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As we encounter and experience Jesus through worship and go deeper into relationship with him through his living and active Word, we find that he wants to work in us and show us our purpose. https://youtu.be/Uag1VX2bRXo But this is most powerful when we are a part of a loving Christian family, working in community. Today we’ll see what God is saying to us through the life of Jesus in the gospels and the early church in the book of Acts. Jesus and the twelve disciples Luke chapter 6 shows us something of a pattern we might learn from Jesus: 12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles… 17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all. (Luke 6:12-19) As we think though our 4 values in order, starting with worship we might remember that we call worship, ‘living life with Jesus at the centre.’ For Jesus himself this could be described as living life with God the Father at the centre. Spending the night in prayer was what he did just before he appointed the 12. Before he was to expand his ministry he needed to know he was walking perfectly in the will of the Father. For us to follow in this example means we will seek his face, sit at his feet, spend time with God before anything else. Today we are thinking about the value we have called oneness. I just wanted to demonstrate from this passage that perhaps Jesus knew that to bring a group of men together with different personalities in unity, his own connection to the Father was crucial. Indeed, before gathering people together in oneness, our worship and connection to God must come first. When we are connected to God and aligned to his will, we will gather around the right people. In this case it was only Jesus who spent the night in prayer, and not the disciples. From their perspective they had not necessarily been seeking God’s face. But now they are with Jesus - God incarnate. They will learn to align to Jesus’ lifestyle and teachings, and this will in turn enable them to be aligned to one another. So whether you look at it from Jesus’ perspective in this story or from that of the disciples, in order to be effective together, and stay together, we need to be close to God. This brings me to think about another of our values - work. Once united with Jesus, and then with one another, they find the work they have to do together. God has work for us to do. But he rarely has us operate in isolation from other believers. In fact it’s clear in scripture that we are meant to be together, in unity, and that is how we are most effective. Let’s clarify the pattern that can be found in this story before moving on. It starts with our connection to God - our worship, or ‘communion’ with the Father. Then we are able to fellowship with one another. We move from communion to community. As we do this, God leads us to the works he has prepared in advance for us to do, our ministry. The danger is we do this the other way around. We have a heart to do something, to be his hands and his feet, and we set out to do it with all our might, and we get on with it wholeheartedly. But we soon find we are short of resources. So our work calls for others. Then we move from ministry to look to the church community. We look for help from those who might not really have a passion for what we are trying to do. Some may help out of guilt, some because they agree it’s a good idea, those with money donate finance so they don’t have to get ...

https://youtu.be/MV3ov7Exp1U As we encounter and experience Jesus through worship and go deeper into relationship with him through his living and active Word, we find that he wants to work in us and show us our purpose. 1: We were designed to fulfil a purpose In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) God created mankind in his own image (Genesis 1:27) We see from these two verses that God is creative and that we are made in his image - we were built to create something too! And it’s also true that he made us all unique, which means we have a unique role in our families, workplaces, church and society. We have work to do that it bespoke to us, exciting, satisfying and fruit-bearing! 2: Work is not a punishment / result of the Fall: The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15) As part of a perfect world with no sin, no weeds, no earthquakes or disease, God gave Adam a responsibility. I imagine he could prune, discover, learn about herbs (but not for healing!), tree types, begin to use wood, build, expand, create musical instruments, machinery, bridges, and as humanity grew in a perfect world, things would have looked very different. In this unfallen world that God had made, work could not have been a punishment or a burden. If we are to reflect the Kingdom that is in God’s nature and not our own we will find work that is satisfying and enjoyable, just made for us to do. 3: God hasn’t stopped working He made you and saved you (if you’ve accepted Jesus as your saviour)! 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)  God did the initial work of creating us but he also came to earth to save us so he could do the work of salvation. We played no part in our redemption except to receive it. We are his handiwork. Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8) So the first thing to do is stop trying too hard, go back to values 1 and 2 and worship Jesus, get into his word and receive the finished work that He has already done for us. You cannot save yourself and you cannot self-improve to the heights that God has destined for you. 4: There is work for us to do that has been prepared in advance 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10) There are good works for us to do and they were prepared in advance for us. Whenever you take a new job on, you were appointed because there was something that needed doing. The work needed doing before you were called upon. When I took my first job as a teacher, my boss met up with me before the first term and handed over lesson plans, worksheets, programmes of study and soon afterwards I received my timetable. The work was prepared in advance for me to do it, I was brought into the school and only I was appointed to teach those classes. I was not brought into the school because I was bored or needed the money and the school took pity on me or saw it as their role to keep me occupied until retirement. They wanted me and they needed me! I was selected where other candidates were not, because the governors thought I was the man for the job. In the same way, God does not create jobs to keep people busy while they are waiting for heaven. He also does not put anyone on earth to do nothing. He creates people because there is work to be done. He crafted you purposefully and carefully so that you might do the works prepared in advance for you to do. He placed you on earth on the day you were born so you could be alive today. He has a plan, and we don’t know the half of it! His plan is bigger than us - we just have to play our part.

https://youtu.be/Nb-jKhi_LBY (Dr David Petts) Philip’s four daughters (Acts 21:9) Have you ever been in a situation…? where you desperately needed God to speak to you facing a problem and there seems to be no solution then, someone who knows nothing about your problem says something which speaks into your situation and you know in your heart that this has to be a word from God himself. This could happen through preaching or through prophecy. In our meetings people often share what they believe God is saying So it’s important that we understand what the Bible has to say about it. In Acts 21… some interesting examples of how this gift was used. Paul is on his way back to Jerusalem towards the conclusion of his third missionary journey. In verses 9-14 we’re told what happened at Caesarea. Paul and his companions stayed with Philip the evangelist for several days and we’re told that Philip …had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. However, the major event is the arrival of the prophet Agabus who prophesies over Paul. We’ll look at this in a moment, but first: What the Bible teaches about prophecy in generalProphecy in Acts 21Philip’s four daughters who prophesied (v9). What the Bible teaches about prophecy in general To prophesy means to speak on behalf of God (Cf. Exodus 7). The Bible reveals at least four different levels of prophecy: The prophecy of Scripture which is infallible (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20). All other prophecies must be judged in the light of this.All Christians should prophesy (speak for God) (Acts 2:17ff.)The gift of prophecy, the purpose of which is to strengthen, encourage and build up the church (1 Cor.14:3). It’s not infallible (1 Cor.14:29), but it must not be despised (1 Thessalonians 5:20)The ministry of a prophet (Ephesians 4:11) Acts 21:4.  An example of the gift of prophecy We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. Acts 21:10-14.  An example of the ministry of a prophet What can we learn about prophecy from Acts 21? Acts 21:10-14 10. After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, ‘The Holy Spirit says, “In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.” ’ 12. When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13. Then Paul answered, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ 14. When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, ‘The Lord’s will be done.’ From this we learn 4 things: 1. Prophecy can be predictive v.11 In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles 2. It can be misapplied vv. 12-13  12. When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Cf. 21:4. We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. But Cf. 20:22-23 And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 3. Only the individual can decide the Lord will for himself  v13 Then Paul answered, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ Note: unlike OT prophets, after Pentecost NT prophets don’t tell people what to do. 4. Even with the gift of prophecy, we do not always know God’s will for sure and have to say ‘the Lord’s will be done’ v.14.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone has suffered losses. For some it’s the loss of loved ones, for others the loss of routines and the familiar, the missed family gatherings or coffee with friends, the cancelled holidays and postponed weddings, even the loss of going into the office every day. Any loss, big or small can cause us to experience grief. And the bigger the loss, the greater the grief. A war widow will know greater loss than the person who loses a favourite jumper. Christian psychiatrist Curt Thompson defines grief as “Our emotional inflammatory response to loss… when we are deprived of anything to which we have a significant emotional attachment…” So grief is our emotional response to loss, whatever the loss is. If it was something significant to us and we lose it, we will experience grief. I’m told that we can compare grief with physical injury. When our bodies suffer harm we feel physical pain and there is a wound that needs to heal. In a similar way, grief pierces the soul and causes some kind of inner wound. The injury of grief is worse when the thing or person you have lost is more important to you. So when we scratch ourselves pulling out brambles, the injury is minor and will heal quickly, but when we incur a more serious injury, it may take specialist help and time to heal. Grief too can be serious and deep or just a moment to work through. In John 11 we see a beautiful picture of Jesus in all his humanity as well as the ultimate power he held as Son of God. We also can learn something about the grieving process.

Our second value is the Word - following the Bible as a guidebook to life.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“Look beyond the mountains to the One who made the mountainsLook beyond the raging sea to the glorious horizon that awaits youLook beyond the problem to the One who is the solution to the problemLook beyond this squalid evil world to the heavenly country which awaits youLook beyond every difficulty, every hardship, every form of suffering, to the day when you will be free from all these thingsLook beyond the arguments of men to the wisdom of the Almighty GodLook beyond whatever is facing you.Look beyondLook beyond the wonders of creation to the One whose genius created itLook beyond the starlit sky to the One who designed the galaxiesLook beyond the brevity of life on earth to the One who inhabits eternityLook beyond the grave to the One who is the resurrection and the lifeLook beyond your weaknesses, failures and sins to the One who paid the price for them all at Calvary.Look beyond.” www.davidpetts.org/look-beyond Looking to Jesus Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Therefore - Because of all the people in the previous chapter who lived by faith who were looking forward to a greater reward than anything here on earth. Hebrews 11:10 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10  For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:13-16 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:24-26 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. This is the context of the ‘therefore’ at the beginning of chapter 12. Because of these people who lived by faith, because of their faith in something more, because of their looking beyond the current battle, problem, scenario. And since we are surrounded by these witnesses let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Everything that hinders. What might that be for us today? What hinders you from looking beyond? What makes you look down rather than up? Or around rather than beyond? What is there around you that contradicts the gospel, the good news that Jesus is on the throne, and he has a plan for the salvation of his children, a plan that was written before even the world was founded? What hinders you? And what sin so easily entangles you? There is no judgement here. The word ‘easily’ means you didn’t go out of your way to sin. It just slipped in. The next line talks about running the race. You can’t run life’s marathon with sin around your ankles. Throw it off!

GRACE FIRST 24th January 2021 Paul Black Three weeks ago I spoke about the ministry of Jesus and how He lived, I believe, with an attitude of GRACE FIRST.  I shared accounts of Jesus ministry to Zacchaeus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well. The Bible tells us Jesus came full of “grace and truth”. Jesus never compromised on the truth and His ministry should be an example to each one of us of how we can reach out to our neighbours; our neighbourhoods’, our towns, even our nation and see lives changed. I want to continue this theme by looking at another aspect of the ministry of Jesus and how He taught and touched people’s lives. We must learn from Him.   (Matthew 11:28-30 - The Message) - Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep Company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”   I would like to share with you this morning a few thoughts from a parable, which Jesus told to a crowd of people, who had gathered around him. The crowd included tax collectors; sinners and even Pharisees and Teachers of the Law.  The Pharisees and Teachers of the Law weren’t happy with the others in the crowd. They were upset with Jesus and they muttered amongst themselves; ‘This man welcomes sinners and He eats with them’.   Jesus heard the mutterings and so He told them a series of parables.  The first one was about a man who lost a sheep and how he went to seek the one that was lost, leaving the other ninety-nine safe and protected. He told the next parable about a woman who had ten silver coins who had lost one. How she searched for it and swept the house clean and didn’t rest until she found her lost coin. I read the other day that a woman on her marriage would sew ten silver coins into her headdress - so this lost coin would be very special to her. Jesus, in these two parables, was showing the heart of the person who had lost something of valuable, and the efforts they went to find them - a shepherd - a sheep - a woman - a coin. BUT then Jesus really raises the bar and tells the story of a father who has lost his son.   This is the parable I would like to share some thoughts on.  This has become known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son but the word prodigal doesn’t appear in it. It appears as if an editor or somebody wrote this title above these verses in the Bible and it stuck. The word “Prodigal” actually means ‘Recklessly Extravagant’ or ‘Having Spent Everything’.  We have come to think that this parable was mainly about the son - ‘His Reckless Extravagance’ – ‘His Having Spent Everything’.  BUT many think that this parable’s main focus is the Father? Jesus tells about the man who had two sons. One day the younger son comes and asks for his inheritance NOW.  What he was effectively telling his father was that, he didn’t want to wait until he died, he wanted the money now.  He didn’t want to live under his father’s rules and restrictions – he wanted to live – he wanted his freedom now, to be free from his responsibilities in his father’s house, he wanted to go and enjoy himself.  He wanted to go and live life – not to be restricted here.  I think that as Jesus continued the parable, the crowds would have been shocked at such a request by the son, but even more so, that the father did what his son asked.  So the son leaves – his pockets full of cash – the open road before him – freedom; life; enjoyment; all the things he wanted; free now to do what ever he wanted without have to refer to anybody else. He would now decide what was good or bad for him – fullness of life here I come. But it didn’t work out that way!  With a lot of money in his pocket he gathered a lot of friends. We are told he squandered his money on getting drunk; on prostitutes and on ...

17/01/2021 -  Zoom meeting highlights. Ft. Verity Hyde and Jonathan Petts Bible References: Psalm 46:10, Isaiah 61:1, Psalm 69

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JthWgUl7t1g Remember from last time There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12   Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become ‘fools’ so that you may become wise. 1 Corinthians 3:18   The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:17 One area of God’s wisdom that contradicts much human wisdom is the idea that slow is not always a bad thing. In fact sometimes slow is essential to living the live God intended. Dallas Willard referred to hurry as the “great enemy of spiritual life in our day.” His message was to “ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”   Hurry is the enemy of love Love has many enemies. Most of them are centred in the self. If I were to ask you what you thought would be the opposite of love, many of you might answer, “Hate. Hate is the opposite of love.” But I’d say it’s selfishness, or just the self. If love is others-centred then possibly the greatest enemy of love is self-centredness. And being self-centred manifests itself in many ways. One of them is hurry. Thus, in my thinking about hurry, and in my attempts to ‘ruthlessly eliminate’ it, I have to consider how my hurried efforts become the antithesis of love. If you don’t believe that love and hurry are incompatible, think of when you’ve been in a hurry and someone has interrupted you. How loving were you then to that person? Did you show them unconditional positive attention? Thought so. Love is slow. It takes time. It is patient. It’s not in a hurry. Of course, we have to set boundaries as to how much interruption we allow. People need to know that we have things to do and people to see. But when interrupted, is it possible to take a pause, take a breath, and think, is this person’s interruption of equal value to the thing I am heading for? How urgent is my schedule? Can I adjust and see this as an opportunity to listen to or be with someone else? It might only be a few moments but you’ll miss out on them if you let hurry rule. Think about how Jesus was on the way to Jairus’s daughter. She was sick and dying. Surely that was urgent! And he was interrupted by someone who was unclean and broken. An ageing and suffering woman touched him, and he felt the power go out of him. The human side of Jesus could easily have continued on to heal the sick girl. But he stopped and spent time to engage with the woman first. The human side of Jesus could also have worried that in doing so the girl was losing vital minutes. She could die if he delayed! But Jesus was not in a hurry. Why? Because he trusted God with all outcomes. There may be times when we are in a genuine hurry. We may be on the way to some urgent meeting or situation. But even in those moments, God wants to know that he is Lord of all in your life. He is sometimes in the delay. Do you trust him to take care of the future? Yes of course I do! Do you really trust him? Enough to risk the future and leave it in his hands? Enough to jeopardise the security of your future? Jesus finally got to the little girl’s house and the mourners were there already. But he put them out. God knew what he was doing. He had time for the sick woman, and he had power for the dying girl to be raised to life. We could go on to talk about the death of Lazarus. Again, we see a Jesus who is not in a hurry. But everything he does is rooted and grounded in love. God is love. Lazarus was ill. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary is the one who had poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. He knew this family well. In fact, John 11 tells us twice that he loved Lazarus. The sisters sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is ill.’

https://www.brixham.church/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Wisdom-from-Heaven-Jon-Petts.mp3 This is the audio from our latest YouTube teaching video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrokZqjv0GY

https://youtu.be/oxLEvt-qrzQ Mind Body and More 4 – The renewed mind in action A sneak peek into the internal workings of a renewed mind In my last three videos I’ve tried to show that the mind governed by the body or flesh is death and that the mind governed by the S/spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6). I’ve highlighted that we must offer our bodies and renew our minds (Romans 12:1-2). Today I want to look at some verses that offer an insight into the world view of such a renewed mind. Paul had been attacked by false teachers who had come into the Corinthian church, persuading some of the Christians there that Paul was incorrect in his teaching and perhaps suggesting that he was preaching for his own personal gain. Imagine how it might feel to sense the call of God on your life to preach the gospel with nothing but the Kingdom of God at the centre of your motivation. You have suffered, been beaten and still you have remained humble and faithful. Now you hear that other people are teaching misleading ideas that are undoing the work that God led you to do. And what’s more they are deliberately attacking you on a personal level, questioning your authority. What might your reaction be? I’m not sure mine would be as spiritual as Paul’s! Instantly he sees the whole situation from a heavenly, eternal perspective. He recognises – in his mind – that this is more than an earthly human affair. And because of that he deals with the situation radically differently from the way you or I might do in the natural. These key verses sum up his attitude to opposition from within the church, and are a fine example of how we should also respond to opposition, wherever it comes from: The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIVUK) Here’s what I want us to notice from this passage: 1: We live in the world We may not be of the world: I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. (John 17:14)   They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. (John 17:16) But we are still in it. And as an aside, we are allowed to enjoy it. God made a good world for our enjoyment. He put people in it with only one rule. Imagine that for a moment – only one law to live by! The rest of the time was working for him and living with him in complete freedom in a perfect place. In every day of creation, God saw that it was good. And that’s the world we live in today. It may be fallen but it is still a good world with many good things in it to enjoy. Let’s not self-isolate from the world completely. Not only are we to enjoy it, but we also have a mission within it. However, let’s always keep firmly fixed in our minds that we are not part of the world. We are different. We do things differently, we think differently, and we have a totally different perspective. As such, we are not normal! People should see that at some point if they get close enough to you if you let them in to your life a little bit. We are citizens of heaven. We do not operate on the same system as the world. But we do live in the world. And while we are here, there are some things that will happen that are a result of spiritual forces at work in the heavenly realms. Those in the world won’t see it that way but we are being transformed by the renewing of our minds. 2: We fight a different battle in a different way The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. (v4) Don’t join in with the world’s methods and weapons. That’s not how we do things. What are the weapons of the world? Remember the context of these verses. How might Paul have responded to those who were criticizing him and pulling him down,

https://youtu.be/TMLFZG89CoQ What to do in an impossible situation The Situation Paul was in prison He was lacking fellowship verse 11 - only Luke was with him verse 10 - Demas had deserted him (cf v16) verse 14 - Alexander had harmed him verse 20 - Trophimus was sick He was in danger of death verse 17 (lion = lion or Nero or devil) verse 6 - indeed he was about to die (cf. 3:11) Paul’s attitude and reaction in the situation He realised God’s presence with him despite the circumstances verse 1 - in the presence of God......... I give you this charge He faced the situation realistically He did not seek to deny the reality of his impending death He took practical steps to alleviate the immediate situation as best he could He urged Timothy to come as quickly as possible (with Mark) and bring his cloak, scrolls and parchments (9, 11-12) He made what long-term provision for the future he could He sought to ensure that his work would continue through Timothy after his death by giving him instructions (1-5) He recognised the overall importance of the proclamation of the Gospel In his instruction to Timothy - preach the Word - do the work of an evangelist From his own mouth even when on trial for his life (17) He concentrated on the certainty of his ultimate destiny Jesus is coming to reign! 1 - his appearing and his kingdom Jesus is coming to judge! - all (1) righteously (8) so I can leave Alexander to him! (14) Jesus is coming for me personally! - verse 18 Jesus is coming with a crown of righteousness for all who love his appearing! - verse 8 and finally perhaps Paul was able to do all this in the face of death because he was able to look back and view the past with satisfaction: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith - verse 7 I want to be able to say that too - but that will be determined by how I’m living now.

https://youtu.be/yGP_MM1rMxI  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgjzt9sU_II Today we are looking at Jeremiah 32 where Jeremiah is imprisoned in a city that is already being besieged.   You could say that he is doubly in isolation.   It’s 586BC The Babylonian army is surrounding Jerusalem Jeremiah is in prison for prophesying that because of their sins the Lord will hand Jerusalem over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon One day, God tells Jeremiah that his cousin will come and ask him to buy his field at Anathoth.   And, sure enough, his cousin comes and Jeremiah buys the field. He pays 17 shekels of silver, signs and seals the deed, has it witnessed and weighs out the silver on the scales He tells Baruch, his scribe: Take both the sealed and and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase and put them in a clay jar so that they will last a long time because the Lord almighty says that houses fields and vineyards will again be bought in the land   Then he prays: 17 "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.   What can we learn from all this?   What should we do when events are beyond our control?   1.  Remember that God is in complete control 28 Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I am about to hand this city over to the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will capture it.   2.  Listen for what God is saying to you personally The word of the Lord came to me (6-7) ... Hanamel … is going to come to you and say, Buy my field… The word of the Lord was fulfilled (8) Then, just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel …came…and said, Buy my field…   3.  Act in faith   Faith involves obedience He bought the field although to do so seemed pointless (v9) so I bought the field…  What’s he doing buying a field? What sense does it make? Wasn’t it already under the control of the enemy?   Faith does not act irresponsibly vv.9-10 I weighed out for him seventeen shekels of silver.. I signed and sealed the deed and had it witnessed   Faith should be verbally declared - saying what God says vv 14-15 Take these documents... put them in a clay jar so that they will last a long time. For this is what the Lord Almighty the God of Israel says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.   4. Be honest with God about your misgivings   v.17 Ah, sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for you!  But his faith was mingled with doubt – see vv.24-25 esp. 25: And though the city will be handed over to the Babylonians, You, O Sovereign Lord, say to me, Buy the field with silver and have the transaction witnessed! NB he told the Lord about his fears, not his cousin!   5. Take the long term view 15 For this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.'   42 "This is what the LORD says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them. 43 Once more fields will be bought in this land of which you say, 'It is a desolate waste, without men or animals, for it has been handed over to the Babylonians.'   But of course there was even more in the distant future:   “‘The days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.” (Jeremiah 31:31) This is quoted in Hebrews 8:8-12 and10:16-17 as being fulfilled with the coming of Christ. We too must take a long term view. Whatever we’re experiencing right now, remember, CHRIST IS COMING!

https://youtu.be/FTYX7yHfXzQ   Hello! I’m David Petts and this is the first of a few talks I’ve been asked to give to encourage you at this difficult time. As many of us are in isolation at the moment, I’m going to be looking at some Bible passages where God’s people were in isolation. Today we’ll be looking at Isaiah 36 and 37 which is one of the most exciting passages in the Bible. The Challenge   Sennacherib king of Assyria has invaded Judah and captured all the fortified cities with the exception of Jerusalem. Most recent to fall is LACHISH 36:2 just a few miles from Jerusalem. From a bas-relief in British Museum we know they were being decapitated, impaled on stakes, and even skinned alive! Now Jerusalem itself is surrounded by a great army of the Assyrian forces and threatened with a similar fate. The entire city is cut off from the outside world. Its inhabitants are in fact in isolation. Defeat seems inevitable. Sennacherib’s field commander tells the people to surrender. It’s your only option. It’s the only way to escape the horrors of Lachish. There’s no one who can help you.   What are you basing your confidence on? 4   Your own strength? 8 You haven’t even got 2,000 men left, even if we gave you the horses for them!   Other countries? 6 Egypt   Your leaders? 14 Hezekiah   All the enemy has said so far is true! And the broad principles remain the same for us today.   But what does he say about God? This is the crux of the matter and brings us to the first aspect of the answer to the challenge.   The Answer to the Challenge   Discerning the truth from the lies of the enemy   Notice how the enemy combines truth: Hezekiah has annoyed God by taking down the high places (7) T&F God is on MY side - he has told me to come and destroy you (10) F The gods of the nations haven’t saved them (18-19) T So your God can’t save you F   Doing what our leaders tell us   Look at 36:20-21   “Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?'" But they were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, "Do not answer him."”   Hezekiah wanted to hear what God had to say rather than letting the people give an answer to the enemy.   Hearing what God is saying   When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, "Say to your master, 'Thus says the Lord: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have reviled me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.'"”   He was in tune with God. His answer was ready   Knowing how to pray 37:16-20   16 "O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. 17 Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. 18 Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire. 19 For they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. 20 So now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord."”   worship (16).   Recognition of God’s sovereignty request (17) statement of fact (18) statement of faith (19)     understanding truth from fiction motive (20)   Trusting the supernatural power of the true and living God   Isaiah 37:21-36   21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying,

 Gardener’s Question Time We are so blessed to have a garden in our home. When we first moved here much of our garden was overgrown. It’s only when you start pulling weeds and cutting back bushes that have got ‘leggy’ that you realise how much work there is to do. So much of it needs redesigning and rethinking. I began to think of my mind as a bit like that too. If I allow a thought to take root and pay no attention to where it is going, it will become like one of those plants that shades out others and takes over. I also thought of how beautiful a garden can be. I want to be able to walk through my garden with Jesus, admiring the good thoughts he has put there, seeded by my time in the word. But alas, there are still some unkempt areas that, if I were walking through this garden, I’d be ashamed of. Then I realised it wasn’t an original thought. Lots of people have said that the mind is like a garden. Here’s one:  “A man's mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind.” (James Allen) In our last verse we were talking about our bodies and how important it is for us to offer them as a living sacrifice. This is our proper and fitting worship towards God. But the key to doing this consistently is found in the mind. Have a look at these two verses together: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform 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. (Romans 12:1-2) This Means War! We have looked at some of the ways we are at war with our flesh – the natural, ungodly desires that take place in our bodies. We have seen that the best way to defeat the flesh, is to offer our bodies to God. In fact, to do this is only to offer what is reasonable and logical after all he has done for us in his body. When we put our bodies in the right place, getting into habits, rhythms and routines that are healthy, we give our flesh less of a chance to be led into sinful behaviour patterns. But the key to doing all of this is to start with the mind. You will see that from last week’s verse about offering our bodies, Paul moves straight into the idea that we must renew our minds. Today I’m going to give you some very practical and powerful tips on how you can make that work, and the rewards are fantastic – we get to test and approve what God’s will is! Patterns of Behaviour Look at the two words here, ‘conform’ and ‘transform’. The verse suggests that the world follows a pattern. It’s an either-or option. You will either conform to the pattern of the world, or you will be transformed. I have listed below 7 areas in which the world might follow a pattern that we as followers of Jesus must prayerfully and intentionally examine in our own lives: Values – principles I live by Beliefs – what I consider to be true with little or no doubt Lifestyle – behaviour patterns Accepted Norms – I know what is normal because everybody else does / thinks it. Priorities – what I give most time, energy and money to Coping Strategies – what I turn to when times are tough Measures of Success – How I decide if I have done well or not Think about how people in the world, without Jesus as their saviour, without the Holy Spirit living inside them, might be different from someone who is living a Spirit-led life. What is the ‘pattern of this world’ with respect to the list I have created? What are some of the values in the world that are no longer acceptable to the born-again bel...

I’m a cheesy guy Deep down I know that eating too much cheese is bad for my body. I love cheese. Blue cheese, soft cheese, mature cheddar, even cheap processed cheese squares used in burgers. I also know that overeating is bad for my body, and if I really overdo it as a lifestyle, I’d be looking at disease and a shortened lifespan. But hey, I’m a Christian, so what does it matter? It’s all about being spiritual, right? Wrong. My body belongs to God. It is a temple of the Holy Spirit. I should respect it and look after it, partly because I can serve him better with a healthy body, but also because it’s an opportunity to honour him, showing discipline and sacrifice in order to But I am often tempted, especially last thing at night when I’d like some supper. Just a bit of sneaky cheese knocked back with a glass of milk before I go upstairs. I know what’s right, but I also know what I really want! The battle with the body This isn’t just me though. Everybody, even non-believers, struggle with the general idea: “Deep down inside I’m actually excited by the idea of… Giving up smoking, and I keep telling myself that this cigarette will be the last one. Doing more for charity, but I just seem to find other things to do that feel urgent but are on reflection less important Not swearing so much when swearing has become a part of my vocabulary. The words come out before I’ve even thought about it! Being more generous. But money is tight right now. Perhaps after the current situation has cleared. Going to church, but my kids have a club on, and it’s hard when my partner doesn’t want to go. Controlling my anger, but if you knew that person, you’d understand how they press my buttons! Reaching out to that person. They may be lonely but I’m so busy! I know inside what’s right. But there seems to be a war inside of me!” Well, according to the bible, there is a war going on inside you! Look at how Paul put it: 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. (Romans 7:22-23) In fact, God’s word has a lot to say about these things. Staying in Romans, let’s remind ourselves of last time’s key verse. It’s all about the mind and the ‘flesh’ (our bodily urges and desires): The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6) We talked about two practical action points: Put in place some guardrails, or a battle plan for the areas where we can so easily become led by the flesh rather than the spirit. Surrender to the Holy Spirit, daily. Ask him in prayer to lead your mind, to guard your thinking. Let me know how you got on with those in the comment box below the video on YouTube. We need to acknowledge that we have bodies; bodies with needs and urges that interact closely with the mind. Our bodies need to be surrendered. ‘Body’ and ‘Flesh’ Last time we talked about the word, ‘flesh’, or ‘sarx’ in Greek, because this is the word found in Romans 8:6 which shows us that the mind can be governed by the flesh. This word, ‘sarx’ means literal flesh, but in the New Testament is most often used to refer to human lusts and desires going in the wrong direction, i.e. away from the service of God and towards selfish satisfaction. But today we have a new word to learn! It’s the Greek, ‘soma’ which means ‘body’. This word is far less emotive, less to do with desires and lusts, and is more practical and physical. It’s your body as a scientist would see it, rather than how a psychologist might help you relate to it. And it’s this word that Paul uses in Romans 12:1 when talking about what we need to surrender to God. This is today’s key verse: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,