KCF Notes 2022

Please note:
These are mainly my notes & thoughts from the messages spoken to KCF.
For the weeks we were unable to meet, they are the notes provided by the speaker.

25/12 No Meeting

  Merry Christmas everyone.

18/12 Jamie Mackintosh Isa 35:1-10   Joy of the Redeemed

  We approach God's Word with an attitude of reverence to his truth. Isa 35:1-10 The Joy of the Redeemed. The return of the exiles. Another great prophecy from Isaiah. What does it mean for us? Yesterday's evening news was full of trouble and strife, crisis and doom. There was no hope, peace or joy. Where can we find this? What can we do to bring light to darkness? The need to be redeemed is clear. Dan 9:4-8 is a great intercessory prayer for a wayward people. Humanity regularly turns a blind eye to God's word and has suffered the consequences (captured by Babylon in 2 Kgs 25, Jeremiah's prophecy 25:11). Isaiah reassures us in v1, even when there is barrenness, life and fertility can come. However broken we are, God's word can strengthen us. He will save us from our enemies. This is our hope: the coming King. This is a message of hope. No matter how dismayed we are with the despair all around us, Immanuel has come! God's message comes through many prophets recorded in the Old Testament. The response comes in the gospels in the New Testament. Advent is the start of the redemption. Holy Spirit wisdom helped Mary to realise the importance of her role and how it related to these centuries old prophecies. Matthew echoes Isa 35:5,6 in 11:5 and declares God Kingdom and His redemption has come. All the goodness and the abundance we have here in this present life will be multiplied in His Kingdom and the life to come. Matthew proves Isaiah was right and his message from God was true. This is hope for us. We can be encouraged when God opens the eyes of others around us. Paul assures us that God who started this work will complete it, Phil 1:6. Fear not. Humble yourself and submit to God. His word will lead to our redemption. We must keep the gospel central in our lives. Lift your eyes to the Lord, no matter how hard it seems. Look to the coming King this Advent and help others to see the Kingdom too. The hope promised at His birth becomes a certainty for our lives based on His life and sacrifice. Jesus died for us that we might have eternity with Him. Be strong, be courageous Josh 1:9, just as God has commanded us.
Pastor Skip Heitzig tells of a sunday school teacher wonders if what she has done was enough. Twelve of the children in her classes have gone on to be missionaries on various continents and witnessed many conversions.

11/12 Paul Younger Isa 7:14   Immanuel

  This morning it will be the introduction, then the reading. Paul's house group are leading the service at LBC today, but he felt this was not the message for KCF. Preaching is predictably unpredictable, but you learn it is not something to worry about when the inspiration is not coming. Some thoughts came and were noted and put in the 'slow cooker' for later. The Bible Gateway verse of the day for 11th Dec is Isa 7:14, coincidentally. There are three headings to consider, Prediction, Parturition, Promise.
Prediction - a sign, news. This was not second hand, old or fake news. 2022 is the calendar year defined by His birth. This is as far from fake news as you can get. Some have still not heard it yet. For Isaiah it was still 700 yrs in the future. Predictions happen in many areas of our lives. The weather. We get used to them. The economy. We value the prediction based on who is making them. Do we trust them? What evidence supports it? Isaiah was recognised as a prophet of God. The word was from God himself.
Parturition - Mary knew she couldn't have a baby without a man. Alma can simply mean a young girl or it can specifically mean a virgin. There is other evidence in Scripture to confirm that Mary was a virgin. Matthew confirmed Isaiah's word was true. Gabriel confirmed to Mary that nothing is impossible with God. It is well within His power. This birth is different because this baby is different. He is able to save us from sin.
Promise - Names today can be meaningless. Around 400 girls in USA were given the name Abcde which has no derivation other than the first five letters of the alphabet. Immanuel has a meaning: God with us. A promise of God's presence. There are anywhere from 4000 to 10000 religions on earth. Christianity is almost unique and certainly different, we don't have to earn our way to God. God came to be with us. He is in all creation, He is with us. Mary did you know... the sleeping child is the great I AM? Mind your Ps and Qs. Consider the P's above and ask the question, 'What is our response?'. Accept it is true and spread the news.

4/12 Duncan Peterson Luke 1:5-38   The Fulness of Pregnancy

  Advent is a wonderful time of year. Which message is more appropriate for us today? The angel visits to the new parents or to the shepherds out in the fields? (Usually they are out in the fields ovenight in April during the lambing - Christmas is celebrated in December by agreement rather than authenticity). There can be many misconceptions of the nativity story. One class were asked to draw a natvity scene: Lucy drew a stable, Angus drew an Inn, Jimmy drew an aircraft. It was for the flight to Egypt. Two of the four people had halos, Jesus and Mary. Joseph was also there, as was Pontius the Pilot.
Mary's visitation was extraordinary. When angels visited men they fell to the ground. Mary accepted the word, although she had some questions. Pregnancy means fulness. Life for Mary was about to change. Her calling would be fulfilled. She had Joy, Peace, Life. Mary was full of all these. We can and should be full of all these. The way to do this is to make Jesus number 1 in all things, regardless of what others think. We consider others next to sustain our joy. (JOY - Jesus, Others, You) For peace we need to learn to endure and make good choices. (Short trousers on cold days). Tough lessons learned enable us to stand our ground in the face of opposition. We can have peace despite what is happening in the world. We can ignore the propaganda and trust in God. (PEACE -Practice Empathy And Charity Everyday). Some of the qualities attributed to Santa are at best fanciful (Santa is an anagram of Satan). Life (Live In Fellowship Everyday - with Holy Spirit). Praise God in all things. Trust God for ALL things. God knew of Duncan's situation with his bank card and provided a bus pass for the week to allow him to travel to work. Make sure you are known for the right reasons. We have the peace that passes understanding. Let God turn your day round. He is the reason for the season.

27/11 Iain Sutherland Isa 9:2-7, Jn 1:1-18   God's Word

  Advent - a time to be struck by God's word, The Word, his title, who He is. Henri Nouwen's The Way of the Heart is inspired by the lives of the Desert Fathers. Martyrdom after the Roman empire collapsed became retiring to the desert and dying to the world. Dysart means Desert; it was where St Serf went to withdraw. We withdraw from distractions to value the weight of the Word. Driving through a town or city can be like driving through a dictionary as we are bombarded with words everywhere. There are so many words, they have lost their creative power. Preachers exhort, but the hearers get only words. We get a constant flow of words. What does it mean to take the Word seriously. Draw apart to the place where God is. St Theophan the recluse, a Russian bishop who advocated spiritual development in children from early years said, "To pray is to descend with the mind into the heart, and there to stand before the face of the Lord, ever-present, all seeing, within you.". Come to a place of seeking. The desert fathers would return from where they had withdrawn to teach others. God invites us to draw aside with Him. More words are not required, it can be just us. Don't underestimate the depth of what comes from God's Word. John calls Jesus the Logos, the "Word". Too many words today lack meaning. Small words can be very significant. Amidst words of revival, there is a story of a man who went to Lewis and visited a man who spoke of 6 men who, after their wives had gone to bed, stayed up and talked and cried about what was lost during the revival. We must ensure we don't lose it when revival comes again, we must press in. John Paul Jackson, in 7 Days Behind the Veil speaks of the transformation of being immersed in God's presence. Contemplative prayer is about the things that we cannot put into words. We need to take Selah moments (pauses) to let the words seep into your life. The Rhema word is for now. Isaiah's word became the rhema word 900 yrs later. When St Cuthbert was 8 years old in the school playground, a 3 yr old called to him to be steadfast and to stop foolish play. He went off to pray. In Advent, how do we spend time with God? There can be many distractions in our thoughts, so we have to develop strategies for dealing with 'the monkeys in the tree'. You can say, "Mind, you have served me well, but settle now". We need to withdraw. Charles Wesley's mum, Susanna Wesley, withdrew into her apron to pray. What were the spiritual disciplines John Paul Jackson followed: fasting, generosity, solitide and silence. These led to supernatural encounters with God and His Word.
At the end of this message we practised a short time of silence together. Almost instantly the following picture was received. It was a view of a hillside at dusk with shepherds in the fields and houses in the distance with lamps burning in the windows. The words spoken over the hillside were, "I AM coming". A very bright light appeared over the horizon. It contained many colours, had the appearance of fire and the intensity just kept increasing.

20/11 Heather Sutherland Jonah.1:1-3   A Word from God

  Heather sensed today's message was to be a character study; would it be Noah, Jonah...? Jonah 1 starts with a bang in the middle of his story. In Kings and Chronicles, we see he had a prophetic gift. Jeroboam restored Israel and prospered fulfilling Jonah's prophecy. He was very blessed and very respected. Suddenly, he is called to leave all his comfort and go to wicked Nineveh. v3 he ran to Tarshish. God said go East, Jonah went West. When we run, God's grace will find us. He tries to escape an uncomfortable calling. Ch 2 Jonah and Jesus. Jonah grew up in same area as Jesus. He spends 3 days in sheol, the waiting place. He is a type of Jesus. In 1921 a fisherman in the Falklands is reported to have lived for 3 days in a big fish. Jonah has a real sob story as he cries out to God. Woe is me, why is my life so hard. He lands on dry land. Ch 3 he takes the message to the people of Nineveh. It takes 3 days to go round the whole city which was about the size of Edinburgh, a huge city in those days. 'Turn or burn', was not an easy message, but even the king and 120,000 people repent. Jonah judges God. He had a very keen prophetic gift but lacked God's love. He struggled with people different from him. He had lots of moans. God's turnaround wasn't in Jonah's expectations. These were people God loved. He was a missionary, but he didn't stay true to his calling. He forgot Nineveh is where Abraham was called from and promised much bless. God is true to his promise. Ch 4 Jonah huffs and grumps and moans. Mosul (Iraq) is where they made a very ornate tomb for Jonah in Nineveh. He rose to importance in Nineveh. He continued to minister and his love for Nineveh grew. How do we respond to God's Word? Jonah knew how to hear from God. He learned to repent. He knew how to pray. He led a national revival. He learned to see things from God's perspective. He made some big mistakes, so have we. He learned who was right: not him. He responded to the call. Esther was strategically placed for 'such a time', we are too! Beware of personal prejudice. There may be difficult lessons to learn. If God asks 'will you go?', will you say "Yes"?. What do I need to confess to the Word to come true?

13/11 Other Notes Jer 7:1-15 NLT   How Do We Survive More Shaking?

  There is still lots of tension in our world. In January we looked at Haggai (2:20-23) and the prophecy of turbulence in the nation and everything being shaken - everything except the Kindom of God. Change can be painful. Luke 21:6-19 instructs us to stand against adversity. What was happening in the UK 1 year ago gave little indication of what was coming. Much has been shaken since: the government, fuel, cost of living. What are we trusting in? Jer 7:1-15 NLT. At that time the Kingdom was divided into Israel and Judah. Judah was threatened by Babylon which had emerged from the Syrian empire. The Israelites felt God's security meant they could do anything they wanted. Their trust was in the building, not in God. Even taking the ark, the symbol of God's presence, into battle didn't guarantee victory. It was captured by the Philistines.
  God didn't plan to have a king or a temple for the people of Israel. The tabernacle was God's dwelling, He moved with the people, wherever He led them. 2 Sam 7:5-7, God does not live in a building. Anything that is not God isn't trustworthy, whether a building or a person. God's desire is to be the centre of His people. When Israel was in the wilderness, they were close to God. They relied on Him to sustain them: they had no other means or sources of food or water. They lived on God's provision and miracles. Yet they still got off track. They had to learn that their God is not one of territories, but of people.
  Three yrs ago a prophecy was given by Pierre-Daniel Martin. Hear God, go to dessert to encounter God. Our destiny is the nations. The visible church is disappearing. Harry recently awoke with the words, 'alure her... into the wilderness... speak tenderly to her', Hos 2:14. We meet God there. The changes in our world in the last 3 years have been significant. God is stripping us down: the church and the people. The churches built on relationship will keep going. Meet with each other and meet with God. We are called to live by faith and not fear. The word Ecclesia (translated as Church) is really the people called out to be together. Let's have church where no one wants to miss a meeting or miss what God is doing. We must remember, all prophecy is conditional and time dependent. If the people respond and repent, God doesn't need to act. A lot has happened in last 3 years. Is a breakthrough for the Kingdom coming? 2 Pet 3:12 live the life that hastens the day of the Lord.

6/11 Jim O'Hara Num 13:1-3,17-20,26-33,14:5-9   Keeping the Faith

  Jim and Sandra currently attend Perth Baptist and have served with Blythswood Care in Serbia and Kosovo. We are experiencing hard times, but we are not struggling like them. We care because of the love of Christ.
People in the fields today were hunting for treasure with metal detectors. We have real treasure in the Word. Numbers 13:1-3,17-20,26-33,14:5-9. This passage features in many Sunday school lessons but has much to teach us who are older. The Israelites were preparing to enter the land promised to Abraham. Moses gave them 10 Commandments, led them through Red sea and their journey through the wilderness. Their whole lives had been lived as slaves, so they were not prepared for conflict. They travelled to the promised land; they continued to complain, even the leaders moaned to Moses. God commanded the 'spies' to investigate the land. There was an abundance of fruit. It was flowing with milk and honey, but inhabited by giants. 10 of the men were afraid; Caleb and Joshua had faith in God. The people adopted the fear. They rebel against God again. Moses engages with God, who sends a plague on the doubters. The spies spent 40 days exploring. One day for each of the 40 years wandering in the desert. The 12 were chosen from a nation of 2 million people. They were leaders of their people, chosen for their integrity and their abilities. They were honoured. The NT Church also calls men into leadership (1 Tim 3:1-12). This is not to be exalted over people, but to be responsible for those they lead, 1 Pet 5:1-3. They should be examples to the flock. Be a model to the people. There is a cost to leadership, a responsibility. God expected the spies to explore the land of Canaan and then issue the challenge to the Israelite people. They were courageous - they lived in the land for 40 days and took some of its produce. They were chosen to lead the people. Most of them gave in to fear. Like them, we are called to live a life of faith. We should all pray for our leadership. Don't let problems get in the way of God's plan. The promise of promised land could have been delayed centuries if it were not for Caleb & Joshua. Moses stepped in. He stood on the truth. God had done amazing wonders. Enormous problems can look very small when they are seen in the past. Nothing can block God's promises. George Goethals encoutered lots of critics when building the Panama canal. His advisors were concerned, but he told them he would deal with the ctitics after the canal was finished. A living faith is required. Moses was humble and believed God as mentioned in Heb 11:23-29. Moses was consistent in faith, when all others were faithless. The disciples had faith issues even after the resurrection. Mt 28:16,17 some doubted. Faith is a tough quality to have. Jesus said to go - to faith based action. What a gift we have in the Word. There are great rewards for those who keep the faith. Caleb lived a long life. The 2 outlived all who grumbled and feared. Don't be afraid of the giants. Remember the miracles of God. When trouble comes, speak up. God is faithful and almighty, loving and gracious. Act differently to those around you. We must be faithful to those around us. Go, make disciples.

30/10 David the Psalmist Ps 12,24,25:1-3   From here to there

  Ps 12 - read, speak, pray. Our current situation, described accurately and adeptly over 1000 years ago. Lord, help us.
Ps 24 - read, praise. Eternal reality.
Ps 25:1-3 - read, declare. Our future hope!

23/10 Michael Palmer Col 3:1-17   Hidden with Christ

  There is a widely held misconception of God that infers that He doesn't see us in our sin or when we sin or that God only sees Christ and we are hidden from Him. The actual text in v3 states "your life is now hidden with Christ in God". Verse 4 shows that we will appear with him. We are not hidden 'by' Him or 'from' God. It's not like God deals with our sin by sweeping it under the carpet and just not looking at it. We are accepted by God not because we are under a 'Jesus blanket', but because he paid the price. The misconception is probably derived from Hab 1:13, "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil. Habakuk is voicing his complaint of no justice, evil everywhere. God's solution is to use an unruly, wicked nation to bring judgement for the wickedness in the nation of Israel. This is not God's revelation of Himself, it is Habakuk's perception. God can see evil, he hates wickedness, but it doesn't defile him. What is the right perception? 'Covered by the blood', means paying the debt, it is more of a financial transaction than a cover-up. God has dealt with the sin. He still sees it, but knows it is paid for. 'Hidden with God', means He can still see us. We are in the hiding of preparation, like a bride. v4 we will appear with Him in glory when we are ready. This is how God brings us to holiness. We are put into the mold of God and we are growing into him. We are hidden with him in God. We are being transformed into his holiness. We will become like his image. Why does Paul use the phrase, "with Christ"? We can only come to God through Jesus. It is He who brings us to God. Jesus is the image of God that we are developing into. Col 1:15. We are renewed in knowledge. Jesus reveals the knowledge to us. We learn from him as we look at him. He is what we should be like. Col 1:10. v4 Christ is our life now: my old life is dead. When He appears, we will also appear. My life is now in heaven. 1 Jn 3:1-3, John concurs with Paul, we children of God, now, we will be like him. This is not passive, it is an active participation. We are to consciously put to death what is earthly, v5. We are being renewed and transformed. Put off the old, put on the new. Know Jesus from reading Scripture. Know God through relationship with him. Know Him through studying the Bible and learning from one another. Practice his instructions v2, vv12-16.

16/10 Paul Younger Jn 2:1-12   The Mother, The Man, The Miracle

  A special treat today featuring three song references in the sermon. Jn 2:1-12. If you enjoy quizzes it's important to know the 'firsts'. The first man on moon (Neil Armstrong), the first record played on Radio 1 (Flowers In The Rain - The Move), the first miracle done by Jesus. This passage in John 2 is about 'The Mother, The Man and The Miracle'. We see from Mary's part in this she was a confident, strong woman. Eurythmics sang, "behind every great man there had to be a great woman" (Sisters Are Doin' It For themselves). Throughout Jesus' life, Mary gets little mention. Luke tells about the angel sent to Mary. She was highly favoured and would bear a son, the Son of the most high. Mary was a typical ordinary girl about 12 yrs old. She was chosen by God. She responded well to God. These two things made her exceptional. Weddings were big events and lasted for days. Wine running out early was a major faux-pas. However, Mary didn't flap; 'crisis' wasn't in her vocabulary. Cometh the hour, Cometh the man. Jesus was also part of the family celebrating the wedding. He was just a guest at the party. He had learned the lesson not to argue with his mother. She knew best. Jesus' time was almost coming. This was a sign to Jesus of what was coming soon. Now the miracle happens. It was not a spectacular show or performance. Some wouldn't even be aware that it happened. Filling water jars with water is uneventful. The servant took some to be tasted by the master. The master sampled it and declared it very good wine. He commended the groom for it's quality and his generosity. He had saved 'The Best For Last" (Vanessa Williams). Only Mary and a few others know what really happened. It was similar to other miracles in that it was a direct response to a real need. They didn't need as many as 6 jars. Eph 3:20 God is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. God revealed his glory through Jesus so that others would believe in Him. This is the first of many miracles, that many would believe in God.

9/10 Jamie Mackintosh Neh 8:1-3   Scripture and Songs

  There is power in the words of God, whether spoken or sung. This morning we are "searching for answers only You provide". What is Scripture and what place do commentaries and songs have? They help us to communicate and commune with God. Consider how we use them to bless God. They are not just words from God to men. Neh 8:1-3 all the inhabitants of Jerusalem gathered together and the priest read the law aloud from dawn till noon. Even illiterate people could hear and understand the word. The Word of God has a multidimensional aspect, both read and sung. It has meaning in simply reading or explored in exegetical exposition. Music enhances the communication. God's creative design provides for all of this and more. Some modern music lacks depth and focuses on us, rather than God and His wonder. Worship is singing back from your heart after hearing the truth about Him. The hymn, "When I survey" is not just a glance at Christ's cross, but a fully attentive study. What is the value in the cross? Paul answers this in his letter to the Philippians (3:8). Everything we have done must be seen as loss for sake of Jesus. Verse 2, Forbid it Lord... Gal 6:14, the only thing we dare boast about is the cross of Jesus. Verse 3, See from His head... Jn 19:34 blood and water flow from where He was pierced: Jn 3:16 Jesus gave himself to save us. Verse 4 is not normally sung since it was removed. His dying crimson... It reflects Rom 12; don't be drawn to the riches of this world, put to death all worldly desires. Verse 5, Were the whole realm... an amazing sacrifice, wonder-filled. So much more than an 'amazing' Scotland goal. Only God is awesome and great, Dan 9:4! He has paid a ransom that we cannot return. We give our service and sacrifice as gratitude. Cancel-culture tries to destroy or forget the past. There is power and importance in the Word of God, spoken and sung. God will help us.

2/10 Richard Hobson Lk 2:9-20   God's Message

  What is preoccupying us right now? Which thoughts are unwanted or we can't help thinking about or we are choosing to focus on? Things like Ukraine, Liz Truss, energy bills and other concerns. Where do they come from? Some are right in front of us. Let's look at what it is that defines us as Christians. Lk 2:9-20 it's amazing how God revealed the angels to shepherds not kings. This is the best message for all humanity given to men at the lower end of the hierarchy. We should appreciate the impact of this announcement. This is something to get excited about. The vision gets bigger. For all who saw it it would be life changing. Only the shepherd saw this, but they took the message to Mary and Joseph. The angels and the magnificent vision were not the message, the child was the message. Mary treasured the word; she hadn't seen the vision of angels and hosts. Lk 2:41 Jesus is now 12. Mary treasured the things Jesus said. v49 Jesus had to be in his Father's house. We must have a place in our thoughts reserved for Jesus only and nothing else (from a quote by Sinclair Ferguson). We are not to fear the things of this world. If we treasured this message, we would not be afraid. Our concerns are genuine and we have to deal with them. If we treasure God's word we can overcome our fears. We should look at life through Bible-tinted spectacles. We know more than the angels. 1 Pet 1:9-12. What do we have angels don't? They don't need sanctification. They don't have the blessings of HS. They can't tell us about salvation. The message we carry is greater than the message they carry. Biblical truth, the gospel of salvation is more amazing than angelic messages and visions. Hear the truth God has revealed, understand what we hear, believe what we hear. Remind yourself of the treasure God has given. The parable of the sower is not just for non-believers, it is for everyone who hears God's word, Mt 13:18-23. Try to understand it so it stays in you. Beware of the distractions and diversions of this world. Money is not the answer to these problems and this thinking can hinder even the poor. Be patient in understanding. Job's quest is to find God, he asks 23:8 where is God? Keeping His way is more important that finding food. We require HS strength to do this. Don't move from treasuring God's word. Phil 4:4 rely on God to overcome the cares of this world despite Putin, Truss, Sturgeon. James 5:1-6 riches are not the answer, they have become corroded. Are we treasuring God's truth today? What are we dwelling on daily?

25/9 Richard Fettes Jn 13:1-5 12-15   Exemplary Service

  Prophetic response to words spoken in tongues during worship: "Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god." Ps 24:7,8,3,4. Your spirit must be engaged with the Spirit of God.
Jn 13:1-5,12-15. The word of God is the best gift. As a worker for GOOD NEWS for Everyone! (formerly Gideons UK), Richard gave a Bible to a family member who was going on a business trip. A colleague from another location was enduring some troubles. After receiving the Bible they responded, "Best gift ever!". In Jesus day people's feet got very dirty from the dusty roads. It was the lowest servant's job to wash visitors feet. Jesus' message, which he lived out, was whoever wants to be great must be a servant, Mt 20:26-28. The loss of the Queen has touched the nation and the world. This is not so much due to her wealth, but her kindness and compassion. She devoted her life to her subjects. This has only possible through her faith in God. In 2008 she spoke of being comforted by the example of Jesus. He found happiness in giving and serving, rather than receiving, Acts 20:35. The Salvation Army operates on the principle "saved to serve". Holy Spirit has given each of us gifts to fulfill this. We all belong to each other. We all have something to offer. There are all kinds of service from miracles to a cup of water (Mt 9:39-41). God prompts us in many different ways. Be alert, use your talent. SBLPA preachers are all over Scotland today serving God's family. Much great service is done in prayer. Some who may no longer be able to attend church are still doing great service through effective prayer, Jam 5:15,16.
LOVE Jn 13:1 states that Jesus served from love. A young man might walk 500 miles for love. 1 Cor 13, love is the most necessary attribute. Be motivated by love for people. HUMILITY Jesus washed their feet. Jn 13:15. If serving is beneath you, leading is beyond you. Phil 2:1-4. FAITHFULNESS Jn 13:14 Jesus loved to the end. God is faithful, Deut 7:9, to 1000 generations of those who follow His instructions and guidance. 1 Cor 4:1,2 God's servants (us) should prove faithful with all they are given. 3 John 1 tells of Gaius, a faithful teacher and host for believers passing through. 2 Tim 1:15-18, Onesiphorus looked out for Paul and his wellbeing. Gaius and Onesiphorus didn't serve to be recogised or applauded, but we should appreciate those who serve. Be united in looking to the needs of others. God exalted Jesus over every name for His service. Well done faithful servant, is high praise.

18/9 No Meeting

11/9 Hugh Henderson Psalm 2:1-12   Freedom

  Work of Mission International - Many widows (50) and orphans (230) in Democratic Republic of Congo are being supported by Project 'New Life' in North Kivu province in the East of DRC. The extent of chaos means the country cannot feed it's the people. "Conflict minerals" and "blood diamonds" are much sought after by the government and the rebels. DRC is the second biggest country in Africa. The project does vocational training in Rumangabo. People are always on the run from rebel soldiers. Cyclones in Malwawi have caused torrents of water with buildings and people being swept away. MI is sending food aid for 50 families for distribution through the pastor and the church. Help is also going to help with the famine in Karamoja, Uganda and East Africa. Pastor Patrick is helping with this. The "Girls at Risk" project in Kenya, Rwanda & Congo is protecting young women. Albinos in Africa at risk from witch doctors (desiring body parts) and illness such as skin cancer. Myanmar is in a mess at moment and there is widespread flooding in Pakistan. Prayer and other support is vital.
Ministry of the Word - Ps 2:1-12. Psalms 1 & 2 are an introduction to the whole book of Psalms. The psalms are to be read as a prayer. Ps 2 begins with a prayer for freedom. The nations are unhappy with godly constraints on their lives. They have believed the lie of the devil that God is constraining them. We are free to eat any but we must not from that one tree (Gen 2:16,17). God gives freedom for all the rest; our perception is captivity from the one. We are fallen, and have a tendency to plot. We try to justify our desire. Meditating or plotting can bring good or evil. Every government in world is plotting: whether for LGBT, abortion or other spurious rights. We live in times of crisis. In vv 1 & 2 we see that kings and people are raging. We rage whenever we go against God's will and when we act immorally or licentiously. Although not mentioned in Ps, the NT attributes this psalm to King David (Acts 4:23-26). The psalm was written by HS through David. This prayer is one we can use today, vv29,30. God's anointing enabled them. Herod and Pilate were enemies, but plot together to take on God. We can pray this now for our situation. Acts 13:32 shows us that Jesus is divine and royal, with Ps 2 as the proof. Prov 14:12 in the book of wisdom, warns of the way that leads to death. Judges 17:6 speaks of times where there was no king and no control. We need a ruler in our hearts. 1 Cor 6:19,20, you are not your own, you were bought with a price. We have a yoke, but it is light. Ps 2:4 God laughs at the arrogance of the proud. Col 3:15 he makes a spectacle of enemies. Rev 11:16-18 people on thrones, nations angry, rewarding servants. Ps 2:7 was said to each king in line of David including Jesus (Heb 5:5). When we see King Jesus coming, all other kings will come to bow to him. When we see Him we will fall on our faces. Israel has never taken another country. Boundaries are God's matter. The Lord we worship will rule as a shepherd. His rod is for discipline, His staff for shepherding (caring/rescuing) Ps 23. He will shatter the foreign deities and evil. Heb 5:1,2 the high priest shows understanding and repentance. Ps 2:10 is a direct message to the kings to be wise, and be warned. 1 Tim 2:1 first of all! pray for kings and rulers. Rev 11:15 all kingdoms have become His kingdoms. Take refuge in the king of kings.
You can suppport the work of Mission International though prayer and donating at give.net or message/email me for bank details

4/9 Other Notes Esther 5:1-2   Approaching God

  When we come to God, are we like a young toddler running to grandma asking "What sweeties have you got for me?" Scripture shows that we should enter into God's presence before we start asking for things. We see in Esther (5:1), Jn 14:20, 15:16, and 1 Jn 5:15, a confidence in knowing that we can bring our requests to God. How do we get this confidence? What are the conditions?

1. Preparation: Esther took 3 days intensive preparation to get herself ready before bringing her request before the king. We should not approach God in a casual attitude. Ps 24:3,4 tells us we need clean hands and hearts, they alone can enter his presence! Ps 66:17,18 - we are to call out to him with praising and confessing.
2. Confess. Dump your junk first. When we enter his presence, Mt 6:7, don't babble, Heb 10:19-23 is about coming boldly before God; you can't enter with shame or guilt, only when we are completely forgiven. Prayers of confession in traditional church services assume all present are believers, but many are not and do not come prepared. We come with humility and gratitude. we enter in the way Jesus has cleared for us. Jn 15:7, stay joined, relationship is the basic.
3. Filter your requests. Is my request in line with the Kingdom? Jn 15:7,8. When you ask, check your motives. James 4:3 is teaching us to ask in the right way.
4. Believe that God hears and wants to bless you, Mk 11:24, James 1:6-8. King Xerxes invited Esther to make her request. God wants to bless us.
5. Give thanks, from the security of knowing who God us and who we are in Christ. Jesus knew who he was and that his Father was for him. We give thanks because God hears our prayers, Ps 6:9. Do we know God has heard, even if there is no answer yet? We can. Ps 41:10-12, 34:4, 116:1. Phil 4:6 is Paul's instruction to ask and to thank God in our prayers. Do not pray yourself into unbelief by repeating requests endlessly. Stop praying for something when God is already on the case. Persevere when you are not breaking through. Jesus' teaching on prayer includes Mt 7:7 Ask, seek, knock.

28/8 Jamie Mackintosh 1 Peter 1:3-2:12   Peter

  A Bible Study in 1 Pet 1,2 was the inspiration for a song. Mt 16:18 tells us that Peter was the son of Jonah. Andrew is known as the first disciple; Peter is known as the rock. He was impetuous and strong minded, people had opinions about him. Jesus saw him as the rock. What is purpose of his letters. They are a reminder of the salvation of the gentiles in the 5 dispersed churches. The believers in those churches were being slandered by the state and by society. Peter is sending an encouragement and correction. We as the church are shrinking, but we need to join blazing hearts together. We usually go to Paul or James first for encouragement. There is more than enough encouragement in 1 Peter 1:3-2:12. Peter presents a systematic theology of the faith. He gives powerful understanding of believing in Jesus and living his life, salvation and faith. We have a living hope v3. This hope is for our future: living is what we have now. Good works are an act of faith to demonstrate what we believe (1:14,15 2:1,2). They are a witness to our culture (2:8). Luke urges us to, "deny yourself" (9:23) This attitude is not popular and hardly anyone does this today. The power of Scripture changes us and can change others. We have our hope, and have faith, in a powerful God. Ch 2:5 describes the believers as, "living stones", chosen and holy (Deut 7:6). The reference to God's chosen is to Jesus and us. Build your life, your house on holiness. Sanctify yourself, accept earthly authorities. Place Christ first in all we do. We are the chosen, called people of God. This is a message of hope for us, a witness to those around us.

21/8 Paul Younger Mt 4:1-11   Whole Life worship

  Anyone arriving early at a music concert will hear the familiar sound of "Testing, testing, 123 testing". This passage in Matthew is about 3 tests. The Greek word peirazó can mean tempted or tested. An eager hostess may have asked if you could be tempted by other slice of cake? We discover early that testing can be tough. Academic test can be daunting, medical tests can find out if something is wrong with us. Jesus went through severe tests. Engineers test their designs with stress and strain and repeat them until they exceed normal conditions, sometimes even to destruction. The devil wanted to destroy Jesus and he wants to destroy us. His timing is impeccable, immediately after Jesus baptism. Is satan hoping Jesus' defences are down after an emotional high? We need to be on 'Yellow alert' and be vigilant. Satan targets his test. Jesus was hungry. A time of physical and emotional weakness? Satan is clever and devious. There can be more to food than first appears. We know our weaknesses and the devil does too. The group Squeeze sang about being tempted by the fruit of another in a song about unfaithfulness. We can be foiled by something that is almost true. How did Jesus pass the test? He trusted the Father. We have instincts to help us know who to trust. Jesus knows his Father and His Word. Satan also knows God's word, but Jesus knows it accurately, quoting from the law in Deuteronomy. Knowing the facts can get us through, but even Devil knows them. Jesus also understood the meaning of the Word and the relationship with the Father. Jesus trusted the Father. Jesus knew the Spirit had led him to that place. 1 Cor 10:13 reminds us of the limits of our testing. We should expect to be tested, and trust God. He will not let us be destroyed. Satan tries to make Jesus doubt the Father. Jesus declares trust in God. The testing ends. The devil leaves; he has achieved nothing. The key is to worship only God. Serve him only. Toe the line. True worship is what we do, not just what we say. It's how we live. True worship is full obedience to God, not just being a Sunday Christian. Michel Quoist, author of "Prayers for Life": if we knew how to listen... our whole life would be a prayer. Can our whole life be worship? Follow God all the time.

14/8 George/Wilma 2 Sam 15:4-6   Justice & Trust

  Prov 21:15, Ps 36:6, Lk 18-1-8

7/8 Other Notes Jn 12:28, Jas 4:1-10   Father, Glorify Your Name

  Jim Brain @ IKB - "The church is the only instrument to untangle works of the devil". In prayer it is good to persist and not give up, but also to investigate why an illness or a situation is not overcome. It may not be helpful to tell someone it is their own fault that there is no victory, but there may be something they need to stop before God can move. Jesus instructed people to "go and sin no more". A 24/7 group received a prayer request for someone's family member. Can we pray for someone who doesn't want prayer or doesn't want to be healed? Most of our prayer is hopeful rather than confident. Some factors we are unaware of.
Prayer must repect the glory of God. His name is to be honoured. Acts 19:10 Jesus was honoured and many were cured v12. Jn 14:12,13 the work and prayer brings glory to the Father. God is intensely concerned about the honour of His name. Ez 23 - 43 contains 30 referencss to knowing He is God in just 20 chapters. He wants his character established. God wants to be known among the nations - Ps 9:19,20, 22:27, 72:11, 86:9 - all nations, not just Israel, 97:9. Num 21:32-35, after Moses sent spies, God promised them deliverance. Jer 44:28, those in Egypt will know if you fail your promise. Ez 20:9, 14, 22, 44. God acts for the sake of His name. Prayer must be for honour of God's name. We can pray for deliverance Ps 143:11, Jer 14:7, 21 for the glory of God's name. For sake of reputation, do not abandon us... Compassion and feelings should be considered. God is loving but not soft. He gets angry. He hates things that block people from knowing and worshipping God, and things that make little ones lose faith, the work of demons and illness. Mk 1:40, when the leper came to Jesus, he was moved to the guts, he groaned with pity. Jesus snorted at Lazarus tomb. We are too casual about sin, satan and sickness. We put up with things we should stand against. Jesus mourned over Jerusalem. Jesus was passionate at crucifixion Jn 14. Heb 8:7 Jesus pleaded loudly with tears. If my people humble themselves. Kneel to pray. Adopt a humble posture. Actively seek. Ps 57:2, 86:3, 6, Jer 9:1, 13:7 pouring out, urgent cry. Put your heart into prayer. Jeremiah wept day and night about the people going into exile. Jas 4:1-10 NLT our attitude to God is important. Get right motives, right heart, enter His presence, learn to move in spiritual authority.

31/7 Michael Palmer Rom 5:12-21   Doctrine of Original Sin.

  The doctrine of original sin. Why does this affect us all? Adam's sin brought condemnation for us all. Jesus brought justification for us all. v12 sin came through one to all. This is Paul's commentary on Gen 4. Sin is a force that brings about evil. It comes through the fall Gen 3. Gen 4:7 tells us sin is crouching at the door. We must not let it take over. In Rom 7:14,25 describes us as "slaves to sin" - there is a sentient force affecting us. Adam allowed sin in, so it affects us all. Augustine believes original sin is a strong desire inherent in us all. It is a consequence of Adam's transgression. Adam broke trust in God. Adam's sin was to choose to rule by his knowledge. Hosea's word from God to the people 6:7 speaks of them broking the covenant. Not just a bad action, but defaulting on the partnership and ruling by human wisdom. Humans, like Adam, forfeit the right to rule. All Adam's descendants lose their authority also. Not really an inheritance of guilt, but a consequential loss of relationship. The third character in Gen is the serpent. He is the ribbon that ties the present (gift) together. The serpent is the force of sin in action. Satan is causing the sinfulness. The God given authority to man, which is now lost, leaves a vacuum. Satan moves in. If you are born to parents who are slaves, you become a slave even though it wasn't you who was sold. Acts, the power of Satan and sinfulness. Gen 3:15 the first prophetic word spoken. Death reigned from Adam to Moses. Satan was allowed to take over. [This is not the end of the story!]

24/7 Paul Younger Mt 17:14-20   A miracle, a mustard seed and a mountain

  Following a request to preach on Jesus' miracles, and a first look at Mt 17:14-20 it didn't appear suitable for a three point sermon. After further reading it emerged that the passage was about a miracle, a mustard seed and a mountain. Life has many experiences, they can be great or crashing with a bump. This event is straight after the transfiguration. The mountain 'high' was very soon lost. They return to meet an anxious father, a demonised boy and demoralised disciples. Jesus is very exasperated with disciples. Jesus felt all the emotions that we feel. v17 is a expression of much frustration. The man was very disappointed that the disciples were unable to help. All I need is a miracle (Mike and the Mechanics). The boy's condition, described as seizures or moon-struck (lunatic), could have been epilepsy. Jesus takes authority and rebukes and casts out the demon. It was an immediate result. Was it an 'ordinary' illness or was it demonic torment? The text is inconclusive. Mental illness is hard to interpret and diagnose. Spiritual discernment is critical and not mutually exclusive to medical expertise. How do you discern demonic? It is hard to know what was all happening to the boy. The fact is the boy came to Jesus needing help and Jesus gave him a miracle. Faith is required, but it is lacking in the disciples. After the healing, the disciples ask why they couldn't do it. Mustard seeds are tiny. A little faith can cause great things to happen. It is powerful. They had seen Jesus do many miracles. He doesn't lack power. We, however can lack faith. The reference to a mountain is one of Jesus absurd illustrations. He is not being literal. With faith nothing is impossible. We will face seemingly insurmountable problems. Whether illness or injury. We can use a tiny bit of faith and a lot of help from God. God is still doing miracles and every mountain is surmountable.

17/7 Other Notes 2 Cor 10:3-5   Prayer

  Why we pray. There is a desperate need for prayer, Ukraine, UK government… Pray for a person of integrity. In Gen 1:26 we see that man is given dominion (authority) over creation. We are responsible for what happens on the earth, Ps 8:4-6, we are in charge. This is not a prophecy about Jesus, it's about us. Gen 3:4-6, mankind chooses to obey Satan instead of God. Rom 6:16 we are slaves to the one we obey. Because of man's choice, control of the world has passed to Satan. Satan is the god of this age. People tell us that God is in control of everything, but this cannot be as we know He does not cause suffering or bring loss. It is the evil one who steals, kills and destroys. The story of Job is boring, but it is there for a reason. His friends tell him the suffering is due to his disobedience, therefore, it's God's fault. It is all the devil's doing. God's will was rejected by the Pharisees, Lk 7:30. We must pray for God's will to be. Without our prayers it may not happen. Only an innocent man can redeem the earth. It is Jesus. There were a number of attempts on Jesus life. By killing an innocent man Satan lost his authority over the earth. Jesus passes his authority over the earth on to his disciples and to us. When Jesus sent out the 72 (Lk10:1), he gave them authority over the enemy v17. We need to enforce this kingdom authority. We tend to break the law when no one is there to enforce it. From Jesus time on the earth, to these current times, all Jesus' enemies are being made into His footstool. The powers of darkness are slowly being defeated. It is the church's job to bring authority. Spritual victory comes through "the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony", Rev 12:11, "Jesus is Lord" is the testimony. Acts 8 Philip did this in Samaria and Ethiopia. Speak to the powers of darkness. The Kingdom is here now. The testimony of Paul and his companions was so strong, the Thessalonians, effeectively accused them of treason Acts 17:7. Jesus is king over sin, sickness, governments and all world systems. We are the enforcement agency. We must have God's authority in our lives, to have authority over powers. We must stand in the authority of Jesus and establish it in our own lives first. When we have been healed and an illness comes back, rebuke it! What is going on in your life right now is what you should start to deal with. Then move on to family issues and others in your workplace and the town where you live. This is not imposing God's standards on others. We have no right to impose morals on those outside the church. We use the power of words to take spiritual authority. Eph 6:10-18, for spiritual warfare, we must use the armour of God to be able to stand firm. We need to fight just to remain standing up. Prayer is not persuading God to do something He doesn't want to. Find out how God wants to deal with a situation. Jesus rebuked the fever in Peter's mother in law (Mt 8:13-15). The Bible is a book of constant battle. The OT is mainly physical battles. NT battles are mainly spiritual. Don't run from the battles. Demons and evil spirits do exist: they are mentioned 80 times in NT. We must take our place in the battle. Children get the school they pray for (not many pray for their schools). Pray for those in authority over you, pray for prosperity in the land. God gave sovereignty to us. In eternity we will be ruling the universe. God is a god of war, a mighty warrior. God gives us responsibility.

10/7 Heather Sutherland Josh 1:1-9   Meditation

  Josh 1:1-9 is a familiar passage. Today we will concentrate on v8 and the Spiritual discipline of meditating. Kilt making takes a lot thought or it doesn't turn out right. It takes time. It is very engrossing. When did we last forget lunch when spending time in God's Word? God-ward meditation requires a lot of concentration. God wants intimacy with us: we need to understand this and come to him. Richard Foster (lots of excellent quotes here!) speaks of moments of detachment from our current situation that will help us to be more in His presence. Who He is - very important: how we feel - much less important. Joshua is not given an option to meditate. It is an order. This is a key to living a godly life. Follow the example of Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus. If, like Martha, we start from work we will still have work to do. Spend time with Jesus and the work will get done. Prov 2:1-8 spend time learning how God works. Wisdom and understanding are female words. Set your heart on Scripture. Develop spiritual ears by studying God's Word. When we don't do this there will be things missing in our Christian life. Ps 119:97-100. David meditates all day. Tap in to knowledge by reading God's word. Jesus healed people in different ways. Why does prayer work? See the wondrous works. v77-78 live for the Law. It was important to Josh, David and also Paul. 1 Tim 4:15 meditate diligently. What do we focus on? Ask God. Perhaps his glorious splendour, his wondrous works, Ps 145:5. Look up, what is God doing in the heavens. What is God doing? Ps 25:4 - get to know God's ways, it will help us to pray. Study the commandments, praise them. Ps 119:14 lift up hands to statutes. Discover the names of God. Mal 3:16 God listens to those meditate on Him. Do we understand what all God's names mean? Try some other aspects you are not familiar with. Meditate on a spiritual gift you have. Be diligent, focused, intentional. Not just book knowledge. We want the word to come out of the pages and become life. Look with your spirit. Ask God what He wants you to learn. Start with 5 minutes a day.

3/7 Andrea Mill Eph 5:1-22   Life by the Spirit

  From a post on fb, "2 biblical statements, only 1 is Christlike". How do we discern what is Christlike and live according to that. Eph 5:1-22 teaches us how to imitate God. Ch 4 instructs us to tell the truth and speak well to build each other up. Therefore… (5:1). Jesus came to show us how to live. Look at His life to see how He lived. He came as a human baby. He grew up and started His ministry at 30. He uses Scripture to rebuke devil in wilderness. He calls 12 disciples. He preached that the Kingdom is here. He healed the sick. He ushered in God's message of the Kingdom. He taught his disciples and many others with the beatitudes. Jesus did not abolish the law and the prophets. He fulfilled them. To do this is to be great in God's Kingdom. John the baptist testifies to this (Jn 1:15-18). Jesus brings love to the law. Jesus wants us to consider people and our relationships. Know yourself; anger leads to murder. What causes anger in me? How do I deal with it? How we think matters to God. Don't let people or things distract you from God and doing His will. Be careful what you look at and watch. Desire starts in the mind. Keep it clean and focused. Be trustworthy. Do not be like the world. Give where you can. Love your enemies. Be forgiving and peacemaking. We must do our best to preserve relationships. Be different from the world. Mt 7:1, after the sermon on mount, teaches us not to judge, "Do not judge". The church has a reputation of being judgemental. It starts with how we are. Mt 18:15 -17 is how we deal with sin and disagreement in the church - talk to them. Relationships are the heart of Christian living. Eph 5:1 we are His dear children. That's why we live His way. Study the way Jesus did things. v10 find out what pleases God. Note the list of things to avoid. Look at Jesus lifestyle. He was active, he rested, he prayed... He released his emotions, took time to know what The Father wanted and did that. Lk 6 v:45 what we are comes from our heart. Pay attention to all those things. Be filled with Holy Spirit: Jesus did not minister in His own strength. Mt 22:34-39, the greatest commandment. Love your neighbour, it all hangs on this. Jesus' purpose is to keep us close to God. The more time we spend with Him the more we become like Him. Holy Spirit adds flavour to our lives. This will attract others to look at our lives. 2 keys. Be thankful. Accept what God gives, ignore what the world gives. Jesus lives in us by Holy Spirit. Participate in what Jesus is doing. Gal 2:20 - we are called to be different. Meditate on this. Go and make disciples. Who are we discipling? Show people God's way by living it.

26/6 Jamie Mackintosh Gen 1:1-4   Light of the World

  Power and wonder of Holy Spirit working. Ps 27. God is our strength. society today there is a lot of connection to this ps. cry out for mercy, praise, lamentation. Covid reading plan. Stuck at 27. On different days enlightenment on a verse in different ways. Where is the community we had then? People are turning against each other again and ripping others off. Returning to normality. What blessing can we find through these times. We are called to suffer and endure. In all this God asures us. Jn 8:12. vv4-6, David loves communion with God. We must bear witness to Jesus here, now. Good redeems bad. War and evil were prevalent in David's time, also lies and fake news. Our faith helps us deal with this. We build our lives on the basis of Jesus life and death. David's salvation comes from the assurance of God's love. We must take up our crosses. For some this is very difficult. This is a request for an easier path. Like Christian in Pilgrims Progress. Jesus asked for an easier path, but trusted God to take him on the right path. Be a prayer warrior. St Theresa, we are Jesus hands and feet. We are His body. Devotional lives and actions should be our aim. This will protect us and direct us in God's way.

19/6 Michael Palmer Heb 12:1-17   Discipleship

  Hopefully Michael will send us the link to this recording soon.
* * This message is still being updated * * Michael graduated with 2.1. The verse that encouraged him to stay with Harry. Look to Jesus, He is the founder and the discipliner. (v4). Discipline is key, but context is living a life of faith. all that hinders may not be sin. Heb 3:11,12. This passage also has a theme of inheritance. This warning is so we don't miss out on our inheritance. God wants us to run with endurance, to gain discipline. God can discipline in many ways. Illness and struggle are not God's discipline. God is making holy. His judgment is for justice. Sodom and Gomorah were judged, not discipline. The flood, not discipline. Annanias and Sapphira, were judged. This is how God feels about sin. God is teaching us to lay aside sin. Reproof, a telling off; discipline of loss of privilege; chastise is more scary, a scourging. Chastisement is the most severe, because God loves us. Judgement is punishment, discipline is teaching. Not all situations are to teach us discipline. James, 1:2-4 steadfast through trials. Trials are temptation. There are trials that God brings to test us. The devil is malicious he wants us to sin. God wants us to know Him more. It helps us to realise how much we know. Job was a righteousness man, was tested by Satan. God's discipline looks like making us more like Him, put us in the place where we operate best. Prophecy, God is fulfilling His plan. Prov a man of understanding takes rebuke deeply. Discipline produces fruit of righteousness. He teaches us to love and treat each other right. v22 lift your hands. Get trained up. Run the race with endurance. Strengthen yourself. Pursue God and holiness. Forgiveness overcomes the root of bitterness. v18-29 God's presence.

12/6 Paul Younger 1 Cor 11:23-29   I would do anything for love

  A story of a sermon that was never meant to be, but was God ordained. A late call to preaching to fill in for a colleague. A message not just for one congregation and confirmed by God.
Things we do frequently can become a habit and lose their meaning. Yet when we share communion we do it often because it is so meaningful. God wants us not to let it lose it's meaning. A woman with a boisterous family found it difficult to spend time with God. She developed the habit of tying up the dog and insisting the children remained quiet for 15 mins every day during her prayer and devotions. Her daughter faced the same problem and tried the same solution, but strayed from times of devotion and prayer. The grand daughter did the same routine, although she didn't pray didn't and didn't know why she was doing it. The danger for us is that something important becomes a tradition. That's why we need a reminder from God.
Remembrance, Repentance, Reconciliation.
Paul uses the word remembrance twice (v24, v25). It is all about Jesus. It is not about the bread or the drink, they are to help us remember Him. Jesus knew His arrest was imminent. He shared these elements with his disciples, but was about to sacrifice himself. This is what he was born for. The powers of darkness thought they had him. He became more powerful than they could imagine. He knew God's plan. By giving his life he could save others. He was demonstrating his love for us. He would do anything for love. It is important to do what Jesus said. fb reminds us of posts from a year or two previous. Jesus gives us a sacrament to remember Him always.
v28 repentance is important. This examination is not one that can be revised for. Before participating in this act of remembrance, look at the sin in your life. No one can pass this exam. The key is Rom 6:23 "the gift of God is eternal life". Jesus takes the exam for us. We are given a free pass. When you find sin in your life, ask God to forgive you, He will wipe the slate clean.
Reconciliation, resolving disagreement in a relationship. Relationships can be easily damaged. Family know how to push your buttons. The closer we are, the more important it is to restore harmony. Communion is the opportunity to come to God for reconciliation. Keep Communion simple, come in remembrance, repentance and to be reconciled.

5/6 No Meeting (Carratt Wedding)

29/5 Hugh Henderson Ps 1   Christ in the Psalms

  Covid has been a bigger challenge to the developing world than it has been here. The war in Ukraine will have an even bigger effect on poorer countries. Food shortage problems will be massive. Recent cyclones have washed away housing and animals in Malawi, Mozambique and east Africa. The last MI trip to Bangladesh (an Islamic country where the law forbids preaching gospel to Muslims) should have included a 4 day trip to Myanmar, but it was cancelled due to lock down. MI are assiting in a DRC project to provide for widows, in the aftermath of wars in E Africa. Democratic Republic of Congo includes former Zaire + Republic of Congo. The DRC forest is size of France, it's a huge country. The project is on the E side of DRC, next to Rwanda and Burundi at Lake Kivu. Terrorists in the region are brutal and do what they like. The pastor is trying to supprt 50 widows and 230 children. MI are adopting a "Help one by one" approach in "Project New Life". It will require £40,000 for a building to start the community. Pray for them. Due to lack of resources, particularly medication, people here are dying from conditions like asthma. £2,500 is needed for a house. Sponsors are needed for the children. In Tanzania, another vast country, a small pastor with big heart is managing water projects. He received funds for 3 projects and managed to build 4! Training for pastors takes place over zoom; 20 pastors watching one phone with an interpreter. The strategy is to preach the gospel while sharing food. MI income has, surprisingly, been greater during covid restrictions.
Ps 1 is the first chapter from the most read book of Bible. We go to the Psalms for help and comfort. The Psalms are messianic; they are to be sing and prayed. Christ is in all Psalms. Jn 5:39 the 'very Scriptures' which testify about Jesus refers to the OT and Psalms. Lk 24:13-35 on the road to Emmaus, Jesus began with OT and prophets. The Old Testament is in the New revealed, the New Testament is in the Old concealed. The cross is in the centre. St Benedict around 400AD encouraged all the Psalms to be sung or recited each week. Psalms is inspired song book of Church. Joel 2:32, call on the name of the Lord. Christopher Ash's commentary 'Psalms For You', "can shape the dynamics of our Christian lives in ways that neither a dry and arid intellectualism nor a rootless emotionalism can do. The Psalms can make us Christians with deep feelings, deep emotions, deep thoughts, and deep desires.". If we pray, we live with God. Prayer should become for us an urgent necessity every day. John and Jesus taught their disciples to pray. Lk 11:2 When you pray, say… Mt 6:5-8 pray in private. Lk 18:9-14, 2 men in temple praying. Jesus shows that attitude in prayer is key. Lk 18:1-8, be persistent, seek justice. God hears our prayers. Jesus prayed the Psalms. Ps 130 is an anguished prayer. There are psalms of ascent, sung on way to worship. Jesus quotes Ps 22 on cross. These words were written by David and quoted by the 'Son of David'. How can we use these Psalms? Jesus suffered and can carry us through. We can pray these prayers inspired by Holy Spirit. Even when I die, I will be raised by Christ. Ps 1 & 2 are a gateway. Ps 1 is a summary. Think of Christ. Jesus is the man. Col 3:16 let the Word of Christ dwell in you… through psalms and songs. Read and understand the Psalms, Christ is in there. Lk 6:45 good man brings good things. Fill your heart with the Psalms. This is what brings happiness. Not power, wealth, drink or entertainment etc. Pray God helps us to see the Psalms this way.

22/5 Jeff Miller Psalm 23   The LORD is my Shepherd

  The message for this morning is 'The LORD is my Shepherd'. This was confirmed at a short service in St Giles, on the audible Bible and on the God channel. Ps 23. The LORD = Yahweh. Shepherds in the East lead their sheep from the front, not from behind like they do here. He talks to them constantly and they follow his voice. This whole Psalm is a picture of our whole lives. At night the shepherd speaks continually in the darkness. God speaks to us in our darkness through His Word. This is a powerful thing for us. Be aware of this; read the Word. Know His voice. Mary sat at Jesus feet, listened to His voice and rested in His presence. Martha was busy and stressed. He is the Prince of peace. He tells us of things to come. He explained His whole life to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. The word for shepherd means best friend. Share your heart with him. He will reveal his heart to us. Allow Him to lead us. He provides for us and we are never in want. He gives us seeds to sow. v2 He gives us sustenance and restraint. Stick to your limits. The enemy is out to get us. Rest in the word. Sleep in the storm the way Jesus slept in the boat (Mt 8:24). We fix our eyes on what is unseen (2 Cor 4:18). What word do I need to rest on? When revival comes people will be crying out to God and weeping. Rest in your word of healing or victory. Prov 4:20-22 the words are life and health, medicine to us. He leads by still waters, He gives joy, peace. Be thirsty for His presence. He gives the gift of righteousness to walk in His ways. It is important to know we are already righteous through Jesus' blood. Hunger and thirst for righteousness. The rod is like a club, to fight against your enemies. 1 Sam 17:45 "I come to you [Goliath] in the name of the LORD Almighty". Use the sword of the Spirit against the enemy. The shepherd leads us, we are to follow His example. We can have healing in place of sickness, life instead of death. He is the anointed one and He anoints us. Goodness follows us. His mercies follow us for ever. We will dwell with him for eternity.

15/5 No Meeting

8/5 Other Notes 1 Jn 2:12-14   Maturity

  Maturity is on God's heart just now. 1 Jn 2:12-14 speaks to developing levels of maturity: little children, children, the young, men/women, elders. He warns then not to look down on immaturity 1 Pet 5:1-4. We are to help normal development and encourage growth. In the NT, there is a concern for lack of maturity. Heb 5:11,12 slow to learn, elementary truths. Ch 6:1 move forward to maturity. 1 Cor 3:1 referes to the immature as 'worldly', infants in Christ. Ch 2:6 the message of wisdom is for the mature. prepare, build up, become a complete man (Eph 4:13), no longer infants. We need 5-fold ministry to help us grow up, Eph 4:11-13. This should lead us to a bit of healthy self examination. Are we increasing in our relationship to God and to each other?,Are we increasing in expressing truth to those around us?
Jesus is returning for a pure bride. The world is not going to be ready for Jesus return: the church will be ready. Eph is about God building one corporate man on the earth. This is not about individual maturity. We are growing into unity and loyalty. NT Wright refers to Jesus as "Christ the King" to help us understand His role more fully and help us towards maturity. Only a mature, complete body can represent God on earth. The book of Romans is about unity of the body. The book of Philippians is about christ-likeness and becoming like Him.
A mystery is hidden until is revealed. God is not hiding things from us, He wants to reveal what He is doing. God wants to bring a universal brotherhood of all nations. To have a Father, you must be a son. Jn 8:44, Jesus calls Pharisees sons of the devil. All creation is not a son. In the NT world, a son has a status, he is an heir. Having reached maturity he shares in the property and running of the family estate. Jn 1:12 all who receive Jesus receive the power to become children of God. Heb 1:5 & 5:5. God decalres Jaesus is His Son. This is not adoptionism. God did not adopt Jesus because he was good enough. Jesus is only called Son after His baptism. "Son-placing". Romans had a ceremony for son-ship/citizenship - the declaraton of son in public who was no longer a child. The boy would changing into a toga and put away his toys. 1 Cor 13:11, I put the ways of childhood behind me. Son-placing conferred authority. An estate did not belong to the father, but the family. The new son was a joint owner and could act on behalf of the family. God wants mature people and a mature church. How do we attain maturity? Through suffering - Heb 5:8. 1 Jn 2:14 young men overcome their trials by the Word of God living in them. In Revelation 2 each church overcomes hardship (Ephesus), suffering (Smyrna), persecution (Pergamum) and receives a promise. Crises help us move on. American family life denies young people the chance to grow by fixing everything for them. Jas 1:2 urges us to welcome trials and find joy in them as persevere leads to maturity. Only adults can endure. Live by the power of Holy Spirit as Sons of God. Live knowing the power of God. 1 Cor 2:5 by faith, rest on God's power, not on your knowledge. Christ likeness Rom 8:29 is God conforming us to make us like Christ. Sonship = an heir, we have an inheritance now, we have an equal authority to bring about God's will on earth. Live in the power of God to see unity.

1/5 Richard Hobson Luke 14:12-24   Celebrations and feasts

  Communion, feasts and chocolate are topical today. Banquets and feasts are meant to celebrate God's events. Passover, Atonement, Tabernacles. They had a purpose; they celebrate the acts of God. Food is the glue in the festival. Feasts were enjoyed when covenants were made. The seven main OT feasts pointed to Jesus. They are emblems of the happiness of the Kingdom. Lk 14:12-24. Jesus was invited to dinner with the ruler of Pharisees. Jesus instructions for the 2nd banquet v12 are strange and very challenging. We don't have rich neighbours who hold thses type of feasts. Have a feast for the poor. We usually ask friends and family. Being together as a family is good. We are challenged to invite people with physical disabilities. We look after family and look out for friends. This challenge is to look beyond to ourselves to get the blessings of helping others. Lk 6:27 asks us to do more than sinners do. Be merciful. God's ways are a contrast to the ways of the world v6:35. We need to consider eternity when we choose to help others. 1 Cor 13 biblical love is tough, gritty and strong and a witness to God's love. Jesus is perhaps not asking us to be literal, but to consider grace and mercy. Spiritually we can be blind and lame. We cannot repay God's grace and mercy. To eat bread in God's kingdom is a blessing. v19 the invitees make their excuses. This was a huge feast. These are feeble excuses. They valued their own needs much more. They were replaced by the sick and the lame from the streets and the lanes where the lowly lived. There was so much room, they were to go out, to those in the hedges. This was related in the home of a Pharisee. Jews and Gentiles were all invited to this lavish banquet. The decliners offended the master. How do we know we will be at the banquet? Great grace has been shown to us. We were outcasts. Eph 2 we were dead in sin, but He invites us in. Bring people in do not askthem, compel them to come! We are not worthy to be there, but we are welcome. We can be thankful and celebrate the feast. We can celebrate and rejoice that we are celebrating the good things God has done. Song of Songs is an allegory of Jesus love for the church 2:4. He brings us in to His banquet. Be joyful that God has brought us in.

24/4 Iain Sutherland Lk 24:13-35   Un-named Heroes

  A prophetic word, "What is hidden on earth is known in heaven". Who was with Cleopas on the journey? Was it his wife? Who are all the unnamed heroes in Scripture. On the Wednesday of what we now call Holy Week (Mt 26:26) a woman came with an alabaster jar. The apostles forget names. The legacy of the biblical heroes is all through Scripture. Who mentored Cuthbert? Aiden went to Northumberland from Iona. Virgno, 4th Abbot of Iona. Boisil, a monk at Melrose Abbey. Corman, a monk at Iona was first. We might be insignificant on earth, but not to God. Early gosple pioneers expected the people to come to them and adopt their way of life. Aiden did it very differently. He reached out to people and knew to give them milk before giving them meat. Actions lead to words. Edward Kimball, a Sunday School teacher in Boston USA, visited his pupils during the week. He led a young shoe salesman to Christ - DL Moody, who preached in Britain to Pastor Meyer who went to preach in America to Wilbur Chapman who trained Billy Sunday who organised a crusade with Mordecai Ham whose message captivated a young Billy Graham. Such was the influence of insignificant people. Spiritualy we have an ancestry. God sees us. He sets things aside for us. Bede recorded it for us. Dysart means Desert. there are significant things around us from people we dont know. Heb 11, we can have faith even though we do not see what God is doing. Heb 12 we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. Don't underestimate the little things God asks us to do. What do we rejoice in? Lk 10:1-20 Jesus sends out the 72. Lk 10:1, how many of 72 do we know? (possibly 12). Sometimes the nugget of what Jesus says is at the end, v20 our names are written in His book. He knows us better than we do. We are loved by God. We are seen by Him. Whose upper room were the disciples in? Who were the bandits on the cross? Phil 4:3 contend with the co-workers whose names are in the book of life. We take our place with selfless love. The focus is on Jesus. We are his servants, His sons and daughters. He calls us to be faithful, He makes us fruitful.

17/4 Paul Younger Jn 20:1-10   First Easter News

  To read the news bulletin, please click/tap ⇒ here…
It doesn't matter if it's been said before, it is still worth telling. We read the news to find out what is going on; sometimes we are aware that two or more sources give different accounts of the same event. We are experiencing more occurrances of 'fake news' or 'alternatve facts'. The 'Younger version' tries to stick with the truth. The body of Jesus, the radical has been removed. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. He was executed between two criminals at Golgotha. He died unusually quickly for someone who was crucfied - the Roman invention of ultimate torture. The Romans knew how to kill people. Armed guards watched the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, where they put Jesus. His followers came to see, then left. They seemed to be unaware that the resurrection was predicted. Most people in our country today don't know the old old story of Jesus life, death and resurrection. The news fom Jerusalem on that day is still astonishing for us now. Nothing has changed over 2000 yrs. Various attempts were made to alter the account of what happened to suit the position of those who were inconvenienced by these events. 'Fake news' is not new. People have trying to bury the truth for thousands of yers: it won't stay buried! According to advertising, with the right batteries our torches will shine brighter and longer. The truth about Jesus needs no battery. It is just as bright today. Easter is not a family-friendly holiday with bunnies and chocolate, it is the good news that Jesus is Alive!.

10/4 Jeff Miller 1 Cor 13:1-8   God's Love

  Jesus stuck by Peter after all he did. We need to understand how much God loves us. 1 Cor 13:1-8. Mercy is unfailing love; an act of desire to remove distress. The goodness of God brings repentance. Jesus called Simon, "Peter", literally a chip off the old block. We are also chip's off the old block. Jesus will quickly take our hand, but we must ask Him for help. Love never takes failure as defeat. God has no recollection of past sin. Peter wanted to lay down his life for Jesus, but fear came over Peter when Jesus was arrested. We also struggle when faced with difficult situations. These tests can strengthen our faith. God keeps no record of wrong and desires that we do the same. When Peter asks if it is neccesary to forgive 7 times, he learns that it should be 70 x 7 times (morethan you can count, more than is reasonable!). Be aware that we can be caught out quickly: one minute studying God's Word, then the next in traffic losing our peace. These are the times to make a conscious decision to bless instead of curse. Immediate forgiveness is essential to maintain our peace. Walk in forgiveness. We are loved and we are to love like children, like friends, like lovers. Immediately after Jesus' baptism, He was declared 'loved' - before He did anything. God loves us for who we are not what we do. As children we need to talk to the Father. He does things to make us call out to Him. To hear God, we must sit down and listen. We are called to love God, then He gives us everything we need to love Him. Mk 10:14-16 let the children come to me. God caresses and kisses us. Share as a friend with God and He will share things with you. God sent an angel to find a bride for Isaac (Gen 24:7). Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to us. He does this continually, and takes us to meet Jesus. To be the bride, we are to be loved by God. Intimacy is what God is looking for. Relationships take effort. God is coming in fire over Scotland. He knows we are not ready. He asked Peter, "Do you love me?" (agape), Peter replied "you know I love you" (filio). God will bring us to the agape stage. He wants more of our hearts, no matter what age we are. He gives us more to love Him with. Peter met Jesus after the resurrection and served whole Him heartedly. Love gives. Jesus gave His life for us. It is amazing how how much He loves us. He gave his back to be flogged that we might be healed, his beard to be pulled and shamed that we might be worthy and and honoured. He gave everything for us. Take time to seek His face, to rest in His grace.

3/4 Andrea Mill 2 Chronicles Ch17 → Ch20   The Power of Worship

  To read this message, please click/tap ⇒ here
Tap/click to listen to the song Raise a Hallelujah
Tap/click to listen to the song This is how I fight my battles
Tap/click to listen to the song This is the air I breathe
Tap/click to listen to the summary of 2 Chronicles 20
Tap/click to listen to the song The Blessing

27/3 Paul Younger Exodus 17   A Bad Case of Déjà Vu

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Tap/click to listen to the song Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You
Tap/click to listen to the song Never Gonna Give You Up

20/3 Due to building work @ YMCA there was no meeting.

13/3 Michael Palmer Rev 22:1-2 ESV   The Tree

You can listen to an audio recording of this messsage in full. Click ⇒ here

  Biblical interpretation can be difficult. There is a theme for the whole of Scripture. How do we interpret this picture in the last chapter of Revelation? The general rule is, context, context, context.

1. Literary context: the meaning of the language, where it is placed in the text.
2. Historical context: time and culture of original event. e.g. In Lk 1, he writes to a Roman official. "Good News" in a Roman context was the announcement of a new emperor. (We must beware of bringing our own bias to this)
3. Canonical context: in the light of the whole Bible. We should interpret the OT through lens of Jesus. It is all about Him.

The historicist's view is everything is literal; the futurist thinks it is all yet to happen. It has all happened. An idealist prefers references to non specific, allegorical principals. All of us can limit the interpretation by our lack of knowledge. We can 'conveniently' (for us) combine all four views. How does Scripture view this chapter of Revelation? It references all the rest of the Bible. Read the rest first. We don't need to understand every detail in Rev. The theme for today's message is wisdom. This picture is the culmination of wisdom. Gen 2 describes the garden with a tree of life. Man is given authority to rule earth. Ruling requires wisdom: to know what is good and what is bad. In the original Hebrew 'evil' simply means bad. Why did God put the tree there? Everything He made is good. This tree is representative of our choices - God's way or man's way. Eve does what the tree is about, she re-defined good and bad. We also re-define good and bad according to our thinking. This new tree is a representation of God's way of life. His wisdom. The Torah is all about wisdom; the Hebrew word means instructions rather than laws. As well as the guidance there are stories of how these people failed to follow. It shows the failings of the human heart. We bring Western bias to reading of the Torah. This is not just a list of laws, it is wisdom and narrative. A lot of the moral guidance is still applicable. Follow the examples and apply them to other situations. Like the Proverbs they do not apply to every situation, but are true for some. Paul in the NT reminds us (1 Cor 10:6) these things are examples for us. Rom 15:4 all OT was for instruction, or torah (NT wasn't written at this time). Samuel, Judges anr the Prophets are the prophetic writings. All the prophets point back to the torah. The seed of the woman, the saviour is coming. The writings (Dan, Psalms, Prov, Job) are wisdom. It's all wisdom. John uses the term logos for Jesus. He is the wisdom become flesh! He had come among us. He is wisdom. Prov 8, wisdom took part in creation. Jesus is called the wisdom of God. To rule and reign with God we need wisdom. 2 Tim 3:16-17 - scripture is for equipping, wisdom. God is preparing us to rule with Him. Scripture is to teach us His wisdom. Prov 2 take hold of wisdom, the tree. Rev 22 leaves for healing of nations. His wisdom will restore creation. Rom 8, creation is groaning. Our purpose beyond the sharing gospel is to rule earth in wisdom. Our response is to trust in God. We are in training for His purpose. Ps 90 a prayer of Moses and a call to use this life wisely.

6/3 Richard Hobson Mt 24:3-14, Ps 46   Live in Hope

  The fact that God has provided Salvation, healing and redemption means we are greatly in need of it. The light of gospel shines brightly in the darkness. How do we respond to the situation in Ukraine? We live in the same world. What is God's view of it? A friend at St Peter's (Dundee) was training church leaders over in Ukraine: has this been a waste of resources? Has God's word and His promises failed? How do we understand similar events? Mt 24:3-14 speaks of many similar events. We must remember that this world is not God's final plan. Do we wish these things weren't predicted? These words do not feature as captions on inspirational posters! Our joy comes from God's salvation. A salvation that is great, since our lost-ness is so great. These things must take place. It's a fallen world. Wherever people turn away from God, thses things follow. These things are inevitable but they will end. Jesus warns that love for God will grow cold. We must find a place for both deliverance and the devastation in our minds. These signs of the end are shocking and disturbing. In the West, we lose touch that end time signs are all around us. How we understand God's plans affects how we respond when these things happen. Why else does Jesus say v13, "the one who stands firm to the end will be saved". The only way we endure is in Him. We are saved first. Ps 46, the earth is going to give way, but we are told not to fear. The earth does give way, the mountains do tremble. The important thing is God. He is our help, our strength... How does this help? How great is it to know Jesus, God with us for eternity. What is the greater catastrophe, the earth falling or us falling away from Him? What should we be more concerned about? Do we appreciate danger of evil around us. The Devil is closer than Ukraine and Russia. God will not let us go in any circumstance. Nothing can separate us from Him. Keep on with Jesus. He keeps us from stumbling and presents us before God. Jn 17:26, Jesus loses no-one, Jn 21:15-19. Our inheritance is sure. As we proclaim Jesus, we transform the world around us in a radical way. Pray for Putin. v14 Jesus plan will happen, even if men scoff. This response is world changing. Our hearts must be changed by God. Wars are inevitable on earth but the gospel is greater. Without the gospel there is no hope. Eternity is coming where there will be no conflict. Endure now. Live in hope. Rev 21 describes the new heaven and new earth. Our hope is in Jesus and His future, not NATO or the Ukraine Army. Momentary troubles will end.

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27/2 Other Notes Mt 6:5-13   The Temple & The Kingdom

  We may be the smallest functional church in Scotland, but we are one of the best taught churches in the land. The Gospels are easy to understand and hard to do. Historically, in the Church, there has been confusion between the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of world. What destruction was He referring to in Mk 9:1 speaking to the crowd; Mk 13:30 on the Mount of Olives; Mt 26:61 before Caiaphas, the high priest? Did Jesus, His disciples or did we get it wrong? What is it that we are living for today? Did the early Church really expect Jesus to return within their lifetime? Not everyone expected this. All the New Testament writers were Jews and knew the Scriptures well. The major theme is, God is coming to redeem His people: The king is coming! Isa 40:3. Mal 3:1. The people were expecting God to come, but not in the way He did, just as many times they expected God to act, but He did things differently to how they imagined it. Luke tells us in Acts 13:27 the people of Jerusalem did not recognise Jesus. John tells us 1:11 that He came to his own people and they did not receive Him. God redeems mankind and creation to Himself. Paul extends redemption to creation. God's promise is to release us, not just to give us forgiveness. Rom 1:1-4,5. It was the resurrection that declared Jesus to be the Son of God. He is the one who calls all of us and pours out his grace. Ps 2:6,8 Jesus is the King (because of the resurrection) and will inherit all the nations of the earth. Since Jesus comes in power through the resurrection, so He then gives Paul the authority to go to the (Gentile) nations. As we consider four passages about Gentiles, the key is Isa 11:10. God is calling everyone to Himself. 1 Cor 15:20-26. Everyone and everything will come under His authority. Somethings still need to be concluded, but Jesus is already ruling. Ps 8:5-6. People will be given authority too. Dan 7:27, God hands over power and authority to people (who worship Him): Paul bases his teaching on this too. The Kingdom is handed over to the saints. Jesus has worldwide authority. Philippians 2 declares every tongue will confess: Jesus is Lord, but it is not universally acknowledged yet. The whole earth will worship Jesus. Acts 1:11, Thes 3:13, Jesus return will be physical. 1 John 3:2 says we will be like Him, we will see Him as He is. Jesus physical return is not the coming of the Kingdom. The Kingdom is now. Jesus coronation was His crucifixion He is King now. Mk 10:45 Jesus reign is not an earthly kingship or rule, for He came to serve and to give. Although Jesus rules, darkness reigns - for a season Lk 22:53. Jn 12:31,2 the prince of this world is driven out when Jesus is lifted up. The significance of the destruction of the stone built temple is that He is now the temple; we are the temple - the place were He dwells, the place where He is worshipped. 1 Pet 2:4,5. "Steeple Houses" are not all churches. Heb 10:9, the former will be done away with to establish the second. When the Apostles were being persecuted in Acts 4:3,4 the church grew in numbers. Ps 2:1,2 nations rage against the Anointed one, but God has installed His King. Jesus' promise in Mk 9:1 & Lk 9:27 (not taste death), is fulfilled; the Kingdom has already come with power. This is not refering to His return. Mt 16:28 the Kingdom begins when Jesus overcomes death. Dan 7:17,18 God's people will receive His kingdom: v13 the Son of Man, v22 the Ancient of Days, v27 the Most High is bringing the everlasting kingdom. (To know the Bible well, we must know the OT). All authority is given to Jesus, Mt 28:18: He gives authority to us to extend this kingdom. The Kingdom has already come. Bill Johnson (Bethel Church) observed that during times of revival, it stops when people lose the burden of sharing the gospel to others. Paul was reluctant to return to Corinth till they were ready for his visit. Jesus concern is to get the world ready for His return.

20/2 Jeff Miller Gal 2:20   Righteous in Christ

  Some of us had pictures or impressions of fire or flames in the worship time. Fire is coming.
Preaching at Leith Baptist last week, following a word of knowledge, the pain in someone's knee was completely healed, their physio was dumbfounded. Another person's damaged forearm was instantly healed. The apostle Paul speaks of his dilema in Rom 7:18,19. What he is telling us is that he can't do it in his strength. We must also admit, "I can't do it in my strength". "The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God", Paul tells the Galatians (2:20). It's all about Jesus' life in us. Jesus on the last day of the feast of tabernacles proclaimed that rivers of living water will flow from those who are thirsty for Him. This was the day when the High Priest performed the Water Pouring Ceremony, filling a silver vessel with water from the gold cup and it flows out the opening in the silver vessel. He pours Himself out for us and we pour ourselves out for others. Paul tells us (2 Cor 5:17) that sanctification has already happened. We are already new creations. 1 Cor 11:1 - we are to follow the life example of Christ. All who break the law sin (1 Jn 3:4). As belivers, we cannot live a life of sin (have a lifestyle of sin), although at times we may commit sin. Have a heart to do the right thing. When we understand that we are already righteous, we live righteously. We are new creations. Declaring the truth of the Word is sustaining your victory. This is the power of declaring the Word of God. To God we are "sozo-ingly" good. He sees us as perfect, the way He made us. He rejoices over us. We are little 'sozollers'. We are the apple of God's eye - the most sensitive part. God protects what is sensitive. We are a treasured possession. God just wants to know where we are. He wants to be with us. That's why he asks, "Where are you Adam?" in the garden. He is looking for fellowship. His love is kind and gentle. His perfect love casts out fear. The blood of Christ is continually cleansing us. There is no condemnation. He will do anything to get close to us. He is one with us. We are righteous because we believe. Ps 106:10 God has saved us from our enemies, redeemed us, ransomed us. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind Rom 12:2. Know that you are free. Prov 23:7 so as a man thinks so he is, believe who God says you are. Don't be fooled into thinking you are just grasshoppers facing a huge adversary, Num 13:33. John Bunyan struggled with sin until he understood this: our righteousness is in heaven. The Bible says I am righteous, I am dead to sin. The enemy doesn't want us to know this. The enemy's defeat on the cross is complete. Jesus' very life is present within us.

13/2 No Meeting

6/2 Iain Sutherland Ps 46, Mt 11:28-30   Walking with God

  A good book to read during the time of the pandemic is "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer (Waterbrook). It is based on a quote by Dallas Willard, "Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day." Jesus calls us to follow His attitude of "gentle and lowly" Mt 11. There are blogs, notes and Youtube videos about "The unhurried life". Don't speed up to the speed of the world. Read the Word slowly. "Selah", pause, let it sink in. Have we really heard from the Scripture before? Meditations allow the truth to sink in. Kosuke Koyama, a Japanese theologian wrote a book in the 60's - "Three Mile an Hour God" (SCM Press). Love has a speed: 3mph. We always want to be in a rush; always in a hurry to get to the next thing. We are yoked with Jesus, not easy if you are walking faster than Him. He puts his arm around us and sets the pace. Younger oxen are paired with older oxen when ploughing so that they learn the pace. "Love has its speed. It is a different kind of speed from the technological speed to which we are accustomed.", Koyama. Man's first experience of God was walking in the cool in the garden of Eden. Walking is mentioned a lot in the Bible. Running is mentioned much less and is usually in a context of fleeing. Although the world craves the slow speed, it hurtles on regardless. The church mistakenly tries to keep up with the speed of the world. Throughout history, mankind has forged ahead of God. Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge, Esau craved a quick meal and gave up his birthright, Abraham and Sarah tried to produce the son they were promised ahead of God's plan. The speed of God was demonstrated by Jesus; He walked on water, He listened to the woman at the well. We plan for a few days ahead, God thinks centuries ahead. Ps 46:10 urges us to be still to know God. Remind yourself - He is God, you are not. There is tension in the world, an urgency to get things done and move on. We are called to trust in Him. Wang Ming-Dao (= understanding the word) was previously known as Tie-zi (=iron son). Born in 1900 and grew up in the time of Eric Liddell. He refused to join China's national "3 Self" church. He spent 15yrs in prison; released in 1979. He preached repentance and salvation and followed God's way rather than communist traditions.
To walk with God, we have to walk at walking pace. He calls us to live steady and secure in Him. The key to the faith of the suffering church is waiting for God. 17 Century priest St Vincent de Paul, said, "hurry delays the work of God". We need to hear from the prophets of the suffering church. They have much to teach us about the pace of God. Heidi Baker heard God asking her to spend the whole morning with Him, then go out to do the work. Micah 6:6 instructs us to WALK humbly with God. After worship don't rush back into the way of the world. Statio, the time between events, is a way to soak in life experiences and events. It allows us to prepare for what is coming next. Join the long queue at the supermarket to give yourself space. Go slowly to see more as you go. Slow down reading the Bible to learn more. Slow drivers in the slow lane are not popular. We are not here to be popular. Teilhard de Chardin, "we are spiritual beings having a human experience". Let God be exalted in your life. Find rest.

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30/1 Paul Younger Jas 2:14-26   Faith & Works.

  A common place object that we all have is a £1 coin, but who can describe it without looking? It is no longer circular, has 12 curved sides, is 1" dia and bimetallic. It has a female profile wearing a crown and the inscription DG Reg FD. (By God's grace, queen, defender of the faith. It also has a 'tail'). A different picture and different letters. To accurately describe it we need to do both sides. Faith and deeds are both sides of Christianity. Christianity is not complete without both sides. What good is it… to have faith… no deeds? v14. The answer to this hetorical question is "none", no good. Can such faith save? Again, no. Faith must be demonstrated by actions. Food banks are too prevalent today. Prayer is not enough for someone cold and hungry. Faith without actions is dead! To think this is to be foolish. Does Paul disagree with James? (Some argue that contradictions in the Bible completely invalidat its authenticity) Paul is saying works alone are not enough. James agrees. Deeds are the outworking of faith, not a substitute for it. People acuse us, "You call yourself a Christian, but you..." on the basis of our actionor inaction. The Fruit of Spirit (Gal 5:22,23) must be reflected in our behaviour. A branch that bears no fruit is thrown in the fire, Jn 15:6. Deeds are the fruit of our faith. "The proof of pudding is in the eating" or in our actions. Abraham demonstrated his faith by acting. He was prepared to sacrifice Isaac. Rahab acted by faith. Abraham and Rahab's faith was real. They were willing to act in His will. We should apply this to our lives on daily basis. We express our faith through our actions. We will be asked to do something. Our faith demands our response. In the words of George Michael, "You gotta have faith" and the Beatles, "We can work it out". (Only the titles and refrains of these songs are significant in this context.)

23/1 Andrea Mill Titus 3:1-15   The Kindness of God

  Titus 3:4, He saved us not because of anything we did. He is generous. So much wrapped up in the word 'Kindness'. It is a type of behaviour showing favour to someone, not expecting anything in return. It is caring, considerate, friendly, generous, making time, empathising. If you choose between being right or being kind, always choose to be kind; you will always be right. Kindness is a banner over all God's attributes. Ex 34 5-7 God told Moses His name - The Lord, compassionate, gracious, abounding in love and faithfulness. His kindness doesn't leave any wrong unpunished. Do we experience Him in all these ways? Press in to know Him more. When Joseph's master put him in prison, Gen 29:20-23, God showed him kindness. He rose up to leadership. God was preparing him to rule ahead of the famine in Egypt. 1 Sam 20:12-15 Jonathan's request to David, do not ever cut off your kindness from my family. The Christmas story is full of kindness. Mary and Joseph were prepared for what lay ahead by angels and dreams. Jesus' whole life, ministry and death were to show God's kindness. How do we respond to kind people? How do we respond to His surprising kindness. Rom 2:3-5 His kindness leads us to repentance. Kindness flows from HS. Kindness is listed in the Fruit of the Spirit, Gal 5. We can be kind in the natural, and we can be kind in the spiritual. God will give us opportunities. Jesus taught one of the most important commands is, to love others as yourself. We can be kind to God. We can do life with Him. Be community minded. Be peaceable. This can be a challenge. Don't let your tiredness or frustration affect how you treat others. Stuff impacts our lives. Be encouraging, build the church. Be slow to take offense. Value and help others. The NT letters were written to communities and Church groups. Be kind to yourself. Accept His kindness for yourself. Don't speak negativity to yourself. Speak the words that God says about you. Allow Him to love on you. Come to worship like this. Use kindness to witness to God's goodness. Our way of life speaks volumes. We need to have integrity. Our lives should back up what we say. Kindness can open doors in evangelism.

16/1 Other Notes Ps 46 1-11   How do we Survive the Shaking?

  Everything is being shaken, the Church is being shaken. Possibly the biggest shake-up since 1870 when Presbyterians started using hymns instead of Psalms. Politics is being shaken; society is being shaken. The Economy, lifestyles, medicine, social care and communication systems are all being shaken. Everything. We are right in the middle of it. Hag 2:21 God is going to do the shaking. When this was spoken, the Babylonian Empire had just fallen, the Medo-Persian empire was rising, then they were overthrown by the Greeks under Alexander the Great, who were defeated by the Romans.
Heb 12:26-29. God was doing it and He had a purpose. Only His Kingdom and His Church will not be shaken. How are we feeling about this? Mt 24:1-14, the Jews had just finished rebuilding the temple, a magnificent building, and Jesus was prophecying its destruction. The key to understand this passage is there are 2 questions: the temple and the end times. v8 the beginning of the birth pangs of a new age. Change means pain. Mary had to experience pain to give birth to Jesus. The familiar will be taken away. 1 Peter 4:7 at the end everything will be swept away. These current days are nothing in comparison to what is coming. Rom 8:18-31 present sufferings are endured for the freedom and the glory to come. Lk 21:25-31 amidst the terrifying signs, our redemption is nearing v28. We survive by lifting our heads and standing. Faith or fear are the 2 responses. How do we survive the shaking? Be careful to live by faith. The UK government is subjecting us all to fear, but the righteous live by faith.
Ps 46 1-11. We are called to believe that God is bringing about His purposes - the restoration of creation and preparing a bride for the Son. We have all experienced loss and pain and they have tested our faith. The righteous will overcome. Now we are facing the biggest tests of faith where many issues are coming at once. God is not one who surprises; He doesn't bring disasters. There are many messages to those who overcome in the churches mentioned in Revelation. To be an overcomer you need something to overcome. When Daniel was in the den of lions, he was in the safest place - in God's purpose. The centre of the will of God is where we aim to be. A prophecy from a Falkirk church warned that an emphasis on the end of the world can lead to escapism. We are called to community not solitude. Dwelling on the shaking could lead to giving up. 2 Thes 3:6-13, Paul warns believers to get back to work instead of waiting around idly for Jesus' return. Mt 24:45,46 who is being a faithful servant when master returns? Be ready, be faithful in work and finance. Mt 24:13 stand firm and be saved. Heb 3:14 we share in Christ if we hold fast. Heb 3:6 be confident in the hope of His glory. Col 1:22,23 we are free from blemish and accusation if we stand firm. There are lots of promises. Harry preached in June 2006 to Hold on, Press on, Pass on... Things are not getting better. There are 3 keys: 1 express gratitude for past. 2 Trust in the present. 3 Hope for the future. His Kingdom cannot be shaken. His government is increasing without limit. There may be pain or fear, but keep your eyes on the Lord.

9/1 Richard Hobson Ez 39:26, Dt 4:23   Remember & Forget

  In the Bible there is very little mention of new year, but there is much about endings, beginnings, and seasons. There is guidance for the past and the future; advice to 'hear' and 'obey'. God is always working, His plans don't fit into our [Gregorian] calendar. The Bible encourages us to remember and forget things from the past and the future. It is important to understand how this shapes us. Communion is about remembrance, in an active way not a passive way. What should we remember or forget? The past is a record of our experiences. OT prophets can appear miserable. They seem to continually give God's warnings to people. They really are an opportunity to repent and come back into a right relationship with God. How important is this! It is to restore us. Ez 39:26 God promises to restore the people so they will forget their shame and unfaithfulness. Even if they retain the memory of it, they are no longer to dwell on it or let it affect them. In this context 'forget' means 'do not count it'.
  Isa 54:4 looks forward to when the people will forget the shame of their youth. The past doesn't define who you are. Modern social media and 'Cancel Culture' drags up the past and castigates people forever. How do we put these behind us? By turning to God and trusting Him. Where is grace and mercy? In Christ. It is our joy and our duty to know forgiveness. We should think about what it cost God. Isa 43:18 we can forget the former things, since God is doing a new thing. This is demonstrated by the life and death of Jesus. Memories may or may not be erased, but their influence can be removed. Ps 119:93 God's principles give us life. We make choices that affect our life. What life is psalmist taking about? A life of purpose lived under God's hand.
  There are some things we are not to forget. Deut 8:11 don't forget God's or His commandments, they are a system of grace. Our focus is important; our actions should demonstrate that we are remembering His way. Ps 103:2 forget not God's benefits. Dt 4:23 don't forget His covenant. John Hull tells of how his other senses were enhanced when he lost his sight. We see the Father by looking at Jesus. We see Jesus by faith. Regular Bible reading is about making sure we don't forget. Without regular visits to the Word we will forget. Knowledge of Him will be replaced by imagination. The world feeds us garbage to remember. Jas 4:13,14 you do not know what tomorrow will bring. He does. The snare is that we plan the wrong future or we fear what is ahead. Don't resist His will. Know the reasons for taking a step. Only God knows all the facts about our lives. He is not in the background. He has a plan for us. We are released from anxiety by trusting Him. What-if's are not honouring to God and can make us fear. Remember what we do know about future. We are made to trust God. We look to His guidance. He is for us. Jer 29:11 He knows what His plans for us are. Jer 31:16,17 God has a plan for the people to come back to their own country. Jesus will return. We will be taken to glory where we will be without pain, full of joy, peace and the presence of Jesus. Cling to the truth in His future. We are forgiven for all we have done. Know what's true. God has forgiven us. It's a battle of faith. Make sure what God says wins. Put aside trying to fix the future. The Word can remind us of the truth.

2/1 Amie Aitken Isa 43:2   Water of Life

  (Read by Christine as Amie's test result hadn't come through) Hardship can come at us like an overwhelming flood, or a riptide. It's a matter of when, not if. Challenge is a given. God will not let us be overcome. Water has many forms but is the same substance. Relationship with it depends on where we are. We still need it wherever we are. Water constantly moves and changes. What does Church look like post Covid-19? The answers we seek are still in the gospel. How can we offer what we have in this new environment? Water can be salty or stagnant. Are we too salty or too stale? Prayer is not new, but the medium we use to communicate is new. We are social beings. Technology has helped us to maintain contact, but it is not a complete solution. What were we designed for? To be community. People need purpose and productivity. We were given gifts to contribute to community. We are not "all in the same boat", but we are in the same ocean. Some are lost at sea. The sea has the right minerals to sustain its inhabitants. We are God's family, offering His life to all around us. Like water, we can flow through the streets bringing life to all. Remain true to the core message, but adapt to environment; bring eternal life. Restore the baren, revive the thirsty.

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