The Book of James - Faith Works

We continued our current series in church today based on the book of James. Paul Benger brought a great message entitled ‘Faith Works’.

James 2:14-26

You can read the statement ‘faith works’ as it achieves, it accomplishes or it gets the job done. Living a life of faith works, it produces results.

But also we can read it as ‘faith works’ – faith acts, it has accompanying action.

People desire the ‘real thing’ - some will even pay a lot to have it! James here is talking to us about being the ‘real thing’. God wants the real thing and not a poor imitation. ‘When faith is real it acts’.

People like Abraham and Rahab their actions proved that their faith was real. We also need to act on our faith.

The Bible is written to real people in real situations. James was talking to Christians whose faith had wavered encouraging them that faith has corresponding actions.

We can’t say ‘I believe God will do this’ and then stand back and do nothing. We have to get involved, put our faith and our actions into practice. Marry action with faith.

Faith Works – In Actions that Match our Words

Let our actions match our words. James 2:14 – What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

Today when we say that God can do, do our actions reflect our belief?

Proverbs 18:21 – The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit

Sometimes we just have to change our speech. Be positive, speak of the good things that God will do. Positive confession is important. Speak faith over our lives – it’s not ‘spin’…but speak of the positive future that God has for us. Prophecy it!

‘Our words need to have corresponding actions’. What are you believing God for? Trust him – it’s not all down to us!

Faith Works – in a Spirit of Generosity

James 2:15-16 – Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

2 Corinthians 8:1-4 – And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints

Generosity is one of the great expressions of our faith. What can you do? Decide what you will give and have that spirit of generosity. Generosity is more than money – it is acts of kindness, it’s praise. Be specific in your praise as well.

Faith Works – Right Here Right Now!

James 2:18 – But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do

Hebrews 11:1-2 – Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for

I’m going to live in today in the light of tomorrow! We are people of the future living in today. Bringing the Kingdom of Heaven into today.

CLC – What does that mean for us? Structure today for the church of tomorrow! Build for tomorrow. Speak the language of largeness not smallness. Remove small from our vocabulary. Believe for leaders today for the church of tomorrow. For our future building, plan for it today!

The Book of James – Trials Can Make You Better

We began our brand new series in church today based on the book of James. Paul Benger brought an excellent message entitled ‘Trials Can Make You Better’.

James writes his book to believers encouraging us not to live the double-life. Don’t keep your true identity hidden by living the double-life.

James has been compared to the book of Proverbs – the Proverbs of the New Testament. It’s practical and shows us what the Christian life looks like.

This book was not written to a church but James was writing to individual Christians - he’s writing to you! He’s encouraging us that even in persecution don’t live the double-life.

James 1:1-8

James is telling us to ‘mind the gap’. Watch out for the gaps that can exist between the lives that we should live and the lives that we actually live.

Trials can make you better and make you stronger. ‘Make you circumstances your university’.

James 1:2 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds

What a way to start a letter! There is a purpose…God is at work in this trial. He is going to bring goodness. We have evil present in this world and we have choices to make. It’s not a prefect world but we know that God is at work and will use any trial we face for good.

James 1:3-4 – because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything

What a vision God has for us! He wants to equip us for life now and the future. Even when we give up on ourselves…God doesn’t!

Perseverance is waiting patiently knowing that God will keep his word. It’s about us being tenacious, having stickability. ‘Success is doing the right thing long enough’.

When we are lacking God will use anything he can to give us what we need to do the work. Trials can make us better…not bitter.

Keys to trials making us better…

A Good Attitude is Required

James 1:2 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds

Keep a right attitude. Don’t let negativity, cynicism, hurt – attitudes that grab hold of us and keep us down.

God will use the situations we face to develop things in our life. God is at work – stay positive.

Romans 8:28 – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose

Wisdom is Required

James 1:5 – If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him

Ask for God’s wisdom when we face trials. He knows more than us. Don’t choose our wisdom over God’s.

Faith is Required

James 1:6-8 – But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Believe that God has said and stand your ground. Faith isn’t feelings. Faith is believing that God is faithful…no matter what is happening around me.

Being double-minded is floating between the two thoughts - believing God and doubting God.

James offers us four bits of practical advice in allowing trials to make us better…

1) Don’t get angry

James 1:19-20 – My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires

2) Stay pure

James 1:21 – Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you

3) Be a doer of the word not just a listener

James 1:22-25 – Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

4) Bless others

James 1:27 – Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world

The Wind and the Waves

Church was amazing yesterday. Two great messages both morning and evening. Nathan Benger spoke in the morning about ‘the Wind and the Waves’.

Mark 6:45-50 – (45) Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. (46) After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. (47) When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. (48) He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, (49) but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, (50) because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

All of us have faced storms out of our control. Things out of our control can distract us. Sometimes we try to control them in our own strength, but its too much effort.

Rumours are so easy to start. We can’t control what people say about us. But bad things can be good because they lead us to a place where we should be.

Vs 45 – Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd

When the disciples got in the boat there was no storm. Jesus also made the disciples get in the boat even though he knew there was a storm coming. He knew that he could deliver them.

Some of us were called in the ‘calm’ and now we find ourselves in the ‘chaos’. Our lives and faith are proved through the storms.

Vs 47 – When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land

They find themselves in the middle of the lake and they think of turning back. But its harder to turn back than it is to carry on.

The enemy often whispers to us to ‘turn back – look at the mess’. But don’t get out of the boat.

The wind is like the enemy, we can’t see it but it causes the waves. Waves are like the tangible problems caused by people.
When we get in the boat with faith the enemy gets agitated. But Jesus is always in control. He is our protector. Don’t abandon the ship!

The storms happen to the best of us. The disciples had great destiny and yet they faced a storm. They kept moving forwards and Jesus walked towards them.

Gods timing is perfect.

You are a Shining Light

Church was excellent this morning Simon Wood shared a great message about us being a shining light.

We’re here to magnify God’s light through our lives. What we say to people will stay with them as seed sown…we may see the fruit now or in many years to come.

Matthew 5:14-15 – You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house

God wants us to be like that…as a city on a hill shining our light to the world. Attracting people to follow Christ.

We do this by making friends, connections…taking time out for people. We have a great message of Hope.

People need Hope!

“Man can live 40 days without food
3 days without water
8 minutes with out air
But only seconds with HOPE”

‘Hope gives us blessed assurance that despite circumstantial evidence to the contrary our future is well cared for in God’s hands’

When opportunities come our way to share our faith…take them!

God has given us hope when we needed it the most.

Hebrews 6:19 – We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure

As we have found hope and the strength for our soul let us be that strength for other people and show them the way to Christ and to Hope.

What keeps us hopeful? Knowing that He is always there our shield and our rock.

Ephesians 1:18 – I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints

Let us make sure that Jesus is our reference point…that keeps us on track…even when we go through a rough patch we will find the way.

Hebrews 10:23 – Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful

No matter what darkness comes against us He is faithful and shines brightly. We can therefore still find Life no matter what we face!

John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full

Shame Off You

Another incredible day in church yesterday. Paul Benger spoke a great message in the morning, 'Shame Off You'.

Very often people want to put shame upon us, but Jesus wants to lift shame off our lives.

John 8:1-11

The Pharisees set this woman up for a stoning to catch Jesus out. But Jesus faces up to their intimidation.

Religion tries to make us feel small, but Jesus wants to set us free.

Sin besets all of us – we all fall short and miss the mark (Greek interpretation of word for sin = missing the mark)

Things happen in our lives that attach shame to our lives. But Jesus came to lift that shame off our lives for the whole of our lifetime – not just for a day.

Whatever our past we can know God’s complete forgiveness and shame is lifted from us. Shame can be a cycle for us if we don’t allow God’s grace to transform us. When we are weak, God’s strength steps in and the power of his spirit can make us strong.

Every person can hit God’s will for their life. God believes that you can do it – you can have a positive God-filled future.

We are made holy in God’s sight through the blood of Jesus – we are righteous through him.

Shame is one of the biggest causes of low self-esteem.

It causes people to be aggressive/abusive.
Shame can be the reason that stops people from stepping into church.
Shame often stays longer than it should – way after we’ve received God’s forgiveness.
Conviction will bring us closer to God, whereas shame or condemnation will drive us away from him.

How do we overcome shame?

Romans 8:1 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

• We don’t get what we deserve, we get what God has provided : compassion, mercy through the cross. The woman in the story got amazing grace.
• God’s opinion is not based on what people think of us. He sees us from his own unique perspective. God is for us and with us and we shouldn’t be crippled by what others think. Don’t be trapped either by a snapshot of your life that is no longer you.
• God doesn’t condemn us, he wants to clear our conscience.
• God doesn’t abandon us, he stays in relationship with us.

Remember God loves you and has a purpose for your life.

The Rebels Guide to Humility

A packed morning in church…we heard a great message from Paul Benger entitled ‘The Rebels Guide to Humility’.

Philippians 2:5-11 - Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus is our great example of humility. Humility is not a negative thing…he is the name above all names, not puny…but at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow.

‘Let your attitude be the same as that of Christ Jesus.’ We get the choice in life; we’re not forced.
The Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, he provokes us, challenges us, then He says, ‘Let your attitude’. We get to choose what attitude we have. Will we let him lead us? Can Jesus be your Lord and speak into every area of your life? We are encouraged to let his attitude be inside of us.
What will you do with that word, that promise, that challenge? Which ‘you’ will you be?

Humility is not weakness…we’re not downtrodden. What I am today is not enough for what I can be tomorrow. Humility allows us to move forward…who I am in Christ even though my life is flawed…I am going to live out the life of Christ in me!

Humility says this is what God wants and prays ‘Your Kingdom come Your will be done’. Where does God’s Kingdom need to appear in my life?…this is rebellious humility!

‘Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be grasped’

Humility starts when grasping stops. This was in contrast to the Roman Empire at that time who were trying to grasp all they could…seeking to rule the World!

We’re not striving to conquer, we ‘rule’ by being who God has called us to be. We get the choice to be the person I want to be or to be the person God chooses me to be.

Having an attitude of thankfulness of praise is the real power behind humility. Thanksgiving for the work of God in my life.

When we get anywhere in our strength we’ll only stay there in our strength. Humility is recognising in who we are in Christ. Who I am in relation to who He is!

Ephesians 1:19-21 – That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come

Ephesians 2:4-6 – But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus

You’re sat in heavenly places! When we’re seated in heavenly realms it changes our view on things. What ‘Vistas’ are there in the light of this? Maybe it’s a view about you or your circumstances; a view about your ability or skill; your future. But when you’re sat in the right place, heavenly perspective, you see things differently…you change you view!

We might be ‘down there’ fighting but we’re ‘up here’ reigning! You’re a King’s kid! Seated in the heavenly realms…God has got good things for you! We will see more in our future from ‘up here!’

(Philippians 2) Humility leads us into…

Change
‘And being found in appearance as a man’. Humility changed Him. Humility changes us. Constant change is here to stay. We’re following him allowing him to change us.

Service
‘Taking the very nature of a servant’. On fire Christians are servants. We have great servants at CLC…let’s see what greater things are ahead – looking from you heavenly realms view!

Obedience
‘He humbled himself and became obedient’. We get to choose. Let us be the person that God has called us to be. Let us obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

God Exalting Us
‘Therefore God exalted him to the highest place’. God does the same for us…he lifts our lives. We don’t do this in our own effort alone but coupled with God he brings the increase as we partner with him.

Our grasping fails us but our humility exalts us.

Dreams

Great day in Church yesterday, in the morning Jeannie Benger spoke about dreaming big dreams.

Ephesians 3:20 (The Message) – God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us

We often live with low (or no) expectations. What are you expecting? What are your plans/dreams? We often drop in our thinking to the lowest common denominator, but we should expect big things from a big God!

Psalm 37:4 – Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart

Desire is creative. We need to be creative visionaries who desire to see others come to know him. Our task here on the earth as God’s people is to reach the world – let’s not be passive in this! If we desire nothing, nothing will happen. We are intelligent, redemptive sons & daughters of God.

2 Corinthians 10:13 – We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you

We need to move into our sphere of influence and make a difference. (Domino effect – if we only influence one person, we can in turn influence a multitude)

God has appointed jobs for you to do. There may be obstacles in your way, but God is greater than those obstacles. God has called us to influence other people’s lives and as we do that God will extend the borders in our realm of influence. People should be drawn to us because of what he is doing in our lives – our lives should be magnetic.

1 Timothy 4:12 – Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity

God gives us boundaries but sometimes we can restrict those boundaries and limit ourselves. We all have limiting factors in our lives and we need to learn to overcome them e.g. others’ opinions, education, our past, our status. Do not allow them to hold you back from the calling God has for you.

Nothing is impossible with God. If we choose not to obey him, he has a clever way of bringing us back to the same place and reminding us. At those times we need to rekindle those dreams that he gave us.

As a church we have a vision to be large and influential and we all have a part to play in that – it’s not just down to the leadership.

Acts 2:17 – In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams

God wants you to believe that he has called you, and our calling will be something that we are talented in so that we do not have to strive.

All around us dreams are being dashed but God wants to see your dreams being fulfilled. He wants us to have the faith that he can do amazing things through us.

Proverbs 16:9 – In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps

Declare that God has great plans and good things for us his children. Have faith in God and live a faith-filled life.

“Faith itself is a feeling…faith is a feeling of absolute confidence. It is David – running, laughing, to meet the giant. He is fully assured that God is with him. He is not trying to believe, or pretend to be bold hoping that God is with him; neither is he confessing the word to himself hopefully to build up his faith. No he is full of confidence. He feels great….faith is an attitude you have within you…” (Phil Pringle)

All of us need to look beyond what’s in front of us. Are we seeing God-given opportunities? Learn to listen to God’s whisper, which is meant just for you.

Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see

When we stay faithful to God’s calling he will do amazing things. Stir up the passion within you that leads to compassion for people and look for the reconciliation of the lost.

Dream big!…Don’t doubt – live with expectation.

Finding Joy – Together

Better late than never! Church was amazing on Sunday, two great services. Paul Benger brought an excellent message in the morning entitled, ‘Finding Joy Together’.

Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near

Philippians 2:18 – So you too should be glad and rejoice with me

Philippians is a book full of ‘joy’, the word joy and rejoice appears seven times. It’s a letter from Paul written to a people who not in the prefect of circumstances but a people under Roman rule.

This is a letter of encouragement and partnership. ‘Share my joy…we’re in this together!’

People in life are desperate to find joy.

Philippians 1:3-7 – I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me

So much of modern life revolves around ‘ME’. Today’s gadgets, iPhone, iPod and social networking sites, facebook, twitter - they connect us together ‘virtually’. When we connect together for real (the church) is where life flows. Iron sharpens iron.

We make a way for one another, we spur one another on. There is no way I would be the person I am today without others. Those that challenge me, encourage me and spur me on.

Joy is not just for my personal circumstances but in community, together. Joy is found in partnership together not in isolation.

Philippians 2:2 – then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose

Strife is a joy killer. But joy is made complete when we are together, one mind, one purpose, thinking the same way (we don’t have to always agree on everything!)
One spirit, great attitudes towards one another, generous hearts…we’re in this together building a great church with Jesus!

Three ways of finding joy ‘together’…

1) We find joy together when we partner with God’s vision

Many churches are dead because they are divided. We’re in this together not separate groups doing their own thing.

We find joy when we are in partnership together. Each of us playing our part…we’re in this together. This us our culture, as that grows our joy will grow!

‘The purpose of our salvation is for God to lavish his grace on us and spend forever doing it’ (John Piper) - This is true, what is also true…

‘The purpose of our salvation is to position and equip us to partner with God in His redemptive rescue mission for the planet’. (Paul Benger)

We celebrate with one another, lifting people’s lives!

2) We find joy together when we find confidence in God’s purpose

Philippians 1:6 – being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus

Confident! This was not written to individuals it was written to the church. At CLC we’re confident that He who began a good work…he’ll finish what he has started.

There are seasons in our lives and in the life of the church. Whatever season we are in let us not be laid low by S.A.D. (seasonal affected disorder). God wants us confident in any season we find ourselves in.

Joy is in our church. We’re not a SAD church!

3) We find joy together when we share together in God’s grace

Philippians 1:7 – It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me

We know the grace of God together; we share in it together and not just as individuals.

God is for us…we’re sharing the grace the favour of God together! I’m not good on my own left to my own devices. The church does me good!

We find joy together when share the grace of God together.

To Boldly Go

Church was excellent this morning. Andy Marsh was speaking for the first time at CLC and brought a great message entitled ‘To Boldly Go’.

John 4:1-42 (The Message)

Jesus was travelling from Jerusalem to Galilee. He took the shortest route and went through Samaria. The Jews would have normally taken the long route around Samaria to get to Galilee.

What was wrong with Samaria? The Jews and Samaritans did not get on. The Jews despised the Samaritans, looked down at them because they were of mixed race.

Why go through Samaria? He was taking the shortest route to save time. He may have been taking the safest route to avoid the Jewish leaders who were looking to oppose him. The main reason though is that Jesus was on a mission, today was the day he would meet with the Samaritan woman at the well.

What was the reason for John recording this event? 4 reasons,
- The importance of the route Jesus had chosen
- The personal message that Jesus had for the Samaritan woman
- The consequences of this message
- The importance of this meeting in contrast to his meeting with Nicodemus in the previous chapter

What so special about this meeting? Jesus was meeting with a woman, culturally not the done thing. She was not just any woman though, she was going to the well at noon the heat of the day and she was alone (the norm would be that the women would all go together to draw water). Maybe this was because of her reputation. She may have been an outcast, alienated from her people as well as the Jews.

Why did Jesus want to speak to her? It was her appointment with the Lord. Jesus wanted to meet her need. He had compassion for her. He has compassion for you also no matter who you are or what your past is.

Here Jesus met with a woman, of a hated mix race, of questionable morals and in a public place. A woman with no self-worth, no love, and yet she was about to have a life changing experience and not just her but her whole village as well!

She found hope and a future. Her past and her present were not going to determine her future as she surrendered her life to Jesus. This was true for her and it is true for you today!

What happened in the meeting? We see her needs both spiritual and physical were identified by Jesus and met. Her physical need was to get water and Jesus knew there was something more. He used other needs to meet the real need!

Jesus knew the issues he knew everything about her. Never worry about not being good enough…Jesus knows all about you and wants you to have a ‘full’ relationship with him. Let us not allow barriers to go up to prevent that happening.

The woman tried to avoid the issue at first by talking about religion. Don’t let us get distracted by religion.

Then came the revelation of who Jesus was. John 4:25-26 - The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

Then the acceptance of who he was. She accepts him for who he is. She receives the ‘free gift’ of salvation, so often we can have difficulty valuing something that is free.

The extremes - Jesus is for all! He meets with Nicodemus, the religious ruler in the previous chapter, and then with the Samaritan woman shortly afterwards.

God finds us worthy whoever we are. He seeks us out. He wants a relationship with us…not religion.

Jesus saw the value on her life even though she couldn’t. Grace says…you count, you matter, you important!

The consequences of the meeting

John 4:39-42 – Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world."

She went from her meeting with Jesus and back into her town…many believed because of what she said. What an incredible change must have happened in her life. They were amazed at her transformation!

We need to recognise the compassion Jesus showed to the Samaritan woman and to many others.

‘Evangelism with out Compassion is just Expansionism’ – Jeff Lucas

We make a difference in people’s lives as we show love and compassion. Never despise the small things that we do for people…we may not realise it straight away but those small things will make a huge impact in their future!

Missions Sunday

Great time in church today. It was our Missions Sunday where we shared about our Missions giving in the past year and also presented the church with our commitment to missions giving over the next year.

It was great to have our friends with us from City Hearts House (Sheffield) and Betel.

We also continue to support the Ground Level Network Overseas Missions, Links International and Compassion.

We also heard a great message from Duane White (Beyond These Shores) about what it is to have a Missions Addiction! To be addicted to Jesus and His Cause.

Three things that will be effected by our Missions Addiction...

It will change your speech.

How we pray, how we communicate with others. Make us more outward thinking...it's not about 'me'.

It will change where you Go!

What moves you? What gets you going? We will be compelled by the Holy Spirit to go. Get a vision for the world.

It will change what you do with your money.

Refocuses our thinking when it comes to how we give, where we give etc. See opportunities and take them!

God in HD - The Scandalous Love of God

Paul Benger completed our series “God in HD” today in church with an excellent message entitled The Scandalous Love of God.

Hebrews 1:3 – The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven

When we look at Jesus we see what God is like. Jesus reveals God in high definition.

We’ve seen in the news recently about the scandal of ex RBS boss Sir Fred Goodwin and the pension he is to receive - £693,000 per annum despite RBS poor performance…£25 billion deficit.

There is an even bigger scandal than that…Jesus is involved and we are involved. Our debt was much bigger than £25 billion! God stepped in and didn’t leave us in a position where we couldn’t pay. Through Jesus Christ his son he gave us life…eternal life…forgiveness…this was the scandal of the cross.

Romans 5:7-8 – Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us

This was the price that was paid to purchase our lives so that we could live the life we were meant to live. It cost the Father his only son.

God saw you and me…he saw a future, he saw a hope…he gave his life so that we might live.
This is the Grace of God giving us what we don’t deserve. We think about this everyday that we are living the life we don’t deserve…the gift of eternal life.

We’ve had a debt wiped out, one we could never pay.

The cross of Jesus was the scandal. In his last few days he says these words,

John 12:27-28 – “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again”

He doesn’t draw back from his calling. Showing us the love of God…the scandal…God in high definition as clear as you can get it.

“You loved a people undeserving”

1 John 4:10 – This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins

Three qualities of this Scandalous Love of God…

God’s love is scandalous because it is ‘undeserved’

We could never earn God’s love. Imagine a father saying to his child, “manage to keep all of these rules then I will love you”. He just loves his children anyway! No matter what we do God keeps on loving us.

Our love is so often ‘conditional’, and yet God loves us ‘unconditionally’. Don’t spend energy and effort to earn God’s love…he wants to show us the futility of trying to earn his love. This doesn’t eliminate hard work…but accept his love and don’t try to earn it.

Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. It’s a gift!

Remember the Samaritan woman at the well. She was ‘undeserving’ and she knew it…she must have told it so many times. Yet Jesus comes and says to her, ‘Ask me and I will give you living water’.

God’s love is scandalous because it is ‘unchanging’

Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us

He didn’t wait until we deserved it…he just loved us! He doesn’t change now that we know him. It isn’t God who opts-out, we’re the ones that opt-out.

We waver, we change…God’s love never changes. The glory of God can be seen in your life as you accept his unchanging love for you and be all you were meant to be!

Malachi 3:6 – I the LORD do not change

God’s love is scandalous because it is ‘unrestricted’

It can be difficult as a parent to know what to do in bringing our children up. When to step in and help or when to let them grow and find things out for themselves.

Because of God’s unrestricted love for us…

Romans 8:31-39

If God is for us who can be against us?
It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Let us stop condemning ourselves and carrying the weight around with us.
We are more than conquerors through him who loved us!
Nothing shall separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus - There is no ceiling to what God wants to do in our lives…He’s lifting it off of you!

We can struggle with this truth about the grace of God. The love of God reaches the places where we think it never will.

Jesus spoke to the criminal on the cross beside him, ‘today you will be with me in paradise!’

His love can reach us at any time, any point, any place…it is never too late.

1 Peter 2:24 - He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed

God in HD - Messiah

We continued this excellent series “God in HD” today in church. Mark Wilkins brought a great message on Jesus being the Messiah.

‘I believe in God revealed in Jesus of Nazareth’ – Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham

Messiah = Anointed One = Christ
Judaism believed that the Messiah would be the coming king to liberate Israel and rebuild the temple. They believed he would be a military leader to free them of their occupiers. Yet it was Jesus Christ stood before them who was their Messiah.

Matthew 5:17-18 - "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished”

Luke 24:25-27 - He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Within the Old Testament there is 322 verses about the coming Messiah. Isaiah wrote 700 years BC about the kind of Messiah he would be.

Isaiah 53:4-7 - Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

They believed that the Romans were their true oppressors and that the Messiah would liberated them from them. Yet Jesus revealed the true oppressor was their sin and that is what he wanted to free them from.

Romans 8:2-5 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

Sin is the oppressor and Jesus the Messiah comes to save us from our sin. God’s heart has always been to intervene and save his people. We see throughout the Old and New Testaments…this has always been his plan. Today people can still miss that. That Christ wants to save us from our sin, we may feel we’re not good enough, and yet Jesus has made a way. A way possible for us to have a relationship with God, to find freedom in Christ!

What motivated the Apostle Paul? Romans 9:2-4 - I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises

It grieved Paul immensely…for the people to know Christ and the freedom he gave. It weighed heavy upon him.

We’re so grateful for what God has done for us and yet it breaks our heart to see those around us in need of a Saviour. Just like the Apostle Paul, let us get close to God’s heart and be broken for those around us.

Ephesians 5:1 – Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children

Imitate God - Capture his heart for the people who are lost and far from him.

God has saved us, to be all that he wants us to be today…and not just the future. Salvation is not just getting your ticket out of here! He wants us to be all that Jesus was to people.

Matthew 20:1-16

The Parable of the workers in the vineyard…

- It’s never too late
- Even the unwanted are welcome
- The reward is the same
- It’s never about work
- Be gracious (don’t write people off who God hasn’t)

The Messiah…God’s heart is to save people whoever they are…even if they are 5 o’clock people. Let us have the same heart for people.

God in HD - God Hates Religion

We continued our God in HD series this morning in church. Paul Benger spoke a great message about the fact that ‘God Hates Religion’.

Hebrews 1:1-3

To know what God is like we’ve got to look at Jesus. He is the exact representation of God.
As we read scripture we can see that God loves people, even religious people – but he hates religion.

As we read the Gospels we see the stark reality of Jesus’ relationship with the religious people, the Pharisees.

Matthew 23:1-4 – Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

“Faith” and not “keeping rules” is the only righteousness that works. Jesus on a number of occasions challenged this about the religious leaders. Accused them of being blind, in fact ‘the blind leading the blind’. Their approach was legalistic and they would prefer to see the sick stay sick rather than see them healed on the Sabbath.

Matthew 15:8-9 – 'These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.

Why does this matter? It is easy to step from relationship into religion. It is easy to step from humility and step into pride…to trust in our own strength.

Jesus doesn’t want to make you religious. He longs for a personal relationship…it’s all about Him and not about our good works.

Religion doesn’t work and ends in despair. Religion and faith can look very similar. What are we trusting to save us? To rely on and to follow.

We can either fall into despair or we fall into pride. We try hard in our own strength to please God. Yet we need to rely on the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit and all that he has done. He paid the price for our sin. Relax and rely on him and his strength.

2 Corinthians 3:6 – He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

The letter kills. It kills the activity of the Holy Spirit in your life. When we step into religion our actions can look like they’re God honouring and yet our heart is far from him.

God hates religion and loves relationship. Religion kills and snuffs out the life of the Spirit. Do we want the life and activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives?

Three things that come from a relationship with Jesus Christ and not born out of religion…

1) Humility

Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us

1 Timothy 1:15-16 – Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

Jesus goes to sinners and they acknowledge they’re sinners. He goes to the religious people and they try to kill him.

Humility recognises the need for a Saviour, the need for a Lord, a King, a Shepherd. We need Him. Make him your Lord and Saviour.

Humility is not beating yourself up. Religion does this, i.e. the more we suffer the more closer to God we will be.

Relationship says no matter how much I beat myself up I can’t get closer to God. Jesus was beaten so that we can now be close to God…he was even crucified for us.

Don’t live like slaves but live like sons! Religion never leads to humility. God wants to do so much in us and through us. We can’t do it in our own we need Him…that’s humility.

2) Confidence

Religion destroys confidence. We can live with a Godly confidence as a child of God. Imagine what confidence we can live with as God as our father.

Hebrews 4:16 – Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Philippians 1:6 – being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Are you confident that God is going to do a good work in you? Christian Life Church is a church dedicated to building champions, over-achievers.

See breakthrough in areas of your life, confident that God is at work in you. He will use you and yet religion wants to stop that.

Humans intrinsically believe in ‘progress’. We were made to believe in progress, Hope – the best is yet to come!

We were made to know significance and value. We were made in God’s image – don’t get your value from your works (religion)…get it from God’s value on you! (relationship)

3) Joy

Religion doesn’t get Joy. Fun and freedom in Christ! Love God, love people and love life!

Joy is not dependent on our circumstances…on everything going well. Joy is what is going off on the inside, our relationship with Jesus, effecting my outside world.

Nehemiah 8:10 – …for the joy of the LORD is your strength

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

God in HD - Servant King

We began our new series this morning, God in HD, looking at who Jesus is. I spoke on the subject of Jesus our Servant King.

Philippians 2:1-11

If we are to be like Jesus, somehow we have to "let go of things" so they will lose their hold on us!

Jesus is the “Servant King” - a paradox or oxymoron? An apparent contradiction but in it there contains a great truth!

Matthew 16:25 - For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it

And Here in Philippians 2 - There is an exalted way that leads downward and a humble way that leads to exaltation.

Mark 10:45 – For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many

Jesus Christ also came to give his life so that we might live. As The Message puts it, Jesus came, “to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage.”

Jesus not only came to serve…he came to be the Suffering Servant. Jesus is not only the Suffering Servant…he is sovereign! The Paradox!

Jesus is never out of control of events and their consequences. The Son of God has power over sickness, disease and death, and the cross does not take him by surprise!

The cross is not a moment of failure for Jesus, but the defining event of his sovereignty. Even that level of hatred and suffering does not diminish the power of a Saviour who came to serve and give his life so that you and I might live!

Mark 10:43-45 - 'Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many'

Jesus is the ultimate example of service, and he died on our behalf. This, indeed, is the great paradox of the gospel: By giving up our lives in service to our Lord and Master, we gain eternal life through him.

One of the things it seems that Jesus is always doing is this, he radically redefines our understanding of something. His definitions of such things as success, power, leadership, service is the very opposite of how it is defined in our society.

John 13:1-17

What if Jesus had said, ‘I have washed your feet – now it is your turn to wash my feet’.
There would have been a race to get the basin and the towel. They would have been pushing each other out of the way. But that is not what Jesus says – his response is that we have to do to one another what he has done for us.

(15) I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

STEPPING INTO SERVANTHOOD REDEFINES POWER

Luke 22:24 - “A dispute arose among the disciples as to which of them was considered to be the greatest.”

The entire life of Jesus redefined power – in fact this was in his character and his attitude even before he came to earth.

Isaiah 52:13 & 53

These verses introduces us to Jesus some 600 years before Bethlehem and it invites us to meet him as the servant king. Servant and King moulded into one. This title is designed to introduce Jesus to us – to set the stage for his life.

The final demonstration of his servant life was when he went to die on the cross, as he laid aside his robe so he also laid aside his life.

In our society power usually comes from the top down. But in the Kingdom of God – true spiritual power starts with a basin and a towel.

STEPPING INTO SERVANTHOOD REMOVES PRIDE

Pride can damage the soul. It is at the heart of so many of the problems we have and the silly games we play with each other.

This incident in John 13 gives us tremendous insight into the human heart. It teaches us that there are two different kinds of pride.

1. There is the pride that will not give

None of the disciples would get up…then Jesus gets up to serve. There is a special grace needed which is the grace to give – and to serve graciously.

2. There is the pride that will not receive

Peter’s initial outburst to Jesus was that he would not let Jesus wash his feet. That was a different kind of pride – it is the pride that will not receive. It also denies community because it does not allow someone else to give.

STEPPING SERVANTHOOD RE-ALIGNS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR POSITION

When we use the gifts God has given us for his glory – we are serving. We do not own our gifts – we are simply stewards of them.

Servanthood is integral to God’s plan - “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

He became a servant to serve God’s plan so we could grasp the understanding of who God was and what he wanted to do. Jesus exemplifies the heart of a servant and places a premium on others.

Church was never meant to be a spectator sport – but an arena for all of God’s people to serve in works of service! Church becomes the place where we come and serve. How do we serve?

John 10:11-13 makes these amazing comments about Jesus, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”

True Servanthood is serving the purpose of God serving others with the love of Christ – whatever your hand finds to do – do it with all your might.

Vision Sunday

An important day for us at CLC…Vision Sunday 2009. Paul Benger shared with us the vision for 2009 and beyond.

Jeremiah 29:4-11 - This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them," declares the LORD. This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This word from God was given to a people in exile…don’t shrink back, keep getting bigger!

In the current climate we must be wise but let it not stop us from growing and increasing. Don’t let that spirit of shutdown/lockdown come into the church.

Proverbs 29:18 – If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed
Or…Where there is no vision, the people perish!

What are we believing to do? To build a world class church. Jesus said ‘I will build my church’. It’s not going to be shabby, back street out of the way. It’s going to be world class, impacting and influencing our world for the good!

‘The local church is the hope of the world’ – Bill Hybels

We’re here to fulfil the purpose and will of God. We’re here for the glory of God and not our egos.
Psalm 139:16 – All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be

Everyone born has a divine imprint, a destiny to follow Christ. This should motivate us to be the church that reveals this truth to our world, through our words and actions.


Videoblog 7 Feb 09 from paul benger on Vimeo.

“We are seeking to build a world class church” - 5 things we can be world class at…

Sunday Services

Services that honour God…that build connection with people and God. Teaching that is biblical and inspiring, changing lives.

What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to fill up our morning and evening services?

Connect Groups

Connect groups, like a net of light, across the Chesterfield and surrounding area.

What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to launch 2 new connect groups?

Children and Youth

Our children and youth ministries continue to grow. Bump (creche), Powerhouse (5-11), Base (11-18)

What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to see 5 new families and 25 new young people?

Mission

‘Reach Trust’ – continue and develop missional community activities.
Mission Sunday – where we will share and plan for the next of mission giving here and beyond.

What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to see £8000 given to missions?

Leaders

We need to develop leaders to continue to grow as a church. The key to moving forward.

What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to see our leadership capacity grow throughout the church?

Prayer underpins all of the above. It runs through everything that we do!

A House of Encouragement

Paul Benger completed this great series ‘House’ this morning with an excellent message entitled ‘A House of Encouragement’.

Building a house of encouragement is no fluke. To have a culture of encouragement in the house of God is intentional. It connects people with the power and the presence of God. We want people to feel better when they leave church!

If we are not careful vision can leak from our lives, the same can happen in the house of God when it comes to encouragement. We should remain stirred up when it comes to the gifts of God, let us be challenged.

Praise and worship should connect us to God and encouragement is the nature of God…putting courage into people. It’s what God does and it’s what we do!

Five important things concerning Encouragement…

1) ENCOURAGEMENT LISTENS

Psalm 10:17 – You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry

People feel that they are not listened to at times. ‘Nobody is listening to a word I say!’ God listens. Let us never be a people who don’t listen. We can develop selective listening if we are not careful!

God listens to our cries. We want to be a church that listens to the cries of people, not the whining or the whinging and complaining but the cries from the people who are hurting.

We don’t want to have ‘attention deficit’ when it comes to people.

Psalm 34:15,17 – The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles

We need to hear the cries of people, to be a house of encouragement, and not a place of whinging, whining, negativity but a place of faith. Don’t listen to the wrong voices.

2) ENCOURAGEMENT INSPIRES

Titus 1:9 – He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it

It’s great when something or someone inspires us to do something. Church leaders, through doctrine, should encourage and inspire people…not beat people up, tear down etc.

Teaching should encourage.

Proverbs 10:21 – The lips of the righteous nourish many

Good doctrine nourishes and inspires. Human nature defaults to the negative. But God is good; the bible teaches us this. God teachers inspire us where we are. Don’t ask for the ‘deep theology’ get inspired by the word you need for today!

We can have a ‘baton down the hatches’ mentality until Jesus comes…the spirit of recession. Let us not let that kind of thinking come into the church!

Psalm 85:12 – The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest

There are better days to come!

3) ENCOURAGEMENT GATHERS

There are people who never go to ‘Discouragementville’, people who are real encouragers!

Hebrews 10:25 – Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another— and all the more as you see the Day approaching

Be gathered and encouraged! Don’t stay at home. The more we’re gathered the more we need to gather. We need praise and worship that lifts us and the word of God that inspires us and encourages to get up and live faith filled lives!

This is a House of Encouragement!

Acts 13:14-15 – From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak

Paul takes the opportunity to speak encouragement. In verse 26 he declares that salvation has come. Later on he declares that ‘Jesus is alive!’ This is our message today and every week…not just at Easter!

Later on in Acts 13:42,44, they were invited back to speak again and the whole city gathered! Encouragement gathers!

It’s so much easier to get discouraged when we stay at home…home alone!

4) ENCOURAGEMENT GIVES

Deuteronomy 3:28 – But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see."

Moses was told that he was not going to take the children of Israel into the Promised Land but Joshua. Moses wanted to do it…dreamed of this moment most of his life. And yet it was Joshua who took them in.

Moses wanted to die in faith…to keep on dreaming. Let us have that kind of heart and attitude. Even if we don’t get to live out our dream of what God has put inside of us…others will! We want to see the ‘Joshua’s’ being raised up in church.

‘Successful people make quality decisions and then spend their life managing those decisions’ (John Maxwell)

Feelings can manage our decisions when decisions should manage our feelings. Make a decision to be a people of encouragement. Encouragement sees the potential in people…let us look at how we can put courage in people.

5) ENCOURAGEMENT STREGTHENS

Make it your default position to be an encourager of people.

1 Corinthians 14:3 – But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort

Acts 15:32 – Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers

Our God is the lifter of our heads. Godly encouragement is more than a slogan…it actually gets the job done!

Jeremiah 29:10-11 – This is what the LORD says: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future

God is encouraging his people. In verses 8-9 he tells them not to listen to those he hasn’t sent, those who deceive. Listen to me God says, to my promises. In verses 5-7 he encourages them to build – build houses, plant crops, be fruitful!

Listen to God’s plan for your lives…be encouraged!

Let this be a House of Encouragement!

Here I Am

Great time in church today. Nathan Benger brought an excellent message entitled ‘Here I Am!’

Hebrews 10:5-7 – Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am - it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God.'

Let us make ourselves available for God. Remember these things…

No…there isn’t anything I cannot do!

Luke 1:37 – For nothing is impossible with God

God can do anything in our lives. Do it for God! All things are possible with God whatever obstacles we face or troubles…God is bigger…God is stronger!

Matthew 19:26 – Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible

No matter what we do for God we can accomplish all things!

Footballer’s testimony…“At the age of eighteen, Kaká suffered a career-threatening and possibly paralysis-inducing spinal fracture as a result of a swimming pool accident, but remarkably made a full recovery. He attributes his recovery to God and has since tithed his income to his church”

Believe that by putting our faith in God we can accomplish so much. We can impact our town as a body of people, our homes, streets and workplaces. ‘Light gathered on Sunday and light scattered during the week’.

Our faith flourishes through obedience. Jesus is our ultimate example in this…he was obedient to death!

Romans 16:26 – But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.

Great things can happen through obedience to our faith.

Yes…to making myself heard

We have people around us who we can have an impact upon and make the name of Jesus known to them. Through friendship and being there for them in times of need etc.

Mark 16:15 – He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation

Our aim is to go into our world and preach the good news and be good news! There are many ways in which we can do this.

We are here for our world, whoever they are and whatever they’ve done. Jesus is our great example for this. Don’t hide away from people…make yourself available and be heard!

Yes…to stepping up and saying ‘Here I am!’

Going to church is great food for our lives and helps us in having the maximum impact on our world.

Let us the same attitude of Jesus as mentioned Hebrews 10, ‘I have to come to do your will O God!’

Jesus knew the impact this would have on the world…it did then and still has today. Lives are being changed and will be changed.

Do we need to say today, ‘Here I am!’?

A House of Prayer

Another great message from Paul Benger this morning as we continued our ‘House’ series. His message was called ‘A House of Prayer’.

Having a powerful and effective prayer life is not just about praying more.
We can find ourselves feeling guilty because we say to ourselves ‘we should pray more’. It can become a burden and we feel rubbish because we don’t feel we’re fulfilling our prayer potential. And yet a powerful and effective prayer life is available for all of God’s people. We can have great prayer lives!

We know that God’s power at work is a result of our prayers. When we look back at our prayer history we see mixed results, some answered and some not.

Jesus wants his house to be a house of prayer.

Mark 11:15-18 – On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: " 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.' " The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

Jesus did this because he had a passion for God’s House. Why did this event have so much impact?

Jesus touched and challenged their morals….their motives. The sacred cow, money, ‘we don’t talk about those things’…and yet Jesus did!

Jesus touched the multitudes…the whole crowd. They were amazed by Jesus’ teaching and turned from their ways in an instance.

Jesus had and still has a passion for his house…and for it to be a house of prayer.

Christian Life Church is a house of prayer. But it’s not just the prayer we organise but your prayer and my prayer.

Let’s see our prayer life gain momentum. Like the car, which uses more fuel to get off the drive than it does when travelling at 60mph. It’s when we have that kind of stop/start prayer life we find it a struggle. Pray whenever and wherever you can.

Luke 1:1-13

Jesus wants to teach us how to pray. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray…not to manage, not to lead. They recognised the power that was at work because of Jesus’ prayer life.

We are reliant on prayer to see God’s power at work in us and in our world.

‘Nothing happens except in answer to prayer’ – John Wesley

When we pray the activity of God increases

PRAYING BECAUSE OF DESIRE

The disciples had a desire to pray. God has put that in all of us…a desire for intimacy with God. ‘Our Father…’ – our identity as children of God…we believe this is our standing with God as we come to him in prayer.

Prayer releases the activity of God…’Your Kingdom come’ – peoples lives set free…miracles…people coming to faith. Let’s pray!

PRAYING BECAUSE OF THE WILL OF GOD

‘Your Kingdom come Your will be done’- his will is in his word. Let us pray that his will be done.

Luke 11:11-13 - Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

When we ask we receive more of God’s spirit. Have a confidence in the will of God for our lives and the lives of people. When God says it He means it! He desires his will to be done. He is not willing that any should perish. Let our prayers be bolder! Let us be a house of prayer.

PRAYING FOR THE GLORY OF GOD

Our desire is to see a house of magnificence, a glorious house! That our God will be known, everything about him. His fame and not ours, his name and not ours. He is glorified when he is seen in us and in his house.

God is glorified in a house of prayer.

PRAYING PERSISTENTLY

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Sometimes we’ve just got to keep praying…because we know what we are asking for is God’s will.

Kick start our prayer lives. Pray a little…often, whenever and wherever we can.

Full House

Today in church Paul Benger continued our great series ‘House’ with an excellent message called ‘Full House’.

1 Chronicles 22:5-7

It’s on God’s heart to build a great and magnificent House…let this be in hearts also.

God gives us a passion for his house. Sometimes we can get disillusioned with church. God wants to put a passion for his house inside of us.

We’re going to see a great move of God in our lifetime and across our area. Christian Life Church is going to be a great part of God’s glorious house!

Revival is when God moves and touches the lives of great numbers of people and we see God’s house impacting and influencing the lives of many.

We can and will see the passion for his house being passed through the generations…it won’t remain with the one generation.

How do you picture the House of God? Nothing is too good for God! Some say ‘don’t get too fanatical about Church’…but how can we get too fanatical about God’s house, how can we get too passionate about building the house of God…reaching people and seeing lives transformed! You can’t get too passionate about that!

When we talk about the house of God we’re not just talking about buildings…but the things that we own should reflect His goodness. We should give him the best that we can! This is his house…his eyes are on it and his heart is in it.

FULL OF PEOPLE

God wants to see his house FULL. To see a throng of people.

Luke 14:11-24

As disciples Jesus is teaching us that He doesn’t come second. In this text even though we know that everybody loves a party, a banquet…the people were apathetic.

But we believe when God moves the people will say ‘Yes!’ His house is going to be ‘full’ and will be a magnificent house.

We know that it’s about people and not about numbers…but we read in the book of Acts that thousands of people were added to the church. We’re reaching the multitudes, the throngs of people. Every person is a life that God wants to touch…and for us to reach.
The church is meant to be BIG – SMALL…congregation of the multitude and the smaller connect groups.

Psalm 35:18 – I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you

We need to get used to crowds on earth because Heaven is going to be busy!
Today’s average church attendance in the UK is about 45…we need to think bigger!

Psalm 42:4 – These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.

A festive throng…a celebration! Crowds of worshippers. Wherever Jesus went there was a crowd, and he also met with the ONE. The church should be the same.

Can we see a vision of something great, something magnificent…a full house. The expansion of God’s Kingdom overtaking our lives!

John 1:43-47 – The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."

Can anything good come from Chesterfield? In 2009 Jesus will find somebody through you. His house is meant to be full of people.

FULL OF GOD HIMSELF

Ephesians 1:22-23 – And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

People are meant to encounter God in the House and in our week as we go out into our world. They’re meant to encounter something of the character of God, his heart and attitude. Through the church, through you and me, they encounter God’s colours – faith, hope and love.

When we encounter the fullness of God in his house we can’t stay miserable, we can’t stay afraid, we can’t stay worried!

In the midst of God’s presence, in his house amongst his people…there is no end to God. He wants his house to reflect him.

FULL OF FOOD

Malachi 3:10 – Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it

It’s about God’s house being full of blessing that there’s not enough room for it! He fills it with food as give…he fills it with ministries, friendships, relationships, connections.

People are starving and God wants to fill them through us…through the House of God being full to overflowing!

The church is the environment where God speaks and lives are fed with ‘soul food’.

Matthew 4:4 – Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God

People will find good things in the House of God that will feed their lives with something that truly satisfies.

Even if we have failed we will find a way back because God’s grace is available to all.

People need to be in his house because they will find food for the soul.

Let us seek to bring others to Christ…‘raise the risk’…ask the question, ‘will you come to church with me?’ Pray for friends and family to come.

A Heart for the House

Great message in church yesterday. As part of our new series called ‘House’ Gavin Lloyd and Paul Benger started it off with a message called ‘A Heart for the House’.

God’s heart is for his house!

1 Chronicles 22:5-7

David declares his heart for the House of God – ‘I had it in my heart to build a house for the name of the Lord my God’.

Another King of Israel, Asa, also had a heart for the House of God.

1 Kings 15:14 - Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life. He brought into the temple of the LORD the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.

He was fully committed, dedicated he had a heart for God and a heart for the house of God.

We can build something great when we have a people who have a heart for God and a heart for the House of God!

As we read scripture it becomes more and more evident that the House of God was in God’s heart as well.

1 Kings 8:17-18 – "My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. But the LORD said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart.

There are those who say they are for the Kingdom of God but they’re not really into ‘the church’. But you can’t separate the two, the Kingdom of God from the church of Jesus Christ.

We need to understand the power of God that’s at work when we gather together around the name of Jesus!

1 Kings 9:3-4 – The LORD said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

If we want to get under God’s gaze and into his will, into his heart…where do we need to be – in the House of God!

“His eyes are on it and his heart is in it!” – The Message

Don’t underestimate the love that God has for his church. I believe we truly connect with God when our heart is in His House.

God’s heart is for the house – a house of magnificence and splendour and fame!

Psalm 42:4 - These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.

This was no run-down, boring, irrelevant place…this was the House of God! Exciting, pulsating, happening place…a place of magnificence and splendour!

Let’s get a heart for the house of God…remembering that this is place where God has his eyes on it and his heart in it!

1 Timothy 3:15 - The church is God’s household…it’s his Family - The church of the LIVING God. God is alive today!

Why should we have a Heart for the House of God? Because Christ loved the Church!

Ephesians 5:25,27 – Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless

His desire is for a radiant Church! A glorious church! Never settle for anything less!

I believe being a Christian means commitment to ‘the cause’ of Christ. ‘I will build my church…’

John 2:17 - "Zeal for your house will consume me."

We need to recognise that to have a heart for God we need to have a heart for the House of God as well. We’re committed to the Family of God, to see it prosper, to see it flourish, to see people’s lives flourish.

The church as a force…an immovable force…mobilised force – reaching, teaching, helping, feeding, giving, loving. It still thrives today…a resilient church! The Church of Jesus Christ is ALIVE!

Jesus is building His Church! God loves His Church – His eyes are on it and His heart is in it!

Don’t under estimate the House of God…it’s powerful place to be! Don’t let our hearts slip…and be moved away from the House of God. When we need to always remember – His eyes are on the House of God and his heart is in the House of God! Let us always have a heart for God and a heart for the House of God.

Our gifts will excel when they are used in the church.

1 Corinthians 14:12 – So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church

So much of your natural ability/talent when committed to having a heart for the house will be maximised!

Jesus loved the church and gave his life for her. He loved her that much! Don’t try loving God without loving His Church. A heart for God is a heart for God's House.