Head's up: Sunday is coming

This Sunday Glenn will bring us God’s word and he will focus on two verses Matt 18: “whoever humbles themself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven & John 9: 23 If anyone would come after me they must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” – We will consider being real with who we are and who God is.
              
We will also be farewelling and praying a blessing over the Van Niekerk and Van der Ree families – they will be continuing to serve God in another part of the body – which si something we can celebrate together.

Please be in PRAYER for Glenn and for the Holy Spirit to empower him to speak the Word in Spirit and in Truth. Please also pray for Andrew Hoffman who will lead us as the elder on Sunday, and for Johann and our music ministry team as the lead us in worship to our Great God – Praise God! Please also remember Joel who will be looking after our media projection and for our sound team. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful servants of God being willing to be used by Him in His service.

The God who humbly hears prayer

Our attitude even in coming to God is so often faulty. But the humility of God is so great that he doesn't seem to mind.

Richard Wurmbrand records his first prayer to God as follows.

"I said something like this: 'God, I know that You do not exist. But if perchance You exist, which I deny - it is for You to reveal yourself to me; it is not my duty to seek You.'"

He was a proud young atheist playboy and called his prayer, "the prayer of an atheist."

The strange thing is that the god so addressed appeared not to take offence but to answer and Richard Wurmbrand became perhaps the best known Christian leader of his country of the 20th century.

God is humbly prepared to meet us 'where we are.'

The God who stoops.

You are love; You are wisdom; You are humility

- Saint Francis of Assisi, The Praises of God

What an encouragement to faith to know that God is humble and willing to stoop. As the psalmist says,

Who is like the LORD our God,

the One who sits enthroned on high,

who stoops down to look

on the heavens and the earth?

He raises the poor from the dust....Psa. 113:5 - 6

How low is God prepared to go? Low enough to become a man. Low enough to serve. Low enough to suffer the shame of crucifixion. Low enough to save his enemies. Low enough to hear even a prayer full mostly of doubt ("I believe, help my unbelief.")

God is graciously ready to meet you right where you are. Take advantage of his grace today.

Praying through pain

Jesus Gethsemane prayer experience is a great example of praying through pain.
Read Matthew 26:36ff
There is this refrain in his prayer - "Not my will but yours be done"
Prayer often does not change the situation but it definitely changes us and the way we tackle it.

BUT...

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

and every day have sorrow in my heart?

.....

But I trust in your unfailing love;

my heart rejoices in your salvation.

I will sing to the LORD,

for he has been good to me.

Psa. 13:0 - 6

The Bible - No laughing matter!!!

How has God spoken to you from his word this week?

Do you believe it?

Here is something I read in Genesis 17:18 "Abraham fell face down, he laughed and said to himself "will a son be born to a man 100 years old?"

Now I always thought it was Sarah who did the laughing - but here it is Abraham laughed first!! why don't we pick him out as the doubter???

Abraham was a real bloke like me - he might of had a bit more faith than me - BUT - He still laughed at God's promises.

Any way I got to thinking - when do I laugh at God? Where do I doubt him at his word?? This week I am going to change my attitudes to the promises of God - I am going to try and believe them.

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "never will I leave you, never will I forsake you!!"

Do you believe it???