Church notes - June 2015

[fardell24]

7th June
'This I believe'
'Seek ye First'

Matthew 7:7 - 14
A searching process. Jeus is encouraging us to pray. God wants to hear you. He wants to help you to deal with your issues.
The answer is not always what you want to hear.

We are prone to seek other things that we think would make us happy, but would only bring disappointment.
Seek after God. It may be a long journey but it is worth it.

Seek, Ask, Knock - Greek - Present Imperative Tense - Always going on, repeating. Continuous action, prayer and journey. It goes on throughout our lives.

Bread or Stone?

God knows the difference. He gives good gifts.


14 June
'Alive in us'
'Empty hands held high'

Matthew 7:13 - 23
There are only two roads
Only one leads to God.
The other - the easy way to destruction
The narrow way that leads to God - it is difficult but it also leads to Eternal Life!

False Prophets - Don't be paranoid, but also don't think that it happens at some other place or some other time.
Recognise them by their fruit and deeds
- Character and conduct
- - Selfish?
- - Not patient or kind
- - Their character doesn't rememble that of Christ
Do they teach in accordance with Scripture?
...
Influence - the effect on others

Truth builds up
Error is destructive

We need to choose to be different to all others, because Jesus is in our lives.
The Truth - our obedience


21 June
'Great is our God'
'Still'

Matthew 7: 24 - 27
The Wise and foolish builders

Matthew 7: 28, 29
The crowd were overwhelmed

vs 24 - 27
We need to have our foundation in Jesus, not in our knowledge
True Wisdom - Following Jesus
We need Him.
Not just to know about Him, but to be in a relationship with Him.

Psalm 62:6 - 8


28 June
'Forever'
'Broken Vessels'
'Jesus I love thee'

Matthew 5:3, 4
The Beatitudes - the way Jesus lived.
- 'I have lived the perfect life'
vs 3
'Poor in Spirit' - Spiritual Poverty
eg Revelation 3:15 - 18 (The Church at Laodacea)
'You think you are rich, but you are poor!'
Everyone is poor in spirit.
But blessed are those who realise it.
Only when we realise our spiritual poverty do we grasp God's riches.
vs4
We mourn our sinfulness - That is why we grasp God's comfort.
2 Corinthians 7:8 - 10

Both beatitudes speak of God's Grace

Repentance.

'You are always fighting for us'