24 May 2015 "Holy Exposure" Eph 5:8-20

The darkness hides many dangers as well as providing an environment for evil to flourish. That is why in the spiritual sense of darkness God's light serves such an essential function in our own lives as well as in the world where many are lost in darkness.

Join Ps Steve for this message in which we discover the importance of ongoing "Holy exposure".

Click on the link below to listen or right click and 'save as' to download...

http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/dzflvvn1of/2015-5-25.mp3

Pastor's pen 17 May 2015

Imago Dei (image of God)

In my recent studies I have been exploring the issue of God’s directive to the fledgling nation of Israel not to make an image, or an idol to worship (Deuteronomy 4:16). The context of the statement was not simply that the young nation was about to enter the land of Canaan where pagan idolatry was prevalent, but also the Israelites had in their recent history experienced God’ power and had heard Yahweh speaking to them out of the fire (4:12) when He gave them the ten commandments.

What struck me about this incident was that the pagan religions in the land of Canaan had gods they could see (their idols) which contributed nothing to their spiritual, moral, cultural or social wellbeing. In fact the worship of these “gods” led the Canaanites into depravity and darkness. They had a god they could see but these gods offered them nothing meaningful for their lives. On the other hand, Yahweh revealed Himself not visually (as in showing His form or image) but rather audibly, by speaking His Word to His people. The connection is powerfully evident in vv15-16a, “You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape…”  God spoke out of His infinite wisdom and grace to these people to reveal to them the pathway of life.

The Canaanite deities were based on sexual rituals of fertility and the like which drew the worshippers into adulterous practices seemingly imitating their gods. But Yahweh told the Israelites how they were to follow God’s ways so they could be an example of His wisdom and goodness. In fact God has that plan for all humanity given He has created man “in His own image…” (Gen 1:27)

The danger of making idols is we allow godless values and darkness (even originating in our own hearts) become the values that govern how we live our lives. But when we acknowledge that God intends us to carry His image by walking in His ways and being obedient to the Word He has spoken, our lives become purposeful and we reveal to those around us the wisdom and goodness of God.

Ephesians 5:1 tells us to be “imitators of God” but to do that we need to resist the temptation to model our lives on the many temptations being offered to us. We can easily become ensnared by the treasures that we have conjured up in our hearts that offer pleasure and fulfilment. But only when we set apart Jesus Christ as Lord and seek to make Him the treasure of our hearts, will we fulfil our God given role of bearing the image of the one true and living God.

Ephesians #12 "Play nicely children" Eph 4:30-5:7 17 May 2015

In this latest message from Ephesians Ps Steve builds on our identity to call out honourable conduct in God's dearly loved children. We are valued and our life should be lived according to the value God has placed on our lives. So play nicely children.

Click on the link below to listen to this latest message or right click and 'save as' to download...

http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/xa0wuf9v7p/2015-5-17.mp3

10th May Pastor’s pen: "Getting rid of the gutter mouth"

When I was living in rebellion to God and living for myself in the world, I had a dreadful gutter mouth, out of which foul language seemed to flow like a stream…a polluted stream. When I was washed clean by the power of the Holy Spirit new birth there was a marked improvement. But obviously my use of language was still contextual and working alongside other gutter mouths I tended to still use some terminology that was not very healthy.

I have been dismayed as I have journeyed along through life that some Christians seem to have a mission to make foul language OK for the cleansed child of God. But how can this be? I know that the logic offered is that if I use the language of the people around me I can more easily identify with them and they won’t peg me for being “holier-than-thou”. However this attempt at contextualised Christian living is far from what God intends. For when we become so identifiable with vulgarity, how are we able to show them that there is a life of renewal where the broken sinner can be washed clean and healed? This is what Jesus was getting at when He told us to be “salt and light” and to not lose our saltiness (Matt. 5:13). Sure that teaching of Jesus is much wider ranging than language but it certainly includes it.

In Ephesians, Paul writes about living our lives as God’s children, different from those who are separated from Him. We mustn’t look down on unbelievers but we must be an example to them of what God is like (Eph 4:24). And in verse 29 Paul takes up the gutter mouth issue by saying “don’t use foul or abusive language” (NLT) The foul or abusive language which is translated “unwholesome” in the NIV is the word ‘Sapros’ which has the meaning of: rotten, putrefied, corrupted, of poor quality, bad, unfit for use.

So whether you’re struggling with a gutter mouth or you’re ignorantly proud of using foul words, be assured God has a desire to clean us all up. We do need to come to Him however and submit to that process, asking for the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts, our lives and even our mouths. We are to be witnesses and examples of God’s work of renewal so let’s get rid of the old ways and pursue the new way of Life Jesus has opened up for us.

10th May 2015 Ephesians #11 "Full...not empty" Ephesians 4:17-30

In this latest message we compare the old empty life before our new birth and the life we are called to live as born again children of God. The former is futile, empty while the latter is filled with purpose and meaning.

Follow the link below to listen or right click and 'save as' to download mp3.

http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/g9krbzsz4f/10_May_2015.mp3

Pastor's Pen 3rd May 2015

Pastor’s pen: “The Church that God intended.”

 As we discover and rediscover that the Bible is not simply a book of stories for us to know about, or a series of doctrines for us to intellectualize over, we are compelled to accept that scripture should inform our actions as well as our beliefs. God intends for His church to be a vibrant force in the world; not living a life of selfish comfort but moved by selfless sacrifice. Romans 12: 1-2 communicates this clearly. “…in view of God’s mercy…offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

For us to be the church that God intended, we need to submit and offer ourselves to become the kind of Christians that God intended. How often we look at the church (local or wider) and lament its lethargy and ineffectiveness and start judging it. News flash: the condition of the church is created by the condition of Christians! We can want a move of God but am I willing to let God move me? We may well say that nothing is impossible for God. True, but we also must remember that God is going to move among a people that are hungrier for Him than they are for the elusive contentment, success and position being offered through worldly values systems.

If we are going to become the people that God intended, and if we are going to become the Church God intended, we have to come to a place of wanting God’s way more than the carnal/natural way; willing to sacrifice the things that have dominated our priority lists that have never been on God’s priority list and allow God to carry out His renovation of our minds. It will also require us to listen to what God is saying and being obedient even though it gets uncomfortable. Remember God is not looking for lukewarm Christians, He wants us to be on fire for Him, and He is the One who will set us on fire! See you at the prayer meeting!!!

Pastor Steve     

 

Ephesians message #10 "Healthy Community" Eph 4:4-16 3rd May 2015

Exploring Paul's use of the human body as an illustration of how Christian Community should function, this message reveals healthy community, like the human body should be fit, growing and flexible in order to operate as God intended.

To listen to this latest message click on the link below.
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http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/cuf1kmv3jf/3_May_2015.mp3