Just a reminder that the midweek meetings have re-started this week and tonight (Thursday at 7.30 p.m.) is the prayer meeting. Bible studies on Ephesians will follow every Thursday in September after that.

I don’t know about you, but I’m finding that prayer is absolutely essential if I’m to get through even one day right now! There is so much work to do, so many problems to face, so much pain and hurt in the world that it is impossible to face those things with hope and courage if you do not spend time with God, seeking His face and discerning His will. We need to hear His voice so much. His perspective changes our view of ourselves, of each other and of the world.

Meeting together to pray helps us to lift our eyes above the earthly things and focus on God. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Col 3:1-4)

“Where you go, I’ll go
Where you stay, I’ll stay
When you move, I’ll move
I will follow…” (Chris Tomlin, ‘I Will Follow’)

If we are to know when God is moving and when it’s time to go or stay, we need to spend time with God. A prayer meeting is a good place to be!

One of my favourite films is ‘City Slickers’, a 1991 comedy about a group of city men who become cowboys for a summer and end up having to get their cattle herd across America without the help of their guide… In the film, Curly, the wise, tough-as-nails trail boss, tells the restless Mitch that the secret of life is to find your ‘one thing’.

On Sunday evening, Frederick, a former Mattersey Bible College student from India, returned to visit us and spoken on Psalm 27:4, the ‘one thing’ of the Christian life:
“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.” He reminded us of the passage in Luke 10:41-42 where Mary and Martha both welcomed Jesus into their home, but Martha became easily distracted with the cares of the world. Jesus’s words to her when she complained that her sister was not helping her was that “Mary has chosen what is better.” The ‘one thing’ we need to prize most is our relationship with the Lord.

It is very easy to be distracted from that goal and sometimes to try to hold on to the things in our lives which we value highly, but God wants to give us so much more. Psalm 84:11 reminds us that “no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless” and we know that “goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Ps 23:6) When we take the time to be with God and to prize that fellowship as Mary did, then we understand the truth of Psalm 138:8:
“The Lord will fulfil His purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures for ever – do not abandon the works of Your hands.”

It was good to hear about God’s work in India and to be able to support that financially. Our prayers are with Frederick and his wife as they return to work in areas and villages where the gospel has never before been preached. We thank him for his faithfulness in ministering to us and we are encouraged to hold on to the ‘one thing’ that really matters, for, as we’d sung earlier as a children’s song, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:34)

Mark preached from Psalm 50:23 in the morning:
“Whoever offers praise glorifies me.”

The topic of how we praise God raised some interesting points: we can praise God with our mouths (by singing and speaking and shouting), by reading the Scriptures, with our bodies (hands lifted high, dancing, bowing down etc.) and most of all, perhaps, with our whole lifestyle. It’s important to praise God on our own and together with His people (Ps 34:1-3) and to praise Him continually since we were designed to praise God. God has ordained (commanded, appointed) praise even from infants and children (Ps 8:1-2).

Then we looked at the results of praising God: how it brings God’s power down on God’s people and brings strength, power, encouragement and vision to us. But, despite the many blessings and benefits of praise, it is not a case of our praise earning God’s favour. It’s not a case of “I’ll scratch Your back, God, so that You can scratch mine!” Praise really arises from a heart that longs to spend time with God.

In looking at the Triumphal entry, in Luke 19:28-40, we read that the Pharisees rebuked Jesus because His disciples were praising so much. Jesus’s reply was that “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Surely we will not be outpraised by stones!

Matt Redman’s song ‘The Glory of Our King’ takes this theme even further:

“The rocks are gonna cry out if we don’t,
Now’s the time to raise a song
Hear creation shout loud
We will join our voices to that sound
Stand up, stand up
The time has come

Sing it out, sing an anthem to His name
A generation worshipping unashamed
Give it all for the glory of our King
We will run, we will run after Your heart;
We believe You are all that You say You are.
Give it all for the glory of our King

The church is waking up now
To be Your hands and feet upon this earth
Send us in Your power,
as we take heaven to a broken world
Stand up, stand up
The time has come

We are, we are a chosen people
We are, we are called to follow
We are, we are Your generation
You are, you are the God who saves us
You are, You are the God who sends us
You are, You are the God who’s with us.”

May we learn to praise our great God even more!

Here are some more photos from Saturday’s coffee morning:

So… the first coffee morning hosted by GPCC was held on Saturday 4th September 2010! Here are some photos from the morning:

Advertising the coffee morning:

Welcoming people in:

Serving faithfully:

She looks dangerous!

Chatting away…

More to come later…

This week sees the re-start of a number of activities, including:

Youth clubs on Monday (6-11s from 6.30 -7.45 p.m., 12-16+ from 8.00-9.30 p.m.)
Prayer meeting on Thursday (7.30 p.m.) (Bible studies will be on every other Thursday)
Mums ‘n’ Toddlers on Friday (9.30 -11.00 a.m.)
Badminton night on Friday (from 7 p.m.)

The coffee morning will be running every Saturday from 10.00 a.m. until 12 noon.

In addition, Sunday meetings are at 10.30 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. and Sunday 12th September will be the family service.

We’d love to see you!