Brixham Community Church Podcast

Paul Black, Sunday 16th July 2023

https://youtu.be/pYhg7HPDwes

https://youtu.be/zjSKazER_NM Notes: Hebrews 13:1-21 Things we should never forget Introduction Why Hebrews was written Main theme: BETTER. For example read 12:18-24. More later Now, in the final chapter, the writer wants to emphasise things that Christians should never forget. Vv. 2, 3, 7, 16. A DON'T FORGET WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU V12 Jesus has died for us (as a sin offering v 11), to make us holy, fit for heaven V9 This is by his grace, not by religious ceremony. What we have is BETTER. We have: A better sacrifice (9:23), a better covenant (8:6), better promises (8:6), a better hope (7:19), a better country (11:16), and better and lasting possessions (10:34). B WHAT GOD EXPECTS OF YOU VV 15-16 To offer sacrifices of praise, confessing his name, doing good (to strangers [2], to sufferers [3], to spouses [4]) Vv 7+17-19 To remember your leaders – imitate them (7), obey them (17), pray for them (18-19) V5 To be content with what you have C WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED YOU V 5 He will never leave you V6 He will help you V 14 Your heavenly home is waiting for you D WHO JESUS IS V 8 The same – his love, his compassion etc. V 20 He is the risen Christ He is the great shepherd Our equipper Worthy of glory for ever and ever

https://youtu.be/XRItDu1WQP4 25-Jun-2023 Ephesians 2:20-22 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. I have been spending some time looking at the re-built temple in the Old Testament; how the returning exiles from Babylon had to rebuild a derelict temple. I have reminded us of the New Testament imagery of the temple as depicting both Christian individuals (1 Corinthians 6:19 – your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit) and the church: 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. Back in the Old Testament, the temple was a sacred and holy place. People came from miles around to worship, to bring their sacrifices, to celebrate amazing festivals, and to seek God's presence. Here in the New Testament we see that we as God's temple are still just as sacred! 1 Cor 3:17 says that this temple is so sacred that if anyone destroys it, God will destroy that person. My daily readings have this week taken me to 1 Kings 6 which tells us all about the building of the original temple, built by Solomon. As I read the details of the building of this spectacular building, constructed to give glory to God and symbolise the place of his presence, one verse stood out to me. Let's read a portion of that chapter and I bet you can't guess which verse it is! 1 Kings 6 14 So Solomon built the temple and completed it. 15 He lined its interior walls with cedar boards, panelling them from the floor of the temple to the ceiling, and covered the floor of the temple with planks of juniper. 16 He partitioned off twenty cubits at the rear of the temple with cedar boards from floor to ceiling to form within the temple an inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. 17 The main hall in front of this room was forty cubits long. 18 The inside of the temple was cedar, carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; no stone was to be seen. 19 He prepared the inner sanctuary within the temple to set the ark of the covenant of the Lord there. 20 The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty wide and twenty high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar. 21 Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold. 22 So he overlaid the whole interior with gold. He also overlaid with gold the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary. The verse that stood out to me was this: 18 The inside of the temple was cedar, carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; no stone was to be seen. I said you wouldn't guess it! The reason? First we see that the temple was made of ‘dressed stone', meaning each stone was shaped and finished, rather than rough and raw from the quarry. This means it didn't need to be covered up, plastered over or concealed with render as such. It was presentable as it was. If you go into some of our most ornate and beautiful ancient buildings today you will often see exposed stone. It's a beautiful thing! And then I remembered that although the Bible refers to Jesus as the cornerstone of our spiritual temple, we as Christians are also like ‘living stones.' We have been dressed like stone when Christ pulled us out of the quarry, washed our sins away and made us holy in his sight. Now as far as he is concerned, we are saints!

https://youtu.be/RWiQsPMHEOo SERMON NOTES RECAP FROM 21ST MAY 2023 SERMON - WE ALL NEED OUR OWN PERSONAL CALL AND ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS. Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. I highlighted some of the hindrances to that happening – Our Fears; Not listening to God; and the way we can come with ‘Confirmation Bias', only wanting to hear what we have decided we want to hear.   Last time I briefly spoke about NEAGATIVE THINKING - Most of us have used the phrase ‘what is the worst that can happen' in relation to something we might be trying for the first time. Verity mentioned a few weeks ago at one of our Leadership Meetings, ‘what's the best that can happen'. I mentioned the game of bowls?  Where the Bowling Ball – is not a perfect sphere – and has an inbuilt bias, which always turns away – like our thoughts seem to turn to worry and negativity. THE BIBLE'S ANSWER IS TO HAVE A POSITIVITY Philippians 4:8 shows us the antidote to Negative Thinking  – which FOCUSSES ON THE POSITIVE. -  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things. WE HAVE TO REALISE THAT OUR THINKING  - POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE - AFFECTS OUR ACTIONS AND THE WAY WE BEHAVE. We looked at the account of Peter Walking on the Water because Jesus told him to come. - Matthew 14:22-33 - Jesus Walks on Water – After the feeding of the 5,000 – PETER WALKED ON WATER – THE CALL OF JESUS ‘PERSUADED HIM TO HAVE THE FAITH (BE PERSUADED TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT) – WHEN HE WAS NEAR TO JESUS BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT CAUSED HIM TO DOUBT. (Matt 14:31) – SG1365 - distazo: (dis-tad'-zo) to waver, doubt; to hesitate (Verb) -  - 1365 distázō (from 1364 /dís, "two, double" and 4714 /stásis, "stance, standing") – properly, going two ways, shifting between positions; choosing "a double-stance" and so vacillate (waver) – fluctuate in opinion or resolution; (fig) uncertainty at a crossroads because refusing to choose one way over the other – to halt between two opinions (views, beliefs).  (There are times when we just over think it) SO HERE, PETER'S THINKING COMING BACK INTO PLAY – Is he going to continue in the faith imparted to him to get out of the boat in the first place, which has brought him this far, OR is he going to take into account the storm and wind blowing against him. WHAT DID PETER DO – THE ONLY SENSIBLE THING HE COULD DO – HE CRIES OUT, “Lord, save me!” 31Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. WHY DID YOU DOUBT JESUS ASKED – IT WAS THE DOUBT WHICH CAUSED HIM TO BEGIN TO SINK (even “beginning to sink was a miracle” OF Jesus Grace) SO PETER WALKED ON THE WATER BECAUSE JESUS CALLED HIM TO DO IT - FAITH WAS IMPARTED TO HIM SO HE BELIEVED HE COULD – NOTICE NO OTHER DISCIPLE GOT OUT OF THE BOAT. Watching a documentary on King Charles last Saturday  - Coronation Day - 7th May 2023 – Charles, was I believe in Westminster Abbey, listening to the Choristers Singing.  Music has very important place in his life and he said this:- WE DO NOT THINK MUSIC; WE RESONATE WITH IT AND FEEL IT - IT SOMEHOW HARMONISES WITH OUR OWN HUMAN NATURE, SO WE FEEL SOMETHING IS MEANT BY IT. I WAS MOVED BY THESE WORDS. THE THOUGHT CAME TO ME THAT THEY COULD BE DESCRIBING “FAITH”. – “WE DO NOT THINK FAITH; WE RESONATE WITH IT AND FEEL IT - IT SOMEHOW HARMONISES WITH OUR OWN SPIRIT”. Do you know how a micro-wave oven works? Something called a magnetron inside it emits a very high frequency signal, which cause the water molecules in food to vibrate, resonate, which produces heat - that cooks the food.  Isaiah 64:2 (NIV) - As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemi...

https://youtu.be/xJ15pEqaaA8 Weak is the new strong I've heard a few phrases with ‘is the new' inserted into them. It's used to say something is the new fashion or has replaced something else. Fish is the new meat, hair is the new hat, brown is the new black, in this office, jeans and a t-shirt are the new business suit. Age 50 is the new 40. Paul McCartney said that meat-free is the new rock n roll! I prefer the old! When I started working four days a week at school instead of five, I loved Thursdays. Thursday was the new Friday. Today we will learn that for the Christian, weak is the new strong. But first, let's lead into this from the context of some previous talks. Returning and rebuilding We have been looking at the first 6 chapters of Ezra which depict a returning remnant from Babylon rebuilding the altar and the temple under the governance of a man called Zerubbabel. We have seen that there has been opposition to the build. I have drawn parallels between the Old Testament temple and our New Testament understanding that our bodies, and the body of Christ are temples that are to be built up. Equally, there is an enemy at work to infiltrate, discourage and destroy the building of God's kingdom. Thankfully Jesus keeps his promises, and one of those promises states clearly that I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Matthew 16:18. We are simply his co-labourers. Today I want us to focus in on one well-known line in the book of Zechariah which was delivered while the temple was still under construction: So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 4:6 As the temple was being rebuilt, God had to remind his people that it was not by their own might, power or strength that the temple would be built, but by his Spirit. This might seem odd, as it was only a building project. Just bricks and mortar. But it was a spiritual building because it was God-ordained. And that meant that there would be an enemy. Opposition to the build The devil does not hinder the work of those who wish to build temples to their own gods, things in their own name, business built just to serve the money-god Mammon. But when we begin to build something that he has ordained, Satan is up in arms. Thus, when we build our own temple – our personal spiritual edification and growth, or the growth of the wider body – Satan will surely come against it. We know that there is a spiritual realm and that there are invisible forces at work. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesian 6:12 Precious Dust In the light of this we may feel pretty weak. And despite our victory in Christ and the fact that we are seated in heavenly places where God has put all things under his feet (Ephesians 1:22-23), in the natural we are pretty weak. After all, look where we came from: Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 The Hebrew for man is Adam but that word itself sounds like the word for ‘ground'. Man is but dust! Listen to these words from the Psalms: 13 As a father has compassion on his children,    so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;14 for he knows how we are formed,    he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:13-14 These are interesting ideas because I have not so long ago preached on poor self-esteem and the importance of seeing ourselves as God sees us. But the truth is, without him we are nothing. We are weak, he is strong. But we don't have poor self-esteem. We may be weak but we are treasured, pursued, loved and cherished by a heroic heavenly father.

https://youtu.be/tL5s0KXXLiI Sermon notes: Should have gone to Specsavers! Reading: 2 Kings 6 v 8-17 Text: Eph 6 v 12 Intro: We are at war! We have transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light Col1v13 How-ever are we bystanders or in the front line? Link to Jon's sermons on Ezra. Power of God: Demonstrations- words of knowledge He knows everything spoken. We need to see gifts in operation in our lives and in the life of the church. Engaging: They are surrounded but different reactions Elisha is cool as a cucumber the servant is not. You can't live off someone else's experiences. You need your own! Perspective: Open his eyes. The need for God's perspective on situations- My Chicago air flight experience. Soar above – see through the mist and fog as he sees them! Invisible kingdom: Col1v16 There is a kingdom or realm that we cannot see. Here is where the war takes place The evil forces operate in the heavenly realms Eph6v12 Mention Frank Peretti books and ideas. The armour of God consists of the following: 1 The belt of truth – Holds everything together, the importance of integrity. Absolute truth! 2 Breastplate of righteousness- protects the vital organs particularly the heart. Out of the heart a man speaks. Core of your life. 3 Feet with readiness to promote the gospel of peace- You should exude a calmness in difficult situations, being at peace speaks volumes. 4 Shield of faith- repels the enemies attacks. Without faith its impossible to please God. Just a little goes a long way (Mustard seed). 5 The helmet of salvation- Head protection. The battle in the mind reminding us on daily renewing. Our salvation is the basis. Children of the king! 6 The sword of the spirit- The word of God. Learn it, memorise it and meditate on it. Jesus used it and so must you! Conculsion: Do you need to put on your spiritual glasses? Like it or not you are in a battle – what's your role? Active or passive? Turn your back and you have no defence!! Use his word and make a difference.

https://youtu.be/Mbo4t5qo5pw EZRA 6 – A DECREE AND A DEDICATION – Part 2 In Ezra 5 we found the Jews attempting to build the temple again after the building had stopped by the powers of Babylon. The resumption of the build of course gained attention from the enemy. But we then saw what happens when a king or government recognises something of the power and greatness of God – there was a new freedom to build! – and we drew parallels with the temple the Jews built back then and the temple God is building today – his church. We prayed for our government to recognise the power of the Church to heal and help in society today. Now we will complete this chapter and discover what it looks like when God is on the move. 6 HALLMARKS OF A MOVE OF GOD in EZRA 6 You may be familiar with the quotation in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, “They say Aslan is on the move.” It was a cold and depressing time in Narnia. But Mr Beaver, who had never even seen Aslan in his life, was full of hope and expectation. The very mention of Aslan's name seemed to have a marked effect on those present. Today I want to talk about what it would looks like when God is on the move. Ezra 6:13-22 The Temple's Dedication 13 Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues complied at once with the command of King Darius. 14 So the Jewish elders continued their work, and they were greatly encouraged by the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo. The Temple was finally finished, as had been commanded by the God of Israel and decreed by Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia. 15 The Temple was completed on March 12, during the sixth year of King Darius's reign. 16 The Temple of God was then dedicated with great joy by the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the people who had returned from exile. 17 During the dedication ceremony for the Temple of God, 100 young bulls, 200 rams, and 400 male lambs were sacrificed. And 12 male goats were presented as a sin offering for the twelve tribes of Israel. 18 Then the priests and Levites were divided into their various divisions to serve at the Temple of God in Jerusalem, as prescribed in the Book of Moses. Celebration of Passover 19 On April 21 the returned exiles celebrated Passover. 20 The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were ceremonially clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. 21 The Passover meal was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile and by the others in the land who had turned from their corrupt practices to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 Then they celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. There was great joy throughout the land because the Lord had caused the king of Assyria to be favorable to them, so that he helped them to rebuild the Temple of God, the God of Israel. HALLMARKS OF A MOVE OF GOD Everything falls into place In verse 13 The king's governors ‘complied at once' with everything to do with the rebuild of the temple. There was suddenly great provision and compliance to enable the temple to be built. Those who had opposed the build were now helping out! Sometimes things just fall into place. I was speaking to a friend recently who was sensing that after some time in another role, God was calling him back to school teaching. He then got a message from a past pupil who was now at Oxford as a postgraduate and had credited him in her dissertation because of the help and influence he had had on her life. Days later he was offered a teaching job in a local school with no need to apply. “We know who you are and the job is yours if you want it.” Sometimes things just fall into place and the enemy does not stand a chance. That's how Andrea and I met, it's how we were directed to move to Brixham,

https://youtu.be/I_kB66ehvEI Sermon notes: WE ALL NEED OUR OWN PERSONAL CALL AND ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS. 21ST MAY 2023 The last few times I have spoken about the need for each one of us to be, “Transformed by the renewing of our minds”. Romans 12:2 - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. I highlighted some of the hindrances to that happening – Our Fears; Not listening to God; and the way we can come with ‘Confirmation Bias', only wanting to hear what we have decided we want to hear.   I would like to look briefly, at what I think can be another problem area, and that is:-   NEAGATIVE THINKING Most of us have used the phrase ‘what is the worst that can happen' in relation to something we might be trying for the first time. Verity mentioned a few weeks ago at one of our Leadership Meetings, ‘what's the best that can happen'. I remember growing up after the war in Manchester - Going to church on a Sunday morning - seeing groups of men gathered on bombed sites where houses had stood. They were stood in a circle all flipping coins in the air – gambling – heads or tails. Imagine a coin; on one side it reads, ‘what is the worst that can happen' and on the other side, ‘what is the best that can happen' Why does it always seem to come down on the, ‘what is the worst that can happen' side. (The coin seems biased that way. Maybe that is reflective of our ‘natural thinking'. WHAT IS THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN – WHAT IS THE BEST THAT CAN HAPPEN Has anyone ever played bowls? Bowling Ball – not a perfect sphere - has an inbuilt bias, which always turns away – our thoughts seem to turn to worry and negativity. A well known Christian leader who had seen an amazing move of the Holy Spirit in his life and in the church did one of these ‘negative thinking tests' and found that 80% of his thinking was negative. I believe Negative Thinking is as much a part of renewing our minds as dealing with fear is.  WHAT WE FEED GROWS – that is why Philippians 4:8 shows us the antidote to Negative Thinking.   –  POSITIVE THINKING – OR FOCUSSING ON THE POSITIVE. -  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things. HOW OFTEN OUR THINKING  - POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE AFFECT OUR ACTIONS AND BEHAVIOUR. Matthew 14:22-33 - Jesus Walks on Water – After the feeding of the 5,000 –(Mark 6:45–52; John 6:16–21) 22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. 23After He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, 24but the boat was already fara from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25During the fourth watch of the night, (3am to 6am) Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. 26When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It's a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear. 27But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 28“Lord, if it is You,” Peter replied, “command me to come to You on the water.” 29“Come,” said Jesus. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.  30But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?” 32And when they had climbed back into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!” PETER WALKED ON WATER – THE CALL OF JESUS ‘PERSUADED HIM TO HAVE THE FAITH (BE PERSUADED TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT) – WHY DID YOU DOUBT – WHICH CAU...

https://www.youtube.com/embed/sokayVrTJtM Sermon notes: Ezra 1-5 Recap Ezra 1 God is sovereign, so let God be God!             If God promised it, it will happen – “in order to fulfil prophecy”             God is the king of kings – “the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus” The riches of the world are at God's disposal – “the peoples are to provide them with silver and gold” Ezra 3 Start at the altar             Sacrifice and celebration             Orderly and messy             Not always the place of presence but it was the gateway to glory (holy of holies) Ezra 4 Building up the temple             The NT temple – Jesus, the Church, the Christian – the place of his presence             Opposition 1 – Infiltration – disrupt from within             Opposition 2 – Discouragement and fear             Opposition 3 – Bring in the big dogs                         We are rebels                         The enemy is threatened by our presence Ezra 5 (& Haggai 1) Building up the temple, again             Why did the building stop?                         Opposition                         Lack of opposition             The consequences of not building 1: God is not happy 2: We are not happy Our response (Does this even apply to me?) 1: Partner with the Holy Spirit and keep building 2: Resist the devil and he will flee from you Ezra 6 – a decree and a dedication In Ezra 5 we find the Jews attempting to build the temple again, which of course gains attention from the enemy. The local officials ask what they are doing and the Jewish builders claim that the previous king of Babylon authorised the build. So a letter is sent from these enemy onlookers reporting this and asking the king to find out if such a decree ever existed. I suspect they imagined no such building authorisation would be found, in which case they would have had every right to stop the building once again. But here we will circle back to the theme of chapter 1 where we see God's absolute sovereignty. These opponents to the build are in for a surprise! Darius Approves the Rebuilding 6 So King Darius issued orders that a search be made in the Babylonian archives, which were stored in the treasury. 2 But it was at the fortress at Ecbatana in the province of Media that a scroll was found. This is what it said: “Memorandum: 3 “In the first year of King Cyrus's reign, a decree was sent out concerning the Temple of God at Jerusalem. “Let the Temple be rebuilt on the site where Jews used to offer their sacrifices, using the original foundations. Its height will be ninety feet, and its width will be ninety feet.[a] 4 Every three layers of specially prepared stones will be topped by a layer of timber. All expenses will be paid by the royal treasury. 5 Furthermore, the gold and silver cups, which were taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar from the Temple of God in Jerusalem, must be returned to Jerusalem and put back where they belong. Let them be taken back to the Temple of God.” 6 So King Darius sent this message: “Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River,[b] and Shethar-bozenai, and your colleagues and other officials west of the Euphrates River—stay away from there! 7 Do not disturb the construction of the Temple of God. Let it be rebuilt on its original site, and do not hinder the governor of Judah and the elders of the Jews in their work. 8 “Moreover, I hereby decree that you are to help these elders of the Jews as they rebuild this Temple of God. You must pay the full construction costs, without delay, from my taxes collected in the province west of the Euphrates River so that the work will not be interrupted. 9 “Give the priests in Jerusalem whatever is needed in the way of young bulls, rams, and male lambs for the burnt offerings presented to the God of heaven. And without fail, provide them with as much wheat, salt, wine,

https://youtu.be/RWbvsEPv8no As I was thinking and praying about the message I should bring on the weekend of the coronation of King Charles III, a phrase from Revelation 1:5 came to my mind: JESUS CHRIST, THE RULER OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH. Of course, the word king is used in a variety of ways, but its general meaning is someone who rules and it's in that sense that we'll be looking at it today. But first, let's read Revelation 1:4-8. 4 John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father - to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. 7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him.  So shall it be! Amen.8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Notice that this passage has something to say about: King Charles, who is one of the kings of the earth. The Lord Jesus Christ, the king of kings, who is the ruler of the kings of the earth. Us Christians who as Christ's church are a kingdom of priests. The kings of the earth (5) Of course, King Charles is just one example. But let's not to concentrate on King Charles. Rather, let's take a brief look at what the Bible says about kings and rulers in general. Much of what we say will apply to King Charles – I'll leave it to you to decide how much – but in many mays it's more applicable to those who hold high office in government. Please notice 4 things: Their authority to rule is God-given Romans 13:1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Of course, we know that historically this has been used to insist that kings derived their authority from God and could not therefore be held accountable for their actions by any earthly authority. King James I of England (1603-25), for example. Fortunately, we know that  her late majesty Queen Elizabeth II understood her role as one of servanthood, and there are indications that King Charles will be adopting the same approach. Indeed, in our constitutional system, the power of the monarch is extremely limited anyway. However, the NT clearly teaches that God himself is the source of all authority, and that all human authority is delegated from him. That's why as Christians we should obey the laws, pay our taxes etc., unless, of course, the law of the state is contrary to God's law. But those to whom God has given authority are ultimately accountable to God for the way in which they handle that authority and are responsible for the wellbeing of their people. Their accountability to their ruler As we have seen, verse 5 describes the Lord Jesus as the ruler of the kings of the earth. He is the king to whom all other kings are accountable. He is the King of kings. The late queen was very conscious of this, and it is said of Queen Victoria that she hoped that the Lord would return in her lifetime so that she could be the first to cast down her crown at his feet. If only world leaders were equally aware of their accountability to him. Their responsibility for the wellbeing of their people Some of the parables Jesus told teach clearly that we are all accountable to God for our use of the things he has entrusted to us. This is particularly true of those who are in authority. The more we have been entrusted with, the more is required of us. Read Ezekiel 34 to see what God says about the shepherds (i.e.

https://youtu.be/lqF4lLZ-DbE Story so far… God is sovereign In the book of Ezra we read of how God miraculously and sovereignly delivers the Jewish nation out of exile in Babylon back to Jerusalem. We learn that the first Jews back find Jerusalem in ruins and once they've settled in at home they prioritise rebuilding their place of worship. Building up the… altar! The first thing they rebuilt was not the walls of Jerusalem although that would have protected the city, nor did they start with the temple, but the first thing to be rebuilt was the altar. Worship came first. The altar was the place of both sacrifice and celebration, and this came before any other activity. By the end of chapter 3 we have a fully functioning altar and the foundations of the temple. In our context, we must prioritise worship of Jesus above anything else we wish to build. We offer our lives as living sacrifices and celebrate the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. Our bodies and our churches are temples to God (1 Cor 3 and 6). And as we build ourselves up in the most holy faith (Jude 20) we find that there is an enemy who will not sit back and let us get on with it. Opposition from the foundation By the end of chapter 4 the work has halted. Jerusalem's enemy Babylon saw that holy city as dissident and rebellious. Likewise, we are seen by Satan and his kingdom as a rebellious and dissident, and definitely a threat. He may try to use fear tactics to keep us from building ourselves up in Christ, but it is he who really fears us. Nevertheless, for the returning exiles, the empire of Babylon used physical force to stop the building of the temple. Biblical historians tell us that the pause in building was around 18 years. So the work on the Temple of God in Jerusalem had stopped, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia. Ezra 4:24 Whatever the reason for the delay, God's purposes still stand. He will do whatever is required to see that his kingdom is established. Back on track Ezra 5 At that time the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem. They prophesied in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 2 Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jehozadak responded by starting again to rebuild the Temple of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them and helped them. 3 But Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues soon arrived in Jerusalem and asked, “Who gave you permission to rebuild this Temple and restore this structure?” 4 They also asked for the names of all the men working on the Temple. 5 But because their God was watching over them, the leaders of the Jews were not prevented from building until a report was sent to Darius and he returned his decision. Ezra 5:1-5 At the start of Ezra chapter 5 they are encouraged by the prophets to resume building. All Ezra tells us is that it was because of the prophets that the building resumed. He does not give us the details of the prophecy. But Haggai does. Haggai, a prophet mentioned at the start of our reading gives us some interesting detail that we don't read in Ezra. Here's Haggai chapter 1: Haggai 1 On August 29 of the second year of King Darius's reign, the Lord gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 2 “This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.'” 3 Then the Lord sent this message through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins 5 This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: Look at what's happening to you! 6 You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied.

https://youtu.be/JLXzCaupbsE Sermon notes: Praying for the Persecuted Church Introduction: On average, every 2 hours, a follower of Christ, one of our brothers or sisters in Christ, is martyred for their faith, somewhere in the world, not to mention others around them who may be injured, bereaved or traumatised in the same incident. At our monthly prayer meeting for the Persecuted Church on Thursday evening, using the OpenDoors excellent videos, the six of us heard a story of a young Nigerian boy who survived a shooting by the Boko Harem Islamic extremist group. However 7 members of his family including his father lay dead. He was so full of anger against his family's killers and God that he became very angry, bitter and violent, desperate for revenge. Thankfully an OpenDoors trauma counsellor and her team were able to talk to him in time, and he broke down and wept, and was able to recover his faith in God and forgive the killers.   We also heard the testimony of a teenage girl in East Africa, who was a member of a family from an Islamic tribe who had all become Christians and were ostrasized by their community. One evening, when her parents were out, a man from the village came into the home and raped her. She was so traumatised physically and mentally that she lost the will to live. Thankfully she received help from OpenDoors trauma counsellors, recovered, and now uses her difficult experience to help others who have suffered in similar ways. These are precious members of our family in Christ! As we prayed, the horror of these two incidents dawned on us and we felt the urgent need to encourage more Christians to join us in united prayer and to support organisations like OpenDoors. I knew I should take the opportunity to speak about it today! How should we pray for the persecuted church? In the course of my preparations the Lord gave me numerous confirmations that He wanted me to share this message today. For instance on Friday evening, during work on the sermon, I stopped for a break specifically to take communion with Christine. When I sat down with her at 9.30pm, she was watching TBN on TV. The programme that was just starting was 'Pray for the Persecuted Church with OpenDoors!' It gave me further testimonies for this sermon. As I was doing my final preparations this morning, an old friend phoned me in great distress with a very serious health issue. He asked me to pray for him over the phone and I used words from the Bible passage I am about to read to you. Afterwards he read the very same scripture to me which came to his mind as he had been studying it quite recently! In 2 Corinthians 1:2-11 Paul shares a testimony he and his companions experienced:- Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favour granted us in an...

https://youtu.be/Jvdn1T2EtRI Jen Baker (https://www.jenbaker.co.uk) stopped by for a flying visit so we gave her the mic. Here's what happened...

https://youtu.be/bX9hdJOyOGg FAITH - THE ATHEIST AND GOD - Dr. Charles S Price Sometime ago an atheist sat in a meeting I was conducting. He was extremely hard and cynical. He lived alone in the room of a hotel, and his solitude had only added to his hard, critical, unbelieving nature. I preached that night on the subject “comprehending the incomprehensible”. I declared that it was possible to believe the unbelievable: to know the love of God that passes knowledge. The following morning he came to my room and asked for an interview. He was rather argumentative and I told him, when I did not have time for argument, I would be glad to answer any sincere, honest, question which he might put before me.He said, “I have no faith whatever. I do not believe the Bible, and I do not know if there be a God. I do see a law of order in nature and the universe, but what causes it, or where it came from, I do not know. Now, Dr. Price, your sermon last night was a challenge to my thinking. What I want to know is this: how can a man spend a dollar when he does not have one? How can you believe when you have no belief? How can God expect a man to exercise faith when he does not have any (assuming there is a God)? Where is there any justice in a set up like that?” ”Are you an honest man, and do you want to know the truth?” “What is truth?” was the reply. “What brand of it do you mean? I have never been able to find it, although I have spent a lifetime in search of it”. On the wall of my apartment was hanging a picture of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. His hands were clasped and His eyes were raised toward heaven in prayer. I walked over to the picture and looked at it for a moment or two without speaking. I intuitively knew he would be looking at the picture too. When at last I turned to face him, I said, “He is truth. He is the way. He is your life and faith. He has in abundance what you say you do not have. You have been trying to get it out of mind, thought, and intellect. He can put it there, as the river of His grace flows through your heart. That is why He came. He came to make men free…. free from doubt like yours…. free from fears and misgivings…. free from unbelief and free from sin.”“Sounds like a fairy story to me,” he interrupted. “Fine if you can believe it, but how can man or God expect a man to believe what he cannot believe? “He went away. A week later he came to me and offered his hand. When I looked at his face, I knew the miracle had happened. Into his heart there had come not only the conscious knowledge of sins forgiven, but a manifestation of the sweetness and love of God which had made him a new creation in Christ Jesus……“Do you know what happened? “He said. “I told the Lord to manifest Himself, if He was there. I asked Him to do something, which would reveal his presence, if He was there at all.  I became conscience that He was near me. I realized there was a God - that there was a soul to save. I did not understand it with my mind, but I knew it in my heart. Then I told Him I had no faith to believe, so he gave me His faith, and I believed. The work was done.”Why not? That is God's way of salvation. “As many as received Him, to them gave He  power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name.” When I give an altar call, I invite every man, and every woman, to surrender their heart and life to Christ. If we are saved by faith, how do I know that all can have the faith to receive? How do I know that everyone whom I invite can find eternal life? Some might have faith, and others be entirely devoid of it. The fact that people believe what you say does not mean that they have the faith to translate that belief, or even heart hunger, into an experiential knowledge of sins forgiven.Nevertheless, I cry “Whosoever will, may come,” because I know that He will impart the faith which is needful to every sincere heart. I have quoted the 12th verse of the first chapter of John: “but as many as r...

https://youtu.be/4HD1wREPeRA Paul Black is our leaders at Brixham Community Church. He has a passion for the word and is greatly loved by those he has served in leadership for many decades.

https://youtu.be/Pe4X8_kOUng Building up the temple Remember that song? It was a Sunday school favourite of mine. Building up the Temple of the Lord… The girls had to shout “Boys come and help us!” after which the boys shouted, “Girls come and help us!” and we all sang together, “Building up the temple of the Lord.” It was a bit of fun, and the leader would make it a competition to see which group shouted the loudest. But what did it really mean to us? We had no idea. We just liked the excuse to shout in church as loud as we could. Messing up the temple On Palm Sunday, after Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, after all the people had cried ‘Hosanna,' Jesus went into the temple and had a look around at everything that was going on. But because it was late, he went to Bethany where he was staying. When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and stopped everyone from using the temple as a marketplace. He said that the temple was meant to be a house of prayer for all nations, but instead it had been turned into a den of thieves. Strong words! (Mark 11) So this temple was important to Jesus. It was a place where people's focus was meant to be entirely on God. They came to God for forgiveness, via the altar, and sought his presence. To turn it into a den of thieves was an outrage to Jesus. Perhaps Jesus saw that the temple symbolism was important for more than just Jewish culture and traditional worship. He clearly wanted to do more than just mess up the temple. He wanted to mess with the Jewish attitude towards the temple. On another occasion his disciples were marvelling at its beauty. Jesus told them, ‘Destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in three days.' But he was referring to his body, which the disciples later understood (Mark 13, John 2). So Jesus was the first in the New Testament to think of the body as a temple, starting with himself. This is taken further by other New Testament writers. The New Testament Temple In the book of Acts, Steven refers to the first Old Testament temple, built by Solomon 46 “David found favour with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who actually built it. 48 However, the Most High doesn't live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says, 49‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that?' asks the LORD. ‘Could you build me such a resting place? 50 Didn't my hands make both heaven and earth?' (Acts 7:46-50) It's clear to us that God doesn't dwell in temples made by human hands because he still existed and ruled and reigned as God of the universe after the temple was ransacked! It was God who brought the Jews back from captivity to a destroyed Jerusalem. So the first thing we read about the temple in the New Testament is that God does not need it! This is repeated 10 chapters later in Acts 17 when Paul tells his listeners… He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn't live in man-made temples. (Acts 17:24) God doesn't live in temples. So where does he live? (is that a trick question? Isn't he omnipresent?!) Answer: He still lives in temples!! Just not man-made ones. We are that temple and we are those temples. The whole body of Christ is God's temple Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst? (1 Corinthians 3:16) This is a reference collectively to the church body as God's temple. You yourselves (plural) are God's temple (singular). We are individual temples And later in the same book Paul uses the same analogy to show that each of us is individually a temple of God: 18 Flee from sexual immorality.

Mark Goodyear is one of the Trustees at Brixham Community Church and brought this message based on the healing at the pool in John chapter 5. https://youtu.be/5RRQreMyd-w

Dr David Petts preaching to Brixham Community Church on Sunday 19th March 2023. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 For more great teaching from Dr David Petts, there are literally hundreds of podcast episodes available at www.davidpetts.org/podcast

An interpretation of a message in tongues brought at Brixham Community Church on Sunday 12th March 2023.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Isaiah 61 The Year of the Lord’s Favour 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,     because the Lord has anointed me     to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,     to proclaim freedom for the captives     and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a] 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor     and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3     and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty     instead of ashes, the oil of joy     instead of mourning, and a garment of praise     instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness,     a planting of the Lord     for the display of his splendor. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins     and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities     that have been devastated for generations.

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

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/yGP_MM1rMxI  

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

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

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

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

https://youtu.be/Q7dW7j46Ifw Here's our midweek message. Watch it today so that you have time to think about the activities at the end. Join us in our Zoom meeting on Sunday at 10:30am when we will discuss how we 've been getting on with the content of the message: Download the zoom app and enter Meeting ID: 493-739-2679 at the correct time or Follow this link: https://zoom.us/j/4937392679. Where's Your Head At? 2 Action Points for being led by the Spirit not the flesh Extended notes, not all used in the video... Over the years I've heard different versions of how the bible describes the makeup of the human person. And there have also been plenty of non-Christian versions of what we are as people too. Outside the faith community, there is a prevailing view that is described by philosophers as 'materialism', i.e. that we are just matter. There is no spiritual element to us, and anything resembling the soul can all be scientifically explained. Emotions, for example, can be traced in the brain. Everything is physical. There is nothing else. Madonna told us that she was a material girl living in a material world. But the bible paints a very different picture. In fact, it's so different, it's confusing. Within the Christian community I've come across the 'dualistic' idea that materialism is wrong - we are body and soul. Dualism states that the soul is separate from the body. That's easy to understand. We can then say that the non-material part of us, the real me and you, is the bit that lives forever. But Christianity has gone on to confuse me further, as I have heard much preaching on the idea that I am a 'tripartite being', i.e. there are three parts to me - body, soul and spirit. Let's unpack that for a moment. The Tripartite Being I have heard it preached, "I am a spirit, I live in a body and I have a soul." I quite like this idea. It seems to work for me. Paul describes our earthly bodies as tents, i.e. temporary dwellings that we live in. So the real me is my spirit, in which the Holy Spirit now dwells. In fact in this regard I'm no longer a tent but a temple, according to Paul. The usual teaching I've heard from there is that my soul is the part of me that is my mind, my will, my emotions. To put it another way, my soul does the job of thinking, choosing and feeling. This idea helps us to understand three terms: Spirit Soul Body But unfortunately, there are other words in the bible that talk about what we humans are. We're a complicated lot! This week I've been looking at not three, but SIX words in my bible that refer to elements that make up who we are. Here they are in no particular order: Body Soul Mind Flesh Spirit Heart A temptation to compartmentalize So, if I want my understanding to line up with the bible, I have to decide if the above words fit in with the idea that I am made up of body, mind and soul. But why should I do that? I'm starting with a preconceived teaching and trying to make the bible fit it! That's the wrong way round. So, instead, I'm going to take a few key scriptures and try to make sense of them one at a time. I may not cover all the words in the above list, but I'll certainly look at how we can apply what we do learn to our everyday lives. Today, let's take a look at a snippet from Romans 8: Mind, Flesh and Spirit Romans 8: 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you… Specifically,

When we’re in isolation it’s hard to work out how everyone’s handling the changes going on. What’s happened in just the last week has been huge and so first of all, however you are, that’s absolutely fine. The people I’ve spoken to have described feelings of being anxious and sad, sometimes saying that it comes in waves, sometimes saying it’s just always there. Other people are managing to see the blessings, which is amazing. Stay close to people like that; their positivity will lift you up too. Seeing as the whole world is facing this at the moment, you can guarantee that however you’re doing, someone else is the same. You really aren’t alone. So what can we do in these unusual times - Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things Colossians 3:2 There’s so much pulling at our focus; there’s always another news report, another opinion, another post on Facebook. But we need to try to remember that our confidence and our strength doesn’t come from our job, our home, our health, our comforts or anything else that’s pulling at your fears. Our confidence comes from the rock beneath our feet. This rock is strong – it has never moved and it never will. Imagine setting your feet in concrete; it doesn’t matter how bad the storm is that blows around you, how many waves that hit you, your feet will not move. This is a storm that we are going to have to weather but we will do it. We need to see this time for what it is – it’s a test, a battle. It is the ultimate way to divide us. We can’t sit close to reach other, hug each other, or even just meet together. But we will not be divided. We must stand firm. We are a family, but we are also an army, and we will not be moved or divided. And the reason we will not be moved is because the rock beneath our feet is our God. So let’s remind ourselves of the things we can be certain of – we know God is good, God is faithful, God says you are precious, He says you’re worth dying for - and have confidence in them. The firmer our feet, the taller we can stand. So the first thing I would say is this – just stand. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still Exodus 14:14 Keep trying to spend some time with God every day; shut the door, leave your phone on the other side of it with its notifications and BBC news updates. Even if you don’t feel you have anything to say, or you’re just feeling lost at the moment, stand with Him for a bit. When I found out the church wasn’t going to meeting at the college for the moment, that was all I could do. I didn’t actively pray. I think the only words I might have said were ‘I’m not ok with this’. But God waits for those moments when you stand with Him. In that moment, He gave me an image of a huge hand resting over my entire body, like the wing of a mother hen over its chick, protecting, loving and calming all at the same time. I’ve put a few verses at the end of this and I’d encourage you to read them and I’d also encourage you to listen to the song Way Maker – remind yourself who He is. Turn the volume up and sing it out to Him. Let loose; we’re not in the college so no one’s watching! I’d like to share this Celtic Blessing with you: - May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.   1 Samuel 2:2 There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one beside you; there is no Rock like our God.   1 Corinthians 15:58 Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.   Psalm 18:32-33 It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my ways secure.   Psalm 62:2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.   Exodus 14:14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE_M9noEhNE

A good number of us turned out on our Zoom meeting place this morning to chat, see each other's faces, and listen to the Word of God. We had a short time of prayer afterwards too. This is the audio of what Paul and Verity had to say :-)

Reading: 1 Samuel 17 17 Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.” 20 Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear. 25 Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.” 26 David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” 28 When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” 29 “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” 30 He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. 31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. 32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” 33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.” 38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?

Being intentionally alone with God... Recap: But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6) Jesus shuts the door Before walking on water, after feeding the 5000: 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, (Matthew 14:22-23) But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5:16) One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles. (Luke 6:12-13) Jacob shuts the door 22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. Putting people and possessions aside Left with a new name – wrestling with God rather than man. 2 Kings 4 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, ‘Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.’ 2 Elisha replied to her, ‘How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?’ ‘Your servant has nothing there at all,’ she said, ‘except a small jar of olive oil.’ 3 Elisha said, ‘Go round and ask all your neighbours for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.’ 5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, ‘Bring me another one.’ But he replied, ‘There is not a jar left.’ Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, ‘Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.’   What does oil symbolise in the bible? 1: The Holy Spirit Oil was used for anointing kings, priests and other people of office. In that anointing there are some references to the Holy Spirit coming upon the person. So oil has become a symbol of anointing and the Holy Spirit. For example, when the prophet-judge Samuel anointed David with oil to be the new king of Israel: So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. (1 Samuel 16:13). A few other references to anointing (which in the physical sense always involved oil) and the Holy Spirit: The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. (Isaiah 61:1) God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power (Acts 10:38) 2: Blessing Well, that’s the usual answer dealt with for now. But the Encyclopaedia of the Bible states that, “Oil was a symbol of plenty (Deut 32:13), of luxury (Prov 21:17; Ezek 16:13 [although these references are disapproving of the use of such luxury, they serve to illustrate the connection between oil and luxury]), of joy (Ps 45:7; Eccl 9:8; Isa 61:3; Heb 1:9), and of hospitality (Ps 23:5). Its lack was evidence of God’s displeasure (Joel 1:10); its abundance was proof of God’s blessing (2:24). It was used figuratively as a sign of abundance: Asher will “dip his foot in oil” (Deut 33:24). In his affliction Job remembered better days when “the rock poured out for me streams of oil” (Job 29:6)..." Here are a few of those references: You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God,

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6)   Jesus shuts the door Before walking on water, after feeding the 5000: 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. (Matthew 14:20-24) Why was he intentionally alone? Why didn’t he stay with the disciples? But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5:16) 12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles. (Luke 6:12-13)   Jacob shuts the door Genesis 27 – Esau: I will kill my brother Jacob – Jacob flees Genesis 28 – Dream – Bethel Genesis 29 & 30 – Laban, Leah and Rachel Genesis 31 – Leaving Laban, heading home. Genesis 32 – Preparing to meet Esau 22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. He had to face his brother. He was probably nervous. He had betrayed him and fled years earlier. They had not made things right together. However long time had passed, reconciliation was still necessary. But first he had to meet with God. If you have fallen out with your brother or sister, God’s heart is always for reconciliation. And sometimes you have to make the first move. Go to them. But please go to God first. Ask him for his wisdom. There may be things that need to be said but God says not to say those things. His wisdom is higher than that of humans. There may be things God wants to tell you before you meet with your brother. Jacob ‘shut the door’ by sending everyone across the river and remaining alone. He put them out of the room so to speak. He also sent all his possessions away. He was on the move and had everything with him. Every conceivable bit of baggage was coming with him. But for this moment, he has put them all aside to be alone. Are there ways we can do the same each day? The results were unexpected and life changing. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. 28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” 29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. There are several references to the Angel of the Lord in the bible. There are differing views as to who this Angel is, partly because he seems to have particular authority. I believe the man was the Son of God, Jesus. If you prefer, he could be a powerful angel, or even God the Father in temporary human form. Go with my view that Jacob is wrestling with none other than Jesus. Ever been there? There now? Keep wrestling and imitate Jacob’s prayer,

William Deane speaks on the global mission of the local church and the role of prayer within it.

Paul & Timothy’s Prayer for the Colossians Background Writing from prison in Rome, Paul had probably never visited Colossae but felt the need to write to them in order to combat false teachings which had infiltrated the Colossian church. Ideas were coming into the church from paganism, Judaism, and Greek philosophy. The heresy that was to follow this influence was later called ‘Gnosticism’, the idea that you can receive special personal spiritual knowledge that is more valuable than biblical teaching. The Gnostics also denied Christ as God and Saviour. Even in today’s short extract, we can see Paul combating some of these ideas from the outset of his letter. But let’s look at some of the lessons we can learn for ourselves from this prayer of Paul and Timothy for the Colossian church. Colossians 1: 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people… … 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.     Characteristics of the prayer 1.    Thanksgiving 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, There was a lot to pray for, much to deal with in the church, but Paul and Timothy always gave thanks. Remember Paul’s instruction to the Philippian church, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) Here Paul models this discipline as he prays for the Colossian church. 2.    Persistency Just as Jesus taught his disciples that they should always pray and never give up, Paul writes that he and Timothy continually pray for the church (verse 9). So they always thank God and they pray continually. Again, we see Paul modelling what he teaches elsewhere:  Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) 3.    Unity I like the fact that Paul says ‘we’ when talking about praying for the Colossian church. We get a glimpse of what it was like to travel and be around Paul in ministry. Prayer together must have been an integral part. May this also be true for us as we seek to serve God in our own personal lives. Let us pray continually, with thanksgiving, and also let us pray together with others.   Content of the prayer What did Paul and Timothy pray for the Colossian church? And can this help us in our prayers for other Christians today? 1.    Spiritual Insight Verse 9: We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives Remember that the Colossian church was being bombarded with ideas from outside. Is it any different today? Do we not need to pray for the same spiritual understanding from God as we read the scriptures and pray? I want the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, not that of the world! Please pray that for me! 2.    To live lives that please God Verse 10: So that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way