 Happy Easter!!! Jesus is a live!!
I hope you’re looking forward to celebrating this wonderful event today!! You made it through all 35 days. I hope you have been blessed by this time. I pray you’ve been brought closer to God and each other. I certainly have! Do you know I’ve written in the last month over 20,000 words!! That’s the equivalent of two-degree dissertations!!! Buts its been wonderful I’ve loved sharing my heart about God with you and all his plans. Why did we do this? Well the story starts at the church family meeting in February this year which ended with my summary which was roughly as follows: “I think Community Church is going quite well. Everyone’s seems to be quite happy (I hope) I don’t really have any visions for what’s going to happen in the future but if we just sit back, we can enjoy the ride with God.” I don’t know about you, but often later God gives me a telling off! God asked me why I had such low expectations of Him when He is the God of the universe!! God asked me why I trusted him so little when He had done so much in the past. God reminded me that He was a good father and he loved giving good things to His children. God said why don’t you write down all the things you’d love to see me do in this Church and Blackburn. So not wanting to argue with God I did and, here what I wrote:
Pretty shocking isn’t it. I was quite scared. Have we got the resources for all that lot of course not!!!! Has God of course He has!! After scripture, as a church, we need to be primarily guided by the Holy Spirit and the Prophetic and a lot of those things God may, or may never allow us to do. However, we’ve got a big God!! Why can’t he do those things? I don’t know about you, but I’d love to go on a journey with God in the following years and see Blackburn turned upside down for His Glory just like he did in the book of Acts We need to develop a big faith because we’ve got a big, big God who is good and who loves his people to step out in faith. What would your list look like for yourself and for church? Go on write it down today. Pray it through. Tell people, you’re going to have loads of things That’s why we pray because God wants us, I believe, to ask Him for stuff for Hid Glory!! Lets as a church dream big for His Glory. To see His Kingdom come in Blackburn and in our church just like it is in heaven. Are you excited about what God can do? I am! I hope you are to! Come Lord Jesus come! Amen
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 We’re very near the end of this season and today God put on our heart to pray for repentance.
What is repentance? As the kids know it is the word used to tell Roman Soldiers to change direction Briefly defined, repentance is turning away from sin and self and looking to God for forgiveness and salvation. The Old Testament uses the word “turn” or “turning” to describe repentance. Those who repent turn their backs on their sin and come around to seek God; repentance is the conviction of guilt before God and the awareness that we are stained and in need of cleansing. This isn’t something we do, but it is something God works in us. Why repentance today Well I think unrepentance can work against all God’s blessing, will and good things that he has planned for us both Individually and corporately. Do you need to repent or deal with some unforgiveness or sin in your life today? Here some really helpful teaching about working through repentance Be honest about your need for repentance. Repentance requires honesty. No one comes to God with true repentance in their heart unless they’ve first acknowledged their need for forgiveness and reconciliation with him. Only those who have ceased trying to cover up their sin with self-righteousness and deceit can experience the deep and lasting change that comes only through repentance. Acknowledge the danger of sin and damage of guilt. Let’s face it: you are seeking repentance because God’s Spirit has convicted you. We often blame others for our stress and general moodiness, but many times we simply feel bad because we’ve done bad things. King David describes physical and emotional symptoms associated with a guilty conscience. We must honestly assess the consequences of our sin, which means assessing both personal consequences and the impact it has had—and will continue to have—on others. Confess fully. Deep repentance demands full confession. Though it seems counterintuitive, the only way to be truly covered by Christ is to fully expose your sin. In the process of repentance, we must fight to be utterly transparent before God about the depth and breadth of our sin. Only ruthless honesty will suffice—and lead to freedom and joy. Hide in God. Adam and Eve hid behind inadequate, self-made coverings to mask their sin and shame. We too often hide behind self-made righteousness in order to make ourselves appear more acceptable than we really are. If you want to change, to really change—which, by the way, is the mark of true repentance—then you must hide in God alone. It’s not enough just to repent of overt sins. It’s not enough to say, “I admit to my wrong behaviours.” All kinds of people repent that way, especially religious people with an image to maintain. A Christian doesn’t just repent of their outward sins, but also of their attempts to hide behind shoddy self-made righteousness. Stop hiding in your effort. Hide in God. Seize the hope. How can you be sure God will forgive you? His unfailing love. Recall and find assurance in the great promises he has made throughout history, and how they have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ: His promise to Adam and Eve to crush the enemy His promise to Abraham to claim and protect a people His promise to Moses to provide a way for sinful humans to meaningfully relate to a holy God His promise to David to provide a once-and-for-all eternal King for his people All throughout history—right on up to the moment when you’re repenting—God has been saying, and continues to say, “I love you. I will not fail you. I am enough.” Look to the promises of God, seize the hope, and “be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (Psalm 32:11). Use today to pray it through. Pray through about repentance today. I promise God will not let you down. Helpful verses 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Psalm 51 1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. 5 For I was born a sinner-- yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. 7 Purify me from my sins,and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me-- now let me rejoice. 9 Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit[d] from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. 13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. 14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. 15 Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. 16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. 18 Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit-- with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.  Being a Christian is hard and if your searching out an easy life with no problems Christianity is not going to achieve this. If anything, being a Christian produces more problems than you may of had before.
None of the early church, or Apostles in the bible had an easy life! If the Apostle Paul wanted an easy life he could have stayed as a Pharisee, far more straight forward. The early church, as the church is in many counties today, was severely persecuted. They were burnt, hung, stoned, crucified, fed to lions, had the head chopped off the list continues. Today Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world fact! With Christians facing some form of persecution in at least 144 countries today. Please pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ and thank God that we are able to worship in peace in this country. Someone once said that the Christian life is not spent on a cruise ship, you are saved onto a battle ship as you’re in a spiritual war. If you come to faith in Jesus it’s very likely Satan is going to start dropping spiritual bombs on you. If this is the case, why would anyone in the right mind choose to be a follower of Christ? I had another Grandma who was a wonderful Christian lady who had a really, really tough life but her favourite hymn was this, which I remember her singing to me as a child. Will your anchor hold in the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife? When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain, will your anchor drift, or firm remain? [Refrain:] We have an anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure while the billows roll; fastened to the Rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love! Will your anchor hold in the straits of fear, when the breakers roar and the reef is near? While the surges rave, and the wild winds blow, shall the angry waves then your bark o’erflow? [Refrain] Will your anchor hold in the floods of death, when the waters cold chill your latest breath? On the rising tide you can never fail, while your anchor holds within the veil. [Refrain] Will your eyes behold through the morning light the city of gold and the harbour bright? Will you anchor safe by the heavenly shore, when life’s storms are past for evermore? [Refrain] Christ is your anchor! Christ won’t stop all your problems, but he is the answer to all your problems He is your anchor, and he fills you with His Holy Spirit to give you love, joy ,peace, patience and endurance through all the storms of life. Often when we pray, we ask God to take away all our difficulties in life, but that’s not what we see in scripture. We see the church praying that they would be given more patience and endurance to persevere in their difficulties. It’s a challenging thought! Pray today for patience and endurance through the storms of life. Thank Jesus for being with you in the trials. Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit for more patience, endurance and perseverance. Amen Helpful verses Colossians 1:11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, Romans 5:3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Romans 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,  This was my Grandmas favourite Hymn.
When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. Refrain: Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your many blessings, see what God hath done. Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, ev'ry doubt will fly, And you will be singing as the days go by. (Refrain) When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold; Count your many blessings, money cannot buy Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. (Refrain) So, amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey's end. (Refrain) My Grandma had quite a tough time through her life particularly towards the end as she struggled with large amounts of pain. But I know she loved Jesus and she lived a thankful life! Why because she regularly counted her blessings. Do you know what it sounds harsh but God doesn’t owe us anything! In fact if we got what we deserved from God it would be very bad! We have no rights before God and everything in life had been given to you by His grace which is underserved favour. This make us more thankful for what we have in the little things. Today spend a bit of time thanking God for the many, many blessings in your life. We are to be defined as a thankful people as Christ Followers even in the little things! If you’re reading this eating toast and drinking coffee even in those small things you have so much to be thankful for. If your struggling here’s a list to get you started its not even Christian https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/60-things-thankful-for-life.html Enjoy! God is good 😊 Helpful verses Psalm 9:1 I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 4:15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 1 Timothy 4:4-5 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,  England, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, was in a moral quagmire and a spiritual cesspool. Thomas Carlyle described the country's condition as "Stomach well alive, soul extinct." Deism was rampant, and a bland, philosophical morality was standard fare in the churches. Sir William Blackstone visited the church of every major clergyman in London, but "did not hear a single discourse which had more Christianity in it than the writings of Cicero." In most sermons he heard, it would have been impossible to tell just from listening whether the preacher was a follower of Confucius, Mohammed, or Christ!
Morally, the country was becoming increasingly decadent. Drunkenness was rampant; gambling was so extensive that one historian described England as "one vast casino." Newborns were exposed in the streets; 97% of the infant poor in the workhouses died as children. Bear baiting and cock fighting were accepted sports, and tickets were sold to public executions as to a theater. The slave trade brought material gain to many while further degrading their souls. Bishop Berkeley wrote that morality and religion in Britain had collapsed "to a degree that was never known in any Christian country." This is a description of England before the Wesleyan Revival. Does it ring any bells around today? I’d say all the things mentioned there would have their modern parallels in today's Britain. Was it a desperate situation Yes. Was God Gracious yes He was. His presence and power swept through this nation and completely transformed it! Is it desperate now Yes!! Is God still gracious yes. Pray for God to sweep through this land. Please ask mercy for Britain! Where to start? First start with Thanks giving. There are so many wonderful things about Britain. We are so blessed. We have great institutions, our country is generally free from ground level corruptions. We’re relatively safe. Our police are not corrupt, unlike most of the countries I hear about. We truly live in a beautiful nation with amazing countryside. We have generally lived in an age not affected by war. The list goes on. We have many things in this nation to thank God for. Secondly pray for our Politicians and our Queen. I’m not generally a royalist however we have a wonderful queen who I believe truly, truly loves Jesus and has often provided guidance and stability in what is often a broken factionalised political system and Nation. If you don’t believe me check out her speeches at Christmas!! Pray for our politicians. Paul instructs us to pray for all those in authority over us for a peaceful life. Do you know I don’t think most of them go into it to get rich (There are far easier ways to do that) I think most politicians, on all sides, go into politics to make the nation a better place. Even if we don’t agree with their methodology. Please pray for our Prime minister Teressa May. I don’t agree with her policies on a lot of things, but I believe she has a real Christian faith. Please pray for Wisdom and guidance. Please pray for Jeremy Corbyn the leader of the opposition, again I don’t agree with him on a lot of things however, I do feel that he shares a heart with God for Social Justice for the poorest in society. Again please pray for wisdom and guidance for him. Keep praying for this nation generally as I can’t think of a time when we were in such a mess. Ask God for Mercy for us, ask God for revival. Come Lord Jesus come! Helpful verses 1 Timothy 2:1-2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. Daniel 2:21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Ezekiel 37:1-14 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. ... Habakkuk 3:2 O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.  Its really tough being a teacher and working in a school. I didn’t know this until I married a teacher!!
Work with children in schools is so important to our communities as a whole and they do an amazing Job. Please pray for all the people who work in the education sector, in our church, today. I specifically want to pray for Christiana and the work she does with Walk through the Bible/Bible Explorer. If you don’t know what it is have a look here it is awesome! https://www.bible.org.uk/index.php. Basically Christiana goes into Schools and teaches children the large sweep of the story in the bible. This is incredible work and sowing seed after seed of the Kingdom of God. Go hunt Christiana down and ask her about it. Do you know that there is a large waiting list of schools wanting someone from Bible explorer to come. This is basically a wide open invite to preach the Gospel in Schools!. The fields really are ripe for harvest be the workers are few. Please pray for Bible explore and Christiana’s. Please pray that they have enough worker to fulfill all the schools that want them to do it. Please also thank God for their work, which is amazing. Also please pray for opportunities for school ministry. Recently I’ve been invited into St Wilfrid’s to do an assembly. I’m very nervous and need your prayer. Please also pray for Jonathan Hands who is doing a great Job in there with the Christian life of St Wilfrid’s Ultimately great areas of opportunity to sow seeds of the Kingdom of God is in Schools. In areas such as afternoon clubs, home work clubs the list and the opportunity are endless. All is possible if we have faith as large as a mustard seed. When we ask a God of Ultimate provision! Amen! Helpful verses Acts 7:22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action. Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Philippians 4:13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. 2 Timothy 3:15-16 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  I am always amazed how wonderfully the members of Community Church Blackburn serves.
I’ve always said Community Church Blackburn is a big church operation working with small church amount of people. It requires at least twenty people to even just run a Sunday morning service and that’s before everything that happens the rest of the week. I’d like to say thank you to all people the people that serve in whatever capacity. You are all amazing. These are just some of the jobs that take place on a Sunday: Lead, anchor, preach, worship, sing, set up and set down, projector. Lead and Help in Creche, Lead and Help in Shining stars, lead and help in youth,Sorting bring and share lunches, Brew rota etc… When I first became a Christian I found it very difficult to get to know people just by going on a Sunday morning. When I look back it was serving and working with other people that helped me integrate and build relationships. When I read the bible I also see Jesus serving not always in the most illustrious positions. Cleaning smelly sweaty feet etc… The God we serve is by nature a God who serves. A servant king! If Jesus is like that, as Christ followers that should be our model. If you’re not already serving and your interested, give me or Geoff a shout, if he’s not caught you already. Please pray for us as a church from protection form the evil one as this is the area where most tension and difficulty can be produced. Please continue to pray for Geoff and me as we put the serving rota together. It might look simple but it’s the most complicated, difficult document to put together in the world with so many moving parts and things to consider. Its like trying to catch a very fast greasy pig keeping it up to date etc… Please be merciful to us as well because we don’t always get it right. However I give Glory to God because He as always provided, just about, enough people to get done what we need to do!! Finally it would be really helpful if you send any dates you’re away to Geoff and if you can’t serve on the day your down for something you give us as much notice as possible or swap . Pray about your gifting and if you fell God is calling you to serve in a certain area etc.. Come and talk to me, Geoff or your Growth group leader. Pray for more people to serve in all areas of church life, as I suspect the operation is only going to get bigger and more complicated 😊 God is good 😊 Helpful Bible Verses Matthew 23:11 “The greatest among you will be your servant.” Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 1 Peter 4:10 “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” John 13:12-13 “When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”  In churches we don’t talk about I normal work very much. Often we can give the impression about life that Sunday is our spiritual life (which is really important and the main event) and the rest of the day God doesn’t intrude on that. Well that’s not True!!
The other thing we tend to do is set a hierarchy of importance of job roles and their importance to God like this Starting at the most important and Holy: Missionary, evangelist, apostle, church pastor, church youth worker, christian charity worker, doctor, nurse, teacher, manager, carer, Business man, banker, taxi driver. That not true at all!!! God would take a faithful taxi driver any day over an unfaithful missionary. God is very, very interested in our work places. Think of your work as your worship. God is glorified when you are a good employee as it's Him you ultimately work for. Christians should be the best employees!!! If truth be said, this is the hardest place to live out our faith. Being a Christian in church is easy! Being a Christian in your work place is hard. We spend often at least often 40 hours a week at work living all that time for God is a tough call!! It is tough and that why we need the Holy Spirit to get us through. Today pray for your workplace that God will fill you with His Holy Spirit so you Glorify Him more and more. Pray for your co workers – even the ones you don’t like, even the managers that don’t know what they are doing and aren’t very good!! Don’t pray that God will change them! Pray that God will change you first! Pray that through the Holy Spirit you are able to patiently endure in the work place. Remember that things won’t always go the way you want it to at work. This is due to the fall and the thorns in the field talked about early in Genesis. Pray for more of the fruits of the spirit in you, in your work place. Pray for salvation's in your work place and among your work colleague’s Remember you work is your worship! Helpful Bible Verses Genesis 1:31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning the sixth day. Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Matthew 4:44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Genesis 3:17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” 4/13/2019 0 Comments Day 27: Saturday 13th April pray for Community Church Blackburn to be built up in Love Why did God create humans?
God didn’t need us, he’s self-sufficient?H e doesn’t need us for anything. He doesn’t need us to do anything, provide anything, we are a pointless creation really. In fact, humans are just a hassle!! We trash the perfect world God created and all we seem to do is cause God trouble. It seems to me that there can only be one logical reason why God would create Humans and that is due to love!! You see, before the world was created within the trinity, God the Father loved Jesus who loved Holy Spirit so much that they wanted to share and open up that love so God created us. It’s a little like families and children. There is no real logical reason for parents to have children. They don’t do anything at first for you!! In fact often they stop you doing what you want to do and cause you much inconvenience,trauma and cost lots of money. But why do couples have children well its to do with love. Lisa and me loved each other so much that we wanted our love to grow and be shared so we had children. I think the family is a beautiful picture of Gods love for us and the trinity. Well if that’s why we’re created if we don’t love we’re not fulfilling our function and the more we love the more we meet our destiny and design. The two greatest commandments is love God and love your neighbour and my prayer is as a people and church we abound in both more and more. I agree with the Beatles all you need is love!! Paul the apostle says without love everything we do is like a clanging bell and pointless! But love is Hard! It requires sacrifice, grace and mercy. Tough decisions. We’re not talking lovey dovey love we’re talking about loving even if that person doesn’t love us back!! Its called Agape love. I could talk for hours about love! 😊 Today pray for more love for God and more love for people and out of that, all other things will fall into place 😊 Helpful Bible Verses 1 Corinthians 13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Mark 12:29-31 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself. ‘There is no commandment greater than these.” Colossians 3:14 "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Ephesians 3:16-17 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love. John 15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  In November 2016 we launched, in faith, Healing on the streets Blackburn. It was a miracle that we managed it at all, and God stepped, was so faithful and provided in so many ways. If you want to hear the story come and talk to me.
We had Mark Marx come in person and teach us how to do it however, interestingly, it was less about method and more about who we are in Christ! I must admit that I was very scared. If you would have asked me would I be going out on the streets of Blackburn, publicly praying for people I would told you that you’re mad! I’ve also come to realise it’s not weird. Reading the new testament, it seems to be pretty like what Jesus did and what the apostles were sent out to do (Maybe without the flag) I’m also always extremely surprised how many people get prayed for in Blackburn. There is a real spiritual hunger in the is town, and in this nation and normal people are hungry for God. For years the church has seemed to be tentative and apologetic about its faith, but I really believe that people are hungry for God and revival is imminent! I also think that there is an indirect/direct link between growth in the Kingdom of God and church. It’s what I call God economy, which is where we step out in faith in one place. God often honours that in another. Its not an exact science, but on the weeks the HOTS team goes out it seems to have a growing, positive spiritual effect on our Sunday mornings. Keep watch and see what you think? Its always a blessing when the team go out of the streets even through wind and rain and we’ve seen literally lives changed healings and miracles. In fact, one of the people who we baptised at our church last September had part of his Journey and connection with the church take place through Healing on the streets. Recently we’ve gone to going out on the streets every other week however, the more often we go out the more impact for Gods kingdom we will have. Please pray for a bigger vision for HOTS! Please pray for the HOTS team led by Geoff Dent and Carole B. Please make them bold and faithful and wise as they lead. Please pray for more churches to be involved as the more we act as one church in Blackburn, the more God is Glorified. Please pray for growth in the teams the more people who go out the more people can be prayed for. Please pray for more and more lives changed, made new, more miracles and healings. Finally, if you’re not involved in HOTS it’s amazing and not as scary as you think. There’s no obligation to do every week and I know you will be blessed. God is Good!! Helpful Bible Verses Matthew 14:14 Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free. |
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Loving God, Loving People, Building God's Kingdom
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