I’ve really been enjoying doing this together with everyone that has been participating. It’s been incredible and I think it will be something that will continue to help us change and grow.
So today I want to try something different. Being Sunday, I want you guys to (1)summarize at least one, but up to three or four things you learned in Connection Group, Church and/or Sunday Night service in the comments. I’d also like you to (2) talk about how it needs to apply to YOUR life. Be specific!
We’ll see how this goes! 🙂
Study the Scriptures with Ben Jennings 
1. The first thing i learned was in Sunday school, & Tim made a point they we should always be praying to God! Not to where we have our heads bowed and eyes closed all the time,, but to where when we make decisions to keep Him in our minds and base out decisions off what He would want us to do! Like always keeping in contact with God 🙂
2. In service today i learned that the first step to becoming a more loving person is to forgive your enemies. This is something i have a hard time with, and im not sure why. I am sometimes begging God for forgiveness (even though He already has forgiven me) and yet i can’t even forgive someone who’s hurt me? All i do is hurt God by sinning yet He forgives me.. Why can’t i? That definitley makes me think a lot about the way i act!
This can all apply to my life because i know i need to always be in constant prayer with God. Talking to God is so fascinating! Hes the creator of the universe and im able to talk to Him about verything! Its so neat! Forgiving is also something huge that i need to do more often!
You know what is crazy? Today I went to my wife’s home church where she grew up in Boise, Idaho- and the pastor spoke on the same passage of Scripture! It was so cool! I was like- @H2O they are learning the same passage today. Anyway- Here are a couple of statements that Pastor Love said (yes that is name. Great name for a pastor 🙂 ).
So Pastor Jeff talked about how the Bible says in Ephesians 6 that we should be praying always and he made this statement…
“Often we quit praying because our prayers are way too small. We should pray some things that only God could do.”
I think this was an incredible statement. We ought to pay BIG HUGE GIGANTIC prayers…things that show our authentic faith {<—see there it is 🙂 } in God!
These were his 3 points from the passage and a key statement that he said within each point. I thought they were really thought provoking.
1. Prayer is more than what we do, prayer becomes who we are.
"You can tell you are maturing in Christ when prayer flows out of who we are rather than a activity we do."
2. Prayer is more than talking to God during a crisis, it is about alignment.
When I pray, I'm not trying to change God. God is trying to change me.
"Don't you want something to happen to you that only God can do."
3. Prayer is more than asking for physical needs.
"If you had a pie chart, what percentage of your prayers would be about your physical needs and the needs of those around you?"
Application:
So today's message really convicted me about this area of my life. Here's how it applied to me…
Last night we went to the Meridian Speedway to check out the "Eve of Destruction." It was awesome. They were destroying cars. They had a race where the cars dragged boats (not on trailers) behind the other cars. The point of the race was to destroy other boats without having your boats destroyed. They did all kinds of stuff like that and it was awesome.
While we were at the races there was a guy sitting near us who was tattooed all over with a black hat on. He had a weird Jesus-as-a-green-alien tattoo. The more beer he had, the more bold and annoying he became. He used foul language and gestures. To tell you the truth, I saw myself as better than him and annoyed by him.
After hearing today's message though I realized something. If I was where that guy seemed to be in his attitude and demeanor, but knowing what I know now, wouldn't I want someone praying for me? I didn't even think to pray for that guy. How horrible is that?
My prayers for Tatoo-man should be prayers for his spiritual condition. So today during the invitation/worship/reflection time of the service, I took some time to pray for the tattoo guy with the black hat. I prayed that he would be able to meet the real Jesus-not the one on his shoulder. I prayed that if he didn't know Jesus, that someone in his life could speak truth to him. I may never know on this side of heaven if God answered my prayer, but I know God worked in my life through it. My first response should be to pray, rather than judge.
Thats so awesome! About the tattoo guy- i do that all the time! I form my opinion on people and most of the time it isnt good. & i dont even pray about them a lot of the time, even though they need it most! Like you said, if i were in the position of that guy i would want someone to pray for me. Prayer should definitley become our lifestyle, to where we talk to God all the time and it becomes natural 🙂
I’ve learned so many things today, it’s crazy! First off in connection groups I learned how important it truly is to be in constant “prayer” with God! (Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perserverance and supplication for all saints; – Ephesians 6:18) This verse really stuck out to me this morning. I need to be in communication with God all the time, and that doesn’t only mean in prayer, but in my thoughts as well. To think about what God would have us to do each day, or if God would be ok with the decisions we make. To perservere and not give up. To pray for others and not just ourselves. We need to pray for our brothers and sister in Christ, because WE all need prayer! We all need to have each others backs because we all make mistakes and struggle. Prayer is so important when in comes to our relationship with God!
In service this morning Pastor talked about beacoming a loving person. He talked about two misconceptions of love: that love is a feeling and that love is uncontrollable. Love is a matter of choice and of conduct. Love is controllable! It’s not just something that is out of your hands. It’s your CHOICE! Forgivness is also in order for you to become a loving person. If you have hatred in your heart towards someone, it is pretty hard to love them. We need to forgive them and hand the pain to God, let Him take it off our hands so we can be a loving person! I think that is so true. I know when I had hatred in my heart because I was refusing to let what someone did to me go, that it was impossible for me to be a loving person to them and sometimes even to others. I was so negative… Until, I forgave that person and realized it’s not worth the suffering, but to forgive and trust God that everything would be ok. It’s so true that once you forgive someone, you can start to become a more loving person! 🙂
I learned a lot tonight in the new two week series Corey started tonight, Corey talked all about, “What is truth?” He was telling the difference between the actual truth and true[ish]. I learned that a lot of people believe that the “truth” that they believe is the real deal, but in reality, it’s a misconception. I learned, what you believe determines how you behave and that truth is not just a what but a who! Very important stuff!!! Great day at Sonshine 🙂
It’s pretty cool what you can learn if your attitude is one of wanting to grow and be teachable. You guys that have been faithfully doing your devos with me are an encouragement because it seems like you really want to grow and learn. So cool!
What I learned tonight in the service is that it’s very hard to determine what is true and what is true[ish]! Corey was saying that satan takes the truth and bends it just a little bit so instead of being true, it’s true[ish]. & Sometimes something that looks true on the outside is really lies on the inside! A lot of times it’s hard for me to tell the difference between the truth and truth[ish] because it’s so easy to confuse them, but Corey also said we have one thing that is for sure true! And that’s the Bible! 😀 As an “experience” of life changing truth, you have the responsibility and at the very least a command to help others experience the same truth that will impact their lives!
Sound like I would have liked Corey’s message. Glad you liked it!