Dan M_: Romans 5, v 12 & 8
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned; But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us
Dan encouraged us to abandon our preconceived notions about what love is, and to focus today on what God’s love really is.
Dave R_: Was having a bible time with his kids this morning, talking about doing good and being obedient. He said, “Sometimes you don’t do what Daddy says”. His little boy looked at him with a cheeky smile and answered, “Yeah, but you love me anyway”. This is a profound understanding of God’s love for us – we may feel undeserving but ‘He loves us anyway’.
Scripture: Proverbs 16:1-9
To man belong the plans of the heart,
but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.
All a man's ways seem innocent to him,
but motives are weighed by the LORD.
Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.
The LORD works out everything for his own ends—
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
The LORD detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.
When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD,
he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.
Better a little with righteousness
than much gain with injustice.
In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.
Pete C_: Feels God saying to him there are people here today who aren’t free to worship Him; that all the words are just floating past them. Believes God wants to say to you the way to be released: we need to hear the word of God – it is powerful to work in our lives, we need to live in it. Pete read from Romans 8:
Life Through the Spirit
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
Paul M_: Took his wife to the cinema this week to watch a film in 3D. Similarly there is another dimension to life, a spiritual dimension. At the cinema, if you watched the film without the special specs, it just looked blurry; with the specs, you could see the film in 3D. Make sure you’ve got your special specs on to see the spiritual dimension.
Andrew: summarised the words in the spirit and the scriptures – God says He loves you; God says there is no condemnation; there is a spiritual dimension to our lives – seek righteousness and more of God’s spirit.
Sunday 13 December 2009
Sunday 26 July 2009
Words during Worship: Morning Service
We sang the worship song 'Your Grace is Enough' and Amanda B prayed thanks to God that His grace IS enough, that she might keep her eyes fixed on Him so that she doesn't go back to the filthy place she came from.
Katja: As we sang the words 'solid ground', I had a strange word for someone: 'Spiritual vertigo' - vertigo is that feeling of the world spinning around you, a feeling of being at sea, almost - you are on the solid rock of Christ, yet you feel like your world is spinning round, is in chaos, and you are unsupported. If you have set your heart on Christ, He wants to bring healing to whatever is causing that sense of spiritual vertigo. We stand on the rock of Christ.
Stuart W: Meditate on the challenge God is bringing to your life:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:3-12) Stuart went on to say that the Lord delights in you, and has cast your sins into the depths of the deepest ocean (which is about 36,000 feet deep) and remembers them no more. Stuart used to enjoy buttered toast at the ABC Cafe where the butter was lavishly spread and used this as an image to depict the generosity with which God lavishes on us the 'riches of God's grace .... with all wisdom and understanding'.
Paul M: "A couple of weeks ago I woke in the middle of the night thinking about Jesus feeding the 5,000. It seemed a strange thing to be thinking about in the middle of the night. I looked up a couple of versions and realised there are three key stages:
1) time of refreshment.
Recently God pulled us together and poured out His Holy Spirit releasing spiritual healing.
2) huge crowds came.
The crowds came because Jesus was healing the sick. I believe the next phase we'll experience is signs, wonders and miracles. There is too much pain and suffering in the church body - I feel God wants to bring physical healing.
3) Small boy brings fish and bread.
God takes what the small boy brings and breaks it - there is miraculous multiplication. I feel we can be like the small boy bringing what we have, and God will work his miracle of multiplication.
Paula M_: After reminding us of Moses' last words to the people of Israel, Paula said, "I feel God wants us to be a people to rise to the challenge, to know who you are in Him".
Amanda B_: Our enemies are fear, poverty, sickness, disobedience, rebellion - take the sword of the Spirit and cut them down!
Mark Landreth-Smith spoke on the closing passage of Colossians and quoted from Leonard Ravenhill: "No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. The pulpit can be a shopwindow to display one's talents; the prayer closet allows no showing off. Poverty-stricken as the Church is today in many things, she is most stricken here, in the place of praver. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere."
Katja: As we sang the words 'solid ground', I had a strange word for someone: 'Spiritual vertigo' - vertigo is that feeling of the world spinning around you, a feeling of being at sea, almost - you are on the solid rock of Christ, yet you feel like your world is spinning round, is in chaos, and you are unsupported. If you have set your heart on Christ, He wants to bring healing to whatever is causing that sense of spiritual vertigo. We stand on the rock of Christ.
Stuart W: Meditate on the challenge God is bringing to your life:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:3-12) Stuart went on to say that the Lord delights in you, and has cast your sins into the depths of the deepest ocean (which is about 36,000 feet deep) and remembers them no more. Stuart used to enjoy buttered toast at the ABC Cafe where the butter was lavishly spread and used this as an image to depict the generosity with which God lavishes on us the 'riches of God's grace .... with all wisdom and understanding'.
Paul M: "A couple of weeks ago I woke in the middle of the night thinking about Jesus feeding the 5,000. It seemed a strange thing to be thinking about in the middle of the night. I looked up a couple of versions and realised there are three key stages:
1) time of refreshment.
Recently God pulled us together and poured out His Holy Spirit releasing spiritual healing.
2) huge crowds came.
The crowds came because Jesus was healing the sick. I believe the next phase we'll experience is signs, wonders and miracles. There is too much pain and suffering in the church body - I feel God wants to bring physical healing.
3) Small boy brings fish and bread.
God takes what the small boy brings and breaks it - there is miraculous multiplication. I feel we can be like the small boy bringing what we have, and God will work his miracle of multiplication.
Paula M_: After reminding us of Moses' last words to the people of Israel, Paula said, "I feel God wants us to be a people to rise to the challenge, to know who you are in Him".
Amanda B_: Our enemies are fear, poverty, sickness, disobedience, rebellion - take the sword of the Spirit and cut them down!
Mark Landreth-Smith spoke on the closing passage of Colossians and quoted from Leonard Ravenhill: "No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. The pulpit can be a shopwindow to display one's talents; the prayer closet allows no showing off. Poverty-stricken as the Church is today in many things, she is most stricken here, in the place of praver. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere."
Wednesday 22 July 2009
Small Group
I was asked to take notes for some unspecified reason, but I figure it must be to share them so here goes.
Paula M_ led us in worship. We meditated on Psalm 147 as we listened to a worship song (Won't you reign in me again) and then shared aloud the thoughts and insights we had received. Paula spoke about Julian Adams' word, where he felt that the Lord is saying to us as individuals and to the church that He is doing a new thing - to put off the old and move with God as He ushers in the new thing He is doing in us and with us and through us.
Paula Dickson had been drawn to verse 7: Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to God on the harp. Yesterday she and Christina were breaking up an old piano - once they had taken away the shell, they were left with the strings which could now be plucked to make a different sound: they had changed the piano for something like a harp; changed something old for something new, something different.
Paula M_ read from Hosea 2, linking the mention of a gate in the Psalm to the mention in Hosea of the gate of trouble becomes a door of hope.
Hope was the word which Chris had, too.
Beverley had also focused on the verse about the gate: 'for he strengthens the bars of your gates' . Beverley suggested that the gate is to keep evil out and also to safely preserve the good things within - Beverley spoke about how we need to strenthen the gates of our minds to ensure that we treasure within the things of God and lock out anything which will contaminate that.
Barbara had a cross-reference in her Bible against this verse to Deuteronomy chapter 33 v 25: The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze, and your strength will equal your days.
In Psalm 147 it speaks of God's understanding having no limits, and Christina had focused on this theme - that our understanding has a limit. Also on the idea that we are asking God to 'reign in me AGAIN' - ie that we want God to reign supreme in our lives as He has before.
Trish brought a reading from Isaiah 58 on the kind of fasting God desires of us, and all the promises it holds: Your light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear ...
Christina gave us the Lord's Prayer to read and a list of questions. We broke into groups of 3 and worked through the questions together, listening for what God would say to us through the questions and answers.
An interesting debate arose on the subject of forgiving yourself - is it biblical, or simply to be dismissed as 'new-agey'? I googled it this afternoon and found this interesting article: http://www.allaboutgod.com/forgiving-yourself.htm
Paula M_ led us in worship. We meditated on Psalm 147 as we listened to a worship song (Won't you reign in me again) and then shared aloud the thoughts and insights we had received. Paula spoke about Julian Adams' word, where he felt that the Lord is saying to us as individuals and to the church that He is doing a new thing - to put off the old and move with God as He ushers in the new thing He is doing in us and with us and through us.
Paula Dickson had been drawn to verse 7: Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to God on the harp. Yesterday she and Christina were breaking up an old piano - once they had taken away the shell, they were left with the strings which could now be plucked to make a different sound: they had changed the piano for something like a harp; changed something old for something new, something different.
Paula M_ read from Hosea 2, linking the mention of a gate in the Psalm to the mention in Hosea of the gate of trouble becomes a door of hope.
Hope was the word which Chris had, too.
Beverley had also focused on the verse about the gate: 'for he strengthens the bars of your gates' . Beverley suggested that the gate is to keep evil out and also to safely preserve the good things within - Beverley spoke about how we need to strenthen the gates of our minds to ensure that we treasure within the things of God and lock out anything which will contaminate that.
Barbara had a cross-reference in her Bible against this verse to Deuteronomy chapter 33 v 25: The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze, and your strength will equal your days.
In Psalm 147 it speaks of God's understanding having no limits, and Christina had focused on this theme - that our understanding has a limit. Also on the idea that we are asking God to 'reign in me AGAIN' - ie that we want God to reign supreme in our lives as He has before.
Trish brought a reading from Isaiah 58 on the kind of fasting God desires of us, and all the promises it holds: Your light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear ...
Christina gave us the Lord's Prayer to read and a list of questions. We broke into groups of 3 and worked through the questions together, listening for what God would say to us through the questions and answers.
An interesting debate arose on the subject of forgiving yourself - is it biblical, or simply to be dismissed as 'new-agey'? I googled it this afternoon and found this interesting article: http://www.allaboutgod.com/forgiving-yourself.htm
Letter from St Cyprian to Donatus, 1st Century AD
"This seems a cheerful world, Donatus, when I view it from this fair garden under the shadow of these vines. But if I climbed some great mountain and looked over the wide lands, you know very well what I would see. Brigands on the high road, pirates on the seas, in the amphitheatres men murdered to please the applauding crowds, under all roofs misery and selfishness. It is a really bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. Yet in the midst of it I have found a quiet and holy people. They have discovered a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasures of this sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are the Christians ... and I am one of them"
~St Cyprian
Hi
This page gets more hits than any other on this blog - please add a comment to say what prompted your search for St Cyprian's letter, or to tell myself and others a little more about where you're coming from. Many thanks.
Trish
~St Cyprian
Hi
This page gets more hits than any other on this blog - please add a comment to say what prompted your search for St Cyprian's letter, or to tell myself and others a little more about where you're coming from. Many thanks.
Trish
Sunday 19 July 2009
Guest Service & Baptism
Pete C_: I have a picture for somebody here. As a child you had something special to you, something you held precious. That thing became less valuable to you as you got older - recently you went up in the loft and found it. I feel God would say to you through this picture, "Once I was of value to you but have been pushed out - I want to come back into your life - I'm something to be with you throughout your entire life, I'm not something just for your childhood - I want to be with you"
Chris B_ shared his testimony with the congregation:
I come from a C of E background that started before I was ten. No baptism was taught there. Over the years I had several challenges but did not respond. I eventually left the church I was in, and spent about 7/8 years outside any church or fellowship.
Earlier this year I went to Adrian, to discuss if there was anything that could be done spiritually to help my daughter. When we parted he gave me an invitation to the Easter Sunday service, and later on I decided to go.
Why I responded to the offer of baptism.
The first thing was that someone asked me if I was baptised in the Spirit and I said I was. Later I realised that was not exactly the case but the idea lingered.
Then Mark made the offer and my right arm just went into the air. My brain was in shock, but my heart knew it was the right thing to do.
There is no argument that can be made with the Bible teaching of baptism by immersion for believers.
Very soon I had different forms of opposition, mental, physical and emotional too which made me realise that Satan was having a go, so I was encouraged and more certain than ever.
I am seeking everything that the Lord has for me, so that I can grow into the man that God sees me as.
I know I have already changed since last Easter Sunday, and others have witnessed to this, but there is so much more to come.
Chris B_ shared his testimony with the congregation:
I come from a C of E background that started before I was ten. No baptism was taught there. Over the years I had several challenges but did not respond. I eventually left the church I was in, and spent about 7/8 years outside any church or fellowship.
Earlier this year I went to Adrian, to discuss if there was anything that could be done spiritually to help my daughter. When we parted he gave me an invitation to the Easter Sunday service, and later on I decided to go.
Why I responded to the offer of baptism.
The first thing was that someone asked me if I was baptised in the Spirit and I said I was. Later I realised that was not exactly the case but the idea lingered.
Then Mark made the offer and my right arm just went into the air. My brain was in shock, but my heart knew it was the right thing to do.
There is no argument that can be made with the Bible teaching of baptism by immersion for believers.
Very soon I had different forms of opposition, mental, physical and emotional too which made me realise that Satan was having a go, so I was encouraged and more certain than ever.
I am seeking everything that the Lord has for me, so that I can grow into the man that God sees me as.
I know I have already changed since last Easter Sunday, and others have witnessed to this, but there is so much more to come.
Sunday 12 July 2009
Claiming the Crown (Words during worship)
As we sang 'boldly I approach His throne, and claim this crown' I had a mental image of myself as a young child approaching a royal throne where royal robes, a crown and a sceptre were laid aside, climbing onto the throne and dressing up in the robes with the crown a little crooked on my head. Then my perspective changed and I was the loving parent approaching the throne, delighting in the sight of the child's eyes turned to me in trust, love and that anticipation children have in their eyes at moments like that. The image touched me deeply, affirming that love that our Heavenly Father has for us, His beloved children, and giving a deep sense of the warmth with which he embraces us, cradling us with love in His lap as He sits on the throne of Heaven. Where else would we choose to be?
Simon B_ felt that some of us at the meeting had chains that need to be broken - he brought the reading of Jesus' meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well and expounded it for us, pointing out that the woman had come to the well at the middle of the day when she didn't expect anyone else to be there, suggesting that she couldn't face her neighbours, that she felt unacceptable. Jesus was there to respond to the woman's need. Simon said, "If that is you, you're feeling unacceptable, come now - acknowledge Jesus is the well, the water of life - come and receive".
(Simon didn't know it, but that passage from Scripture was the very passage Mark had chosen to preach on this morning).
Wayne: Recently God said to him that we come into contact with people in the ordinary events of our lives but life sometimes gets in the way and we don't have the time to take full advantage of those contacts. There is a purpose behind it - to learn from these people. The people God puts in our hearts to spend time with, sometimes it's difficult to get out of the normal rhythm of life to take time to be with them - God wants us to take that chance, to make use of those opportunities while you can.
Mark spoke on the passage of the Samaritan woman at the well and how Jesus engaged with her, and afterwards felt strongly that any divorced women who had been disappointed by men needed to come forward for prayer and to receive a fresh blessing from the Holy Spirit.
Simon B_ felt that some of us at the meeting had chains that need to be broken - he brought the reading of Jesus' meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well and expounded it for us, pointing out that the woman had come to the well at the middle of the day when she didn't expect anyone else to be there, suggesting that she couldn't face her neighbours, that she felt unacceptable. Jesus was there to respond to the woman's need. Simon said, "If that is you, you're feeling unacceptable, come now - acknowledge Jesus is the well, the water of life - come and receive".
(Simon didn't know it, but that passage from Scripture was the very passage Mark had chosen to preach on this morning).
Wayne: Recently God said to him that we come into contact with people in the ordinary events of our lives but life sometimes gets in the way and we don't have the time to take full advantage of those contacts. There is a purpose behind it - to learn from these people. The people God puts in our hearts to spend time with, sometimes it's difficult to get out of the normal rhythm of life to take time to be with them - God wants us to take that chance, to make use of those opportunities while you can.
Mark spoke on the passage of the Samaritan woman at the well and how Jesus engaged with her, and afterwards felt strongly that any divorced women who had been disappointed by men needed to come forward for prayer and to receive a fresh blessing from the Holy Spirit.
Sunday 5 July 2009
Words during Worship - Sunday Morning
Nigel: We've been singing 'Our God saves' - Lord we declare that you have saved us to a relationship with you - we pray that we might go out of this place more like Jesus - we ask that you reveal yourself to us this morning, Lord.
Sarah B_: I saw a picture of buckets of Gold and feel the Lord would say to us: 'Where you end, I begin! Come and get a bucket, a bucket full of Gold - whatever you need, I have the resources in abundance!
Simon: I feel the Holy Spirit wants you to ask Him to take control - He is the perfect gentleman - He won't force Himself on you, you have to invite Him, you have to choose - make the decision - invite Him now: Lord I need you to take control. He will give you the power to make decisions, to step out in faith. Make the decision now and see the difference.
Pete C_: Pete referred to the scripture (John 13:1-16) where Jesus washes the disciples' feet, believing that God would say to us: 'I want to wash your feet - I can clean the dirt off your feet - you don't need your life cleansing, you are already clean from when you received your baptism - you just need your feet washed from where you've walked. Take that touch to others, wash their feet also.
Sarah B_: I saw a picture of buckets of Gold and feel the Lord would say to us: 'Where you end, I begin! Come and get a bucket, a bucket full of Gold - whatever you need, I have the resources in abundance!
Simon: I feel the Holy Spirit wants you to ask Him to take control - He is the perfect gentleman - He won't force Himself on you, you have to invite Him, you have to choose - make the decision - invite Him now: Lord I need you to take control. He will give you the power to make decisions, to step out in faith. Make the decision now and see the difference.
Pete C_: Pete referred to the scripture (John 13:1-16) where Jesus washes the disciples' feet, believing that God would say to us: 'I want to wash your feet - I can clean the dirt off your feet - you don't need your life cleansing, you are already clean from when you received your baptism - you just need your feet washed from where you've walked. Take that touch to others, wash their feet also.
Sunday 28 June 2009
Evening Prayer Meeting
Yvette: Some here may feel that giving everything up to God, surrendering to God, is like leaving your home open to burglars - scary/dangerous - I feel God would say to you He comes with love; you are opening yourself up to someone who wants to bless you, to love you. I feel he is asking you: 'Let me in because I want to give you the desires of your heart - I want to lift your burdens - I want to give you joy and peace.' Yvette invited us to surrender to the Holy Spirit, to let Him in.
Ross G_: I had a picture: it's Christmas Eve - you're peeping round the door into the room where the presents are - you feel really naughty, but God is saying "No, it's not naughty - come and see". You go in and look at all the presents round the tree and look to see which one is for you - and you feel REALLY naughty now, but God is saying, "No, it's not naughty - that is a gift for you" and He wants you to open it right now, not tentatively, but ripping the wrappings off - He wants you to receive your gift right now!
Sally: When Moses was told to speak to Pharaoh, he had doubts about his ability. I feel someone here is feeling a bit afraid. I think God wants to reassure you - He is not going to give us something which is bad for us - He's going to give us something that will advance His Kingdom. Trust God and what we know about Him through Jesus - let go! Take that step of moving into the fulfillment of all that God has for you.
Ross G_: I had a picture: it's Christmas Eve - you're peeping round the door into the room where the presents are - you feel really naughty, but God is saying "No, it's not naughty - come and see". You go in and look at all the presents round the tree and look to see which one is for you - and you feel REALLY naughty now, but God is saying, "No, it's not naughty - that is a gift for you" and He wants you to open it right now, not tentatively, but ripping the wrappings off - He wants you to receive your gift right now!
Sally: When Moses was told to speak to Pharaoh, he had doubts about his ability. I feel someone here is feeling a bit afraid. I think God wants to reassure you - He is not going to give us something which is bad for us - He's going to give us something that will advance His Kingdom. Trust God and what we know about Him through Jesus - let go! Take that step of moving into the fulfillment of all that God has for you.
Morning Service: Words during Worship
David D_: was inspired to sing in the Spirit.
Beverley: I will exalt you, my God the King; great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; from one generation to another - I shall meditate on your works and proclaim your great deeds; you are rich in love, good to all and abounding in compassion. The Saints will extol you so that all may know of your glorious acts - your Word shall endure through all generations.
Carol M_: (Carol read from Isaiah 43.19-21)
For I am about to do something new.
See I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
The wild animals in the field will thank me,
the jackals and owls too,
for giving them water in the desert.
Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland
So my chosen people can be refreshed.
I have made Israel for myself,
and they will honour me before the whole world.
I felt that God was saying:
‘Many of you may say I have been this way before, this is familiar. But I say to you, do not say I have been this way before because I have started something new in this church and I want to start something new in each one of you.
Its not something you can perceive or truly understand in the natural but only by my spirit, for does it not say in my word ‘this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the spirit’ (1 Corinths2 V13), so I say to you now is the time to allow my spirit to take you deeper and you will see new things and I will take you along new paths.
Do you remember the word I gave you through Mark at the start of the year, that I was giving you a roadmap and that you were to trust me in the direction I wanted to take you in. Well, that is what I say to you now, trust me, allow me to navigate you, expect to see new things as you go in a direction you have not been before. Enjoy the detours, explore new depths in me.
And I will make streams in the desert so that you my people can be refreshed, and so that my name goes out from this place and touches those around you. Streams of living water will flow from each one of you and you will be my channels in which to reach the hurting, the broken, the lost, the rejected, the despised. So drink and drink and drink so that you can be refreshed.’
Lorraine G_: In the front of a British passport it reads, 'Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary.' I expect that to happen - I never go anywhere without expecting that to happen. What does God say? He says He is with us! Trust in His Word and in His Spirit to be with you every step.
Joseph: Earlier on I felt strongly God saying yes, His power is full of grace, He is ready to reveal His sovereignty - we need to play our part - there are all kinds of negative messages in the media; God asks us 'whose voice are you listening to?' David chose to listen to God's voice; Samuel chose to listen to God's voice; Daniel chose to listen to God's voice; Elijah chose to listen to God's voice - all these were able to overcome. Whose voice are you listening to?
Simon B_: (Simon read from Genesis 15:1-6)
After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. "
But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Looking at Iran, seeing the changes - how do you look at the world around you? Are you looking with your own vision, or wearing 'lenses' God puts in front of you to see clearly? Abraham's righteousness depended upon believing God's word - we have to accept the righteousness of Jesus Christ and live in it to know the fruit of that obedience.
Dan R_: Dan spoke about his experience of the Holy Spirit - this is recorded in full in a separate blog post.
Beverley: I will exalt you, my God the King; great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; from one generation to another - I shall meditate on your works and proclaim your great deeds; you are rich in love, good to all and abounding in compassion. The Saints will extol you so that all may know of your glorious acts - your Word shall endure through all generations.
Carol M_: (Carol read from Isaiah 43.19-21)
For I am about to do something new.
See I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
The wild animals in the field will thank me,
the jackals and owls too,
for giving them water in the desert.
Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland
So my chosen people can be refreshed.
I have made Israel for myself,
and they will honour me before the whole world.
I felt that God was saying:
‘Many of you may say I have been this way before, this is familiar. But I say to you, do not say I have been this way before because I have started something new in this church and I want to start something new in each one of you.
Its not something you can perceive or truly understand in the natural but only by my spirit, for does it not say in my word ‘this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the spirit’ (1 Corinths2 V13), so I say to you now is the time to allow my spirit to take you deeper and you will see new things and I will take you along new paths.
Do you remember the word I gave you through Mark at the start of the year, that I was giving you a roadmap and that you were to trust me in the direction I wanted to take you in. Well, that is what I say to you now, trust me, allow me to navigate you, expect to see new things as you go in a direction you have not been before. Enjoy the detours, explore new depths in me.
And I will make streams in the desert so that you my people can be refreshed, and so that my name goes out from this place and touches those around you. Streams of living water will flow from each one of you and you will be my channels in which to reach the hurting, the broken, the lost, the rejected, the despised. So drink and drink and drink so that you can be refreshed.’
Lorraine G_: In the front of a British passport it reads, 'Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary.' I expect that to happen - I never go anywhere without expecting that to happen. What does God say? He says He is with us! Trust in His Word and in His Spirit to be with you every step.
Joseph: Earlier on I felt strongly God saying yes, His power is full of grace, He is ready to reveal His sovereignty - we need to play our part - there are all kinds of negative messages in the media; God asks us 'whose voice are you listening to?' David chose to listen to God's voice; Samuel chose to listen to God's voice; Daniel chose to listen to God's voice; Elijah chose to listen to God's voice - all these were able to overcome. Whose voice are you listening to?
Simon B_: (Simon read from Genesis 15:1-6)
After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. "
But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Looking at Iran, seeing the changes - how do you look at the world around you? Are you looking with your own vision, or wearing 'lenses' God puts in front of you to see clearly? Abraham's righteousness depended upon believing God's word - we have to accept the righteousness of Jesus Christ and live in it to know the fruit of that obedience.
Dan R_: Dan spoke about his experience of the Holy Spirit - this is recorded in full in a separate blog post.
Dan's Words during Worship
2009 Holy Spirit Experience
It was the 5th April 2008 on the Freedom in Christ away day that I first experienced the Holy Spirit in action. During that time you ask God to show you areas of your life that aren’t “of God” and then commit them to him knowing that Jesus has already set you free from their strongholds by his death on the cross. While we were praying and meditating I experienced a wide range of emotions and things that I thought I had long since forgotten were shown to me and were prayed through. I returned from that day changed and closer to God but still not clear about having received the fruits of the spirit as listed in Galatians, I still wasn’t praying in tongues much and prophecies and words from God were few and far between.
2009 started with a prompting for me to go to the Holy Sprit prayer session during the week of prayer. While I again did not notice an outpouring of the spirit I did feel that 2009 was going to be a significant year in my Christian walk and that something was going to happen.
Some months later I met with someone who told me I needed to “Tune in” to what God’s saying. Not something I knew how to do but he gave me some passages to read (basically every reference to the Holy Spirit in Luke!) and a short but excellent book “Prison to Praise” by Merlin Carothers. It’s the story of a man’s journey from the wilderness to a spirit filled life including an account of how many times he was prayed for expecting the Holy Spirit to baptise him, how often that didn’t happen and what happened when it eventually did.
Coincidentally (a lot of coincidences happen when God’s involved!), the Word Plus bible study course I was on did a whole day on the Holy Spirit that week also which gave me lots more to investigate some of which I did but a lot of which got prioritised behind everyday activities, work etc and has not been followed up.
Either way I still got the feeling of something big going to happen this year but I didn’t know what. There had been many times when at the end of a Sunday morning the preacher had asked who wants a fresh outpouring of the spirit but I’d always been reluctant or I felt I didn’t fit the particular category being requested. I didn’t need healing or a relationship to be repaired or strength in Evangelism so I stayed in my seat. Another possible reason for me not going forward is that I felt wary of the responsibility of being baptised in the Spirit. Would I be anointed to preach, heal people or suddenly get a heart for evangelism and spend every weekend on outreaches when I already feel busy enough in the week?
But on 24th May, Nigel was preaching on the difficult content in Colossians 3 about families and “wives submit to your husbands” etc and at the end Peter asked for responses including specifically that people needed to be brave and step forward to receive the Holy Spirit. I hesitated (as I have done before) but I also felt excited about going up. Partly nervous, but also excited about doing this so I made the choice to go and be prayed for.
Peter was praying along the line and I sneaked a look to see where he was – 2 people away. I closed my eyes, hands open and waited. Suddenly I could hear someone praying for me in front of me but I knew there was someone in the line before me so I thought that Peter had maybe missed someone out. Then surprisingly I heard Peter start praying for me. I think I felt his hand touch my chest and then I opened my eyes to see the underside of a front row chair!
I’m not sure how long I was on the floor for – I just knew I had experienced so many different emotions while I was there – elation, sadness, despair, hope. I knew I had been crying and that something was different. I felt that God had re-emphasized Nigels message in that the place I needed to concentrate right now was on my family and at home rather than anywhere else. I also knew that I had been given a clear instruction from God which was that I needed to call my parents (not a particularly close relationship), tell them I love them and apologise for the things I’d done when I was living at home and also some of the not so respectful things I do and say now. They were slightly confused when I said this on the phone (not the sort of conversation we normally have) but part of me feels at peace that I did this and I can see why I needed to do it.
The following week, I was at the front again asking for the Holy Spirit to flood my life again and I started whispering in tongues. Not quite proper praying but I ran out of words and the Holy Spirit seemed to fill the gap. That’s happened a number of times since then and it seems that I’m getting more confident each time it happens.
The big difference is that I now feel “tuned in” to God. I know that if I get a prompting to do something, no matter how random or irrelevant it is, if it’s the Holy Spirit doing the prompting then there’s a good reason to do it. Of course, my own weaknesses sometimes get in the way of that (like waiting for the right time to share a word or picture and then realising that the prayer meeting is over!) but at least I’m more aware of what it feels like when the Holy Spirit is at work. For me personally, I’ve changed from believing that God is there and involved in our lives to knowing that He’s there and that he loves us all.
Dan R_
(posted with Dan's permission)
It was the 5th April 2008 on the Freedom in Christ away day that I first experienced the Holy Spirit in action. During that time you ask God to show you areas of your life that aren’t “of God” and then commit them to him knowing that Jesus has already set you free from their strongholds by his death on the cross. While we were praying and meditating I experienced a wide range of emotions and things that I thought I had long since forgotten were shown to me and were prayed through. I returned from that day changed and closer to God but still not clear about having received the fruits of the spirit as listed in Galatians, I still wasn’t praying in tongues much and prophecies and words from God were few and far between.
2009 started with a prompting for me to go to the Holy Sprit prayer session during the week of prayer. While I again did not notice an outpouring of the spirit I did feel that 2009 was going to be a significant year in my Christian walk and that something was going to happen.
Some months later I met with someone who told me I needed to “Tune in” to what God’s saying. Not something I knew how to do but he gave me some passages to read (basically every reference to the Holy Spirit in Luke!) and a short but excellent book “Prison to Praise” by Merlin Carothers. It’s the story of a man’s journey from the wilderness to a spirit filled life including an account of how many times he was prayed for expecting the Holy Spirit to baptise him, how often that didn’t happen and what happened when it eventually did.
Coincidentally (a lot of coincidences happen when God’s involved!), the Word Plus bible study course I was on did a whole day on the Holy Spirit that week also which gave me lots more to investigate some of which I did but a lot of which got prioritised behind everyday activities, work etc and has not been followed up.
Either way I still got the feeling of something big going to happen this year but I didn’t know what. There had been many times when at the end of a Sunday morning the preacher had asked who wants a fresh outpouring of the spirit but I’d always been reluctant or I felt I didn’t fit the particular category being requested. I didn’t need healing or a relationship to be repaired or strength in Evangelism so I stayed in my seat. Another possible reason for me not going forward is that I felt wary of the responsibility of being baptised in the Spirit. Would I be anointed to preach, heal people or suddenly get a heart for evangelism and spend every weekend on outreaches when I already feel busy enough in the week?
But on 24th May, Nigel was preaching on the difficult content in Colossians 3 about families and “wives submit to your husbands” etc and at the end Peter asked for responses including specifically that people needed to be brave and step forward to receive the Holy Spirit. I hesitated (as I have done before) but I also felt excited about going up. Partly nervous, but also excited about doing this so I made the choice to go and be prayed for.
Peter was praying along the line and I sneaked a look to see where he was – 2 people away. I closed my eyes, hands open and waited. Suddenly I could hear someone praying for me in front of me but I knew there was someone in the line before me so I thought that Peter had maybe missed someone out. Then surprisingly I heard Peter start praying for me. I think I felt his hand touch my chest and then I opened my eyes to see the underside of a front row chair!
I’m not sure how long I was on the floor for – I just knew I had experienced so many different emotions while I was there – elation, sadness, despair, hope. I knew I had been crying and that something was different. I felt that God had re-emphasized Nigels message in that the place I needed to concentrate right now was on my family and at home rather than anywhere else. I also knew that I had been given a clear instruction from God which was that I needed to call my parents (not a particularly close relationship), tell them I love them and apologise for the things I’d done when I was living at home and also some of the not so respectful things I do and say now. They were slightly confused when I said this on the phone (not the sort of conversation we normally have) but part of me feels at peace that I did this and I can see why I needed to do it.
The following week, I was at the front again asking for the Holy Spirit to flood my life again and I started whispering in tongues. Not quite proper praying but I ran out of words and the Holy Spirit seemed to fill the gap. That’s happened a number of times since then and it seems that I’m getting more confident each time it happens.
The big difference is that I now feel “tuned in” to God. I know that if I get a prompting to do something, no matter how random or irrelevant it is, if it’s the Holy Spirit doing the prompting then there’s a good reason to do it. Of course, my own weaknesses sometimes get in the way of that (like waiting for the right time to share a word or picture and then realising that the prayer meeting is over!) but at least I’m more aware of what it feels like when the Holy Spirit is at work. For me personally, I’ve changed from believing that God is there and involved in our lives to knowing that He’s there and that he loves us all.
Dan R_
(posted with Dan's permission)
Sunday 21 June 2009
The Spirit Sings
MORNING SERVICE
Nigel spoke out in the spirit, declaring God is the source of our support and welcoming Jesus to come.
Ross: "When you got up this morning, as you took my hand and we began walking down the same path as always, did I not hear you looking over the hedge and wondering what the view would be like? Let's be different today - let's step outside the safety of the hedge, let's begin to see the wonderful view beyond the boundary - let's walk down that different path and see the new thing I have planned for you!"
Paula: We've been singing about praise rising to God and how in His spirit all things are made new - (Reading from Ezekiel chapter 37 - The Valley of Dry Bones) We say to you now, come, Lord Jesus, come and take your place in our hearts!
Denise: We were singing 'As we bow down, be lifted up' - I felt that some are burdened with worry or worldly troubles - 'But you are a shield around me, O Lord, you bestow glory on me and lift my head' (Psalm 3: 3) Give your worries up to Him now - the Word says 'Be still and know that I AM God'.
Mark encouraged people to allow this word to soak in, to give up any financial worries or relational difficulties to the Holy Spirit and to lift up our voices, to sing aloud in the Spirit, to sing out in tongues, to trust Him - those funny words coming out of your mouth are really Him, trust Him, trust the Holy Spirit.
Peter W: spoke on Ezekiel 47:1 - 12. We need to be ready to go with whatever God wants to do. God is inventive/creative - doing a fresh new thing - be open.
If you would describe your life as 'arabah' - burnt land/desert - God wants to say to you today, "Let my river flow through your life and make it fresh - let my Spirit flow through you and bring healing".
EVENING PRAYER MEETING
The longest day of the year, and a beautiful evening - as we arrived and began to gather in the warmth of the late sunshine, we agreed to meet outside. In fact, as things turned out, we had no choice as the person with the key didn't arrive - but already the decision had been made. David D_ drew our attention to the sound of the wind rustling in the leaves on the trees and spoke about the move of the Spirit.
(I thought of Ronnie Wilson's song:
I hear the sound of rustling in the leaves of the trees
The Spirit of the Lord has come down on the earth
The church that seemed in slumber has now risen from its knees
And dry bones are responding with the fruits of new birth
Oh, this is now a time for declaration
The word will go to all men everywhere
The church is here for healing of the nations
Behold the day of Jesus drawing near ....)
Paula felt it was prophetic that we were outside, hearing the rustle of the leaves in the trees, that it was symbolic of how as a church we would soon not have a building - how we feel a little vulnerable, outside the safe environment - and that it's where God wants us to be - stepping out.
Luke felt similarly - that this (being outside) is part of the natural order of things - as we're thinking about the river flowing, (Peter's sermon in the morning had been on the river flowing from the Temple, symbolising the Holy Spirit) about immersing ourselves in the river - about the cleansing power. In Cape Town the air has great quality because of the wind which sweeps away any pollution.
David D_ drew our attention to the fact we were stood under a Mulberry Tree and read the Scripture: The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"
He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you. "Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "(Luke 17: 5-10). David D_ emphasised from this:
Nigel spoke out in the spirit, declaring God is the source of our support and welcoming Jesus to come.
Ross: "When you got up this morning, as you took my hand and we began walking down the same path as always, did I not hear you looking over the hedge and wondering what the view would be like? Let's be different today - let's step outside the safety of the hedge, let's begin to see the wonderful view beyond the boundary - let's walk down that different path and see the new thing I have planned for you!"
Paula: We've been singing about praise rising to God and how in His spirit all things are made new - (Reading from Ezekiel chapter 37 - The Valley of Dry Bones) We say to you now, come, Lord Jesus, come and take your place in our hearts!
Denise: We were singing 'As we bow down, be lifted up' - I felt that some are burdened with worry or worldly troubles - 'But you are a shield around me, O Lord, you bestow glory on me and lift my head' (Psalm 3: 3) Give your worries up to Him now - the Word says 'Be still and know that I AM God'.
Mark encouraged people to allow this word to soak in, to give up any financial worries or relational difficulties to the Holy Spirit and to lift up our voices, to sing aloud in the Spirit, to sing out in tongues, to trust Him - those funny words coming out of your mouth are really Him, trust Him, trust the Holy Spirit.
Peter W: spoke on Ezekiel 47:1 - 12. We need to be ready to go with whatever God wants to do. God is inventive/creative - doing a fresh new thing - be open.
If you would describe your life as 'arabah' - burnt land/desert - God wants to say to you today, "Let my river flow through your life and make it fresh - let my Spirit flow through you and bring healing".
EVENING PRAYER MEETING
The longest day of the year, and a beautiful evening - as we arrived and began to gather in the warmth of the late sunshine, we agreed to meet outside. In fact, as things turned out, we had no choice as the person with the key didn't arrive - but already the decision had been made. David D_ drew our attention to the sound of the wind rustling in the leaves on the trees and spoke about the move of the Spirit.
(I thought of Ronnie Wilson's song:
I hear the sound of rustling in the leaves of the trees
The Spirit of the Lord has come down on the earth
The church that seemed in slumber has now risen from its knees
And dry bones are responding with the fruits of new birth
Oh, this is now a time for declaration
The word will go to all men everywhere
The church is here for healing of the nations
Behold the day of Jesus drawing near ....)
Paula felt it was prophetic that we were outside, hearing the rustle of the leaves in the trees, that it was symbolic of how as a church we would soon not have a building - how we feel a little vulnerable, outside the safe environment - and that it's where God wants us to be - stepping out.
Luke felt similarly - that this (being outside) is part of the natural order of things - as we're thinking about the river flowing, (Peter's sermon in the morning had been on the river flowing from the Temple, symbolising the Holy Spirit) about immersing ourselves in the river - about the cleansing power. In Cape Town the air has great quality because of the wind which sweeps away any pollution.
David D_ drew our attention to the fact we were stood under a Mulberry Tree and read the Scripture: The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"
He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you. "Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "(Luke 17: 5-10). David D_ emphasised from this:
- increase your faith
- be humble (when amazing things start to happen, don't get blown up with pride)
Sunday 7 June 2009
Words during Worship
Peter C_: I feel the Lord wants me to share with you a picture I'm seeing of fire - a powerful fire. He's inviting us to draw near, He wants to melt all our inhibitions and fears. He wants you to allow His heat to 'melt your heart'. He wants to take away anything which is holding you back from really being present in the Worship now.
Ross: When we get home, we go in and we lock the doors. Some of us have locked the door to our heart - the Lord wants to enter the door to your heart, to come inside - maybe you're feeling too tired to respond - He wants to refresh you. Maybe you feel your house is too untidy and scruffy to invite Him in - He turns up with His wonderful hoover and a duster and cleans it up for you! Maybe you're scared - open your heart to the wonderful loving Father now!
Nigel: The Lord is saying to us 'Draw near' - He's inviting us to come closer to Him.
Lorraine: Temperatures in India right now are in the late 40's - it's hot, humid, sweaty. People are desperate for the rains. Later this week the monsoons will come - the people will be out there dancing in the rains, rejoicing because they've been waiting so desperately for the relief from the heat. Are we desperate, are we hungry enough for God? Holy Spirit, pour upon us like the monsoon rains - drench us in your anointing.
Simon: Had a dream of standing in a living room looking up to the sky - it was full of scriptures. He looked around the room - it was full of scriptures. He feels the Lord is saying to us through this dream that the Word needs to be in the air we breathe - it needs to penetrate the darkest places in our lives - we need to allow God's Word to go into every part of us. Our hearts have hidden treasures and the Spirit needs to enter into our hearts to reveal those treasures.
(This is what I've made of the notes I scribbled as these words were shared with us - if you feel I've missed anything significant, misunderstood or misconstrued anything, please use the comments facility - below - to record your own perception of the messages brought today. Thank you. Trish)
Ross: When we get home, we go in and we lock the doors. Some of us have locked the door to our heart - the Lord wants to enter the door to your heart, to come inside - maybe you're feeling too tired to respond - He wants to refresh you. Maybe you feel your house is too untidy and scruffy to invite Him in - He turns up with His wonderful hoover and a duster and cleans it up for you! Maybe you're scared - open your heart to the wonderful loving Father now!
Nigel: The Lord is saying to us 'Draw near' - He's inviting us to come closer to Him.
Lorraine: Temperatures in India right now are in the late 40's - it's hot, humid, sweaty. People are desperate for the rains. Later this week the monsoons will come - the people will be out there dancing in the rains, rejoicing because they've been waiting so desperately for the relief from the heat. Are we desperate, are we hungry enough for God? Holy Spirit, pour upon us like the monsoon rains - drench us in your anointing.
Simon: Had a dream of standing in a living room looking up to the sky - it was full of scriptures. He looked around the room - it was full of scriptures. He feels the Lord is saying to us through this dream that the Word needs to be in the air we breathe - it needs to penetrate the darkest places in our lives - we need to allow God's Word to go into every part of us. Our hearts have hidden treasures and the Spirit needs to enter into our hearts to reveal those treasures.
(This is what I've made of the notes I scribbled as these words were shared with us - if you feel I've missed anything significant, misunderstood or misconstrued anything, please use the comments facility - below - to record your own perception of the messages brought today. Thank you. Trish)
A remedy for dealing with moody women/PMT?
A friend/former work colleague recently wrote to me with some deeply philosophical thoughts about Truth, and then asked for advice or a remedy for dealing with 'moody women leading up to periods'.
I share with you here my response:
Thoughts are powerful, words more so. My advice to you is that you write down in your journal or diary (some permanent record you can refer back to) this address to the Spirit of Truth:
Spirit of Truth, I grew up in a culture which widely believed that women differed from men in that their bodies were subject to monthly cycles which made them prone to mood swings; made them susceptible to pre-menstrual tension. Thank you that to date my experience has matched my belief, thus building my faith in the power of expectation. Now, Spirit of Truth, I want to set the world free of that belief. I want to release the world from all I thought it was - to allow myself to experience a world set free from my belief in pain and suffering. Spirit of Truth, please guide my thoughts that I might experience the peace that transcends all understanding. In all things may I know that God still is Love, and pain and suffering are not God's will for creation. Spirit of Truth, please continue to lead me into all truth, that I might forgive the world and set it free from all I thought it was. Touch my perception, that I might perceive the voice for Love in all things.
Having written down the above (perhaps in your own words), then declare it aloud - and each time you find yourself encountering something you think is due to PMT, invite the Spirit of Truth to remove the veil from your eyes/perception, and to refresh your understanding. Assign a new meaning to the acronym, eg. PMT = Practice Meditating Truth. Every now and then go back to the statement you wrote down and re-read it, to check out how close you are to fully receiving it.
Now I'm guessing that your expectation was for a different response. As I was writing my advice, a couple of scriptures came to mind. The first was from 2 Kings 5, the story of Naaman going to the home of Elisha and asking to be cured of leprosy. When Elisha didn't even come to the door, but sent a messenger to say "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed", Naaman goes away angry - he had his own expectations of what Elisha would do, and this didn't match his expectation. Fortunately Naaman's faithful servants talk to him and encourage him to do what he's been asked to do - and sure enough, he's cured of the leprosy.
The other scripture which came to mind was from Philippians 4:4 - 8
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Quoted from New International Version)
It was especially this last sentence which came to mind - about focusing on the positive. This is how we invite more good stuff into our lives.
Hope this helps! Let me know either way.
I share with you here my response:
Thoughts are powerful, words more so. My advice to you is that you write down in your journal or diary (some permanent record you can refer back to) this address to the Spirit of Truth:
Spirit of Truth, I grew up in a culture which widely believed that women differed from men in that their bodies were subject to monthly cycles which made them prone to mood swings; made them susceptible to pre-menstrual tension. Thank you that to date my experience has matched my belief, thus building my faith in the power of expectation. Now, Spirit of Truth, I want to set the world free of that belief. I want to release the world from all I thought it was - to allow myself to experience a world set free from my belief in pain and suffering. Spirit of Truth, please guide my thoughts that I might experience the peace that transcends all understanding. In all things may I know that God still is Love, and pain and suffering are not God's will for creation. Spirit of Truth, please continue to lead me into all truth, that I might forgive the world and set it free from all I thought it was. Touch my perception, that I might perceive the voice for Love in all things.
Having written down the above (perhaps in your own words), then declare it aloud - and each time you find yourself encountering something you think is due to PMT, invite the Spirit of Truth to remove the veil from your eyes/perception, and to refresh your understanding. Assign a new meaning to the acronym, eg. PMT = Practice Meditating Truth. Every now and then go back to the statement you wrote down and re-read it, to check out how close you are to fully receiving it.
Now I'm guessing that your expectation was for a different response. As I was writing my advice, a couple of scriptures came to mind. The first was from 2 Kings 5, the story of Naaman going to the home of Elisha and asking to be cured of leprosy. When Elisha didn't even come to the door, but sent a messenger to say "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed", Naaman goes away angry - he had his own expectations of what Elisha would do, and this didn't match his expectation. Fortunately Naaman's faithful servants talk to him and encourage him to do what he's been asked to do - and sure enough, he's cured of the leprosy.
The other scripture which came to mind was from Philippians 4:4 - 8
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Quoted from New International Version)
It was especially this last sentence which came to mind - about focusing on the positive. This is how we invite more good stuff into our lives.
Hope this helps! Let me know either way.
Sunday 31 May 2009
Words during Worship + Sermon Notes
Peter T_: "Isn’t it a beautiful morning! As we were driving here, we were praising God for such a beautiful day!" Peter brought a reading from Acts 1:1 – 8 : In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
After we had sung ‘We will wait upon the Lord’, Peter W_ asked: “Have you ever noticed how, when we do that, when we wait upon the Lord, something amazing happens – when we wait for the Lord to speak, when we wait to hear from God, things happen. Let’s do that now!
Yvette: Psalm 146:
Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,
the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free,
the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.
Julie S_ felt the Lord wanted to say to us: “Is that what you’re feeling? Are you feeling bowed down? Burdened? Come to me – I will give you rest; do you feel hopeless? Come to me – I will give you hope; do you feel you’ve reached the end of your resources? Come to me and I will resource you; do you feel you’ve run out of strength? Come to me and I will lift you up on wings like eagles. Come to me.
Paul: Wonderful thing to hear God’s people singing – reminded him of something: if you’ve had a curry or something and left the dirty dishes on the side for a while, when you try to wash it off, it may not come clean straight away but if you leave it to soak, then when you come back to it, the same effort now cleans it off beautifully. Feels the Lord is saying to us through this image: “Come to church, enjoy my presence if you want to see things happen – draw strength from me and you will see things happen”.
Janet B_: “When were you last totally surrendered to me? When you’re totally abandoned to me, that is when I can lean down from Heaven – I will pick you up, stand you on the solid rock – abandon yourself to me!”
Peter W_ : God has been speaking to us this morning – let your burdens go – come before God today.
Mark spoke from Colossians 3:15 – 17
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.
We hear a lot about stress & anxiety and depression these days. Recently he read a book, ‘Affluenza’, a study of depression across the world. In the Western world, the ‘developed’ world, incidence of depression/anxiety higher than in ‘developing’ world. 80% to 100% people in Western World likely to suffer depression at some point. Why?
Sources of anxiety/stress include: exams; jobs/job security; health; ageing; imaginary things – 80% of things we worry about can’t be controlled anyway.
May not be able to identify source of anxiety, BUT ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts’. This kind of peace is not just the absence of war, but the kind the dispenser/Prince of Peace gives = knowing you are right with God; knowing you are forgiven. In the midst of difficult/challenging circumstances, you can still know the peace of Christ in your heart. (Mark gave some examples of couples in the church family who are facing severely trying circumstances and who are displaying the peace of Christ in the midst of their troubles). When it comes to important decisions, let the peace of Christ be your umpire – let that peace guide your decisions – if you feel at peace about a decision, it is a good indicator that the decision is one you have made with God.
Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Peace is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is a benefit of being filled with the Holy Spirit. We can know the peace of Christ whatever our circumstances/challenges. Can know his peace in our hearts.
Isaiah 43:1 – 5
But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
Note the scripture doesn’t say you will be taken out of the difficult circumstances, but that He will be with you!
Colossians 3: Called to peace
Do you reflect peace to others? Does your life reflect peace? Or do you exhibit the symptoms of OCD – is your life full of frenetic activity? Do you exhibit ‘hurry sickness’?
Jesus said: John 20: 19 – 22 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
In the news this week was the story of a man who had been a nurse for 30+ years who referred to US/UK research which showed regular churchgoers are less prone to stress/anxiety, and suggested at an NHS workshop that it might be good to go to church as a means for alleviating stress. He was sacked for making those observations. It’s now going to tribunal.
‘And be thankful’. When we adopt an attitude of gratitude, we are able to defeat the power of anxiety/stress and some symptoms of depression. Thanksgiving lifts us and lifts our spirits. The Israelites lost their way in the desert when they began grumbling about what they had left behind (onions!?!).
Devote yourselves to prayer – be watchful and thankful.
Let the word of God dwell in you richly (give yourself time with the Word of God each day).
Teach and admonish one another with all wisdom – Mark spoke about Simon Cowell’s honesty with aspiring artists on Britain’s Got Talent. Don’t let your politeness rob you of honesty.
Sing Psalms, hymns, songs.
Mark spoke about how often when he wakes in the morning, his thoughts turn to his day and he begins his agenda with God with prayer. He felt gently rebuked/admonished by the Holy Spirit: “Stop and enjoy me!”
Larry Crabb – after 50 years in the counselling ministry: ‘Most problems in the counselling room are due to the fact that we don’t know how to worship God’.
Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord – do it with all your heart.
(Scripture quoted from New International Version)
After we had sung ‘We will wait upon the Lord’, Peter W_ asked: “Have you ever noticed how, when we do that, when we wait upon the Lord, something amazing happens – when we wait for the Lord to speak, when we wait to hear from God, things happen. Let’s do that now!
Yvette: Psalm 146:
Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,
the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free,
the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.
Julie S_ felt the Lord wanted to say to us: “Is that what you’re feeling? Are you feeling bowed down? Burdened? Come to me – I will give you rest; do you feel hopeless? Come to me – I will give you hope; do you feel you’ve reached the end of your resources? Come to me and I will resource you; do you feel you’ve run out of strength? Come to me and I will lift you up on wings like eagles. Come to me.
Paul: Wonderful thing to hear God’s people singing – reminded him of something: if you’ve had a curry or something and left the dirty dishes on the side for a while, when you try to wash it off, it may not come clean straight away but if you leave it to soak, then when you come back to it, the same effort now cleans it off beautifully. Feels the Lord is saying to us through this image: “Come to church, enjoy my presence if you want to see things happen – draw strength from me and you will see things happen”.
Janet B_: “When were you last totally surrendered to me? When you’re totally abandoned to me, that is when I can lean down from Heaven – I will pick you up, stand you on the solid rock – abandon yourself to me!”
Peter W_ : God has been speaking to us this morning – let your burdens go – come before God today.
Mark spoke from Colossians 3:15 – 17
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.
We hear a lot about stress & anxiety and depression these days. Recently he read a book, ‘Affluenza’, a study of depression across the world. In the Western world, the ‘developed’ world, incidence of depression/anxiety higher than in ‘developing’ world. 80% to 100% people in Western World likely to suffer depression at some point. Why?
Sources of anxiety/stress include: exams; jobs/job security; health; ageing; imaginary things – 80% of things we worry about can’t be controlled anyway.
May not be able to identify source of anxiety, BUT ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts’. This kind of peace is not just the absence of war, but the kind the dispenser/Prince of Peace gives = knowing you are right with God; knowing you are forgiven. In the midst of difficult/challenging circumstances, you can still know the peace of Christ in your heart. (Mark gave some examples of couples in the church family who are facing severely trying circumstances and who are displaying the peace of Christ in the midst of their troubles). When it comes to important decisions, let the peace of Christ be your umpire – let that peace guide your decisions – if you feel at peace about a decision, it is a good indicator that the decision is one you have made with God.
Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Peace is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is a benefit of being filled with the Holy Spirit. We can know the peace of Christ whatever our circumstances/challenges. Can know his peace in our hearts.
Isaiah 43:1 – 5
But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
Note the scripture doesn’t say you will be taken out of the difficult circumstances, but that He will be with you!
Colossians 3: Called to peace
Do you reflect peace to others? Does your life reflect peace? Or do you exhibit the symptoms of OCD – is your life full of frenetic activity? Do you exhibit ‘hurry sickness’?
Jesus said: John 20: 19 – 22 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
In the news this week was the story of a man who had been a nurse for 30+ years who referred to US/UK research which showed regular churchgoers are less prone to stress/anxiety, and suggested at an NHS workshop that it might be good to go to church as a means for alleviating stress. He was sacked for making those observations. It’s now going to tribunal.
‘And be thankful’. When we adopt an attitude of gratitude, we are able to defeat the power of anxiety/stress and some symptoms of depression. Thanksgiving lifts us and lifts our spirits. The Israelites lost their way in the desert when they began grumbling about what they had left behind (onions!?!).
Devote yourselves to prayer – be watchful and thankful.
Let the word of God dwell in you richly (give yourself time with the Word of God each day).
Teach and admonish one another with all wisdom – Mark spoke about Simon Cowell’s honesty with aspiring artists on Britain’s Got Talent. Don’t let your politeness rob you of honesty.
Sing Psalms, hymns, songs.
Mark spoke about how often when he wakes in the morning, his thoughts turn to his day and he begins his agenda with God with prayer. He felt gently rebuked/admonished by the Holy Spirit: “Stop and enjoy me!”
Larry Crabb – after 50 years in the counselling ministry: ‘Most problems in the counselling room are due to the fact that we don’t know how to worship God’.
Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord – do it with all your heart.
(Scripture quoted from New International Version)
Sunday 17 May 2009
Words during Worship
Simon B_ drew our attention to the fact we had just sung about making a joyful noise to the Lord and the rain sounded louder on the roof of the hall - Simon gave thanks that even the rain was making a noise to praise the Lord.
We gave thanks for an answer to a 5 year old boy's prayer: his sister had hurt herself on a trampoline and couldn't walk on one leg - whilst mum was wondering whether to take her to the hospital, her son laid his hands on his sister's leg and prayed for her - she was healed!
Antonia sang a spontaneous song of praise about how love rises in our hearts, bringing freedom through the Holy Spirit and inviting the King of Heaven to come down and meet His people in this place.
We heard that God is saying it breaks His heart that some of us have rooms in our heart which are locked - rooms of unforgiveness, anger, judgment - He wants you to open those rooms, open those closed doors so He can give you the forgiveness you need to forgive others.
Another word was about a picture of a sheep trying to run away from the flock, away from the shepherd - the Lord wants to say to that person who is contemplating leaving the church: 'come back to the flock; stay close to the shepherd'.
The Lord would also say to us today: It is worth pursuing me - worth opening yourself up to the Holy Spirit - there is an eternal reward in Heaven, riches in Christ - and it was worth it for God to send His son into the world for our sake - it was worth dying on the cross - worth it to redeem that broken relationship between God and His people.
We gave thanks for an answer to a 5 year old boy's prayer: his sister had hurt herself on a trampoline and couldn't walk on one leg - whilst mum was wondering whether to take her to the hospital, her son laid his hands on his sister's leg and prayed for her - she was healed!
Antonia sang a spontaneous song of praise about how love rises in our hearts, bringing freedom through the Holy Spirit and inviting the King of Heaven to come down and meet His people in this place.
We heard that God is saying it breaks His heart that some of us have rooms in our heart which are locked - rooms of unforgiveness, anger, judgment - He wants you to open those rooms, open those closed doors so He can give you the forgiveness you need to forgive others.
Another word was about a picture of a sheep trying to run away from the flock, away from the shepherd - the Lord wants to say to that person who is contemplating leaving the church: 'come back to the flock; stay close to the shepherd'.
The Lord would also say to us today: It is worth pursuing me - worth opening yourself up to the Holy Spirit - there is an eternal reward in Heaven, riches in Christ - and it was worth it for God to send His son into the world for our sake - it was worth dying on the cross - worth it to redeem that broken relationship between God and His people.
Sunday 26 April 2009
Sunday evening Prayer Meeting
In response to the Gift Day, David D_ brought the following reading to the Sunday evening prayer meeting:
Ezra Chap 2 v 68 and 3 v 7 v11 to 13
Ezra 2:68
When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site.
Ezra 3:7
Rebuilding the Temple
Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.
Ezra 3:11 – 13
With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD : "He is good; his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.
John F_ picked up on the theme of foundations:
John spoke about the church being built on the solid rock foundation of the Word of God and of the Holy Spirit – about all our individual lives being built on that sure foundation, upon Jesus Christ. John spoke about how if a house’s foundation is on sand, when the streams of water come, they wash away the sands – the church needs to be built on the solid foundation of Word and Spirit so that it doesn’t move – doesn’t get swept along with any shifting doctrine or give way to any fashionable ideas, not going by modern thinking or our own ideas but standing firm with the Word of God as the final authority.
Ezra Chap 2 v 68 and 3 v 7 v11 to 13
Ezra 2:68
When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site.
Ezra 3:7
Rebuilding the Temple
Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.
Ezra 3:11 – 13
With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD : "He is good; his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.
John F_ picked up on the theme of foundations:
John spoke about the church being built on the solid rock foundation of the Word of God and of the Holy Spirit – about all our individual lives being built on that sure foundation, upon Jesus Christ. John spoke about how if a house’s foundation is on sand, when the streams of water come, they wash away the sands – the church needs to be built on the solid foundation of Word and Spirit so that it doesn’t move – doesn’t get swept along with any shifting doctrine or give way to any fashionable ideas, not going by modern thinking or our own ideas but standing firm with the Word of God as the final authority.
Sunday 19 April 2009
Notes from Morning Service
Words during Worship:
Laurence: God is here! God is beside you!
Denise: His grace is enough. We need to be yielded in our hearts, surrendered to God.
David D_: Christina sang in tongues - he had been reading a prophecy in Daniel and felt it related to that, about the 'Ancient of Days' - a name for God - about God seated on the throne - about God seeking to fight for us. David spoke about moving out in the authority of the living God.
Adrian: God is my all sufficiency for all eternity.
Sermon from Peter W_: What sort of God is He? What sort of things does He ask us to do? Can we trust Him? There was an ancient Chinese curse: "May you live in uncertainty" - These are uncertain times.
1 million people now living in negative equity -v- article in the press that the house market is showing signs of recovery, has turned the corner.
New economist appointed to the board of the Bank of England - he believes the worst of the recession is over -v- International Think Tank that has predicted UK will not be out of recession until 2012.
GE - huge corporation - announced profits down by one third -v- another huge corporation which has just reported the best results for 2 years.
Peter's conclusion in the face of all these contradictory stories: the world hasn't got a clue! The world doesn't know what is going on. He goes back to God - if he's experiencing uncertain times, he looks in his favourite passages in the Bible - goes to the book of Psalms.
Psalm 1:
Psalm 37 - Peter says that as we go on with God, surrendering to Him, he changes the desires of your heart - our heart's desire becomes centred in Kingdom building.
Trust in God even in difficult times - that is the SAFE thing to do - shelter in the shadow of His wings. Come before Him, choose to align ourselves with God's will - that is the SAFE thing to do (even if it seems foolish). God promises safety, security, prosperity to those who live in this way.
Ps 17: 8 - 9
Ps 36
Ps 57:1-3
Ps 61: 2-5
Ps 63: 7 - 8
2 Cor 8:1-5
Ps 91: 1-4
Laurence: God is here! God is beside you!
Denise: His grace is enough. We need to be yielded in our hearts, surrendered to God.
David D_: Christina sang in tongues - he had been reading a prophecy in Daniel and felt it related to that, about the 'Ancient of Days' - a name for God - about God seated on the throne - about God seeking to fight for us. David spoke about moving out in the authority of the living God.
Adrian: God is my all sufficiency for all eternity.
Sermon from Peter W_: What sort of God is He? What sort of things does He ask us to do? Can we trust Him? There was an ancient Chinese curse: "May you live in uncertainty" - These are uncertain times.
1 million people now living in negative equity -v- article in the press that the house market is showing signs of recovery, has turned the corner.
New economist appointed to the board of the Bank of England - he believes the worst of the recession is over -v- International Think Tank that has predicted UK will not be out of recession until 2012.
GE - huge corporation - announced profits down by one third -v- another huge corporation which has just reported the best results for 2 years.
Peter's conclusion in the face of all these contradictory stories: the world hasn't got a clue! The world doesn't know what is going on. He goes back to God - if he's experiencing uncertain times, he looks in his favourite passages in the Bible - goes to the book of Psalms.
Psalm 1:
Psalm 37 - Peter says that as we go on with God, surrendering to Him, he changes the desires of your heart - our heart's desire becomes centred in Kingdom building.
Trust in God even in difficult times - that is the SAFE thing to do - shelter in the shadow of His wings. Come before Him, choose to align ourselves with God's will - that is the SAFE thing to do (even if it seems foolish). God promises safety, security, prosperity to those who live in this way.
Ps 17: 8 - 9
Ps 36
Ps 57:1-3
Ps 61: 2-5
Ps 63: 7 - 8
2 Cor 8:1-5
Ps 91: 1-4
Wednesday 11 March 2009
Personal Words
Last Saturday I went into London to see Barbara Dickson in concert and on the drive in as I was chatting with my friend I suddenly interrupted myself to exclaim with delight, "Cherry blossom!" My attention had been momentarily captured by the vivid pink beauty of an ornamental cherry tree in full bloom. It stood out in marked contrast to the subdued tones of suburban houses made grimy by the fumes from the busy road, and all the more surprising for being so early in the season. It was the first cherry blossom I had seen this year. At Sunday evening's prayer meeting we broke into small groups and prayed together, and Christina asked me tentatively, "Have you passed some cherry blossom today?" Whilst praying, she had had a mental picture of a mass of cherry blossom and wondered what the significance was.
Then at tonight's Cell group meeting again we broke into small groups to pray and prophesy over each other, and this time Christina's word for me was 'parenting'. Recently I have been thanking God for having re-parented me to repair deficiencies in the parenting I had received through childhood (don't get me wrong, I think my parents were great and loved me very much, but I also recognise that I didn't get much socialising experience as an infant and through childhood and that this and my shyness meant I had a lot of ground to make up as an adult especially in respect of interpersonal and social skills). I've also been praying that He will in the same way re-parent my own (grown up) children to overcome any deficiencies in their upbringing.
Then at tonight's Cell group meeting again we broke into small groups to pray and prophesy over each other, and this time Christina's word for me was 'parenting'. Recently I have been thanking God for having re-parented me to repair deficiencies in the parenting I had received through childhood (don't get me wrong, I think my parents were great and loved me very much, but I also recognise that I didn't get much socialising experience as an infant and through childhood and that this and my shyness meant I had a lot of ground to make up as an adult especially in respect of interpersonal and social skills). I've also been praying that He will in the same way re-parent my own (grown up) children to overcome any deficiencies in their upbringing.
Sunday 1 March 2009
Words during Worship
Peter W_ introduced Amanda B_ by explaining that she had come prepared to contribute, having woken in the night and written down the words she felt the Lord was wanting to say to us this morning, a love letter from the Father:
My Children my Children how I love you!
Everyone of you is precious to me, from the unborn to the eldest.
I love you with a passion you will not understand.
I know you, nothing is hiden from me.
Even the secret things you hide from yourselves.
Come to me, give me all that no longer belongs to you.
Give me the things my Son paid for with His blood and death.
Lay at the foot of the cross, your sorrows, doubts and fear.
Your loneliness grief and dissapiontment.
All your regrets and sickness.
They are no longer yours but mine.
My heart yearns for you, my arms are open to you.
Take up my yoke, it is light and fits you like a glove.
It is made for you and you are made for it.
I love you.
Since before time began I have loved you.
Forever I will love you.
I will never leave you or let you down.
I Am forever faithful."
Love from your Dad xxx
Denise shared a vivid mental picture that came to her as we were singing, of Lazarus coming out of the tomb still covered in the grave clothes. The clothes were binding him, he couldn't take them off. Denise felt we needed to take off those things that are binding us, to take the grave clothes off and face Jesus this morning.
Katia had been reading in Genesis this week and in the story of Jacob he receives from God an invitation to build an altar - he has a new encounter with God. Katia reminded us that God is living and inviting us to a new encounter - inviting us to let go of the dead, bury the dead, and to come to a new encounter with the Living One.
My Children my Children how I love you!
Everyone of you is precious to me, from the unborn to the eldest.
I love you with a passion you will not understand.
I know you, nothing is hiden from me.
Even the secret things you hide from yourselves.
Come to me, give me all that no longer belongs to you.
Give me the things my Son paid for with His blood and death.
Lay at the foot of the cross, your sorrows, doubts and fear.
Your loneliness grief and dissapiontment.
All your regrets and sickness.
They are no longer yours but mine.
My heart yearns for you, my arms are open to you.
Take up my yoke, it is light and fits you like a glove.
It is made for you and you are made for it.
I love you.
Since before time began I have loved you.
Forever I will love you.
I will never leave you or let you down.
I Am forever faithful."
Love from your Dad xxx
Denise shared a vivid mental picture that came to her as we were singing, of Lazarus coming out of the tomb still covered in the grave clothes. The clothes were binding him, he couldn't take them off. Denise felt we needed to take off those things that are binding us, to take the grave clothes off and face Jesus this morning.
Katia had been reading in Genesis this week and in the story of Jacob he receives from God an invitation to build an altar - he has a new encounter with God. Katia reminded us that God is living and inviting us to a new encounter - inviting us to let go of the dead, bury the dead, and to come to a new encounter with the Living One.
Sunday 22 February 2009
Words during Worship
There is nothing to fear.
If you had understood God and the message of Jesus you would know -
there is nothing to fear
If you had understood God and the message of Jesus you would know -
there is nothing to fear
Wednesday 18 February 2009
Prayer for Cell Group
Isaiah 9 : 2 – 7 The Message
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light.
For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—
light! sunbursts of light!
You repopulated the nation,
you expanded its joy.
Oh, they're so glad in your presence!
Festival joy!
The joy of a great celebration,
sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.
The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants—
all their whips and cudgels and curses—
Is gone, done away with, a deliverance
as surprising and sudden as Gideon's old victory over Midian.
The boots of all those invading troops,
along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood,
Will be piled in a heap and burned,
a fire that will burn for days!
For a child has been born—for us!
the gift of a son—for us!
He'll take over
the running of the world.
His names will be: Amazing Counselor,
Strong God,
Eternal Father,
Prince of Wholeness.
His ruling authority will grow,
and there'll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.
He'll rule from the historic David throne
over that promised kingdom.
He'll put that kingdom on a firm footing
and keep it going
With fair dealing and right living,
beginning now and lasting always.
The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies
will do all this.
Heavenly Father, thank you for these words and the great promise they hold. Father we pray for those who in their individual lives might feel as though they are in darkness, oppressed by their own thoughts and fears, feeling separated from the great light, warmth, joy of your love. May those who walk in darkness hear of your light, that it will kindle fresh hope within them and open them to hear from the Christ-light within, drawing them into communion with you and ushering in a new time in their lives, when their feet shall know the firm footing of truth and your righteousness, and your peace which transcends all understanding speaks directly to their hearts and minds.
We pray for our community, where many may be feeling under the threatening clouds of economic recession and all the doom-saying in the media. Help us to stay focused on your eternal promises, not swayed by the media but placing our trust in you. Help us to keep you in your rightful place at the centre of our lives, so that we stay anchored in the promises of your love, not blown about by the winds of change, but ready to reach out and offer the hand of love to our Christian brothers and sisters, that the love that we have for you may be reflected in our relationships within the family of Christ, drawing others to you by the warmth of our love. Help us to widen our circle of love to include all of your local followers, whichever denomination they belong to, remembering that we all belong to you through Christ, and realising how it will communicate with a divided world when people see true unity manifested amongst all followers of the way of Christ. As it says in Ephesians, help us reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
We pray for our nation, for insightful, honest, truth-seeking men and women who will humbly seek to serve in positions of leadership, courageously choosing the right path for our nation, Father, tuned in to your voice like the parable that we received from Jesus of the sheep knowing the Shepherd’s voice. Help us to support those leaders with prayer and with obedience, that their task may not sit heavy on their shoulders.
Father, we give you thanks for the sense of excitement, the thrill of hope and expectation as the world greeted Barack Obama as President of the United States of America. We thank you for all that he represents, and pray that as the Government is upon his shoulders, he is strengthened through your love to further your just cause in the States and wherever the States hold power in the rest of the world.
Finally, gracious Father, loving Lord, we praise and thank you once again that we are privileged to gather together and bring our prayers and petitions to you. May your grace be upon us in the coming week that all may see we triumph over our doubts and fears through the mighty victory of your love and peace at work within us and that our faith and hope rest in you, Almighty God, through your son Jesus.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light.
For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—
light! sunbursts of light!
You repopulated the nation,
you expanded its joy.
Oh, they're so glad in your presence!
Festival joy!
The joy of a great celebration,
sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.
The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants—
all their whips and cudgels and curses—
Is gone, done away with, a deliverance
as surprising and sudden as Gideon's old victory over Midian.
The boots of all those invading troops,
along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood,
Will be piled in a heap and burned,
a fire that will burn for days!
For a child has been born—for us!
the gift of a son—for us!
He'll take over
the running of the world.
His names will be: Amazing Counselor,
Strong God,
Eternal Father,
Prince of Wholeness.
His ruling authority will grow,
and there'll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.
He'll rule from the historic David throne
over that promised kingdom.
He'll put that kingdom on a firm footing
and keep it going
With fair dealing and right living,
beginning now and lasting always.
The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies
will do all this.
Heavenly Father, thank you for these words and the great promise they hold. Father we pray for those who in their individual lives might feel as though they are in darkness, oppressed by their own thoughts and fears, feeling separated from the great light, warmth, joy of your love. May those who walk in darkness hear of your light, that it will kindle fresh hope within them and open them to hear from the Christ-light within, drawing them into communion with you and ushering in a new time in their lives, when their feet shall know the firm footing of truth and your righteousness, and your peace which transcends all understanding speaks directly to their hearts and minds.
We pray for our community, where many may be feeling under the threatening clouds of economic recession and all the doom-saying in the media. Help us to stay focused on your eternal promises, not swayed by the media but placing our trust in you. Help us to keep you in your rightful place at the centre of our lives, so that we stay anchored in the promises of your love, not blown about by the winds of change, but ready to reach out and offer the hand of love to our Christian brothers and sisters, that the love that we have for you may be reflected in our relationships within the family of Christ, drawing others to you by the warmth of our love. Help us to widen our circle of love to include all of your local followers, whichever denomination they belong to, remembering that we all belong to you through Christ, and realising how it will communicate with a divided world when people see true unity manifested amongst all followers of the way of Christ. As it says in Ephesians, help us reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
We pray for our nation, for insightful, honest, truth-seeking men and women who will humbly seek to serve in positions of leadership, courageously choosing the right path for our nation, Father, tuned in to your voice like the parable that we received from Jesus of the sheep knowing the Shepherd’s voice. Help us to support those leaders with prayer and with obedience, that their task may not sit heavy on their shoulders.
Father, we give you thanks for the sense of excitement, the thrill of hope and expectation as the world greeted Barack Obama as President of the United States of America. We thank you for all that he represents, and pray that as the Government is upon his shoulders, he is strengthened through your love to further your just cause in the States and wherever the States hold power in the rest of the world.
Finally, gracious Father, loving Lord, we praise and thank you once again that we are privileged to gather together and bring our prayers and petitions to you. May your grace be upon us in the coming week that all may see we triumph over our doubts and fears through the mighty victory of your love and peace at work within us and that our faith and hope rest in you, Almighty God, through your son Jesus.
Sunday 15 February 2009
Words during Worship
There were various words this morning: Sarah S_; Margaret (visitor); Sally R_; Rachel; Colleen; and a couple of guys each brought words. Peter W_ summed them up as 'We are complete in Christ'. Nigel speaking on Colossians referred back to the words during worship: Sally: 'focus on Jesus'; Rachel: 'be honest with God'; Sarah: 'get closer to Jesus - discover him'.
Sunday 1 February 2009
Words during Worship
Stuart read from Psalm 77.
Sally R_ spoke about a mental picture of a Russian Doll that had been broken and put back together. It had been glued very carefully, but the cracks still show. "Some of you are still feeling broken. You are redeemed. God has made you whole again".
Sally R_ spoke about a mental picture of a Russian Doll that had been broken and put back together. It had been glued very carefully, but the cracks still show. "Some of you are still feeling broken. You are redeemed. God has made you whole again".
Sunday 4 January 2009
Evening Prayer Meeting
The week of prayer began with a prayer meeting during which we received reports from Emily & Matt on their work in Clarens. They are involved in mission work with vulnerable children - the project has a name which means 'wings' - just as a hen hides its chicks under its wings, the project seeks to offer protection to vulnerable children including those with HIV.
During the meeting I had a mental picture of Archangel Michael plunging the flaming sword of Truth into paper balloons - the balloons represented gloom, despondency, negativity and all those things behind which we hide - they flared up momentarily and then we were exposed, no longer hidden from the light of God.
Mark outlined the issues that face the church in the coming year: the plan is for the Beacon building to come down in the summer. Staff-wise, three men have 'thrown their hats into the ring' with respect to the post of Assistant Pastor. We're seeking a clear indication from the Lord on this. Beyond that, Jemily will be taking maternity leave later this year.
During the meeting I had a mental picture of Archangel Michael plunging the flaming sword of Truth into paper balloons - the balloons represented gloom, despondency, negativity and all those things behind which we hide - they flared up momentarily and then we were exposed, no longer hidden from the light of God.
Mark outlined the issues that face the church in the coming year: the plan is for the Beacon building to come down in the summer. Staff-wise, three men have 'thrown their hats into the ring' with respect to the post of Assistant Pastor. We're seeking a clear indication from the Lord on this. Beyond that, Jemily will be taking maternity leave later this year.
This morning's Words during Worship (Beacon Church)
During the worship, Carol M_ brought us the following reading from Matthew 5:14-16
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven”.
Carol felt that the Lord wants to say to us:
You are the light that shines in the darkness. So in this new year, which seems at times so uncertain to so many in the world (and is centred around the major economic crisis) I want you to know in your hearts that you are different and I am going to raise you up so that you stand out as people called by me to display my glory. Be my witnesses in these days by believing that you are different and that my hand upon your lives makes a difference to your everyday normal circumstances. Not just when you are at church worshipping, not just when you are at home worshipping me but when you are at work, or when you are at school or at college or with family and friends you are to so many a light and that light will stand out in this year to come. A year to Stand Out
Pete H_ brought a reading from Colossians 1:15 - 20:
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Mark:
I feel the Lord would say to us today: "I have plans for you - don't discount yourself because you are young, or you're not a teacher ... this morning I'm giving you a road map - you can choose to accept this or discard it. I have plans for your life, plans to prosper you and to bless you, to bring you into new intimacy in relationships. Just as we have sung this morning about walking on uneven ground, not all the roads you walk this year will be easy - sometimes the way will be rugged and difficult terrain, uncharted territory - roads you haven't been down before. You may find yourself saying at times 'Where are you, God?' There may be things to frighten you, obstacles to trip over - but don't be frightened. My promise is I will be with you! I have plans for you and I will be with you - plans for you in the classroom, plans for you at work, plans for you in ministry. I look for you to receive this road map with faith, and if you do, it will be a treasure map. As you pore over this map, so I will give you treasure as you follow me."
Peter W_ read from Ephesians 5:1-2:
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
(New American Standard Bible)
Peter reminds us as we set out and take our first step following that road map, we are to be like Jesus, to do what Jesus would do.
Simon B_:
In the reading Peter W_ brought (Ephesians 5:1-2), I was struck by the word 'fragrant' - the pullover I put on first of all this morning was still fragrant from last night's party ... We can choose to carry the fragrance of where we've been or we can choose to wash it off if it's offensive. Sometimes when we carry the fragrance of Jesus, we may upset or offend other people (just as when we've eaten garlic, which is beneficial to the body, the subsequent smell we carry may be offensive to others). Nonetheless when we walk with the fragrance of Jesus, that fragrance is pleasing to God.
Paul R_:
As Mark was prophesying this morning about Father releasing a 'road map' to us, and when Peter spoke too, God showed me a mental picture of a body - and when I looked closely, it was made up of millions of individual people. Romans 12:4-6 says, "Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well". Romans 12:12-13 says, "Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out". In the picture God showed me, the 'body' was almost elastic, with each individual moving freely but joined to all the others. There was incredible grace and freedom for everyone to do their own thing as they were being led by the Holy Spirit but, as individuals, as we look to receive the 'road map' Mark spoke of, let's remember that it's Father's heart intention for the whole body to reach the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13). So as each individual receives this 'road map' let's make sure that we look out for each other, pray for each other, care for each other, give to each other, encourage and support each other, correct each other, ensuring that each part remains joined to the others helping the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love (Eph 4:16).
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven”.
Carol felt that the Lord wants to say to us:
You are the light that shines in the darkness. So in this new year, which seems at times so uncertain to so many in the world (and is centred around the major economic crisis) I want you to know in your hearts that you are different and I am going to raise you up so that you stand out as people called by me to display my glory. Be my witnesses in these days by believing that you are different and that my hand upon your lives makes a difference to your everyday normal circumstances. Not just when you are at church worshipping, not just when you are at home worshipping me but when you are at work, or when you are at school or at college or with family and friends you are to so many a light and that light will stand out in this year to come. A year to Stand Out
Pete H_ brought a reading from Colossians 1:15 - 20:
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Mark:
I feel the Lord would say to us today: "I have plans for you - don't discount yourself because you are young, or you're not a teacher ... this morning I'm giving you a road map - you can choose to accept this or discard it. I have plans for your life, plans to prosper you and to bless you, to bring you into new intimacy in relationships. Just as we have sung this morning about walking on uneven ground, not all the roads you walk this year will be easy - sometimes the way will be rugged and difficult terrain, uncharted territory - roads you haven't been down before. You may find yourself saying at times 'Where are you, God?' There may be things to frighten you, obstacles to trip over - but don't be frightened. My promise is I will be with you! I have plans for you and I will be with you - plans for you in the classroom, plans for you at work, plans for you in ministry. I look for you to receive this road map with faith, and if you do, it will be a treasure map. As you pore over this map, so I will give you treasure as you follow me."
Peter W_ read from Ephesians 5:1-2:
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
(New American Standard Bible)
Peter reminds us as we set out and take our first step following that road map, we are to be like Jesus, to do what Jesus would do.
Simon B_:
In the reading Peter W_ brought (Ephesians 5:1-2), I was struck by the word 'fragrant' - the pullover I put on first of all this morning was still fragrant from last night's party ... We can choose to carry the fragrance of where we've been or we can choose to wash it off if it's offensive. Sometimes when we carry the fragrance of Jesus, we may upset or offend other people (just as when we've eaten garlic, which is beneficial to the body, the subsequent smell we carry may be offensive to others). Nonetheless when we walk with the fragrance of Jesus, that fragrance is pleasing to God.
Paul R_:
As Mark was prophesying this morning about Father releasing a 'road map' to us, and when Peter spoke too, God showed me a mental picture of a body - and when I looked closely, it was made up of millions of individual people. Romans 12:4-6 says, "Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well". Romans 12:12-13 says, "Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out". In the picture God showed me, the 'body' was almost elastic, with each individual moving freely but joined to all the others. There was incredible grace and freedom for everyone to do their own thing as they were being led by the Holy Spirit but, as individuals, as we look to receive the 'road map' Mark spoke of, let's remember that it's Father's heart intention for the whole body to reach the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13). So as each individual receives this 'road map' let's make sure that we look out for each other, pray for each other, care for each other, give to each other, encourage and support each other, correct each other, ensuring that each part remains joined to the others helping the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love (Eph 4:16).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)