What Does God Say?

Apr 30, 2023

Garry continued his series on Joseph this morning, speaking from Gen 46:1-7. This tells us of Jacob’s journey from Israel to Egpyt, leaving the land of promise. Rationally speaking, this journey made sense since there was famine in Israel and food in Egypt, but Jacob still needed to hear what God was saying. This applies to us too: we need to know what God is saying to us and need to pass on our faith to the next generation (see Deut 4:9).

Just as we have to train our children towards independence, so God does not make every decision for us. We have to grow up spiritually (see 1 Pet 2:1-2, 1 Cor 14:20), making decisions in partnership with God. We live and work in two realms, the material world and the spiritual world and need wisdom in both realms. God may well speak to us personally (as we pray and read the Word) or in corporate times, through spiritual gifts and through other Christians. We must beware the small decisions as well as the big (see Joshua 9:3-15, when Joshua ended up in trouble because he did not consult the Lord about the Gibeonites.)The best way is to seek God over our decisions (see 1 Kings 22:1-7); the early apostles demonstrated wisdom when they said, ‘it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements…’ (Acts 15:28)

Jacob showed maturity by using information from both the material and spiritual realms, drawing near to God through sacrifices, through which God spoke to him. We always need to seek God and heed what He says, for if we go against God, we will end up in trouble. Jacob still hesitated, because to leave the Promised Land must have felt like leaving God’s promises behind. He wanted confirmation from God that this way was the right path for him, and God graciously gave him that confirmation. We need to grow and develop in God, depending on Him and doing whatever He says. If we follow God and do things His way, then we will enjoy fruitful fulfilment in our lives. When we seek Him, we will find Him if we seek with all our hearts; God will give us the encouragement and confirmation to follow the right path to Him.

 

Stop, Look and Listen!

Apr 30, 2023

My grandchildren have a jigsaw puzzle of a number 44 double-decker bus. It’s an interesting puzzle with lots to talk about: a man getting off the bus with a pushchair and a dog, a girl with a violin, an old lady paying her fare, a number of passengers engaged in different activities. On the side of the bus is a sign connected to road safety: ‘Stop, look and listen!’
This is what we teach our children to do when crossing a road. We teach them to stop at the edge of the pavement, to look in both directions for oncoming traffic and to listen for traffic as well before they actually cross the road.
Every Sunday when we gather together for our church services, we are effectively urging people to do the same.
“Stop!”
Stop the usual everyday hustle and bustle. Take time out from everyday routines to pray and play. The Sabbath is the time to stop, to pause our hectic lives and give our attention to God. This day must be different to other days. It must be holy to the Lord.
“Look!”
In stopping, we must also look for God. We must scan the horizon for signs of what He is doing. Our spiritual eyes must be focussed on Him.
“Listen!”
We have to be still long enough to listen. As we gather together, we listen to His word. We tune our ears to what He is saying. We receive the guidance and direction which will steer us in the days to come.
Today, join us for our services at 10.30 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. and make the effort to stop, look and listen. Take time out with God. That way, you will avoid being steamrollered by life and will find the strength and grace you need for the week ahead.

The Imagery of Revelation

Apr 28, 2023

Revelation 14 is another confusing and visionary chapter, with the Lamb and 144,000 featuring in its first few verses, then three angels and finally the image of the son of man coming with a sickle to harvest the earth and tread the winepress. All this imagery has its roots in other parts of Scripture (Jesus as the Lamb of God is expounded in many places; the role of angels features in many parts of the Bible and the Parable of the Weeds in Matthew 13 and Isaiah 63:1-4 use the imagery of harvesting and treading the winepress), reminding us of the ultimate overall coherence of the Bible.

The chapter starts with stalwart believers sing a song of praise to God while standing on Mount Zion, believers who are described as spiritually pure, in stark contrast to the wicked people marked as worshippers of the Antichrist. Next, John sees three angels delivering messages of warning and prophecy. These messages predict God’s impending judgment on sin and evil and remind us that there is rest ahead for those who have proved faithful.

The last section of Revelation 14 depicts Jesus (the ‘son of man’, probably the favourite title he used while on earth) holding a sickle—a farming tool used to cut plants during the harvest. This passage symbolises the return of Jesus in terms of a grape harvest, a metaphor used, as we have seen, in Isaiah 63:1-4. Just as mature grapes are fat and full of juice, the wickedness of unbelievers on earth will have reached a peak at this moment. Just as a winepress crushes and shreds grapes to make wine, the wrath of God will tear apart those who fight against Christ at the end of the tribulation (Revelation 14:14–20). There is a need for all to take in the seriousness of this chapter and to choose your side now!

Singing A New Song

Apr 28, 2023

In the first part of Revelation 14, we see a vision of God’s people (the 144,000 we met earlier in Revelation 7:4) in heaven and hear a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder or like harpists playing their harp. We are told they sang a new song, a phrase that is used frequently to speak of the joy which God’s salvation brings to His people. The psalms frequently use this phrase:

  • Sing to him a new song;play skilfully, and shout for joy. (Ps 33:3)
  • He put a new song in my mouth,a hymn of praise to our God (Ps 40:3)
  • Sing to the Lord a new song;sing to the Lord, all the earth (Ps 96:1)
  • I will sing a new song to you, my God;on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you (Ps 144:9)
  • Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song;his praise in the assembly of his faithful people. (Ps 149:1)
  • Sing to the Lord a new song; his praise from the ends of the earth ( 42:10).

In what sense is this song new? J. Hampton Keathley III says, ‘A new song is a consequence of a deeper or clearer grasp of the person and works of God so that it results in a fresh and meaningful impulse of gratitude and joy in the soul as it is expressed in songs of praise and adoration. A new song is not necessarily a song new in time, but one fresh with a new response and understanding so that it is sung as though it were new.’

Singing remains a vital element of praising God, one which lifts the spirit of the one singing as much as it does those who listen!

Morning Prayer

Apr 24, 2023

When I was a young, sleep-deprived mother, rudely awakened to the early hours of the morning by a baby, I learned that the key to survival was preparation at a time when I was not sleep-deprived. I developed the habit of laying out my son’s clothes and nappy the night before so that I was ready to start the day with some semblance of organisation. It meant I wasn’t looking for items with bleary eyes and foggy brain, and became a routine that really helped me.
I love the Message version of the opening verses of Psalm 5:
“Listen, God! Please pay attention! Can You make sense of these ramblings, my groans and cries? King God, I need Your help. Every morning, You’ll hear me at it again! Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on Your altar and watch for the fire to descend.” (Ps 5:1-3, The Message)
For me, morning prayer is the only way to start the day. To be sure, there are days when it seems more like ramblings than coherent prayer, but God hears and understands the cries of our hearts. Each morning I lay out the pieces of my life, like clothes on the chair at the foot of my son’s bed, and ask for God’s holy fire to descend, so that everything I do may be surrendered to Him and in receipt of His blessing and help.
It’s a practice I heartily recommend.

The Two Realms

Apr 23, 2023

Garry spoke tonight from Romans 8:1-3. 5-17 where Paul talks about two realms (or worlds): the natural world we all know and inhabit and the spiritual world. All of us are familiar with the first world, but when we become Christians, we gain access to a spiritual realm. Christ opens up for us a new dimension. We can either ignore the spiritual world altogether or believe that the material world has little value. In truth, both are necessary; to live life to the full, we must engage fully with both worlds.

Those who belong to the spiritual world must move away from the seflishness with which we are all born and learn to live with an awareness of God and of other people’s needs.God rules His world, but still gives us freedom to choose and always wants what is best for us. Even as Christians, we can live as though God does not exist; we can be concerned only with what we can see and touch. But this is not what God wants for us, for He wants us to live in the spiritual realm, where we are filled with love, hope and joy. He wants us to live with the eternal view in mind and to know that there is purpose in life. The choice is ours: will we swap the mediocre for the majestic?