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Open
to God
was
led by Ian Johnson
He opened our
worship with
words from Psalm
34 in The
Message version:
I
bless God
every chance
I
get; my
lungs expand
with his
praise ...
Open your
mouth and
taste, open
your eyes
and see -
how good God
is. Blessed
are you who
run to him.
Worship God
if you want
the best;
worship
opens doors
to all his
goodness.
-
oOo -
Carol
read a song
she had
received,
"You
are the
apple of my
eye"
...
You
are the
apple of my
eye
You are my
treasured
possession
I chose you
You are my
child.
I
love you
I care for
you
I delight in
you
Do
not be
afraid
Come walk
with me
I will take
your hand
I will help
you stand
You are my
child
And you are
mine.
So
be confident
Trust in Me
Step out
with me
For you are
my child.
-
oOo -
God's
word was brought to
us by Chris Cleasby
He
shared a picture
of a mighty river
flowing through
the building -
and the same
mighty river
flowing through
a desert, with
its banks
brimming with
greenery,
budding with new
life.
Chris
then challenged us
from Ephesians
5: 18-21 about
experiencing
more of the
power of God's
Spirit being
poured out in
our everyday
lives. Listen to
Chris's message
here
-
oOo -
Chris
reminded us that
God meets us
where we are -
he is no further
than a breath
away. He is here
to minister to
us.
-
oOo -
Dee
sang a song she
had received
based on Psalm
23, "Love
that is
forever":
Cradled
in the arms of
my Saviour,
Lord I never
want to go.
I long to stay
in this place
with you
forever,
this is the
place where I
belong,
and I know that
this abiding
love will never
let me go,
Oh Jesus I love
you so.
Chorus:
Love that is
forever,
a love so strong
and sure.
Oh Jesus my only
treasure,
it's you that I
adore.
It's you that I
adore.
I
rest in your
strong arms,
safe from all
the storms,
you gently lead
me to the place,
the water still
and calm.
Your spirit
refreshes me and
restores my
soul,
it's only in
this secret
place, that you
can make me
whole.
Repeat
chorus
Joy
that fills my
heart anew as
you lift me high
above,
the
circumstances of
my life,
I can conquer in
your love,
I can conquer in
your love.
So
what shall I say
of this? Let my
heart respond,
for surely I can
say of you,
you never left
me, never
forsake me,
never let me go.
Repeat
chorus
Chris
affirmed to Dee
that the windows
of heaven were
open above her -
and it is the
same for us all.
-
oOo -
Annet
reminded us from
Acts 1:8 that
God not only
blesses us with
his power
through the Holy
Spirit, but also
wants us to be
active as his
witnesses. Jesus
said:
Let
your light shine
before men, that
they may see
your good deeds
and praise your
Father in
heaven. (Matthew
5:16)
-
oOo -
Dorothy
gave testimony
of a vision she
received over
thirty years
ago. A picture
of herself
meeting a
shepherd in a
white gown, with
sheep following.
He said to her,
"Feed my
sheep".
When she shared
this vision with
others at the
time, they
thought she was
mentally
unbalanced - but
she had never
been more sane.
She has received
the love of
Jesus here for
over 30 years,
and during that
time met her
husband. He too
had a vision, of
Dorothy going
through a dark
tunnel and God
linking them
together -
because they
needed each
other.
Terry
affirmed
Dorothy's
testimony with a
reminder from 1
Corinthians 2:14
that:
The
man without the
Spirit does not
accept the
things that come
from the Spirit
of God, for they
are foolishness
to him, and he
cannot
understand them,
because they are
spiritually
discerned.
-
oOo -
Sara
brought us a
word from God
...
Everyone
has been given
gifts by God.
Often we don't
take hold of
these gifts
because we don't
believe we have
got them. Our
walk is a walk
of faith. God
wants to release
us into the
things he has
already given
us. Be open to
God! Say you
want to receive
the fullness of
the inheritance
you have been
given in Jesus.
We don't want to
look back on
life with
regret, having
not grasped and
responded t the fullness
of all that God
has to
offer.
Satan makes us
disbelievers; he
causes us to
doubt we can be
of any value. We
are all very
precious to God,
created as
individuals and
beautiful in his
sight.
-
oOo -
Arshad
continued with
an encouragement
on the same
theme...
God
encourages us to
go beyond. We
must each be
passionate about
something -
let's bring that
to him, allow
him to work in
us. Spend time
bringing
something you
recognise to the
Lord - but don't
be light about
it, there may be
things you need
to drop. We have
to be prepared
to make some
sacrifices, to
pay the price -
it is not a
small thing.
-
oOo -
Jill
brought some
words she had
received from
God ...
The
Lord says: My
people you are a
garden fountain,
a well of
flowing water
streaming down
from Lebanon
(Song of Songs
4:15). I the
Lord, watch over
you, I water you
continually. I
guard you day
and night so
that no-one may
harm you (Isaiah
27:3). If you
spend yourselves
on behalf of the
hungry
(physically,
spiritually and
emotionally) and
satisfy the
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