gomakedisciples: October 2020

31/10/2020

Time!

Roy Carter's message at the informal meeting of the #Poitou Charentes #chaplaincy in #Champagne-Mouton. 13 December 2019

25/10/2020

17/10/2020

The readings for the 18th October 2020!

Sunday 18th October 2020

Psalm 103:1-22
Luke 1:46-55
Psalms 119:89-96
Isaiah 55:1-11
John 1:1-4
Luke 4:1-30
Isaiah 55:12 - 13

14/10/2020

Victory for freedom and new life - Exodus 13:17 and 14:31

Victory for Freedom and New Life

Exodus 13:17-14:31 + verses from NT

Introduction

What is it that makes you certain of the victory of the cross, that you are freed from the power of sin and death, and that you have new life for now and eternity?

When the Children of Israel came out of Egypt, the Lord took them via a route and brought them to a place where they had no doubt that their former slave masters and oppressors were part of the past, that they would not be taken back but could proceed along a road to their new life in the land promised to Abraham and his descendants which was now them.

Freedom had arrived and a new life lay ahead. On the way there would be new problems and all sorts of difficulties but, they were on the way and the past was behind them. They would have to, as they did, wrestle with what lay ahead.

1. How God left no doubt about freedom and new life

1. He took them a longer way round - Exodus 13:17-18

[17] When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

[18] So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.

2. He went with them - Exodus 13:21-22

[21] By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. [22] Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

3. He confused Pharaoh and his army into thinking the Israelites were confused so he would pursue them which he did - Exodus 14:1-9

4. He allowed them to face their enemy - Exodus 14:10-12

5. He Assured them of Victory - Exodus 14:13-14

6. He provided an escape route - Exodus 14:15-18 & 21-22

7. He took the Israelites through the sea but destroyed the Egyptians in it - Exodus 14:23-28

All this brings us back to 'who is in control' of us and our lives. Who or what is pulling our strings? If it isn't the Lord, then who or what?

We are also brought back to the sovereign wisdom, love and care of our heavenly Father. He does not always do the expected. Here he chooses, with good reason, an odd route, he doesn't ward off their enemies but allows them to face them, he speaks to reassure and he has a way through the problem (Red Sea in this case) all they have to do, say no more but note the ongoing struggles, is trust and obey.

Reflect on those pointers.

How are you at hearing the voice / word of God and trusting and doing?

Knowing more of scripture helps. To have guidance and help from the Lord we have to discern his voice and go with it as he can work wonders.

Now, that is not to suggest you go down to one of the marvellous French lakes, hold out your walking stick and expect the water to part, or, trying to walk across!

Guidance from the Lord

- Ask:

A. Is this in accord with how God works in scripture and his ways and character as shown there

B. Does it fit in with his good and perfect ways

C. Does it bring glory to God or is this answering my pride, vanity or selfish desires etc.

Remember - Jesus tells us that God, like a loving parent, has good things for those who trust him and seek his ways.

Not necessarily what we want. Sometimes, his answer or the direction he leads is not easy or comfortable - let's say it again - think the cross!

Of course, the cross wasn't the end, it was ghastly and painful, but it was and is the gateway to new life where we experience victory for freedom.

2. How God leaves us with no doubt freedom and new life

1. He gives the empty tomb as the starting point with all that is contained in the Gospel accounts where we are invited to look and see then weigh it up.

Who moved the stone?

Come up with an adequate explanation for the empty tomb other than the resurrection - they all fall down!

2. He gives us massive evidence - 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

3. He guarantees what is to come - 1 Corinthians 15:20 & 2 Corinthians 5:5

4. He marks us with his seal of ownership - 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

5. He assures us of and gives us new life - Colossians 3:1-4

6. He gives us a glimpse of what is to come - Revelation 21:1-8

7. He invites us to live the new life by casting off the old and being clothed with the new - Colossians 3:5-14

Like the Children of Israel in our journey with him we will get it wrong and fail, but he loves and forgives, so, we move on with him. We seek him day by and ask him to fill us with the Holy Spirit, daily, to enable us to be the people he wants us to be. Above all, that is a renewed people who show his love and sovereignty to the world and also a way of life that is different, not pious, but living God's good ways.

All this is something we appropriate at a personal level and when we do we are then a child of God, but as children of our heavenly father we belong to a family, as heirs of the inheritance Messiah Jesus the king has won we are members of the Kingdom of God; we are part of the body of Christ; we are a kingdom of priests a holy nation etc. We are a called-out people - ecclesia or to use our word, church!

I pause again and ask we reflect on our personal response to God's love made known in Jesus and the victory for freedom and new life he has won and imparts freely to all who come to him in repentance and faith ready to receive.

Pause Another pause coming, this time to reflect on whether we have been wandering away from the Lord or allowing our main focus in life to be elsewhere Pause Finally In what we have looked at do you: • Rest in knowledge of forgiven sin and new life? • Feel secure in that new life within God's loving care and provision? • Have assurance that you will be part of the new heaven and earth - God's renewed and eternal life? I acknowledge most of us have our wobbles and issues, some ongoing, that we wrestle with but as long as we are doing that within our relationship with God it can be OK. After that, talk / phone / email!

Finally, Finally This should fill us with adoration, love, worship and thanksgiving as well as confidence to face life.

13/10/2020

Jesus says: I am the only way to the Father

12/10/2020

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth!

1 Corinthians 3

1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?
5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.
9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

Brothers and sisters, it is indeed a privilege to belong of God's family and to be able to be used for his kingdom! Another bible verse comes to my mind and here it is in Romans 10:

13For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?^c And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Today, Steven and I went for a walk by the river Dordogne at about 12. Because it rained yesterday we noticed the ground was softer. Steven kept taking photos of the heron, the swans and other little ones, I was as well until my camera died and because i only changed the battery a few days ago, I didn't think the new one would die so quickly. We passed the horses and we arrived at a new equestrian center. Then the path we walked on was getting muddy until Steven who was walking ahead turned round and told me we'd better go back as there was a pool of water and the path was getting narrower. So we did and on the way back we kept meeting people walking their dogs or out and about with members of their family.

Let me tell you what I personnally think of the French mindset about the gospel of Jesus-Christ. Most of them are clueless and I have this burden to let them know as kindly as possible. Some were brought up in the Catholic church and strayed. They are quite honest and usually tell me why. They have been hurt in the process, also, most of them were not encourage to read the Bible and worse, they have been influenced by the media, the journalists who still bash the Christian, not realising how faithful and awesome our Lord is!

There are a few hurdles, the first one is that I mustn't be fearful, and I will pray and listen. The second hurdle I notice is that some people will start talking about something for ages; after a while, i will pray for advice.

So these above scriptures are very helpful as planting seeds at this stage may be all I do and reminding people that our Lord Jesus-Christ is who he claims he is, or that the Bible is the book of life.

One lady who was walking her dog, said she was a catholic but then dropped it all, so it gave me the opportunity to talk to her about my testimony. I also believe that the Lord's presence is manifest and his timing is perfect. I'd said maybe enough as we 'bumped' into Steven who'd met another bird photographer and the lady departed it quickly. May the Lord bless her richly in Jesus'name through the power of Holy Spirit. Amen

The heavens declare the glory of God

Forever His truth shall reign!

We ascribe Greatness To Our God, The Rock

His Work Is Perfect
And All His Ways Are Just [2]

He is A God Of Faithfulness Without Injustice
Good And Upright Is He [2]

Ascribe Greatness To Our God, The Rock
His Work Is Perfect
And All His Ways Are Just [2]

A God Of Faithfulness Without Injustice
Good And Upright Is He [2]

No shadow of turning with You!

We give you all the glory.

He is Exalted

He is exalted the King is exalted on High

I will praise Him
He is exalted forever exalted
And I will praise His name

He is the Lord
Forever His truth shall reign
Heaven and Earth
Rejoice in His holy name
He is exalted the King is exalted on high

He is exalted, the King is on High
I will praise Him
He is exalted, forever exalted
And I will praise His name

He is the Lord
Forever His truth shall reign
Heaven and Earth
Rejoice in His holy name
He is exalted…

1 Chronicles 29:10, David's prayer

“Praise be to you, Lord,
the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
13 Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.

12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled

15“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”

Jesus has come to shine his light through your life..

Father, we decree that any darkness in any aspect of our life, let it be dispel in Jesus's name. Father, Let there be a light be released,

08/10/2020

A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one!

Brothers and sisters, no doubt you will know which scripture I am talking about in this post!

Ecclesiastes 10 -12

1 As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink,

so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor.

2 A wise person chooses the right road;
a fool takes the wrong one.

3 You can identify fools
just by the way they walk down the street!

4 If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit!
A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes.
The Ironies of Life

5 There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake 6 when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth. 7 I have even seen servants riding horseback like princes—and princes walking like servants! 8 When you dig a well, you might fall in. When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake. 9 When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you. When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax.

Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade.
That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.
If a snake bites before you charm it, what’s the use of being a snake charmer?
Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words.
Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions, so their conclusions will be wicked madness; 14     they chatter on and on. No one really knows what is going to happen; no one can predict the future.
Fools are so exhausted by a little work that they can’t even find their way home.
What sorrow for the land ruled by a servant,[a]
    the land whose leaders feast in the morning.
Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader
    and whose leaders feast at the proper time
    to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk.
Laziness leads to a sagging roof;
    idleness leads to a leaky house.
A party gives laughter, wine gives happiness, and money gives everything!
Never make light of the king, even in your thoughts.
    And don’t make fun of the powerful, even in your own bedroom.
For a little bird might deliver your message
    and tell them what you said.
The Uncertainties of Life
Send your grain across the seas,and in time, profits will flow back to you.[b]
But divide your investments among many places,[c]
    for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.
When clouds are heavy, the rains come down.
    Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls.
Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
    If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb,[d] so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.
Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.
Advice for Young and Old
Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning.
When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless.
Young people,[e] it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. 10 So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless.
- 1 Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. 
Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” 2 Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. 3 Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly.
Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.
Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.
Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 
For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
Concluding Thoughts about the Teacher
“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless.”
Keep this in mind: The Teacher was considered wise, and he taught the people everything he knew. He listened carefully to many proverbs, studying and classifying them. 
The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly.[f]
The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd[g] drives the sheep.
But, my child,[h] let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.
That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 
God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.
Footnotes
16 Or a child.
1 Or Give generously, / for your gifts will return to you later. Hebrew reads Throw your bread on the waters, / for after many days you will find it again.
2 Hebrew among seven or even eight.
5 Some manuscripts read Just as you cannot understand how breath comes to a tiny baby in its mother’s womb.
9 Hebrew Young man.
10 Or sought to write what was upright and true.
11 Or one shepherd.
12 Hebrew my son.