How does God guide us…?

Hi folks, this week we meet at another new venue, The Border Terrier

http://www.borderterriercullercoats.co.uk/index

This weeks reflection comes from Glenn as we continue on our journey through the Alpha themes, this week it’s how does God guide us?

Does anyone remember A-Z maps? Can you still buy them – I have no idea. For the kids, this is what we used before Google Maps was invented. They were accurate street maps, great for when you needed to venture into unknown towns and citys. Really handy unless the street you wanted was in the fold of the centre of the book, or your journey covered more than one page – useless for driving if you didn’t have a co-pilot (interesting fact, fact-fans, first ones were drawn by hand by the cartographers walking around the streets – they walked the road you had to travel, there’s probably a sermon in that).  I do like maps though. When you use a map, you have to plan your journey, know what turns or junctions to look out for, which roads you will be on, take notice of your surroundings. You understand your route, but, maps do go out of date.

If you are getting bored – scroll to the bottom for the questions.

I also have a sat-nav, brilliant bits of kit, especially once you get off the motorways and into the maze of town and city roads, and easily updated. However, when you use a sat-nav all you know is your destination, you are generally totally unaware of the route you will be taken on. All you do is listen to that still small voice (an Irish voice on mine, I like the way it says third exit) and go where you are told. It’s also easy to miss a turn if the graphics and voice aren’t quite matching – however it will get you back on track.

So, questions:

1. Is God’s guidance more like a map, a sat nav, or has he thrown us an atlas and said get on with it?
2. Should we know for certain where we are heading?

My sat-nav has an option “plan a thrill”, or spaniel mode as it’s been nicknamed, it will take you on what it thinks is a more exciting route. It also has a “ride home” option so you can take random turns and still get home.

1. Is life a journey or a destination?

1. Does God’s guidance update or is the original map still good enough?
2. When lost, should you just stop and ask someone?

I guess I’ve taken this title and gone off in my own direction. There is an assumption in what I’ve written – you know how to drive, you know the basics, you’ve read the manual and highway code. To explain the allegory,  know what God expects.

Glenn

Prayer…

Hi folks, this weeks reflection come from Bev, and it unpacks our continued series of exploring the Alpha themes, this week we are meeting in the Cullercoats Crescent Club, at 8.00pm, we look forward to seeing you there.

While most Christians practise prayer, the act of praying is not something we fully understand. Have you ever questioned why you should pray, or how God hears your prayers? You are not alone. But we can be assured that there is purpose and power behind our prayers.

As mysterious as it may be, God allows our prayers to influence and accomplish his will on earth. It is one of the ways he has chosen to involve us in his eternal plan. We may not understand every aspect of how our prayers may affect things, but God has told us to pray (1 Tim. 2 : 1-4, 1 Thess. 5 : 17, Matt. 6 : 5-13) and we can trust that God would not ask us to do something unless it is vital to his purpose.

We also know that prayer opens hearts. This is because prayer is a form of trusting God. When we pray we are showing trust in his word – that he hears us and that our prayers matter to him. A life filled with prayer signifies a lifestyle of building a relationship with God and a relationship with God will inevitably transform us. We become increasingly loving, faithful, forgiving, patient, disciplined and kind.

Finally, God tells us that prayer does work! Matthew 7 : 7-8 says

Keep on asking and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds and to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

The passage goes on to say that like a good father, God will give to his children everything they need. But we must be persistent. Don’t give up, continue to trust in God. Even when it seems as if he is not listening or answering, he is and he will.

Questions

1. Has there been a time when you have felt that your prayers have/haven’t been answered?

2. Is there a time or place where you feel more able to pray?

3. Is the pat answer when prayers appear not to be answered of ‘God gives us what we need rather than want’ a bit of a cop out?

4. What have you found that helps when praying?

Identity…

Afternoon folks! Meeting this Sunday at 8pm Fitzgeralds, just up from Oxford street, see you there!

We as people are all different, we all have our own unique ways of identifying ourselves whether that be the uniform we wear at work we all spend our lives identifying ourselves to other people.

I often don’t think about how I identify myself as a Christian, however i definitely have over the past few days. One of the problems about being a lifeguard is that its incredibly boring when not many people are in! But its led to some fantastic conversations about faith and life stood on poolside.

I wonder how many of us itentionally wear, do or act in a way that identify ourselves, and the impact that has on the outside world.

So questions,

How do you ‘intentionally’ or not wear, do or act in a way that identify yourself with something?

What importance is placed on identification in society?

In what ways does our humanness dictate our identity?

How do you identify as a follower of Jesus?

Paz,

Andrew

Venues!!

Dates and Venues… Hi folks, we are trying some new venues over the next few months up until the summer so we can find another couple of venues, You will notice that we are moving the times we are at the Crescent Club to the first and third Sundays of the month. Looking forward to exploring!!

 

 11th March Fitzgeralds

18th March Crescent Club

25th March The Border terrier

1st April Crescent Club

8th April The Spread Eagle

15th April Crescent Club

22nd April Kittiwake

29th April CURRY!

6th May Crescent Club

13th May Copperfields/The Grand

20th May Crescent Club

27th May The Ship

3rd June Crescent Club

10th June The Kings Arms

17th June Crescent Club

24th June Low lights Tavern

1st July Crescent Club

How can I be sure of my faith…

Wow… this has been some week for mad weather… I trust you are all staying safe! This week we meet at The Sportsman at 8.00pm.

This week we are thinking again about one of the Alpha themes… How can I be sure of my faith? This is not an easy theme to tackle! As a child my faith was birthed in the Methodist tradition and then I had an ‘experience’ in my mid teens at a youth weekend, it ‘changed’ me forever… it has kept me going over the years even when I felt like walking away! But I have often asked the question… how can I be sure of my own faith?! At times people told me that I should just believe! Some said pray more… others said they were ‘praying’ for me which was nice… some said its all in the bible, just read it more… I have tried all of these methods over the years depending on where I was at… but most of the times the older I got the more frustrating I found those replies… I wanted more than just tips or simple answers… I think I just wanted to be listened to.

I think this is important for this sense of assurance when we are attempting to follow Jesus. We are often lacking the ability to listen to each other… not just about faith but a whole host of issues. One of the changes for me was in the changing of my language… when I refrain from using the words ‘Christian faith’ and started to talk about ‘following Jesus’ it shifted the emphasis away from a religion to a way of being. The other idea that has helped me come to terms with assurance is the simple yet profound notion that ‘God is with me’. For me this is helpful not because God fixes stuff but rather God is with me in the muck of life, what I have to do in those times is to acknowledge God’s presence with me. I realise that some of this sounds rather simplistic but it has helped focus my own faith and spirituality.

Questions

What does this phrase ‘how can I be sure of my faith’ mean for you?

What if our doubt is littered with faith?

What is your experience of being listened to when it comes to expressing doubt?

What methods have you discovered, if any, that help you to have a sense of assurance?

How can we enable each other to share more openly about our own experience of faith and doubt?

Peace, Rob