“Our VISION is to be part of the end-time glorious church by the coming together of the Word & Spirit in the presence of the Father’s love.“
meeting at:
Sunningdale Park
Larch Avenue,
Sunningdale [map]
Sundays, 10:30am
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Welcome to Morning Star Christian Fellowship. I hope this site is informative. The site has been loaded with resources to give an up-to-date picture on what’s going on and what we are about. If you are visiting or new to the Sunningdale area, I invite you to stop by and visit us here at the Fellowship. If you live in the area, come out and join us on Sunday mornings at 10:30am. You are always welcome…
-Pastor Gary
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Latest posts from Pastor Gary
Wednesday February 17th, 2010
As I think more about this recent subject in our church of the “Covenant of Love” I am having to ponder some of the deep things of God. Why don’t we see in ourselves the deep profound love we see in the scriptures. In this age I think we see so many Christian’s lives that are a mile wide and an inch deep in the things of God. When I read Tozer I feel that way myself.
Only through death comes life. This is a Kingdom principle that we must embrace. Only through death to self comes the life of Christ, which is, among other things, love.
In reading A.W. Tozer’s book “The Divine Conquest” I read this quote: “Failure to get a right viewpoint in the beginning of our Christian lives may result in weakness and sterility for the rest of our days. May not the inadequacy of much of our spiritual experience be traced back to our habit of skipping through the corridors of the Kingdom like children through the marketplace, chattering about everything, but pausing to learn the true value of nothing? In my creature impatience I am often caused to wish that there were some way to bring modern Christians into a deeper spiritual life painlessly by short easy lessons; but such wishes are vain. No shortcut exists. God is not bowed to our nervous haste nor embraced the methods of our machine age.”
Wow! It’s good to read Tozer often. As applied to our subject at hand, I see no other way to real agape love by avoiding the work of the cross in our own lives. “Take up you cross and follow me” Jesus said. This is often a painful season in our lives.
The Apostle Paul wrote much about love in his letters. His sacrificial life embodied love. His inner man was renewed daily by the Holy Spirit. But in order to get to this place Paul had to experience his own death. He first had to face Jesus and conquer himself. There were no shortcuts.
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Wednesday February 3rd, 2010
If you use your bible software and search on “Who am I?” you will find that Moses said it once before going to Pharaoh and having been called by God to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. David said it three times and Solomon once.
This statement is a window into the soul of a man or woman. The light of humility and the wonder of God shines brightly through. God must love it when He sees this in the heart of a son or daughter.
Let’s look at David and his son Solomon. David went to the Lord and said “Who am I?” at the beginning of his life, in the middle, and then at the end of his life. The first occurred when he was running from Saul after defeating Goliath. (1 Sam. 18:18) He was in wonder that he would become son-in-law to the king. Secondly he said it after he became King of Israel and had brought the ark into Jerusalem and God promised that the temple would be built by David’s son. (2 Sam. 7:18). Here David says “Who am I O Lord God? And what is my house that You have brought me this far?” Then just before he died, after he had commissioned Solomon and the people willingly brought such great wealth in gold, silver, bronze, iron and precious stones, David’s final recorded prayer to God includes this: “But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You and of Your own we have given You.” (1 Chron. 29:14) David ended his life with the same awe and wonder of God as he began. He ended in his integrity and his heart intact.
Then comes Solomon. At the beginning of his life, in his letter to Hyram, King of Tyre, asking for materials to build the temple he says “Who am I that I should build Him a temple…” (2 Chron. 2:6) Solomon was perhaps 18 when he became king of Israel. In his teens he had his dad’s wonder of God and humility of heart. That soon changed. We know he took many wives, became rich and at the end of his life wrote the book of Ecclesiastes, a book full of cynicism and questions; a book written by an empty man. He was gifted and full of wisdom. He excelled in all areas of life – science, architecture, business, farming … People came from all over the world just to see him. He spent his life pursuing his own interests. You know the story.
There are many instructions here for us:
1. David had a life of suffering, hardships, constant battles with his enemies, his son betrayed him … But his sufferings kept him close to God. He became an over-comer. We see this in the Psalms. He made mistakes, yes, but he was easily convicted when the prophet came to him. David ended his life with a good heart, a heart full of God and not himself. Rejoice in your sufferings and hardships. They will keep you close to God.
2. It is not how you start in your Christian life that counts the most … it is how you finish. Will your last prayer include “who am I” that You have done such and such?
3. Be careful of an easy life; of pursuing your own interests. Be careful of a life without hardships. Be careful of too many riches (not to mention too many wives!). That life leads to cynicism and emptiness. Solomon ends the book of Ecclesiastes with these final words: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”
4. Look at where you are in the generations of your family. Be careful if you are the second generation and you are living in the wake of the blessings of previous generations who blazed the trail, who lived lives of overcoming hardships. Don’t drop the baton.
5. Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere.
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Wednesday February 3rd, 2010
This week I had a meeting at a church about 20 miles away. I noticed a poster for a well known conference with this title – Christ-Centred Revival. Somehow my spirit was grieved. I sensed there was a not-so-hidden message in this title.
I asked myself, “what is a Christ-centred revival?” Do they mean a biblical rival? Do they mean revival without the Holy Spirit? Somehow I think it is the latter. Christ is seated at the right hand of God. The book of Acts seems to me to be our best model of true revival. Is that not really a book about the acts of the Holy Spirit as God’s people were bold in preaching the gospel? The Holy Spirit (really the Spirit of Jesus) is in our midst today too and I don’t think revival can happen without Him. But it seems so many in the church are afraid of Him and what He might do. What a shame.
I recently read the new book about the Hebrides revival in the early 50’s, on the Isle of Lewis. The book was a summary of interviews with those still living who were in the revival. The authors asked those people what was the number one characteristic of the revival. Each person said it was the Presence of God. Biblically that seems to me to be the Presence of the Holy Spirit – in the meetings, in the preaching, in the music and worship, in the homes, and in the open fields.
AW Tozer has an amazing chapter in one of his books called “The Forgotten One.” You guessed it. He was referring to the Holy Spirit. Tozer (not exactly a wild charismatic) was challenging the church to open itself to the Holy Spirit. Tozer maintained that He was in our doctrine but not in our meetings. It is still the same today in so many places.
Can the church in this land be a church that welcomes both the Holy Spirit (His power, His surprises, His convicting power, His miracles) and the Word of God. I know more than ever that I want us to be a church where the Word and Spirit come together. Let us honour God — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
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Monday January 18th, 2010
You must think I am crazy to entitle this blog in such an outlandish way, even insensitive. We have all seen the anguish, the death, the suffering. That we know for sure. But is there a silver lining? Does, in fact, God work things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His will?
There is a deep truth that our trials and tribulations can be a friend. John Wright Follette in his book “Broken Bread” states: “Trouble is not to be reasoned with; she is utterly unreasonable. She is to be used.” There is a principle in scripture that God’s judgment, that shaking in our lives is to be used to bring us to Himself. I am not saying that this earthquake is God’s judgment. Let’s not try to reason here about this trouble. But you see it in the book of Judges over and over. You see it in Hag. 2:6-7, Ps. 78:34-35, Is. 19:22, Ez. 30:19 and many many more. Have a look and see for yourself. God often brings revival out of tragedy. We even see the nation of Israel born out of the Holocaust.
I was brought to tears when I saw reports showing live pictures of a line of believers walking through the rubble strewn streets singing hymns. They are singing “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine.” More reports are emerging from the rubble in this tragedy. The pastor of the Church of God in Port au Prince tells some amazing things. This is a church of 3000. When the quake hit there were 250 in the building when it began to shake. They rushed out, but six did not make it. Many, including the pastor, lost their homes. The Lord told her the church was to continue to meet in the midst of the hardships. So they are meeting daily outside in a tent. Guess what. Yes, many are coming to the Lord. One woman and her eight children gave their lives to the Lord. Others are returning to Him
The pastor goes on to say “Everyone in our church has been fasting since the day of the earthquake, asking the Lord to restore our nation so that we can one day be a light for Jesus.” Wonderful. Awesome. Amazing. You won’t hear that on BBC, but God IS in the shadows, working, drawing, saving, redeeming. It is His nature.
Let us join our hearts with the Haitian Christians and fast and pray for revival on that island. And let us examine ourselves. Are we prepared to do the same if such a thing ever strikes our land? Food for thought. A target to aim for. Lord help us. Mature us.
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Friday January 1st, 2010
We are watching today the traditional New Years Day concert from Vienna by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. It is the largest classical music event in the world, viewed in 74 countries including Mongolia. A concert of immense beauty.
It is amazing – music, ballet and even elaborate making of chocolate in the bakeries of Vienna. Something for all the senses! The conductor is 85 year old George Pretre, a white-haired French gentleman with such passion for directing and music. He has music in his head and heart.
Suddenly I see the most wonderful illustration for the working together of the Word (Jesus) and the Spirit. This orchestra (a picture of the Body of Christ) is making beautiful music, in complete unison and harmony to create a masterpiece that fills all the senses.
Each musician is equipped, practiced, and excellent at his instrument. Each is needed from the violins to the piccolo to the trumpet. But this is only the beginning. The beauty is in the full orchestra. Each musician has the sheet music in front of him – the written word so to speak. The notes are written down for all generations and all bands and orchestras around the world. But is comes alive as the conductor (a picture of the Holy Spirit) leads, conducts, adds his flair and and energy to the performance. He has the music in his head and heart and causes the entire performance to come alive. The concert is individually performed by the uniqueness of this conductor for this performance today. Wow, I get it. No two performances are the same.
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Tuesday December 29th, 2009
Christmas is a wonderful time, for many reasons. I don’t need to recite most of those. For me there is a pleasant surprise this year that I have not noticed in the past.
Like many people, I decided, with my wife’s encouragement, to take the days off between Christmas and New Years and just relax. I received a couple new books for Christmas. I dug into one of the two on Boxing Day. It is interesting, stimulating, and exciting — “The Israel Test” by George Gilder. No, it is not another Christian book about Israel and their promises from God. It is about politics, economics, history, wealth, poverty, science and technology and the Jewish people. It is all about the blessings Jews bring to the world through their giftedness, especially in the business world. Wherever they go, throughout the millenia, they prosper and produce wealth. This prosperity is intended to bless nations as well.
The author says the “Israel Test” is people and nations’ reactions to the favour and blessings of the Jewish people. Will they join in and participate in those blessings or will they, like so many, resent and envy their success? Will they bless them or go to war with them. Will they bless them or will they try to annihilate them? This is a great test that peoples and nations have failed. Although the author does not appeal to scripture, sounds a lot like Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you and I will curse those who curse you, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Perhaps this offers insight into the intractable difficulties between Israel and her avowed enemies, huh?
Oh, I almost forgot, the unexpected blessing this Christmas season. It is simply to be able to sit and read a book for hours and not have to look at my watch and say to myself, “I must stop this and get onto more important things.” A real blessing to be free from the clock and “more important things.”
Thank you Lord for a few days off.
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Wednesday December 23rd, 2009
Dr. Patrick Sookhdeo tells the story in the latest Barnabas Fund magazine of an amazing Christian we know nothing about, but we need to celebrate. His name is Pervez Masih. Here’s the story. On Oct. 20 two Taliban suicide bombers blew themselves up at an Islamic University in Pakistan. The attack took place in a cafeteria where there were 400 young Muslim female students. Why were only three killed? As Paul Harvey says, “Here is the rest of the story.”
The bomber was first confronted by a security guard who shot the bomber, but he was not killed. Pervez then stepped forward to wrestle with the bomber and managed to hold him at the door to the cafeteria. There the bomber detonated the bomb and blew up himself, Pervez and three girls. If the bomber had advanced into the cafeteria many many more Muslim women would have been killed.
This is amazing. Pervez was a very poor day laborer, like so many poor Pakistani Christians. Each day he had to look for work and hire himself out. He often found work at this Muslim University. The contractor who employed him daily said “He was very simple and, by nature, he was quite different from other workers in the university.” I bet he was!
Christians in Pakistan are despised by the Muslim majority and discriminated against because of their Christian faith. Yet this wonderful man gave his life for those who despise them. Oh my gosh. What a challenge. I can’t wait to meet him one day.
May this story encourage us to set aside our smallish problems serve Him faithfully.
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Thursday December 17th, 2009
This statement offers such amazing hope to all of us: “Everything has changed, yet nothing has changed.” What do I mean? Do you remember when you were saved? For me it was dramatic. After encountering Jesus, everything in my life had changed, yet my circumstances remained the same. And why is this now not available to us years after being saved? IT IS. It is available to you today.
Do you long for a change? A life filled with joy and peace and victory and rest? You do not have to pray for a change in your circumstances. Your circumstances do not have to change for everything to change! “God has given you all things pertaining to life …” It is waiting at your door right now. Now that is good news on this cold wintry day.
I just read Ps. 138, one of my favourites. In verse 1 David says “I will praise You with my whole heart.” Don’t we often have divided hearts – half praising God and half worried, stuck on our circumstances? We fret and worry and stew about things with half our heart and rejoice with the other half. Jesus said we are not of this world; He has called us out of this world. (John 15:19) There is a door opening for some of you to walk through; to walk through to a new place of joy and peace and rest. You will have to make some decisions: to stop worrying (John 6:33-34); to rejoice always (1 Thess. 5:16, 18), to think about good things and be anxious for nothing (Phil. 4:6-9). And the most amazing news it that your circumstances DO NOT have to change to partake of these blessings from a loving Father. Just believe. Oh, you will probably have to renew your mind as well, to change the deep ruts in the road of your mind carved out over years of worry and fear.
Isn’t it time to embrace all the provisions of our loving Dad for his sons and daughters? Embrace it, take it today. It’s yours.
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Wednesday December 16th, 2009
I heard on the news that Pres. Obama was asked to grade himself on his first year (nearly) in office. He gave himself a grade of B+ and then went on to explain all the wonderful things he had done.
Then in today’s reading I read Prov. 20:6 “Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?”
Isn’t it true. Most men will proclaim their own goodness. What a temptation. I remember how I was asked to evaluate my own performance at work, nearly 30 years ago now, before my manager gave me his evaluation. He wanted to take my own thoughts into his evaluation. I did. But I have always regretted doing it. It did not seem right. And still doesn’t.
If only the President of the United States would have brushed aside the question and left his evaluation to others and to history he would have been more of a statesman. Where are the statesmen of today? If only we had national leaders who were statesmen first and politicians last. That is the great thing lacking in today’s world – statesmanship, integrity, faithfulness.
And it is the same in Christian circles. God is looking for statesmen, for integrity in those in leadership and those not in leadership. God is looking for faithful men and women. Let us be faithful and full of integrity and leave our evaluation to others and to the Lord
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Friday December 4th, 2009
As we all know, God is shaking everything these days, not just nations and economies but also the lives and families of so many. This includes Christians we all know. It seems anything that is not built on solid ground is being shaken.
One of the principles that ought to protect us in these times is what Paul calls “having a walk worthy of the Lord.” Four times he uses this argument (Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:12, 2 Thessalonians 1:5). Isn’t there something in most of us that does not want to bring shame on our family or our parents, or even our employer? For each of us we need to take seriously that our lives are a reflection upon our God. If we claim to be Christians then people are watching. We want to honour Him with our lives not dishonour Him. His reputation is so much a reflection of how we live. How does He stand it?
The Tiger Woods episode, even though he is not a Christian, is such a warning to all of us. How his actions have brought shame on him, his name, and his family.
As we truly love the Lord then living lives that bring Him glory is a wonderful thing. What an honour to endeavour to have a walk worth of Him, of the Kingdom of God.
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