Paul Benger began a three-part series last night on Faith. The first part being on the ‘Power of Perspective’.
How we view things is really important. We’re not talking about the power of positive thinking – although even that is better than the power of negative thinking.
Our perspective can give us peace and joy OR torment. Look at Saul...
1 Samuel 18:1-16 (Saul’s perspective)
Saul began to view David as an enemy and not as an ally. His perspective became negative. Full of jealousy and fear about his position and place. Instead of joy...sadness. All of this because of the power of perspective.
God doesn’t want you to live with your view on life – But His view, His perspective. Have the same mind as God’s. See what he sees, be one in perspective. Philippians 2:5 – Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.
Your perspective will lead your decisions. Your perspective will chose your friends. Your perspective will govern your priorities.
Psalm 4 (David’s perspective)
4 perspectives of David...
Verse 1 – God is working all things together for good
Romans 8:28 – And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them
We often let our troubles change our view of God. We become introspective.
6 important areas to consider concerning God working things together for our good:
1. This is a trial of my faith not my endurance
2. God is enlarging me through this trial
3. God will relieve the pain and burden of this trial if we refuse ownership – give it to God. (Cast all your burdens on Him)
4. God will carry the burden for you
5. God has not changed His opinion of you
6. God will have mercy on you and will hear your prayer
Verse 3 – God has positioned me for good success
We are set apart by God for His purposes (saved and called). We are here to extend His kingdom. All things are beneath His feet and also beneath our feet. We will overcome and conquer. Get the right perspective – you are above and not below!
Circumstances don’t make you a winner or a loser. Paul’s perspective – Because of Christ, I can do all things.
Verse 6 – God will reveal Himself to me
God will light my way. His word is a lamp to my feet. In any sphere of your life look where God is shining His light. Look for His perspective. Get out of the darkness, out of the unclear places where we’re not making the right decisions.
Verse 8 – God will protect my life
Have confidence in God that He will protect you. Think eternally. Where are you looking to for protection? Peace comes from knowing God. Psalm 27:4-6 - God hides you. He puts you under His wings in the day of trouble. We’re surrounded by the protection of God.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Monday, February 20, 2006
Overcoming Our Fears
Mark Wilkins brought a great message in church last night - all about Abraham and how he had to come to terms with his fears.
Genesis 12-15
Despite the promises of God, Abraham still had to confront and overcome a number of fears. Rational and irrational.
He obeys and follows God but hits several problems along the way which causes fear and him losing sight of the promises of God.
Eventually the passage of time begins to cause him to doubt and question God. Begins to see things through human eyes...forgetting God’s promises for his life. He tries to accomplish things in his own strength.
The longer time goes on...we begin to question, did God really say that? This is a difficulty for us in our ‘instant’ culture. God teaches us patience.
Overcoming our FEARS...
The Cause – We lose sight of God’s promises for us. The passage of time causes us to doubt and question. We become afraid.
The Cure – We need to focus on the promises of God. Read what God has said in his Word about us, about the plans he has for us. (Isaiah 41) Build your faith...live in the promises of God.
The Outcome – We will grow stronger in our faith. Be able to stand in a position of strength.
Romans 4:17-22 – (17) That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, "I have made you the father of many nations." his happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who brings into existence what didn't exist before. (18) When God promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations, Abraham believed him. God had also said, "Your descendants will be as numerous as the stars," even though such a promise seemed utterly impossible! (19) And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though he knew that he was too old to be a father at the age of one hundred and that Sarah, his wife, had never been able to have children. (20) Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. (21) He was absolutely convinced that God was able to do anything he promised. (22) And because of Abraham's faith, God declared him to be righteous.
Genesis 12-15
Despite the promises of God, Abraham still had to confront and overcome a number of fears. Rational and irrational.
He obeys and follows God but hits several problems along the way which causes fear and him losing sight of the promises of God.
Eventually the passage of time begins to cause him to doubt and question God. Begins to see things through human eyes...forgetting God’s promises for his life. He tries to accomplish things in his own strength.
The longer time goes on...we begin to question, did God really say that? This is a difficulty for us in our ‘instant’ culture. God teaches us patience.
Overcoming our FEARS...
The Cause – We lose sight of God’s promises for us. The passage of time causes us to doubt and question. We become afraid.
The Cure – We need to focus on the promises of God. Read what God has said in his Word about us, about the plans he has for us. (Isaiah 41) Build your faith...live in the promises of God.
The Outcome – We will grow stronger in our faith. Be able to stand in a position of strength.
Romans 4:17-22 – (17) That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, "I have made you the father of many nations." his happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who brings into existence what didn't exist before. (18) When God promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations, Abraham believed him. God had also said, "Your descendants will be as numerous as the stars," even though such a promise seemed utterly impossible! (19) And Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though he knew that he was too old to be a father at the age of one hundred and that Sarah, his wife, had never been able to have children. (20) Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. (21) He was absolutely convinced that God was able to do anything he promised. (22) And because of Abraham's faith, God declared him to be righteous.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Your Place - Christ's Body Part 3
Ephesians 1:22-23 – (22) And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, (23) which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (English Standard Version)
Paul Benger hadn’t quite finished with us yet. He carried on this excellent series last night looking at the second characteristic of those who make up Christ’s body – the church...
We are supernaturally joined to other believers by the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit in you...this is what makes you alive! The flicker of desire within you to be a part of God’s House – that is the Holy Spirit at work in your life. Let that flicker become a flame!
In the Old Testament the Ark of the Covenant signified the presence of God. Today we don’t have a box we have you and me – we carry the presence of the Living God.
Jesus made things real. The presence of God is not some mystical thing – it is where there is a culture of faith.
God is among us – He speaks into our life and gives us hope. The church is a place of hope. God is in the House when there is...
A spirit of Service, of Praise and Worship, of Generosity, of Trust, of Salvation, of Healing…and where there is a Good Attitude!
We need to check we have these things on a daily basis. These are the signs of the presence of God.
In the midst of tough times do we have the presence of God in our lives, which means we cling to Him – we trust Him?
From the Old Testament people are still looking for the literal restoration of the Temple...as we come into the New Testament we see that WE are that Temple...the Church.
Ephesians 2:18-22 – (18) Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. (19) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. (20) We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. (21) We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. (22) Through him you Gentiles are also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
5 great things about the Temple
- The Temple is built on a Solid Foundation
- The Tempe is built with a God Given Structure
- The Temple is built on God Given Connections
- The Temple is built in a Holy Fashion
Not religious, not solemn – but set apart for God, putting him first. Doing things for God with excellence. Because God is holy our service to God is holy.
- The Temple is built by the Holy Spirit
Paul Benger hadn’t quite finished with us yet. He carried on this excellent series last night looking at the second characteristic of those who make up Christ’s body – the church...
We are supernaturally joined to other believers by the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit in you...this is what makes you alive! The flicker of desire within you to be a part of God’s House – that is the Holy Spirit at work in your life. Let that flicker become a flame!
In the Old Testament the Ark of the Covenant signified the presence of God. Today we don’t have a box we have you and me – we carry the presence of the Living God.
Jesus made things real. The presence of God is not some mystical thing – it is where there is a culture of faith.
God is among us – He speaks into our life and gives us hope. The church is a place of hope. God is in the House when there is...
A spirit of Service, of Praise and Worship, of Generosity, of Trust, of Salvation, of Healing…and where there is a Good Attitude!
We need to check we have these things on a daily basis. These are the signs of the presence of God.
In the midst of tough times do we have the presence of God in our lives, which means we cling to Him – we trust Him?
From the Old Testament people are still looking for the literal restoration of the Temple...as we come into the New Testament we see that WE are that Temple...the Church.
Ephesians 2:18-22 – (18) Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. (19) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. (20) We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. (21) We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. (22) Through him you Gentiles are also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
5 great things about the Temple
- The Temple is built on a Solid Foundation
- The Tempe is built with a God Given Structure
- The Temple is built on God Given Connections
- The Temple is built in a Holy Fashion
Not religious, not solemn – but set apart for God, putting him first. Doing things for God with excellence. Because God is holy our service to God is holy.
- The Temple is built by the Holy Spirit
Friday, February 10, 2006
What is Intelligent Design?
Read this recently...
"Intelligent design" refers to a scientific research program as well as a community of scientists, philosophers and other scholars who seek evidence of design in nature. Through the study and analysis of a system's components, a design theorist is able to determine whether various natural structures are the product of chance, natural law, intelligent design or some combination thereof.
For example, consider Mount Rushmore:
The pattern of the rocks in the talus slopes below the faces is due primarily to chance and natural law. The pattern of erosion alongside the faces is due primarily to natural law and chance. The pattern of the presidents' faces is due primarily to intelligent design.
"Intelligent design" refers to a scientific research program as well as a community of scientists, philosophers and other scholars who seek evidence of design in nature. Through the study and analysis of a system's components, a design theorist is able to determine whether various natural structures are the product of chance, natural law, intelligent design or some combination thereof.
For example, consider Mount Rushmore:
The pattern of the rocks in the talus slopes below the faces is due primarily to chance and natural law. The pattern of erosion alongside the faces is due primarily to natural law and chance. The pattern of the presidents' faces is due primarily to intelligent design.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Your Place - Christ's Body Part 2
Paul Benger completed his excellent message on the church tonight.
Ephesians 1:22-23 (The Message) – (22) He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the centre of all this, Christ rules the church. (23) The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.
After recapping on last weeks main points Paul homed in on the first point from last week...
We are united by our loyalty to Jesus Christ
We cannot be a Christ follower and be disconnected from the Body.
Unity is Life Giving
Psalm 133 – (1) How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony! (2) For harmony is as precious as the fragrant anointing oil that was poured over Aaron's head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. (3) Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And the LORD has pronounced his blessing, even life forevermore.
Unity gives life to us, there is an anointing that comes upon the church and makes us succeed. When we’re not pulling in different directions but all pulling in the same direction.
Unity of the Spirit
Ephesians 4:1-6 – (1) Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. (2) Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. (3) Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. (4) We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. (5) There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, (6) and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.
Unity is a supernatural thing...the Holy Spirit joins our hearts!
Unity of Gathering
Ekklesia (Greek) – to be called out from...and gathered for a purpose. We’ve been called by God to this place.
If we stripped everything away what would we need to survive as a Christian? What is the ‘irreducible minimum’?
The Bible, prayer, giving - all very important in our Christian walk.
Our gathering together is the most important thing. When we connect for the purposes of Christ. There is power when we gather – not when we are on our own.
There is more healing, more strength, and more revelation when we gather. That’s why even in countries where Christians are persecuted or have been persecuted through history they have always made every effort to meet.
3 people in the Old Testament who left the places where God had called them to be - Abraham, Lot and Naomi. They faced trouble and hardship until they eventually found themselves back in the place where they should have been.
Stay in your place! Christ’s body – the Church. Connect and flourish!
Ephesians 1:22-23 (The Message) – (22) He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the centre of all this, Christ rules the church. (23) The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.
After recapping on last weeks main points Paul homed in on the first point from last week...
We are united by our loyalty to Jesus Christ
We cannot be a Christ follower and be disconnected from the Body.
Unity is Life Giving
Psalm 133 – (1) How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony! (2) For harmony is as precious as the fragrant anointing oil that was poured over Aaron's head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. (3) Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And the LORD has pronounced his blessing, even life forevermore.
Unity gives life to us, there is an anointing that comes upon the church and makes us succeed. When we’re not pulling in different directions but all pulling in the same direction.
Unity of the Spirit
Ephesians 4:1-6 – (1) Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. (2) Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. (3) Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. (4) We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. (5) There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, (6) and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.
Unity is a supernatural thing...the Holy Spirit joins our hearts!
Unity of Gathering
Ekklesia (Greek) – to be called out from...and gathered for a purpose. We’ve been called by God to this place.
If we stripped everything away what would we need to survive as a Christian? What is the ‘irreducible minimum’?
The Bible, prayer, giving - all very important in our Christian walk.
Our gathering together is the most important thing. When we connect for the purposes of Christ. There is power when we gather – not when we are on our own.
There is more healing, more strength, and more revelation when we gather. That’s why even in countries where Christians are persecuted or have been persecuted through history they have always made every effort to meet.
3 people in the Old Testament who left the places where God had called them to be - Abraham, Lot and Naomi. They faced trouble and hardship until they eventually found themselves back in the place where they should have been.
Stay in your place! Christ’s body – the Church. Connect and flourish!
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Song Transposing
For all you worship leaders/song writers/musicians...
Here's a useful tool for transposing those songs....you know the ones that are either too high or too low!
Here's a useful tool for transposing those songs....you know the ones that are either too high or too low!
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