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Our Literature
Spiritual Gifts
Feb 19th
Discovering our place in God’s church by using the gifts he has given
- Introduction
- Biblical Foundations
- Exploring the Gifts
- Stepping Out
1. Introduction
James 5 13-18
Feb 19th
In James 5:15 we read that the elders of the church/Christian community can pray over a person and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord, and that “the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.” Although this promise is very clear there are many that have suffered and died, despite having been anointed with oil. So what is going on? Is the lack of results due to lack of faith, or maybe failure because the correct procedures were not followed?
Worship
Feb 19th
- What is worship?
- When we stop worshipping God, what happens?
- What is the difference (if any) between worshipping and worshipping in spirit and in truth?
- How important is worship?
In worship we focus on all that God has already done, and recognise that we are blessed because of His hand of grace and not our own achievements.
“…Israel’s worship shows the same dynamic as Israel’s ethics; namely, that it is based on God’s prior action. God had already acted in blessing; therefore Israel was to celebrate that in worship and praise.”
Spirituality
Feb 19th
You were thought of in the mind of your Creator before the world came into existence. Before atoms and molecules were spoken into being there was a reason for creating you. Before the movement of this planet, or the touch of the sun and moon upon our orbiting world your Creator knew of a time when you would arrive. You were thought of before the painting was on the canvas, or the ingredients of the Universe were mixed together in a pageantry of colour and harmony. Before the advent of time there was, in the mystery of eternity, a plan to create mankind. There was a plan to create beings able to partake in all the wonder and beauty of this world, and also reach beyond it to fullness of life with their creator. Yes, before mountains and valleys were shaped and moulded, or the orderliness of seasons was set in place there was a decision made in eternity. There was a decision made to create a being, able to benefit from the love of another. You are special, you are unique, you are noticed; you were created to be loved and to love.
The Caring Church
Feb 18th
Churches are not buildings but people from all different walks of life who have accepted the gift of salvation and know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Yet this is not the end of the story. Each one of us is a work in progress; therefore we are all constantly shifting and changing as we learn to embrace all that is ours in Christ. This is not always easy since there can be deep-rooted issues in our lives that we may not even be aware of at times. Whilst there are going to be many good things in our lives, each of us may also have a whole library of life experiences and attitudes, some of which have developed as a means of coping with the troubles and traumas we have had to face. Because we often spend years seeking to protect self, it can be very difficult to let the barriers down and learn to deal with issues by seeking the grace that is already ours through Christ.
Be Encouraged
Feb 18th
This week I was sent a PowerPoint titled “Someone Cares”. The PowerPoint contained various pictures of people, along with the following words, and background music “It’s too good to be true, I can’t keep my eyes off of you.” The words? - “Had a bad day? Feel alone and abandoned? Convinced nobody cares about you? Think no one cares about your life; your work? Are you sure nobody sees your success or failure, and doesn’t care if you live or die? You are wrong. Somebody is very interested in everything you do. When everybody else quits on you…we never stop thinking of you.” The PowerPoint concluded with the logo of the Inland Revenue.
Peace
Feb 17th
Many years ago Ann and I bought a Tiffany print for £50, (a large outlay for students!). The picture was full of vibrant colours, as you looked out onto a landscape through a medieval window, and I would often find myself drawn to the picture. Many years later I went online to look at how much another print would cost. In looking at a picture of the one I already owned I came to realise that, over the years, I had not noticed how much it had faded – or that the colours now bore little similarity to the original. I now knew the difference and could not restore my picture. Eventually I took it down, and then threw it out.
A Loving Father
Feb 17th
A young man once asked two married men what their wives were like. The first man replied, “My wife is my best friend. I love her smile and her sense of humour and we really enjoy being with each other. She has such a positive outlook on life and we like to think we really compliment one another.” The second man then spoke about his wife. He said, “My wife consists of 65% water, 15% protein, 11% fat, 5% minerals, 0.1% carbohydrate. The minerals are phosphate, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and a few others I don’t remember.”
Looking At The Meaning Of Trinity
Feb 17th
Imagine that you arrive at the scene of an accident, and find a smashed car at the bottom of the cliff on which you are standing. The car is green, and with very large wheels and tyres – the sort you’d only find on customised cars. At the cliff edge you see the green paint on many of the rocks, and the large distinctive tyre tracks leading over the edge of the cliff. The soil was disturbed, and rocks had fallen away. Directly below were the remains of the vehicle. Logically speaking the car had slipped over the cliff. Although you were not present, and do not necessarily understand how it had happened, all the evidence (secondary factors) points to one logical conclusion: the car went over the cliff.
