bridgewater community church

“Our prayer must not be self-centered. It must arise not only because we feel our own need as a burden we must lay upon God, but also because we are so bound up in love for our fellow men that we feel their need as acutely as our own. To make intercession for men is the most powerful and practical way in which we can express our love for them. ”
–John Calvin

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matt 5:44).

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints (Eph 6:18).

Brethren, pray for us (1 Thes 5:25).

Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (James 5:14-16).

“True wisdom consists in two things: Knowledge of God and Knowledge of Self.”
–John Calvin

If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given you.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:5-7).

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace (James 3:17-18).

The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” ⁸ Jesus *said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk” (John 5:7-8).

The invalid at the Pool of Bethesda does what almost all of us are wont to do: for he limits the assistance of God according to his own thought…In this we have a mirror of that forbearance of which every one of us has daily experience, when, on the one hand, we keep our attention fixed on the means which are within our reach, and when, on the other hand, contrary to expectation, he displays his hand from hidden places and thus shows how far his goodness goes beyond the narrow limits of our faith.  Besides, this example ought to teach us patience.  Thirty-eight years was a long period, during which God had delayed to render to this poor man that favor which, from the beginning, he had determined to confer upon him.  However long, therefore, we may be held in suspense, though we groan under our distresses, let us never be discouraged by the tediousness of the lengthened period; for, when our afflictions are long continued, though we discover no termination of them, still we ought always to believe that God is a wonderful deliverer who, by his power, easily removes every obstacle out of the way.

–John Calvin

I came across this quote from John Calvin that is so true: “There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence.”   He got that from Scripture.   

• Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling (Prov 16:18).
• There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death (Prov 16:25).
• The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel (Prov 12:15).

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of your time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is (Eph 5:15-17).