Do you have enemies?

Here’s a great verse to help you pray for your enemies

Psalm 35:13 “But as for me when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I humbled my soul with fasting and my prayer returned into my own bosom”

Praying for people you do not like, or people who hate you is not the most inspirational thing to do – I must admit. But there is great benefit in doing so.

David is saying here that his prayers did not benefit his enemies due to their sin and rebelliousness toward God. Yet God rewarded him for his prayers and for showing mercy and grace toward them in their time of trouble. (“my prayer returned into my own bosom”)

David fasted and prayed for his enemies. He showed compassion toward them.
In vs 14, He treated his enemy as friend. He returned good for evil, as he would to his own brother or mother. What a great heart!

Jesus said ‘turn the other cheek’ . In Matthew 5:44 he said: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. He not only taught it, he lived it.

On the cross he prayed “Father forgive them for they do not know what they do“

I gotta pray more of these type prayers!!

Conversation with a 3 year old

My little Louise woke up this morning and came rushing into my study with such urgency. She wanted me to ring God. The conversation went something like this

Louise: Dad can we ring God
Dad: Why
Louise: I want to speak to him
Dad: What do you wanna say to God
Louise: I want to tell him that Jesus needs a balloon
Dad: A balloon, what for?
Louise: Because he forgot his balloon on Sunday
Dad: Where?
Louise:  At his house
Dad: Where is Jesus house?
Louise: The church

………..my heart starting to melt at this point………….

Louise: Dad can we ring God now………….please………..
Dad: Sweetie God does not have a phone number
Louise: Im sure we can call him…..

Dad: What do you want to say to God
Louise: I want to tell him to give Jesus another balloon coz he forgot his one

Louise: Dad, can God blow a balloons….can he blow a green one for Jesus…….

…………..dad is speechless at this point…  I gave her the phone…. I reached for my camera…………after a few seconds she handed back the phone.

Dad: What did God say?

Louise: He is not talking? (sad face)

Dad: How come?

Louise: He’s sick, he’s got a sore throat like Canaan (her brother)….. I will talk to him again next time. may be on his birthday

Dad: When is that?

Louise: Next month….

BIG Weekend @ LifeChurch

This Weekend we kick off a new series called ‘One Prayer’. We will be looking at the attributes of God. Basicly getting to know God more, who he is!! Did you know that 1665 other churches around the world will be doing the same series at the same time?? That is incredible!! Its the Kingdom of God!

LifeChurch Folks this Sunday is also ‘Bring  a Friend Sunday’. There’s plenty of seats in the theatre and I am sure your friemds and families will appreciate your invitation to join us this weekend. We have been praying for you and your friends, our Intercessory prayer team have been praying for your friends.

Give them an opportunity to hear about God and why you are so passionate about him.

This weekend also we will be hearing from Tai Simati. You don’t wanna miss her story!! For those who don’t know Tai,… She is a young teenage mother who lost her only child in a house fire Jan 2009. Since then Tai has made a journey toward God ………………………You need to hear it for yourself!!! Powerful stuff!!

We will also be hearing from the SWITCH Leadership Boot Camp Recruits!!

I also have a big announcement to make this Sunday about whats coming up!!!

So make those connections now!!! I look forward to seeing you this weekend!

Global Day of Prayer this SUNDAY

Being Real 1 – Accountability

Being Real with yourself and with God.

This is the list from my message on Sunday. Our church folks have been working through this list in their lifegroups this week.

Take the challenge and rate yourself and see how authentic you are in these disciplines.

These areas are vitally important in our spiritual growth. After rating yourself, make a list of all the 1’s and the 2’s and start tackling them one by one. Find an accountability partner and ask him/her to help you, move from 1 or 2 to 3.  Its called discipleship. An accountability partner will add fuel to the process. Do it together.  You can be his or her accountability partner too. Admission is the first step to freedom in God. Don’t let that 1 or 2 hold you back from reaching your potential in God.

Rate yourself   1 – Need a lot of work,  2 – average   3 – Good

•1)      Money:

Are you a good steward of what God has given you?

Are you in debt? How bad?

Are you giving to God through tithes and offerings?

Are you giving to others in need?

 

•2)      Moral:

Are you morally pure?

Are you having sex outside of marriage?

Are you in an adulterous relationship?

Are you messing with pornography?

Websites you visit?

Email & Text messages. ?

 

•3)      Prayer

When was the last time you prayed?

Do you pray only when you are desperate or do you pray regularly?

Do you pray for other people?

 

•4)      Word of God

Do you read the Bible every day?

Do you study the scriptures?

Is it the final authority?

Do you practice its contents?

 

•5)      Devotional Time

How often do you have devotional time?

Is it a 1 minute, 5 minutes or longer?

 

•6)      Witnessing

How often do you talk to people about God?

Have you shared your testimony of how you came to the Lord with someone?

Have you led someone to the Lord recently?

 

•7)      Fellowship

How often do you fellowship with other christians?

How often do you attend life group?

 

•8)      Worship

How regular is your attendance on Sunday services?

Do you consider yourself a passionate or a passive worshipper?

 

•9)      Serve

Are you using your gifts and talents for the good of others?

How much of your time is dedicated to voluntary work?

 

•10)   Family

How much time is set aside for spouse and children?

Are you a Violent and Abusive person at home?

Do you model the love of Christ at home?

Do you teach one thing and practice the opposite?

Do you practice hospitality often?

What do you pray for?

Do you find yourself praying almost the same prayers over and over again?

Here are some of the things I find myself praying for almost everyday:

I pray for wisdom, vision, courage, faith, and passion.

I pray for my wife and children. (Habit: I lay hands on them while they are asleep).

I pray for our church family that each person will grow in God, find joy in serving Him, purpose in life and success in what they do and recently – Protection.

I pray for our City and particulalrly Manurewa. I pray for transformation and Salvation.

I pray for the Body of Christ and other pastors ( Habit: I pray God blessing on every church I go pass, especially in Manurewa)

I pray a lot of ‘blessing’ type prayers. (I guess it’s what most pastors are asked to do)

2 Timothy 1:3  -  I pray for you every day, and many times during the long nights I beg my God to bless you richly.

Intercessory Prayer

 

One of the best advice I received from Pastor Tavale Mataia 5 years ago was “make sure you have praying intercessors instead of talking prayer meeting attenders”.

I’ve had some feedback on whats been happening at the intercessors prayer room on Wednesday nights. Wow….!! You guys are doing a fantastic work, labouring in the engine room.

As a pastor I so value your prayers for my family and our church…  

I said to our Intercessor Leader Salome Mitchell that this year we are going to ‘turn the heat up’ in our prayer. I used this list this morning in my prayer time and I want to share it with you so we can all ‘turn the heat up’

OUR CHURCH

Pastors Lui, Ane and family
Core Leaders & Ministry Team Leaders and their families
LifeGroups
Volunteers
LifeKids
SWITCH
Mission in Manurewa
Fill Every Seat
Increase
Greater Things

OUR NATION

Prime Minister
Cabinet & MPs
Mayor Len Brown
Councilors

OUR COMMUNITY

Manukau City
Local businesses
Body of Christ
Schools
Neighborhoods
Lost and hurting people that need Jesus

OUR FAMILIES

Healthy & Godly marriages
Children
Extended family

YOURSELF

Witness
Relationships
Business
Service
Personal Growth
Godly Character
Future

Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”