A great finish to our Series on self-control in church this morning. Paul Benger spoke on the subject of ‘refuelling’.
Living life without the Holy Spirit within us could be likened to trying to drive a car without an engine or without any fuel in the tank.
Growth and change is about submitting your life to God. We’re meant to change, not to get comfortable. We need to be constantly refuelled. Submitted to the work of the Holy Spirit.
John 3:5; 3:8 – Jesus answered, I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.
You cannot become a Christian without the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
The Holy Spirit gives us the power and strength we need for life. As individuals and collectively as the church.
Acts 10:38 - God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
Jesus did his work in the power of the Holy Spirit. As New Testament Christians we too can live a life full of the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit. To have control of our lives we need to be refuelled!
1 Corinthians 3:16 – Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? The church is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. A community where God puts the life of His Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19 - Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.
We are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. We are carriers of God’s Spirit into the world.
4 keys to living by the Holy Spirit...
Choose to live according to the life of the Holy Spirit
Galatians 5:16 – So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Honouring, lifting, blessing others. Not living for self, mean spirited. Be students of what is good and godly in life.
Crucify the flesh
Galatians 5:24 – Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Realise there are some places we are not meant to go, things we are not meant to do. Get the right kind of walls or protection in your life.
Know what the life of the Holy Spirit looks like
Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Have the fruits of the spirit in your life.
Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit
Galatians 5:25 – Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Be refuelled. To help you, give you strength, to do you good!
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Monday, October 23, 2006
Addition to the Family
Here is our new addition to the Lloyd family.
Her name is Libby and she is 8 weeks old.
With a family consisting of mainly boys we felt it important (or at least Jane and Amy did) that we went for a girl.
Had it been a boy we would have named him Hurley. Can you guess what we love to watch on TV?
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Get a Grip III
I took the third session in our Series on self-control this morning. It was all about building walls, having the right boundaries or weapons of protection in our life.
Proverbs 25:28 – Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control
Only the ‘truly free’ will live within boundaries because they know that those boundaries maintain the freedom they enjoy. Putting the right boundaries in place can ensure that what flows into your world is full of life and not death.
What looks like self-control is actually the result of letting someone else take control. Self-control, biblically speaking, means walking by the Spirit, under the Lordship of Christ. God is saying, ‘take control of you life by letting me be Lord of it!’ Follow me...my word, my teaching. Build your life on me.
In order to understand the fruit of the Spirit of self-control it’s helpful to describe what the absence of self-control looks like.
Proverbs 25:28 explains it clearly of the individual living out of control, ‘Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control’
The person who lacks self-restraint is like a city that has no effective defence. They are not able to resist those things that can destroy their lives and the lives of others.
1 Samuel 13:16-22
It’s all about people living life without the weapons to protect themselves. When we live life without having the right boundaries/weapons to protect ourselves this is like living a life where certain things are allowed to have a foothold in our life.
Look out for the ‘raiding parties’! All of us are subject to some extent to certain kinds of raiding parties - if we don’t have the appropriate weapons and defences when they come we might find ourselves in difficult situations, where instead of bringing life they come to rob and steal us of life. These raiding parties come into our life in order to try to move us to the wrong place.
We need to know how to deal with the raiding parties
We need to have our own blacksmiths – know how to build weapons. So that in conflict we are prepared.
Ephesians 6:10-18
Start to protect yourself from the Raiding Parties. Here it says, “put on” the full armour of God! There’s action involved…something we have to do. Doesn’t just happen because we are Christians.
The Belt of Truth
The truth that Paul is talking about is not from the opinions of our mind or what others might think. The truth that matters more than anything else is truth that comes from God.
The Breastplate of Righteousness
Righteousness is the standing that we are given when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Jesus is the one who makes us right with God the Father. It is Jesus that gives us a right relationship with God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 - God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The Sandals of Peace
Feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Go where your salvation leads you. They won’t lead you to places where we’re not to meant go...but where we should go.
The peace that we have in Christ gives us a firm standing in any situation that life can throw at us.
The Shield of Faith
The Devil assaults us with fiery attacks.
Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
The sign of the Christian soldier is that we are to place our complete trust in God. It is our faith that becomes our shield from the fiery attacks of the Devil.
The Helmet of salvation
Thus the mind becomes one of the most vital areas to protect.
Romans 8:6 - The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace
Romans 12:2 - Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
The mind is the source for every action and every attitude that is part of our lives.
The Sword of the Spirit
Purpose of the sword - The sword was used for both offence and defence.
Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Our sword is the word of God. The scriptures give us the ability to fight back against the schemes and the plans of the enemy, of any raiding party.
And the last verse encourages us to...
Pray in the Spirit
(18) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Proverbs 25:28 – Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control
Only the ‘truly free’ will live within boundaries because they know that those boundaries maintain the freedom they enjoy. Putting the right boundaries in place can ensure that what flows into your world is full of life and not death.
What looks like self-control is actually the result of letting someone else take control. Self-control, biblically speaking, means walking by the Spirit, under the Lordship of Christ. God is saying, ‘take control of you life by letting me be Lord of it!’ Follow me...my word, my teaching. Build your life on me.
In order to understand the fruit of the Spirit of self-control it’s helpful to describe what the absence of self-control looks like.
Proverbs 25:28 explains it clearly of the individual living out of control, ‘Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control’
The person who lacks self-restraint is like a city that has no effective defence. They are not able to resist those things that can destroy their lives and the lives of others.
1 Samuel 13:16-22
It’s all about people living life without the weapons to protect themselves. When we live life without having the right boundaries/weapons to protect ourselves this is like living a life where certain things are allowed to have a foothold in our life.
Look out for the ‘raiding parties’! All of us are subject to some extent to certain kinds of raiding parties - if we don’t have the appropriate weapons and defences when they come we might find ourselves in difficult situations, where instead of bringing life they come to rob and steal us of life. These raiding parties come into our life in order to try to move us to the wrong place.
We need to know how to deal with the raiding parties
We need to have our own blacksmiths – know how to build weapons. So that in conflict we are prepared.
Ephesians 6:10-18
Start to protect yourself from the Raiding Parties. Here it says, “put on” the full armour of God! There’s action involved…something we have to do. Doesn’t just happen because we are Christians.
The Belt of Truth
The truth that Paul is talking about is not from the opinions of our mind or what others might think. The truth that matters more than anything else is truth that comes from God.
The Breastplate of Righteousness
Righteousness is the standing that we are given when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Jesus is the one who makes us right with God the Father. It is Jesus that gives us a right relationship with God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 - God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The Sandals of Peace
Feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Go where your salvation leads you. They won’t lead you to places where we’re not to meant go...but where we should go.
The peace that we have in Christ gives us a firm standing in any situation that life can throw at us.
The Shield of Faith
The Devil assaults us with fiery attacks.
Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
The sign of the Christian soldier is that we are to place our complete trust in God. It is our faith that becomes our shield from the fiery attacks of the Devil.
The Helmet of salvation
Thus the mind becomes one of the most vital areas to protect.
Romans 8:6 - The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace
Romans 12:2 - Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
The mind is the source for every action and every attitude that is part of our lives.
The Sword of the Spirit
Purpose of the sword - The sword was used for both offence and defence.
Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Our sword is the word of God. The scriptures give us the ability to fight back against the schemes and the plans of the enemy, of any raiding party.
And the last verse encourages us to...
Pray in the Spirit
(18) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Get a Grip II
Paul continued our series this morning on the subject of self-control. This week was all about ‘taking charge’ of our lives.
Galatians 5:16-23
Human nature easily gets out of control. Self-control is knowing when to stop. It is having the strength to reign ones self in, to set a course of action in your life and to stick to it. It is also the ability to make a mistake realise it’s a mistake and not do it again.
Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
We sometimes don’t feel we’ve got the strength to take control, but God helps us…He is our strength.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
We’re not just running for a temporary prize we’re running for an eternal reward. Get the strength needed to run well.
To take charge, to take control we need to…
Be Strong
Proverbs 24:5 - The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.
Being strong is not just about the physical, our will, it’s about increasing our wisdom and gaining knowledge. This strengthens our core...the inner person.
Be Kingdom Minded
Romans 14:17 – For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit
The Kingdom of God is not a geographical place – it’s an a attitude, a spiritual place. Where we do the right thing (righteousness). What is the Kingdom thing to do? Where we stay calm not fretful (peace). Where we never underestimate the enemies attempt to stop us being happy (joy) – living with gratitude in our lives.
Be Prayerful
Talk to God, include him in every area of your life. Pray for all things...he loves to answer us.
John 16:4 – Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete
John 4:2 – You do not have, because you do not ask God
Be Faithful
Being full of faith and being consistent. God sees our faithfulness and he blesses and honours those who are faithful.
Proverbs 28:20 – A faithful man will be richly blessed
Faithfully being in God’s house – God blesses those who gather faithfully.
Be Courageous
James 2:20 - But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
Being courageous is all about us taking ACTION. And taking control is sometimes going to need COURAGE. To pull back from bad habits is going to take courage.
Galatians 5:16-23
Human nature easily gets out of control. Self-control is knowing when to stop. It is having the strength to reign ones self in, to set a course of action in your life and to stick to it. It is also the ability to make a mistake realise it’s a mistake and not do it again.
Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
We sometimes don’t feel we’ve got the strength to take control, but God helps us…He is our strength.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
We’re not just running for a temporary prize we’re running for an eternal reward. Get the strength needed to run well.
To take charge, to take control we need to…
Be Strong
Proverbs 24:5 - The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.
Being strong is not just about the physical, our will, it’s about increasing our wisdom and gaining knowledge. This strengthens our core...the inner person.
Be Kingdom Minded
Romans 14:17 – For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit
The Kingdom of God is not a geographical place – it’s an a attitude, a spiritual place. Where we do the right thing (righteousness). What is the Kingdom thing to do? Where we stay calm not fretful (peace). Where we never underestimate the enemies attempt to stop us being happy (joy) – living with gratitude in our lives.
Be Prayerful
Talk to God, include him in every area of your life. Pray for all things...he loves to answer us.
John 16:4 – Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete
John 4:2 – You do not have, because you do not ask God
Be Faithful
Being full of faith and being consistent. God sees our faithfulness and he blesses and honours those who are faithful.
Proverbs 28:20 – A faithful man will be richly blessed
Faithfully being in God’s house – God blesses those who gather faithfully.
Be Courageous
James 2:20 - But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
Being courageous is all about us taking ACTION. And taking control is sometimes going to need COURAGE. To pull back from bad habits is going to take courage.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Get a Grip I
We started our new series in church this morning entitled ‘Get a Grip’ on the subject of having self-control in our lives.
Galatians 5:16-23
Paul Benger kicked off with the first part, which was called ‘Bite the Bullet’ – we need to take charge of our lives, make the right choices. We cannot live our lives on auto-pilot, making excuses for our lack of self-control by saying...’I can’t help it, it’s just the way I am’
Many people live their lives out of control, with addictions etc. God’s intention for your life and my life is that we take charge of our actions – that some offence doesn’t cause us to lose control.
Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, "Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves. They will be masters over all life - the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the livestock, wild animals, and small animals”
You’re meant to rule over life, submitted to God. Your life should not be ruled by your emotions, or opinions or circumstances...but by YOU! Rule in your world the one that God has given you.
Let God’s Kingdom come into your world. His Kingdom has no geographical boundary but an attitude boundary. Your world is your home, your finances etc.
We want our church to be a life-giving church...and we chose to be like that. Not allowing bad/negative attitudes to reign.
The great news today is that the Gospel has restored our position of authority again. Even before the fall God gave man ‘choice’. Adam lost it! He lost our position of authority – Jesus restored it!
Bite the bullet – take control of your life, of your choices.
We need the Holy Spirit in our lives, we cannot do it all on our own. We work in partnership with God – submitted to Him.
We rule our world knowing that God is leading us
We rule our world knowing God’s wisdom
We rule our world knowing God’s purpose
We rule our world knowing the power of the Holy Spirit
The World want’s to make our choices for us…to choose our lifestyle – But we’re in charge.
Proverbs 4:23 - Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life
Our wellspring is the borders and parameters of our lives. Establish God’s boundaries through praying in the Spirit, by being thankful daily. The Holy Spirit’s power is available to everyone – the promise is for all.
Let us bite the bullet in our lives and take control.
Galatians 5:16-23
Paul Benger kicked off with the first part, which was called ‘Bite the Bullet’ – we need to take charge of our lives, make the right choices. We cannot live our lives on auto-pilot, making excuses for our lack of self-control by saying...’I can’t help it, it’s just the way I am’
Many people live their lives out of control, with addictions etc. God’s intention for your life and my life is that we take charge of our actions – that some offence doesn’t cause us to lose control.
Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, "Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves. They will be masters over all life - the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the livestock, wild animals, and small animals”
You’re meant to rule over life, submitted to God. Your life should not be ruled by your emotions, or opinions or circumstances...but by YOU! Rule in your world the one that God has given you.
Let God’s Kingdom come into your world. His Kingdom has no geographical boundary but an attitude boundary. Your world is your home, your finances etc.
We want our church to be a life-giving church...and we chose to be like that. Not allowing bad/negative attitudes to reign.
The great news today is that the Gospel has restored our position of authority again. Even before the fall God gave man ‘choice’. Adam lost it! He lost our position of authority – Jesus restored it!
Bite the bullet – take control of your life, of your choices.
We need the Holy Spirit in our lives, we cannot do it all on our own. We work in partnership with God – submitted to Him.
We rule our world knowing that God is leading us
We rule our world knowing God’s wisdom
We rule our world knowing God’s purpose
We rule our world knowing the power of the Holy Spirit
The World want’s to make our choices for us…to choose our lifestyle – But we’re in charge.
Proverbs 4:23 - Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life
Our wellspring is the borders and parameters of our lives. Establish God’s boundaries through praying in the Spirit, by being thankful daily. The Holy Spirit’s power is available to everyone – the promise is for all.
Let us bite the bullet in our lives and take control.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Living with Hope
Simon Wood spoke in church this morning on the importance of living with hope.
He shared how he had recently visited IKEA and that he quickly lost hope when trying to find something even though his wife remained hopeful – how true this is!
Hope enables us to put the highs and lows of life into perspective - rather than living in despair. Hope gives us the stamina and purpose for life.
As a church we need hope. A hopeful church has a hopeful message and the world needs to hear it. We have a great message to share.
Isaiah 40:30-31 – (30) Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; (31) 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.
God has made us to be resistant, but without hope we give in quite easily. Hope is the building block of life...the anchor for our lives.
Hebrews 6:19-20 – (19) We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, (20) where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Jesus is our Hope, our anchor, guiding us - pulling us through the veil.
There is always a battle raging between hope and despair. How do we win the battle? We need to recognise the areas that give us hope and guard our hearts against the negative influences that only encourages despair.
Proverbs 13:12 - Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life
Avoid the negative. Don’t go to a negative person if you are facing a particular problem. Look out for the “smell of despair”…look for the opposite, the “scent of hope” – the aroma of faith. Be with people of hope those who raise your faith level.
Spend time meditating on God’s word...this gives us hope.
Psalm 119:147-148 – I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.
Trust in God - trust that his ways are best. God will always honour his word. Be patient and wait on God. (eg Abraham) Hebrews 6:15 – And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised
Let us be a church of hope, ready to give life to those around us – giving hope to our world.
He shared how he had recently visited IKEA and that he quickly lost hope when trying to find something even though his wife remained hopeful – how true this is!
Hope enables us to put the highs and lows of life into perspective - rather than living in despair. Hope gives us the stamina and purpose for life.
As a church we need hope. A hopeful church has a hopeful message and the world needs to hear it. We have a great message to share.
Isaiah 40:30-31 – (30) Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; (31) 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.
God has made us to be resistant, but without hope we give in quite easily. Hope is the building block of life...the anchor for our lives.
Hebrews 6:19-20 – (19) We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, (20) where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Jesus is our Hope, our anchor, guiding us - pulling us through the veil.
There is always a battle raging between hope and despair. How do we win the battle? We need to recognise the areas that give us hope and guard our hearts against the negative influences that only encourages despair.
Proverbs 13:12 - Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life
Avoid the negative. Don’t go to a negative person if you are facing a particular problem. Look out for the “smell of despair”…look for the opposite, the “scent of hope” – the aroma of faith. Be with people of hope those who raise your faith level.
Spend time meditating on God’s word...this gives us hope.
Psalm 119:147-148 – I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.
Trust in God - trust that his ways are best. God will always honour his word. Be patient and wait on God. (eg Abraham) Hebrews 6:15 – And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised
Let us be a church of hope, ready to give life to those around us – giving hope to our world.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
