Partakers Christian Podcasts

Think Spot

Think Spot 6th August 2012

God… Church… You…

Does God meet with us and do you recognise and sense His presence or absence in your church when He is not there? You answer “Of course He is there”.. Isn't He everywhere? So He surely must be there in our church buildings. He is omnipresent. Permit me to ask you a further question? Who do you really expect to show up on Sundays? Your close friends? Your pastor? deacons, elders, the worship group.? Of course you do. Now listen carefully. Do you expect to meet with God? . Is His presence recognisably known and felt as you meet in worship? Do you expect to sense His presence with you? Do you know what it feels like to sense His presence? When the sermon begins do you expect God to carry the words into your hearts and minds. Do you find yourself drinking in every word. Do you recognise when He does show up and maybe when it doesn't happen.? Do you know the difference between a sermon that brings you closer to God and one that doesn't and why? Do the words and music in your worship really truly glorify God? Ot may be you feel someone hasn't got things quite right and the songs chosen that Sunday are not conducive or helpful to worship. Your heart is heavy and burdened and its not because of sins you are stubbornly holding on to.  You feel as if God is many miles away. You have been standing for many minutes as the song leader takes you yet again for the 20th time over the same words. You do not feel inspired. Instead words are coming into your minds like “Oh no not again I must sit down”. You sit down but the situation is still not good as you now are saying “when will this end. I want to go home.” I am afraid this kind of situation is not rare. But why? Where is the sensitivity of the Lord's absence in worship? Have we settled for something far less than recognising when God is surely with us in worship? When we know His presence with us. Moses once said “Lord if your presence does not go with us we will not go up hence.” Yes I know that was an occasion when sin was in the camp and God wanted that sin dealt with before He privileged Israel with that wonderful sense of His presence once more. I think that God's people are settling for far less than the best in many church fellowships. Sometimes it is a fact the songs do not glorify God but man. A service can become so man centred. Even the sermon can be produced in such a manner that all the people see is the preacher. I am not talking about conjuring the Lord up in your minds but truly experiencing a sense of His presence which can be beautifully awesome or so close to us when we feel we cannot leave the building. Is it not true that God can come down in a time of worship and surprise us in a beautiful manner especially when the attention is on His Son, His death, resurrection and sovereignty. When the music is enjoyable. Doesn't The Holy Spirit long for us to worship the Son and doesn't He encourage it? On one occasion I was in a meeting away from my home fellowship and it was such a meeting as I have been describing, but on this occasion the pastor was sensitive to realising something was wrong in the worship time. He asked the fellowship if the Lord was letting anyone know what the problem was. We were in a prayerful attitude when I sensed the Lord speaking into my heart and mind “They are worshipping me with their lips but their hearts are far from Me” Now I was a visitor to that church what was I to do? I was a little fearful to repeat that verse of Scripture but I plucked up courage and moved quietly towards the pastor leading the worship. With many ears listening in the quietness I whispered those words to the pastor. Suddenly the whole meeting was engulfed in tears as those words hit home. It was a sermon in itself. Hearts were not sensing the presence of God as worshipping hearts were far from Him. Repentance took place that evening and the whole atmosphere changed dramatically and God's presence returned to that meeting and it was a privilege to be there and enjoy God's presence with us. We need to be tuned in to sensing God's presence not just in church worship as we gather with others but singly on our own in our own homes and out and about. I am no one special but I am learning more of what it does mean to practice and sense the presence of God. I am on the way. My heart thirsts for God. How about you? I believe God is looking for the thirsty.

Joys Prayer

Gracious Lord , our Heavenly Father, we can have our minds full of all kinds of thoughts when we come to worship with God's people. Events later to be held that day . Perhaps particular People are on our minds, we are meeting up with later that day. Sports meetings and results etc. May be our minds are even on sins we do not want to let go with. We are simply going through the motions of worship. Lord forgive us and cleanse us through Jesus precious blood and give us worshipful hearts and the desire to get as close to You as is possible. Give us a stronger thirst for You. Lord how can you enjoy our worship when Jesus is not at the very centre of our lives. Lord draw near and renew us in our minds and hearts and do that necessary work in us that we need please. Help us to be totally honest with You in our prayers and if we are prayer less forgive and renew us. In Jesus Name

Amen

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Blessed

Seven Blessings for the Believer

Romans 5:1-11

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. View the 5 minute video below, to discover the 7 blessings, the Apostle Paul talks about in this passage, for all those who are believers!

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Friday Prayers

Friday Prayers

3 August 2012

G'day and welcome to Partakers! Today, once more, we are continuing to  pray for Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani being held in Lakan Prison in Rasht, Iran! He has been imprisoned since October 2009 and on July 8, will have been imprisoned for 1,026 days. For those late to the story, Pastor Nadarkhani is under constant pressure from Iranian Authorities to convert to Islam! Keep praying! This will be reposted very Friday until Pastor Nadarkhani is released, so please return and pray for him, his family and the persecuted ancient church of Iran.  You can read more information by clicking here to go to the Christian Solidarity Worldwide website...

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Prayer for Youcef

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers and petitions concerning our brother, Youcef. May our brother know your presence with him as he is held in Lakan Prison in Rasht, Iran. Encourage, bless and maintain him as he seeks to trust in you!

Prayers for his family and church

Be also with his wife, Fatemah Pasindedah, his children and the group of believers under his charge! We pray against the decision of the Iranian authorities and ask that from your wellspring of mercy that a reprieve would be given and his life spared! For we ask this in the name of Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, whom we have fellowship with Youcef in prison. Amen.

Prayers for Iranian Christians

Now prayers for our Christian family in Iran. O Father, continue to embolden them with wisdom and courage. Lord Jesus, may their love of you, shine through their actions towards each other and their enemies, just as you commanded in the Written Word, the Bible. Holy Spirit, who indwells them, endow them with peace and strength as only you can give!

Help them to trust fully in you and be wise in their dealings with the authorities. Father, we ask these things in the name of your son, Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You can take action here: http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=88&ea.campaign.id=12209

You can view a letter he wrote to the group of believers he pastors. http://presenttruthmn.com/blog/iran/letter-youcef-nadarkhani/

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Thursday Ponderings

2nd August 2012

When Life Gets Difficult, He Is Always there...

Sometimes life gets very difficult and you can’t see how God could possibly love you and you don’t want to read your bible let alone pray. You would be surprised at the range of things that can produce this feeling. Your helpful Christian friends might tell you, that you shouldn’t feel like that and point you to passages of scripture that show this. But nothing changes the way you feel.

My advice is to wait for it to pass, it will do – although it may well be horrible whilst it’s happening. You feel like you’ve had your right hand cut off, you feel Abandoned and desolate. But God is still there and He does love you, despite any evidence to the contrary.

At times like these, I phone up a trusted friend and try and quote psalm 139 over and over.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

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Think Spot

Think Spot 30th July 2012

Torchbearers for Jesus

Recently, with a number of others I had the opportunity recently to hold the Olympic torch for a short while which received the flame from the previous runner. She was one of 8000 who carried the flame from Greece to London. That was a privilege I was not expecting. Can you imagine there were 8ooo circular holes in the frame of that torch representing all who had carried the flame. After its use each torch bearer was permitted to purchase the torch they carried as a memento of this great event of the Olympics 2012 London.

Each torch has a connecting point where a key is inserted to turn the gas on to receive the flame. That flame never goes out the entire journey of many thousands of miles.

You and I, if we are Christians are torchbearers for Jesus Christ. We are not the Light of the world as John writes in the first chapter of his gospel but we are but light bearers. Each of us is ignited by Jesus Christ in the first place when we became Christians. Having been lit we are now lights to the world of The Light Jesus Christ, What a responsibility! What a privilege!

When the Olympic torch finally entered the stadium in London a triumphant shout went up from the extremely large crowd of probably nearer 100 000 people which shattered the air. The moment had arrived for the main cauldron to be ignited to set that large flame going for about 3 weeks. When the Games are over that flame is put out.

Just think, when we arrive at heavens door we still carry the light of Christ with us to be joined up with a crowd no one can number and that flame will never go out as we are promised eternal life with The Light of the World Jesus Christ at the very centre of our eternal worship and adoration.

Meanwhile what a thrill it is here on earth where we are seeking to ignite others to become God's torch bearers. As we make contact with people the key we turn is called faith and where the power is released by God a person comes alive and is lit up, repents and believes. Another torch bearer is born and in turn carries The Light of the world to others.

The important part is the flame. We proclaim Him Jesus Christ because we love Him and adore Him and long for everyone to know Him and join the great crowd spoken of in the book of Revelation such a number that is not countable by any human being.

Where God has placed you, look to God in prayer to guide you to those whose names are already written in the Lambs book of life. This world will continue until that final day comes when that number is completed. We cannot hasten that day as it is already recorded in heaven a day already known to God. We are assured that special day will come when Jesus shall come and those in heaven and those on earth who know Jesus are joined as one. What a brilliant light that will be and such a wonderful privilege to be joined to.

May The Spirit of God give us such wonderful opportunities meanwhile to be engaged in this amazing valuable work which will change our world as multitudes upon multitudes glorify God. As the famous creed puts it “Mans chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him for ever.”

Joys Prayer

Gracious God and loving heavenly Father,

as we come to you today may we realise the wonder of our salvation and the privilege of being brought to the Light of the world Jesus Christ and of now being made light bearers to the world around us.

Forgive us for our lack of desire to share our faith with others. Strengthen us in our resolve now to make up for that lost time and to become like the early church gossipers of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. If we are shy and regularly reserved persons we need added grace and if we are too loud help us to become balanced in the manner in which we share the most precious gift we have to give to others.

Make us perceptive and alert to these matters where You would have us to serve and to lovingly speak for You Lord.

You gave your life for us may we put the past behind us giving our lives to you afresh and forgetting mistakes made in the past shine brightly for You and encourage as many as we can to join and follow Jesus Christ our Saviour The Light of the world.

In His precious name we pray, Amen

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Being Thankul

Being Thankful

Come spend a couple of minutes seeing why some people were thankful to God!

Then be thankful yourself and share with us, by writing in the comments box below!

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Thursday Ponderings

26th July 2012

He will provide...

Matthew 6:25-27; 31-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? ... So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." It is a particularly helpful in the light of todays economic climate. If you lose your job, do not worry. Your father in heaven will take care of your needs. Please note , it is not our wants but our needs He promises to provide. So don’t think you can buy what you want and of course if possible you need to save when you are in work. Be wise, don’t use credit card and overdrafts as a normal way of living. And if you are, see if you can budget to pay them off as quickly as possible. We have to honour God in how we spend our money then He will honour us in Matthew 6.

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Think Spot

23rd July 2012

Who is in first place?

Last weekend I had a treat I wasn't expecting. My wife Joy took me out to celebrate 9 months of marriage. After a meal out she started to give small clues as to where I was being taken in her car. It was all mystery until we arrived at a cinema in Southampton and my suspicions were confirmed when we went into a Cinema studio to see Chariots of Fire .I first saw this film in 1984 and was thrilled to see it again because in my youth running was at the centre of my life until convicted that I was controlled by my sport which was allowed to take first place in my life and God came a low down second. So I was interested to see how Eric Liddell a Christian whose amazing athletic career had taken him to the top flight among athletes in Great Britain was able to be a christian and keep running in its rightful place.. I was interested to know how he was able to remain strong in his convictions as a Christian and yet run for his country at a very high level in the 1924 Olympics on a Sunday.

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Eric Liddell was shocked to learn that the heats for his event the 100 metres were to be run on a Sunday and straight away he knew both his conscience and God's Word would not allow him to break the Sabbath. He began to train for another even although chosen for the 100 metres thus upsetting the United Kingdom Olympic Committee which including the Prince of Wales heir to the throne.. When interviewed and asked for a reason Eric was very firm in his convictions nothing would drag him away from his Sabbath worship to participate in sport on that same day.

The actor portraying this role played his role well and it certainly came across to the people in the cinema that here was a man who was a wonderful example of what we all should do when it comes to standing up for our faith. We may not be selected to compete for GB at the Olympic Games but what if our faith was challenged perhaps at work or school, college or play or in retirement. Would we put Jesus first at all times?

Eric was handed a note from the American team just before his new event the 400 metres , It was a text to be found in 1 Samuel. “He who honours me I will honour.” When it came to the race Eric won handsomely and broke the world record. God had surely honoured his decision to put God first.

Only a year later Eric was on a ship to China to once again put God first as he went with his wife to serve God there. His athletic career was firmly in second place to his first desire to put God first at all times. Recently I saw a dvd and his three daughters, one not even born when Eric sent them off to relatives ion Canada when the Japanese invaded China and Eric was interned with many others. On the DVD, she was so proud of her dad. Remember he never saw her and she never saw him. He died of a tumour in an internment camp in China. The Chinese people still remember him today for his love and deep concern for the Chinese people.

This man loved God with all his heart and was strong in his faith and as a result many lives in china were changed through his ministry. He never wavered. I know he was not turning down wealth as athletes did not get the money they receive today for winning or even competing in International events but fame and fortune would not have distracted this true man of faith. My life and your life need to speak for Jesus Christ and we need to stand up for Jesus and shine like powerful beacons in this world of sinful darkness.

We are in enemy territory every day and are here to win others to Jesus Christ, If we hold firm to our convictions God will use us as we give ourselves 100 per cent for Jesus as Eric did. I wept during that film. I will not forget the film or the text . 'He that honour Me I will honour Him. “You shall have no other gods before Me” says the Lord in Exodus 19 and 20 Music art or sport can so rob us of eternal life and God His glory. Fight the fight of faith my friends.

Joys Prayer

Gracious God and loving heavenly Father,

As the Olympics draw near please bless all the athletes and spectators and keep them safe from danger. We pray you will watch over spectators travelling from abroad and being in a strange country may they make friends easily. We pray for the Christian witness at the games and all who are participating in making Jesus Christ known at the various venues around London and beyond.

May we be careful to place God first in our lives and take Eric Liddell as a fine example for us to emulate.

In Jesus Name

Amen

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Friday Prayers

20th July 2012

1. Opening prayer

Father,

as we commence,

let our hearts and minds be right before you.

May your everlasting mercy, grace and love

be shown in hearing these petitions!

Praise to God the Father sing,

praise to God the Son, our king,

praise to God the Spirit be

now and through eternity.

Amen!

2.Time for you to give Praise and thanks to God

3.  Time for your own prayers and intercessions.

4. Closing Prayer

O Father!

May it be that your love would take over our lives!

That we would follow you faithfully and

giving you alone, praise in all circumstances

that we face together!

Amen!

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Thursday Ponderings

19th July 2012

He will carry you...

My mum was extremely poor when she was older and could not afford to eat properly. Because of that for a long time I had a fear that I would be poor when I was old and not be able to afford to eat. Then one day I came across Isaiah 46:4 - “Even to your old age and grey hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and rescue you.” The verse went straight to my heart and gave me comfort and every time I start to get worried, I simply quote the verse and my peace comes back. What a wonderful promise, from whatever age you are now until you are old and grey God the Father, the most powerful being in the universe will look out for you. He will sustain you! He will nourish you, keep you going, support you, help and aid you. What more could we possibly need! When we’re too tired to continue, He will carry us! When we run out of our own strength He will give us His strength! Isaiah 40:31 - “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” This is just another way of saying He will carry us.

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