Think Spot

28th January 2013

An interesting picture of the power of preaching I believe, is found in Revelation 1 where we see a picture of The Lord Jesus Christ, who is The Word of God in all His glory, powerfully speaking in a vision to John the apostle on the island of Patmos. John describes Jesus Christ in this way, “His voice was like the sound of rushing waters”. He then describes the powerful effect of what he heard. He likened it to a sharp double edged sword in Christ's mouth . He then sees in this same vision seven stars are held in Jesus Christ's hand . ~

Now if the seven stars referred to are those who are leaders of the seven churches addressed by Jesus Christ in the next few chapters and preach the Word, they are in Christ's hands and surely Christ's words are to come from their mouths. Consider what that would mean for today’s churches. What powerful preaching would come from those who preach with Christ controlling their lives and mouths. ~

In Romans 10 we read that preaching is a vital necessity and those called to preach are sent and empowered by God. It is a very special calling. So is it not a fair question to ask why is so much preaching today lame and ineffective? Why do the listeners becomes bored ? Why is preaching spoken of as if it should only have a small part in the service? Some even say out of date. Powerful preaching is so necessary today.

~

So if there is a scarcity of powerful preaching today why isn’t more attention given to this desperate need? Because, we know Its amazing, powerful affect can be shattering to Satan's domain. It is meant to do just that. This positive, powerful preaching builds magnificently the Kingdom of God, and God's people grow strong and are more affective witnesses through its direct work into their lives. ~

How much time does the average preacher spend in the presence of God praying over his message and in preparing that Word from God? John Wesley said “the preacher should spend five hours out of every twenty four in study and in prayer for his preaching.” Why that amount of time? Because of its importance to find the precise meaning of words to be preached and to be applied to the hearers. To seek earnestly the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Our Lord blesses immensely the church which gives their minister's time preparing and preaching while others may perform other of his tasks. The church has many parts and gifts to compliment their pastor's ministry. (1 Corinthians 12-14) ~

Are you exercising your gifts to help your minister? I ask you, where is the ardent christian today who is eager to give themselves completely to live for Christ, dying to self whose soul is thirsts for the living God. When you gather to worship, are you looking eagerly to hear the words God wants you to hear in the sermon? Are you looking to be fed, strengthened and equipped to serve Christ where ever you go, and being an effective witness for Jesus Christ to those who don't know Him? ~ Pray for your preachers and be willing to be obedient to God as He speaks through them. And if you are a preacher, then please do take the time to often be in His Word, praying for Him to speak through you so that the church may be built up.

Joy's Prayer

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Study 29-Luke 23:26–24:12

The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus.

All history pivots on the events described in these verses. The story is told with striking simplicity and absence of comment.

We read Luke 23:26 – 43.

Many people play a part in the judicial murder of Jesus. In order from Luke 22:47 on we read about:Judas, the arresting squad, Peter, the men guarding Jesus, the council of the elders, Pilate, Herod, the soldiers, the crowd in front of Pilate’s house, the soldiers leading Jesus to his death, the watchers and rulers at the place called a Skull and the criminals on their crosses. For each of these we might:

• Consider what their motives, if any, were for what they did.
• Think of a present day situation where the same motives might be apparent.
• Wonder which of these motives we might sometimes have ourselves.

Question 1: Select 3 people or groups of people from that list and consider:motive, present day equivalent and personal reflection for each of them.

The arresting squad, the men guarding Jesus and the soldiers were all obeying orders so motive doesn’t really come into it except for those who mocked Jesus rather more vigorously than they might have done. The problem of when to disobey orders is still with us. No one has ever been able to explain why Judas did what he did completely satisfactorily. Peter acted from a desire for self preservation, something we have probably all been guilty of in some small or large way at some time in our lives. The elders, Pilate, Herod and the rulers watching the crucifixion allowed political aims to dominate their thinking. They thought their ideas more important then the life of the most important man who ever lived. Some people still allow purely political aims to lead them to dreadful acts of wickedness. Only the friends watching beside the Cross, of whom the most important, according to John, were women and just one disciple, come out of the story with any credit at all. They had seen something in this man that transcended the danger of being associated with him. May we have the strength and courage to do the same.

Question 2: Paul talks about sharing Jesus’ sufferings (Romans 8:17; 2 Corinthians 1:5; Philippians 3:10). For some of us those statements may be reflected in our own lives. What would we achieve by such suffering? Would any such sufferings be in any way redemptive?

Of course sufferings, by definition, are not pleasant. Such things give us a great sense of solidarity – these would give us a much enhanced sense of solidarity with Christ, of fellowship with him. And apart from our feelings there would be the practical experience of His glory that Paul also mentions.

We read Luke 23:44–56.

The tearing of the temple curtain symbolises the opening of the way to God to everybody – you and me included. Each and every attempt by men to re-erect a barrier to God by saying that only they have full access, or only in their way is it possible to approach God, is sadly mistaken. After the death of Jesus the action moves to the apparent outsiders:Joseph of Arimathea was not one of the leading disciples and the women were second rate citizens in the thinking of those days.

Question 3: Which one sentence of the story of the crucifixion will you take away as the most memorable for you?

Different people would give different answers to this. For me, I think it is that brief comment “the centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God” because that mirrors my thoughts as I read about what happened. And so we come to the resurrection.

We read Luke 24:1 – 12.

This is one of the four accounts of what happened that we have. They do not exactly agree about what happened, differing in the way that eye-witness accounts of any surprising, unexpected, event will do. The women set out to do the obvious, necessary things, for a dead person. They did not agonize in prayer about what they should do (did they leave that to the male apostles?). They were hugely blessed as a result of undertaking the obvious tasks. Is this a lesson for us?

Question 4: Why was it women (in those days considered unreliable witnesses to anything!) who were there first? What are we expected to learn from the fact that they were first to meet the risen Lord (according to Matthew and John)?

The NT challenges the way women were thought of and treated in those days. It does this obliquely, rather than directly in gospel stories like this, in the way Paul refers to women particularly in the last chapter of Romans where Priscilla has a dominant role in what she does with her husband, in what is said of Phoebe, in that Junias, a woman, is called an apostle, and many other women are mentioned and commended, all in this same chapter. The church, like the societies in which it has existed for most of its history has been male dominated. We need to be careful to think about the balance we see in scripture.

The most important event in the history of the world was the death of Jesus on the Cross, for that act alone atoned for the rebellion of all men and women, including you and me, against God. That we know this is the correct understanding of what happened is because of what followed – the resurrection of Jesus to the new life of the ages. Had he not risen he would have been just one more of the many failed would-be Messiahs of those days. There would have been no church, no Christian movement. Many people have tried to argue that it did not happen. None of them have given a satisfactory explanation of what did happen. We know without the slightest doubt that there was a Jewish nation there when Jesus was born and that a remarkable movement of people known as Christians started very soon after his death.

Something happened in between to cause the move from one to the other. What was it? Only the Biblical account recorded in the four gospels makes any sense of the gap. We – you – have to come to terms with what happened and decide how we – you – are going to respond to it. The next, and last, study in this series considers the two episodes describing what happened when disciples met the risen Christ. These are clearly written to challenge any and every reader or hearer to faith. So, if you are not already a follower of Jesus, you are going to be challenged to think deeply about what you have heard. Will you be prepared to follow Him, whatever the cost may be?

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Partakers Friday Prayers!

25th January 2013!

We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity!

Today we are specifically praying for churches and church services this weekend! Come join in! Play & download the video!

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Forgiveness!

Today we have Bettie, Alphy's sister, giving us the WOW Word, talking to us about forgiveness! She has had to forgive Alphy a lot! True forgiveness is not just saying sorry!! Forgiveness is to include penitence and also a desire never to do that same thing again. Forgiveness of course is a major part of Christianity, both in the way that God forgives when approached in penitence and repentance, but also in the way Christians forgive others and themselves! In both giving and receiving forgiveness, consider Jesus Christ and the enormity of His forgiveness.

Paul writes in Colossians 3:12-14 that forgiveness is part of the being in God’s family of Christians! WOW!

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Think Spot 21st January 2013

“The God of all comfort”

Last Wednesday, in the city of London, we saw and heard on our T V screens the report of an experienced helicopter pilot who because of fog was diverting to an air pad which took him over the Thames near Waterloo and Vauxhall Station where he collided with the top of a very high crane which resulted in his death and one other passer by on the ground. As the helicopter crashed to the ground, a horrific fireball, stretching for at least a hundred metres which amazingly didn't cause an even worse disaster. Our heartfelt sympathies are with the pilots partner, and his two children who are absolutely shocked. Something no one ever expected to happen. He was experienced, top of his profession but he sadly died. Also the passer by who just happened to be there also died. How the relatives need our prayers.

I will never forget an equally devastating fire that also took place in London, in Peckham Rye some while ago but still most vivid in my memory. It destroyed a prefabricated building one intense winter when an oil burner was accidentally knocked over in the bathroom and a small girl who was visiting her Grandad was burned to death in that fire. I knew her family and as the minister of the Mission where she attended I knew it was necessary for me to visit her parents and family and express my sympathy and any words of comfort I could help them with. The night before I had arranged in my diary to visit I was in prayer before our Lord seeking His guidance. I was crying out to God for help. During that night He brought to my mind some words that Hudson Taylor, missionary to China spoke when he said “You never know the strength of God until you have to. Its not our feeble hold upon him but His mighty grasp upon us.” The apostle Paul wrote “When I am weak then I am strong” Why? Because when we recognise our weakness we are forced to lean upon and trust Him.

The next morning, I arrived on that doorstep trembling but trusting God completely. I felt weak in every way. I hadn’t slept well but when the door opened instead of the little girls mother saying “Where was your God when this happened?” Or “Why didn't He stop it occurring?” She quietly asked me into her little home and she listened as I expressed our Mission family's sympathy and said we would do anything which was needed. I asked if I might pray there and then. She allowed me to pray for her grieving family. This lovely, sweet, beautiful little girl was the close friend of my small son so she was well known to both me and my family. So there was more comforting to give at home also. Many of you have been through similar circumstances with either your own family suffering or close friends and you will relate straight away to this tragic event and agree that you never know until its needed what strength God can give to you.

J C Ryle, Bishop of Liverpool said “God never promised us an easy journey in this life only a safe landing” .

“The Lord is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we could ever ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20;)

Yes even beyond our comprehension.

Joys Prayer

Gracious God and loving heavenly Father,

We come to you the God of all comfort and remember as we read the Bible of the comfort and compassion that Jesus showed to bereaved people. His deep concern for those whose family members suffered death suddenly. We pray for the family of the pilot of the helicopter who died in London last Wednesday. A partner and two children left behind we know are heartbroken. They were a lovely family and now depleted they need your comfort and strength.

We pray for those who know them who will attempt to bring comfort to them. Especially for the friends from their schools who know them to help in whatever way they can. We all do feel helpless when tragedy strikes and do not know how to deal with our own or others emotions. Help us Lord to realise You have all the answers and we ask that we might be Christ-like in any help we give to needy cases in bereavement.

Thank you that we can look to you as our refuge and strength a very present help in time of trouble. In Jesus Name, Amen

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