Here is the vision God gave to John F_ , as delivered to the congregation today:
I have been chosen
I have been chosen
I have been chosen
I was bought at a price
God… saved… you
God, set you apart
It’s not an accident that you’re living here and it’s not an accident you’re in this church
Pete sang a worship song to God:
“I will live my life to follow you, I will live my life to worship you.”
‘Do you believe this?’
Through this church God has chosen to express his power, God has chosen to express his love and God has chosen to express his presence.
1 Peter 2:9-12 You are a chosen people
You are a holy people, called by God
You are a temple – what is the condition of your temple?
I saw two hills, one had some houses on it and the other had a huge house, a significant building, a significant place
In between the hills was a ravine and just through the hills a town and then the sea.
A cloud came down and moved forward through the hills and filled everything around me.
In the town was oppression, depression, sin and loneliness
The prominent place [significant building] had a large entrance. It had additions to the building which were part of the original design.
This significant building is The Beacon Church.
The other little houses on the other hill were other churches
God says to us, ‘I called you to be a light.’
The town is looking to the church
But the church doesn’t seem that different to them, though they look to you!
In the main room in the significant building people are worshipping Jesus – no question [they believe]
But there is a wall around the outside of them and it was a screen. There were people on the other side of that screen. There were things stopping them from living in Christ’s’ freedom. They were born again but things were stopping them and they weren’t operating in the gifts.
The people on the outside could see the inside
The people on the outside had impropriety in finance and in business
There were lies and there was deceit
There was pride
Some here have given up on their marriage partner
God says, ‘I have not given up on you! Don’t give up!
Love is not an emotion – it is an act of will!’
‘I will give you love where there is no love.’
‘Honour your father and mother whether or not they believe in Jesus.’
Some are concerned for their future
Feeling they are not of any worth
Victims of what other people have said about them
God says, ‘I will heal, I will restore.’
‘You are of worth to me.’
There was a road, hearses, funeral directors
Unless these people deal with these issues, they will go the grave still with these issues and problems!
John 8 ‘If the son shall set you free – you will be free indeed’
There were the people who are healing, releasing and forgiving and they pushed down the screen
The people behind the screen opened their arms signifying strength and there was support and encouragement
There was no condemnation
There was no judgement
There was acceptance
There was openness
The church grew
People kneeled
People repented
They said to God, ‘This is me’
There was no superiority but there was great love
The sun shone so that the magnificent building was flooded from the inside
The front of the building, the large doors had Norman style doors with huge pillars
The pillars look like hands reaching up and coming together to a point
‘The pillars are my people praying – now they understand.’
The fog lifted
The town came to the church
There was always room for more and it never filled
Marred, disfigured and mutilated bodies came to the church and the church welcomed them
They found Jesus, they found joy, they found freedom, peace and purpose
Their bodies were healed and their demeanour changed
There were rooms with various ministries from within the church
There were people being sent
Some, to plant churches
Some to the town
Some to beyond the sea
‘I will make you a sending church’
‘You will be a beacon!’
2 chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name…
Sunday 28 September 2008
Words and Vision
A real gem of a day beginning with a very misty start which quickly burnt off to reveal all the colours of autumn sparkling in the vibrant sunshine under a cerulean sky. Gorgeous - a fantastic spirit-lifter.
The gifts of the spirit flowed during the worship, particularly through those named Peter (or so it seemed to me)! Dr Peter Cu_ brought this reading from 1 Peter 2:4-6
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." (NIV)
Peter felt that the Lord wanted to remind us that he is doing something in each one of us - building up each individual whilst knitting us together to build the church.
Julie S_ spoke of how we have an opportunity today to come to Jesus - he accepts us and loves us. We have choices to make. We can come with all the things in our life that hold us back, bring them to Jesus and walk away free, no longer burdened by the past, or we can choose not to come, but to walk away with all those things we came in with. Julie reminded us: draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Paula M_ asked: "Do you believe it? The God who moves mountains; the God who rescues us from death - do you believe it?"
Peter Ca_ asked in the spirit: "Have you fathomed the mysteries of God? Do you know what Jesus did for you? Do you want to know more of my kingdom, more of my mysteries? If you know, you will want to worship me, worship the living God - there is more to know about me"
Inspired by the spirit, Pete H_ sang:
I will live my life to follow you (repeat)
I wasn't worthy of you
but you gave your life
I wasn't worthy of you
but you paid the price
Now I am worthy
Do you see what He has done?
If you believe Him
It does something in you
Do you believe it?
Will you live for it?
I will live my life in worship to you (repeat)
I will give my life in worship to you (repeat)
Nigel S_: God laid a blanket of the Holy Spirit over us today - He wants to speak to His church. He is softening our hearts to hear from him.
John F_ described his vision about a section of the church members being screened off, not fully available, not fully known, not able to play a full part because of something holding them back, whether impropriety in finance or business, having given up on a marriage (to those, the Lord says: "You may have given up on your marriage, but I haven't given up on you!"), lies, deceit, duplicity or pride, etc. Invited anyone who felt they fitted into any of these categories of people screened off from the rest to come forward and kneel in obedience.
After people responded to John F_'s vision and call:
Nicola: "God's heart is breaking - love is pouring out - huge joy at your response – but for many this is just the beginning – in some cases there are actions that you need to do to follow up your response. God is faithful and will walk alongside you as you do what needs to be done."
Sally: "As you kneel, you reveal your soles - your soles needed re-soling - when re-soled, you should walk taller, in a different direction - likewise kneeling in surrender reveals your soul - God has re-souled you - no longer the same broken down - arise anew.
The gifts of the spirit flowed during the worship, particularly through those named Peter (or so it seemed to me)! Dr Peter Cu_ brought this reading from 1 Peter 2:4-6
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." (NIV)
Peter felt that the Lord wanted to remind us that he is doing something in each one of us - building up each individual whilst knitting us together to build the church.
Julie S_ spoke of how we have an opportunity today to come to Jesus - he accepts us and loves us. We have choices to make. We can come with all the things in our life that hold us back, bring them to Jesus and walk away free, no longer burdened by the past, or we can choose not to come, but to walk away with all those things we came in with. Julie reminded us: draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Paula M_ asked: "Do you believe it? The God who moves mountains; the God who rescues us from death - do you believe it?"
Peter Ca_ asked in the spirit: "Have you fathomed the mysteries of God? Do you know what Jesus did for you? Do you want to know more of my kingdom, more of my mysteries? If you know, you will want to worship me, worship the living God - there is more to know about me"
Inspired by the spirit, Pete H_ sang:
I will live my life to follow you (repeat)
I wasn't worthy of you
but you gave your life
I wasn't worthy of you
but you paid the price
Now I am worthy
Do you see what He has done?
If you believe Him
It does something in you
Do you believe it?
Will you live for it?
I will live my life in worship to you (repeat)
I will give my life in worship to you (repeat)
Nigel S_: God laid a blanket of the Holy Spirit over us today - He wants to speak to His church. He is softening our hearts to hear from him.
John F_ described his vision about a section of the church members being screened off, not fully available, not fully known, not able to play a full part because of something holding them back, whether impropriety in finance or business, having given up on a marriage (to those, the Lord says: "You may have given up on your marriage, but I haven't given up on you!"), lies, deceit, duplicity or pride, etc. Invited anyone who felt they fitted into any of these categories of people screened off from the rest to come forward and kneel in obedience.
After people responded to John F_'s vision and call:
Nicola: "God's heart is breaking - love is pouring out - huge joy at your response – but for many this is just the beginning – in some cases there are actions that you need to do to follow up your response. God is faithful and will walk alongside you as you do what needs to be done."
Sally: "As you kneel, you reveal your soles - your soles needed re-soling - when re-soled, you should walk taller, in a different direction - likewise kneeling in surrender reveals your soul - God has re-souled you - no longer the same broken down - arise anew.
Wednesday 24 September 2008
Cell Group
Cell division, so Wikipedia tells me, is a process by which a Cell divides into two or more daughter cells. Thus our Cell group, once again having grown to the point where it was too large to meet in normal sized living rooms any more, has divided into two, one led by Christina Mc_, the other led by Micky & Carol, with Roger and Chris overseeing all three cells in their locale.
This week Christina invited us each to bring a proverb to the meeting. I read out the following proverb and offered three 'preaching points':
Proverbs 21:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.
Prayer gossiping: we know gossip is wrong. We need to be careful when asking for prayer for somebody else that we don't reveal confidential information about that person or his/her situation without having first sought his/her permission. It's important not to use intercessory prayer times as a cover for gossip, and to keep confidential any information that you hear during an intercessory prayer session - to guard your tongue and not pass it on.
Vows: Be careful to guard against uttering a vow you may later regret. In the New Testament (Matthew 5:36 - 38) Jesus warns us not to make vows, but to let our 'yes' be 'yes' and 'no' be 'no'. In Mark 6:21-26 we have the cautionary tale of Herod who vows to give the daughter of Herodias whatever she asks in reward for her dancing, and prompted by her mother, she asks him for something he really didn't want to give, the head of John the Baptist.
Negative remarks which may blight our own lives: Sometimes we're inclined to be negative about ourselves, eg. recently at dance class I've heard myself say things like "I can't remember the steps" , "I always get this bit wrong", etc. The mind is a powerful thing - our own ears are hearing every word we say and inadvertently we may be inviting the very result we don't want by giving voice to these negative thoughts. Better to find the positive and say that: for example, "I can do this if I try".
This week Christina invited us each to bring a proverb to the meeting. I read out the following proverb and offered three 'preaching points':
Proverbs 21:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.
Prayer gossiping: we know gossip is wrong. We need to be careful when asking for prayer for somebody else that we don't reveal confidential information about that person or his/her situation without having first sought his/her permission. It's important not to use intercessory prayer times as a cover for gossip, and to keep confidential any information that you hear during an intercessory prayer session - to guard your tongue and not pass it on.
Vows: Be careful to guard against uttering a vow you may later regret. In the New Testament (Matthew 5:36 - 38) Jesus warns us not to make vows, but to let our 'yes' be 'yes' and 'no' be 'no'. In Mark 6:21-26 we have the cautionary tale of Herod who vows to give the daughter of Herodias whatever she asks in reward for her dancing, and prompted by her mother, she asks him for something he really didn't want to give, the head of John the Baptist.
Negative remarks which may blight our own lives: Sometimes we're inclined to be negative about ourselves, eg. recently at dance class I've heard myself say things like "I can't remember the steps" , "I always get this bit wrong", etc. The mind is a powerful thing - our own ears are hearing every word we say and inadvertently we may be inviting the very result we don't want by giving voice to these negative thoughts. Better to find the positive and say that: for example, "I can do this if I try".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)