Encouragements from the Elders - April 2020
Each week of social distancing, one of our elders shares a little word of encouragement from the Bible...
Return to this month's messages here.
Return to this month's messages here.
Friday 24 April 2020
Rob asks, "Are you going potty yet?"
I don’t know about you, but I am finding isolation testing. Living and working at home with my family is a challenge for them and for me. And I keep asking the simple question what is God doing right now? What is His purpose in this? In times of challenge what we really need is a prophet.
Bill Gates’ 2015 Ted Talk is rightly now getting the attention it deserved then. Gates had authority. He had built and global business and then set his personal wealth at tackling polio and poverty. An obvious expert in using data to predict his organisation used this information to forecast how a pandemic would spread, how quickly and how we needed to prepare to tackle such an outbreak. But his warnings and those of others were not headed or not enough.
Christian gifted in prophecy are similarly not getting the audiences they deserve. I learnt recently that one such reliable Christian on returning to the UK after the start of the lock down, sensed a change in the Spiritual atmosphere in the UK. As the social distancing barriers were going up so people’s spiritual barriers have started to come down. People are needing hope. Hard hearts are beginning to soften and potentially beginning to open-up to the Spirit of God. Two of my atheist colleagues in recent weeks have accepted offers of prayer, one has been answered. Have you sensed this too?
But are we, His Church, ready to respond? The prophet Jeremiah (Chapter 18), during a challenging time in Judah’s history, spoke of the need to be clay in the potter’s hand. To be reshaped and have all our imperfections removed and take on more of God’s character (Galatians 5). Well I will confess. I am finding this household be quite a potting shed. Good to know that God has not finished with me. What about you? A good prayer for this time. Habakkuk 3. ‘Lord I have heard of your fame, I stand in awe of your wonderful deeds, oh Lord. Renew them in our day!’
God bless you and yours. Rob
Rob asks, "Are you going potty yet?"
I don’t know about you, but I am finding isolation testing. Living and working at home with my family is a challenge for them and for me. And I keep asking the simple question what is God doing right now? What is His purpose in this? In times of challenge what we really need is a prophet.
Bill Gates’ 2015 Ted Talk is rightly now getting the attention it deserved then. Gates had authority. He had built and global business and then set his personal wealth at tackling polio and poverty. An obvious expert in using data to predict his organisation used this information to forecast how a pandemic would spread, how quickly and how we needed to prepare to tackle such an outbreak. But his warnings and those of others were not headed or not enough.
Christian gifted in prophecy are similarly not getting the audiences they deserve. I learnt recently that one such reliable Christian on returning to the UK after the start of the lock down, sensed a change in the Spiritual atmosphere in the UK. As the social distancing barriers were going up so people’s spiritual barriers have started to come down. People are needing hope. Hard hearts are beginning to soften and potentially beginning to open-up to the Spirit of God. Two of my atheist colleagues in recent weeks have accepted offers of prayer, one has been answered. Have you sensed this too?
But are we, His Church, ready to respond? The prophet Jeremiah (Chapter 18), during a challenging time in Judah’s history, spoke of the need to be clay in the potter’s hand. To be reshaped and have all our imperfections removed and take on more of God’s character (Galatians 5). Well I will confess. I am finding this household be quite a potting shed. Good to know that God has not finished with me. What about you? A good prayer for this time. Habakkuk 3. ‘Lord I have heard of your fame, I stand in awe of your wonderful deeds, oh Lord. Renew them in our day!’
God bless you and yours. Rob
Friday 17 April 2020
Thoughts from Jane... What's faith got to do with it?
I’ve started reading a book called Faith that Goes the Distance by Jud Wilhite. It was just in a carrier bag waiting to be sorted, as I have many books and I need to declutter! [Ask my sister Sarah…she’s a bit of a nag] At the start of the book’s Introduction there is a quote “In some people religion exists as a dull habit, in others as an acute fever” by William James. That captured me, it questioned me at my very core. Where am I on that scale I thought, because I don’t believe the quote can be an either or, I believe we slide from going through the motions to being on fire. But should we be more deliberate? This question took me back to a morning sermon by Louise at the end of the Whole life worship series when she spoke about remembering our first love using this reading:
Revelation 2 (NIVUK): To the church in Ephesus
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favour: you hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Do you remember how much you loved Him when you met him for real as your personal saviour? STOP: Revisit that time in meditation ask Jesus to remind you of how it felt – sit with that. I think coming to faith is like receiving sight for the first time and that using the examples of Jesus’ healing of the blind men. In John 9:1-41 we see how Jesus healed the man born blind in one go; “he spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 ‘Go,’ he told him, ‘wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (this word means ‘Sent’). So, the man went and washed, and came home seeing.” With one touch from the saviour he could see, his step to faith was a dramatic revelation of his power and sovereignty.
Yet in another testimony Jesus had to touch the man at Bethsaida twice as in Mark 8 we are told; “23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spat on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, ‘Do you see anything?’ 24 He looked up and said, ‘I see people; they look like trees walking around.’ 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.”
In this case it took more than one touch of the King for the eyes of the blind to be opened. This made me think about how Jesus meets with us all in individual ways. Some of us will have had dramatic road to Damascus sight restoring encounters like Paul, like the man born blind – both met Jesus and recognised him by doing as he asked, and both received their sight. The man at Bethsaida who was brought to Jesus by his friends needed more than one encounter with Jesus, maybe he doubted he could be healed but after the first touch of Jesus he started to believe he could see and so after a further encounter he did.
But whether we had instant moments of revelation as to who Jesus is or a slow progressing realisation – the most important thing is that our faith remains with us, like a precious jewel we should treasure this reality in our lives – the certain hope of that which we cannot yet see. Please be encouraged to spend time with Jesus [be still and know He is God], remember all he has done for you [thanksgiving], remember those he has given you [encourage one another], remember his ways [by reading His word], remember He is sovereign [prayers and petitions in faith].
Faith is a personal thing, my faith and your faith will always look different because He is a personal saviour – but we share a saviour who came down from heaven to be born a man, to be tested and tempted in every way we are – but remained sinless so that he could die for all our sins [past present and future] be raised again and defeat death. Why? So that we could live a life knowing that our story will never end – this one the COVID-19 pandemic story will, our hardships will, our pain will, and our tears will stop – but our story, our story with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – that will go on for all eternity.
Treasure your faith,
Jane
Thoughts from Jane... What's faith got to do with it?
I’ve started reading a book called Faith that Goes the Distance by Jud Wilhite. It was just in a carrier bag waiting to be sorted, as I have many books and I need to declutter! [Ask my sister Sarah…she’s a bit of a nag] At the start of the book’s Introduction there is a quote “In some people religion exists as a dull habit, in others as an acute fever” by William James. That captured me, it questioned me at my very core. Where am I on that scale I thought, because I don’t believe the quote can be an either or, I believe we slide from going through the motions to being on fire. But should we be more deliberate? This question took me back to a morning sermon by Louise at the end of the Whole life worship series when she spoke about remembering our first love using this reading:
Revelation 2 (NIVUK): To the church in Ephesus
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favour: you hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Do you remember how much you loved Him when you met him for real as your personal saviour? STOP: Revisit that time in meditation ask Jesus to remind you of how it felt – sit with that. I think coming to faith is like receiving sight for the first time and that using the examples of Jesus’ healing of the blind men. In John 9:1-41 we see how Jesus healed the man born blind in one go; “he spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 ‘Go,’ he told him, ‘wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (this word means ‘Sent’). So, the man went and washed, and came home seeing.” With one touch from the saviour he could see, his step to faith was a dramatic revelation of his power and sovereignty.
Yet in another testimony Jesus had to touch the man at Bethsaida twice as in Mark 8 we are told; “23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spat on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, ‘Do you see anything?’ 24 He looked up and said, ‘I see people; they look like trees walking around.’ 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.”
In this case it took more than one touch of the King for the eyes of the blind to be opened. This made me think about how Jesus meets with us all in individual ways. Some of us will have had dramatic road to Damascus sight restoring encounters like Paul, like the man born blind – both met Jesus and recognised him by doing as he asked, and both received their sight. The man at Bethsaida who was brought to Jesus by his friends needed more than one encounter with Jesus, maybe he doubted he could be healed but after the first touch of Jesus he started to believe he could see and so after a further encounter he did.
But whether we had instant moments of revelation as to who Jesus is or a slow progressing realisation – the most important thing is that our faith remains with us, like a precious jewel we should treasure this reality in our lives – the certain hope of that which we cannot yet see. Please be encouraged to spend time with Jesus [be still and know He is God], remember all he has done for you [thanksgiving], remember those he has given you [encourage one another], remember his ways [by reading His word], remember He is sovereign [prayers and petitions in faith].
Faith is a personal thing, my faith and your faith will always look different because He is a personal saviour – but we share a saviour who came down from heaven to be born a man, to be tested and tempted in every way we are – but remained sinless so that he could die for all our sins [past present and future] be raised again and defeat death. Why? So that we could live a life knowing that our story will never end – this one the COVID-19 pandemic story will, our hardships will, our pain will, and our tears will stop – but our story, our story with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – that will go on for all eternity.
Treasure your faith,
Jane
Friday 10 April 2020
An Easter Note from Liz...
First of all I want to thank Louise, Kath and Dan for working so hard to enable our church life to continue remotely, and Peter for his technical help. We value all you are doing. Connecting your Community to Christ has never been more needed than now. During this pandemic, people are understandably anxious and fearful. May we, as a church, bring hope, encouragement and support.
Be still and know that I am God
At this time of the covid19, pandemic many people are anxious and full of fear. It is natural to feel like this but it need not overwhelm us. We have a powerful God and there are many accounts in the Bible of people suffering from anxiety and fear but God promises to be there in the midst..
Let us be encouraged by these promises as we face these difficult times. May we encourage others too and support them in their need. One of the things I have loved doing in this lock-down period is using the phone and social media to keep in touch with family and friends. We need each other, and for those living alone a voice at the end of a phone can mean so much... "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” Proverbs 12:25 It is important to show our love and concern for others. May we each do our part to offer encouragement and a listening ear to all who need it.
Above all, as we remember Christ’s death and resurrection this Easter weekend, may we rejoice that God has conquered death. We have a risen Saviour who brings new life and new hope.Hallelujah!
Love from Liz
An Easter Note from Liz...
First of all I want to thank Louise, Kath and Dan for working so hard to enable our church life to continue remotely, and Peter for his technical help. We value all you are doing. Connecting your Community to Christ has never been more needed than now. During this pandemic, people are understandably anxious and fearful. May we, as a church, bring hope, encouragement and support.
Be still and know that I am God
At this time of the covid19, pandemic many people are anxious and full of fear. It is natural to feel like this but it need not overwhelm us. We have a powerful God and there are many accounts in the Bible of people suffering from anxiety and fear but God promises to be there in the midst..
- Psalm 46 begins: (v1) God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. What then should be our response? (v2) so we will not be afraid even if the earth is shaken… (or as now facing this pandemic)
- Isaiah 41:10 Do not be afraid for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. | will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
- Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
- Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
- Psalm 91:1-2 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.
- Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Let us be encouraged by these promises as we face these difficult times. May we encourage others too and support them in their need. One of the things I have loved doing in this lock-down period is using the phone and social media to keep in touch with family and friends. We need each other, and for those living alone a voice at the end of a phone can mean so much... "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” Proverbs 12:25 It is important to show our love and concern for others. May we each do our part to offer encouragement and a listening ear to all who need it.
Above all, as we remember Christ’s death and resurrection this Easter weekend, may we rejoice that God has conquered death. We have a risen Saviour who brings new life and new hope.Hallelujah!
Love from Liz
Friday 3 April 2020
"Count Your Blessings"? "Always look on the bright side of life"?
Colin shares some thoughts on peace...
Dear Friends and Adopted Family,
It is easy to be somewhat disturbed by the current situation when we are all stuck in our homes. Some of us have only ourselves for company. But I’ve rather enjoyed a very different way of being for a change. So, I’ve started to think about the good things that have a happened to me as I spend lots of time alone (as Jenny is away in Cambridgeshire with her elderly parents). It is good to count your blessings and to 'name them one by one' – as the children’s song says! For me I have had a bit more contact with my sons (and their children) as they have been more active on our Family Group on WhatsApp. With the good weather I’ve been able to spend time in the garden and paint my fence. Life has seemed a little less busy for me. A bit of time to do as Louise
suggested – to model Shalom!
Even being away from Jenny can be a blessing in a sort of a way. She may be my favourite person in
all the world, but I can take her presence for granted! So being apart from her helps me to
appreciate what I am missing. And with modern tech we are not that far apart. We can text and chat
and even do video calls.
In Philippians 4 we are encouraged to "not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". It seems to me that we can be anxious so easily. And we can even pray anxiously. But we are called to be at Peace … to pray prayers of peace. This is not a peace that comes from inside us, but a peace that is a gift from God, just like all the other wonderful Gifts that He pours into our lives. We need to claim that Peace – a Peace that passes all understanding, we are told. As with so much that emanates from our Father God, this Peace is a mystery. But it is of the most extraordinary worth if we can let it guard our hearts and minds.
In Jeremiah 17 we are told 7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
We are indeed in a drought! It is a drought of company. We find ourselves cut off from our normal lives and oddly dislocated from all the usual activities of life. Even going out to buy food suddenly
seems a bit dangerous! But our roots are in the stream of Living Water, so our leaves will stay green and we will continue to bear fruit.
My prayer of blessing for all of you who read this little message is taken from Numbers 6:
24 May the LORD bless you and take care of you;
25 May the LORD be kind and gracious to you;
26 May the LORD look on you with favour and give you His peace. Amen
God bless,
Colin
"Count Your Blessings"? "Always look on the bright side of life"?
Colin shares some thoughts on peace...
Dear Friends and Adopted Family,
It is easy to be somewhat disturbed by the current situation when we are all stuck in our homes. Some of us have only ourselves for company. But I’ve rather enjoyed a very different way of being for a change. So, I’ve started to think about the good things that have a happened to me as I spend lots of time alone (as Jenny is away in Cambridgeshire with her elderly parents). It is good to count your blessings and to 'name them one by one' – as the children’s song says! For me I have had a bit more contact with my sons (and their children) as they have been more active on our Family Group on WhatsApp. With the good weather I’ve been able to spend time in the garden and paint my fence. Life has seemed a little less busy for me. A bit of time to do as Louise
suggested – to model Shalom!
Even being away from Jenny can be a blessing in a sort of a way. She may be my favourite person in
all the world, but I can take her presence for granted! So being apart from her helps me to
appreciate what I am missing. And with modern tech we are not that far apart. We can text and chat
and even do video calls.
In Philippians 4 we are encouraged to "not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". It seems to me that we can be anxious so easily. And we can even pray anxiously. But we are called to be at Peace … to pray prayers of peace. This is not a peace that comes from inside us, but a peace that is a gift from God, just like all the other wonderful Gifts that He pours into our lives. We need to claim that Peace – a Peace that passes all understanding, we are told. As with so much that emanates from our Father God, this Peace is a mystery. But it is of the most extraordinary worth if we can let it guard our hearts and minds.
In Jeremiah 17 we are told 7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
We are indeed in a drought! It is a drought of company. We find ourselves cut off from our normal lives and oddly dislocated from all the usual activities of life. Even going out to buy food suddenly
seems a bit dangerous! But our roots are in the stream of Living Water, so our leaves will stay green and we will continue to bear fruit.
My prayer of blessing for all of you who read this little message is taken from Numbers 6:
24 May the LORD bless you and take care of you;
25 May the LORD be kind and gracious to you;
26 May the LORD look on you with favour and give you His peace. Amen
God bless,
Colin
