How's Your Community Group: Part 4

Pray to the Father. Jesus has opened up this communication for us anywhere, anytime. He intercedes for us, He presents our requests to the Lord (Matthew 6:9).

He alone is Holy and so we must meet Him in His righteousness in order to speak to and with Him. But we have no weight to throw around, no connections, we have no currency to purchase perfection. And let me clarify in case you're wondering, perfection is not subjective, it isn't what we each individually desire it to be. He endows us with eternal perfection through our relationship with Christ, the only one who can vouch for us (6:9).

Submit to and seek out the realization of His Kingdom here and now (6:10)

Submit to and seek out His will on earth here and now. What is currently in the Spiritual world will be tangible, visible, audible, smellable...(6:10).

With thanksgiving and humble expectation lean into Truth. Press into the Scriptures and lean on the Spirits guidance and gifts. Seek fulfillment not merely on nachos and chips but on Life Himself (6:11).

As with true fellowship and devotion both with the Lord and one another - forgive. You have been, are and will be. Share this basic element of relationship with others, everyone, even your enemies and especially your friends and family (6:12). It's amazing how much of His character, His holiness we display through the act of forgiveness. We incarnate the Gospel in dramatic ways.

Pray for speed. Run from temptation. Build walls where necessary for yourself founded on Scripture and guided by the Spirits conviction. Pray that you might move quickly when needed and exercise and practice speed in your free time (6:13).

He will deliver from Satan's temptations, schemes, lies, foolishness, pleasures, false joys...He delivers from and to (6:13).

Are you praying? Is your Community Group in prayer? Does your small group or life group pray together regularly?

Are you praying with your disciples co-leaders, future leaders, spouses, friends, families?

1. Begin a monthly community prayer night if you don't already have one.
2. Begin praying with your spouse at night after some time in the Word.
3. Challenge your co-leaders to lead in prayer. Pray out loud. Pray together. For and with one another.

Pray.

Read Matthew 6:5-18

Parenting Lessons from a Famous Made-up Father

A couple parenting lessons from a famous but made-up father.

Jesus once told a story about a Jewish son who demanded his inheritance early, while the father yet lived in fact. We know the story. The father agrees, the son takes his money and runs, wastes his life for a season and returns to his family. And the older brother who stayed was ticked and bitter. Read Luke 15:11-32.

The father in the story not only teaches us much about the love and character of our Heavenly Father, but about our role as parent to our own children. Let me draw out two observations.

First, the father attempted to live up to the sh'ma in Deuteronomy 6. To talk about God and model God-likeness in such a way that his children would know God personally. Your saying, 'but the younger son was a jerk, he was a rebel, he was a fool.' Right.

But the son also returned. He recalled the truth of his childhood and banked on it holding fast upon his return. His repentant response gives this away, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.'

1. The son noted his sin against heaven (the Lord) first and foremost.
2. The son noted his rebellion against his own father.

His paradigm was correct even when his heart and mind had been so selfishly distracted by the world. The dad here faithfully raised his family in Truth. In fact, I believe the training up of his sons was such a gracious overflow of his own life (Deut 6) that his faith was yet enticing to his son even amid rebellion.

Second, the father genuinely loved without bounds.

1. He Waited for his sons return and reconciliation.
2. He Watched quite literally for his son to one day walk onto the family farm.
3. He Welcomed him when he finally did.

So what can we take away from this parable as parents? Be faithful in raising up our children in the Truth. Not simply speaking Truth at them but discipling them in all things - from the moment we rise in the morning to the setting of the sun, with every word and deed, blanketed with the Word of the living God.

And WHEN rebellion occurs. Whether it lasts 10 minutes or 10 years, know that you have faithfully raised your children well, that the Spirit is yet at work in their heart, mind and soul.

And if they return, in whatever state they return, healthy and whole or broken and bruised - wait, watch and welcome with the very same love God offers you upon your daily return to Him.

Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9