David the Psalmist and King of Israel was referred to as "A man after God's own heart". One of the things he said was, "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord".
There is something about getting up and going to the House of the Lord where we meet with other believers to worship together and to study the Word of God together. The people of God are always encouraged to come together, not fragment. It was encouraging once again to see people coming together yesterday; coming together from different circumstances; coming together from different locations; coming together with different problems; coming together with different likes and dislikes, but coming together nonetheless. I want to think you for doing so.
Sunday morning: It goes without saying that once again we had another awesome time of worship, both am and pm (at least that's my opinion, as I'm sure it is of others). This was followed by an awesome time of teaching, both am and pm (which again is my opinion, as I'm sure it is of others).
The message I brought on Sunday morning was "What happens when God says "No"?" Our reading was Acts 16:6-10. The main points of the message were:
Some people think that God has given us a blank cheque, but I showed that God answers prayer only on the basis of Faith, Relationship, and Agreement. That is faith in God and His Word; Relationship with God and with each other - that is a good relationship, for "If we regard iniquity in our hearts, he will not hear us"; and agreement or alignment with the will and purposes of God.
Even when we use all the right words, and come to God with the right attitude, and we really believe in what we are praying for, the fact is - sometimes God still says no! But how do we react when God says "No"? How do we react when we don't get our way? That's when, for some, the tantrums, the huffing and puffing, and the rebellion begins.
We saw that Paul had good reason to want to go into Asia Minor and into Bithynia with the Gospel, but God said "No". So what did Paul do? He submitted to the purposes of God. He could do so because his initial prayer of commitment to Christ was so different from ours. Our prayer was all about what we wanted Jesus to do for us, and most people go through their Christian lives with this same attitude of what we want Jesus to do for us or what we want the church to do for us, but Paul's prayer was "Lord, what do you want me to do". His prayer was all about what Jesus wanted him to do and he continued to live by this principle.
I finished by highlighting Jer. 23:21 "I did not send the prophets, yet they ran". How sad that people run to places where God has never sent them, and when they do so, those who follow them will likewise go where God has not sent.
Sunday night: The message was "Facing the Giant of Accusation". Reading Rom. 8:31-39. Thanks to Big Alan Murph for his impromptu help! In this message we saw that no one has a right to accuse, for it is God who justifies and it is Christ who died and rose again for the sins of the world. We saw that the main accuser is identified as Satan in Rev.12:9-10; and we looked at how he accused Job.
We saw that sometimes our conscience accuses us and that sometimes the Holy Spirit convicts us, but when the Holy Spirit convicts us (He does not accuse) the purpose is not to condemn, but to bring us to repentance. We finished by looking at Jesus who, though sinless, was accused of blasphemy by the Jewish authorities and accused of rebellion by the Roman authorities. Yet having done so, he accuses no one, for he did not come into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.
Thursday Night: Great report on the Virtuous Women event last Thursday night and on the visit of Dr. Stephen Rogers. This coming Thursday night will be ADVANCE with the focus being on PRAYER. Starts at 7.45.
Picture Caption Challenge: With all the votes in and counted the winner is "I AM ONLY JOKING JACK, IT'S NOT THE CHURCH'S FAULT" The only problem is I cannot remember who submitted this! Let's see if whoever it was can stay humble!
The answer to last week's question: "30 divided by half plus 10 = 70.
This week's question is a Bible question: How many of each kind of CLEAN animal did Moses bring into the ark?
This week's Bible verse: Proverbs 9:12. "If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."
Stay focused; stay strong; and keep being a God-influence.
Pastor Jack
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