Foundations October 1, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: John 5-6
Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians: Day 1

Read:  Acts 18:1-17, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 and if your Bible has an Introduction to the letter
of 1 Corinthians, read that as well. In your journal, write down the things that stick out to you from today’s Bible reading. Respond to what God shows you as you feel led (confession, thanksgiving, etc.).

The city of Corinth was a hodgepodge of culture, religion and philosophy. As a wealthy port
city, there was constant traffic as people from all over the place met and mingled there. It
was a pagan society, full of idol worship and steeped in sexual immorality. It was to this city
that Paul had visited on his second missionary journey and introduced many Corinthians to
the gospel (Acts 18).
But there were major issues in the church, as the Corinthian believers were not living out
their calling to be holy children of God, people set apart from the wickedness of the world.
Issues of sexual immorality, division, idolatry and all sorts of confusion prompted Paul to
write this letter to the church. It is full of much rebuke and warning, but it is clear that Paul’s
heart is for the Corinthian church to rise up to her calling of holiness and shine the light of
Christ into a dark and pagan culture.

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1. Even Paul, the great apostle, needed encouragement from the Lord (see Acts 18:9-10)
to continue in the difficult task God had called him to. What difficult task has God called
you to? Ask Him for a word of encouragement today.

2. Even though the Corinthian Christians were struggling in many ways, it is clear that Paul
had great hope for them that they would rise up and stand confidently before the Lord
one day. (1 Cor. 1:4-9) What have you been struggling with for a long time? Tell God
your desire to be able to stand confidently before Him one day, having had victory in this
area. Ask Him for His help and any step of obedience He would have you take towards
victory.

3. Truth be told, our North American culture is just as pagan and immoral as ancient
Corinth. It is important that we intercede for our nation and our community. Ask God how
you can lift up these things in prayer, and then take some time to do this.

Foundations September 30, 2012

Seek God early in the morning

Read:  Psalm 5

Throughout September we have been looking at the many characters from the Bible who were dependent on prayer.  In fact, we can easily conclude that the people who have done the most for God in this world have spent much time on their knees in prayer.  Paul, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and others hungered and thirsted after God with much prayer and fasting.  Even Christ Himself rose early to find time alone to pray.  The problem is that getting up early to pray leaves a person tired!  In fact, many people struggle with getting enough sleep in the first place.  We need God to break any self-indulgent chains that keep us from getting to bed on time and keep us in bed in the morning.  We need Him to rouse desire in our hearts and grow in us the self-discipline it takes to remain faithful in prayer.  The church today needs a generation of people who seek God early in the morning and who prefer Him over late night TV.  It is then that the freshness and fullness of His power may strengthen the church to a new level of holiness and righteousness.  Our laziness towards God is sin; we have become children of the world.  We get as much of God as we seek.  No one will get more of God then that which they pursue. 

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1. What is David’s heart posture before the Lord in today’s Scripture passage?
2. Pray that believers would be awakened to see their lack time in the Word and in prayer as sin and that they would have a desire to grow and change. 
3. Spend some time praying for the Canadian church – that she would understand the importance of prayer and put prayer into action. 
4. Ask the Lord what else He wants to speak to you about today?  Ask Him to show you what else He wants you to pray about today.

Foundations September 29, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: John 3-4

Jesus prayer in Gethsemane

Read:  Luke 22:39-46; Mark 14:32-42; Matt. 26:36-46

The prayer Jesus prayed in Gethsemane is much different from the majestic high priestly prayer we looked at yesterday in which Jesus prayed in calmness and perfect poise.   In Gethsemane, His prayer feels more like a storm, it feels like anguish, gloom, darkness and terror.  Isn’t it reassuring to know that we don’t have to be perfectly poised in prayer all the time!  Think about what Jesus was going through.  The unbearable load of the sin of the world was going to come upon Him.  This bitter cup was being brought to Him for drinking.  His flesh was on the verge of giving out, fainting, trembling.  Gethsemane was Satan’s hour, Satan’s power, Satan’s darkness.  The conflict for the earth was at its peak.  Jesus began to feel deeply distressed and troubled; He was overwhelmed with sorrow, agony and conflict, to the point of death. His trusted friends and confidants were asleep; the demands of the Father were heavy upon Him.  His Father’s voice was silent for alone He must drink the cup, alone He must take God’s fierce wrath upon Himself.  Here we find Christ praying, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matt. 26:39, NIV).  The pressure was so heavy upon Him, so intolerable, that He fell prostrate to the ground and prayed, not against God’s will but in submission to that will.  This is exceptional.  Conformity, to live in simple submission to the Father - that was the life of Christ.  He knelt alone in the garden, fell on His face in agony and dread, cried out for relief and during it all – He submitted to God.  When sorrow is at its heaviest, when grief is at its deepest, we may pray for hours, however, it must be a prayer of submission.  “Not my will, but Thine be done” (Luke 22:42, KJV).

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1. In what ways can you relate to Jesus anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane?
2. What does this passage teach us about submission to God?
3. Ask the Lord to show you an area of your life where He is calling you to submit to a higher standard. 
4. Thank Him for the privilege of giving up our lives, for the honor of submitting to Him. 

Foundations September 28, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: John 1-2

Christ`s High Priestly Prayer

Read: John 17

This prayer of Jesus begins with Him praying for Himself.  He asks that He may be glorified and that His exaltation would bring glory to the Father (vs. 1-5).  His loyalty to the Father can be seen in this prayer.  He prays for His disciples (vs. 6-19), that the Father would protect them and keep them safe and that none of them would be lost.  He prays that they would be protected from the evil one and sanctified by the truth, which is God`s Word.  His desire is not that they be taken out of the world but that they are kept from evil and sin.  He then goes on to pray for all believers (vs. 20-26).  He knows that the disciples will bring a message and many will believe and He sees the importance of all believers being unified as one.  This is His prayer, that the church may be one, just like the Father and the Son are One.  He prays that this unity would testify to the world that He was sent by God and of His love.  Notice how intently Christ`s heart was set on unity.  What a mess the church has made of this.  Division and strife are the devil`s gift to the church, not God`s plan.  Division has left the church weak.  Are we praying for the unity that Christ prayed for?  Jesus closes His life knowing that He finished the work that the Father gave Him to do (vs. 4).  May we find that we can say the same at the end of our lives? 

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1. What things can you learn about prayer from Christ’s prayer in today’s Scripture reading?
2. Go through Christ’s prayer section by section; use each as a model to for your own prayer.  Example: section 1 (vs. 1-5) pray about your life bringing glory to the Father; section 2 (vs. 6-19), pray about protection and that you would be kept from sin, etc.
3. In listening prayer, ask Jesus to show you His heart towards you today – what pleases Him about your life! 

Foundations September 27, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: Luke 23-24

Christ’s Model for Prayer

Read: Matthew 6:5-14; Luke 11:2-4

Jesus gave us a model for prayer which is commonly called the Lord’s Prayer.  In this prayer He gives us a form to follow but it is important to remember that it is only an outline and we are to fill in the blanks. 

Our Father in heaven – We pray directly to God
hallowed be your name – God’s nature is holy
your kingdom come – a desire to see His Kingdom be established on earth
your will be done  - a desire to see God`s will be done
on earth as it is in heaven – when God`s name is hallowed, when His Kingdom comes and His will is done then earth will be like heaven
Give us today our daily bread – we can ask about daily provisions and personal needs

Forgive us our debts – we are expected to confess sin
as we also have forgiven our debtors – we are also expected to forgive others
and lead us not into temptation – we are to pray about resisting temptation, fleeing from sin
but deliver us from the evil one – we are to pray for protection from evil

The elements of this prayer are so simple, so childlike, a marked contrast between the prayer of the Pharisees.  Prayers can be done by the youngest child up to the university graduate. 

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1. Which element of the Lord’s Prayer stands out to you today?
2. Spend some time going through each element of the Lord’s prayer, pray about each item mentioned based on your own needs and walk with God.
3. Pray that you would continue to grow in your prayer life and that you would grow in your passion for prayer.

Foundations September 26, 2012

Gospel Reading Plan: Luke 21-22

Jesus, an example of prayer

Read: The verses that are listed in the text below

The gospel record of the life of Christ only gives us a small glimpse into His busy life, His teaching and His ministry.  Yet many times the Gospels speak of His prayer life.  In the first chapter of Mark, we read that Jesus rose very early, while it was still dark, and went off to a solitary place where He prayed (Mark 1:35).  Jesus’ life was marked by many hours in prayer therefore the wise would conclude that in order to be like Him and live for Him; we too must take prayer seriously and spend much time in prayer.  Luke 3 tells us that He was praying when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him at His baptism (Luke 3:21); He prayed for the little children (Matt. 19:13); He prayed before designating the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12); He cast out demons through prayer (Mark 9:29); He was praying before Peter confessed that He was the Christ (Luke 9:18); He was in prayer when the transfiguration occurred (Luke 9:28-29); it was after He spent time in prayer that the disciples asked Him to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1); and when the time of His crucifixion drew near He strengthened Himself to do His father’s will through prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36). John 17 records this beautiful prayer of intercession, the last recorded prayer before His death and resurrection.  Prayer was of primary importance to Christ, it was a necessity.  It was a priority in His life, His ministry and His teachings.    People often wish to emulate Christ’s healings and miracles, His power over demons and His great teachings.  But how many people wish to emulate Christ’s prayer life?  This will require much cost but remember - there is no glory without sacrifice. 

PRAYER AND MEDITATION

1. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you something that He would like you to learn about prayer from the life of prayer that Jesus modelled. 
2. Ask the Lord to show you how you can apply this to your own personal prayer life.
3. Thank Him for the example that He gave us in Christ.  Pray that God would grow in you a passion for prayer and the desire to commune with Him throughout the day.