Wednesday - Spiritual Pop Quiz

Just for You:

1.  Workshop on Spiritual Practices – Right Relationships on  Saturday 

May 11  9:30am to 3:30pm  at First Presbyterian Church Portage la Prairie.   Please RSVP to Glenn Ball (204-570-1390  or  rgball@mymts.net)   by Sunday  May 5 2013.

2. Come and meet with the Rev Dr Abraham Berinyuu,  recipient of the EH Johnston Award.  Come and hear about his ministry in Ghana.   

First Presbyterian Church Brandon  May 21 at  7pm

Knox – Zion Presbyterian Church  Carberry  May 23  at   7pm

Calvin Presbyterian Church Winnipeg  May 26 at 11am

Wednesday  May 1

Prayer:   Great God  we come before You today with minds ready to receive Your Word.  We come before You today thirsting for Your Living Word.  Great God,  instill in us the wonder of the Gospel reading.    Open our minds and hearts and souls to Your great love and wisdom.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Luke 12: 54 – 59

Jesus said to the crowd, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say ‘It’s  going to rain’ and it does”.    (St Luke 12: 54  NIV  Zondervan 1983).    Weather.  We know all about weather.   We too can gauge weather by watching the clouds drift across the Prairies.  Interpretation.    We have floods that the Conservation Experts and Emergency – Disaster Experts have been predicting.    Will the snow melt quickly and cause major flooding down river?   Will the snow melt slowly and there will be no flooding at all?    We don’t really know.  But we prepare for flooding and hopefully not have to use this preparation.

Jesus got angry at the crowd for not being prepared.  Jesus got angry at the crowd for not interpreting the times.  Jesus didn’t get angry at the crowd for predicting weather but for not being prepared for the coming of the Kingdom of God.  Jesus called them hypocrites.  While the people observed the religious laws they did not live their lives as people chosen by God.    Unlike the storm clouds or sandstorm clouds that would roll in and people would prepare for storms and flooding,  the people were not preparing their hearts and minds and souls for God.      Their spiritual lives were the pits.

Are we,  like the crowds of Jesus’ day,   unprepared for the coming of the Kingdom of God?  Are our spiritual lives the pits?   Are you fooling yourself into thinking you are in a good relationship with God?    Aha!  Time for a Spiritual Pop Quiz.    While Pop Quizzes are usually a tool used in magazines to sell magazines,  Pop Quizzes actually make us think about what we believe. 

Spiritual Pop Quiz:    Choose only one answer to each question.

1.  How many times a day do you say prayers?

a.  never

b.  once a day

c.   only at meal times

d.  more than four times a day

e.  depends upon the day and the situations

2.  What type of prayers do you pray?

a.  prayers during times of desperation only

b.  prayers only asking for things

c.  only  prayers asking for healing of others

d.  prayers that include thanks to God,  gratitude to God, times of silence,

     bringing concerns of others to God,  asking God for forgiveness.

e.   prayers that only focus upon myself

3.  How many times a week do you meditate?

a.  never

b.  one a day

c.  only while waiting for traffic lights to change or other mundane tasks

d.  more than three times a day for at least 15 minutes each time

e.  depends if I have any free time during the day

4.   How many times a week do you attend worship?

a.   never

b.  only during Christmas and Easter

c.  once each Sunday either in Church or on TV/online Church

d.  Sundays and  listen to other TV – online worship programmes during the week

e.   Christmas,  Easter,  and Communion Sundays

5.  How many times a week do you read the Bible?

a.   once a week

b.   twice a week

c.    three times a week

d.   seven times a week or more

e.   only when I remember or aren’t heavily involved in family or community

     or Church events.   

Tally up your score:

For each A answer give yourself  a 1

For each B answer give yourself a  2

For each  C answer give yourself a  3

For each D answer give yourself a 4

For each E answer give yourself a  2

My score is: _____________

If your score is  5 to  9,  you need to seriously look at what you believe and what it means to be a  Christian.

If your score  is  10 to 12,  you need to strive to pray,  meditate, read the Scriptures, and worship. Ask your Minister or Elder to recommend some books on what it means to be a Christian. Attend a Bible Study.

If your score is  13 to  17, you should strive to pray, meditate, read the Scriptures each day, and  worship. Ask your Minister or Elder  to help you discern what it means to be a Christian. Attend a Bible Study.

If your score is  18 to 19,   you should strive to pray,  meditate, read the Scriptures each day and  remember to worship God through your gratitude.  Attend a Bible Study.

If your score is  20,  you are well on the way to understanding what it means to be and live as a Christian.  Help lead a Bible Study.

Prayer:  Holy God,  You know us from before we were born and are with us all of our life.  Help us this and each day O Lord,  to grow and mature in our faith.  In all times and in all places may we continually turn to Your great love.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.