Sunday 23 November 2014

Notes for organising and leading a Quiet Morning

I wrote this a while ago, words and plans while contemplating our quiet morning in June 2013

Just seen these hugely creative and exciting ideas for praying with children at flamecreativekids.  Soooo excited!  Want to try them in school, in home group, ..... no limit!

Programme for the day: Welcome:

Listening to God: God's voice, Satan's voice.

Theme: Love God, love your neighbour
            Love God: Relationship with God - train journey cartoon - identify self at different life stages. Where am I now? Where would I like to be?

Do you need to forgive yourself?

"Today I will remember that my failure to forgive myself is a prideful choice to not receive your grace.

If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone. The new is here! — 2 Corinthians 5:17

What can we learn about forgiveness from one of the greatest saints in Christian history, who began as one of its greatest persecutors—Saul of Tarsus, who became Paul the apostle? We read in Acts 8:3 that, “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.” It was Saul’s intent to destroy the church—until, as he traveled the road to Damascus to continue his murderous work there, he met the living Christ.


“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” was Jesus’ very direct question (Acts 9:4), and that question made no sense. As far as Saul was concerned, he wasn't persecuting God but was defending true Judaism. Imagine the shock as Saul recognized his actions for what they were: his misguided killings, the ripple effect on devastated families, and his affront to the Lord of the universe. Imagine the struggle to receive God’s forgiveness and to forgive himself . . . .


Paul did receive God’s forgiveness and went on to preach powerful sermons—teachings we still read today—about the gift of forgiveness available to all because of Jesus’ death on the cross. This forgiveness is a powerful weapon that overcomes the evil in this world and brings healing to our wounded souls, but we must reach out and accept it.


To say that we don’t deserve forgiveness is to make our sin more powerful than the blood of Christ. And since God forgives us, we must forgive ourselves.


When we refuse, we have made the court of our opinion more powerful than the court of our holy and just God. It must seriously wound the heart of our Father when we will not accept the gift he has given us, the gift of forgiveness that cost him so dearly. After all, our sin was covered by the lifeblood of the Lamb.


Prayer for forgiveness:


God of the impossible, you got the attention of murderous Saul, changed his heart, and made him a powerful voice for your gospel truth. You also got my attention, and I thank you for the grace of being able to acknowledge Jesus as my Savior and Lord and you as my Father. I ask for the grace to live in the freedom of your forgiveness and love.


Your turn:


What impact does the account of Paul’s conversion have on your understanding of forgiveness? Explain why our inability to forgive ourselves reflects an attitude of pride.

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Leave a comment about this devotional or answer Sheila Walsh's questions on our blog"

            Love your neighbour: Relationship with others. How do we nurture our relationships? Why do relationship problems happen? Do you know why you don't get on with this or that person? What could you do about it? Are you a stuffer or an exploder?  (Lysa Terkeust Unglued) Forgiveness - what's stopping you? Carefronting.  Repent of unforgiveness. Reject false guilt - listen to God's voice, not Satan's voice (small picture resource)
'Envelope' exercise - Jesus inside me inside Jesus inside God


Philippians 2:5-8 New International Version
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

From Tricia Goyer via Good Morning Girls
"Many of us don’t understand what forgiveness is all about. It’s not forgetting or dismissing the impact of a wrong. It’s choosing not to let that wrong dominate the future of your life and relationships. Forgiveness is “giving” the infraction to God. It’s as if we’re saying, “Here You go, Father; this is no longer my concern. Please take care of the matter in Your wisdom and according to Your will.”
The price of forgiveness is letting go of the need to receive an apology or repayment for a wrong. If you hold on to either as a precondition of forgiveness, you’ll never have an unhindered heart.
You may understand all this, but inside you still may be fighting it: “I know it’s what I’m supposed to do, but I can’t do it in my own strength.” The good news is God doesn’t ask you to. Instead, He asks that you simply share your desire to forgive, and surrender to Him your unwillingness to forgive.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
What happens when we ask God to make forgiveness possible in us? The reward is a heart freed of bitterness. There is also the potential of restored relationship and new hope and joy for the future! What could be better than that?
In the encouraging words sent to me recently by a friend, “The one who apologizes first is the bravest. The one who forgives first is the strongest. The one who forgets first is the happiest.”
There is never a good reason to forfeit peace and freedom to an unforgiving heart. Will you turn to God today to help you be a brave, strong, and happy family leader? He wants nothing more than that."
Timetable
Arrive 9.15
Start 9.30 15 minute introduction: 9.45 - 10.45 quiet time alone
10.45 - 11. 15 coffee
11.15 - 11.30 15 minute talk 11.30 - 12.30 quiet time alone
12.30 feedback and worship/prayer?
12.45 depart

Toilets
Talking - only at coffee time!

However, if you find that you don't want to stop your quiet time, don't feel you have to stick to the schedule - especially after our second session when we close. You are free to take the rest of the day to suit yourself - the coffee shop is open for lunch.


Prayer

FIRST, Martha and Mary. from Jen at Good Morning Girls on April 5th, studying Luke 10:

"I am an introvert through and through. Meeting new people is torture, I get cold sweats, my mind goes blank and I can barely remember my own name let alone hold a conversation. Having people over for dinner takes my people phobia to another level. Anxiety kicks in and I spend hours cleaning and preparing so that everything is “just so” when my guests arrive. If I had it my way I would spend my time serving my guests and then spend the rest of the evening cleaning up the kitchen instead of making conversation. But, what I am learning is that nobody cares if the house is in perfect order and that the point of hanging out with friends is to share life together. To talk about things that are going on in each others lives, to encourage and pray together. It’s about having fellowship. So when we come to the well known and well loved story of Mary and Martha I can understand Martha’s concerns. Let’s start at the beginning.

Jesus came to Bethany, visiting the house of Mary and Martha. Martha was hospitable, inviting Jesus and his followers into her home and immediately she gets to work preparing a great meal. Contrary to what some might believe, Mary did not shirk all of her kitchen duties, but after helping Martha for a while Mary boldly joined the men and, sitting at the feet of Jesus, listened to his teaching.

In the days of Jesus a home was divided into different domains. The “kitchen” was the domain of the women while the area where people ate and hung out was the domain of the men. Men and women, typically, did not hang out together.

As you can imagine, Martha gets a bit annoyed. First of all, Mary has left her to serve alone. Second, Mary sat with the men. And third, she scandalously took the posture of a disciple which, culturally, was set apart for men only. In Martha’s eyes these are three big no-no’s.

It is at this point that Jesus speaks. After hearing Martha vent, Jesus speaks words of correction. He did not rebuke her for being domestic. Actually we can commend Martha for the care she shows regarding her household affairs and for the respect she shows her guests by wanting everything to be done well. But it is these good things that distract and overwhelm her.

“But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42).

Jesus loves Martha and he kindly and gently shows her that while the things she has been doing are good, there is something even better. Something that is of much more eternal valuable than preparing a Martha Stewart worthy meal.

Mary realized this. She wasn’t lazy or uncaring. Jesus never rebuked Mary for leaving her sister. Most likely she helped prepare the meal and everything else that was necessary. But she then chose to boldly join the men and become a disciple of Jesus.

As a quick aside, a disciple was an apprentice—a person who was learning a way of life. “The first lesson of Christian discipleship is to sit under the Lord Jesus and learn from Him.” (Frank Viola, God’s Favorite Place on Earth)

This is what Mary chose to do–to soak in all that Jesus had to say.

Have we learned the lesson that Mary learned? Are our eyes open to the things that are of most importance? Do we seek Christ first?

We all have areas in which we are to serve the Lord. If you are married then your main ministry is toward your husband. If you have children then correcting, training in righteousness and showing them the beauty of Christ is another ministry you have. Many of us are active in our churches and communities. But the busier we are the easier it is to push Jesus aside, roll up our sleeves and try to serve according to our own will and with our own energy. Eventually we end up overwhelmed, with rattled nerves, emotional, worn out, distracted, frustrated, exhibiting bad attitudes and ready to quit.

We must learn to say with Paul that, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ (Phil 3:8)

The question is not “are you a Martha or a Mary”? The question is, have you, like Mary, seen the supremacy of Jesus, and placed everything in subjection to him?

I like to think that Martha learned what Mary already knew and that she ended up joining Jesus and the others for a sweet time of fellowship and teaching. But I don’t know. My hope is that we will labor where Christ calls us to labor (in the grace and strength he provides), while seeing the priority and privilege of listening to and learning from the Savior."

Coming here this morning, you probably have a huge 'to do' list still in your head. Not just your own tasks, either, but possibly your list for your husband, or your children, or.... You probably feel more like Martha than Mary. Yet you are HERE. You have chosen Mary's part, to come and sit at Jesus' feet for a while. To listen. To learn from him.

Soon, we will have time to do that. To be quiet. I encourage you to write down the thoughts and impressions that you have - there are paper and pencils available if you would like to do so.
Listen to the song we will play on the CD and, when you are ready, if you wish you may go down to the lounges or wander outside in the grounds. We will meet back here at 10.45 for coffee for half an hour and then come together for a brief time.