Weekly Contact

Hi Guys & Gals,

 

I know it's been two weeks since my last 'Weekly Contact'. Holidays and all that! Well now we're back on track. But if you're still holiday and you're reading this - have you nothing better to do! For those who are back home, and maybe back to work etc, I hope you had a great time.

 

So what's been happening at New Life?

 

Well there were two services on Sunday 6 July. Pastor John spoke in the morning and Jonathan at night. I was in Prague and all I heard was that the meetings went well. That's good enough for me!

 

We were back on Sunday 13th (AM only). The following is worth studying. So I have taken the time to let you have a copy of my notes on John's messages: John spoke on 'Retaining the Presence of God'. This was a follow on from the previous week where John shared that we do not come to God simply on the basis what we can get from God, but because of who God is. But in coming to God he blesses us nonetheless.

 

John was speaking on the call of young Samuel. A nice little 'original' quote of John's was "Let me sow some seed thoughts into the soil of your hearts". He certainly did that! He went to show that we need to have a continual awareness of the presence of God. Paul said "That I might know him" (Phil. 3:10); and also "For I know whom I have believed" (2 Tim. 1:12). Job said "I know my Redeemer lives" (Job 19:25). Enoch "Walked with God" (Gen. 5:22).

 

He went on to show that we need to listen to God, but then be willing to obey. Not just to ask for a blessing, but to be willing to go out and bless others. However, activity is not in itself proof of spirituality. Sometimes we need to be still and wait on God. "Be still and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10). God is not just wanting to give you a visitation, but he's looking for a habitation.

 

He said we should: Learn to listen to God; Learn to Walk with God and Learn to Serve God. He then began to talk about 'altars', but ran out of time. I felt he needed more time and so I asked him to speak again the following week and to take us back to the altars. Well, he did!

 

Sunday 20 July. John spoke AM on the altars: 'Why Build an Altar to the Lord?'

 

An altar as a structure was a place of sacrifice (animals; crops; fruit). The altar was a place of sacrifice; worship; surrender. What happened when altars were raised?

 

For Noah = God's provision came (Gen. 8:2); For Abraham = God's promise and preservation of the promise came (Gen 12; Gen 22); For Isaac = living water came (Gen 26); For Jacob = the revelation of the power of God came.

 

Moses = Altar of Revelation and Victory (Ex. 17); Joshua = Altar of renewal and fellowship (Dt. 24); Samson = Altar of rest (Judges 16); At this point, while talking about sleep and resting in God, John said, "It's lovely when you go to bed in the natural". Debbie Moagie sitting next to me almost had a kitten! Saul = Altar of First Things (1 Sam. 14); David = Altar of obedience (2 Sam. 24). Elijah = Altar of Fire ( 1 Kings 18);

 

John said that access to the presence of God was always through an altar. God's altar gives us all access to his presence = Golgotha, Calvary, the cross.

 

How many times should we come to the altar? As many times as we need to!

 

What kind of altar should we raise? = The altar of Confession/Prayer/Promise/Worship/God's Word/Sacrifice.

 

The 'Altar' is a place of 'Alterations'. Some have broken altars that need to be repaired.

 

Thanks John. These were good messages. 

 

Final thought: Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous

Come on now: Holidays are over: see you at church on Sunday, although don't forget the Bible Week at Hillsborough until Friday night. Many of our Youth are there. Others are going down each night.

 

Pastor Jack