Spark Notes 9/9

Fivefold Ministry Intro Week 1 with Greg Schut

Ephesians 4:11-13 - 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.

The Fivefold Ministry comes from Ephesians 4 where it is said that all are gifted in these areas (apostles, prophets evangelists, pastors, and teachers) to equip and build up the body of Christ. 

These are gifts from the Lord; gifts not for oneself, but for building up and equipping the body of Christ. No one gift is higher or greater than another. All of these gifts are necessary like all parts of the body are necessary - each operating in a different way, but if you take one away, the body isn't as healthy or doesn't function quite like it should. A healthy ministry needs all five of the gifts present in the body. 

The gifts bring unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son. These gifts will continue until the Bride is mature. The Lord uses this to reconcile us to himself and he is passionate about the Bride being restored. 

In the following weeks we will be learning more about each of the giftings, but here are the shortened descriptions of each: 

Apostle - Dream Awakeners in the Kingdom of God who awaken people to their God designed potential
Prophet -  Heart Revealers in the Kingdom of God who operates in high level of revelation - for the body. 
Evangelists - Story Tellers in the Kingdom of God who are carriers of good news and partner with Jesus in celebrating people’s transformation. 
Pastors/Shepherds - Soul Healers in the Kingdom of God. They are instrumental in guiding people through brokenness back to wholeness and healing their soul from wounds that keep them where they are.
Teachers -  Light Givers in the Kingdom of God. They make the truth and knowledge about God accessible to all. 

We encourage you to visit fivefoldministry.com to take the assessment to find out where you are gifted. Then spend sometime praying and asking the Lord to guide you in that. We also encourage you to visit https://goo.gl/2cxo8q and let us know your results. We would love to help you find ways to get plugged in with the areas that you are gifted in! 

For the full teaching, click here.

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Back to School Prayer Guides

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Prayer Guide for Praying for Nations

Prayer Guide for Praying for the Nations

For Nations in General

For nations to recognize God’s sovereignty and authority 1 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?  2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. 3 “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” 4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. 5 Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 6 “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” 10 Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.        Psalm 2:1–12

Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.            Isaiah 40:15

For nations to put their hope in God 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. 13 From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth — 15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite al l its great strength it cannot save. 18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you   Psalm 33:12–22

For the Holy Spirit to convict the people of the nation 5 “Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, „Where are you going?‟ 6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”         John 16:5–11

For People in Authority in the Nation

To have their hearts directed by the Lord The king‟s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.        Proverbs 21:1

To recognize their authority as under God 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don‟t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above...”    John 19:10–11a

To allow the Christians to live in peace 1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone — 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.     1 Timothy 2:1–4

For Christians in the Nation

To repent from sin and turn back to God If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.             2 Chronicles 7:14 To function as salt and light in their society 13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.    Matthew 5:13–16

To function as servants 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”           Matthew 20:25–28

To love one another 34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.      John 13:34–35

To function as Christ’s ambassadors 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men‟s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ‟s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ‟s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.     2 Corinthians 5:18–21

To properly submit to the government 1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4 For he is God‟s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God‟s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God‟s servants, who give their full time to governing.         Romans 13:1–6

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord‟s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.  15 For it is God‟s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.   1 Peter 2:13–17 To function as model citizens 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?” 25 “Caesar‟s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar‟s, and to God what is God‟s.”     Luke 20:24–25

To remember where their true citizenship lies But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.    Philippians 3:20 

Prayer Guide by simusa.org

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9 Tips for Prayer Focus

1. Turn off distractions
1. Close your computer, mute your phone, and put away anything else that may be distracting. It's easy to get distracted when your mind wanders, so try to put away things that could be distracting. If your mind starts to wander, acknowledge it and re-center your focus.
2. Make a list. 
1. Write a list of people, places, events, people groups, nations, situations, etc. that you want to pray for. Remember that friend that asked you to pray for them? Or that coworker you said you'd pray for? Write it down so you don't forget! 
3. Use a journal or paper
1. A journal can not only be a helpful, organized place to keep track of prayer requests, but also a place to sort thoughts. Writing out prayers can be a way to sort through your what is going on. When you date the journal entries, you can look back at old entries and see where the Lord has answered prayers! 
4. Pray scripture
1. Pick a passage to read through and pray. Try starting with the Psalms, as you read, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal more to you. Respond to what you hear the Lord saying or how you feel Him prompting. 
5. Pray Out Loud
1. This makes it feel more like a conversation, rather than just listing off your requests for the Lord. Leave space to listen to what He is speaking. 
6. Listen
1. Take time to be silent. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you and be patient in waiting. Write down thoughts that come to you and ask for further revelation. 
7. Walk
1. Try walking around the room or outside. If you are praying outside, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Look for symbols or signs the Lord may be revealing to you. Continue with curiosity and ask the Lord questions. Pray for things that you feel prompted by. 
8. Use a prayer guide
1. Check out the prayer guides posted on the wall in the HOME prayer room, or on this blog, or on our website (sc-home.org/resources). 
9. Find a prayer partner
1. Ask someone you know and trust to join you in intentional prayer. Pray together in person, or hold one another accountable in prayer times. Follow up with one another about what you feel the Lord has revealed to you, what He's challenging you with, what you have questions about, etc. 

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Spark Notes 7/15 - Healing

Healing

"'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."
 - Mark 9:23

On Sunday we heard from Evan Kraayenbrink about healing, then spent the remainder of the service praying for healing. 


Starting with Matthew 18:19, "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven." Evan shared the he had this scripture underlined in his Bible with the date from two years ago written. He shared a testimony from that time when he was struggling after a brain infection. In recovery, he struggled with speech, reading, and clarity of mind. But this verse influenced him greatly to meet with others, spending time in prayer. Evan shared how in his time working with people at HOME, he has seen the power of God at work as two or three are gathered. 

Evan then shared from Mark 9, 

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

“What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. 22“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:14-24)

When we look at this scene, Jesus was coming down from a mountain with some disciples. As he approached, there was a crowd arguing; religious leaders and disciples. It was chaos. The disciples were frustrated about not being able to cast our the spirit, but Jesus walks in through the chaos and casts it out. Jesus, through His Holy Spirit walks among us, bringing peace to our chaos and heals, no matter what. 

Going back to Genesis, before the Earth was formed, the Holy Spirit hovered over the waters, waiting to be called. The Creator spoke a word and made order out of chaos. 

The Holy Spirit makes order out of our chaos. 

To watch the full service, click here.

To listen to the full recording, click here. 

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Spark Notes 7/8

Pray Reading the Word

Worship with the Word. Jesus is the Word made flesh.

What is worship? To bow down; to lay prostrate.

After Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness, the devil tried to tempt Jesus. The tempter told Jesus that if he would bow down to him, he would be given all the kingdoms of the world. (Matthew 4). Isn't it interesting that the devil desired Jesus to bow down before him.

Worship also means to serve, to adore, to minister to, to give reverence, love and devotion.

Something that jumps out is that all of these things are actions. You cannot worship the Lord without doing something whether it is something coming from your mouth or a physical movement from your body.

In John 4, Jesus meets the woman at the well. The woman asks Jesus where she should worship? What is the right place? But Jesus responds that worship is in your heart. It's not about a place, but the posture of your heart.

The Word of God (Bible) should lead us to encounter the Word of God (Jesus). What is written leads us to encounter the person of God.

Lyle shared a personal testimony about his past where his personal time with the Lord and in the Word was out of duty, ritual, or responsibility. The Holy Spirit used it and breathed on it, but not very often did he read the Word and expect an encounter or interaction with the Lord.

Reading the Bible can be a dialogue with God; a conversation with our Heavenly Father.  Lyle then gave an example of how to pray - read the Word. Starting with Psalm 139, Lyle would read a portion, then pray a response of what is on his heart from reading that. To listen how Lyle pray - read through Psalm 139, click here (begin at 30:30).

To watch the entire service, click here. 

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Prayer Strategy for the Sphere of the Arts

Prayer Strategy for the Sphere of the Arts

Prayers for Art and Entertainment

Prayer for Artists

Bless the creators, O God of creation, who by their gifts make the world a more joyful and beautiful realm.
Through their labors they teach us to see more clearly the truth around us.
In their inspiration they call forth wonder and awe in our own living.
In their hope and vision they remind us that life is holy.
Bless all who create in your image,
O God of creation.
Pour your Spirit upon them that their hearts may sing and their works be fulfilling.
Amen.

Pray against Evil that has entered into the Arts

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isa 5:29)

From the Lausanne Movement (lausanne.org) focus on The Arts; Truth and the arts in mission:

“We possess the gift of creativity because we bear the image of God. Art in its many forms is an integral part of what we do as humans and can reflect something of the beauty and truth of God. Artists at their best are truth-tellers and so the arts constitute one important way in which we can speak the truth of the gospel.
Drama, dance, story, music and visual image can be expressions both of the reality of our brokenness, and of the hope that is centred in the gospel that all things will be made new. In the world of mission, the arts are an untapped resource. We actively encourage greater Christian involvement in the arts.”

Do a little research and find some local Christian Arts movements and/or organisations close to you – dedicate a day of prayer for them.

Reclaiming God’s Power over the sphere of Arts

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Destroying Satan’s Strongholds in the Arts

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” (2 Cor 10:4-6)

Defeating Satan and his cohorts in the Arts

Read Psalm 94 and Meditate on it

Jesus is glorified in the Domain of Arts

Hallelujah! “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18)

Declare The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:
The third day he rose again from the dead:
He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
I believe in the Holy Ghost:
I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
The forgiveness of sins:
The resurrection of the body:
And the life everlasting. Amen.

Please pray for the International Arts and Entertainment Alliance

The International Arts and Entertainment Alliance (IAEA) is a global union federation of trade unions. Read more at www.iaea-globalunion.org

Pray for Hollywood

Hollywood (/ˈhɑːliwʊd/ HOL-ee-wuud) is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. This densely populated neighborhood is notable as the home of the U.S. film industry, including several of its historic studios, and its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the industry and the people associated with it. Hollywood was a small community in 1870 and was incorporated as a municipality in 1903. It was consolidated with the city of Los Angeles in 1910, and soon thereafter a prominent film industry emerged, eventually becoming the most recognizable film industry in the world. (From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood

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We are encouraging you our brothers and sisters everywhere to join with two others and form a ‘prayer triplet’ to pray for each other and for the spiritual needs of your community under the will of God ‘on earth as it is in heaven’.

What are Prayer Triplets?

The idea of Prayer triplets is of course not new, but a well-established way for Christians to impact the world in prayer.

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” [Matthew 18:19-20]

Read more here prayerstrategy.org/prayer-triplets/

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prayerstrategy.org

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