The Bible - Gods Word Believe it or not?

"The mere fact that the Bible claims to be the Word of God does not prove that it is such, for there are other books that make the same claim. The difference is that the scriptures contain indisputable evidence as being the Word of God." Josh McDowell

Jesus made the claim for the Bible saying "scripture cannot be broken: John 10:35 and promising that "not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the law" Matt 5:18

In other words Jesus fully believed that the Bible was God inspired.

If he believed it then surely we can to....

Faith Hope Love

Faithful Works

Loving Labor

Hopeful Endurance

How will these characterise your church life this week?

Will the things we do this week be characterised by these:

Prayer and Creativity

Building up and not tearing down

Joyful optimism

They will be if we keep Jesus at the centre!!

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God Hebrews 12:2

Jesus People

Stare at the center of this picture for 20 secs then look at a wall and blink.


"Christ's whole life in all its aspects must supply the norm for the life of the following Christian and thus for the life of the whole Church." Soren Kierkegaard

Are you living a life following Jesus? What does that mean - if you are a follower of someone then inevitably it means you will look like them. not physically appearance - but the way you think, the way you act, the way you treat others, the attitudes you have Are you being a 'little Jesus' -

Some one said to me this week in talking about the "what would Jesus do" thing Maybe the question we need to ask is "what would I do as Jesus works in and through me?"
we are his image bearers
Do people look at you and see something more? "is that .................(your name) or is that Jesus."

A bit like one of those morphed pictures when it goes form one image to the next at a certain point your not sure who you are looking at?
Is Jesus at the center of your life? Influencing everything you do?

If...

you knew the gift of God

and who it is that asks you for a drink,

you would have asked him

and he would have given you living water.”

The measure of how well we know Jesus is prayer. He reveals himself as the One both capable and willing to give eternal life upon request.

If you have not asked him, you don't know him.

You can get to know him better. Your current level of understanding and appreciation of Jesus can increase.

What can you do? Continue to prayerfully read your Bible. Find someone who knows Jesus and ask questions. Buy and read some sound Christian books that focus on the issues you have.

Post us an email if we can help. No one has ever been sorry they have come to know Jesus. He invites you to know him and to discover the eternal life he freely gives.

Jesus; no one special?

How important is it to believe in Jesus?

John wrote:

"...this is the testimony:

God has given us eternal life,

and this life is in his Son.

He who has the Son has life;

he who does not have the Son of God

does not have life.

I write these things to you

who believe in the name of the Son of God

so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1John 5:11- 13

Are you convinced Jesus is the Son of God? Do you believe in him?

On Sunday we're exploring this claim of faith: Jesus was not just another famous person, but the One and Only Son of God through whom we have life.

It's pretty important people hear this.

Who are you inviting along?

Believing is seeing!!

"for by Him all things were created that are in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or rulers or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together" Colossians 1:16-17

Alex McFarland in his book "the 10 most common objections to Christianity" has 5 points when considering Does God exist?

Every effect has a cause

Every creation has a creator

Every design has a designer

Communication requires a communicator

Every law requires a law giver

All these ways of thinking point to some thing else something outside - something other!

These things in of them self don't prove God - but what happens when you probe statements like this you end up coming to the the conclusion that what I read in the Bible makes sense in the universe I live. That both science and the Bible can agree to the facts we see - The question is how do we interpret these things that point to transcendence (something ELSE)

A Bible believing Christian - looks at the universe & says there is a loving personal God who promises something more that just this life.

An atheist will say - It is chance and time that result in our existence for 80 odd years and then nothing.

What do believe?

How are you living in this reality this week?

Who are you going to tell about it?

SO SMALL!!

Do you realise that in every cell of your body you have a DNA structure that if it was to be taken out and unwound into a straight line it would be approx 1.5m long.

That's in every cell of your body!!

And if just one or two of these chain links was different it wouldn't be you!!

It is amazing the unbelievable design that has gone into making each one of us - unique

Psalm 139 becomes even more alive with the knowledge we now have about our DNA make up.

When I explore the small things of my make up I cry out with David:

"For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mothers womb

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful I know that full well"

God is not just seen in the big things of the universe - He is also very visible in the small things.

God? I can't see Him!!

This is the galaxy we live in - it is 150 light years across!! That's approx 1,419,000,000,000,000km/s An where is God out there???

How can we belive in a God we can't see?

"The basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is!! By taking a long and thoughtfull look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes, as such, can't see: eternal power and the mystery of His divine being."Romans 1:19&20 The Message

There is something about the universe that cries out "God!"

The question is do we have the eyes to see it?

Is seeing beliveing? or Is Believing seeing?

Who did people see when Jesus passed through this world?

A good man? A crazy man? God and man?

This sunday we begin the first service in a series of 'Why Believe?'
Who are you going to invite to hear this message???

Keep on Worshiping!!

How are you worshiping today?

Is your life being ordered in such away that it is giving God glory today?

Are you relying on the Holy Spirit? - as Philippians 3:3 says 'one who worships by the spirit of God?'

Are you able to worship today, tomorrow and the next because of what Jesus has done? Remember John 14:6

God is on the lookout for these kind of worshippers!!

Ones who worship in spirit and truth.

Sunday Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday

How is God going to be glorified in your live on each of these days!!