The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost

He came in mighty fulness then

His witness thru believers won the lost

And multitudes were born again

The early Christians scattered o'er the world

They preached teh gospel fearlessly

Tho' some were were martyred and to lions hurled

They marched along to victory

Come Holy Spirit, dark is the hour

We need your filling, your love and your mighty power

Move now among us, stir us we pray

Come Holy SPirit revive the church today

Then in an age when darkness gripped the earth

The just shall live by faith was learned

The Holy Spirit gave the church new birth

As reformation fires burned

In later years the great revivals came

When saints would seek the Lord and pray

O Once again we need that holy flame

To meet the challenge of today

Today we celebrate Pentecost, the birth of the church, live in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit's power that empowered the first disciples is available to each one of us today.

Acts1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my wotnesses, telling people about me everywhere..."

May 16th 2010

Acts 4: The Holy Spirit

Acts 4

In the section leading up to this (Acts 3–4:22), Peter and John had been brought before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council of priests and elders. After considerable debate, they were released but sternly charged not to continue to preach the gospel. Yet Peter tells them, ". . . we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). Act 4:23–37 gives us an inside look at a community of witnesses to Jesus.

Acts 4
The Believers' Prayer
On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: " 'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.

As they pray, the community quotes from Psalm 2, a prophetic psalm referring to the coming kingship of Christ.


Psalm 2
Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.
"Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters."
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
"I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD : He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery."

Let's all commit to making our Church so Christ focused that when someone comes into contact with us, they will be so captured by the presence of Jesus, that they find themselves so desperate to know Jesus for themselves that we will see people getting saved every day!

9th May 2010

Mark 1:17 - "Come, follow me," Jesus said
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
The call of Jesus transends culture, time and status, it is the same call to each of us, whoever we are. What is our answer?

How we work it out will be different but the answer for us all should be the same YES!

The Summons
Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known,will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?Will you kiss the leper clean and do such as this unseen,and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
Will you love the "you" you hide if I but call your name?Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around,through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
Lord your summons echoes true when you but call my name.Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.In Your company I'll go where Your love and footsteps show.Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

Have a great week, discovering what God has in store for you!

2nd May 2010

The picture is just here to make you smile, it is bright and shows life!

"For I am convinced that neither life nor death, neither angels or demons,neither the present or the future, nor any powers, nor height or depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of Jesus that is Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:38 & 39.

Today whatever you are having to cope with our prayer for you is that you will know the love of God every moment of every day, so you will never feel alone.

Happy Bank Holiday Monday!