Jesus loves you

@Livingwater Study 7 LEARNING TO PRAY (Scripture Portion: Luke 18: 1-43) There is no greater work than the work of praying, for prayer is work of the highest order. Prayer means contact and fellowship with God; it is not simply asking God for things, though it does include that. Our Lord related the parable in Luke 18: 1-8 in order to stress the great importance of prayer. Notice that in verse 1 He said that we “should always pray……” It is the privilege of all to pray, and in this chapter we are given five examples: (1) In verse 3, we read of a praying Widow. (2) In verse 11, we read of a praying Pharisee. (3) In verse 13, we read of a praying Publican. (4) In verse 18, we read of a praying Ruler. (5) In verse 38, we read of a praying Beggar. 1 . WHY SHOULD WE PRAY ? There are many ways in which this question can be answered, but let us confine our answer to the suggestion that arises out of the word “should”. It simply means, “We owe it to pray……” Prayer is an obligation. I

@Livingwater Study 6 UNDERSTANDING GOD’S WILL (Scripture Portion: Ephesians 5: 1- 21) Every Christian should seek to understand the will of the Lord; or, to use a literal translation of Ephesians 5: 17, we should “not be foolish, but have discernment as to what is the will of the Lord.” Some Christians are “foolish”, for they have no discernment in the things of the Lord, and this disqualifies them from real usefulness in the service of God. For example: (1) They do not understand the true nature of the Christian life – that it is imparted by a new birth (John 3: 3, 5, 7), and that it is experienced upon receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour (John 1: 11-13). (2) They do not know the secret of life more abundant (John 10: 10), of fruitfulness in service (John 15: 5), of deliverance from bondage to sin and self (Romans 6: 11; 7: 24-25; 8: 2), and of a life of triumphant holiness (2 Corinthians 2: 14). (3) They do not understand the true nature and purpose of the Church, which i

@Livingwater Study 5 GETTING INTO THE BIBLE (Scripture Portion: Acts 17: 1-12) No Christian can progress very far in the Christian life or be effective in Christian service who does not make much of the Bible. Unfortunately, many do not really value the Bible. What place has God’s Word in your life? Perhaps one of the greatest needs today is for a re-emphasis upon the nature, the message and the power of this wonderful Book. In Acts 17: 1-12, there are several references to the scriptures which provoke and answer three questions. 1 . WHAT IS THE BIBLE ? The Bible is a book, but what is in it and of what does it consist? In Acts 17: 2 and 11 we are told – “the Scriptures……” THE BIBLE CONSISTS OF THE SCRIPTURES.Here the reference is to the Old Testament scriptures, for the New Testament books were only in the process of being written. To us, the Bible consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament, and each Testament may be divided into four sections. The Old Testament consi

@Livingwater Study 4 LIVING VICTORIOUSLY (Scripture Portion: Exodus 14: 1-14) Many of God’s children are living defeated, unsatisfying and unsatisfactory lives. They have never entered into the experience of the peaceful life (Isaiah 30: 15); the overflowing life (John 7: 37-39); the abundant life (John 10: 10); the joyful life (John 15: 11); the liberated life (Romans 6: 7); the triumphant life (2 Corinthians 2: 14); and the loving life (1 John 2: 5) – and yet they long to do so! 1 . WHAT IS MEANT BY A LIFE OF VICTORY ? Seven characteristics of such a life are mentioned above, and many other scriptures could be cited. Consider the following:- (1) It is not a life in which it is impossible to sin, but a life in which victory over sin is possible. The first is unobtainable in this life, but the second is attainable. (2) It is not an abnormal life or a life to be enjoyed by just a few of God’s children, but it is His provision for every Christian. (3) It is not a life where the

@Livingwater Study 3 THE ONE THING NEEDED (Scripture Portion: Luke 10: 38-42) One thing is absolutely necessary if we are to live a healthy, happy and useful Christian life. Do you know what that one thing is? Mary and Martha were entertaining the Lord Jesus. Martha, a splendid hostess, busied herself with preparations for a meal for Jesus and His disciples. Mary, however, sat at His feet and listened to all the wonderful things He had to say. Martha said to herself, “What a privilege to prepare a meal for Him!” and Mary said, “What a privilege to sit at His feet!” – and they were both right in thinking that (verse 39). But Martha felt that Mary was unreasonable in leaving her to serve up the meal, and she even questioned the Lord for allowing Mary to sit there while there was work to be done (verses 39-40). Then it was that Jesus spoke very tenderly to Martha, calling her by her name and saying, “You are careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is absolutely necess

@Livingwater Study 2 FIRST STEPS IN THE NEW LIFE (Scripture Portion: Acts 9: 1-31) In the verses before us we have the dramatic account of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who was so wonderfully brought face to face with the risen Lord Himself. Saul’s conversion was striking, it was sudden, and there is a very real sense in which it was a sample conversion; it is an example of the kind of thing that God can do and is doing today – look up the last phrase in Acts 2: 47. But it is the post-conversion experiences of Saul that we are to study, the things that happened immediately after his conversion. What was the first thing that happened after he became a Christian? 1 . HE MADE AN OPEN CONFESSION OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST Verse 18 tells us that “he got up and was baptised……” Some few years previously John the Baptist had baptised in the River Jordan, and he baptised the Lord Jesus (Matthew 3: 13-17). The disciples of Jesus baptised (John 4: 1-2), and before He went b