PAULSGROVE BAPTIST CHURCH
SLAYING THE DRAGONS
MATTHEW 6: GIVING, PRAYING, FASTING
At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry Matthew records for us Jesus’ teaching for his followers about how to live life as a member of His Kingdom. It is a way of life that is very different. It follows different values. It requires actions that are often directly opposite to the way most people live. He also includes in his teaching three spiritual disciplines that are rarely linked, and one of which is rarely followed in our personal lives or in our lives together as a fellowship. The three disciplines are: Giving, Praying and Fasting.
Why does Jesus tell us to follow these three actions? In this series will explore these topics and the very strong hold that money, control and our stomachs have over us. As Christians we want Jesus to be our Lord, yet giving him Lordship over our security, our control and our struggles with our natural urges is a challenge. It may be that we do well in one or possibly two of these areas of life but Jesus calls us to follow him in all three. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says: “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken”. We will discover that as we exercise all three disciplines God’s blessing follows.
During this series we will spend three weeks exploring each of these disciplines and look to find ways for them to be built into our lives, individually and as a fellowship.
If you want to read a good book on fasting try "Fasting: opening the door to a deeper more intimate relationship with God" by Jentezen Franklin.
September 2nd
Why Give? Matthew 6 [Listen] [Sermon notes]
September 9th
How Much? 2 Cor 9 6 – 14 [Listen] [Sermon notes]
September 16th
Managing Money Matthew 25 14 – 30 [Listen] [Sermon notes]
September 30th
Prayer – It’s life changing Psalm 27 [Listen] [Sermon notes]
October 7th
Prayer – It’s life changing Psalm 100 [Listen] [Sermon notes]
October 14th
Prayer – It’s life challenging Psalm 51 [Listen] [Sermon notes]
October 21st
Prayer - It’s life beyond our imagination Ephesians 3: 14 – 21 [Listen] [Sermon notes]
November 4th
Fasting - the purpose of fasting [Listen] [Sermon notes]
November 11th
Fasting - the people who fasted [Listen] [Sermon notes]
November 18th
Fasting - the practice of fasting Joel 2: 12-17 [Listen] [Sermon notes]