Malcolm Cox

Malcolm Cox

By Malcolm CoxReligion & SpiritualityChristianity
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Malcolm Cox episodes

  • S1 Ep243: "Lead us not into temptation", Quiet Time Coaching Episode 243
    "How to pray the Lord's prayer" - Part 7

    "lead us not into temptation" NIV
    “Keep us safe from ourselves” (Matthew 6:13 MESSAGE)

    • First half of prayer all about God and his priorities
    • Second half about us and our needs

      • 1. Lead us not
      • What are we praying for, when we pray asking "lead us not..."?
      • God does not tempt: "When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;" James 1:13
      • A way of emphasising the opposite.
        • Not so much lead us not into temptation, but, lead us away from temptation “into righteousness, into situations where, far from being tempted, we will be protected and therefore kept righteous.

        • 2. Temptation
        • "Parallels with ancient Jewish prayers, and possibly the Aramaic wording behind this verse, suggest that the first line means: “Let us not sin when we are tested”—rather than “Let us not be tested” (cf. Matt 4:1; 26:41 in context; cf. Ps 141:3-4)." Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament.
        • peirasmos is better ‘testing’.
        • “Let us not be brought into temptation [i.e., by the devil].”
          • If the word “temptation” can be taken to mean “trial or temptation that results in fall”, makes even more sense
          • “Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mark 14:38 NAS

            • Conclusion
            • Don’t forget that you are in enemy controlled territory
              • "Enemy-occupied territory, that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. (C.S. Lewis – Mere Christianity)

            • Questions for discussion:
            • What stands out to you from this phrase?
            • How might your prayer life grow because of what this phrase teaches you about God, yourself and prayer?

              • Suggestion: Pray this verse every day between now and the next episode

              Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

              Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected].

              If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

              Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

              “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

              God bless, Malcolm

              PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John
              8 min
            • S1: "How you should pray", Class 4 "Forgive us..lead us..deliver us"
              "This, then, is how you should pray" 

              Class 4: “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’” (Matthew 6:12–13 NIV11)

              Introduction 

              • “Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8 NIV11)
              • Note: This is how you should pray, not, this is what you should say.
              • Looking back to beatitudes - “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matthew 5:7 NIV11)

                • 1. Forgive us our debts
                • Jewish teaching regarded sins as “debts” before God; the same Aramaic word could be used for both.  
                • What are we praying for, when we pray asking for forgiveness?
                • Personal honesty: “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8–10 NAS95)
                  • An act of faithful surrender
                  • “To confess your sins to God is not to tell him anything he doesn’t already know. Until you confess them, however, they are the abyss between you. When you confess them, they become the bridge.” (Frederick Buechner)
                  • Corporate nature - our collective sins as Christendom? Local church? Not tackling injustices around us?
                    • “Thus says the LORD, “For three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not revoke its punishment, because they sell the righteous for money and the needy for a pair of sandals.” (Amos 2:6 NAS95)

                    • 2. As we also have forgiven our debtors
                    • "The point lies not in the time-sequence, but, as vv. 14–15 will explain, in the insincerity of a prayer for forgiveness from an unforgiving disciple."
                    • “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14–15 NIV11)
                    • Some translations indicate that we have forgiven our debtors, but the Greek could mean something more like “as we herewith commit to forgiving our debtors”.
                    • It would be insincere to ask for forgiveness while at the same time holding on to bitterness towards someone else
                    • We need to desire other people to be forgiven as much as we hope for it ourselves
                    • We are not victims, we are healers - of ourselves and other people 
                    • Jesus, as ever, is our example: “Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”” (Luke 23:34 NAS95)
                    • Don’t forget that there is more than enough grace
                    • “The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:20–21 NAS95)
                    • More grace than sin
                    • God delights to forgive
                    • A comfort to you and me
                    • And an inspiration to motivate our forgiveness of others

                      • 3. Lead us not into temptation
                      • “Keep us safe from ourselves” (Matthew 6:13 MESSAGE)
                      • Lead us not 
                        • God does not tempt:
                          • "When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;" James 1:13
                      • A way of emphasising the opposite. 
                        • Not so much lead us not into temptation, but, lead us away from temptation “into righteousness, into situations where, far from being tempted, we will be protected and therefore kept righteous.
                      • Temptation
                        • "Parallels with ancient Jewish prayers, and possibly the Aramaic wording behind this verse, suggest that the first line means: “Let us not sin when we are tested”—rather than “Let us not be tested” (cf. Matt 4:1; 26:41 in context; cf. Ps 141:3-4)."
                        • peirasmos is better ‘testing’. 
                        • “Let us not be brought into temptation [i.e., by the devil].” 
                        • If the word “temptation” can be taken to mean “trial or temptation that results in fall”, makes even more sense
                        • “Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mark 14:38 NAS

                          • But….

                          4. Deliver us from the evil one
                          “Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil!” (Matthew 6:13 MESSAGE)
                          • Deliver us 
                            • Perhaps stress is on vulnerability of a disciple. We are dependent on God for help because we are weak. 
                            • Just as we need to depend on God for physical needs (Mat 6:11), we need to remember to be actively dependent on him for spiritual victory and moral triumph. 
                            • ““Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3 NIV11)
                            • The evil one
                              • Or, from evil. 
                              • Don’t forget that you are in enemy controlled territory
                              • "Enemy-occupied territory, that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.” (C.S. Lewis – Mere Christianity)
                              • “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV11)
                              • “Satan may be a vanquished foe whose demise is inevitable, but the aggression of his death-throes remains terrifying. ‘He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short’ (Rev. 12:12).” Pete Greig, "How to pray"
                              • “So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper.” (James 4:7 MESSAGE)

                                • Summary:
                                Doxology
                                • "The prayer is likely to have been originally given and used with the form of a concluding doxology (an essential element in most Jewish prayers) left free, probably as a congregational response. The form we now know (modelled on 1 Chr. 29:11–12?) gradually became standardised as a part of the prayer itself, probably during the second century.”
                                  • “Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendour, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honour come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11–12 NIV11)

                                Conclusion
                                • Questions for discussion:
                                  • What stands out to you from this verse?
                                  • How might your prayer life grow because of what this verse teaches you about God, yourself and prayer?
                                  • Suggestion: Pray these verses every day for a week 

                                    • Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

                                    Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected].

                                    If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

                                    Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

                                    “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

                                    God bless, Malcolm

                                    PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John
                                    25 min
                                  • S1: “The Two Rooms That Changed My Life”, Acts 2.42
                                    Sermon for the Watford church of Christ, 13 September 2020

                                    1. The Desk of Devotion
                                    • Devoted to God:
                                      • “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42 NIV11) - modelled after the culture Jesus established. 
                                      • “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2 NIV11)
                                      • A Christian is professionally curious
                                      • Not a burdening curiosity, but a liberating one, an exciting one, a stimulating one.
                                      • What does devotion to God mean to you?

                                        • But, how does this devotion develop, mature, spread……?

                                        2. The Piano Room of Perseverance
                                        • Perseverance: Acts 2.42
                                          • proskartereo: to persevere in; to be close at hand 
                                        • Sometimes not fun
                                        • Devoted to one another - “Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10 NIV11)
                                        • philostorgos - devoted, loving, good-natured 

                                          • Conclusion

                                          • Is God getting your attention in an area that needs perseverance?
                                          • Is God getting your attention regarding devotion?

                                            • Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

                                            Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected].

                                            If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

                                            Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

                                            “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

                                            God bless, Malcolm

                                            PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John

                                            mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, coaching, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox, 
                                            20 min
                                          • S1 Ep62: "Beauty and the beast", Newsletter 11 September 2020, Episode 62
                                            Beauty, memories and challenges

                                            Once again, I must say a hearty "thank you" to all of you who have been praying for my family. As you might know, my father fractured his femur. He came home on Wednesday evening. My mother went to A&E on Thursday morning. We joked that they were swapping places. As of the time of writing, my mother is still in hospital. It does not look as if it's a life-threatening condition, but we're not sure. I am very grateful for your prayers, and your messages of encouragement. I felt them deep in my spirit.

                                            This week has been a mixture of beauty, memories and challenges. Helping my parents with their health issues has been a challenge although, of course, a privilege. Getting up at three in the morning as part of my mother's medical emergency was not much fun. But then, later, watching the sun come up (as in the picture above), hearing the birds sing and smelling the freshness of the air reminded me that not everything is wrong with this world. The beauty and the beast are together in this age, and will remain so until our Lord returns.

                                            I themed my sermon for the Watford church this Sunday around the two rooms in my parents' house which have had the biggest effect on my life. I recorded a sermon video which will go out on Sunday. The links are on the website. Those memories were special. Memories of studying, working, practising musical instruments and reading my bible as well as writing letters - love letters to my girlfriend (now my wife) Penny.

                                            These experiences reminded me of the value of perseverance. And remind me of the grace of God. I was such a mess as a teenager and young adult! And yet, God patiently guided me on my erratic path to finding him. More on that in the sermon.

                                            Walking the house, the garden, and the local footpaths brought back to me the generosity of God in that he was working on me all those decades ago more than I realised. And then the penny dropped. Of course! He is still working on me in a way that remains hidden from me, and that I will, by faith, come to appreciate and be grateful for in years or even decades to come.

                                            My part at this point in my life is to seek what he's doing and cooperate with him the best I can. At the moment he is allowing a great deal of challenge into my life. I am significantly overwhelmed with trying to do my best for the Thames Valley and Watford congregations as well as my family. But is this all bad? Such overwhelmed-ment reminds me that I am "poor in spirit", and that is not a bad place to be. That is the spirit which draws me closer to my God.

                                            One of my frequent petitions on my prayer walks in Kent this last few days has been to accept what is happening with good grace. That is, praying to be grateful for the challenges. They are not coming my way because God is neglectful. They are not happening because he is malevolent. They are with me because God is shaping me into something better. Someone better.  Someone with a better heart, and a better connection with my heavenly father.

                                            What are your current challenges? Where is the area of greatest overwheldmed-ment? Might that be exactly where God is present? If so, how could you become more aware of and grateful for his presence even in the midst of the challenge?

                                            Upcoming projects and events for the next few days

                                            • Preaching on devotion and perseverance from Acts 2:42 for the Watford Church this Sunday, 13th September.
                                            • Publishing the fourth and final class in the series on prayer for the Thames Valley church (based on the Lord's prayer from Matthew 6). Next class based on Matthew 6:12-13.
                                            • A quiet time coaching podcast on "lead us not into temptation"
                                            • Going on holiday!

                                              • Solution focused coaching

                                              Many thanks to another person who agreed to let me coach them this week. Let me know if you would like some coaching. Sessions can be as short or as long as needed. I am currently looking for someone to help me with setting up a website for my coaching. Thank you to everybody who has already contacted me, but if you know someone or you would be interested in helping me with this please get in touch.

                                              Penny and I will be on holiday for the next two weeks. One week in the Bristol area visiting our daughter and son-in-law amongst other things. And then a second week in North Wales, near the area where we had our honeymoon 35 years ago. We will stay in touch, and I will do my best to post a few bits and pieces on the website. Depending on time and Wi-Fi availability there might be a newsletter next week. We'll have to see!

                                              Until the next time, 

                                              God bless, Malcolm
                                              14 min
                                            • S1 Ep242: "Forgive us our sins as we forgive the sins of those who sin against us", Quiet Time Coaching Episode 242
                                              • Thames Valley teaching series: more theology
                                              • First half of prayer all about God and his priorities
                                              • Second half about us and our needs
                                              • Looking back to beatitudes - “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matthew 5:7 NIV11)

                                                1. Debts
                                                • Jewish teaching regarded sins as “debts” before God; the same Aramaic word could be used for both.
                                                • What are we praying for, when we pray asking for forgiveness?
                                                • Personal honesty: “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8–10 NAS95)
                                                  • An act of faithful surrender
                                                • Corporate nature - our collective sins as Christendom? Local church? Not tackling injustices around us?
                                                  • “Thus says the LORD, “For three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not revoke its punishment, because they sell the righteous for money and the needy for a pair of sandals.” (Amos 2:6 NAS95)

                                                  • 2. Have Forgiven…

                                                  • "The point lies not in the time-sequence, but, as vv. 14–15 will explain, in the insincerity of a prayer for forgiveness from an unforgiving disciple." France, R. T. Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary. TNTC
                                                    • “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14–15 NIV11)
                                                  • It would be insincere to ask for forgiveness while at the same time holding on to bitterness towards someone else
                                                  • We need to desire other people to be forgiven as much as we hope for it ourselves
                                                  • We are not victims, we are healers - of ourselves and other people
                                                  • Jesus, as ever, is our example: “Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”” (Luke 23:34 NAS95)

                                                    • Conclusion

                                                    • Don’t forget that there is more than enough grace
                                                    • “The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:20–21 NAS95)
                                                      • More grace than sin
                                                      • God delights to forgive
                                                        • A comfort to you and me
                                                        • And an inspiration to motivate our forgiveness of others
                                                        • Questions for discussion:
                                                          • What stands out to you from this verse?
                                                          • How might your prayer life grow because of what this verse teaches you about God, yourself and prayer?
                                                          • Suggestion: Pray this verse every day between now and the next episode

                                                            • Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.

                                                            Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected].

                                                            If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

                                                            Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

                                                            “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

                                                            God bless, Malcolm

                                                            PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John
                                                            20 min
                                                          • S1 Ep41: "Evidence for Conviction", Randal Porter. What we are reading, Episode 41
                                                            Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

                                                            Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected].

                                                            If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

                                                            Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

                                                            “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

                                                            God bless, Malcolm

                                                            PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John
                                                            32 min
                                                          • S1 Ep215: "How to help your audience remember" - Part 1. "Create a learning culture". Tuesday Teaching Tip 215
                                                            ““And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 11:16 NAS95)Introduction
                                                            • Responsibility to teach in a way to help people remember
                                                              • You are not so much a preacher or teacher, but a communicator and educator
                                                            • Jesus effective at this
                                                            • Reading on this topic - how to learn and help others learn: "Make it Stick"
                                                            • Three-part series on how to make your teaching 'stick'.

                                                              • Part 1: "Create a learning culture"

                                                              1. Encourage people to take responsibility for their own learning
                                                              • “After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?” “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him.” (Matthew 17:24–26 NIV11)
                                                              • “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”” (Matthew 16:13–16 NIV11)
                                                              • “While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”” (Matthew 9:10–13 NIV11)
                                                              • Practically:
                                                                • Ask open questions in lessons
                                                                • Validate all answers
                                                                • Create space for discovery

                                                                  • 2. Involve as many different kinds of people as possible in teaching and learning
                                                                  • "We learn best when we learn in community"
                                                                  • Jesus built a learning team - including women
                                                                  • No wonder the early church learned in community: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42 NIV11)
                                                                  • Paul travelled with friends: Barnabas, Silas, Timothy and more
                                                                    • Be creative in involving other people: short lessons; multi-speaker lessons; testimony sharing; use video if in-person speaking is too difficult; find people's passion.
                                                                    • Different people have different gifts, experiences, perspectives and insights - we need them all

                                                                      • 3. Discuss what you are learning outside meetings
                                                                      • Learning is a way of life, not so much an activity
                                                                      • Jesus taught on the hoof: “As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”” (Matthew 17:9 NIV11)
                                                                      • Celebrate curiosity about scripture and the ways of God
                                                                      • Discuss what learning from the Bible, God's activity in your life/the world, in prayer and from one another

                                                                        • Conclusion
                                                                        • What Jesus taught was remembered
                                                                          • Remembering not automatic
                                                                        • Peter reminded them even though they already know what he was telling them: “So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.” (2 Peter 1:12 NIV11)
                                                                        • How can you make your learning stick?

                                                                          • Question: "What is the first step you can take to creating or strengthening the learning culture of you church community?"Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.

                                                                          Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected].

                                                                          If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

                                                                          Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

                                                                          “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

                                                                          God bless, Malcolm

                                                                          PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John

                                                                          mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, coaching, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,
                                                                          17 min
                                                                        • S1 Ep61: "How to handle holy disruption" Newsletter 06 September 2020, Episode 61
                                                                          Letting God's Disruption Do It's Work

                                                                          First, a huge "thank you" for praying for my father. His operation to put a plate and pins in his fractured femur has gone well. I am still in Kent helping my mother (hence the late newsletter). It has been a challenge and a joy to be available to them both. Like much of life. A challenge and a joy!

                                                                          I took the picture above while on a morning prayer walk through the local farmland. The dewdrop's glistening glory drew my eye. In a metaphorically similar way, the current disruptive situation has drawn my heart to God. In what way? Let me illustrate.

                                                                          I'm reading three books on prayer at the moment: "Prayer: Finding the heart's true home" - R Foster; "How to pray", P Greig; "Praying the Psalms", W Brueggemann.

                                                                          All are having their profound effect on me, in their own very different ways. I read the section on the metaphors of 'pit' and 'wings' from the Brueggemann book this morning. He points out the reality that we are moving from 'pit' to 'wings' and vice versa: "Our lives always move between the pit and the wing, between the shattering of disorientation and the gift of life."*

                                                                          Pit: “You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.” (Psalm 88:6 NIV11)
                                                                          Wings: “How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” (Psalm 36:7 NIV11)

                                                                          Is this your experience? It certainly is mine. If you want a good prayer-Psalm as a text through with to meditate/pray on the disruptions of life, you can do no better than Psalm 91. I prayed through it this morning.  Brueggemann identifies the following declarations from God:

                                                                          • I will deliver • I will protect • I will answer • I will be with • I will rescue • I will honour • I will satisfy • I will show**

                                                                          My father is still in hospital, my mother's disabilities are profound, my work is full-on, there are other challenges at hand and, to top it all, the broadband here in rural Kent is... Well. let's just say, we're right at the end of the pipes! 

                                                                          If you, like me, are finding the disruption tough, take some time to pray to appreciate the pit, and seek the wings. The pit is teaching us something valuable. The wings are where we will end up - no matter how many pits lie in our way in the meantime. 

                                                                          Upcoming projects and events for the next few days

                                                                          • Publishing the fourth and final class in the series on prayer for the Thames Valley church (based on the Lord's prayer from Matthew 6). Next class based on Matthew 6:12-13.
                                                                          • A quiet time coaching podcast on "forgive us our sins" 
                                                                          • Continuing to working on some plans, together with some friends, for an event on the issues surrounding Christianity and race.
                                                                          • Starting to host a branch of the Renovare book club. We're beginning with Pete Greig's book, "How to pray". I've read the first two chapters. It's deep, but engaging. More on the book when I've had a chance to digest it.
                                                                          • Uploading a video interview with Randal Porter, author of, "Evidence for conviction".
                                                                          • Attending a meeting of the location leaders of Thames Valley to discuss what we are learning from lockdown times and looking forward to what God might have in mind for us between now and the end of the year.

                                                                            • Solution focused coaching

                                                                            Many thanks to the person who agreed to let me coach them this week. Let me know if you would like some coaching. Sessions can be as short or as long as needed. I am currently looking for someone to help me with setting up a website for my coaching. Thank you to everybody who has already contacted me, but if you know someone or you would be interested in helping me with this please get in touch.

                                                                            Until the next time, 

                                                                            God bless, Malcolm

                                                                            *Brueggemann, Walter. Praying the Psalms, Second Edition: Engaging Scripture and the Life of the Spirit (p. 42). Cascade Books, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers. Kindle Edition. 
                                                                            ** ibid. p40
                                                                            11 min
                                                                          • S1 Ep241: "Give us this day our daily bread": Quiet Time Coaching: Episode 241
                                                                            Part 5 of the series on the Lord's Prayer

                                                                            • Thames Valley teaching series: more theology
                                                                            • First half of prayer all about God and his priorities
                                                                            • Second half about us and our needs

                                                                              • 1. Give
                                                                              • What are we praying for, when we pray asking for our daily bread?
                                                                              • Looking to God for provision without anxiety
                                                                                • ““Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25 NIV11)
                                                                              • Trust that he wants and delights to give
                                                                              • Ask with relaxed posture, not anxious demand

                                                                                • 2. Us Our
                                                                                • Not only my bread. Concern for needs of others.
                                                                                • Social dimension
                                                                                  • Praying for friends; family; local congregation; anyone we are connected to with known needs

                                                                                  • 3. Daily
                                                                                  • espousios: today, tomorrow, coming day, the day at hand.
                                                                                  • Praying for what I need today. No fears about tomorrow, Matthew 6.33-34.
                                                                                  • Just today - manna in the wilderness.
                                                                                  • Necessary for survival - need, not want. Contentment.

                                                                                    • 4. Bread
                                                                                    • Making a point about necessities rather than luxuries?
                                                                                    • Contentment.
                                                                                    • “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonour the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:8–9 NIV11)
                                                                                    • The prayer is for our needs, not our greeds
                                                                                    • God's Word in view here too:

                                                                                      • When Jesus taught us to pray for ‘our daily bread’, he was referring to physical provision (as we saw in Chapter 5), but also to the daily spiritual nourishment of God’s word. For example, when Jesus was fasting in the wilderness and the devil tempted him to make bread (the physical variety), Jesus replied by quoting the book of Deuteronomy and pointing to another kind of bread and another kind of hunger (the spiritual variety): ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

                                                                                      Greig, Pete. How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People (pp. 136-137). John Murray Press. Kindle Edition.
                                                                                      Conclusion

                                                                                      • Don’t forget everything you have is from God.
                                                                                        • “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 NIV11
                                                                                      • He owes us nothing. Apparent security in our society tends to engender entitlement and/or ingratitude, there must be countered by active recognition of dependence on God’s generosity.
                                                                                      • Questions for discussion:
                                                                                        • What stands out to you from this verse?
                                                                                        • How might your prayer life grow because of what this verse teaches you about God, yourself and prayer?

                                                                                          • Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

                                                                                          Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected].

                                                                                          If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

                                                                                          Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

                                                                                          “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

                                                                                          God bless, Malcolm

                                                                                          PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John
                                                                                          19 min
                                                                                        • S1 Ep40: "Wilderness Time", Emily Griffin. What we are reading, Episode 40
                                                                                          "On retreat we may discover our true identity not from any self-analysis but by God's gift of enlightenment." p7This week's "What we are reading" episode focuses on the book "Wilderness Time" by Emily Griffin.

                                                                                          I take you on a tour of the book's main themes and contemplate the point of a spiritual retreat as well as some of the practicals.

                                                                                          Who is this book for?

                                                                                          - People who want to create space for more extended times of listening to God
                                                                                          - People who want to try something Jesus valued to find its value for them
                                                                                          - People who want to give God the opportunity to accelerate their spiritual growth

                                                                                          - Have you read it? What are your thoughts?
                                                                                          - What are you reading? Send me recommendations

                                                                                          If you like this video, please click the "like " button and share with your friends.

                                                                                          Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

                                                                                          Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [email protected].

                                                                                          If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org.

                                                                                          Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

                                                                                          “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

                                                                                          God bless, Malcolm

                                                                                          PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John
                                                                                          15 min

                                                                                        About Malcolm Cox

                                                                                        From the publisher's feed

                                                                                        Malcolm Cox. Enjoying communicating the depth & relevance of the Bible to life today. Author of 'An Elephant's Swimming Pool' about John's gospel. For theology and spirituality see: