It was good to see everyone at church yesterday, and especially to see some who have not been there for a while. There is always something to encourage and something to discourage. It all depends what you focus on. But then sometimes you've got to do what David did, and that's to encourage yourself in the Lord. So be encouraged.
Sunday morning: I started a series looking at the book of Hosea. I have called the series "Accepting God's Agenda". Our agenda is what we want, whereas God's agenda is what he wants. But God's agenda is often hard to accept, because it often involves doing things that are hard to do' like walking through fire; sailing through storms, and facing giants etc. For Hosea it was to take a wife who was an adulteress; a prostitute. He married Gomer.
God's message to Israel regarding its spiritual adultery, running after other Gods, was being dramatically played out in the life of Hosea. His name means salvation and is the same as Joshua and Yeshua. It was God's intention that Hosea would be the means of Gomer's salvation, thus showing that God's desires to restore rather than judge.
They had three children together. Each portrayed a message to Israel: 1. Jezreel - meaning sown or scattered; showing that God would scatter the people among the nations; 2. Lo Ruhammah - meaning "Not Loved" - that God had withdrawn his love and compassion from Israel; 3. Lo Ammi - meaning "Not My People" - that those who were at one time God's people, were no longer his people. But the day would come when they would again be the people of God.
Sunday night: I spoke on "No Longer Guilty". Abdel Baset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi was released from a Scottish prison and returned to Libya, but though he is no longer in prison he is still guilty of his crime. According to God's law, we stand condemned before the highest court in the universe because of sin, yet God, who is the judge of all the earth and who's law condemns us, declares us to be "No Longer Guilty".
Romans 3:23-24 shows 3 Things: 1) We have all sinned; 2) We all fall short of God's glory; 3) We are justified freely by his grace.
There's an ancient Egyptian proverb that says, "If there were no wrong doing, there would be no need for forgiveness". Well, there has been wrong doing; the Bible calls it sin, but thank God there is also forgiveness.
Planning permission: I announced yesterday morning that planning permission for the new building was finally approved. There had been major complications, but with the help of The Minister of Finance, Sammy Wilson, we finally passed the hurdles. It's all systems go now. We will make further announcements in the coming weeks. We need you all to stay focused and to keep supporting what we are doing, and to especially help in the area of fund raising.
Cross Vigil: This is something I will be doing from 12 noon until 3 pm each day, except Sundays, from 9 September until 24 October. For further details check out our web site www.newlifecitychurch.co.uk where I have set up a CROSS VIGIL page and a World Prayer Map. Please let me know if you would commit to pray for this event. I will not add anyone's name unless they request it and I will assume that once you have signed up that you will take time to pray at some point during the 7 weeks. Send me an email or sign up on the events page on Facebook at
Stay focused; stay strong; and keep being a God-influence.
Pastor Jack
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