Handout from Friday Evening gathering

Is the Devil/Satan a conscious being or a personification of 'evil'? 

The first thing to understand: God doesn’t play

Lion King clip

“When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.” Mark 5:1-20

Jesus models how to fight Satan. Matthew 4:1-11 

Spiritual Warfare 101

1. Love
2. Walking in the light: Exposure of sin/struggle/temptation
3. Forgiveness
4. The Name of Jesus
5. The Blood of Christ
6. The Word of God (scripture)
7. Spiritual Armor Ephesians 6:11-20 

Listening Prayer Basics

Listening Prayer is simply listening to the voice of God. 

The Steps

Beginning Prayer: Lord silence the enemy, Quiet my own flesh, still the distractions of the world, Speak to me I'm listening. 

1. Get Quiet 

2. Read scripture

3. Then write down your question for prayer.

4. Pause and Listen

5. Whatever God gives you write it down. (scripture, images, words, colors, songs etc...)

Ask Him to confirm anything He shared with you.

Some Simple Strategies

Use a journal; it will help you focus. Writing down your impression of the Lord’s responses creates in you an expectancy that he will respond.

Use two different pens.  I like to use the first color to record my thoughts and the second pen to record what I sense God is saying.  The different colors clarify “who’s talking.”

If, when you sit down to pray, you often have a to-do list pop up in your head, then have another piece of paper handy to make a list with any other thoughts that pop up.  It’s okay and it’s natural.  Just let them come out so you can focus.

How to Test It

Was it a clear word or just an impression?  God may give us different degrees of confidence in what he has said. 

Does it exalt Christ? (John 16:14) 

Is it scriptural?  Scripture is our authority. God does not contradict himself. (Proverbs 30:5-6) 

Do other Christians confirm it? (Proverbs 20:18, Proverbs 15:22)

Does God cause it to actually take place?  (Isaiah 55:11, Deuteronomy 18:21-22)

Saturday Morning Liturgy

January 14

O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you

as the day rises to meet the sun. 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, 

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. 

Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord out Maker. 

Song “Nothin’ but the Blood” 

Receive, Lord, the offering of our lives : that every breath might be holy to you. 

Psalm 141:1-3

O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly : hear my voice when I cry to you. 

Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense : the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. 

Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord, and guard the door of my lips : let not my heart incline to any evil thing. 

Receive, Lord, the offering of our lives : that every breath might be holy to you. 

Ephesian 6

Receive, Lord, the offering of our lives : that every breath might be holy to you. 

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a twentieth-century Jesuit philosopher, prayed, “Since once again, Lord, I have neither bread nor wine not altar, I will raise myself beyond these symbols, up to the pure majesty of the real itself; I your priest, will make the whole earth my altar and on it will offer you all the labors and suffering of the world.”

Prayer for Others 

Our Father

Lord God, we give you thanks that no building can house you fully and no place of worship can contain your majesty. Teach us by our deeds of peace and justice and joyful celebration to erect altars in the world, so that when some other soul comes across them, they will see that you are indeed present everywhere. Amen. 

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you; 

may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm; 

may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you; 

may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.

Friday Morning Liturgy

January 13

O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you 

as the day rises to meet the sun. 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, 

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. 

Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. 

Song “Be Thou My Vision” 

Against the devil’s every wile : protect me, Lord, in times of trial. 

Psalm 55:1-6 

Hear my prayer, O God : do not hide yourself from my petition. 

Listen to me and answer me : I have no peace, because of my cares. 

I am shaken by the noise of the enemy : and by the pressure of the wicked; 

for they have cast an evil spell upon me : and are set against me in fury. 

My heart quakes within me : and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 

Fear and trembling have come over me : and horror overwhelms me. 

Against the devil’s every wile : protect me, Lord, in times of trial. 

Ephesians 5

Against the devil’s every wile : protect me, Lord, in times of trial.

Desert mother Amma Theodora wrote, “Let us strive to enter by the narrow gate. Just as the trees if they have not stood before the winter’s storm cannot bear fruit, so it is with us; this present age is a storm and it is only through many trials and temptations that we can obtain an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.” 

Prayer for Others

Our Father

Lord, you have conquered death. You have gone down to the depths of Sheol and risen again to life. Help us to remember as we suffer with you that we will also rise with you to a life that never ends. Amen. 

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you; 

may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm; 

may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you; 

may he bring you home rejoicing ; once again into our doors. 

Handout: Thursday Night Gathering

Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread

Prayer: God help us to believe that you will meet the provision in our circumstances and greater than that, in us. 

Meditation: combating the noise

Bread in this passage can be interpreted as a metaphor for daily provision for all of our needs: including physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. 

This idea of “daily bread” recalls Israel’s daily reliance on God for manna while in the desert. In the same way Israel had to rely on God for manna to survive, we have to rely on God and develop a continuing, conscious dependence on him. 

In Luke 4:4 Jesus quotes a passage of scripture from the book of Deuteronomy 8:3. 

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Testimony

It’s about what God has done in us, not only about what he has done around us. 

What is the word God is speaking to you? 

Mark 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."  

Ephesians 3 The mystery...God loves even you. 

What is the word God is speaking to you about your situation? 

In a bitter book, we find it: 

Jeremiah 29:11 The Plans of God; Matthew 6:25-34 Do not worry...

What is the word God is speaking through you to others? 

   

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name in _______,
your kingdom come in _______ ,
your will be done in _______,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give _______ today his/her daily bread.
And forgive _______ their debts,
as _______  also has forgiven his/her debtors.
And lead _______ not into temptation,
but deliver ______ from the evil one.

Ephesians 3:14-21 Prayer

Visions of the Kingdom

By Perry Sweeper (created while albert was speaking about the Kingdom of God)

Ephesians 4

Please Leave comments to discuss what you are pulling from this scripture.

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

 ¹ As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

 ⁷ But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. ⁸ This is why it^[a]says:

   “When he ascended on high,
   he took many captives
   and gave gifts to his people.”^[b]

 ⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions^[c]? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) ¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

 ¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

 ¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹ Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

 ²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

 ²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”^[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

 ²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Thursday Morning Liturgy

January 12

O lord, let my soul rise up to meet you

as the day rises to meet the sun. 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, 

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. 

Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. 

Song “Come, Ye Sinners”

Teach us, Lord, the unquenchable joy : of sins forgiven, friendship restored. 

Psalm 32:6-8

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” : Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin. 

Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in time of trouble : 

when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them. 

You are my hiding place; you preserve me from trouble : you surround me with shouts of deliverance. 

Teach us, Lord, the unquenchable joy: of sins forgiven, friendship restored. 

Ephesians 4

Teach us, Lord, the unquenchable joy : of sins forgiven, friendship restored. 

Twentieth-century mystic of philosopher Simone Weil said, “Today it is not nearly enough merely to be a saint, but we must have the saintliness demanded by the present moment, a new saintliness.” 

Prayers for Others

Our Father

Lord, guide us to act, live and pray as the times determine. Make our faith grow to accommodate the needs of your people and the fulfillment of your kingdom. Amen. 

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you; 

may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;

may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you; 

may he bring you home rejoicing: once again into our doors. 

Ephesians 3

Please write your Ephesians 3 Reflection

Wednesday Morning Liturgy

(The bold is read together, regular text is read by leader, Italics is a command)

On May 29, 1968, the Poor People's Campaign arrived in Washington, D.C. The campaign was established to broaden the civil rights movement to include disadvantaged people of all races. The main demonstration was held at the Mall in Washington, D.C., where people camped out in tents called Resurrection City. Seven thousand demonstrators made this tent city their home to bring attention to issues of poverty and injustice. 

O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you

as the day rises to meet the sun. 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, 

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. 

Come, let us bow down and bend the knee: let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. 

Song "Lord you are Good"

Lord, help us stand for justice : and find you among the poor. 

Psalm 140:4-6

Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked : protect me from the violent, who are determined to trip me up. 

The proud have hidden a snare for me and stretched out a net of cords : they have set trap for me along the path. 

I have said to the Lord, "You are my God : listen, O Lord, to my supplication." 

Lord, help us stand for justice : and find you among the poor. 

Ephesians 3

Lord, help us stand for justice : and find you  among the poor. 

Mississippi civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer said, "Christianity is being concerned about your fellow man, not building a million-dollar church while people are starving right around the corner. Christ was a revolutionary person, out there where it was happening. That's what God is all about, and that's where I get my strength." 

Prayer for Others

Our Father

Help us, Lord, to do the one thing that is necessary : to tend to the poor, to walk alongside the poor, to find you among the poor, to declare ourselves poor as long as anyone suffers need. May we begin this journey with just one person today. Amen. 

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you; 

may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm; 

may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you; 

may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors. 

Ephesians 2 Reflection

Please comment and reflect on Ephesians 2

Ephesians 1 Reflection

I am glad to be fasting with you brothers and sisters in the Lord.  As I was reading Ephesians 1 today the Lord opened my eyes to some things..  Firstly I realized that wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of God is identified as a spirit that is given.  It is something from God that dwells with us if God gives it. Secondly I recongnized what the wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of God causes us to see our purpose, our blessings, and our power source.  The hope of our calling (verse18) really is the goal for which God placed us on this earth.  God doesn't just want us in his kingdom, he wants us working for the kingdom. The riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints(verse 18) is the blessing that God has stored up for us as royalty in his kingdom.  We have a title in the kingdom of God and it comes with resources.  The exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe (verse 19) is the authority that he works on our behalf through Jesus if we believe in his death and resurrection to the right hand of God.  We must believe in Jesus and his total authority in our lives. That means over every situation we realize that Jesus has authority and all the power.  Thirdly (but actually is was the first thing to be seen) is that Paul prayed for the church to have it (verse 16-17). He felt the need to ask for it.  We need to ask for wisdom and for God to reveal himself to us or we might not get these things.  Paul was so glad about what the church at Ephesus was doing, but he felt that they needed more from God.  He saw that they needed to focus on a purpose/goal and they needed to realize the power available to them through Jesus' death and resurrection. These people had salvation and love for one another, but needed wisdom and the revelation of God.  Saints if we are to be agents of change anywhere it is absolutely necessary for us to be saved and loving toward one another, but it is not sufficient. We need to channel our energy toward the purpose that God has called us to as Christ's church and as the heirs to the kingdom of God.  We need to see where we are going and we need to stand in the authority of our title and the power of Christ which is above any other power in existance in this world. We need to stand together in hope which is really reaching toward a clear purpose. May God grant us the spirit of wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of God. In Jesus' name, amen.  

Fast Starts today!

Everybody the Fast starts today! If you didn't know we are having Prayer gatherings twice a day from Mon-Sat. One meeting will be from 6:00am-7:00am. And the other meeting will be from 7:00pm-8:30pm.

These will be amazing times of Prayer, Worship and Teaching. You don't want to miss them.
If you still need a prayer partner for the fast please contact me (Joshua) at jsmith@gallerychurchbaltimore.com and I will be sure to hook you up with someone.

You can Download a fasting Packet here:
http://www.gallerychurchbaltimore.com/FastingPacket.pdf

Happy Fasting!

Pre Fast

Today Eliminate: all Pasta, Rice, Bread, Carbs

Fast: Resurrect Together

• Are you ready to go into the New Year, leaving behind the old and seeing God resurrect the dreams you've let die? If so you need to consider this 7 Day fast we are doing on the 8th of Jan. Download the packet and contact me smithjoshua@me.com so I can get you plugged into our fasting network. 

• http://www.gallerychurchbaltimore.com/FastingPacket.pdf