our prayer life and our personal relationship with God.
SUNDAY MESSAGE -- This Sermon is Q and A session on prayer with Archbishop Beach and Rev. Matt Jordan.
Jan Karen, author of the Mitford Series, says that "In the big issues of life as well as the small, God wants to hear from His children . . . the most important thing we get from prayer is the relationship that we enter into with God.". As Jesus tells us in Luke 11:9-10 that, as His followers we are both expected to pray and to ask as a fundamental part of our lives in Him: “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.". Additionally, Luke tells us, in Luke 18:1, that we should continue to pray: “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart."
How do you know that God has answered your prayer? What does it mean when God has not answered your prayer? Why, if God answers our prayers, should we ask for others to pray for us? How do we know if we are praying in the Holy Spirit? Why does my mind start wandering when I start praying? How good is it to have a prayer journal? Why, sometimes, are we tempted to sin when we pray? How important is fasting? Do we stop in our prayers enough to give thanks to the Lord? The common position, derivative of all these questions is expressed to us in Ephesians 3:21b-24 that prayer is life changing and fundamental to a life in Jesus: “the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.".
Pray specific prayers, in the Holy Spirit and in Scripture, for ourselves and for others -- be persistent.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S RECENT VIDEOS: https://awftlvser.podbean.com/.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Jeremiah 33:3; Luke 11:1-13; Luke 18:1-8; Luke 22:44; Ephesians 3:20-24.
Sunday Feb 03, 2019
Sunday Feb 03, 2019
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Prayer is: 1) spending time with God – acknowledging God’s presence in all our lives’ activities; and 2) conversation with God – listening to and talking with God. Prayer reflects on our relationship with God. Why don’t we pray. The Apostle James, in James 4:2-3, provides a perspective regarding your Prayer Life: “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."
In praying, we should know the difference between prayers of "petition" (praying for one's own needs) and prayers of "intercession" (praying for the needs of others). God wants prayers of "petition" from us -- all our needs and concerns should be brought to Him in prayer because He loves and cares for us. However, God want us to, also, focus on others and their needs (intercession) -- physical and spiritual. "Intercessory prayer” is fundamental to deepening our prayer life and our personal relationship with God.
We need to consider "how we listen" to and for God. Usually, God speaks through the Holy Spirit like He spoke to Mary. Jesus tells us about the Holy Spirit and “listening” through the Apostle John in John 16:13-15: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.". God, mostly but not always, uses that "still small voice" in our minds. We need to seek out places and times so that we can listen for and to God. Listening validates relationships in our secular lives -- why would it be different in our relationship with God? God wants to speak to us because we have a relationship with Him -- He loves us and wants to be with us.
God's "Counselor", the Holy Spirit, is His primary communication bridge to us. God speaks to us, through the Holy Spirit, as He promised. God guides us to all truth -- to His direction for our lives. When God speaks to you, write it down, as God tells us through the prophet Habakkuk in Habakkuk 2:2-3: “And the LORD answered me: ‘Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end — it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.’".
God, often, speaks to us through the Bible, through other people, and through our circumstances. As we listen for God, we need to respond to God as Samuel did in Samuel 3:10b: "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.".
Pray specific prayers, in the Holy Spirit and in Scripture, for ourselves and for others -- be persistent.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12f).
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S CURRENT VIDEO: “Prophetic Glimpses of the Coming Messiah” (Third Sunday in Advent; Holy Cross Anglican Cathedral; Loganville, GA), https://www.lightsource.com/ministry/a-word-from-the-lord/
A WORDFROM THE LORD WEBSITE LINK: www.awordfromthelord.org
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Jeremiah 33:3; John 16:7-14; John 10:1-25; Habakkuk 2:1-3; 1 Samuel 3:1-18.