Failure is something we all have to face from time to time.  How do we see ourselves when we fail?  How do others look at us?  How does God look at us?

As I have shared many times, the scriptures tell us to be “overcomers.”  Overcome what?  Problems, challenges, Satan, yes, but how about our own failures? Our kids face this in school.  We all face it.

I just read something to encourage all of us — from a great British inventor of today — James Dyson, inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner.  He shares his thoughts on the importance of perseverance.

“I made 5127 prototypes of my vacuum before I got it right.  There were 5126 failures.  But I learned from each one.  That’s how I came up with a solution.  So I don’t mind failure.  I’ve always thought that school children should be marked by the number of failures they’ve had.  The child who tries strange things and experiences lots of failures to get there is probably more creative.  We’re taught to do things the right way.  But if you want to discover something that other people haven’t, you need to do things the wrong way.  Our society admires instant brilliance.  I think quite the reverse.  You should admire the prerson who perseveres and slogs through and gets there in the end.”

This sounds a lot like Hebrews 12:1:  “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance (perseverance) the race that is set before us …”  Let us not be stopped by problems, challenges, Satan, or our own failures.  Let’s get up and keep going.

Pam Bird

Understanding the customs of Jewish Weddings enables you to see new and helpful meanings in many of Jesus’ words.

 

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Yesterday I began a series about the four great things God is doing in the earth today.  This is a “mountain top” view of events and God-Strategies in the earth.  This is something I believe the Body of Christ in the UK needs to know.  Too much of the church in the UK is set-up to be deceived in the hour (in my opinion.) Part 1 was about how God is dealing with nations.

A couple PS’s to yesterdays Part 1 in this series — in talking about worldwide problems needing worldwide solutions, I briefly referred to the economic crisis encompassing the nations of the world.  I read an article today that puts this in stark terms for the UK.  Did you know our government is borrowing nearly £0.5 BILLION each DAY just to pay the bills?!!!!  This nation and all nations are currently standing on a mountain of debt, and that mountain is shaking.

Secondly, I showed a slide comparing Biblical eschatology to Islamic eschatology.  I read a very good book about Islamic eschatology from which I took this information and forgot to give credit.  The book, and I highly recommend it, is “The Islamic Anit-Christ” by Joel Richardson.

Lastly, I would welcome feedback on this sermon about God dealing with nations.  This is a bit new for most of us in the west.  It is challenge for us to understand this view of God and then how we are to live in light of this truth.  Let me have your thoughts.

 

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Have you noticed that BMW has launched a major advertising campaign using the theme of “JOY?”  Instead of “The Ultimate Driving Machine” they are now saying to buy a BMW to experience JOY.

Of course we know that “the JOY of the Lord is our strength” and the fruit of the Holy Spirit is JOY.  We know the ultimate source of JOY is God Himself.  Everything else if fleeting, even a new BMW.

But here is the significant thing in this new ad campaign.  Major corporations spend millions on market research and they target their ads armed with this research.  I think they must have found that the populace is looking for JOY.  Doesn’t this make sense?  The world is searching for something more meaningful in life.  There is a hunger out there for something significant.  We hear from many sources about “broken Britain.”  People’s hearts are empty and fearful of the future right now.  There is a hunger for JOY and BMW has discovered that.

This should encourage us to let our light shine.  People should be asking us why we are so JOYFUL.  Our source is very costly but not as expensive as a new BMW, if you know what I mean.

Easter Message: Last week in the Easter message I tried to summarize the entire gospel in five slides.  Have a listen and see if you think I succeeded.  The resurrection is supposed to give us HOPE that is to be the anchor of our soul.  Don’t let this Easter season pass by without grabbing hold of this truth.  You can also hear two wonderful testimonies of changed lives by John and Tracy.

Upcoming Sermons Series: This Sunday I will begin a four part series describing the four great things God is doing on the earth today.  I call this series “God’s Kingdom Strategy.”  I have been working on this for over a year and believe it is one of the most important series I have every taught.  This week will be Part 1 – The Shaking of the Nations.

Gary Mayor

Pilgrim’s Progress – Carrying the budren of sin

 

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Even in Jesus’ day despite all of his miracles and all of his teachings many, most of the Jews of His day did not know who He was.  How is that possible?  They were blinded by their world view, by their prejudices, by their pride.  Surprisingly they did not know the scriptures and missed the “time of their visitation.” (Luke 19:44)  They missed their Messiah.  God’s prophetic word was being fulfilled under their noses.  Many times the Word of God says “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet.”  (Matt. 1:22-23, 2:14-15 …)

Similar things are going on today. We too have the opportunity today to see the Word of God being fulfilled in front of our very eyes!  What a privilege.  But I can see that many are missing it.  The world does not “get it.”  That’s understandable.  But most of the church is self-deceived too, just like the many in Jesus’ day.

One prime example is Jerusalem.  Jerusalem is in the news again.  There are debates about building houses in East Jerusalem, about making overtures of peace, about who owns what.  This city has the world’s attention and it is becoming more and more obvious to the world’s leaders that the disposition of this city is at the heart of much of the world’s problems and perceived solutions.

God’s Word has much to say about this — “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet.”  It speaks prophetically into our day, into the private meetings at the White House, Downing Street, Jerusalem, the UN, and Ramallah.

To cut through some of the politics and media reports about this, let’s turn to scripture and have a look.  Let’s let the scripture speak for itself:

“The earth is the LORD’S, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.” Psalms 24:1, NKJV.  God owns all the earth including Jerusalem — especially Jerusalem.

“But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; “nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.” Matthew 5:34, 35 (Jesus speaking)  Jerusalem is the chosen city of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, And give Him no rest till He establishes And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” Isaiah 62:6, 7

“So the angel who spoke with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “I am zealous for Jerusalem And for Zion with great zeal. I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease; For I was a little angry, And they helped–but with evil intent.” ‘Therefore thus says the LORD: “I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built in it,” says the LORD of hosts, “And a surveyor’s line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.”’ “Again proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “My cities shall again spread out through prosperity; The LORD will again comfort Zion, And will again choose Jerusalem.”’”” Zechariah 1:14-17

““Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. “And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.” Zechariah 12:2, 3
Yes, Jerusalem is front and centre, just as the prophets predicted.  Are you prohetically aligned to the Word of God or are you blinded by politics and prejudice?  Food for thought.

As we enter into the run-up to elections we will have to endure a flood of mumbo jumbo, or “negative rhetoric.”   How they can talk and talk and say nothing.  Platitudes, generalities, words that say nothing.

Politics is full of this kind of rhetoric.  I hate it.  How refreshing it is when a politician speaks straight.  You can immediately detect it.  It is a breath of fresh air.  Straightforward sincerity and truth are a rare commodity in politics.

But politics is not the sole arena for rhetoric.  I’m afraid this country does not understand the true nature of the gospel of the Kingdom of God.  It has been clouded and confused because much of the church has become masters of this same kind of rhetoric.  The public in this nation must be confused by the churches mumbo mumbo yet Paul talks about the “simplicity of Christ.”  Jesus life and message was clear and straightforward.

In my daily reading I came to Ezekiel 33, which is about the watchman warning the nation.  I was stunned by the clarity, boldness, and simplicity of the warning of the consequences of iniquity.  Verse 9 makes my point:  “Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.”  There is something in our time that says “you cannot say that here.”

The problem in this nation?  The problem in the world?  Iniquity.  Isaiah 24 says that the earth is being devoured by sin.  It is like a curse devouring the earth.

This is the good news of Easter.  Jesus, the Son of God, came to redeem the world by paying the price for the sin.  He paid the supreme price and put out the cancer of sin by dying on the cross.  His resurrection on Easter Sunday vindicated His message and His act.  The power of sin is broken.  We are set free from its horrible consequences.  This is the gospel, the good news.  This is LOVE.

May the church declare this from the housetops this Easter — simple, straightforward, and life changing.  No rhetoric, no platitudes, no mumbo jumbo.

Gary Mayer

 

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We have just had a visit by our friend and apostle Don Crum.  When Don comes there is always an outflow of love.  Don holds so much love in his heart for our fellowship.  It comes through in so many ways.  As he speaks and prays for us God’s love flows like a river.

I am always reminded Paul’s last meeting with the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:13-38.  Paul had a special relationship with the Christians in Ephesus.  He spent nearly three years there and the believers came to love him.  Paul told them that he was going to Jerusalem and chains awaited him there and the Ephesian elders would not seem him again.  Their reaction?   “And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.” (Acts 20:36-38)

Thank goodness we will see Don again, but our hearts go with him as he goes to his other fields of ministry.  Many the Lord go with you Don.