Thanks to everyone for helping to make Sunday such a good day. Thanks to Anna and the team for leading us in an excellent time of worship and for making it somewhat easy for me to get up and bring the message as follows:
"Developing your Stronghold" Part II. The main points were: 1) The Stronghold is developed in the secret place, spending time alone with God. 2) From the Secret Place to the Market Place: Developing the stronghold by meeting God in the Secret Place leads to obeying God in the market place. 3) From the Secret Place to Success: Developing the stronghold leads to success; not as the world measures success, but how God measures success in terms of ministry fulfilment etc.
I explained that when you meet with God in the Secret Place, you never know what God will say! To Moses, it was "Go to Egypt"; to Joshua, it was "Walk around the walls"; and to 19 year old Jeremiah, it was "A call to be a prophet to the nations". Each time God was looking for obedience. It was for this reason the Mary said to the disciples, "Whatever he says to you, do it". When he told them to fill water jars, not one of them complained! Not one of them said "we're not here to fill water jars, but we're here to preach and pray for the sick". No, they responded in obedience. Jesus said, "If you're faithful in little, you will be faithful in much". A problem arises when some want to preach and pray for the sick and look for ministry position, without being faithful where they're at.
I finished by encouraging those present to ensure that what they hear is genuinely from God, regardless of where the word came from. Make sure it aligns with the Word of God and with the direction God has been or is taking you. Even if someone with a well known prophetic ministry lays hands on you and says you are going to be an evangelist, weigh it up, and make sure it's God. The prophets should be free to speak, but we should also be free to weigh up any word spoken over us. Be careful who you listen to!
Sunday Night: Thanks again to everyone who came out to this special worship event with Ryan Griffith and his band. The night got off to a great start with our own worship team. The room quickly filled with the praise and worship of God's people as we began to pour out our hearts before him. We soon warmed to Ryan as he took to the platform and led us further into worship, singing some of his own songs and some we knew quite well. At one point he touched our hearts as he shared some of his family struggles and how God has always been there for them. His dad, my long time friend, shared an excellent message for 20 minutes on "Damaged Eagles". Then Ryan led us again in a final session of worship. The response and the comments from many were all very positive. Jim McAuley said, "This is one of the best bands we've had at New Life", and he was right.
Prayer & Bible Study: Thurs 7.45 - 9 pm. Maybe if we prayed more together we would move forward together. Let's stop doing "our own thing", but let's find out what God's will is, and let's pursue that. Let's stop following our own agendas, and let's discover God's agenda and make it ours. Prayer will help us get there. Let's get together to pray.
Sunday 4 July: This is the 17th anniversary of New Life, as it was launched on Sunday 4 July 1993. It is also Colin and Carole's last day with us as they are leaving us to return to New Zealand next Tuesday. They have been great friends to many in New Life and have been such a blessing to the church. They will be greatly missed. Colin will bring the word on Sunday morning, but I'm sure we will hear from Carole also. Please make a point of joining with us for this special service and for refreshments afterwards.
Thanks again to everyone who works hard for the development and advancement of New Life City Church.
Have a great week. Stay focused; stay strong; and keep being a God-influence.
Pastor Jack
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