Trinity (2)

Conversations that Matter

 
Most of the seats in Starbucks were empty when two team members walked into the family section area. The sexes are separated in this region and so you have sections where the men sit and another disconnected area for families and ladies. A team member approached a lady and asked if she was willing to help answer some questions from a questionnaire related to the topic of honor in this Culture. Other ladies joined in and started an engaged conversation with the team members (a husband and wife.) The topics included prayer, the Trinity, and where they are in their spiritual journeys. This example shows again that the people of this land are curious about our faith.
Will you pray for A & A and the sisters who have now heard parts of the gospel? Pray God will continue to place truth in front of them over and over again.
Please pray for an ongoing relationship with a family of the land. Friendship has been formed and many conversations of faith have been had. The wife has taken home a Bible to read. Please pray that she will read it and as she does the Truth will resonate with her heart. Please pray the whole family will come to faith in Christ.
For "everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, 'How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!' " (Romans 10:14-15)
Please pray the body of Christ will continue to rise up and share the good news in this area of the world. Pray that many friendships with people of the land will be formed and fostered. Pray for the connections with people of peace.
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Listening prayer: Conversing with the "Threeness" of God

  • We must first recognize that every prayer starts with God
  • Our best prayers are simply responding to his call
  • God is one, yet reveals a "threeness" about himeself
  • (male pronouns are not meant to indicate that God has a gender; it is merely a linguistic reference)
  • That "threeness" tells us that:
    • God has always/eternally been in relationship
    • Always been communicating
    • ...in a community (father, Son, Spirit)
    • God speaks AND listens AND responds
    • ...so prayer is a relational activity
  • Ephesians 2:6: We are NOW seated with Christ in heaven
    • (a positional access pass, not a geographic location)
    • So, it makes sense to first listen to the conversation of the "threeness" God:
      1. The Rescuer, Jesus our Savior, interceding on our behalf to the Father
      2. The Alighty, our Creator/Father, listening, eager to grant what our savior requests
      3. The Spirit eavesdropping on the conversation eager to invite us into this discussion (Romans 8: 26-27)
  • Hebrews tell us to come boldly before the throne of grace (4:16)
    • I suggest that boldness is not praying louder but listening better then agreeing with Jesus in our requests to the Father
    • ...In other words, the best praying is when we echo what Jesus presents to the Father
  • So, we must ask-seek-knock:
    1. Ask - it is better to ask the Holy Spirit a question than to first ask him to fix-it, help-me, bless-us
      • Ask, what is Jesus praying and how can I join in that prayer to the father? (Hebrews 7:25)
      • God loves when we connect to all three aspects of the Trinity when we pray
    2. Seek - after we ask a question it is only polite (and wise) to be still, be silent, begin seeking (listening), search scripture and, as we gain discernment, to...
    3. Knock - pray boldly (because we know we are praying the mind of Christ and the heart of God by the leading/filling of the Holy Spirit) ... pray against (knock) any barrier that would hinder "thy kingdom come, thy will be done" in this prayer as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10)

 

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