Episodes
Monday Jan 09, 2012
Think Spot
Monday Jan 09, 2012
Monday Jan 09, 2012
9th January 2012
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9wJV7SwTn0]
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Recently I was reading Paul's letter to the Philippians and in particular Chapter 4:8 "Finally brothers whatsoever is true what ever honourable, whatever just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."The night before last we heard in the early hours of the morning the horrendous sound of a howling, powerful wind which was causing insurmountable damage to properties around us. I fully expected to see all kinds of damage to my own property when I woke the following morning. In particular a fence between my house and my neighbour which I am responsible for (I rent the property). I almost didn't dare to look out of my bedroom window early next morning when although still blowing strongly but not at gale strength I was relieved to find the fence still upstanding.
An hour later my neighbour knocked on our front door explaining that her other neighbours fence had blown down and a large tree in her own garden was uprooted and now leaning on the bottom of my fence. They had contacted the Housing Association from whom they rented and presented the problem to them. They were coming to look at the damage later. Proceeding down the garden shortly after I discovered that my large tree , (approx. 4ft across) was now being pushed by the other tree onto my shed. I actually could see the amazing movement of this huge tree swaying from its base at ground level and felt the awesome power of the movement.
Yes I knew something has to be done to improve the situation but as I reflected upon Philippians 4:8; I had indeed something worthy of praise to thank God for and to "think upon" What was that You ask? As I thought about it I saw that the neighbours tree pushing against my fence was actually strengthening it and preventing it from blowing down as if a mighty hand was holding it in position. Indeed it was if we believe in the sovereignty of God in all things. I know things do not always work out like this for any of us but I am simply emphasising the kind of thing we can rejoice and praise God for rather than take things for granted which usually mean we say things like "How lucky I was and pity about the neighbours fence."
There is always something we can be thankful to God for and offer praise isn't there? Not forgetting to pray for our neighbour of course.
Dear loving heavenly Father, How wonderful to know that our times are in your hands and that you have amazing resources including knowing us all so intimately that You know our needs before they even arise. From eternity to eternity you know all things. How safe it is for us to trust you and give ourselves fully over to you and praise you for what is past and trust you for what is to come. Forgive our doubts and please calm us down when extremities come upon us. You are fully aware of what is going on in your world. "You see everything nothing is hidden from your eyes" Hebrews 4:13; Lord, we feel so helpless at times, so it is comforting for us to know these things and share them with you in prayer for You understand us completely. Amen.
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Monday Oct 31, 2011
Think Spot
Monday Oct 31, 2011
Monday Oct 31, 2011
Think Spot
31st October 2011
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY1EjkLZPhI]
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G'day! Welcome to Partakers Think Spot at the start of new week on Monday the 31st of October 2011. As part of our living as followers of Jesus, here is something which has the capability of affecting every person on the planet. Jesus, our Master, said in Matthew 12:36-37 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." Jesus took words and thoughts extremely seriously! Jesus' words encouraged others gently towards paths of right living. He spoke words of love, kindness, rebuke, forgiveness, encouragement and blessing upon and to others! Jesus is to be our guide and Master in the use of thoughts and words. In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus equates calling somebody a fool with the physical act of murder! Murder has its beginning in anger developing into uncontrollable rage! Improper attitudes, words and thoughts can lead you and I to sin if we don't stop their destructive use quickly! May the words we communicate and think about, be like those of Jesus - "full of grace". How is your WOW factor of Jesus now? When Jesus Christ called you to follow Him, He called you to follow Him wholeheartedly and be committed to only Him. Jesus calls you and I, to love God and be totally committed to Him. Here is a brief prayer to help us into the new week. Father, help us this week to be totally committed to you in all aspects of our lives. May those we live with, work with and interact with, know we are your child by the words we speak. We ask this, through the mighty name of your Son, Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.Right Mouse click to save this as a mp3 file
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Monday Oct 24, 2011
Think Spot
Monday Oct 24, 2011
Monday Oct 24, 2011
Think Spot
24th October 2011
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c8rbgePcOo]
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G'day! Welcome to Partakers Think Spot at the start of new week on Monday the 24th of October 2011. Jesus wants to be number one in the life of all those who choose to follow him! Jesus wants supremacy over everything in our lives, including family, friends, and possessions!! Alas, that's a cost too high for some! Within the Gospels, there is the story told of Jesus' encounter with a man, who we shall call, Basil. Basil runs up to Jesus and wants eternal life, wants it now and asks Jesus about how to get it. He has fully kept the commandments listed by Jesus. However when Jesus said to Basil that in order to follow Him, he would have to give up all his wealth and possessions in order to have treasure in heaven and eternal life, Basil leaves disconsolate and shattered. The life of Basil, this rich young ruler, reflected a life of absorption with his own self-interest and self-importance!. It was a step too far for Basil. He wanted his riches and also everlasting life, but Jesus said he couldn't have both. He remains the only person that we know of, who left Jesus' presence sorrowful, and that due to putting his trust in himself, his riches and wealth alone. Now riches, in and of themselves, are not necessarily wrong! But for Basil, well, he was not willing to make the sacrifice required to follow Jesus. He couldn't count the cost of following Jesus- it was too high a price for him to pay! What have you given up in and as a result of your decision to follow Jesus? Making sacrifices to follow Jesus is all part of the WOW factor of Jesus. Jesus demands His being number one and supreme over everything else in your life - yourself, family, others and material goods including money and possessions. How's your WOW Factor about Jesus now? What have you had to give up to follow Jesus Christ and make in number one in your life? Followed by the Lord's Prayer...Right Mouse click to save this as a mp3 file
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Monday Sep 05, 2011
Think Spot
Monday Sep 05, 2011
Monday Sep 05, 2011
Think Spot - 5th September 2011
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF0mxgnBACw]
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G'day! Welcome to Partakers Think Spot at the start of new week on Monday the 5th of May 2015. We read this in Luke 2v42-52 Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they travelled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. And later on in his life, this event occurred! Matthew 13v53-55 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked. "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?Wise
Jesus is the ultimate wise man! As we read the Gospels, we see that when Jesus spoke words, people were amazed! They were astounded that He spoke with wisdom, elegance and yet with authority. They had never heard anyone speak like He did - with both grace and authority. The same is true today, if we are listening. That is why we read the Bible to find out what He would say to us. That is why we seek to hear Him speak to us and why we speak to Him. That is why preaching is to be seen as an act of worship - by both the preacher and the listener! Jesus' wisdom meaning I can ask Him for advice and seek His imagination to solve problems! As you go into this week ask Jesus to help you, guide and speak to you through the Bible, regardless of what situation you face! Jesus, Son of God, the ultimate wise man!Prayer
A prayer to help you into this new week. Father, we thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ! We thank you for the Bible! We thank you for godly men and women who preach and teach this wisdom of Jesus to us, explaining and exploring how we can put this wisdom into practise! May the Holy Spirit within each believer, rebuke and counsel, as that believer seeks to live a life worthy of Jesus Christ. Amen! Thanks for joining us on Partakers ThinkSpot! See you again real soon!Right Mouse click to save this as a mp3 file
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Monday Aug 08, 2011
Think Spot
Monday Aug 08, 2011
Monday Aug 08, 2011
Think Spot - 8th August 2011
Matthew 6:14-15 "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."
God takes the forgiveness of others very seriously. Notice it does NOT say forgive others if they are sorry for hurting you, or forgive others if you can understand why they behaved in that way. We are to forgive everyone who has wronged us full stop.
In Matthew 18:21-22, "Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'"
Jesus meant that we have to go on forgiving someone who hurts us again and again... No matter how many times they hurt us. Forgiving someone means not telling others what they did to us so we can get sympathy. It means doing good things for them, praying for them blessing them.
Matthew 5:44 says "Love your enemies and pray for your persecutors."
Luke 6:35 says "Love your enemies, do good to them" and Romans 12:20 commands "If your enemy is hungry feed him."
If someone has hurt you so badly that you find you self replaying what they did in your mind. Try thinking of something kind that the person has done for you, every time their misdemeanour pops into your thinking. If that is not possible, then just actively think about something completely different. It will get to the point that you can think of the person without thinking of what they did, though this can take years.
Actually, like every other thing that God asks us to do, forgiving others is in our best interests. Being angry with someone else just hurts us - it doesn't affect the other person at all. Not forgiving leads to bitterness and resentment which eats away at us from within and can lead to physical symptoms as well. So forgiving others should be a priority if you're a Christian.
A prayer for this week: Father, thank you that you were and are willing to forgive us for the wrongs we have done against you! Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit to forgive us and also may we be willing to forgive ourselves and accept the forgiveness of others. Thank you for the cross of your Son, Jesus Christ, so that forgiveness is possible! We ask these things through the name of the Son, Jesus! Amen!
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Monday Jul 25, 2011
Think Spot
Monday Jul 25, 2011
Monday Jul 25, 2011
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cyQuRQXFt8]
Think Spot - 25th July 2011
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G'day! Welcome to Partakers Think Spot at the start of new week on Monday the 25th July 2011! God's love in the Bible is seen as unfailing, everlasting, intimate, sacrificial, unbreakable, all-conquering, personal, great, immeasurable and all-knowing. This is seen supremely in the Cross of Jesus Christ, when He died for the sins of the world. Supreme love overcoming all that is not love. Even when great acts of evil are committed in the world, such as the slaughter of innocents in Oslo Norway this past week, love is all around. Love continues despite such acts.How are Christians to respond to this love of God?
The apostle John writes in 1 John 4v15-16 - If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. Our motivation as Christians is to love and to be love. This is a love, which is sacrificial and self-less. It is tough love which is of service to other people. Loving and serving others, are the primary ways of showing you love God! It is easiest to love your friends. But Jesus commanded that his followers also love their enemies (Matthew 5:43-45)! Now that is very radical and can be difficult! We see constantly in the media and elsewhere, that regards our enemies, we are to be confrontational or at best to just ignore them!Love and serve everyone
How is it possible to love our enemies? It is only with the help of God and His abundant grace towards us! We depend on the Holy Spirit who lives inside all Christians to empower and guide! To only love those who love you is what is expected by people everywhere as normal behaviour. But as a Christian, you are to do more! You are to be seen to love more than other people. You don't have to like others as friends, but you do have to love them as fellow human beings!Go!
Go into this week, being prepared to show your love of Jesus Christ, remaining close to Him and serving other people generously with abundant grace-filled love! By loving and serving others, you become God's arms and legs in a physical world. One of the greatest limitations you face in loving and serving other people is a severe lack of imagination! So as you go into this week, ask God to expand your imagination to love and serve; as well as asking for the opportunities to do them. Loving and serving are hallmarks of an authentic Christian life. Love continues even amidst chaos and turmoil all around. Go and be part of the continuing of love. Thank you.Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file
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Monday Jul 04, 2011
Think Spot
Monday Jul 04, 2011
Monday Jul 04, 2011
Think Spot - 4th July 2011
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G’day and welcome to Partake! Welcome also to Monday and our Think Spot together! Happy 4th July to those in the USA! C. Bronte once said “Life appears to me to be too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrong.” Many people nurse a guilty conscience owing to holding onto animosity or wrongs done to them or having done wrong things to others. As a consequence, their life is filled with turmoil and bitterness. You may well be like that – I don’t know! What I do know is that your conscience is the faculty which is sensitive to right and wrong, and judges your actions and attitudes. Everybody has a conscience and all are sensitive to spiritual truths, whether they are immediately aware of it or not. According to the Bible, a clear conscience is essential for inner peace and joy, confidence in prayer, good health, effective service, .right relation-ships, effective witnessing, making right decisions, and victory in spiritual battle. A clear conscience is the inner joy and peace of spirit which results from having all personal wrongs made right with those whom a person had offended - either God or someone else. However- many Christians carry around guilty consciences due mainly to unconfessed sins, affecting relationships with God, other people and themselves. If left unchecked, a conscience which is guilty, slowly grows 'dead', cold and silent. That is until such time that the guilt has been assuaged and put right. If at the moment you are burdened by a guilty conscience, ask the Holy Spirit to show you clearly what is affecting your conscience. Then decide, at any cost, to clear it up in the power of the same Spirit. He will help you! Pray to the Father and ask forgiveness, (1 John 1:9), and fully accept His love and forgiveness. If there is anyone else involved, then you will also need to ask for their forgiveness (Matthew 5:23-24). Ask the Father to help you go, and the Spirit will help you, because one of the hardest things in the world to say is: “I was wrong! Please forgive me." Your conscience can be cleansed because of what Jesus did on the cross! Hebrews 9:14 says “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” Go into this week, ready to serve the living God, being confident that the Holy Spirit living within you, empowers you, is transforming you and desires that your conscience be clear. He will help you overcome if you ask!Right mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file
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Monday Jun 20, 2011
Think Spot 20-06-2011
Monday Jun 20, 2011
Monday Jun 20, 2011
Think Spot - 20th June 2011
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G'day and welcome to Partake! Welcome also to Monday and our Think Spot together! We have the start of a new week! Its Monday! How and in what circumstances are you trusting God? How did Jesus Christ trust in the Father? Jesus knew that the Father was going to bring Him back to life after his death on the cross. Jesus trusted the Father in this area of His life, just as he did in all aspects of his life. How are you doing? Do you have concerns and areas of your life where you need an assurance that God the Father will help you? Here are some simple steps which may help you maintain a trust in God. 1. Pray, casting all anxiety on God. He cares for you because you are His personal concern (The great apostle Peter, one of Jesus' closest friends wrote this in 1 Peter 5v7 "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.") 2. Accept and thank God that His peace has filled that area (Another great apostle, Paul, wrote this in Philippians 4v7 says "Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.") 3. Learn to be content whatever your circumstances are, resting in God (Paul goes on in Philippians 4v11-12 "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.") 4. Allow the Spirit to control your mind for life and peace (and again from the pen of the apostle Paul, this time in Romans 8v6 "So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.") 5. Trust God to fulfil your every need (Matthew records these words of Jesus in Matthew 6v32-33 "but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." ) 6. Obey and follow God's commands to love God and love others (Jesus is recorded in Matthew 22v37-40 "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.") 7. Finally, be prepared to be obedient to the Father, in supplying the needs of others you meet and therefore showing you love God and other people! One way to show you are trusting and loving God is to be the answer to the prayers of somebody else and showing that love to them! Ask God to show you, how you can help somebody else in need this week and showing your love. Go in peace this Monday, into this week, knowing God is worthy of your trust! God will take care of you, but not always in the way you expect! Expect Him to allow circumstances and situations to arise where you are to trust Him fully! He will help you if you ask! After all, He knows you better than anybody! And don't be afraid to help somebody else because by doing that, you show you are loving and trusting in God! Father, I pray that You would help us to trust in You and that You would supply our needs, calm our concerns and help us to love You and others more fully. I ask this through the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit who lives inside all those who have peace with you. AmenRight mouse click here to download as a MP3 audio file
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Monday Jun 13, 2011
Think Spot 13-06-2011
Monday Jun 13, 2011
Monday Jun 13, 2011
Think Spot 13/6/2011
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G'day and welcome to Partake! Welcome also to Monday and our Think Spot together! Matthew 5:9 records Jesus speaking these words "God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God." All over the world, people share a common desire for peace! But what is peace? The peace the world wants varies from the peace the Christian knows. The world sees peace as the absence of conflict and people being generally ‘nice' to one another. Peace in the Christian context goes further, saying peace is perfect harmony with God, other people, circumstances and self. Therefore perfect peace will not come until Jesus Christ comes again, and takes Christians to be with Him. That doesn't give us as Christians a mandate to sit around not doing what we can for peace, because we are commanded to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), our God is a God of peace (1 Thessalonians 5:23), and the Kingdom of God is about peace in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Peace is to be our business! In a world full of conflicts, such as conflicts between nations, conflicts between neighbours, conflicts even within families and conflicts within and between churches, Christians are to be peacemakers! With that in mind, here are some thoughts on what the Bible has to say on peace, to help you this week be a peacemaker:1. Peace with God
- Justified by faith (Romans 5:1-2)
- Christ is our peace between God and man and between men (Ephesians 2:13-18)
2. Peace with others
- Live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:17-20)
- Do everything possible which leads to peace and mutual encouragement (Romans 14:13-19)
- Be a peacemaker - a sign of real wisdom producing a harvest of righteousness (Matthew 5:9, James 3:17-18)
3. Peace within/circumstances
- Peace is a gift of God (John 14:27, 2 Thessalonians3:16)
- Worldly peace requires manipulation of circumstances, God's peace comes regardless of circumstances
- We have peace in troubled times - an untroubled, unfearful heart and mind (John 16:33)
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Monday Jun 06, 2011
Think Spot 06062011
Monday Jun 06, 2011
Monday Jun 06, 2011
Think Spot 6/6/2011
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Have you ever wondered what constitutes a growing church? Do you know that it isn't just a list of names on the church roll or a social club. Neither is it a large number of people who have made "decisions for Christ". So, what constitutes a church which is living and growing in both spiritual quality as well as numbers? Here are 4 pointers for you as a Christian to go into the week thinking about how you can contribute to the church you attend: 1. Full of 'Kingdom of People' - people who declare Jesus is Lord, reflecting His values in word thought and action. 2. Full of people who are filled with the Holy Spirit, that is people who allow their lives to be totally controlled by the Spirit, and letting the Spirit flow through them. 3. Full of people involved within their local community, utilizing their spiritual gifts for the glory of God. 4. People whose lives are oriented around- Commitment to Jesus Christ - following Jesus' commandments, and learning daily hww to be more like Him.
- Commitment to the Body of Christ, the Church; Loving the Body and Bride of Christ just as Jesus loves the Church.
- Commitment to working within the local community - utilizing the gifts God has given them (and everybody has them you know!) for the glory of God and exhortation of the other people.
- Am I fully committed to Jesus and His teachings?
- Am I fully committed to working within my Church?
- Do I want the Church to grow in quantity and quality?
- Am I fully committed to my local community and seeing Jesus glorified within it?