Connect Notes - 26 May 2014
READING THE RECIPE: STAY IN YOUR LANE - Jamie Malcolm
4 What leads to strife (discord and feuds) and how do conflicts (quarrels and fightings) originate
among you? Do they not arise from your sensual desires that are ever warring in your bodily
members?
2
You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your desires go unfulfilled; [so] you become
murderers. [To hate is to murder as far as your hearts are concerned.] You burn with
envy and anger and are not able to obtain [the gratification, the contentment, and the happiness
that you seek], so you fight and war. You do not have, because you do not ask.
James 4:1-2 AMP
This passage asks the question of what causes nasty things to manifest in our relationships and
relationship breakdowns.
- Then it answers: it is us. Even as we tell God we are happy when others experience success in life,
we are experiencing jealousy and covetousness.
What is the result of this?
- v2, when we are looking at other people, we don’t get gratification, contentment and we are never
happy.
Gratification means satisfaction and when we are comparing our day to day selves with a magazine,
a TV show or Facebook (which are other people’s highlight reels) how can we be satisfied?
Contentment means being happy with your situation in life. Contentment means we can take time
to just hang with God and enjoy life.
Happiness means a state of wellbeing with emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.
- Hebrews 12:1 (NIV) offers a recipe to avoid missing out: it tells us to ‘run the race marked out for
us’ or ‘run the race set before us’ (NKJV).
- We need to learn how to run our own race and stay in our own lane!
Jamie shared powerfully about how he gradually started running in someone else’s lane. Mentally he
was in someone else’s lane and so their success became the measurement he used for his own life.
- It is so weird that someone we don’t even know can become the thing our happiness depends on.
Yet if that same person that we see as ‘ahead of us’ was behind us we’d probably be cheering them
on.
- Jealousy can transform other people into our enemies (often not physically, but mentally).
44
But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:44 (NASB)
- This is the antidote: pray for them, bless them and decide to get back in your own lane.
TALK ABOUT:
* What is Jesus saying to you? What is He telling you to do? There is a miracle in there for you.
* Where do you need a breakthrough, a miracle? Have you asked God what you should do?
* Are you prepared to give Him whatever?
WHAT'S COMING UP:
ALPHA COURSE - IT"S NOT TOO LATE - TUESDAY NIGHT!
The Alpha course is for anyone wanting to explore the Christian faith. It is a free 7 week course that
allows people to discuss Jesus in an open, non-judgemental environment. No question is too
controversial. This is the perfect course to bring a friend to who might have questions about who
Jesus is, what the cross means as well as how to live out one’s Christianity. It continues tomorrow
night at 7.30pm in the Art Lounge. For more info and to register email [email protected]
PATHFINDERS MENTORING PROGRAMME - LAUNCHING 16TH JUNE (new date)
Pathfinders Mentoring exists to equip younger people to build their careers and businesses
through linking them up with some of our experienced and accomplished marketplace leaders.
Covering areas such as time management, integrity, success, balance and faith the programme will
develop your skills and show you how to become a Godly leader in the marketplace.
Also, if you have younger people (20-35) in your connect group who have a calling to leadership in
their field in the marketplace, we want to help! If there is such a person in your connect group,
submit their name and Pathfinders is donating 4 scholarships. Your connect group member could be
one.