Sunday Worship

Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea....

No words can express my gratitude to God for the fact that all my sin is paid for on the cross and I am accepted as I am. What an amazing God we have. What love! So unsearchable and incomprehensible and heart wrenching. So unbelievable, yet I believe it!

I confess to having come through Christmas spiritually worn. It seems ironic that this is a Christian festival, but the trappings are far from Christian. I find the stress of preparation, buying the right present, getting ready for those special services, having routine disrupted, really takes its toll on my spiritual life. It happens every year. I fall away from the heart of God. But I am so grateful that the cross doesn't go away. That path back to Him is always open. The cross doesn't move. Hallelujah! I pray that we all find refuge and safety in His Presence today. Have a blessed Sunday.

Here is your God!

christmas2007, originally uploaded by iluvcocacola.

Here is your God...rejoice...and leap for joy!
Isaiah 40:9 Luke 6:23

Alpha & Omega

El espinazo del Diablo, originally uploaded by Celeste.

But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.
Matthew 2:6

Matthew is often known as the gospel for the Jewish people. He makes a point of frequently referring to the Old Testament prophecies to show that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. This is precisely what Jesus said of himself; Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. Matthew 5:17. It is a wonderful thing to realise that Jesus can be traced right back to Genesis; Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3.

In the story of the road to Emmaus, we are told that, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he [Jesus] explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself Luke 24:27. What an amazing and enlightening walk that must have been! Perhaps one day we will get to talk with those two disciples and realise more and more that the whole Bible is about one Person. The One who is Emmanuel, the Son of God, the Alpha and Omega.

Like Father Like Son

Diálogo, originally uploaded by :Antonio.

The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.
John 1:14

Like Father, like Son. Jesus is the perfect revelation of God in all His fullness. A few days ago I was in discussion with a mormon on a street corner. He wanted me to accept that God had something more to say to me through Joseph Smith, that somehow Jesus wasn't enough. I said that God no longer had need for that type of prophet, that Jesus shows us perfectly the nature of God.

Then he asked me, Why do you believe the gospel?, and I'm glad he asked me because it made me think. Do you know what my answer is? I believe the gospel because I have met Jesus and in Him I find everything I need. He loves me, provides for me, leads me, speaks to me and so much more! When God becomes human flesh and says, Here I am!!!, what else do we need?

Sunday Worship

Mary, did you know?

This is a wonderful reflection on the mystery of Mary. I am moved to tears every time I watch it. We are told in Scripture that 'Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart', Luke 2:19. In Zeferelli's Jesus of Nazareth, there is a scene where Mary's mother exclaims in wonderment when she realises that her daughter will be going to Bethlehem and will have the child there. 'The prophecy!', she cries. But Mary is silent. Both Mary and Joseph must have known that Jesus was going to be an extraordinary man and it must have been an overwhelming time for them. Angels visited them, in person and in dreams, prophecies were spoken over them and shepherds and kings visited.

Mary, did you know? It's a wonderful question and I believe that Mary shows us what wisdom it is to be slow to speak when we have a revelation from God. He does need any help from us, but just quiet obedience.

(Please note that there are graphic crucifixion scenes from The Passion in this video.)

God Revealed

daffodil, originally uploaded by losiek.

For a child will be born for us,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

The dominion will be vast,
and its prosperity will never end.
He will reign on the throne of David
and over his kingdom,
to establish and sustain it
with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9:6-7

This is such a familiar passage, often heard during Advent and at every Christmas carol service. It is one of the many prophecies in the Old Testament pointing to the birth of Jesus Christ. However, what we often fail to notice here is the reference to the complete Godhead; the Father (Eternal Father) and the Holy Spirit (Wonderful Counsellor).

Jesus said, "Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? "(John 14:9) and The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed. Luke 4:18.

In Jesus, we see the fullness of God revealed in human form. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him. Col.1:19. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Now there's something mind blowing to meditate on!

Patience

Image by *** Fanch The System !!! *** via Flickr

The fruit of the Spirit is.....patience.....Therefore, brothers, be patient until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord's coming is near.
Galatians 5:22 James 5:7-8

We all know the famous prayer, 'Lord, give me patience, and give it to me now!'. We may smile but how many times have we called out to God for a 'quick fix' and ignored all the resources He has already given us. If His Spirit lives within us then there will be fruit in evidence. Perhaps the growth will be at different stages but it will be there nonetheless. Sometimes we have to dig deep to unearth what God has placed within us.

When we find ourselves in need, of course we should call upon God, but let's also get up from our place of prayer and use the gifts He has already given us, loving Him with all our heart, soul and strength. And as we enjoy His fruit and use His gifts with patience and commitment, who knows what works of art we might produce.

Weary & Waiting

Weary shopper - embroidery, originally uploaded by wardi.

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, because He cares about you..... "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls........He said, "Don't be afraid, you who are treasured [by God]. Peace to you; be very strong!"

Isa 40:29-31 1 Peter 5:6-7 Matt 11:28-29 Daniel 10:19

As The Deer

As the deer - Salvador

In this season of Advent when we wait for the coming of Christ I wonder if we are thirsty for Him? This time of year can get so easily crowded out with other concerns. The pressure of materialism can begin to weigh upon us and the worries of family and finance threaten us. Just worship Him with this song and let's ask God to deliver us from anything that's not of Him this season. Have a blessed Sunday.

The Glory of God

Arabian Night, originally uploaded by creativesam.

He led me to the gate, the one that faces east, and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice sounded like the roar of mighty waters, and the earth shone with His glory.
Ezekiel 43:1

In this season of Advent we are celebrating the coming of God into our world. His first coming was humble, almost unnoticed, ignored by most. However, the Bible talks about Christ's second coming as being a global event. No-one will be able to ignore it. He will break into our world in all His glory and power:

Look! He is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see Him,
including those who pierced Him.
And all the families of the earth
will mourn over Him.
This is certain. Amen.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God,

"the One who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty."

Revelation 1:7-8

What a vision this is! I wonder what you imagine when you read these verses? Do you long for this day or fear it? God comes. He has already come to us in Jesus. He comes to us now in the Holy Spirit, but one day He will come in all His Glory! And on that day there will be no ignoring it, saying we don't believe. The only thing we will be able to do is fall flat on our faces and worship.

God will Bring You Through!

Image by roel1943 via Flickr

Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the "northeaster," swept down from the island.
Acts 27:14

Euroclydon! It's the only storm named in Scripture. It means 'typhoon' and Paul had to sail through it to reach his destiny.

Observe: 1) To reach your goal you'll have to go through storms. 'When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved' (Acts 27:20 NIV). There will be days when you'll wonder how you're going to make it. But by God's grace you will!

2) Storms reveal how well you know God. 'Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, "Do not be afraid, Paul,"' (Acts 27:23-24 NIV). It's the tough times that reveal the strength of your God-connection.

3) God can make a success out of a shipwreck. Notice some important things in this story: a) sometimes you'll have to throw stuff overboard (Acts 27:18) b) in spite of your best efforts you'll occasionally run aground (Acts 27:26) c) you must remember what God told you and stand on it (Acts 27:25).

4) Often the worst thing that could have happened turns out for the best. God used this shipwreck to reach Malta with the Gospel. Notice what happened to Paul and his travelling companions as they left that island: 'They honoured us...and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed' (Acts 28:10 NIV). Stop worrying, God will provide what you need in ways that amaze you. If you're His child you're not the victim of circumstances. Your future is not in the hands of people, it's in the hands of God. And what He owns, He takes care of!

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