Preparation for praying

Sermon notes from Sunday 25th February 2018

Psalm 2 and Acts 4 verses 23 - 31

In verse 23 we read the disciples came to their own company being let go.    They came to the prayer meeting.  They made sure they were in their own company, of kindred minds and spirits.  They all wanted to be there in prayer.  You and I cannot sit down to pray with those who use another mediator - not through a priest or angel.  We bring our prayers to God through our Lord Jesus Christ - he is the only avenue we have.  When the Lord came into this world he was God in flesh.  He had one purpose in mind, to die on the cross of Calvary for my sins.  We see the singleness of prayer in one accord today.  I want to think of preparing our hearts for the prayer meeting.

A recognition of God`s person.  "and when they heard that (the report) they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God."  The fundamentals, basics of prayer.  A recognition of God`s person.  God was the one who spoke and the world and everything had come into being.  We are acnowledging God is very God.  We cannot do nothing without him.  Everything came into being with just one word from him.  These people shared what they had been told.  They trusted one another.  They began to call on the name of God.  One day the disciples had come to Jesus and asked him to teach them to pray.  We know not how to pray as we ought.  They had a great interest in prayer.  They felt they were not praying as they should be praying.  Jesus said "when you pray say Our Father."  Today the world is saying that God shouldn`t have a gender.  When you come into the presence of God you shouldn`t just say "Our Father" but "Our Mother" too.  We acknowledge he is God, the personal God.  Hebrews 11 verse 6 tells us "without faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."  There is no other God today.  The world tries to take that thought away from us in the times of prayer. Hezekiah the king was under attack from Assyrian forces.  He could see the army coming towards the city gates and he realised there was nothing he could do.  He is handed a letter, an open letter which meant that every person had read that letter before he received it.  The threats were there, that the King of Assyria would take this city and there was nothing Hezekiah could do to stop it.  Hezekiah goes into the place of prayer and takes the letter with him.  He spreads it before the Lord. Are we bringing our problems to God in prayer, knowing he alone can help us?  Hezekiah recognised he was coming to God.  2 Kings 19 verse 18.  David going down to face Goliath said "you have come to me with military power but I am coming to you in the name of God of Israel."  Moses was commissioned to go down to Egypt but Moses asked the Lord "when they ask me who has sent me what do I tell them?"  The Lord replied "tell them I am who I am, I am the father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  What I was to them I will be to you."  God gave his covenant to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  He is the covenant keeping God.  Whenever we come to the time of prayer we need to recognise who God is.

A reality of God`s presence.  Notice as he spoke in verse 24 he declared "thou art God"  He was praying as if the Lord was sitting beside them.  He realises the presence of God in their midst.  We need to be conscious of that whenever we open the door on a Tuesday evening or get down to pray in our own bedrooms.  Remember the presence of God is there.  As we draw near to God he draws near to us.  James said the moment I set myself down on my knees and still my heart I recognise the God of heaven is the all seeing, all knowing and he is drawing near to where I am.  The reality of God`s presence.  We often say "it is thy presence that maketh the feast."  As I sit and come to God in prayer God is drawing near to me.  Remember when Jacob fled from his father`s presence, he had conned him, deceived his father, taken the blessing from his brother Esau, as he fled from his home he lay down one night and slipped into a dream.  There came to him a vision of a ladder reaching from heaven to earth.  He acknowledged God`s presence.  The next day he said "surely the presence of God is in this place and I knew it not."  Imagine making plans to come to the prayer meeting knowing every moment we are in God`s presence. 

There is a reaffirming of God`s purpose.  They began to lift up their voices in prayer.  We can be so conscious of everyone sitting around us that we cannot pray.  God is in our midst and we are talking to him.  "Thou hast made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that in them is."  Admitting God is sovereign.  Jesus said "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."  We feel God is out of control today.  God will come again one day.  How would we fare?  Are we going to meet him in the air?  Are you ready if Jesus comes today?  Can you look back to a day when you trusted Christ as Saviour?  That you can testify your sins are cleansed and forgiven?  That is why Jesus came into the world.  If we haven`t trusted Christ as Saviour we are not ready for him coming again.  We are not talking about being lost in sin for a day or a week but for all eternity.  Are you ready?  Martin Luther said to his enemy one time who had told him "the whole world is against you", "then it is God and Luther against the world."  That is the reality of the prayer meeting.  It is not something attached onto the church calendar or somewhere to go, it is a serious business.  Jesus said "men ought always to pray."  Notice he did not say to preach but to pray.  The Bible says "we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together."

The expression of a testimony

Sermon notes from Sunday 11 February 2018

Galatians 1 verses 11 - 24

We want to look at the expression of a testimony.  What does that testimony tell others who are looking in?  Romans 8 verse 16 "the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are children of God."  Something happened to Paul on the Damascus road that had an affect on every child of God for that day.  Galatians 1 verse 22 he was unknown to the church of Judea yet in verse 23 something filtered back to the believers.  The church had a peaceful time, a time of rest when Paul got saved.  Verses 23 and 24 what is a testimony?  To bring glory to God in heaven.  If our testimony is to glorify God as it did in Paul`s life to the believers then it is genuine and real.

Saul`s conversion.  Saul of Tarsus when he set off for Jerusalem was a zealot, did everything in his power to bring down the church of Christ.  Your testimon should should bring great glory and honour to God.  In the very realms of glory the angels rejoiced and there is great joy when a sinner repenteth.  The one who loved them, gave so much for them, desires to save their precious soul.  God the Holy Spirit takes that very word to the hearts of men and women.  In that moment they realise they need to be saved and cry out to God for his grace and mercy and believe in him with all their heart that he can bring about a change.  At that precise moment in heaven there is great joy and rejoicing in the courts of heaven itself.  In verse 15 Paul says the hand of God was on me even in my ignorance and sinful days.  To Timothy he talked about doing things ignorantly but God gave him grace.  What a witness.  To witness God`s unseen hand on our lives, keeping us from the womb that he might use us in some later time in our lives.  This is a tremendous thing, the calling by grace.  Salvation is of the Lord.  When you think of this young man, when you think of what he was, in Acts 8 verse 1 he was consenting to the death of Stephen in the church.  He lived by faith.  Saul hated him because he proclaimed the name of Christ.  Acts 8 verse 3 "as for Saul he made havoc of the church."  This is the sort of man saved on the Damascus road.  When it came right back to heaven in Acts 9 verse 1 this is the very day he was saved.  He was breathing out slaughters against the disciples of God yet on the Damascus road God spoke to him and saved him.  God still speaks tonight to you and I.  God broke into this man`s life and great glory was brought to God as a result.

The change that was made - the first man to witness the change in Saul`s life was Ananias.  When Saul was saved and made his way into Damascus God called to Ananias to go and see Saul.  His response was "I have heard so much evil against this man."  He didn`t realise his life was changed.  What did Ananias find in that home where Saul stayed - he found him praying.  Such was the change in his life.  His tongue used once to bring false accusations was now used to bring prayer and praise unto the God of heaven.  Remember Lazarus, think of the time at the supper put on in the town of Bethany.  People came in to this supper.  Lazarus is the guest of honour.  People came in to see Jesus.  John 11 verse 9 much people of the Jews knew that he was there.  They came not for Jesus only but that they might see Lazarus who had been raised from the dead.  They were there because of the testimony of this man.  Maybe some saw him being buried but didn`t see him being called from the tomb by Jesus.  Here they had an opportunity to come and see him.  They were there because of Lazarus.  It brings glory and honour to the Lord.

What does this testimony show and prove - the company he seeks after.  Notice what the apostle Paul is saying here in verses 12 and 17 and 18.  What is he testifying to here.  The company he sought after - his past life.  Once he was a zealous Jew now he wanted company with those saved by God`s grace.  A fellow believer.  He went out into desert of Arabia, there alone with Christ.  He learned so much there.  He would later teach others about Christ himself.  Isn`t it amazing to see that change in people when they come to Christ.  The company we keep can tell so much.  It is the company that keeps dragging us back to the gutters of sin.  We need to make the break.  Here`s the company this man was seeking after.  Isn`t it good to want to be in the place where Christ is, where he is honoured and uplifted.  "if I be lifted up I will draw all men to myself."  The jailer in Philippi.  After he was saved he wanted Paul and the evangelists to come into his home.  He relished their company.  Lydia - she constrained Paul and the disciples to come into her house "if ye have found me faithful come into my house."  When Peter stood in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost and began to preach to the people gathered there the Holy Spirit moved and they cried out "what shall we do".  God does something special when he opens up our hearts and minds.  Let us see where we stand before God.  No doubts about it.  Whether you are saved or not the Holy Spirit moved in the crowd.  Peter had only one word "repent and then be baptised and all that believed were together."  Why - because they had a kindred mind and spirit, worshipping the one God.  They came through one Saviour and one cross.  Now one in Christ Jesus.  What a wonderful bond - that is a desire for this kind of fellowship.

The commitment that they heard of.  They heard of this man.  News filtered back to them in Judea.  Once this man so persecuted the church, sought to do so much harm was now preaching the faith of that which he had sought to put down.  As a result they glorified Christ in him.  Paul realised it was not enought to turn away.  God had given him a ministry to reach the church, promote the work of the gospel.  If you are saved by God`s grace the priority is to spread the gospel.  You are responsible for the light that is in your soul tonight.  The commitment that they had.  James 2 verse 18 "yea a man may say thou hast faith and I have works; show me thy faith without they works and I will show thee my fiath by my works."  Works don`t save.  Works don`t take you to heaven.  The expression of our testimony tonight is to bring glory and honour to the Lord who saved us.  Is that what your life is doing tonight?  Are you saved by his grace tonight, assured of it, walking in the light of God`s word, seeking out for company that enriches your life changed by God`s mighty work through? 

The coming of the Holy Spirit

Sermon notes from Sunday 11 February 2018

Acts 2 verse 1 - 20

We looked last week at chapter 1 and the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We thought of this great fundamental truth recorded here, the great hingepin for the message of the gospel - that Jesus Christ is alive, alive for ever more and he is coming again.  That should thrill our hearts and challenge us. Perhaps he will come today.  I want to turn to another aspect of the church.  The Lord standing in their midst, as he spoke to them he is taken up into the air.  2 angelic hosts are standing with them and asked them "why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."  They made their way back to Jerusalem because they received the power to go out and tell others.  You and I need a  power that is outside us to witness for the Lord.  He will not fail us.  He will grant that power if we seek after it.  Chapter 2 the Holy Ghost comes now.  Yes he came and went before but now he is coming to remain and stay.

There is an expectation that brought them.  They left the Mount of Olives, made their way back to Jerusalem, had plenty to think about.  Only a little group of people not a multitude.  They were going back at the command of Jesus because they had a tremendous task to do.  Paul says God uses the insignificant things to confound the mighty.  If the Holy Spirit was to come today and fill every believer what a work we could really do.  Sometimes we get caught up in vast numbers that we think the Lord is not in it.  It is for the 2 or 3 that the Lord is in the midst of.  That is the promise God has given us.  Acts 1 verse 4 Jesus told them to go back to Jerusalem and "wait for the promise of the Father which ye have heard of me."  They were waiting for the promise of the Spirit, they were waiting in obedience, listened to what he had said and now would carry it out.  They would wait obediently.  The scriptures tell us to "be doers of the word and not hearers only." (James 1 verse 22)  "For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous." (1 John 5 verse 3)  They were coming back, expecting something.  Jesus said something would happen and they came back expecting something to happen.  Do we come into God`s house expecting God to do something very special?  Obedence is a tremendous thing.  Saul the king in the Old Testament was told to do a specific thing.  He was to annihilate the Amalekites.  Saul went out to do that and returned to the camp again.  Samuel came to him and asked him "why are the sheep still bleating?"  He was told to wipe out everything and he told Samuel he had done that.  He explained to Samuel that the people saw the lambs and thought they would be good for sacrifice.  They kept the very best of the flocks for God.  Samuel told him the Lord was looking for obedience "Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerngs and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of lambs." (1 Samuel 15 verse 22)  Saul stepped into the role he never should have stepped into.  The role of sacrifice - but God didn`t want that.  We can put off a job because it doesn`t feel right doing it.  Maybe even in order to do that we need to ask the Lord to help us.

The experience they had.  They came in expectation, opened the door of the room, they gathered in, they were waiting on God to do something in their lives.  It wasn`t their obedience that brought about a great experience nor their expectation of the Spirit coming.  God has a programme and the world is running to that programme today.  We might look at the leaders of the world, powerfully running things but God has everything under his control, to his say so.  One day God will fold this world up like a garment (Hebrews 1 verse 12)  It has nothing to do with man but God is in charge.  In the Upper Room on this particular day this was God`s programme.  Leviticus 23 shows us the different feasts God declared his people to observe.  God is running this programme for this old world and on the Day of Pentecost the disciples waited in expectancy - Acts chapter 2 verse 1 .  Verse 2 tells us "and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sat upon each of them."  Notice it was the sound of it, the symbolism of it all.  Verse 4 "and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost."  They were waiting on God to do something for them and this was the outcome of the waiting.  Remember Jairus in the gospels?  He wanted to ask the Lord to come back to his house just to see his daughter.  He left the house expecting and the experience he had was of his daughter being raised to life again.  Maybe today the church is in a rut - we don`t expect people to get saved.  Maybe that is why our church prayer meetings are so few in number - maybe why so many don`t attend church.  We have lost out.  We need a moving of God`s Spirit today.  The wind is a powerful element.  We can see the devastation a hurricane causes with villages wiped out.  The wind cannot be harnessed.  Fire speaks of purification.  We need the Spirit to purify minds and hearts.  In Acts 10 Peter came into the house of Cornelius.  As he speaks "the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." (Acts 10 verse 44)  As a Jew he should not have been there in the home of a Gentile but God had told him to go there.  He preached the word of God and the Holy Spirit came down.  He purified their hearts by fire.  We need pure hearts today.  As Moses approached the burning bush in the desert the Lord told him to take off his shoes for the ground he was standing on was holy ground (Exodus 3 verse 5).

The enabling they received - "they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance" verse 4.  The people said they were drunk.  They were speaking other languages which people in the crowd could understand.  The Spirit came and filled them.  They were enabled to do these things.  Peter told them that this was what the prophet Joel had said would happen (verses 16 - 20).  What a day that was in Jerusalem.  The day the Spirit of God came.  The challenge to us today is the same as the apostle Paul said to the Ephesian church - "be not drunk with wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Holy Spirit." (Ephesians 5 verse 18)  We are still in the church age.  We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit today, don`t settle for anything less.

The marks of a testimony

Sermon notes from 4 February 2018

2 Corinthians 5 verses 17 - 21

What is a testimony?  An account of the grace of God in a man`s life and heart.  Paul is saying take a look at this man, a man saved by God`s grace.  Take a look at him.  Maybe in doing that we can look at our own lives.  What are we revealing to an ungodly world?  Paul says here for the man professing salvation there is something to be noted.

A relationship that is formed.  When I look at the cross what do I see?  In verse 19 God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.  The creator, sustainer God was in the Lord on the cross of Calvary, reconciling the world unto himself.  That is what God did for your soul.  God sent his only begotten son to Calvary that he might suffer and bleed and die for you tonight.  What a tremendous thing.  That is the transaction that happened.  A reconciliation that was made.  We were out of favour with God because of the sin from the Garden of Eden - "as by one man sin entered into the world."  Romans 5 verse 12  Our sin needed something real and special.  We needed to be reconciled to God again.  The only way was through the death of his Son on Calvary.  Hand on heart have you that relationship?  Not talking about a set of rules, don`t do this or that on Sunday, don`t go here or there, rather it is a relationship with Christ and when that relationship was formed.  Jesus spoke to a religious man one day, a student of the word of God.  He told him "you are not far from the kingdom of God."  God knows those that are his tonight, whether in Christ or out.  A relationship to be in Christ.  The apostle Paul speaks in Ephesians, a little church, takes them back to a time when not saved.  At that time you were without Christ.  We can go back to such a time if we are saved tonight.  Without him means no awareness of forgiveness of sin, lost, without hope for eternal life.  Thank God we have this hope.  Death is not the end, we go straight into the presence of God for all eternity.  To have no intimate knowledge of Jesus who came into the world to save sinners.  Exodus 12 when God would pass through Egypt and the firstborn would die.  Imagine going down into Egypt the next day and coming down the way is a man with a boy.  When he introduces his son he calls him his firstborn, you know immediately he has a relationship with Christ because God promised that it was the blood of the Lamb applied to the door post of the house would save his people who were his own.  There was a time when people knew all about Christ.  It was all in their head not in their heart.  Out of touch with God.  There is no hope for me but yet the greatest hope I could ever have started in God`s presence.  Have you got that relationship?  Is it real tonight?  The woman at the well knew all about the well, about the history of the well.  She could say "I know when the Messiah is coming but I have no relationship with Christ himself."  Is is possible that you have no relationship with Christ?

There is a reformation of character.  He is a new creature.  "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature."  You are a reformed character.  If you have any part of the relationship with Christ it is his part to renew your heart, to forgive you of your sins, to set you free.  Have you been renewed by the blood of Christ?  Transformed?  Know your sins forgiven?  Jesus spoke of the heart - "for out of the heart proceedeth evil thoughts ... out of that heart comes all these things evil thoughts, murderers, adulterers, false witness, blasphemy."  That is a unredeemed heart.  Ezekiel "a new heart will I also give you. I will take away a stony heart and give you a heart of flesh."  Have you known this change of character?  God applies that which will redeem me.  The good things cannot come out until it is cleansed.  The heart needs to be restored and cleansed just as the tree cannot bear figs and thistles.  At the same time as the world looks down today a man professes Christ - is it a reformed character.  Paul was  a man with a reputation, he became known as the man who persecuted the Christian church.  Now he preaches the about the Christian faith.  It came about on the Damascus road.    He left Jerusalem, got his orders to tear apart the Christian church.  At the midday hour he was brought to his knees.  He came into a living relationship with Christ.  He was a reformed character.

A rejection of the past.  The old things have passed away.  If I am to be saved tonight, to know the Lord as Saviour, what does he expect me to do?  To turn from a past life, to give it up.  This is your part - you have to repent.  The Thessalonian believers rejected their worship of idols when they came to Christ.  They rejected the idols and took Jesus as Saviour.  Was there a turning away from sin in your life?  The Ephesian believers had to do the same thing.  They were reading books full of witchcraft and when they found Christ they took these books out and burned them in the town square.  Those believers had to reject the past.  We have to do the same.  Sometimes people will say "I prayed that prayer, that the Lord would come into my heart, forgive me but somehow nothing has happened."  Maybe there is not a sincerity of going through with God.  To be saved means a complete break with the past, not running back into the old haunts, being satisfied with Christ and him alone.  Jesus speaks of the dealer in precious stones.  He found a pearl of great price, the most beautiful he had ever seen.  He went away and sold all he had because he wanted only that one.  Is the most precious thing in your heart to know the Lord as Saviour, to be saved for all eternity?

A renewal of the present - verse 17 "old things have become new."  The excitement of finding something new.  That things are new to us, this book becomes new to us (the Bible) because it is so precious.  We get a hunger and desire for it we never had before.  It is a real relationship with Christ.

A reformation of character, a rejection of the past, a renewal of the present will bring a residence in heaven.  Have you a home in heaven tonight?  Is that where your treasure is?  Are you a child of God, saved by God`s grace?  These are the marks of a testimony tonight.

God will strengthen your heart when you wait on him!

Sermon notes from 28 January 2018

Philippians 4 verses 10 - 20

Psalm 27 verse 14 "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart, wait I say on the Lord."

The emphasis in this verse is of waiting on the Lord so much so that it is stated twice.  There is a serious reminder to wait.  That is what God`s word says to us as we go out into a new year.  Don`t run ahead of me or lag behind me, wait on me.  Maybe this direction is for those times when things are difficult, hard, when there are hills to climb and valleys that we see no way out of.  Perhaps times when sickness comes into the home, when there are upsets or even death.  That is the time to wait but not just wait idly.  Not to throw up our arms in despair but to exercise our faith on the Lord.  Be of good courage.  Then comes that promise - "he shall strengthen thee".  That is what took the martyrs to the stake, whenever the wood was placed around their feet and the light was put to it and the flames came up around them and burned them to death.  They were there because of love for Christ.  They would not recant and change their minds.  The very same strength took them there.  The advice of the Psalmist was given not just for the people of his day or the generation to come but for us in our generation.  The picture painted for us is of the pilgrim who could go no further.  He has gone as far as he could, he sees no way out, then comes the word of God - wait on the Lord.  He is trusting, promising courage then the Lord`s word and strength comes.  Maybe David is being chased by his son Absalom or maybe Saul is trying to put him to death.  Can see David sheltering, resting in a cave with his friends around him.  Can see one of those friends look at David and ask "did God not promise you that you would be the king of Israel."  Those words were like a dart to his heart.  When would this be fulfilled?  Saul is still king, he is still on the throne.  God had promised David to be on the throne one day.  David turns to his friend and says "wait on the Lord, be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart."  We need to learn to wait on the Lord whatever the difficulty is.

The secret of this strength.  The strength will come right when we need it, not a moment before but just when you need strength.  Whatever the problem is - a week before the operation or interview or when you have to meet with someone - the strength will come just when you need it.  I don`t know how I am going to face this or that situation.  Somehow when it comes we look back on it and say to ourselves - "how did I get though it?"  The Lord gave you strength in that precious moment.  I am sure the martyrs often thought `how will I cope, will I let the Lord down at the last moment?`  They never did receive the strength from within, it was something outside of them.  The secrecy of your strength is something outside of you, it is found in Christ and him alone.  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Someone put it this way - a contented mind is an invaluable blessing."  To be content is to be something that is sought after.  We live in a discontented world, when we want the newestd mod con, the best of everything.  Somehow we get disappointed.  The apostle Paul had a contented mind.  The secrecy of his strength was something only God could give him.  This is where we need to take care.  You see sometimes we often hear it said "they have a strong faith."  In times of difficulty we think that is what has taken them through it.  That is not what takes us through anything - it is the Lord and our faith in him that takes us through the difficult times.  Not in my faith but my faith in the Lord.  Whenever we falter and fail we feel we are not like so and so.  You haven`t been asked to go through that yet, so and so might be going through turmoil and bearing up greatly.  You wouldn`t be able to do it until you are in that same position.  Be confident in the Lord, expect great things of the Lord and he shall strengthen thy heart.  Paul to the Philippian church spoke of a gift he had received.  It tells us in verse 13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  The church had gathered up the gift and sent it to him.  So delighted as he sees fruit in their lives.  God was working in their lives, opening up their desire to give this gift.  "Not that I speak in respect of want I see that fruit in your lives."  Something the gospel has done in your lives, opened up a generosity in your lives.  Verse 17 I see it as fruit in your lives.  Brings the focus back to himself not because I speak in respect of want.  "I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content."  He was content lying in prison as he was on the hills of Athens preaching the gospel.  He was cast into the prison house in Acts 16.  It was the coldest, wettest, darkest place of that whole dungeon.  He had been beaten and lashed with rods.  The men who beat him were trained to beat a man within an inch of his life.  They took and cast him into jail and the jailer spread out his legs and put him into stocks.  At midnight what is he doing?  He is singing and praising the God of heaven because he is content in the state he has found himself in.  The secrecy is in the Lord.  As he writes to this church to encourage them no matter what trial, hardship, or difficulty, he says "I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me."  Maybe tomorrow something will hit you like a bolt but remember God strengthens us.  He will not lay something on your shoulders that he will not give you the strength to help you at that exact moment.  When I need that strength I find it.  Even facing death Paul says I am ready.  The secrecy of it - at the right time.

The source of this strength.  He shall strengthen you the Psalmist said.  It comes from without, not built up within.  Trusting the God of heaven.  Psalm 27 "he shall strengthen thy heart."  The strength comes when you need it most.  The source of it - "I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me. " Think of Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane when the Lord was arrested - "and Peter followed afar off."  As he makes his way to the Judgment Hall creeping through the darkness of the night, the fire is lit and Peter goes over and washes himself.  The damsel comes and accuses him of being a follower of Christ and 3 times he denied it with oaths and curses.  Then I see Peter in Acts 2 standing in Jerusalem.  There were those who were ridiculing  the other disciples saying all manner of things against them, saying they were drunk.  Peter stands up and says "these men are not drunk".  In Gethsemane he ran and fled.  In the Judgment Hall he denied the Lord.  Now he is standing with confidence and telling them of the gospel of Christ.  What had happened?  The day when he met afresh with the Lord in that Upper Room, when the Spirit of God came into the room and filled his life.  Strength from the Lord that helped him that day.  That is what each and everyone of us needs today, yes of course when you accepted Christ as Saviour but you and I need in this day in which we are living a fresh encounter with God.  Peter met with the Lord again in the Upper Room when he was filled with the power to stand on the evil day.  David going back to Ziglag saw the smoke and knew that all was destroyed.  The army were standing with him there and then.  He needed strength to face what would happen.  He asked the Lord what to do - to pursue or what.  The Lord told him to go in the strength from the Lord himself.  Moses standing before Pharaoh now confident.  Remember at the burning bush Moses was fearful, thinking the elders wouldn`t believe him.  He couldn`t say the things needed to speak before Pharaoh.  now he goes into Pharaoh and he tells them to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt.  What had happened?  Moses met with the Lord at the burning bush.  He gave him strength to face Pharaoh.  We all need that strength from the Lord today.  A fresh encounter with the Lord.  Filled with the Holy Spirit and power to stand on the evil day in which we live.  It is not in us but in the Lord.  When all had gone and the future seemed bleak he lifted his eyes to the Lord and he was strengthened in the Lord.

The sufficiency of this strength.  The apostle Paul said "I can do all things through Christ."  You can only prove it when you take the first step.  We cannot save ourselves just because gave up a habit.  We are right with God means we are prepared to turn away from the life we have lived.  Secondly we have to acknowledge we cannot do anything to save ouselves.  That comes from without.  Thirdly we have to come to the cross of Calvary, acknowledge that Jesus was dying for someone like me. He was doing that that you might be saved, know sins forgiven when we turn from our sin, want to have done with them, then the Lord takes those sins and casts them into the depths of the sea never to be remembered again.  We are on our way to heaven and home through that one action if I was to die.  The Lord changes you, gives you a strength never thought possible.  It is a sufficient strength.  Whatever I am asked to do I know I can do it because I have the Lord.  Isaiah said "they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength."  Ananias was asked to go in and speak to the apostle Paul.  He said "no I cannot do that".  The Lord gave him strength to do it.  It did not fail in the Psalmists life and it will not fail in ours.  Many times you feel like giving up.  As a prayer warrior many times it comes to us, never can go on as a father or mother, difficulties and tragedies, you cannot go on.  Paul says I can do all things through Christ.  That is where we get our strength.  Just like Demas we don`t throw in the towel from a life of sin just to take it easier.  The strength is just right at the right time.  The source is Christ himself.  The sufficiency - it will never let us down.

The scope of this strength.  Did the Psalmist put any categories in there?  He said "wait on the Lord."  As we go into 2018 what great advice - "wait on the Lord, be of good courage." In other words to be confident, expectant of the Lord to do something and he shall strengthen thy heart.  I say it again "wait on the Lord".

Continuing the work of Jesus today

Sermon notes from 4 February 2018

Acts 1 verses 1 - 12

Whenever we come to the book of Acts we are very clear on what it is - the continuation of what Jesus Christ is now doing on this earth.  He has gone back to heaven but there is still work in progress.  In the gospels we read of a work he did on the streets and countryside.  Now we are going to read what the Holy Spiirt did through the disciples of Jesus.  In this scene before us I see the Lord takes his little group out to the Mount of Olives.  In a discourse one with each other telling them what he wants to see happening.  He must leave them shortly but the work must continue.  The preaching and saving of mens souls must begin in Jerusalem then it would reach out to Judea, Samaria and the whole world.  What a charge he brought them on this particular day.  As the disciples stood around that day the Lord was taken from their very midst.  It was a gradual thing.  The disciples were gazing up and looking into the skies to see where he went.  One moment you are listening to the Lord, speaking to you then all of a sudden he is ascended into heaven.  The angels looked at the disciples that day.  The commission came to them that day "why stand ye gazing up".  That Olivet vision was clear.  Finish the work they had to do now.  As we read the scriptures and take time, maybe the Spirit is saying to us "why sit you gazing into the bible there is a work to be done, get on with it."  "This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall come in like manner as ye have seen him go." verse 12.  They returned into Jerusalem there to wait for the instruction of how they would reach the lost.  Verse 8 "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you."  That is what we need today.  The greatest need we have is the need of the Holy Spirit.  Nothing else will compensate for it.  Are we seeking after the infilling of the Holy Spirit today?  This is going to be the fundamental truth, the very basis for the church - that Jesus is coming again.  Do we believe that today?

The revelation of a tremendous truth - that Jesus Christ is a living Saviour.  He is alive today.  As we look at other religions what have they got in common - a dead leader in charge.  The Christian faith believes in a risen powerful Saviour and the promise he is coming again, not coming as baby or as a man dying on the cross but as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  What he is coming back at - Jesus Christ is a living Saviour.  The disciples were standing on the Mount of Olives when all of a sudden Jesus Christ is taken up from their midst.  They were given great news - that Jesus is alive today. Those who knew death were confronted that Jesus was dead.  When they came to them the other 2 had their legs broke and that meant life could not be sustained any longer and they died.  He fulfilled scripture that not a bone in his body would be broken.  When Joseph of Arimathea came to beg for the body of Christ from Pilate he went out, took the body down, wrapped him in clean linen.  He was dead, placed in the tomb and on the third day he rose again, he showed himself to the disciples and his followers in the next 40 days then was taken up into heaven and he is now seated at the right hand of God in heaven.  This same living Jesus will so come again.  No doubt the disciples were taken by surprise.  They were slow of heart to believe.  Sometimes we can be like that too.  Remember Mary and the women who made their way to the tomb, they realised the stone had been rolled back and there was no body.  "Why seek ye the living among the dead?"  Slow of heart to believe.  He was not there.  He was risen.  When we stand behind the word of God today we are preaching a living Saviour.  He is coming again for those born again of the Spirit of God, for those saved by God`s grace.  For you if you are in that category Jesus is alive.  He had been raised from the dead.  He came to his disciples, told them .  Luke 24 "and their words seemed to them as idle tales and they believed them not."  Remember how Mary spoke to them - "they have taken away the body and we know not where they have laid him."  What a revelation of a tremendous truth.  This same Jesus is coming again.  If we need a revelation today it is here before our very eyes.  Jesus is alive and alive for evermore.  John 14 Jesus speaking to his disciples about his death "I have to leave you, go the way of the cross, going back to my Father, I go to prepare a place for you."  How could a dead Saviour prepare a place?  He is alive today.  Jesus is the living Saviour and he is coming again.  Notice also the very full programme that God lays out for our lives.  Jesus Christ is alive and coming again.

There is a reunion that is promised.  The angels said to the disciples "this same Jesus will come again."  It came as a great encouragement to the disciples on the hillside that day.  This is the one who they walked with for 3 1/2 years, heard him preach, pray, taken all their problems to him.  He is coming again.  There is a tremendous encouragement today, to know Jesus is coming back.  We listen to the scientists, university professors tell us the world is 100 million years old.  All this is going to happen in the future.  Man is destroying the world.  God is in control.  When it comes to the end God will fold up this world as a man closes up a garment.  That is the picture that one day Jesus is coming again.  That promise Jesus gave to his disciples "I am going to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there you will be also."  A tremendous reunion that will be.  What a day when he comes again in so like manner as he left.  He will come in the clouds.  Not content with that he wants me to be where he is for all eternity.  In John 17 Jesus prays to his Father in heaven.  "I have finished the work you have given me to do."  In his heart and mind it was.  Verse 24 "Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."  What does he say about them - that they might be wise and be where I am that they may behold my glory.  Of all those that are saved my hearts desire is that they would be where I am.  There will be a great reunion one day.  Jesus comes back to his disciples, to those who were saved by God`s grace.  Luke 21 verse 28 things that Jesus says will come to pass.  Signs in the moon, signs in the stars and sun, warnings in the sea and waves.  When you see those things happening you look up because your redemption draweth nigh.  Are you looking around the world today, seeing famines, pestilences, earthquakes, nations divided within themselves?  The Lord says look up for your redemption draweth nigh.  The coming of the Lord is drawing near by the hour.  "Somewhere in outer space God has prepared a place for those who trust him and obey."  Paul reminded the people of Thessalonica of that reunion.  The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and a trumpet sounding.  Every person that has died, that has accepted Christ as Saviour, is buried in the ground tonight, they will rise first.  Their graves will be opened.  Then we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, we too shall be called up to meet the Lord in the air.  What a reunion.  That is an encouragement to us today.  This is a great revelation but what a reunion it will be.  We all have loved ones passed on saved by the grace of God.  We will meet them one day.  Paul finished by saying "wherefore comfort one another with these words."  Jesus Christ is coming agan - "we shall be caught up."  Raptured.  W P Nicholson preaching on this subject said "we shall be caught up, but there will be millions caught out."  Jesus Christ is coming again.  Put the profession to one side and get the reality of God`s salvation.

A reminder of what they should be about - verse 11.  No time for gazing up to heaven.  This same Jesus is coming again.  Ye must be about your master`s businesss.  The work began on the streets of Jerusalem.  Acts 5 verse 28 "ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine", reached out to Judea, persecution came, reached out to Samaria, from there reach out to the ends to the earth.  You and I this morning we have the responsibility of reaching the furthest end of the earth.  We are the continuation of the same work today.  The same Holy Ghost working in those disciples is filling us today.  There is no time for idleness, for the Lord is returning again. You must be busy.  You and I need to be ready today.  The urgency of this message has to be seen.  We are still in the day of grace.  Today I live with the constant remnder of one of these days Jesus will come again.  If Jesus were to come again, at this very moment will you rise to meet him in the air or be left in the pews?

There is the rewards of that day.  2 Timothy 4 verse 8  Paul sat in the prison house, didn`t think of the pain he was in or why he was in that situation.  "Henceforth there is laid up for me ... and not to me only but unto all them alo that love his appearing."  You and I are to be found busy for him in that day - will we?  C H Spurgeon told the story of visiting a woman one day.  He found her on her knees on the front step washing the step.  Spurgeon watched her.  The lady looked at him "if I had known you were coming I wouldn`t have been busy."  Spurgeon replied "you have been busy about your duties, I hope when the Saviour comes that I will be found as busy in my duties."