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Episodes
Tuesday Dec 20, 2016
Tuesday Dec 20, 2016
Christmas 2016
Jesus Now! Part 2
Welcome to our Christmas 2016 series, we are doing something different! We are looking at Christmas through the consequences of Jesus' birth - from the reigning King back to His birth and beyond!
Last time we looked at Jesus the Reigning King! Today we keep looking back at Jesus as the Ascending King - finishing his time on earth and ascending back to the right hand of God the Father! What has that to do with Christmas? Come on in to find out!
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Monday Dec 19, 2016
Monday Dec 19, 2016
Christmas 2016
Jesus Now! Part 1
Welcome to our Christmas 2016 series, we are doing something different! We are looking at Christmas through the consequences of Jesus' birth - from the reigning King back to His birth and beyond!
Today we start by looking at Jesus as He is now! Come on in!
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Saturday Dec 17, 2016
Saturday Dec 17, 2016
Part 80 - John 18:38
The man of Truth
Then in discussion with Pilate Jesus claims to be the leader of truth, which provokes Pilate to his famous question ‘what is truth?’ in John 18:38. Of course, he does not get a direct and simple answer from Jesus. His answer comes from the events recorded in the next few verses where he is forced by the manipulations of the Jews to condemn Jesus and release Barabbas, the murderer, bandit and revolutionary who should have been executed. Finally he is forced to give judgement from the judge’s seat a place that is sharply defined by the giving of 3 names to the one place in 19:13 where we read “When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha).”
The most important place for truth to prevail is in the court of law. It can be difficult to make sure that the truth is reached and acted upon. Those of us who live in countries where this is done as far as possible scarcely comprehend the problems of the many other countries where bribery and corruption, and politically motivated results are common place.
But through all this we have to recognize that what John means by ‘truth’ and the associated word ‘true’ is rather more than we usually do when we use them. Our usual use of the words is to mean that a verbal statement is an accurate representation of something that happened or an idea someone had.
John goes much deeper. He says:
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)
Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. (John 7:17)
All of which make his reply to Pilate, “In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37) meaningful.
For John truth is about connection with God and that connection can only be made through Jesus. One writer says, “In a world that often refers to |God but rarely mentions Jesus, the fact that it is specifically in Jesus, rather than more generally in God, that Truth is found is profoundly significant and intensely relevant. Not only this, but in this world, the Truth, like Jesus, will always be called to suffer. The cross therefore ought to serve as a repeated reminder that, in this world, the only truth is a crucified truth. In this world Jesus could not be the truth without ending up being called to die for the truth, and as the truth. It will be the same for his followers.”
There is much to think about there.
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Friday Dec 16, 2016
Friday Dec 16, 2016
Friday Prayers
An advent prayer dating from the 10th century...
You are our eternal salvation,
The unfailing light of the world.
Light everlasting,
You are truly our redemption.
Grieving that the human race was perishing
through the tempter's power,
without leaving the heights
You came to the depths in your loving kindness.
Readily taking our humanity by Your gracious will,
You saved all earthly creatures, long since lost,
Restoring joy to the world.
Redeem our souls and bodies, O Christ,
and so possess us as Your shining dwellings.
By Your first coming, make us righteous;
At your second coming, set us free:
So that, when the world is filled with light
and you judge all things,
We may be clad in spotless robes
and follow in Your steps, O King,
Into the heavenly hall.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen
Unknown Author, 10th century
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Monday Dec 12, 2016
Monday Dec 12, 2016
Think Spot 29 June 2015
Here we are Monday again. Are you pleased? Are you ready for a new day at the office, or at college or in the factory or at a desk? You are a Christian right? So what are you thinking as you resume where you left off last week?
Did you pray before you left home? Great for that's the best way to start off. You spent a little time with the Lord in His Word and have sought his leading through the day. That is also commendable. Have you sought protection from the Lord also? Have you realised there is someone who is anxious that you don't triumph in Christ today. That of course is satan. He is someone who wants to safeguard his territory and his prisoners – those who are already under his control.
So look at this day as an exciting day with all kinds of great prospects. If you are walking and talking with God you couldn't be in better company or stronger. He will be your shield and refuge a very present help in time of trouble. He is at your right hand and will be in control as you yield yourself confidently to His direction through the day. Ok a lot of routine stuff but do it as well as you can and cheerfully. But you don't know my boss?
No but God does and he has you there in that place for a reason never doubt. You may not see anything terrific happen today no miracles but you are a light shining for Jesus and will make an impact upon someones day today as you come into contact just your presence in the same room. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify God in Heaven.
Trust in the Lord and be not afraid. Watch your behaviour and enjoy God's presence with you. You are in the centre of his will and its going to be a great Monday. Our confidence is in the Lord.
Psalm 23 reads “He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake”
Believe and act upon those words spoken by David and at the end of day you may well be able to also say with him “My cup runs over”
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Sunday Dec 11, 2016
Sunday Dec 11, 2016
WOW Tour USA 2016
Mississippi! Here comes a real Southerner!
With Charlene, the hostess with the mostest! Great to meetup with her and her husband once again! Great grace-filled people whom I love... They even made me an honorary red-neck!
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We are in a series for these Sundays, whereupon I give some personal reflections on my recent 7 weeks tour of the the USA... During that time in the USA, I sought to enable and encourage others in their faith by teaching, training and most of all, WOWing for God! It is my prayer that I was able to do that for the glory and honour of God alone.
Today I share briefly about my time in Mississippi! WOWing for God, meeting some of the most generous and grace-filled people I have ever met and know now as family... Where I told a little church a short 3 point sermon and they responded with the Amens! Come on in to listen...
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Saturday Dec 10, 2016
Saturday Dec 10, 2016
Part 79 - John 18:37
The ironic King
My dictionary says irony is ‘the humorous or mildly sarcastic use of words to imply the opposite of what they usually mean’. In his account of the trials of Jesus John uses irony all the time, particularly in relation to the role of Jesus as King. His interrogators are saying he is a king in a spirit of mockery, but he IS a king, in fact the king. It is John’s rather odd way of making sure that his readers and listeners get it firmly into their heads that Jesus is the King.
He does that through a very carefully structured account of what happened. It is in many ways difficult to follow. Unlike the other Gospel-writers he tells us that the interrogations started in the home of Annas, rather than that of Caiaphas. This is because, in a way, both of them were the high priest. Annas was the senior and had been the high priest several years earlier. That made him the high priest for the rest of his life in Jewish eyes. But the Roman authorities reckoned they had the power and authority to appoint the high priest overriding the Jewish choice and did so regularly, so they had appointed Caiaphas. To complicate matters the two of them were related, Caiaphas being a son-in-law of Annas. They may have lived in the same complex of buildings so both accounts would be correct. It seems likely that these are accounts of pre-trial interrogations in the middle of the night, which were not legal and would have to be followed up by a full session of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jewish people, first thing in the morning.
That event is not clearly recorded by John. It seems likely that the Jewish authorities had made a prior arrangement with Pilate, the Roman governor so as to get him out of bed early in the morning, which he would be reluctant to do! He was the senior authority, the only one with the power of life and death - death in the Roman way by crucifixion, which was the way Jesus had to die to fulfil prophecies by being lifted up, rather than the much less painful death by stoning which was all the Jews could use. Presumably they reckoned they had all the false charges against Jesus well organized, but they did not work out as they expected. In the end, as the other writers record, they could only say that he had said he would destroy the temple and build it again in 3 days - which, taken literally didn’t make much sense - and that he was guilty of blasphemy which would be of no interest to the Romans. Hence he is eventually condemned for no crime but purely for political reasons. And so a completely innocent man and king was condemned to death. He was to die for no crime of his own but for yours, and for mine! Consider: how much are you worth if a king, the king of the ages, died for you.
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Friday Dec 09, 2016
Friday Dec 09, 2016
Friday Prayers
A Nativity Prayer of St. Augustine
Let the just rejoice,
for their justifier is born.
Let the sick and infirm rejoice,
For their saviour is born.
Let the captives rejoice,
For their Redeemer is born.
Let slaves rejoice,
for their Master is born.
Let free people rejoice,
For their Liberator is born.
Let All Christians rejoice,
For Jesus Christ is born.
St. Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-440)
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Monday Dec 05, 2016
Monday Dec 05, 2016
Think Spot
5 December 2016
As part of our living as followers of Jesus, here is something which has the capability of affecting every person on the planet.
Jesus took words and thoughts extremely seriously. Jesus’ words encouraged others gently towards paths of right living. He spoke words of love, kindness, rebuke, forgiveness, encouragement and blessing upon and to others. Jesus is to be our guide and Master in the use of thoughts and words.
In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus equates calling somebody a fool with the physical act of murder. Murder has its beginning in anger developing into uncontrollable rage. Improper attitudes, words and thoughts can lead you and I to sin if we don’t stop their destructive use quickly. May the words we communicate and think about, be like those of Jesus – “full of grace”. How is your WOW factor of Jesus now?
When Jesus Christ called you to follow Him, He called you to follow Him wholeheartedly and be committed to only Him. Jesus calls you and I, to love God and be totally committed to Him.
Here is a brief prayer to help us into the new week.
Father, help us this week to be totally committed to you in all aspects of our lives.
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Sunday Dec 04, 2016
Sunday Dec 04, 2016
WOW Tour USA 2016
God, broken water-pump &
Kentucky Blue Grass here we come!
Get a Good Grip Book available on Amazon!
We are in a series for these Sundays, whereupon I give some personal reflections on my recent 7 weeks tour of the the USA... During that time in the USA, I sought to enable and encourage others in their faith by teaching, training and most of all, WOWing for God! It is my prayer that I was able to do that for the glory and honour of God alone.
Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file
~
You can now purchase our Partakers books! Please do click or tap here to visit our Amazon site!
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