Faith For All

Discussion: Prayer, what is it and what is it good for?

This week random members of Cross of Glory discuss prayer

Living the Lord’s Prayer: Part 5

This is prayer most christians pray, but how well do we really know what it means?
"and whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. truly i tell you, they have received their reward. but whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret; and your father who sees in secret will reward you.
when you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him.
pray then in this way:
our father in heaven,    hallowed be your name.
 your kingdom come.    your will be done,        on earth as it is in heaven.   give us this day our daily bread.   and forgive us our debts,        as we also have forgiven our debtors.    and do not bring us to the time of trial,        but rescue us from the evil one.
for if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 6:5-15 new revised standard version

Living the Lord’s Prayer:Part 4

this is prayer most christians pray, but how well do we really know what it means?
"and whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. truly i tell you, they have received their reward. but whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret; and your father who sees in secret will reward you.
when you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him.
pray then in this way:
our father in heaven,    hallowed be your name.
 your kingdom come.    your will be done,        on earth as it is in heaven.   give us this day our daily bread.   and forgive us our debts,        as we also have forgiven our debtors.    and do not bring us to the time of trial,        but rescue us from the evil one.
for if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 6:5-15 new revised standard version

Living the Lord’s Prayer: Part 3

This is prayer most christians pray, but how well do we really know what it means?
"and whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. truly i tell you, they have received their reward. but whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret; and your father who sees in secret will reward you.
when you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him.
pray then in this way:
our father in heaven,    hallowed be your name.
 your kingdom come.    your will be done,        on earth as it is in heaven.   give us this day our daily bread.   and forgive us our debts,        as we also have forgiven our debtors.    and do not bring us to the time of trial,        but rescue us from the evil one.
for if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 6:5-15 new revised standard version

Living the Lord’s Prayer:Part 2

This is prayer most Christians pray, but how well do we really know what it means?
"And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,    hallowed be your name.
 Your kingdom come.    Your will be done,        on earth as it is in heaven.   Give us this day our daily bread.   And forgive us our debts,        as we also have forgiven our debtors.    And do not bring us to the time of trial,        but rescue us from the evil one.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 6:5-15 New Revised Standard Version

Living the Lord’s Prayer: Part 1

This is prayer most Christians pray, but how well do we really know what it means?
"And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,    hallowed be your name.
 Your kingdom come.    Your will be done,        on earth as it is in heaven.   Give us this day our daily bread.   And forgive us our debts,        as we also have forgiven our debtors.    And do not bring us to the time of trial,        but rescue us from the evil one.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 6:5-15 New Revised Standard Version

Discussion: Worship Music and Rock & Roll

A few Cross of Glory church members discuss using secular music during worship

Pentecost: Journeys of Faith (with a Rock & Roll twist)

The Apostles were filled with the holy spirt on that day, and began a journey from student to teacher. 
 
Acts 2: 1 - 12
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
  Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”  Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

Welcoming Part 4: Radical Welcome

Radical Welcoming means we're open to being changed by the one we welcome
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Welcoming Part 3: Welcome as we have been welcomed

The church is not a where or a what, but a who. Church is not a worship service or a set of programs, but the people of God. Church is not where we go, but who we are. Welcoming is not just about welcoming people into the church building, but is also about welcoming people you meet. 
 
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Matthew 25 31-45 NIV