Episodes
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Partakers Christmas Thought 30 November 2021 – Christmas 03
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Partakers Christmas Thought
30 November 2021
Church Worship - O Antiphons
In the podcast today we continue celebrating Advent and Christmas with some ancient Christian worship! These seven O antiphons each address Jesus Christ using a Messianic title drawn from Old Testament prophecy. Read backwards, the initials of each title in Latin form the words “Ero Cras” or "Tomorrow I shall be (with you)" – looking forward to the return of Jesus Christ.
The seven antiphons are:
- Sapientia – Wisdom (Isaiah 11:1-3; Isaiah 28:29)
- Adonai - Holy Lord (Exodus 3:1-4; Isaiah 11:3b; Isaiah 33:22)
- Radix Jesse - Root of Jesse (Jeremiah 23:5-6; Micah 5:1; Revelation 22:16-17)
- Clavis David - Key of David (Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 22:21-22)
- Oriens - Morning Star (Isaiah 9:2; Zechariah 6:12-13; Malachi 4:2; Luke 1:8-10; John 8:12; Hebrews 1:3)
- Rex Gentium - King of the Nations (Genesis 2:7; Isaiah 2:4; Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 28:16; Haggai 2:8-9; Ephesians 2:14-16)
- Emmanuel – God with us (Isaiah 7:13-14; Matthew 1:23; John 3:16; Acts 4:11-12)
Come listen and interact with an attitude of worship and prayer, and make them an act of your worship of Jesus today!
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Monday Nov 29, 2021
Partakers Christmas Thought 29 November 2021 – Christmas 02
Monday Nov 29, 2021
Monday Nov 29, 2021
Partakers Christmas Thought
29 November 2021
Prayers of the Church
In the podcast today we continue celebrating Advent and Christmas with some prayer! We are praying together prayers from the Orthodox Liturgy Feast of the Nativity, a hymn from the 6th century, of Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) & of Robert Louis Stevenson (19th Century). Come and listen with an attitude of prayer, and make them your prayers!
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Sunday Nov 28, 2021
Partakers Christmas Thought 28 November 2021 – Christmas 01
Sunday Nov 28, 2021
Sunday Nov 28, 2021
Partakers Christmas Thought
28 November 2021
Prayers of the Church
In the podcast today, we start celebrating Advent and Christmas with some prayer! We are praying together some prayers of Augustine and Isaac the Syrian and conclude with a 10th century Advent prayer. Come and listen with an attitude of prayer, and make them your prayers!
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Saturday Nov 27, 2021
Partakers Prayers 27 November 2021 - Morning Prayer
Saturday Nov 27, 2021
Saturday Nov 27, 2021
Partakers Prayers
Morning Prayer
We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Today we pray a Morning Prayer from the Syrian Clementine Liturgy. This Liturgy, which dates from the 4th century, was celebrated in Syria and throughout the Church of Antioch. It is the oldest model known in Antioch, and is a liturgy is related to the Apostle James. Come pray! Come! Let us pray together!
the ineffable sea of love,
the fountain of blessings,
and the bestower of affection.
O God,
You who sends peace to those that receive it;
open to us this day the sea of Your love,
and water us with the plenteous streams
from the riches of Your grace.
Make us children of quietness, and heirs of peace.
Kindle in us the fire of Your love;
sow in us Your fear;
strengthen our weakness by Your power!
Bind us closely to You
and to each other
in one firm bond of unity;
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Amen
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Friday Nov 26, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought 26 November 2021 – Rachel’s Story
Friday Nov 26, 2021
Friday Nov 26, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
26 November 2021
Rachel’s Story
14 After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, 15 Laban said to him, ‘Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.’
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder one was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, ‘I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.’
19 Laban said, ‘It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.’ 20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.’
22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant.
25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?’
26 Laban replied, ‘It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the elder one. 27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.’
28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. 30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
(Genesis 29:14-30)
The story of Rachel is like that of a soap opera! Rachel had a fairly complicated family structure. Rachel's sister Rebekah was Jacob's mother. Rebekah trained Jacob to scheme in order to gain his father's blessing and promised him that she would take the results of the deceitful act upon herself. Rachel became Jacob's wife, but only after Laban had tricked him into marrying Leah, the older daughter first. We can wonder if Rachel encouraged Jacob in his trickery, or if she was influenced by him to think first of herself at the expense of others. Whether his mother and/or his wife influenced Jacob, or indeed if he influenced them, both Rebekah and Rachel serve as examples of the outcome of sinful deceit and discontent.
In the podcast today we will look briefly at the story of Rachel and discover together more about her and how she overcame many things against her. We delve into her story and see three things that epitomise why she is part of salvation history in the leadup to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Please do listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about Rachel, a woman of faith, and what we can learn from her as we live as a Christian in the 21st century.
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Thursday Nov 25, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought 25 November 2021 – Obedience of Ruth
Thursday Nov 25, 2021
Thursday Nov 25, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
25 November 2021
Thanks to God for Ruth
16 But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.’ 18 When Naomi realised that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. (Ruth 1:16-18)
The book of Ruth is a cameo story of love, devotion and redemption set in the black days of the Judges. It tells the story of a pagan woman giving up everything to cling to the people of Israel and to God Himself and it shows her faithfulness when the nation was faithless.
Today we are going to learn about Ruth and her obedience. Indeed elsewhere in Scripture it says that obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). The story of Ruth celebrates the gentle beauty of love and loyalty between individuals, and it shows the positive power of obedience to God for both personal fulfilment and wider blessing. By committing herself to Naomi, as well as to Naomi's God, Ruth found satisfaction in service. Instead of losing her identity by her voluntary and complete submission, Ruth's place in Israel and history is confirmed.
In the podcast today we will look briefly at four aspects of the obedience of Ruth, that we living as Christians today would be wise to copy as we seek to follow this God with obedient lives that are worthy of Him.. Please do listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about this aspect of living as a Christian in the 21st century.
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Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought 23 November 2021 – Jesus Cares For You
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
23 November 2021
Jesus Cares for the Christian
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’
28 ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’
29 ‘Come,’ he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’
(Matthew 14:22-33)
In his gospel, the Apostle John, records the reason why the disciples were in the boat. The crowd wanted to crown Jesus as a physical king. Jesus didn’t want this to happen and so withdrew by himself and the disciples went back into the boat. The experience of the disciples in the storm can be an encouragement to us when we go through the storms of life. We all go through storms and troubles. When we find ourselves in these storms, we can rest on these 4 assurances about Jesus if we are Christians.
In the podcast today we complete our look at 4 distinct ways that Jesus shows His care and concern for his followers, those who are Christians. Please do listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about this aspect in the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Christian.
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Monday Nov 22, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought 22 November 2021 – Healed Emotions in the Christian
Monday Nov 22, 2021
Monday Nov 22, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
22 November 2021
Christian Disciple and Healed Emotions
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23 to 24)
5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent – not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote to you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven – if there was anything to forgive – I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
God wants all parts of you to be following Jesus! That includes your thinking, your actions and your attitudes! It means your mind; your body and will are all to be under the control of the Holy Spirit! This includes your emotions. It must be said that this is contrary to some modern thinking, which stipulates that showing emotions can be a ruinous thing! In Scripture, God reveals Himself as emotional! Our Lord Jesus Christ displayed the full gamut of emotions
In the podcast today we look at the Christian Disciple working towards having healed emotions. What are some of the evidence of damaged emotions in the life of the Christian? How can they be overcome? What are some of the principles to bear in mind so this aspect of your life can be in submission to God?
Please do listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about this aspect in the life of the Christian.
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Sunday Nov 21, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought 21 November 2021 – Christian Commitment 04
Sunday Nov 21, 2021
Sunday Nov 21, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
21 November 2021
Christian Commitment 04
21 ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” 23 Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” 24 ‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.’ 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (Matthew 7:21-29)
The first thing that hit the first hearers of this sermon was Jesus' authority. It drove them to be astonished by him and his teaching. (v28-29). If we read the Sermon on the Mount, we too should be astonished by the teaching. If Jesus therefore has the authority, Christians above all others, should not only listen & read Jesus’ teaching as given to us in the Bible, but also do it. Jesus laid down the law of God. He expects Christians to build the house of their lives on his words, and adds that only those who do so can be considered wise and will be safe. He says that he has come to fulfil the law and the prophets. He is both the Lord to be obeyed, and the Saviour to give blessing and salvation. He places himself in the judgement seat. He speaks of God as his Father in a unique sense, and implies that what he does, God does and that what people do to him they are also doing to God.
In the podcast today we complete our look at Matthew 7:21-29 and discover that as part of their commitment to Jesus Christ, the Christian is to study His teaching, be obedient to their Lord and make a difference in the world which they live.
Please do listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about this aspect in the life of the Christian.
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Saturday Nov 20, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought 20 November 2021 – Christian Commitment 03
Saturday Nov 20, 2021
Saturday Nov 20, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
20 November 2021
Christian Commitment 03
21 ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” 23 Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” 24 ‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.’ 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (Matthew 7:21-29)
We have seen so far in the last two podcasts, that Jesus Christ would have us know that neither a mere intellectual knowledge of him or a verbal acknowledgement of him, can ever substitute for active obedience to his commands. The question is not whether we say nice, polite, enthusiastic things to or about Jesus; nor whether we hear his words, listening, studying, pondering and memorising until our minds are stuffed full of his teaching; but whether we actually do what we say and do what we know to be truth. In other words, is the Lordship of Jesus Christ a reality in our life.
In the podcast today we continue looking at Matthew 7:24-27 and discover that as part of their commitment to Jesus Christ, the Christian has choices to make. Please do listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about this aspect in the life of the Christian.