Simple Heart

Bring People Together

Bridging the generational gap at church is possible through rather straightforward ways. And anyone can help bring people together. Whether you’re a church member or leader, you can play a role in proposing, volunteering for, or developing one of the following avenues for multi-generational church activities.

• Small Groups: There’s a time and place for age-based groups, but small groups organized in other ways can bring together people of all generations and backgrounds. Teaching and fellowship are the focus here. Small groups are a great way to develop relationships within the church.  

• Mentoring: A formal ministry for mentoring can connect younger and older Christians. Older believers can disciple and guide younger believers, as Paul exhorted in Titus 2. Reverse mentoring can be valuable as well, helping to challenge the older generation. After all, younger and older Christians can learn a lot from each other. 

• Outreach: Projects spanning service, missions and evangelism work should be a focus for any church. They’re the perfect opportunity to bring people of all ages together. Working alongside each other — whether it’s building a church across the world or beautifying a local school playground — creates bonding opportunities. 

• Prayer: A prayer ministry is a tangible way to join people in an essential spiritual practice. It can be incredibly simple, too. People can pray at specified times whether they’re in the same place or not. By establishing a formal prayer ministry, churches can help people cherish the power of prayer and experience the joy of praying for each other.

Extracted from: online.betheluniversity.edu 

a. Some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists: At that time, there were Jewish exorcists who practiced their trade with a lot of superstition and ceremony. Here, a group of itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to imitate what they though was Paul’s formula for success.

b. We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches: The Jewish exorcists failed because they had no personal relationship with Jesus. They only knew that Jesus was the God of Paul, not their own God.

ii. We could say that the sons of Sceva did not have the right to use the name of Jesus, because they had no real personal connection to Him

Names were very significant in biblical times; even prophetic, like in this case. The baby inside of Mary's womb would someday die on the cross to save mankind from their sins. He would be the personification of what this name meant.

There are many times in the bible where his name is written as Jesus Christ. One might think when we say Jesus Christ that Christ is his last name but that's not the case. The proper phrase would be Jesus who is the Christ. That's why you will also find it written as Christ Jesus.

Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah or Anointed One. The one the Jews had been waiting centuries for was here. Jesus is the one who was to come into the world. He is the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Redeemer, the great deliverer, the Savior. This is the name of Jesus.

Luke 9:1-2

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 

The word for authority in Greek is “exousia” …which according to Strong’s Concordance means, “authority, especially moral authority, influence, (b) of a spiritual power, and hence of an earthly power: right or privilege, conferred power; delegated empowerment (authorization): delegated power as in authority God gives to His saints.”

The word power is the Greek “dunamis” meaning “might, power, marvelous works: (a) physical power, force, might, ability, efficacy, energy, ability (properly, ‘ability to perform’); power through God’s ability.” Dýnamis, according to Strong’s Concordance, “is a very important term, used 120 times in the New Testament.”

dýnamis (/dýnamai, "able, having ability") – properly, "ability to perform" (L-N); for the believer, power to achieve by applying the Lord's inherent abilities. "Power through God's ability"

(power) Inherent: vested in (someone) as a right or privilege

1 Cor. 13:1-8a

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!

Gratitude is a special gift given to us by God. Gratitude is fundamentally about not taking things for granted. It is being thankful for what we have and receive. Thankfulness is a powerful means of drawing near to God. The Bible talks a lot about gratitude. Paul says we should be:

“Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20, NIV)

As Christians, we have a double benefit from gratitude. Firstly, research shows that gratitude makes us happier even if we aren’t Christians, but secondly, as Christians, gratitude strengthens our relationship with God. Expressing gratitude is beneficial to us even if God is not involved.

 Extracted from - The Gift of Gratitude to God – Lindy Pegler, 2019 

John 16:33

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

1 Cor. 16:13

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.

Romans 15:5

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 -18 

Rejoice always. pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

As you read the scripture above, I know you might somehow be thinking; Easy for you to say, when everything is going well, even though you might not say.

And you know what you are right I know it's not always, to be honest let me just say; it's not easy to rejoice always pray without ceasing and to give thanks in all circumstance but my dear friend in order for you and I to see the will of God accomplish in our lives, our family lives, and our Church, for the City in which we live and for our Nation, we need to God our Creator of heaven and earth, our true Source for guidance, and understanding. 

Father our desire is to please, so teach us; how to rejoice always, to truly pray without ceasing and to give thanks in the midst of chaos, because Your Word instruct us that by doing so brings You pleasure.

1 Timothy 4: 1-2

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. 

These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.

Psalms 91:14-16

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.

When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble.

I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”

1 John 2:15-17 & 24 – 27

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 

And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. 

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.