Episodes
Saturday Jun 15, 2019
Ruth 02 - WOW Obedience
Saturday Jun 15, 2019
Saturday Jun 15, 2019
Studies of Ruth
Study 2 - WOW Obedience!
Firstly, her obedience is surprising - it has a wow factor to it! The harmony between Ruth and her mother-in-law is even more appealing when we consider the two unusual facets that could have driven them apart.
Firstly, Mahlon, the natural connecting link between Ruth and Naomi was dead (Ruth 1 :3-5). Nothing specific is mentioned about the way the two women got along with each other while he was alive during those years in Moab. Instead, the story begins with the development of their relationship after Mahlon's death and at the time of the women's departure for Judah.
The second part of this wow, is that could have driven them apart was that Ruth was from Moab. A brief review of the history of this neighbouring nation proves that its land and people were clearly off limits for the Jews. The founding father Moab was the result of Lot's incestuous union with his older daughter (Genesis 19:37). Though Moab was not on the list of nations to be entirely destroyed by the Israelites under Joshua, its worship of false gods were offensive and troublesome (Numbers 25). Judges 3 relates that Eglon the king of Moab, received power from the Lord to punish Israel for eighteen years. When the people of Israel again cried out to God, the Lord raised up the judge Ehud, to kill Eglon and defeat Moab, to bring peace for eighty years.
The story of Ruth as we have heard already, is placed at the time of the Judges. Elimelech's decision to take his family into Moab to escape the famine in Israel probably occurred at a time when Moab was subdued, or at least not hostile towards Israel. However, God, had told the Israelites not to marry into the surrounding nations or join in their worship of false gods. The fact that Naomi's sons chose Moabite women shows that they ignored this instruction. It also indicates the attraction of foreign influences to the Israelites, which God wanted them to stay away from. But we also see mercy in grafting into his line of blessing one Moabite because of her faith and obedience to Him.
Naomi had two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. In view of their position as Moabite widows, it may seem that Orpah's decision to return to her own mother's house was more natural than Ruth's when Naomi announced her determination to go back to Bethlehem in Judah. We could even argue that Orpah, after politely offering to accompany Naomi, was acting in accord with her mother-in-law's wishes by remaining in Moab with her own people. Ruth, however, clung to Naomi and refused to leave her. But Orpah's obedience was shallow, as her offer to go with Naomi was done out of duty not of love, and Naomi probably saw this and declined Orpah's offer. Ruth however, remained to finish her story and claim a place in the genealogy of David and also of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).
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Saturday Jun 08, 2019
Ruth 01 - Introduction
Saturday Jun 08, 2019
Saturday Jun 08, 2019
Studies of Ruth
Today, we are starting a short series about one of the Bible’s most enduring and endearing people – Ruth. There are perhaps two reasons why we study about people in the Bible - to learn how not to do some things like being deceitful, and how to do the right things. We will see how and in what way, Ruth was obedient to God in doing the right things.
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. Shows her faithfulness when the nation was faithless. Download the mp3 audio using the link below to start discovering more about this great lady of faith.
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Wednesday Oct 04, 2017
Why I Am A Christian
Wednesday Oct 04, 2017
Wednesday Oct 04, 2017
Why I am a Christian?
1 John 5:9-12 - "We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
Why Is It So?
A testimony is an assertion offering firsthand authentication of a fact. For the Christian Disciple, classically it is generally expressed as how they became a Christian Disciple. But I think it is more than just how, and should expressly include why you are a Christian Disciple. I wonder what is your testimony about how you became a Christian Disciple? When was the last time you thanked our God for your testimony? Have you even thought about your testimony of how you became a Christian Disciple? I am sure you have all heard kids in the supermarket yelling out "Why?" to their parents. We all have, I am sure, questions we want to know the answer to. Why? The question I am often asked is "You are a Christian. Why is it so?" My father, was and remained throughout his life a convinced agnostic and in the few conversations we had about religion and Christianity, he could never understand why it was, that I could not just admit that I would never know if God existed or not, far less a God who was personally interested in me. My reply as ever, was that the very question "Why is it so?" needed to be answered, in order for me to be satisfied.
Why I am a Christian?
Now I could say that at the age of 12, we moved to a town on the coast of Australia, and was invited along to a local youth group and several weeks later, gave my life to Christ and became a Christian. Of course that is partly true. I can't even claim to be a Christian because I was raised in a Christian country. Australia was and is probably the second most secular country on this planet. Sure Australia has its moral base grounded in historic Christianity, but for the latter part of its history, Australia has been thoroughly secular and non-religious. Even if I had been raised in a country such as England, with Christian parents, that would also, only be partly true and I could have rejected Christianity as many people do. The reason that I am a Christian is not because I chased God, but rather He chased me. Unknown to me at the time, God was chasing me and following my every path with the urgency of a lover after the beloved, just as described in the Song of Songs 2:2-14.
God had been pursuing me
This piece of poetic Scripture speaks about the love that God has for his people, and the energy He puts in to calling his people to Himself. He is always reaching out, for all to return to His arms. As for me, it wasn't until I was a 12 year old that I heard that I needed to accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Before that I didn't know I had to do anything with this Jesus. Jesus was only a curse word for me at the time. That or was just someone or something that the RE teachers bored me with at school.
We are primarily Christians, not because we come to church services or just happened to have been born in a supposedly Christian country. We are primarily Christians, because God first chased and harried us into His arms. We are Christians, if you are one, because God first loved you. And as a tremendous lover, He beckons and calls people all the time to respond to His call, and back to Him.
How does He chase us with His love? He chases each person differently, just as each Christian testimony is different. Take for instance the Apostle Paul in Acts 8 & 9. God chased him through Paul's mind and his religious upbringing and education. Paul had known about God from his childhood. Paul was a righteous Pharisee who saw persecuting these ‘Christians' as his religious duty, so that he may somehow find favour with God. As Paul was gloating over the death of the martyr Stephen, God was pursuing Him, probably raising doubts in Paul's mind as to why Stephen would say at the point of death "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit and forgive them for what they do" (Acts 7:54-60). Surely doubts must have been raised in Paul's mind as he approved of this death (Acts 8v1). Paul was also wrestling with his conscience. Externally he was a righteous man, a Pharisee of Pharisees. Yet when he internally examined himself and his heart, he found himself failing regarding covetousness, which is the last of the Ten Commandments. Then finally, Jesus himself makes a sudden and dramatic appearance before Paul and confronts him directly, "Why are you kicking against me? Why are you rejecting my advances?" (Acts 9) Paul's conversion to Christianity is often described as being sudden. But the only thing sudden about his conversion was this climatic appearance of Jesus.
Just as that was true of Paul, it is true of me, just as it is true of all those who profess to call themselves a Christian Disciple. I am a Christian Disciple not because of anything I have done, but rather because He first chased me, and because He first loved me. Jesus himself said "I came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10).
If you are a Christian today, it is not because of anything you have done. It is because of the events at Christmas and Easter that you are a Christian, when God entered this world as a human baby and took all the necessary steps so that all people could have the choice to be His people or not. In my more smug moments I used to congratulate myself for being a Christian. How proud I was that I, was a Christian and that God was a jolly lucky God that I had decided to follow Him. It was during one of my less self-deluded moments, that I examined myself and I found God pricking my conscience and correcting me, and I read the New Testament "For the Son of Man came, not to be served but to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark10:45).
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Thursday May 05, 2016
Thursday - Testimony
Thursday May 05, 2016
Thursday May 05, 2016
Milly's Story
"I am healed and an overcomer"
Today on Partakers we have Milly sharing her story about how she became a Christian and the influence and affect that Jesus Christ has had on her life - helping her overcome depression, heal her and set her aright... Come and hear the story of Milly and how Jesus is being glorified in her life!For more to think about please do ask yourself the following questions and see how you respond or react to them. Then why not share your answers with your spouse or a close friend, so that you can pray over any issues together.
Q1. What were the events leading up to my choosing to be a Christian disciple which symbolize God running after me?
Q2. How am I, as a Christian Disciple, continuing to listen to God's voice?
Q3. Will I be ready to give my testimony the next time somebody asks me as to why I am a Christian?
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Thursday Apr 21, 2016
Glimpses 56
Thursday Apr 21, 2016
Thursday Apr 21, 2016
Glimpses 56
Jackie
My story starts with my birth as mine was rather traumatic. I was born in Aberdeen, north east Scotland. I was a very ill little baby. I was born three months early and weighed less than a bag of sugar. At some point before, during or after my birth my brain did not get enough oxygen. This caused brain damage so now I have cerebral palsy. I wasn’t supposed to live but my doctors decided to try to save me anyway. There were many scary times; including an emergency operation when I was the smallest baby the surgeon had ever operated on. I also stopped breathing and had to be brought back to life a couple of times. But - people all over the UK were praying for me. I started to do things the doctors had said I would never be able to do, like walking, talking, and going to mainstream school, and secondary school. I’ve been to university twice, and have a Master’s degree. It was at a Christian conference called Spring Harvest that I came to know Jesus for myself, as my saviour and friend, just before my ninth birthday. I had believers’ baptism at age 11. I remember it like it was yesterday. God used it to really encourage people. I haven’t always been faithful to Jesus but he’s always been faithful to me. Since I became a Christian I had healthy teenage years but struggled with my faith and was rebellious. Now I wish I’d appreciated that time. When I was 19, and at university, I started becoming ill and had a few very painful hospital admissions. But God used me to witness to doctors, nurses and patients. I had a life changing operation when I was 25, in which I nearly died, and the surgeon said it’s one of the most difficult operations he’s done. I was really carried through that time and so many people were praying. Never ever underestimate the power of prayer! Its four years since that operation and times have not been easy. A while ago my consultant said I have damaged my body from walking and I need to use an electric wheelchair full-time. I now also have carers in to help me and lots of hospital appointments. I am still unable to work and really struggle with that. God is showing me though that he does have a purpose for me. I am writing for The Big Bible Project blog once a month, and Bible Reflections have publish a few of my articles. I also have my own blog. God is using my blog posts to help people. I also try to be a listener for my friends and others in need and am very much still learning how to do that. Somehow God is carving out a ministry for me. Am trying to hold onto all the God has done for me and what He is continuing to do. I hope telling my story this way helps someone to know how powerful God is and how much prayer can do. God is a solid rock and a refuge on whom I can rely. He can do the same for you too!Right mouse click here to download as a MP4 audio file
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Thursday Feb 25, 2016
Thursday - Testimony - John
Thursday Feb 25, 2016
Thursday Feb 25, 2016
John's Story
"Feeling on the path to nowhere but there is a light at the end."
Today our testimony is from John... John is 32 years old, lives in the UK with his wife Nicole and has learning difficulties and epilepsy due to Tuberous Sclerosis...
Play or download the mp3 file to hear how John came into a dynamic relationship with God because of Jesus Christ. John - a 21st century Christian because of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Why not make a comment below to encourage John?
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Saturday Dec 12, 2015
Sunday Worship 12 December 2015
Saturday Dec 12, 2015
Saturday Dec 12, 2015
How much of yourself have you given over to Jesus Christ,
who wants to be Lord of all of you - not just part of you!?
Lord I Must Be Yours Alone
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Lord, I must be yours alone.
Teach me I am not my own.
Crush and mould this heart of stone.
In your image make it.
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Wilful, stubborn, Lord, it's true -
I do what I want to do.
Let me learn to follow you.
Take my will and break it.
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From my self I would be free.
Take all my identity,
Fill with your humility.
Seize my pride and shake it.
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When a helpless wreck I am,
Take me and rebuild the sham
To be like the Living Lamb,
My life, on Him, I stake it.
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Performed by Abigail Miller
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Wednesday Oct 14, 2015
Wednesday WOW Worship - 14 October 2015
Wednesday Oct 14, 2015
Wednesday Oct 14, 2015
Worship Wednesday
October 14, 2015
Order of Service
Song - Oh for a thousand tongues - Peter Schrock
Jesus - Part 1 - My Jesus
Poem - I fell in love with Jesus
Jesus Part 2 - Why I am a christian
Song - I have decided - K
Jesus Part 3 - Jesus calls you by name
Song - Come unto me - Julie McMinn
Open prayers
Doxology - Jeff Wooldridge
My Jesus
Almost everybody has an opinion of the man Jesus Christ! Countless millions worship him today and down through history! People sometimes ask me "Who is my Jesus?" So, let me answer that briefly - "Who is my Jesus?"
My Jesus Christ, is the man who splits history BC & AD! The man who we claim is the messiah and saviour as spoken about by the prophets of old and written about by those who met Him...
My Jesus Christ, the man who healed the sick, fought for justice, did many great deeds, filled with compassion, driven on by joy and in constant conversation with God the Father.
My Jesus Christ, is the man who claimed to be God and was God! Jesus who emptied Himself, made Himself nothing, so as to take on human form. Jesus Christ, fully human and yet fully God.
My Jesus Christ, is the most amazing man who ever lived, born of a woman, in a humble stable. Jesus Christ, the man born to die that he may come back alive and give all people a chance to live forever.
My Jesus Christ, is the man who died on a grubby Roman cross, pierced, battered, bruised and scarred. Jesus Christ, the God-man who died physically. Jesus Christ, buried within and sealed into a cold empty tomb.
My Jesus Christ, is the man who conquered death, came back alive as witnessed by uncountable others. Jesus Christ who defeated the sting of sin, so that humanity may choose to live forever!
My Jesus Christ, whose very death and resurrection we celebrate at Easter, who ascended to the right hand of God the Father. This Jesus Christ, who with the Father, sent the Holy Spirit to transform into His own image, all who choose to follow Him.
My Jesus Christ, who covers His followers in His own robe of righteousness so that they would be acceptable to God the Father.
Jesus Christ, coming again soon in glory to judge humanity and claim those who follow Him. Jesus Christ who calls to you and I "Come and follow!"
Why I am a christian
If that's my Jesus Christ, why am I a Christian and identify myself as such?
The Apostle John, writing in 1 John 5:9-12 - "We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
The reason that I am a Christian is not because I chased God, but rather He chased me
I am a Christian Disciple not because of anything I have done, but rather because He first chased me, and because He first loved me. Jesus himself said "I came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19v10). God was chasing me and following my every path with the urgency of a lover after the beloved, just as described in the Song of Songs 2v2-14.
If you are a Christian today, it is not because of anything you have done. It is because of the events at Christmas and Easter that you are a Christian, when God entered this world as a human baby and took all the necessary steps so that all people could have the choice to be His people or not. In my more smug moments I used to congratulate myself for being a Christian. How proud I was that I, was a Christian and that God was a jolly lucky God that I had decided to follow Him. It was during one of my less self-deluded moments, that I examined myself and I found God pricking my conscience and correcting me, and I read the New Testament "For the Son of Man came, not to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark10v45).
Jesus calls you
This Jesus, my Jesus, also calls you!
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
"Come," he said. hen Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. hen those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." Matthew 14:22-33
If you would not call yourself a Christian today, and this Jesus appeals to you, this Jesus who speaks with authority, and you want to become a Christian there are three simple steps to follow. Firstly, admit that you have done wrong against God and His ways. Secondly, believe and trust in Jesus. Call on Him, receive, trust, obey and worship Him, recognizing Him for who He is and what He has done. Lastly, confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Once sin has been confessed, and Jesus is believed in and trusted as Saviour, then you are a Christian. Now you are ready as Peter writes in the Bible, "to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Welcome to the family of God. God has chosen you; Jesus has paid for you and has put His mark within you through His Spirit (Ephesians 1:1-13).
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Wednesday Oct 07, 2015
Wednesday WOW Worship - 7 October 2015
Wednesday Oct 07, 2015
Wednesday Oct 07, 2015
Worship Wednesday
November 16, 2011
G'day! Welcome to Partakers Wednesday Worship on 7th of October, 2015...
Order of Service
Apostles Creed!
Psalm 10:14
Psalm 89:19-29
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Bible Talk – God as Father!
Time for your own praises
The Father of All Creation
The Father of Jesus Christ
The Father of Christian Disciples
A Song - Lord of All Creation by Steve Gooden
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Wednesday Sep 30, 2015
Wednesday WOW Worship - 30 September 2015
Wednesday Sep 30, 2015
Wednesday Sep 30, 2015
Worship Wednesday
September 30, 2015
Opening Prayer
O Merciful Father, We thank you that you are a loving God! We thank you for the gift of your Son Jesus Christ! We thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit! We thank you for life and that we can know you personally!
Amen!
A time now to confess our sins! Now we are free to give our God praise, knowing that we have confessed our sins, He has forgiven us and there is no impediment to our praise!
Time of praise with Psalm 134!
Psalm 134
You priests of God, posted to the nightwatch in God's shrine,
Lift your praising hands to the Holy Place, and bless God.
In turn, may God of Zion bless you - God who made heaven and earth!
My Jesus!
That's my Jesus! My Jesus who is fully divine, fully human, glorious in His death and resurrection! My Jesus who is supreme over all, the creator of all! My Jesus who is my eternal leader, eternal sustainer! My Jesus who has all power and all authority! My Jesus who reconciles me with God, my peace-maker with God and is the one who gives perfect peace!
There is only one Saviour for the world. There will never be another because there is no need of another. This Jesus is coming back as well!!!! But Jesus is not coming back as baby next time but as the living holy Almighty Son of God!
What does Jesus look like now? His close friend John saw him some years after Jesus' ascension back to the right hand of God! Here is what John saw!
Jesus, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on Jesus' head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. Jesus' feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace! Jesus' voice was like the sound of rushing waters. Jesus' right hand held seven stars! Coming forth out of Jesus' mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. Jesus' face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
That was an amazing moment when Jesus beloved friend, John, saw Jesus in all his majesty!
This John, who records these words from Jesus! "It is finished! It is complete! I, King Jesus, am the Alpha and the Omega-the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I, King Jesus, will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I, King Jesus, will be their God, and they will be my children.
"But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars-their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death."
"Look! I, King Jesus, am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I, King Jesus, am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."
That's my Jesus, who called me to follow Him almost 30 years ago now! It has been a rollercoaster ride, but I have always known that He is in charge! Are you one of His followers or are you continuing to be one of His deniers?
Song
Jesus! Jesus! You are the King of Kings! Blessed Jesus, Sweet Jesus, You are my everything.
And, Lord, I love you. I love You. And I'll love you more and more. O Lord, I love you, I love You. You loved me long before.
Lord, I worship You. I worship You. You are the Ransomed Lamb. O Lord, I worship You. I worship You. You are the Great I Am.
O Lord, I praise You. I praise You. Praise You for all You've done. O Lord, I praise You. I praise You. You are God's Only Son.
Yes, You're Jesus, blessed Jesus. You are the King of Kings. Blessed Jesus, sweet Jesus. You are my Everything.
And, Lord, I love You. I love You. And I'll love You more and more. Oh, yes, I love You. I love You. 'Cause You loved me long before. You loved me long before.
Words and Music by Marjorie Reece (c) 1986 by TJM
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