SUNDAY DEC.23rd. Carol Service

SUNDAY AT NEW LIFE

I have to tell you about it.  Planned with prayer and care this Sunday's Carol Service would have high ratings if there was a Carol Service 'Charts'.   The service had all that such an event should.

Joy. Surprise. Humour. Carols. Gospel preaching (10mins!) Involvement. Fellowship and ...etc.

One surprise feature this year was the Pastoral Team handing out Christmas Greeting Cards to everyone.  While this was happening there was a media presentation of events that had taken place during since last Christmas.

The Service opened with a punchy video clip "Christmas with a Capital C"

Here's the link:  Go for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww4ygpsA5ng

This was not the actual clip that was used of this song - but I've given you this one because it has the lyrics.

The whole service took an hour.

Oh - the Choir. What a blessing. There are voices here that any prestigious choir would want. (Hope there were no talent hunters in the service!) 

The young ladies Trio blessed us with 'Silent Night'  God bless them. They practiced it on the train coming back from London!  

Mark 1:9 .... Jesus Came...... Mark 1:15 .. Jesus came.

Thirty years previous he came as a baby.  Joseph was assured by the Angel "its OK- Mary will have a baby. A boy. Call him Jesus, because he will save my people from their sins"

We don't know the exact 'when' of his first coming. But we do know the 'how' and the 'why'.

And we know that when he came, he made a difference!    He touched the extremes of society: The Blind man in the ditch and the Rejected rich man up a tree!   Both Bartemeous and Zacheous were changed by his touch.    He was physically 'ordinary' but he was spiritually 'extraordinary' .  He made a spiritual impact on peoples lives.

He came to give life to the full.

He came to open up Wells of Salvation.

He came to destroy the works of the Devil.

He came to 'give his life as a ransom for many'.

There are many references you can find in the Bible that tell us why he came. Try looking them up.

OUR DAUGHTER Alison has branched out in business with a Roadside Food Van.  She is on the A3 Southbound near the small town of Liss.
There she is.  Her van goes by the name of "Capones"  She has a reputation for friendly service and the very best of breakfasts in a Bap. (A Bap is a flat bun like you get a hamburger in - only her's are better!)
She has a portable generator to provide power for her coffee maker and other equipment. (believe me Capones Roadside Food Bar is is one of the very few such food stops that offer hot fresh ground coffee!)
Anyway, she had a problem off-loading the generator from the van and getting it back on again at the end of the day. This was done by hand using a wooden ramp which doubles as a stand by the counter. So - we put our heads together and made a ramp out of a couple of old bed rails. Eddie (another Eddie who is an amazing DIY man at our church) did some welding and made a trolley to mount the generator on.  A small 12volt winch was fixed on to the trolley, (Tim did that) and there we go.

Here she is learning how to use it!

EDDIE'S SPECIAL SPICED CABBAGE

It's time for another of my very special recipes.  Heather loves this one and frequently asks me to make it.
 
Here we go; for just the two of us!

Chop finely half a stick of Celery,
Finely chopped leek: about two inches off the leafy end and same off the white base.
If no leak - then finely chopped onion will do, but the dark green of the leek adds to the looks!

The best Cabbage to use is "Sweetheart". It's sometimes called 'Pointed"!

Start at the pointed end and very finely shred with a very sharp kitchen knife. Shred as much as you think is enough for two, and maybe a bit more.  (One of these medium size cabbages makes three meals for the two of us.)

Heat up a nice dash of olive oil and a knob of butter in your favorite saucepan and add salt, black pepper, a good pinch (like half a teaspoon) of Oregon, Coriander, Basil, and, if you have it on the kitchen windowsill, some fresh time chopped fine.  Stir the spices in with the oil etc then add the celery and leek and/or onion.  Toss around until well softened then add the shredded cabbage. Toss or stir it all together (same as if you were doing a stir fry) then add a small amount of already boiling water.  Put on the lid and let it cook for about three minutes.
Give it a shake or two while it is cooking.   When you are satisfied its done, drain off the remaining liquid. (Heather used this to add to any gravy she may be making)

Serve straight from the saucepan, but, really this Special Spice Cabbage deserve its own Serving Dish. So - transfer it to your serving dish and top it off with a spinkling a dried Basil.

Great with the usual British Potatoes sauted in butter plus whatever Chicken, Mutton or Fish you have in the Freezer.

Enjoy.  Don't forget to Give Thanks. God is good.

OLD TIME PENTECOSTAL PREACHING!

"This is an extract from some preaching notes given to me by an old and much honored Pastor shortly before he died. His name was Tom Woods.  This man of God blessed me with his ‘words’ of encouragement.  He wrote as he spoke.  You may not be familiar with this style of preaching, but believe me, it is because of men like this that we enjoy what we have today.

ANTIOCH Acts 13.

You may like to read the first few verses of Acts 13 to get an overview of the church at Antioch

“THERE WERE PROPHETS IN THIS CHURCH”.

‘Now there were in the church at Antioch certain prophets’ Men aflame with divine direction. Men in touch with the central light of glory.  Men of prayer and passion and abandonment to the Lord. Men who knew mighty  anointing and knew the breath of the Spirit of God on their lives. They spoke in liberated utterances which set the Assembly ablaze with  devotion and praise, as well as godliness and holy desires.

PENTECOST HIT EVERY LEVEL OF SOCIETY.  Farmers like Barnabas, Pharisees like Saul (Paul), men who had been brought up with kings of darkness like Herod.  Manaen was of royal stock but he had been taken from the splendor of earth’s throne rooms and had submitted to the lowly Savior, discovering in Him the King of Kings.

COLOUR BARS MELTED BEFORE THE FIRES OF LOVE!

Simon called Niger was there amidst prophetic light. Luceus had been embraced although he was a Cyrenean. 

THIS CHURCH WAS MORE THAN COSMOPOLITAN. IT WAS METROPOLITAN AND ITS CITY RIGHTS WERE IN HEAVEN.

Men and women and boys and girls everywhere are called to share the freedom of the eternal city through the blood of Jesus.

This freedom was obtained with a great price – and Jesus paid it all.

THERE WERE PROPHETS. Holy Spirit fired utterances filled the place with inspiration. Revelation, power and release scattered live-giving rays over this lovely Assembly.

The ministry was working all over this church. Everyone was touched with sacred fire.  They had both the Gifts of the Spirit and the Gift men of office.  Leadership was clothed with humility. Yes – all the blood – bought company were bowed in submission under the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit.

THE CHURCH IS A LIBERATED ORDERLY COMPANY.  But the order is not death and inertia and inactivity. It is an order of life. A life which is supernatural.

Its governments are in the hands of mandated men. Men who have sold out for God. Men who know the mighty urge and passion for prayer. Men of light. Men of love. Men of courage without anything that is austere and vain.  AND WE PRAY FOR SUCH A TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP IN THIS CHURCH.   Men who have buried their personal likes and dislikes in the crucible of Christ’s sufferings.  Men who shed their uniting rays everywhere and shun the slightest form of division.

IN THIS CHURCH AT ANTIOCH, LEADERS AND CONGREGATION WERE UNITED THROUGH THE INSPIRATION OF THE SPIRIT, the gifts of the Spirit and the office gifts of Christ. All were blended in grand harmony.

These men of light; and we all can be that, were men of prayer.  They sought the light of God, not the limelight of men.  There are people who seek to climb to the top, but by the time they reach the top their light has gone out.  Our need today is for men and women of light. Transparency is a real ‘must’ in the sanctuary of purity.

PROPHETIC LIGHT PENETRATES.  1 Corinthians 14:25. ‘For thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest, and so, falling on his face he will worship God and report that God is among you of a truth’

Sweeping through the church at Antioch, under the utterances of inspired men with prophetic voice, came a pure stream of life, light and devotion, until the whole area was filled with passion and love and worship.

NOW: THERE WERE PROPHETS AND TEACHERS.  I don’t think the two are divorced. One was not a vineyard and the other a valley of dry bones!  Teaching should never be torture – unless the soul is out of touch.  The anointed heart cries all the time “Lead me in straight paths because of my enemies”.

Satan hates this grand and glorious area into which the Spirit of God would lead us.  There are menaces on the way.  Sheer emotionalism can lead us into strange and alien ways.  INSPIRATION IS NO OPPONENT OF TRUTH.   The base of all true inspiration is love out of a pure heart.

ETERNAL DESTINY SHOULD PLACE A RESTRAINING SEAL UPON OUR WALK. If we are anything at all in this dark world we are the children of light.  Paul wrote with a heart brimful of the Spirit. “Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:18,19.

PAUL WROTE THIS, BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRED IT, AND IT CAN BECOME WONDERFULLY APPLIED.

There must be tremendous moves of the Spirit which clothe us with ecstasy and delight. To be free from sin’s guilt is the joy of all joys!  To know the Saviour’s redeeming love in our souls is rapture without bounds.  

TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT IS TO BE FILLED WITH GLORIOUS DELIGHT, and it must all be channelled into a practical dimension of love, operative and applied.  Ephesians 4:30-32 ‘And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.’  That is good teaching.  Let your heart be sensitive to anything which might grieve the Spirit.  A wrong word, a wrong attitude, a wrong activity.   We can be kept out of touch by many things today. V13 (of the Ephesian’s scripture) says ‘let all bitterness and wrath and anger and evil; speaking be put away, with all malice’ v32 .. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another even as God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven you’

That is teaching. Let the Gifts be in display, let glory crown our gatherings. Let inspiration burn and prophetic fires glow, but also let the TEACHERS come to keep us living good lives and to move in the splendor of our inheritance with tender hearts.

THERE WERE PROPHETS AND THERE WERE TEACHERS IN THIS CHURCH.    Notice that they ‘ministered to the Lord’ v2. The word ‘ministered’ carries with an element of surrender.   Men who minister at all, minister ‘to the Lord’.  Anyone who stands before God’s people must be humble, gentle, kind, courteous and considerate.

THE MINISTER OF ALL MINISTERS WON HIS AUTHORITY BY SUPREME SURRENDER.  These men were simple, and surrendered in heart and mind as they ministered to the Lord and fasted.  In the outreaching of their spirits, as they entered into Christ’s glorious supremacies of wisdom and power, human appetites and desires were forgotten and foregone.

There are wondrous areas yet to be investigated and explored. Paul was carried to a THIRD HEAVEN.  John was lifted to eternal splendours, antedating the TRIUMPHANT REIGN AND RULE OF CHRIST. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink. Affluence can be a killer. Plenty of this worlds goods can breed a spiritual poverty.  ‘Because you say “I am rich and increased in goods and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and  blind and naked……’”  Rev.3:17. So said the risen Lord to the Laodicean church. 

THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID.   How did he speak?  Through dedicated and surrendered men.  That commission by the Spirit to Paul and Barnabas, was one of the greatest bounties to the Church. 
Because of that Commission, cities were set on fire with Pentecostal Power.   
Because of that commission idol worship and false gods in many places trembled and fell.  Through that commission, Assemblies arose in Asia and Galatia, in seaports and in villages.  Through that great commission, New Testament Theology emerges in grand light and glory.   The triumph of Pentecost lies in the simplicity of its procedure.

MAY THE LORD HELP US ALL TO BE EMBRACED AND CONQUERED BY THE SUPREMACY OF THE SPIRIT.

THERE WAS A CHURCH

THERE WERE PROPHETS

THERE WERE TEACHERS

THERE WAS A MINISTRY TO THE LORD

THERE WAS A DYNAMIC COMMISSION

THERE WAS A GREAT OUTREACH TO THE WORLD.

This is an extract from some preaching notes given to me by an old and much honored Pastor shortly before he died. His name was Tom Woods.  This man of God blessed me with his ‘words’ of encouragement.  He wrote as he spoke.  You may not be familiar with this style of preaching, but believe me, it is because of men like this that we enjoy what we have today. May the same power, love and ‘fire’ fill all our lives. Be blessed, Ed.
ANTIOCH Acts 13.
You may like to read the first few verses of Acts 13 to get an overview of the church at Antioch
“THERE WERE PROPHETS IN THIS CHURCH”.
‘Now there were in the church at Antioch certain prophets’ Men aflame with divine direction. Men in touch with the central light of glory.  Men of prayer and passion and abandonment to the Lord. Men who knew mighty  anointing and knew the breath of the Spirit of God on their lives. They spoke in liberated utterances which set the Assembly ablaze with  devotion and praise, as well as godliness and holy desires.
PENTECOST HIT EVERY LEVEL OF SOCIETY.  Farmers like Barnabas, Pharisees like Saul (Paul), men who had been brought up with kings of darkness like Herod.  Manaen was of royal stock but he had been taken from the splendor of earth’s throne rooms and had submitted to the lowly Savior, discovering in Him the King of Kings.
COLOUR BARS MELTED BEFORE THE FIRES OF LOVE!
Simon called Niger was there amidst prophetic light. Luceus had been embraced although he was a Cyrenean. THIS CHURCH WAS MORE THAN COSMOPOLITAN. IT WAS METROPOLITAN AND ITS CITY RIGHTS WERE IN HEAVEN.
Men and women and boys and girls everywhere are called to share the freedom of the eternal city through the blood of Jesus.
This freedom was obtained with a great price – and Jesus paid it all.
THERE WERE PROPHETS. Holy Spirit fired utterances filled the place with inspiration. Revelation, power and release scattered live-giving rays over this lovely Assembly.
The ministry was working all over this church. Everyone was touched with sacred fire.  They had both the Gifts of the Spirit and the Gift men of office.  Leadership was clothed with humility. Yes – all the blood – bought company were bowed in submission under the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit.
- See more at: http://www.nlfchurch.co.uk/encouragements/antioch-acts-13/#sthash.Yrryf9pA.dpuf

Wasn't that the guy who .............?

At New Life, Margate, during the school holidays, the children stay in for the whole service. (During term time they leave for their own groups just before the preaching time) We make sure the preaching is a bit shorter than usual and that it is 'child friendly'.  George, one of our Pastoral Team has a real gift for that.  This last Sunday he had his young son Daniel, dressed like a Professor complete with dark suit and black rimmed glasses,  come up to be quizzed on Bible characters etc.  It was centered around Noah and the Ark, which had one door etc. The message was based on the Open Door of the Gospel.  So, my Bulletin Back Page contribution this weeks takes that  onto account. 

WASN’T THAT THE GUY WHO……?

Last week we had the special privilege of a visit from the great Scottish Bible teacher Dr. Mc’Wiseman!  Congratulations to Daniel for doing a great job of impersonation, and to George for keeping us on the edge of our seats!  Did you notice that while nearly all of us knew about Moses, very few knew about Absalom!  He was the young man who died because his hair was too long!

The story of how and why he met his death is in 2 Samuel 18. It is one of the Bible stories that we all should know.  As with the whole Bible “these things are written that we may believe …”

It really is important to know the Bible. Not only to read it, but to have it in our hearts. It is, after all, “the Sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6.17)

1. IT IS THE WORD OF GOD.  Yes it is!  2 Timothy 3:16 ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God.’   If we want to know God and his will for our lives, then we need to know his Word.  Just as we feed on ordinary food to keep our bodies in good condition, we also need to feed on God’s Word to keep our spiritual life in good condition. “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”.
2. IT TEACHES US HOW GOD DEALS WITH PEOPLE. Yes it does! The truth of how and why the world and its inhabitants were created.  How the God who created the Universe can be our Father as well as our Creator.  The background to international current events, particularly concerning the Jewish nation, is all in the Bible. Places that are making world Headlines; Syria, Damascus, Egypt and many others, are all right there in the Bible.
3. READING IT FEEDS OUR FAITH. That’s for sure!  The true stories of people like David, Samuel, Moses, Elijah and Elisha, as well as Nehemiah, Job and Jonah, all teach us how we can trust God.  The eye witness records of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John introduce us to Jesus Christ the Son of God.  His coming to earth as a baby, his ministry, his miracles; all so that “we may believe”. The Book of the Acts of the Apostles (should have been titled the Acts of the Holy Spirit!) records how and why the church came into being.  The Letters to the churches are full of teaching that applies to us, today.
   So!  GET STUCK INTO IT.  Whatever format you have it in, e-copy or hard copy; READ IT.  LEARN IT. TALK ABOUT IT. TEACH IT TO YOUR CHILDREN. Be blessed as you read and get to know the Bible.
   

Just got this from our eldest son Lloyd and family in Australia. Lloyd and Sandy, Gareth and Michael.  They are doin' fine 'down under'.

REVIVAL!!  Not a highly spiritual one but a revival of Blogging!  I don't know what happened, but it seems my blog has been dormant for about two years!   What's been happening.  My last trip trip to Congo was in 2010.  Did a road trip from Lubumbashi to Kipushya accompanied by Debbie Howard. The video 'Life with Love' came out of that trip.  Since then Heather and I have been trusting the Lord through 'various trials' (1 Peter. 1:6)  However, we have also been praising him in various periods of joy.   Heather went through a 6 month course of Chemotherapy for Lymphoma.  That was a very difficult time. We committed each day to the Lord. At the end of it all the tests showed no further sign of the condition.  

We are active in the church. New Life Family Church, Margate, and enjoy the sweetly flowing blessing of the Lord. 

Here we have our eldest grandson Jordan and his fiancée, Louise. They are getting married on Oct 5th.  

Now that I have resuscitated our Blog, look out for more stuff.  Particularly the Fellowship Weekly Bulletin Back Page I write from time to time.

KNOWING WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE HAVE, AND WHAT WE CAN DO

 IN CHRIST

Is this important? Yes it is! Paul’s letters to the churches, particularly to the Ephesian and Colossian churches, are packed with teaching about our new spiritual status, and how that status effects our practical living. The revelation of who and what we are ‘in Christ’ has a dramatic effect on our ability to overcome life’s challenges and even disappointments. 

Take, for example, the challenge to ‘forgive’. How many times has the challenge come to us, either through the ministry of the Word, or by that inner knowledge we have that we should and must forgive.  Ephesians 4:31,32 says: ‘Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, even as God, in Christ, forgave you.’  I take that to mean that the same measure of forgiveness I received when I became a Christian, now becomes part of my nature.  My old ‘unforgiving’ nature has been changed for a new ‘’forgiving’ nature.  As Paul said in Galations 2:20 …. ‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me…’   

This takes us to the prayer that Jesus prayed, recorded for us in John 17. You need to read from verse 20 to the end. (Do it now!)  Notice v. 23. “..I in them and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.”  Read that slowly, prayerfully and thoughtfully.

 In Christ I am personally loved and accepted by God the Father.  I am not living in ‘rejection’ but in ‘acceptance’.

 In Christ I possess untold spiritual wealth.  That includes the peace of God that is beyond human understanding; and, by the way more than money can buy! I have access to the Father’s resources, though Christ, at any time and anywhere. 

In Christ I share Christ’s victories. Because ‘he lives, I also live’. 

These truths are not way out beyond our reach. They are real. They are effective. They are ours IN CHRIST. Please do read Chapters,1,2,3. 0f Ephesians and mark every reference that tells you who you are, what you have, and what you can do.

Be blessed.  Eddie.