The Minister Rambles...
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The Minister Rambles...September
Saturday 28th August 2010 7:03 PM
Dear Friends
What does God require of me? A common question often asked by people who are seeking God's will and guidance for their lives. But how do we really know what God wants of us? This is not an easy question to answer for everyone is different and God speaks to people in different ways.
In my own life, without sounding arrogant, when God is leading me in a specific direction, whether towards a particular sermon, or a direction he would have me lead the church, I often simply know in my heart it is right. I have a peace about the matter deep within that what I am doing is right. When something is not right, not in God's will for my life, I have an inner turmoil that something is not as it should be. That inner conflict I feel is when my will battles with God's will and there is no peace.
Of course, feelings are never a true test of what God requires of us. I think they are important, but there are other tests. Is what I am doing bringing glory to God? Are the thoughts of my heart in accordance with scripture? Also a very important test is to seek the advice of others. Ask them to pray as you seek the Lord's will. In a real way through this you are testing the spirits to make sure the Spirit you are hearing in your heart is the Holy Spirit and not a spirit of the dark masquerading as a spirit of light. You could even speak with me and often, by talking through things, the way you should go becomes clearer. Often I will say to the Church secretary "I am thinking this - what do you think?"
I know there are one or two people in the church at the moment seeking future direction. I know others are asking if they are working where God would have them work. I hope these thoughts help.
Your friend and Minister,
Terry.
Posted 7:03 PM | 0 Comments | Permalink
August's Ramblings..
Sunday 1st August 2010 8:41 PM
Dear Friends,
This does not happen a lot to me but, at this moment, I am at a loss for words!
"A miracle!" you might shout. "I wish he would be lost for words on a Sunday!"
No, but joking apart, when Barbara asked me for a letter this week, I said "Fine. No problem at all." But as I sat and wondered about what to write - nothing came. Well, that's not completely true as the words "Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over many things. Now come and enter your rest" came to me. Now I know that is not an exact quote from Scripture but they are words which really ring true for us all.
As we enter the month of August many of you are looking forward to a rest - people in the church who, over the past 11 months, have served God faithfully, often without complaint and certainly without any earthly reward. Yes, I know work goes on elsewhere with the Drop In and the Charity Shop work, but here in the church, apart from Bible Studies, we take a rest.
And as Minister I want to say thank you to all who serve so faithfully in the Church. Without all of you tireless workers serving so faithfully we would not be the Church that God wants us to be.
Let me encourage you all in your service and let us enjoy just a few weeks of rest from our labours before we start all over again.
I pray that God will bless you all, whether you go away on holiday or stay at home.
Your friend and Minister,
Terry.
Posted 8:41 PM | 0 Comments | Permalink
Terry rambles in June!
Friday 4th June 2010 11:39 PM
Dear Friends,
Have you ever stared up at the moon and wondered? I particularly like a full moon on a cold dark night. There is often no need for a torch, for the light coming from the moon is enough to see in the dark. And then that started me thinking. No matter how bright the moon is, it has no light of its own. It is simply a huge lump of rock floating in time and space. A dark cold world with no life or light. Yet it shines bright in our night sky and its brilliance has caused poets to write about it, singers to sing about it, and lovers to promise the one they love that all they need to do is ask and they will climb to the stars and bring them home the moon!
How does the moon shine so bright in the night sky? It shines so bright because it reflects the glory of the sun. Think about it; the reason we can see the moon, the reason the light we see shining in our sky at night is there, is because it is reflecting the light from the sun. The sun that powers our solar system. The sun that gives life to every living creature on this planet. The moon reflects its glory and wonder and power.
You know, as Christians, we have no power or light in ourselves. Yet we have received grace and love from our God through his Son. The Bible tells us in many and wonderful ways that we are to reflect the glory and the love and the power of the One we serve out into the world. We are called to reflect the Son in this dark cold world so that the world may see God in us.
We look to the moon and we know its light and power come from the sun. Let people look to us and see the light and power of the Son in us so that they might come in wonder and love to the living God.
Your friend and Minister,
Terry.
Posted 11:39 PM | 0 Comments | Permalink
An April Message
Monday 5th April 2010 12:03 PM
Dear Friends, I saw these words on a wayside pulpit once..... 'To all our Christian Friends - Happy Easter! To everyone else - Good Luck.' Sadly, there is a lot of truth in that comment. We might laugh at the joke but at the end of the day, for those who are not part of the family, there is no hope. And I might be as bold to say they can have all the luck in the world and it will not do them the slightest bit of good. In Paul's letter to the Corinthians he tells them right at the start of his letter these amazing words.... "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." I Corinthians 1:18. It is through the cross and only through the cross that men and women can be saved. Easter is all about the power of the cross. That through the awesome sacrifice of God when he allowed his one and only Son to walk the way of Calvary, God opened up the way to glory for all who come and believe. Yes, it is the resurrection that shows us that death is not the end and we can all look forward to eternal life in Christ Jesus. But it is the cross that has the power, for it is through the cross that sin has been dealt with once for all. It is through the power of the cross that we are saved and only through the power of the cross. It is a gift of God for his children, the human race. It is a gift which crosses all boundaries of creed and colour and touches people of every race on this planet. For the Bible tells us that God so loved the world, the cosmos, that he gave his one and only Son. And through our belief in him we can have everlasting life. My friends, let us cry to each other 'Happy Easter' but let us not say to our friends outside of the family 'Good luck'. Let us show them that the cross is not foolishness but power unto salvation. As one writer said in my daily readings: "The greatest power ever unleashed on this earth was the power displayed when the Almighty God held back his might and fury while his Son was persecuted and murdered. He did it so he could save us." Now that's an awesome display of power, and it was displayed specifically for us! Hallelujah! Your friend and Minister TERRY.
Posted 12:03 PM | 0 Comments | Permalink
February...
Saturday 13th February 2010 8:57 PM
Dear Friends,
You know, there is a great verse in the Bible which Jesus states sums up everything we are really about as disciples. Yet it is a verse that is often twisted in our minds at times. Not deliberately - well I hope not. The verse is from Matthew 7, verse 12 which reads: "In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the prophets".
How do we twist this verse? Well, how often do we joke about it and say, "Jesus said do unto others before they do it to you" or "Get them before they get you"? I suppose that is the philosophy of some governments - drop a bomb on them before they get the chance to drop a bomb on you.
Yet just think about it for a moment. If we, as Christians, really lived up to this teaching we would transform the world. On the world stage, instead of just being out for our own interests all the time, we would ask the question, "If I was in their situation how would I want them to act towards me".
Take Haiti and the terrible earthquake with such a loss of life. If that had been our own town or country how would we want the international community to act towards us?
And yet this teaching goes right down to each one of us as an individual. If in all we do and say we treat other people how we want to be treated by them, then our own little worlds would be transformed and transformed for the better.
Jesus says that this teaching sums up the law and the prophets. There is another little phrase which also sums up the law and the prophets and that is "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and love your neighbour as yourself". When it comes down to the bottom line it is all about love. Loving God and loving each other.
Your friend and minister,
Terry.
Posted 8:57 PM | 0 Comments | Permalink
