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What’s in a Name?

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What’s in a name?

When my husband and I was expecting our first child, we bought a book with children’s names, it had both the name and its meaning. Suzanne – lily. Philip – fond of horses. John – Jehovah has been gracious. Martha – lady. Peter – the rock.  Andrew – strong.

The  name and its meaning describes the character and the aptitude of a person.

Character; personality, nature, disposition, mentality, stamp, mould. Persona: attributes, properties, essential quality, essence; individuality, identity, spirit, complexion, ambience, feel.

Aptitude; talent, gift, expertise, genius, natural ability, adeptness, suitability.

Mary had been instructed by the angel Gabriel to call her son Jesus. Luke 1:31. Among the Jewish people at the time of Jesus, the name Jesus was an ordinary name, God chose it for its very special meaning ‘Saviour.’

Saviour – one who saves from evil, a deliverer, a title applied to Jesus Christ, who saves men from the power and penalty of sin. Chamber’s Dictionary 1901 Edition.

Descriptive of the character of the nature of Jesus the stamp of God. “God is love”   1 John 4: 8. “Love the Lord your God with all your soul, strength, mind, and love your neighbour as yourself.” Luke 10: 27. “He reflects the glory of God and bears the stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power.” Hebrews 1: 2.

The aptitude of Jesus his natural ability and inclination to love all people in his selfless attitude in laying down his life to be our Saviour. “For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever, believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16. RSV Bible.

The names and its meaning in the Bible: Adam – earth. Eve – life giver. The names of people were changed: Abram – high father. Abraham – father of a multitude. Genesis 17: 5. Unger’s Bible Dictionary.

Isaiah 7: 10-16.   Isaiah’s name means “Jehovah is salvation.”

God is Salvation – “In the Old Testament the term refers to various forms of deliverance, both temporal and spiritual. God delivers his people from their enemies and from the snares of the wicked Psalm37:40.59:2.106:4. New Testament: God also saves by forgiveness of sins, answers to prayer, joy, peace Psalm 79:9. 69:13.51:12. Unger’s Bible Dictionary.

King Ahaz of Judah (Southern Kingdom) refused to join the alliance of Israel (Northern Kingdom) and Syria in opposing Assyria, as a result they planned to depose him. Isaiah wanted Ahaz to ask God for a sign, but he refused he wouldn’t test God. The Lord gave him a sign, “Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and you shall call his name Immanuel.”

Immanuel meaning ”God with us.”

Isaiah believed that his wife was referred to in the prophecy, “Then the Lord said to me, “Take a large tablet and write upon it in common characters, Belonging to Mahershalahashbaz.’ And I got reliable witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah to attest for me. And I went to the prophetess and she conceived and bore a son.”

Isaiah’s wife gave birth to their youngest son. However, they did not name him ‘Immanuel’ it was the name on the tablet, Mashershalahashbaz,’ the meaning of his name “ “For before the child knows how to cry, to cry, ‘My father,’ or ‘My Mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.” Isaiah 8: 1-8.

But the sign that was fulfilled when Mahershalahashbaz was three years old. In 732BC the Assyrian army swiftly conquered Damascus and within ten years Israel was defeated and its people exiled, and the land was deserted 722BC.

Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ

Matthew quoted from Isaiah 7: 14 in connection with the birth of Jesus, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”  Matthew 1: 21.

Matthew writing his gospel between A.D. 60 and 70 identified Jesus and the meaning as the ‘Saviour- of our sins.’

Matthew knew this from his own experience and like many Christians down the centuries also have this experience of being saved and released from sin.

Our soul/spirit coming together with God’s Spirit we are made alive through forgiveness of sin. The King James’ Bible translation used the word “Quickened” “And you who were quickened who were dead in trespasses and sin.” Ephesians 2: 1

Experiencing Jesus being born in us is like when I was 3 months pregnant with my first baby, I felt the baby move for the first time and that fetal movement is called ‘Quickening’.

“When a pregnant woman is likely to first feel her baby move, called quickening, depends on several things. . . . ” www.webmd.com/features/when-feel-bay-move

Mary the Virgin gave birth to God’s Son

Anyone who has received healing through prayer will be able to witness that God is able to do what seems impossible to us. Mary conceived when the Holy Spirit overshadowed her, without her flesh being touched. Luke 1: 35

The resurrected Jesus in Spirit

Just as God sends the rain to water the ground, so God is able to knock on the door of our heart.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him/she and eat with him/she, and he/she with me. Those who conquer, I will grant them to sit with me on my throne, as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on His throne. Those who has an ear, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3: 20 22.

The name ‘Christian’ and its meaning.  Acts 11: 26.

Meaning – Christ-like

Characteristics: nature, personality, mentality,. stamp. persona: spirit of love, faithful, committed,  identity, mentality,

God fulfilling his promise to Abraham that he would be a father of a multitude.

A child of God has chosen to believe in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. “Those who believe in his name he gave the power to become children of God. children born not of natural decent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1: 12, 13.

It is personal salvation to us as individuals, it is not by hereditary means, we can’t inherit our salvation. Neither can we receive salvation through marriage. Jesus tells us that there is no marriage in heaven, we all are children of the Father, His love upholds and sustains us. Luke 20:34,35.

Our nature being transformed to understand and feel how God hates sin, but God loves the sinner. Love that wills to do the will of God, that is obedient, truthful. Christ in you in Spirit, the authority and power to prophecy, discern thoughts, intentions of the heart.

Aptitude: anointed natural and God given gifts, adeptness, suitability.

We are complete in Christ having the whole seed of faith. The Holy Spirit distributes the dominate gift through prophecy at the beginning of a Christian’s journey.

Today both men, women and children who declare, know Jesus as their Saviour are entitled to Jesus’ provision of his precious promises.  Peter writing, “To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with them in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Jesus’ divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and Godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion and become partakers of the divine nature.”  2 Peter 1: 1. 3, 4.

Paul the Apostle – one who has seen Christ – the resurrected Christ.

The word of prophecy given to Paul was that he would be a light to the Gentiles an Evangelist: teach, preach, pray, heal, etc. Colossians 1: 27.

Using the gifts within the church.

Pastoring is the gift of having a loving servant’s heart, to put Jesus before family and personal desires, to put the friend who asks for help at an untimely hour is the role of the servant. To discern the leading of the Holy Spirit in all situations.

Several people using the same gifting for example: the gift of evangelism, faith, love, joy- encourages, prophecy, intercession, healing, discernment, teaching, praise-music, and preaching, tongues, administration, helps etc. 1 Corinthians 12

Love the greatest gift.

 “God is love” by Dorothy Newton 

Written during the Week for Christian Unity January 1995                                                                   

Love participates in unity,   bending the will to love another.

Love brings a togetherness, a lovers’ beauty, a gracious food  of unceasing joy.   *

.Love doesn’t hide itself or shy away.

 Love takes hold of the prickly thorn and caresses it

Love picks up the bruised heart and cherishes it and makes it, it’s own.

Love gives off a radiance like the heat of a summer’s day.

Love its fragrance enriches unity,   time stands still.

Love has a strength of its own. Love gives in to love.

Love is a safe place, without any walls, no barriers of fear and wars.   Love prepares to serve all human weaknesses.

Love bears the pain of love; rejection grieves the lover.

Love ceases not to love;

Love is God our creator.

* (pure, holy love 2 Corinthians 11: 2)

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Encouraged by the Lord

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Encouraged by the Lord

I asked the Lord in prayer at the beginning of this week if he would give me a word of encouragement and I’ve been given several words; Jesus was a common name, but it’s the meaning of the name ‘Jesus’ being ‘Saviour’ as to why God gave him this name.

Great Encouragement 

During my study of Isaiah 7: 10-16 I’ve looked in my Bible Dictionary to find out more about Jesus’ name. While I read through several pages of information, I came across the author’s critique of William Wrede’s book ‘The Messianic Secret’. I’ve deliberately not read William Wrede’s book, so that I could honestly say the Lord opened the New Testament scriptures when he gave me the word in 1996. On 30th May I was sat having my afternoon break when I was gently rocked from side to side in my chair, the chair didn’t move. My thoughts were on  the pottery order that I was working on. The words that came into my mind, ‘The disciples were setting up the kingdom of God at the beginning of Acts’ and two weeks later I woke up with the word ‘Jesus could only be received as the Messiah after his death, resurrection and ascension.” The two words came together; after Jesus’ ascension and soon after Pentecost the disciples were anticipating Jesus’ return with the angels of God and it was a national calling.

There was so much evidence in the Gospels, I put these scriptures under headings. I soon realised that I had to write a book.

I had found nothing in any of my concordances about this view of Jesus being only received as the Messiah by the leader’s nation at and after Pentecost. I took the manuscript to the Bishop of Blackburn Alan Chester because I thought it was something important for the church. I was asked by the Bishop and Canon Galilee had I read the Messianic Secret by William Wrede I replied, “No, I haven’t.”

Two people I had shared with: Rev Mark Ireland who I was in training with at his church St John’s Basemen and Canon Richard Spurin my Tutor on the Reader’s course; they both said it was the messianic secret revealed, they had obviously read William Wrede’s book.

Bishop Alan Chesters wrote my ‘Foreword’ he wrote that it was the work of an apologetic. I understood this to mean – a defence or explanation of Christianity. I went ahead and published in 2001

This week through reading Unger’s Bible Dictionary pages on  the reference to Jesus Christ, I now understand why the Bishop wrote that it was the work of an apologetic:

Unger’s Dictionary states “Men like Wilhelm Wrede (Das Messiasgeheimmis in den Evangelism,1901) deny the mystic consciousness of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels, particularly in Mark. Wrede contends that mystery attaches to the problem of ‘Jesus’ Messiahship, and he uses the term ‘Mystic Secret’ He declares this was a dogmatic invention of the primitive church. He holds that the church had no real proof that Jesus himself held to or declared himself to be the Messiah. Consequently, Wrede maintains it superimposed this dogmatic invention upon the traditional account of Christ’s life in order to explain the silence of tradition on the subject. Wrede forgets that the phenomena he cites are explainable as simple historical facts rather than an artificial invention forced upon the accounts. Unger’s Dictionary page 583

The Messiah’s Secret by Dorothy Newton 2001 updated 2013 on line www.messiahs-secret-revealed.co.uk

I give proof in my book that Jesus knew he was the Christ, and why he kept it a secret. Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do they say the Son of man is?” Peter answered Jesus’ question saying that he is “The Christ.” “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus told his disciples that God had revealed this to Peter and he told them to tell no one.”  The Son of man and the Christ and the Son of God are titles of the same person, and the reason not to tell anyone. Matthew 16:  13-20

the Jewish people expected the Messiah when he came to remain forever and establish ‘the times of refreshing’; the restoration of the land and throne of King David. Peter informed the crowd that if they repented Jesus would have returned and restored King David’s kingdom. John 12: 34. Acts 3: 19, 20.

God had hidden from the Jews the death of the Messiah.  Just to make sure that the Jews condemned Jesus to death, Caiaphas who was high priest that year had a prophecy from God, “that one man would die for the people and that the whole nation would not perish.” John continued by saying “He did not say this of his own accord but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation.” John 11: 45-51.

Jesus opened the minds of his disciples to understand these scriptures concerning his suffering and resurrection on the evening of the day of his resurrection. Luke 24: 46

I’ve had the best word of encouragement from my Lord God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Thank you, God

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We will Remember them

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Christian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor, theologian, anti-Nazi dissident, and key founding member of the Confessing Church.  Ultimately, Bonhoeffer was arrested for his involvement in helping Jews flee the country. Still, he continued to teach with the help of guards who smuggled out his writing, until he was transferred to a concentration camp. When his association with other Abwehr agents was discovered, Bonhoeffer was sentenced to death. He was hanged in April 1945, just one month before Germany surrendered.

Bonhoeffer wrote, “The Church is the Church only when it exists for others . . . not dominating but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling what it means to live for Christ, to exist for others.”

We sometimes are faced with making choices that could put our life on the line. Dietrich Bonhoeffer stood against Hitler’s persecution of the Jews and they took revenge and sentenced him to death.

John the Baptist was imprisoned for his beliefs

John’s message didn’t go down well with the Pharisees, Levites and King Herod. John was incarcerated by Herod the Tetrarch for telling him that it wasn’t lawful to marry his brother’s wife. Matthew 14: 3-5

The historian Josephus wrote about John the Baptist in the Antiquities of the Jews (Book 18, Chapter 5, 2) “Josephus refers to the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist  . .  “

John in his prison cell like anyone today in prison would be wondering what was going on in the outside world. Waiting for news from those who came to visit about things he cared about most.

Matthew 11: 1-15

We read in Matthew 11:2 when John heard in prison the deeds of the Christ, he sent word to Jesus by his disciples, “Are you the one or should we look for another.”

The news that his disciples brought back would confirm to John that Jesus was the Christ. Jesus spoke of the miracles and healing that he had performed, and the poor had the good news preached to them and blessed were those who took no offence at him. Matthew 14: 1-5.

John being filled with the Holy Spirit would have been able to cope comforted by the Holy Spirit.

People imprisoned today for their faith in Christ rely on God to uphold them and the prayer and practical help of Christians.

In July 2017, Naser was arrested with three Azerbaijani Christians during a secret police raid on a church meeting. He was convicted of assembling in an “illegal gathering” that “threatens the security of Iran”. The others were also convicted then released and sentenced in absentia, after returning to their country.

‘Barnabas Aid’ Charity helps those who suffer imprisonment for their faith in Jesus.

The way Jesus spoke about John reflected his admiration for John the Baptist.

John the Baptist was his cousin, but their parent’s lives were so different, Jesus’ adopted father Joseph was a carpenter, John grew up in priest’s family, Zachariah his father served at the temple in Jerusalem and they lived in the hill country of Judea.

John’s early life was summarised in several sentences: the hand of the Lord was with him Luke 1:66. 80, He grew and became strong in spirit . . he was in the wilderness until his appearance publicly to Israel; he will be great before the Lord . . and . .filled with the Holy Spirit. He lived a remote life in the wilderness of Judea, he wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather girdle and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey, (carob bean) Matthew 3: 4.

When he started his baptism ministry in the river Jordan, people flocked to hear his message, “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” and “The voice crying in the wilderness; Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” and many were baptised Isaiah 40: 3. Matthew 3: 2. 17: 10-13.

John’s message pointed to the appearance of the Christ (Greek) Hebrew (Messiah)

He was asked whether he was the Christ, Elijah or the prophet?’ He replied that he wasn’t the Christ. John 1: 19-23.

Jesus came to John to be baptised, we read that John would have prevented him, but Jesus insisted to fulfil all righteousness meaning: Jesus fulfilling the law by complying with the message from the messenger. Jesus recognised John as the prophet that Malachi wrote about, the for-runner to the appearance of the Christ. “Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me . . . . who can stand when he appears?” Malachi 3: 1,2.

He also identified him as being Elijah “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” Malachi 4: 5, 6. Luke 1: 17. Matthew 17:10-13.

Paul mentioned John the Baptist’s ministry in Acts 13: 24, 25 “Before his coming John preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.”

Jesus said the disciples would gather were others had sown.

God had prepared the way before Jesus’ disciples went out, many had turned to God through John’s baptism of repentance. So when these people heard the kingdom message “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” they were ready to respond received healing and salvation under law. Zacchaeus the tax collector repented and gave back four-fold under law. Jesus said that salvation had come to his house.

John 4:38. Luke 19: 1-10.

God prepares the way today under grace, repentance is still part of that process. A person coming to faith will be convicted of the need to get right with God. The love of God brings healing and forgiveness. Surrendering our will to serve the Lord we learn to distinguish living under God’s law as a set of rules and living those laws coming from the heart. Our newly transformed nature will want to comply with how God feels about sin.

God loves the sinner but hates sin.

Remembrance Day is where we reflect on how conflicts begin, the first world war started with taking revenge after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie were assassinated. The Austria-Hungry threatened war on Serbia, other countries sided with one or the other. Nations declared war on each other. All through taking revenge millions of people lost their lives at a young age.

Herodias prompted by her mother, Herod’s wife took revenge on John by having him beheaded. Matthew 14: 8

Jesus said love your enemies, even if they persecute you. Jesus is our example when he reached out to the Samaritans through the Samaritan women at Jacob’s well and when the Samaritan village refused him and his disciples hospitality, his disciples suggested that he should send the fire of God upon them in revenge, but Jesus rebuked their suggestion. John 4: 7-42.  Luke 9:51-56.

Trials and tribulation come to us, but it’s how we react in those situations. Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, ‘The Cost of Discipleship,’ a study on the Sermon on the Mount, in which he not only attacked “cheap grace” as a cover for ethical laxity, but also preached “costly grace.”

“When a man takes guilt upon himself in responsibility, he imputes his guilt to himself and no one else. He answers for it… Before other men he is justified by dire necessity; before himself he is acquitted by his conscience, but before God he hopes only for grace”.

On 4 April 1945, the diaries of Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, head of the Abwehr, were discovered, and in a rage upon reading them, Hitler ordered that the Abwehr conspirators be destroyed. Bonhoeffer was led away just as he concluded his final Sunday service and asked an English prisoner, Payne Best, to remember him to Bishop George Bell of Chichester if he should ever reach his home: “This is the end—for me the beginning of life.”

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Bible Sunday – When the Truth becomes our Experience

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Today is Bible Sunday

Bible picopen Bible    

Genesis Chapter 1: 1- 4 In the beginning God created heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. God said, “let there be light” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.”                                                                                                                I’ve brought with me a bottle in it is a liquid and if I shake it up it looks black,  which represents darkness. Now if I leave it for a few minutes it separates and becomes  light at the top and dark at the bottom.

darkness bottle

 Can anyone tell me how many Books the Bible? 66 

How many in the old Testament? 39

How many in the New Testament? 27 

Jesus spoke and things happened, Jesus the Word of God clothed in the flesh. At Jesus’ word to the servants at the wedding at Cana and the water was changed into wine, he multiplied the bread and the fishes and he stilled the storm, he said to the wind and the waves “Peace,be still,” and a great calm came over the Sea of Galilee. 

In our reading blind Bartimaeus came to Jesus and Jesus healed him of his blindness from being in the Dark he could see Jesus in the light of day and the smiling faces all around him                                                                                                                                                                

light sep darkness

Can anyone tell me what the liquid is inside the bottle?  Answer at the end of the blog.

A church member who is a fantastic photographer shared his slides  In the darkness  our eyes can’t  see images, all we can see is darkness. his camera reveal images in the darkness, He related how God sees the dark places in our lives there is nothing hidden from God. His light turns our darkness into light when we turn to Christ.

On the 28th September I attended Fixed Conference 18’ Bridge Church Bolton Paul and Vicky Lloyd were guest speakers, they head up Victory Church Outreach in Manchester which is part of the revival that’s going on in Cwnbran, Wales. They are doing a great work for Christ among the young people caught up, in this nation-wide drug epidemic on the streets of our towns and cities.

Paul and Vicky before they knew each other, their lives, were like this picture on the screen a man walking through a forest where it’s dark because of the density of the trees keeping the light out.

dark place

Paul and Vicky’s darkness was in their addiction to drugs and they struggled to find a way through their situation.

Paul was a former drug dealer in London, that is, until he met Jesus. his wife Vicky used to be a heroin addict, Jesus set her free from addiction 19 years ago. They found that what the Bible says about Jesus was true. The Holy Spirit adding substance to their faith. The reality of being healed became their experience. 

The Lord separated light from darkness in their lives.   

Vicky  described her day in darkness: sitting in squalor, with her needles beside her, slumped in a chair, for hours on end. Unable by her own human nature to overcome it all.                                                 

The Cambridge Dictionary defines Human nature as the natural ways of behaving that most people share including mind and personality.

Unger Bible Dictionary – Hebrew word Nephesh –  a self-living nature.                                                                                                                  

1 Peter 3: 20 The people were disobedient (self-living)when they ignored Noah, so they remained in darkness and perished. Only 8 were saved through their obedience to God’s word to Noah, “I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth”. Genesis 6: 11-22

God’s purpose is for our self-living nature to be transformed to be like Jesus.

Jesus sanctified his disciples in the truth and he was consecrated (set apart for this purpose)bearing the darkness of sin (he was separated from God) and its causes on the cross. In his resurrection God raised him up into the light. In the heavenly Jerusalem there is continual light, the glory of the Lord is its light. John 17: 17, 19. Revelation 21: 23

The Holy Spirit in his ministry to us will make it known to us the areas of our life that he wants to sanctify like Vicky it happens over a period of time..

After Vicky was raised up from the depths of despair, the Holy Spirit acting on the word, brought God’s search light into the areas of her life that needed to be sanctified. Vicky said, that the Holy Spirit journeyed with her, healing the rage, jealousy and many things that had accompanied her addiction to drugs. she said, “I come to the seat of transformation on a daily basis, Christ is the only one who can help, mercy draws you to his love.”      What was happening the Bible calls sanctification: separating light from darkness, God’s righteousness transforming her nature to be like Jesus.  

Asking for God’s mercy drew Bartimaeus to Jesus, in his unworthiness he cried out  and Jesus responded in grace, which is undeserved giving from God.                                                     

Both Vicky and Bartimaeus came to Jesus even though they felt unworthy, they came to him in faith. It sounds to simple, don’t let your feeling of unworthiness stop you from coming to Jesus with your need, believe the scripture they came to Jesus in faith to be healed.                                   

Can you imagine what it must have been like for Bartimaeus, his eyes opened to see Jesus and he was surrounded by smiling faces, and great joy among the crowd.

God is reaching out to every person in some way.   Like  A’s  pictures reveal that there is light in the darkness. Jesus is the light of the world and that light is in his Word that he has given to us to tell the world.     

God’s calling is for us to share the message of the cross where Jesus overcame darkness in all its forms and in the light of his resurrection, forgiveness of sin brings healing and the receiving of God’s righteous love  that transforms our nature to be like Jesus         

Paul and Vicky Lloyd received God’s mercy and they came out of the forest of darkness into the light of Christ.   

lP                                                     .                                                                                               At the conference every testimony I heard by people of all ages, they started by using cannabis and then moved on to hard drugs. Canada has now legalised cannabis this is not good news and if cannabis is legalised in the UK its opening a door to many more peoples’ lives being wreaked by drugs.

What can we do?  we can pray. 

Heavenly Father we know that every person before coming to know you is in a prison without bars, for some it’s an open prison with little condemnation for crime against God, and for those in solitary confinement for serious sins against God and people. Many are found in between, but all have sinned against God.   Thank you for your great gift of grace in Jesus paying the price for all sin great or small.  Thank you for our reconciliation in receiving forgiveness Thank you for our adoption into the family of God. 

In Jesus name, Amen 

Answer – oil and water

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Life Wreckers: drugs, drink and crime

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October 22   Evening Service

Life wreckers: drugs, drink and crime.                                                                   Nehemiah 8: 9-18. John 16: 1-11.

Summerset House was once the place where the nations General Records Office for births, marriages and deaths was located. All records from 1759 were stored on paper. When the computer came on the scene records were then stored on a floppy disk, a completely new way of storing information.

This change from storing information on paper to computer is to illustrate the change God made when he completed the old Covenant and introduced the New Covenant        

Under law the temple was the dwelling place of God where its’ sacrifices, rituals and feast days took place.

Jesus tells us that he came to fulfil every aspect of the law. Matthew 5: 18.

In the book ‘The Feasts of Israel’ Victor Buksbazen. He includes Jesus fulfilling in himself: the feasts days as well as the temple rituals and sacrifices. Also the perpetual light, the candlestick, the shew bread etc

Jesus’ body the new living temple.

John records Jesus’ conversation with a number of Jewish men, Jesus said to those present, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” . . . but he spoke of the temple of his body.” John 2: 19-21. Acts 7: 48,

Under grace the new covenant is based on better promises, no longer hereditary descent but by faith in Jesus.  A  believer becoming a child of God, and receiving the eternal Spirit of God with the transforming of the nature, the law written in the heart. Matthew 5: 17

In our reading Nehemiah had completely restored the walls and the gates around the city. Now the Israelite’s were able to keep the Sabbath Day laws given to Moses by God, the Sabbath Day traders were unable to access the city. Israel celebrated with the Feast of Booths or Succoth, the feast commemorated Jacob building booths that were shelters for his live stock on his way to Succoth. Also they built booths on their wilderness journey to shelter them from the sun and desert winds. Genesis 33: 17. Leviticus 23: 43.

The prophecy that Jesus fulfilled in himself regarding the Feast of Booths’ is found in the Book of Amos.

Amos 9: 11 “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as the days of old.”   ‘

A booth rebuilt from the ruins of David. Jesus’ booth sheltering, keeping watch over all the people. In his ministry he was rebuilding the ruins of people’s lives for instance the Jewish outcasts that were the lost sheep of the house of Israel: beggars like blind Bartimaeus and the tax collector Zacchaeus.

The repairs to the breaches, Jesus repairing the relationship with the Samaritans through his meeting with the woman at Jacob’s well and the rift between King Herod and Pilate was healed. John 4: 39-42. Luke 23: 12.

But Jesus warned his disciples that the leaders of the Sanhedrin ‘Hated him without a cause’ One instance ‘Without a cause’ is where Jesus had been unjustly accused of wanting to be made  the king.

John recorded the incident: The people discerned that Jesus was their king when he fed them with the loaves and fishes. Perhaps they realised that he had fulfilled the Psalmists prophecy, “I will abundantly bless her provisions: I will satisfy the poor with bread. Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy. There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon himself his crown will shed its luster.” Psalm 132: 15-18

We read Jesus discerned, “Perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force and make him their king, Jesus withdrew to a mountain by himself.” John 6: 15. Jesus knew it was wrong to make him their king which was rebellion against the Sanhedrin and God.

Today we know that Jesus was born a king, the wise men looked for the babe that was born a king.

A similar accusation came against Nehemiah, Chapter 6: 5-8 Sanballat sent a letter to Nehemiah accusing him of wanting to make himself the King of Judah. Nehemiah dismissed his accusation saying that it was an invention from his mind and he saw it as an attempt to stop him rebuilding the walls. Nehemiah 6: 5-8.

Nehemiah’s presence kept the work going, now Jesus I think was concerned that after his ascension his disciples without his presence during those 10 days before Pentecost some of them might fall away so he gave them assurance of the coming from the Father, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth.

After Jesus fulfilled the law in himself God was doing a new thing, transforming the nature of a person by the action of grace on faith in Jesus.

The Holy Spirit bears witness about Jesus through the disciple’s witness, the Gospels, Acts and letters. Two thousand years later the Holy Spirit works in the same way. When Miriam came to faith, she said it was like scales falling from her eyes, just like Saul of Tarsus had experienced when Ananias prayed for him. Acts 9: 18

The Holy Spirit is actively engaging with people who are unbelievers  I met John the telephone engineer at Scargill on holiday, he told me his story, the question of faith he hadn’t given it serious thought.  however, one day he was up a telegraph pole when he was convicted of his need to get right with God, these thoughts continued over several days.  John said, he sought out a priest and he heard that God was calling him to repentance and through faith in Jesus dying for his sin He would receive forgiveness, and he responded.

God is reaching out to every person in some way. Forgiveness brings healing and the receiving of God’s righteousness, God’s righteousness is in the transformation of our nature to be like his.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         2018 ‘Fixed Conference’ at the Bridge Church, Bolton.                      Paul and Vicky Lloyd were Guest speakers they head up Victory Church Outreach in Manchester they are part of the revival that’s  going on in Cwnbran,  nr Newport, Wales,  They are doing a great work for Christ among the young people caught up, in this nation-wide drug epidemic, on the streets of our towns and cities.

The conference focus is on Jesus transforming lives wrecked by drugs, drink and crime.  For many the realisation of the ruler of this world’s power over them is apparent when they became addicted to drugs, drink and gambling these addictions take people into dark places, a living hell

Swaney’s Testimony (from my notes)

Swaney was brought up to believe that it was normal for parents to take drugs and drink heavily and they gave him drugs. His father was always depressed, but he remembered their trips to the sea side. where his father was good fun playing football on the beach.  At school, he felt so weak and the bullies were so strong, they would tie him up and torture him; slash his private parts with blades and pull out his toe nails with pliers. At 10 he was sexually abused and at 13 he wanted to die.

A lad befriended him and he started fighting back, He was expelled from school because of his behaviour.

Swaney ended up in prison for street robberies. He blamed the world for everything, he led a chaotic life, he said he felt angry and ashamed. He met someone and settled down to family life, and became a tattoo artist, and for the first time in his life he had money, he bought a house, and a car.

But he said he was depressed and suicidal at 40 and he thought that he would be doing his family a favour if he wasn’t there anymore.   God stepped in when he met an American guy, who told him about Jesus, and he went to his church and there at one of the services, Swaney gave his life to Jesus and his life changed. Jesus released him from drugs and healed his anger and shame, and he forgave his torturers and his parents   His nature has been changed he’s a new man

Every testimony I heard they started using cannabis and moved on to hard drugs. Canada has now legalised cannabis, this is not good news and if cannabis is legalised in the UK its opening a door to many more peoples’ lives wreaked by drugs, drink and crime.

What can we do?  We can pray.    

Heavenly Father, we know that every person before coming to know you is in a prison without bars, for some it’s an open prison with little condemnation for crime against God.

For those in solitary confinement for serious sins against God and people.

Many are found in between, but all have sinned against God.

Thank you for your great gift of grace in Jesus paying the price for all sin great or small.  Thank you for our reconciliation in receiving forgiveness Thank you for our adoption into the family of God. 

In Jesus name. Amen

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Christians Together Haslingden October 12

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Jesus teaching the disciples from their mistakes

Mark 9: 33-50

We can also make mistakes in our interpretation of scripture. But I’m hoping that what the Lord has revealed to me is right. If you have another view, please share it with me afterwards.

The man asked his boss “Where do you want this big roll of bubble wrap?”.
“Just pop it in the corner,” he said.
It took me three hours

In verses 33, 34 Jesus asked his disciples what they were discussing on the way home and then there was an awkward silence. We understand the disciples had been discussing who was the greatest among them.

The Lord showed me that when the 70 took out the kingdom message, and healing the sick, some of the disciples would have been more successful than others in response to the kingdom message, healing the sick and casting out demons.

On their return they informed Jesus of their success, Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit, and added a word of caution, “Do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20.

They were not to let their success go to their head, become boastful and proud, but that is exactly what happened.

So it’s quiet likely they were discussing who had achieved the most amongst them.

Jesus responded saying, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

Jesus taught his disciples to seek the lowest place,

I found a quotation by poet William Wordsworth, “The best portion of a good man’s life is in his little nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.” He summed it up well, not to be boastful our proud, just to get on with what the Lord calls us to do.

Jesus continued, he took a child and put him in the middle of the disciples, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me and him who sent me.”

I attended the annual ‘Fixed Conference 18’ on 29th September. Its focus was on  Jesus changing the lives of people who have  drug and drink addiction problems.

The testimonies always started with ‘When they were children,’ they were abused as children and started using drugs to escape the pain of abuse.

Shelia’s testimony

Shelia said that she came from a dysfunctional family: there was violence in the home and her mum had an affair, and her mum’s partner abused her at the age of 10. Taking drugs was a way of escaping the pain of abuse.

 Shelia started shoplifting to pay for the drugs, this led to prison. In prison she attended a Barry Woodward session that took place in the prison chapel and she came away thinking, “If God could do it for Barry, he can do it for me.”

Shelia  said, “I wanted to get well,” she went to the Women’s Lighthouse Project in 2016. Where they valued and loved her for who she is, as a person, She was baptised, sought detox and was healed. Shelia has been free from drugs and intends to stay that way. Jesus put his loving arms around Shelia and  has set her free.

The man suffered rejection by the disciples, because he was not one of them.

John  said to Jesus, “Teacher we saw a man casting out demon’s in your name and we forbid him,because he was not following us.” 

They turned him away, rejection makes us feel a lack of self-worth, and causes many to withdraw from socialising, for some it can result in depression. Jesus experienced rejection, Isaiah 53: 3. “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief and as one from whom men hid their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not”

(Several people began to share their thoughts, and I responded by two of us praying for one person present  before I continued with the talk.)

Jesus encourages every child of God to fulfil their potential.

Why do you think John told Jesus about this man casting out demons in his name?                                                                                                       Was he concerned that people might start following this man?

Was he unsure that they had done the right thing in forbidding him?

Jesus replied, “Do not forbid him, for none who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me.”

‘Do not forbid him’ he’s doing it in my name, he’s on my side.’

So (soon after)  in the future                                                                                           Just a thought that came to me this morning: at Jesus’ trial when people were asked to give evidence against Jesus, this man may well have been asked, to speak out against him, after all he had been rejected so he might have been angry and in spite responded, but we know from scripture he didn’t.

Jesus continued verse 41 “For truly, I say to you, whoever, gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.”

Whoever, that could be anyone, who gives a drink to a child of God.

The Lord showed me, that he may have been referring to the Samaritan woman at the well

Jesus asked her, to give him a drink of water. The disciples marvelled that he was talking to a woman, John recorded their reaction, “But not one of them said openly what they were thinking, “Why are you talking with her?” John 4: 27.                                                

Jesus showed her no discrimination. The woman noted that he was making the conversation with her, “How is it, that you a Jew ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria. For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans?”

In the conversation with her he discussed what united them, the hope of the coming of the Jewish Messiah and he told her that he was the one they Jews and Samaritans where waiting for. She accepted his words and she went home and reported the good news to her family and friends. We read Jesus went to visit the place where she lived and confirmed the word to them that he was the Messiah. John 4: 9, 39-42.

Jesus took what united them; they were looking for the coming of the Messiah and what divided them fell away.

This speaks to me of were there are a variety of different strands of Christianity believing and doing things in Jesus’ name, but the importance of coming together like today, is where the differences fall away.

Jesus bore on the cross all forms of rejection, discrimination or prejudice, Isaiah 53: 5 “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed.”

So there is healing for all, through faith in Jesus.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord for our Christian friends for the years of fellowship in your church, thank you for the steadfast holy love of Jesus given to us to share with others especially to our neighbours no matter their colour or creed.

Help us to break free of the things that divide the churches, to look to Jesus to live by his word that we cherish deeply in our hearts, help us to overcome our differences and to rest in the knowledge that you know us all individually, that you love and care for us, we are your precious children     

  Lord in your mercy – Hear our  prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for all sin, and where there is recognition of sin and confession of it, there is forgiveness and healing. For those who have been sinned against, Jesus picks up the bruised fruit in his love and caresses it, heals and restores its’ fragrance and lustre.

 Lord in your mercy – Hear our prayer                                                                       

Followed by a time of open prayer.

We sang the hymn ‘The Church is One Foundation

_________________________________________________________________

Continuing Mark 9: 42 – 50

Jesus we understand did not come to judge people as the Jewish leaders expected. “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.” John 8: 1-11.

Jesus spoke of judgement here in Mark, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Millstones were used for grinding corn, the Greeks and Romans used a millstone as a capital punishment; the weight of the stone and the depth of the sea. Jesus was speaking of punishment beyond this life. Matthew Poole’s Commentary.

He may have been referring to the Pharisee, Sadducee, Scribe and Lawyers when he used Jewish idioms.

He said to cut off the offending hand – the hand representing power, their power and authority over others by adding laws to the laws given to Moses by God.

Foot – trampling over people’s beliefs. Pharisees stopped the followers of Jesus attending the synagogue. John 9: 22.

Eye – envy or pride, The Pharisees and scribes loved to sit in the best seats in the synagogue and being seen in the market place wearing their long robes. Luke 11:42 – 44.

Salt and fire

Salt rep dedication and fire – purification

Franklin Graham the son of Billy Graham’s Mission at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, ‘Lancashire ‘Festival of Hope.’

He read from Mark 10: 46-52 the account of Jesus healing blind Bartimaeus.

Franklin compared Bartimaeus with the ordinary person seeking God. He said, ”Sin blinds us to God’s will and the wages of sin is death,” and God sent Jesus to rescue us.

 Franklin gave his own personal testimony, The fact that his father was Billy graham made him more rebellious.

At the age of 22 he knew that there was something missing in his life and he cried out to God and asked God to pick up the pieces of his life, he was broken and he wanted God to heal him, he repented and gave his life to Jesus and God heard his prayer.”

 Bartimaeus called out to Jesus, the man near him, told him to shut up, he shouted again Jesus heard his cry of faith.

Jesus called Bartimaeus to come to him and asked him what he wanted him to do for him? He replied, ‘to see’ and Jesus saying only a few words and his eyes were opened, he could see.

The day before, Saturday 29th September I attended ‘Fixed Conference 18’ at The Bridge Church, Bolton. Its focus was on Jesus transforming the lives of people who have had drug and drink addiction problems. Several people gave their testimony and gave harrowing accounts of their childhood where they suffered abuse at home at school, which led them into drugs, drink and crime. Each one their circumstance were different, but all experienced Jesus’ love picking them up embracing them and changing their lives by releasing them from drug addiction.

At the appeal 91 people responded and turned to Christ in repentance and faith.

If you want to sincerely get right with God, turn to him in faith, say sorry for your sins and ask his forgiveness and invite him into your heart. 

Picture  hold up – 1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given

Prayer – Father God, when we come to you in faith like Bartimaeus whatever our need may be ___________________forgive us we pray for the weight of sin________________ that would hang like a millstone binding us and weighing us down and in your great mercy reach into our heart and take from us and cleanse us of all our sin.      Wash us clean in the blood of Jesus as we take hold of Jesus’ words, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” Thank you Jesus, in your name. Amen.

 

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Longholme Methodist Morning Service August 26th 2018

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 Psalm 34; 15 – 22 

The young people listening to David were able to make an informed choice concerning their faith in the God of Israel. They heard from his teaching the truth about God, it was backed up by evidence from God’s divine intervention in his life.

In this Psalm he gave thanks for his deliverance from his enemy the Philistines.

David was constantly being pursued by King Saul, so he entered the land of the Philistines where he could lie low. However his identity was soon discovered and he was brought before King of Gath. David was perhaps afraid of what they might do to him as he was the one who killed Goliath, so he pretended to be insane, they were unable to make sense of his conversation, he also foamed at the mouth which a sign of madness. It worked and he was let go, during that exploit not a bone of him had been broken and he gave the glory to God, This prophecy in Numbers 9: 12 was also fulfilled by Jesus on the cross, ‘Not a bone of him was broken.’

Our Christian experiences are valuable lessons to share with younger people: through our personal relationship we have with God, it means that the troubles we face is where we rely on God to uphold, support and be comforted.

 But every trouble can seem like Goliath

October 2016 my husband had a sore throat that got worse over three days. At the doctor’s surgery on the second visit, he was rushed into hospital and diagnosed having quinsy, which is an abscess in the neck stemming from the tonsils. The bacteria from it were tracking down to his organs. He had an operation to remove the puss from the quinsy and a ventilator was put in place, which they struggled to do because of the swellings and he was sedated, an induced coma, and the fight to save his life began.

The doctor advised me to send for close family, our daughter took the next flight out and came home. I informed St Mary’s Prayer Chain of the situation and within a few days the septicaemia had tracked back. But the antibacterial drug that worked against the bacteria had yet to be found. A week after his entry into hospital the Lord gave me a word, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still.” Exodus 14: 14.

We were on that journey towards the Promised Land, the bacteria were like the Egyptians pursuing the Israelite’s.  After 21 days no drug had been found to work. Then over following week it was like going through the Red Sea, the scariest place and yet it was the safest place, I felt we were surrounded by walls of water and behind the pursuing Egyptians. At the end of that week ‘Micro fungi’ the antibacterial drug was found to work. 8 days later Douglas was brought out of the induced coma, he had been in the coma for af 36 days. Two weeks later he was taken off the ventilator. (we were advised to keep a diary after he came round)

In our reading Joshua witnessed how God had brought them out of Egypt, the blood of the Passover lamb redeeming them, and their completed victory going through the Red Sea.

I knew the Lord would fulfil his promise and I believed my husband would recover and all the way through the prayers of many Christians had brought about healing and had upheld our family.

On his last appointment 3 months later with Critical Care Unit, we were told how life threatening this illness had been, Micro fungi one of the last antibacterial drugs they had. I explained that we were Christians and could we say a prayer of thanksgiving. The nurse replied, certainly I’m a Methodist Minister.

The staff at Royal Blackburn Critical Care B Unit were truly brilliant, their dedication and skill were fantastic.

It was a miracle; almost two year later my husband is fully recovered, he painted the outside of the house using scaffolding this summer.

Thank you Lord, we give you all the glory.

Longholme Methodist Rawtenstall  Morning Service

Children’s spot – Putting on the armour of God.

I  brought a Roman soldier’s armour. I explained that God wants to protect us with his armour, they’re not actual pieces of a Roman soldiers armour, but the items represent  God’s word and our experience of applying the truth of his word in the spiritual dimension.

For example: God’s goodness is worn like: a waistcoat, a jumper or a breastplate. Which is the correct answer?

Sermon

Joshua 24: 4-18. Psalm 34: 15-22. Ephesians 6: 10 – 20 John 6: 56-69.

Mark Twain wrote, “Truth is stranger than fiction, fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities, truth isn’t.”

Proverbs 12: 9. “Truth stands the test of time.”

Our Old and New Testament readings seems to be saying we have a choice to make, do we believe in God or another god?

Joshua testified to what God had done for them delivering them from the Egyptians v 7 the cloud moved from going before them to behind them so that in the darkness the Egyptians couldn’t see the Israelite’s. God’s presence in the cloud protected them, Exodus 14: 19. 20.

Joshua asked the people to chose who will they follow the God of Abraham or the Canaanite gods.

We read that they chose the God of Abraham.

I was in my teens when I found myself looking at other religions curious as to what other people believed. I was hungry and thirsty for God, searching to find the truth, I realise now that I was separated from God by the sin in my life.

Jesus experienced being separated from God on the cross, he was separated by bearing our sin, and the causes of sin. We have the evidence when Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27. 46. John 19: 28, 29. “

Then he said,  “I thirst” they took a sponge full of vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth.”

It wasn’t that Jesus needed a drink, at that moment he was spiritually separated from God and he thirsted for God, he felt how we feel when we were searching for God.

The Psalmist prophesied the Messiah’s suffering and where he thirsted for God. “Thou knowest my reproach, and my shame and my dishonour and my foes are all known to thee. Insults have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none; and for my comforters, but I found none. They gave me poison for food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” Psalm 69: 19-21 RSV Bible. His separation lasted for a few days

In his resurrection Jesus’ was united with his Father and the Holy Spirit.

So putting on the armour, Paul says we put on the belt of truth Jesus is the only way to find the true God.

In the New Testament John the disciple recorded the discussion in the synagogue at Capernaum Jesus was revealing to them that he was the ‘Bread of Life’. They didn’t understand and some of his own followers turned away

Jesus had said, v 56 “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I live in him”  and to many listening it was sacrilege, they associated these words with their food laws. 

The truth is that Jesus’ sacrifice was the end of the law including food that were unclean under law like shell fish,  animals that do not chew the cud and especially blood they were not allowed to eat blood as life is in the blood. Leviticus 11

Mark records in his gospel that Jesus had declared to his disciples that all foods were clean and it was what came from their heart, that defiled a person. Mark 7: 19, so we know it was by the sacrifice of his body and blood the law came to an end.

He made all foods clean in his resurrected body and also we have forgiveness of our sins. The bread and the wine at our Communion service are tokens to remember his sacrifice.

Our hearts are right before God through faith in Jesus, so we put on the breast-plate of righteousness, Godly goodness.

In verse 63 Jesus went on to say that the ‘Bread of Life’ wasn’t his flesh, but was his words, “ It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”

Those who eat his words will never be hungry, and he who believes in him will never thirst. A Bible study for me it’s like going to a banquet, I’m nourished by the word. The Holy spirit acts on the word. John wrote in his first letter that they had handled the Word of Life and in his gospel verse one, “In the beginning was the Word , the Word was with God and the Word was God.”

So we use the sword of the Spirit to learn and arm ourselves with the word of God.

Jesus satisfies our thirst when we take hold of his words in our heart they become Spirit and life  our helmet of salvation.

John 7: “If anyone thirst, let them come to me and drink.”

To drink in Jesus’ words of our salvation.

The word salvation means – being saved by God, the word salvation is i found in Exodus 14: 13:”Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord.”

The blood of the Passover lamb redeemed them and going through the waters of the Red Sea gave them complete victory over the Egyptians.

God instructed Moses that each family before leaving Egypt should have a meal. They were to take the best lamb of their flock, slay it and take its blood and brush it onto their door and lintel of their home.

The purpose of doing this was so that when the angel of death saw the blood he passed over that house,

The Lord redeemed the people with the blood of the ‘Passover’ lamb.

They needed the two elements: the blood of the lamb and the water of the Red Sea to enter into their salvation – to be saved.

Had the blood alone saved them Pharaoh, there would have been no need of the water to make an end of Pharaoh’s army. During Pharaoh’s pursuit they came so close to the Israelite’s, God moved the cloud from leading them by day to the rear of them so that during the night the cloud separated them from the Egyptians. Neither saw or heard each other’s movements or voices.

 “Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 7 And when they cried to the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and made the sea come upon them and cover them.” Joshua 24: 6,7.   

The cloud acted like a shield enabling them to reach the Red Sea. We are shielded by the same God who gave Israel complete victory over the Egyptians, with the two elements the blood, and the water.

Having reached the Red Sea Moses lifted his rod and the water parted. The Israelite’s 600,000 walked across the sea on dry land.

The Egyptians caught up with them and as they began to drive their chariots across, Moses lifted up the rod and the ground beneath the chariot began to clog their wheels and the waters came and covered them.

Pharaoh’s army was defeated.

Following on from the crossing of the Red Sea, in the next chapter Exodus 15 It begins with Moses’ song where he exalts God for their victory over the Egyptians and in verse 23 we have this incident that prophesied our Salvation in Jesus.

Verse 23-25. “When they came to Marah they couldn’t drink the water of Marah because it was bitter . . . And the people murmured against Moses, saying “What shall we drink” And Moses cried out to the Lord; and the Lord showed him a tree, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.”

The bitter water represents sin, the tree-the cross where Jesus shed his blood and the sweet water the Holy Spirit eternal life.

The two elements the blood and the water making up total salvation – through faith in Jesus’ blood we have the forgiveness of our sins and in his resurrection we receive the Holy Spirit, eternal life.

1 John 5: 6, 7.”This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with water only but with water and the blood. And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is truth.”

The blood and the water working together with the Holy Spirit speaks of baptism. 

Jesus commissioned his followers to be Baptised,

Paul writes, “We are all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. And all were baptised into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.”

1 Corinthians 10: 1, 2.

The cloud is recorded in Numbers  of covering the whole of the camp. When the cloud lifted the people knew to pack up and leave, moving on to the next place, the cloud went before them during the day.Numbers 9: 15-23. 10:34.

The receiving of Salvation through baptism in the cloud.

One day last week I took the dog out for a walk, it was fine when I left home, but it began to rain heavily, I got drenched; that I would say that was immersion, Baptism in the cloud, it’s a picture of an Anglican and Methodist baptism were we’re sprinkled The Baptists it’s immersion in the river or the sea. Both ways are baptism.

Holy Spirit’s comfortable shoes we wear enables us to walk, the walk of peace through us drawing our inheritance from the wells of our salvation . Isaiah 12: 3

Our inheritance entitles us to all of God’s blessings ;wisdom, love, joy and peace and the gifts of the Spirit.

In fact all that belongs to Jesus belongs each one of us, we are joint heirs with Jesus, seated in heavenly places, we are a heavenly people.

So we’ve put on the whole armour of God and we give thanks to God for his blessings.

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The Mesiah’s Secret – The Wisdom to Enter into Our Inheritance in Christ

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August 5th Sermon Evening Service.

Job 28. Hebrews 11: 16-31. Luke 12: 13-21.

A local Priest and Rabbi were fishing by the side of a road. After some discussion they thoughtfully made a sign saying “The end is near! Turn yourself around before it’s too late!” and showed it to each passing car. One driver that drove by didn’t appreciate the sign and shouted at them, “Leave us alone you religious nuts!” Shortly afterwards they heard a big splash. They looked at each other and the Priest said to the Rabbi, “You think we should just put up a sign that says, “Bridge out” instead.”

Job had discerned the difference between the way people in his time looked to accumulate riches rather than God’s kingdom. Their mind set cushioned their life on earth, but it was a dead end.

The wisdom of Job talked about doesn’t come from hindsight, learning from making mistakes, true wisdom comes from God when he’s involved with his people.

William Wordsworth’s words of wisdom when he wrote, “The best portion of a good man’s life is in his little nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.”  The wisdom coming from God worked out in acts of kindness, his richness towards God: Jesus said that there is more to life, “Life is not made up of what a person owns.”

William Wordsworth’s treasure kept in heaven where the Lord will reward him.

Many young people today seek wealth through the setting up of a business on the internet. Google tells me that there are 40 young men and women who became billionaires before they were 20 years old.

These rich young people, who will inherit their billions?

The man who asked Jesus to speak to his brother and to tell him to divide the inheritance, got a negative response from Jesus. Why did he think that Jesus would respond and sort out his grievance?

They looked for the Messiah to be a man like Moses were the people came and consulted him to settle their disputes. Exodus 18 Jesus  had confirmed to his disciples that he was a judge. John 5: 21-29. But his mission was not to make judgements over people, he had come not to condemn but to give life, an eternal inheritance. In the reading in Luke the man wasn’t looking for an eternal inheritance.

Yet the Hebrew Patriarchs and prophets looked for God’s promised inheritance. The people mentioned in the letter to the Hebrews 11: 16-31 were looking with great faith and hope to enter their inheritance, into the eternal land promised to Abraham by God.

The writer of Hebrews said of these people who lived by faith, “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses’ parents, Moses looked and hoped for the promised inheritance.

The Jewish people were expectant of this coming kingdom, their entrance into it through the promised coming of the Messiah. The Jews came to John the Baptist and asked him, “Are you the Christ or should we look for another?”

After Pentecost Peter reminded the Christians in his first letter of the hope of their Patriarchs had been realised in Jesus.  “The prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired about this salvation;  they inquired what person or time was indicated by the Spirit of Christ within them when predicting the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glory.”

It was only after Jesus’ suffering, death, resurrection and ascension and the coming of the Holy spirit who revealed to the disciples that the kingdom of God was in Jesus.

Acts 3: 17-36

17 “And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren as he raised me up. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came afterwards, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God gave to your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your posterity shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant,[a] sent him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

God had foretold the Patriarchs, through the prophesies that the Christ would suffer, even Caiaphas the high priest that year, the head man of the Sanhedrin, God had given him a prophecy that one man would die, so that the nation would not perish. Caiaphas believed that prophecy and acted upon it.

“47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council, and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on thus, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place[a] and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all; 50 you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they took counsel how to put him to death.”

Peter called the crowd listening at Solomon’s Gate to repent so that Jesus would bring in ‘the times of refreshing’ meaning the restoration of the land and throne of King David, HE WOULD SEND JESUS to restore, to bring in the times of refreshing.

Peter and the other disciples for the first time proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ publicly at Pentecost. Now was the time for the Jewish people to receive Jesus as their Messiah, their Saviour. Caiaphas was a Sadducee they didn’t believe in the resurrection from the dead. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection on the last day. They missed it, their stubbornness had been part of problem that God had with the Israelites’. Deuteronomy 9: 6. Acts 7.

Extracts from “The Messiah’s Secret Revealed” Dorothy Newton

The disciples and followers of Jesus then and now in our present day are commissioned by Jesus to take the good news of God’s saving grace to the rest of the world. We enter through faith in Jesus into our commission having received the same inheritance as the disciples.

When we draw water from the wells of salvation, we are drawing out our inheritance in Christ Jesus. All that belongs to Jesus belongs to each believer in Jesus.

Every Christian has gifts of the Spirit of Jesus and the Holy Spirit

Peter wrote in his second letter, “To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Paul wrote that the parts of the body which seem weaker are indispensable, and those parts of the body we think as less honourable we invest with greater honour.” 1 Corinthians 12: 22,23.

Prayer

Father God, forgive us when we are stubborn and turn and look at the wisdom of the world for help and guidance, when we do not recognise the wisdom and the gifts in us that are anointed gifts of God’s grace. Increase in us your Godly wisdom and help us to take hold of our inheritance in Jesus and use it to your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

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Langley House Trust 60th Anniversary

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Spitalfield Church

Spittlefield Church London

Thursday 13th September 2018
It was an early start to get to Chatterton Hey House for 7am.

I arrived at the House just at the same time as the mini bus. Everyone was eager to get started on the long journey to London.

The driver of our mini bus had calculated his route trying to avoid the major traffic holdup on the motorways around Manchester. The day brightened as we left the Pennines into Derbyshire, the roads were busy, but we had a pleasant journey stopping only once for a refreshment break at Cambridge. We arrived outside Spittlefield church in London at 1pm.

The Reverend Andy Rider is the Chaplain for Langley House Trust and the celebration was held at his church. The Langley’s Trustees welcomed us into the church, I’ve always found the Trustees when I’ve met them very humble and always welcoming and friendly.

The church was full of people who had arrived from all over the country, many who had been invited through their connections with the projects and were supporters of Langley.

Tracy Wild, CEO welcomed everyone, and shared with us the Charity’s history, “2018 marks our diamond anniversary and is a momentous milestone in our charity’s life which started with a single project in Winchester.

Langley was founded in 1958 by a group of Christian businessmen and women who wanted to put their faith into action by providing housing and support to men coming from prison.

They recognised the need to help men adjust to life after prison, to successfully reintegrate into society and live crime-free.

Team K, as the founders were known, recruited John Dodd, a charismatic and dynamic soldier who himself had been a Prisoner of War in Singapore.

John Dodd was Langley’s first Director General (modern-day CEO) and was instrumental in growing Langley and raising its profile throughout its early years. Under his leadership, many new projects opened, a great deal of which are still in existence today.

60 years on, the vision of our original founders is still as alive today. Working with people of all faiths and none, Langley now supports over 1200 men and women per year.

Langley offers a range of services in the community, including registered care, mental health and addiction support, specialist advice and employ-ability skills.

In addition, Langley operates in prisons across England, providing advice on housing, debt and gambling plus a behaviour change programme called ‘Challenge to Change’ through Kainos Community (one of the charities in the Langley House Trust group).

Tracy Wild, CEO said:

“We are really pleased that Langley has reached 60 years and continues to remain true to its mission of helping people to live crime-free lives.

“Since opening our doors, we have reached thousands of people. We are proud of all the staff who have helped to make bring about change to our clients’ lives as well as the clients themselves, many of whom have worked so hard to start afresh.

“Against the backdrop of austerity, we have been able to grow by 37% which is no mean feat in today’s climate.

“Our aim is to be here for the next 60 years and as long as there is a need to help offenders live crime-free in society.” Extract from the Langley website.

We listened to Sam questioning three people: a client, a support worker, and the Manager of the Elderfield Project. All three shared their story and how they had been blessed by the Christian values of Langley’s staff, volunteers and the ethos of the Project Houses and Community housing.

Tracy spoke of the crossing of the Jordan by the Israelite’s and the twelve stones that were taken from the river where the ark had stood and then were placed on the bank to form a Cairn. These stones would always remind them of the crossing of the Jordan on dry ground, God’s saving grace.   Joshua 4: 1-22.

Cairn

Two representatives from each Project carried a large stone to the platform with the name of their Project written on it,  a Cairn was being formed by the stones. This was to remind us of God’s faithfulness and by our faithfulness in  serving others, we serve God.

The prayers were said by the Chair of the Trustees, he touched on the blessings of the past and the current issues and needs of today, God answers prayer and with God we can do all things that will bring about changed lives.

Rev Andy Rider spoke on John 20:18 Mary Magdalene proclaimed the good news to Jesus’ disciples saying, ‘I have seen the Lord’ witnessing to the resurrection of Jesus.

Andy emphasised the importance of telling someone that Jesus is alive. He gave the example of an African-American Christian slave Sojourner Truth who received a vision of Jesus holding out his hand to her and as a result led her out of slavery.                                                               Paul on the Damascus Road saw Jesus in a vision, and as a result he became a Christian and gave up his opposition against Jesus.                 John the Apostle imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos described his vision of God in Revelation Chapter 1: 12-20, Andy said, “Jesus is not dead he is alive! and he is able to change people’s lives.”

The Blessing – Andy  blessed those who work and volunteer at the projects, those who catch the stones that even today would be thrown at the convicted men and women.

After refreshments we set off in our mini bus for home, it took five hours to reach Chatterton Hey. We had made together a journey of celebration, embracing the gospel in our witness to those who may feel outcasts in our present-day society, telling them that Jesus is alive, and God loves them and Langley shares God’s love and forgiveness with all who call on his name.

Dorothy Newton Volunteer Chaplain at Chatterton Hey House, Edenfield, Ramsbottom, Bury. Lancashire. England. 2018

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Lost and Found

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Luke 15: 11-32.

My sister Vicky was a bit of a rebel, my father would insist that was came home for 11pm and she always was later. She wouldn’t go to church with us and when she started to smoke cigarettes that didn’t go down well at all.

Jesus no doubt observed young people growing up with the constraints of Judaism. The law governed every aspect of their lives, dictating what they could eat, and they were not allowed to mix with none Jews.

Jesus portrait the youngest son dissatisfied and leaving his family home. His inheritance I see as being the Hebrew Scriptures that he was brought up with.

When he settled in another country, he met others of his own age and he got caught up in Gentile activities, pursuing pleasures that he was ashamed to even think of before.

God’s purpose – to show the people how the Pharisees and Lawyers were overburdening the people with their added laws to the law given to Moses by God.

The visual aid – the pig representing Gentile involvement in his life an unclean animal to the Jews. The pods I see as representing other religions: new age, witchcraft, occult,

There are many young people going to Universities who will find themselves being approached by students promoting eastern religions. For some they will expose themselves to practices and belief systems that they cannot get free from and spend years in their grip.

Other young people who are searching for God will explore the internet for religious faiths like Destiny Church, or Super Apostles, charismatic leaders who attract young people and lead them away from the truths of the Bible.

While some seeking the truth will return to their faith in Jesus.

Freedom of choice, free to invest our eternal life into what we believe is true.

Joshua 24: 14-18

Joshua asked the people to choose between the God of Israel and the Canaanite gods. 14 “Joshua said, “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . . But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. . . . . 16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! 17 We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”

They chose the God of Abraham.

The young man in the parable, when he found himself in a mess and struggling to cope with his situation, he suddenly realised that the true God had guided and upheld his family and so he turned back to the God of Israel and repented.

If we have taken any other religion on board when we were searching for God then we need to repent and renounce any involvement, even if it’s years ago.

Jesus in his parable was removing the constraints of the law, and bringing in the Gentiles.

The youngest son wasn’t punished by observing ritual cleansing, he was welcomed home. His father forgave him before they greeted one another on the road.

Sea Captain John Newton discovered God’s amazing grace and as a result wrote it down in his hymn.’” I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind but now I see . . and ‘How precious did that grace appear, when I first believed.”

The greatest celebration we can ever participate in is when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Scripture tells us that the angels celebrate this great event, a party in heaven.  Luke15: 7

The prodigal son received from his father a ring and festal garments, so we receive special garments.

Isaiah 61: 3.  “To grant to those who mourn in Zion – to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.”

Isaiah prophesied.  We receive a crown, ‘a garland instead of ashes,’ a garland of forgiveness instead of sackcloth and ashes, Jesus said that his disciples needn’t fast while the bridegroom was with them. Mark 2: 19. ‘The oil of gladness instead of mourning,’ oil that makes our faces shine, reflecting our new-found joy. ‘The mantel of praise,’ clothes of fine linen, bright and clean and instead of a faint spirit, ‘oaks of righteousness,’ we shall stand tall and secure displaying God’s splendour. Isaiah  61: 3

The elder brother was the son or daughter who did what their father asked them to do, he worked on the farm and kept the Law.

Today the elder brother or sister is the Christian that’s reliable, strong in faith, who maybe didn’t have a Damascus road experience when they accepted Jesus as their Saviour,  but who simply experienced drawing near to God, James wrote “Draw near to God and He’ll draw near to you,”  and when asked to share their hope, they give the message that God loves you and forgives you when you turn to him in faith.James 4: 8

Prodigal in the dictionary: spending money recklessly.

Prodigal also means the person that has turned away from the faith for some reason and later returns to faith in Jesus.

Jesus reveals in this parable that the lord our God understands all our situations and when we are at a loss why some things happen to us. The Holy Spirit searches our heart and will encourage us to repent and turn back to God. Let’s rejoice that we are blessed with a wonderful Father who is thrilled and welcomes us home.