8th February 2010 – To be or not to be

To be or not to be!

These words were written around the year 1600 by our very own William Shakespeare in the play Hamlet. Although I do not profess to be much of an expert on his great writings, there are certain quotations that many people are aware of even if their source is a bit vague.

As you let this simple line roll around in your head you realise that it has many implications and poses an obvious question in many areas of life both public and personal. But in this inspiration for the week ahead let it apply to your own spirituality and Christian pilgrimage. You were challenged some years ago about receiving Christ into your life, and as far as being a Christian is concerned the question was ‘To be or not to be’. Allowing Christ, beyond that initial stage to become the leading influence in your life left you with the confrontation of being or not being a serious, fully paid up member of the Christian world.

The question still lingers for us all today – shall I take part in the 24/7 prayer week and allow a little discomfort and time in a busy week to be invaded by time alone to be with God and share his  heart with mine. As the bible in a year continues will I have due diligence to see it through over the next 10½ months and feel the satisfaction as well as the nourishment of receiving God’s whole story.

One month yesterday (7^th March) is our next service of baptism and there are many who have not yet gone through that privilege and shown their public declaration of a commitment to walk the path of Christ, telling any enemy of the gospel that this body is done with sin and is looking to the new life promised by Jesus. BAPTISED – to be or not to be? That is the question. We teach

our children that the choices they make determine the outcomes they find themselves in and that is no different in our following of Jesus. People are deeply spiritual because they have chosen to listen and obey, they have chosen to make Christ their number one priority in everything and their whole life is based on their understanding of the working of the Spirit day by day, event by event, their many thoughts are God thoughts, every situation is proceeded by welcoming the Holy Spirit to be part of the thinking and planning. Their cars are tin cathedrals utilising time and listening power to receive God word and life, spending time talking and listening that could easily be time lost.

Jesus said – ‘Anyone who will come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me’

Full on 100%Christian – To be or not to be ?

Steve Speight (Rev)

steve@emmanuellichfield.com

www.emmanuellichfield.com

GATHERING – GROWING – GOING

1st February 2010 – Mountains & Valleys

Mountains & Valleys (Life through the Psalms)

Psalm 59

David had faced the accusations of many as the smell of God’s favour seemed to grow stronger. Saul was now on collision course with David and was personally looking at wiping David out. We read that David was twice nearly caught by Saul’s spear (1 Samuel 18 v 11). Saul also tried to trap David through his daughter Merab (1 Samuel 18 v 17-19). A big call came when Saul asked David to produce 100 Philistine foreskins (1 Samuel 18) The background for Psalm 59 is 1 Samuel 19 where David fled for his life to his own house and David was never to return to the palace until he was king, around 20 years later. David now lives as a fugitive, on the run and hiding for his life. It seems that what Saul meant for evil, God meant for good to make David the leader he would be and needed to be.

In Psalm 59 the picture is David in hiding at his home and Saul’s men surrounding awaiting the moment to go in for the kill, he repeats the picture of dogs snarling outside, dogs were considered vermin – Saul’s men laying in wait for a moment to strike.

Think of houses you have lived in and remind yourself of the happy memories and sometimes no so happy memories that go with those thoughts This house was David’s security but also his prison!

So where do you live right now? Not physically but emotionally are you

Trapped by past/current situations.

Hiding from thoughts memories and haunting situations.

Not opening the door to familiar knocks that come regularly and you dread the sound of.

There are many and varied situations that can trap us and restrict our Christian growth, seeking to undermine God’s image shining through each human being. The reality is that if you know that you need to move from that situation you need to put that house up for sale and move on to the freedom area of town! Jesus stated many years after this that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but he was there to give life (John 10 v 10)

David’s early strength can be found in 1 Samuel 17 when he states that this is not simple ‘cockiness’ but already a lion and bear have been dispatched before this uncircumcised Philistine

Here are some great bible verses to ponder

Colossians 3 v 3 – ‘For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God’

John 8 v 36 –  ‘If the son sets you free, you will be free indeed’

2 Corinthians 3 v17 – ‘Where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom’

David finishes the last two verses of this Psalm using very visual language refuge, strength, fortress. Today look at you own location and if you need to move to a more fulfilling place which has a greater sense of freedom.

Steve Speight (Rev)

steve@emmanuellichfield.com

www.emmanuellichfield.com

GATHERING – GROWING – GOING

25th January 2010 – Mountains & Valleys

Mountains & Valleys  (life through the Psalms)

Psalm 7

Background – 1 Samuel 17-19 After the defeat of Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 Davis was a permanent fixture in Saul’s court. First as master of the king’s music (1 Samuel 18v10) then as the very successful commander of the anti Philistine task force (1 Samuel 18v30) Saul became obsessed with David’s success (1 Samuel 18v9,11,29) and many people around Saul fuelled the fire of hatred. David was a man pursued by the king and was trying to avoid the threat.

Here in this Psalm David lets his turbulent emotions loose as he faces the threat of a king and others seeking his downfall. How strong was he? How strong are you emotionally, mentally, and spiritually when the pressure is on and you feel like David did, a man under threat. – take note though that every challenge you face has the potential to strengthen you. In the new testament Paul wrote to Christians in Rome and said ‘If it possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone’. (Romans 12v18)

So how did David’s faith respond to this situation in Psalm 7?

• Shelter in faith (v1 – I take refuge in you) – run to the tower.
• Open your conscience to God (v3-5 – Oh God, if I have done this) – be in an open and honest position, washed and clean.
• Recognise God’s role (v10,12 – My shield is God, He will sharpen his sword) – he will defend you and he will vindicate you.
• Sin is a troublemaker (v14-16 – Pregnant with evil) – like a boomerang sin will return to devour and destroy.
• God’s addiction (v17 – His righteousness) – where we stand as humans before a Holy God, his standards.

Sometimes God’s strength is evident in helping through trials, sometimes God’s strength is evident in delivering us from trials!

Look to Jesus who lived through accusations and in innocence loved and lived in peace. We live in a world dominated by sin and the effects of sin. Christian faith does not exclude us from any of that but gives us a different basis to work from – keep sin in its place, look to God and live!!

Steve Speight (Rev)

steve@emmanuellichfield.com

www.emmanuellichfield.com

GATHERING – GROWING – GOING

18th January 2010 – Restoration

Suppose you find in your attic an old oil painting, covered over with years of dust, grime and dirt. Then imagine the excitement as you clear away the dust to reveal a Rembrandt masterpiece. After painstakingly cleaning and caring the painting can be hung on the wall to reveal the genius and artistry of its creator. Restoration is a very careful, sometimes long winded process but the results are amazing and of great delight and value.

The image of God that is born in each one of us has often been distorted, damaged and unseen, so God, in Christ has started the restoration process so that the genius and artistry of the great creator might be seen again and we might fulfil our full potential. BUT! how does this work and what is the process? -  listen to the words of Paul and have a look at his take on this. Philippians 2 v 12 – ‘Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do according to his good pleasure’. The key thing to note is the 2 references to ‘work’ which tell us that God works in, and we work out.

v13 ‘God who works in you’

Redeemed      = Bought with the price of sacrifice through love!

Justified           = Made right with God, through Christ we have peace with God!

Sanctified        = Washed and cleansed over and over as the dirt continues to get in.

Righteous        = When God looks at us Jesus stands in the way so all he sees is righteousness.

Renewed         = Spirit and heart alive to God responding to our father again.

v12 ‘Continue to work out your salvation’

Work out your salvation

Church exists to help us all do that – but the implication is personal.

• Home groups – connect – share – cry – laugh – community  ( through church programme)
• Welcome God – Prayer – Bible reading (24/7 Prayer week. reading the bible in a year)
• Baptism – serious about ‘working out’ salvation 1 Peter 3v21 (March is our next baptismal service)
• Laying on of hands – Blessing – impartation – healing – connecting gift with giver (our new teaching series starting next week will welcome that)

Here are some bible phrases that the new testament uses to provoke us into our role in this restoration.

Put on the new self / Putt off your old self /Arm yourselves with this same attitude / Prepare your minds for action / have this attitude in you / Abstain from sinful desires / Desire to live honourably / Stand firm in Lord / Clothe yourselves with compassion, humility, kindness / Be imitators of God / Grow in grace and the knowledge of God / Live a life of  Love / Find out what pleases the Lord.

TODAY make a fresh goal to be all that God wants you to be!

Steve Speight (Rev)

steve@emmanuellichfield.com

www.emmanuellichfield.com

GATHERING – GROWING – GOING

11th January 2010 – Dead works

Dead works to faith

Israel, as a nation  were always being reminded of their history, even today to mix with any Jew you would encounter a great sense of history through conversations with them. You see to understand where you have come from can help in shaping our future. One very big picture on the screen of bible history is the exodus from Egypt by God’s people. God brought a deliverer by the name of Moses and the people who had been in bondage for so long had to change their ideas, thoughts and lifestyles as they encountered freedom and future in walking to the promised land.

The reason for looking at this incident is that it paints a picture of us here today. The gospel is the message that Christ has brought us from the bondage of sin into the freedom of forgiveness and new life in Christ. The new testament then uses over and over the phrase ‘IN CHRIST’ to remind us why and how we are doing what we are doing. We are now really living; as Christ brings out the best in us which was God’s intention from the start. Many sculptors, having created a masterpiece out of whatever material have often commented that they didn’t see simply a block of material, but they saw the shape inside and simple freed it from the restrictions – WOW! This is exactly how God sees us, not as we were in sin and ignorance, but through Him we are released into what he saw in the beginning.

THE REAL YOU!! – force it out and allow it to be! As you respond to God. And as you do you may we all realise the potential of what is inside of us beginning to express the creativity of God through your serving of others and using the talents and gifts that you have. And not because you feel obligated – but through the compelling love of Christ we give to God of our time, our finance, our service.  Result in that the world will be a better place as God’s image re emerges.

This week may the real YOU be seen as you look for opportunities to be the blessing that you are meant to be………..now who shall I phone?

Steve

Emmanuel Christian Centre

Netherstowe

Lichfield

Staffs

WS13 6TS

01543 254596

www.emmanuellichfield.com

4th January 2010 – A New Era

New era !!

The cottage opposite our house was owned by a family who ran a double glazing company. They only lived there a short while but in that time did a lot of work on the house and replaced all the windows and doors, adding a beautiful full width conservatory. They moved away about 18 months ago and the new occupants got to work straight away with their own ideas and plans. This meant ripping out all the windows, doors and almost everything and then virtually rebuilding the house into a new and very grand home. It does look very good!

Recently the original occupants were round at our house and as you can imagine looked very disappointed to see all their hard work in a skip and a new house emerging. This happens in many situations every day, but there must be some emotional feeling at what goes on.

In the book of Ezra a very similar scenario happens. You follow the story from the end of 2 Chronicles and read how the people of God were taken into captivity and were there for many years. Open up chapter 1 of Ezra and you see how Cyrus king of Persia declared his intention to build and re-establish the temple and worship of God. The people are excited and overjoyed because their temple, and along with it their identity and focus was to take centre stage. The 13^th verse of chapter 3 the bible records that there was a great noise and that the sound of weeping and of happiness was all gathered into one great noise.

There were those who had worshipped at this spot many years earlier who knew this was a new era and those who were new to their birthright being very excited at what was ahead.

This is a new era for us here at Emmanuel. The path is laid out as we Gather / Grow/ Go. But that implies that each one of us has a new era to face in our journey and walk. So my simple challenge is to take hold of the future, engage with it and see the gospel grow in you, in the church, and in the world around. Freshen up. Paul the apostle said ‘Forgetting what is behind I press on to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of me’ Philippians 3. – Give added time to all.

Steve

28th December 2009 – The Word

There was a clear understanding in heaven that we would need a solid consistency in our lives during our time on earth. So Jesus spoke to the crowd and stated that it would be wise to build our lives on solid foundation, that foundation being His words. And as you look back at 2009 I am not sure what marks out of 10 you would give it, but in marking it we all realise that very rarely will a year be given 10/10 – and as for next year what anticipation do you have for the outlook? What clear understanding then for Jesus to say how we should build our lives.

As you read Luke 3 and the first couple of verses you are surrounded by a host of very powerful men seeking to bear their influence on every individual and yet verse 2 states that ‘The word of God came to John’. If someone came to my house they would need to know where I was  which is usually a postcode. God’s word knew where John was, does it know where you are? Mary was a young teenage girl and God’s word came to her and her response was to say ‘be it unto me as you have said’ or in other words Let what you have said become reality! And it did because John records in his first chapter that the WORD became flesh and lived here amongst us. The truth is that the word of God must always become flesh. It is a matter of Promise / Hope / Reality

In 350ad St Augustine said Faith is to believe what you do not see, the reward of faith is to see what you believe.

As we approach a new year, we as a church want to rely totally and utterly on God’s word and see it become flesh. Therefore we have set a challenge to everyone here at Emmanuel. We have a journal for everyone in our new Gathering Growing Going logo and a booklet that helps us all read the bible in a year. If you did not collect yours yesterday then be the first to arm yourself next Sunday with our step into the future.

A couple more statements regarding God’s word, taken from the bible itself.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Let the word of God dwell in you richly.

See you Sunday alive with God’s word. Because God’s word has your postcode so it will come to you!

21st December 2009 – God in Christ

God in Christ

Suppose you found in your attic an old oil-painting, covered over with the grime of centuries.

Imagine your excitement as you cleared away the dust to reveal a name such as Rembrandt or Turner! Then, after painstaking cleaning and care, the lost original could once more be hung to reveal the artistry of its creator. God becoming man in Jesus is also an act of restoration. The world is his creation; we are made in his image. We are no longer what God intended. And so Jesus came to begin the cleaning process. In his own character he showed us what God is like, what we are intended to be, and what we might become.

Jesus recognised the worth of each person he met. He had compassion when they were hurting, He touched those suffering, he restored withered limbs and touched the untouchables. He did all this to restore creation to the one who made it. And he wanted to make it clear to us what God is like.

Mother Teresa said:

‘I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love. As I held and fed the morsel of life that was an aborted baby, as I held the hand of a man dying from cancer and felt his trust and gratitude, I could see, feel and touch God’s love which has existed from the beginning’

God was (and is) reconciling the world in Christ. Celebrate this Christmas time what God has done and is doing with every person who meets him.

Steve

14th December 2009 – Mary Mary

MARY MARY QUITE ……

An example to us all.

What a great woman Mary, the mother Jesus was. Often because of the catholic view of her we go in the opposite direction and ignore her altogether, yet she is such a prominent lady in the whole gospel story and a glimpse at her life can give us some great insight into how to follow Christ.

She shared in the most important moments of his life as any mother would, but in these moments she gives us lessons for the day to day life of a Christian.

At his birth…she showed obedience to will of God for her life when declaring that God’s will and word might be worked out through her.

At his birth…she showed unselfish sacrifice in putting aside her reputation and ambition with her desire for a great wedding to face questions and tension about her baby.

At his first miracle…she showed encouragement in pushing Him to begin to fulfil his potential and walk into the call of God on Him.

At the cross…she showed great love and forgiveness in witnessing her boy being murdered by roman soldiers.

At the upper room…she showed her missionary heart to spread the good news of the gospel to everyone who came her way.

This Christmas time look at a woman who loved, served and delivered God’s promise.

7th December 2009

God’s Rescue Plan

God ran the risk of people walking away and making up life themselves when He gave us all free will and decided to allow us the choice to recognise Him as father. Many ignored and still do, that is the reason that Paul wrote these words – ‘If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation the old has gone the new has come’ (2 Corinthians 5v17) The original creation in Eden spoilt because of sin and rebellion, the new creation brought us peace and right standing with God through Christ. So thank God for Christmas and the coming of God’s son.

Here it is summed up through Paul’s letter to the Romans translated in the message.

Romans 3

What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.

God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it’s now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.

This year as you sing Christmas carols take an extra look at all the familiar lines and realise how the writers of these carols captured the reality of what Jesus was coming to do. And in gratitude  with a whisper or a shout sometime today declare Joy to the world the lord is come!!

Steve Speight

Emmanuel Christian Centre

Netherstowe

Lichfield

Staffs

WS13 6TS

01543 254596

www.emmanuellichfield.com