Glad to be back home and glad to be back at New Life. Sunday was a great day in more ways than one. Given the fact that we are still in holiday mode, the day was encouraging and is a sign of greater things ahead.
Sunday Morning: The message I brought was entitled "I've started so I'll finish". We all know where that came from! The main thrust of the message is that this should be the motto of every Christian as many of us start things we never finish. We looked at the following:
Elimelech: We saw that the book of Ruth starts with Elimelech, but it did not finish with him, because he made a choice that took him away from where he was meant to be and took him away from the purposes of God for his life. We saw that this had consequences for his family, and that although God redeemed the situation, Elimelech was not part of it.
I made the point that church works best when men take responsibility and when they take their place; marriage works best when men take responsibility and take their place; society works best when men take responsibility and take their place. But Elimelech failed to take responsibility and failed to take his place where he was meant to be; so that what was started with him, was not finished with him.
Adam: We saw that the good that God started with Adam was not finished with him, but in a second Adam who is Christ.
Moses: He led the people out. He was there at the beginning, but was not there at the end. He should have crossed the Jordan with the people. He should have stepped onto Canaan. He should have been there to see the walls come down at Jericho, but he never finished what he started; someone else did.
The People of Israel: They came out of Egypt, but they never finished. It was another generation that finished the journey some 40 years later. Josh. 5:7 "God raised their sons to take their place".
Judas: Started well in following Jesus, but never finished. He was going in the right direction; he was saying the right things and singing the right songs; he was a committed member of the team; he turned up at every meeting; every Advance and every Breakout; but he never finished what he started.
Paul said: "I have finished the race". He, along with others, did finish what was started. The challenge for us is to finish what we started: I've started my marriage, so I will finish it; I've started being a father/a mother to my children, so I will finish only when I know it's finished; I've started a job, so I'll finish it; I've started a ministry, so I'll finish it. I've started, so I'll finish!
Sunday night: I brought a message entitled "It's not all Adam's fault" showing that while sin came into the world by one man and that death came as a consequence of his sin, yet we all have likewise sinned. There are things going on in our lives and circumstances that are contrary to the Word of God and it's not Adam's fault, but is down to the choices that we are making.
This Week: Tuesday night 6.30 Leaflets will being given out to promote the Fundraising Day (Saturday 8 August); meeting at City LIFE Centre. Thursday night: 7.45 Prayer Meeting at City LIFE Centre.
Prayer: Please remember the following in your prayers: Billy Haddock's father in law who has cancer; Aine's cousin who has cancer; Sandra's nephew who fell downstairs; Amy Gould in hospital; and Elizabeth McCalmont's family that suffered the tragic and sudden loss of Elizabeth's uncle due to suicide. Continue to pray for the church; it's finances and it's people; pray one for another. You might not need those prayers at this moment, but others do and someday you will.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday, if not before.
Stay focused; stay strong; and keep being a God-influence.
Pastor Jack
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