Cell Group - 4th July

Paula began the meeting with Psalm 98

1 Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The LORD has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
3 He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn—
shout for joy before the LORD, the King.
7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
Let the mountains sing together for joy;
9 let them sing before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.

Paula invited us to meditate on the words of the psalm whilst a worship song played. There were pens and paper to draw a picture if we received a picture or a word from the Lord as we meditated. Afterwards we went round the group sharing our pictures - Steve spoke about all creation praising the Lord, and we were reminded of Jesus saying that if the people kept quiet, the stones themselves would cry out (Luke 19:39-40).
Mark had been focusing on the words of the worship song. It was about revival.
Bev's picture was of gates being thrown open wide, that "It's NOT A SECRET" - we should be shouting the Good News aloud and throwing open the gates of our hearts/lives/homes/church to call people in to meet with God. Coincidentally, Bev had made a 'Sing to the Lord' card earlier in the day!
Chris's picture of the moutain peaks with successively higher summits, a river and a green valley below reminded us that sometimes we are called to rest in green pastures beside still waters, but other times we're called to climb the mountain to meet with God, where the view is open. Chris drew attention to the fact that the source of the river is up there, high up, and that Jesus is the source to which we must return time and again for refreshment.
Trish was in touch with joy and was reminded of the verses from Isaiah 56 about those who hold fast to God's covenant "these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer".
We took communion together. Roger spoke about the symbols of bread, wine and water - when Jesus was crucified and his side was pierced with a sword, water flowed out which was the evidence that Jesus was dead. God's power raised Jesus from the dead. That same power is available to God's children today.
Just as Jesus had a wilderness experience before his ministry began, Paula spoke of how many pastors and evangelists have gone through a time of dryness and humbling, being brought to repentance before revival breaks out around them. We felt encouraged to pray for revival, beginning with each one of us.
Chris spoke about the process of refining silver - how the ore is heated until it becomes molten, then the silversmith keeps skimming off the dross which rises to the surface until the test of the silver's purity is that he can see his own reflection - that God wants to refine us and keep skimming off the dross in our lives until our lives are a pure reflection of God's glory.
Steve had a question from the Lord for himself and the rest of us: "Are you ready to pay the price?"
We prayed for the Old Dean and Mark shared his vision of taking the church out into the open in line with Bev's picture - of staging a service in the Park.

Christina had a mental picture: "I saw complete darkness, and where we are going to impact is where this darkness is [now]. I then saw [like a procession] one behind the other, what seemed to be angels, I don't know if they were angels or the saints themselves, if angels they were to line the perimeter to resource us in battle. [still in darkness] The only light in the vision were the haloes and this was for a reason, firstly, so much is in darkness and secondly it 'was like' as a simile when young children hold the neon lights at bonfire night. The neon lights alone do not light the darkness because there aren't enough of them, however, the good thing is that little chidren see them and want them too. I felt that people are like little children and when they see the light of the neon lights or indeed the halo of the angels, even the Light of the World in us, they will desire it too."

Bev suggested maybe the service should be a concert in the open air in the dark and spoke about 'Miracle Street', a mission support team from Southampton who stage dramatic concerts and empower local churches in evangelism. Trish mentioned the 31st October, to 'reclaim' All Hallow's Eve for God*, and there was some talk around the 5th November as a possible date.

Rachel was very keen that we should not forget tonight and the things God has shown us.

*I spoke to Ivane last year shortly after Hallowe'en about the idea I'd had that next Hallowe'en, when 'trick or treaters' come knocking at our doors, we could each hand out a helium balloon [or other treat] with an invitation tied to it, inviting children to a praise party a few days later - now I'm thinking that the invitations could be to a Miracle Street concert for all ages on 5th November, ending with a firework display.
Trish