Today’s communion message was about heroes and how we all have the chance to be a hero to somebody by making a choice and joining the fight for what is right. It’s not always about the big things, but just obeying the voice of God and doing what is right. We were reminded that Jesus was the ultimate hero and just like he embraced the call of God on His life, we need to do the same thing so that we can have an impact on other people’s lives and be a hero to them.

In the evening, Pauline continued this theme with an excellent sermon titled the Power of One. One believer has power over many people. David was one person, but saw past the natural and saw things in the spirit. He knew the battle was the Lord’s. In 2 Tim 1:15-17, we read about Onesiphorus, one person who made a difference in Paul’s life.
We can all influence people. It just means listening to and obeying, the voice of God. Practice listening to the still small voice of God. You could be the person who changes somebody’s life and becomes a hero to them.

Alan also brought us an encouraging message today from 1 Cor 18-20. We need to appropriate the promises of God. Our answers to prayer come out of relationship with the father. We can expect that God will answer on the basis of our relationship with Him. But, we need to know what to ask for and this comes out of relationship.
The promises of God are yes in Christ. Christ has fulfilled the requirements for our blessing and so through Him, because we are in Christ, we develop a relationship and find out what the Holy Spirit is saying. The amen is spoken by us. We come into agreement with God and speak out this agreement. God is glorified in us appropriating these promises.
Find out what God’s promises are, then speak the word creatively and say amen to the promises!

Having just recently returned from Sri Lanka, Alan did the only thing possible - preached on missions! Missions is the vehicle that expresses the heart of God for the world, it gives us an opportunity to express God’s love through a unified corporate body and allows us to release tremendous power through common, corporate action. People will lay aside their rights and comforts for the cause of the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Missions creates a sense of ambassadorship and responsibility and allows the development of qualities in the church that are consistent with Christ - such as compassion, love, sensitivity and selfless sacrifice. Missions also gives us an opportunity to give as God gave, to get the church looking out, beyond itself and to promote growth and maturity in the church. He then shared some of the stories and photos from his trip, reflecting on the great work that God had done.

In the evening, we had an excellent message from 2 Kings 5 about Naaman’s healing of leprosy. In 2 Kings 5:8, Elisha says “Bring him to me”. Elisha had a confidence in God and his own personal calling. If you have confidence in God, you need to step out boldly and not be ashamed.
In 2 Kings 5:11-12, we can see 4 stumbling blocks to Naaman receiving healing.
1. Pride. Naaman had pride. Elisha didn’t even speak to him, but sent a messenger. Naaman thought he deserved more attention than that and even said that they had better rivers than the Jordan if he really had to go and dip himself to be cured.
2. Preconceived ideas. Naaman thought it would happen differently. God tells you different ways to do things. Don’t get stuck in preconceived ideas.
3. Logical Thinking. When God’s spirit is moving, it’s not always logical. He won’t always do it the way you think He will. He won’t do it naturally and logically.
4. Rejection of Simplicity. Naaman was looking for something complex, a prayer, a laying on of hands, something complex, but it was as simple as dipping himself 7 times in a river.

Because of these stumbling blocks, Naaman nearly missed the opportunity to be healed. As we read on in this story, we can now see 4 keys to receiving the healing for Naaman (2 Kings 5:14).

1. Humility. Naaman got off his high horse. Genuinely humble yourself. Reach the point where the hunger is greater than your pride. The hunger for the things of God, the ways of God, the stuff that God wants to do in your life needs to be greater than the pride that would stop you responding to God.
2. Persevere. Persevere to the 7th time. If you’re pressing into God, press into Him again and again.
3. Go with the now move of God. We need today’s revelation, not going with yesterday’s revelation.
4. Obedience. Jesus only did what He saw the father doing. Learn to be obedient to the voice of God and God will show up. Don’t let pride stand in the way. Do what He tells you to do and go with the move of God.

Have a great week and press into God. Lay down your pride and hunger for the things of God.

Tony brought us the message for today and talked about How to be well spoken of. In 1 Thes 1:2-3, 6-10 and 1 Thes 2:17-19, we hear of Paul speaking well of the Thessalonians.
In Eph 1:3, God speaks well of us because we are in Christ. We are a new creation and are legally right because of Calvary.
We need to dwell on what God thinks about us and not what we think about ourselves. Dwelling on what God says about you releases the power. As well as being in Christ, He is literally in us.
We need to be well spoken of literally.
How do we do that? What is the secret?
From 1 Thes 1:2-3 we get 3 keys.

• Your Work of faith
• Your labour of love
• Your steadfastness of Hope in Jesus return

So how can we acheive this? 2 Thes 1:3-4

• Your faith grows exceedingly. You need to be feeding (Josh 1:8, Ps 1:2-3) and fighting (1 Tim 6:12, Jam 2:27). Spend time reading the word, letting it dwell in you and then doing what it says. If you read the bible and it speaks to you, you need to take action.
• Your love abounds toward one another. You need to be caring for others (Rom 12:9-16) and covering (Phil 4:8) one another.
• Your steadfastness endures in all your persecutions. Wait and watch. Wait on God, be still in His presence and hear what He has to say. Watch what is happening in the world you are in and understand the times. Keep your focus on Jesus and be ready for when He returns.

In the evening, Carol continued this theme. We need to focus all our attention on God and the heveanly rewards and hear what He’s saying. We need to persevere through the trials, like Paul did (2 Cor 4:16-18). We need to continue making time for God. As we do this, we will be aware of what’s happening around us. We will see the good things that God is doing, rather than the bad. He will cause us to keep our eyes on the goal, even if it looks discouraging.
As Tony mentioned this morning 2 Thes 1:3-4 encourages us to grow our faith, love one another and remain steadfast, continuing through the trials.

So, run the race, fix your eyes on Jesus and He won’t let you down. Ask, listen and do and we’ll see wonderful things happen.

Missions: It’s a priority. It’s about the Kingdom of God. It’s the only purpose of life that is for this life only. It’s the main standard of judgment. Justice. Standing up for Justice. Ordinary people. Extraordinary God. Ordinary people doing Extraordinary things for God.

What a great day! John gave us an excellent message on the priority of missions and expanded the mission theme. Mission is the only purpose of life that is for this life only. It is the main standard of judgment - Jesus will ask “Did you do the things that I asked you to do”. We are told to go and make disciples of all nations (people groups). So often though, we make excuses. I don’t know enough, I’m frightened of being rejected, what if I make a mistake, I don’t want to.
In Judges 6, we read about Gideon. Gideon is frightened, making things hard for himself and not letting God help him. Gideon is in the wrong family - his parents have built altars to foreign gods. Gideon makes excuses when God asks him to do something. But God says “Go in the strength you have”. God is the one doing the fighting for you, so you just have to trust Him.
Even after Gideon heard from God, he was afraid. It seemed like it was a tough call from God. Gideon ended up doing what God said, but he did it at night. When the destroyed altar was discovered in the morning, the townspeople had to find out who did it. Gideon wasn’t even game enough to own up.
God took all of Gideon’s resources, he felt unable, had no ability. It was a great time for God to use him. God uses us just as we are. If God tells you to do something, just do it. Don’t wait for things to be different. See the enemy defeated by the power of Jesus.
God will do great things through the people who are submitted to Him (1 Thes 5:24, 2 Thes 3:3). Get a God sized vision!
Show yourself to be faithful with the small things - this will be a preparation for the great things (Mat 25:21, 1 Cor 4:2).
Be found faithful to the call of Jesus.

In the evening, John continued the missions theme and spoke from Acts 8:27-35 on Justice. We are to be bringing justice to the people because justice is found in God. The Kingdom of God is harmony with God, yourself, others and nature.
What is justice? In our society, justice is now governed by the majority through our laws. But true justice comes from God’s standards - we can’t take it for ourselves like Adam and Eve did. Solomon asked God for the knowledge of good and evil and In 1 Kings 3:11, 28, Solomon was given the ability to administer justice.
As Christians, we are supposed to be bringing justice. Our God is a God of Justice. Jesus came to bring us justice and deal with all our unrighteousness. Yet in Acts 8:33, we read that “In his humiliation he was deprived of justice”. Justice was taken away from Jesus. Jesus took all the injustice on Himself so we would have an answer to injustice.
Justice comes through the church as they help out with social issues such as schooling and health. This is the true Kingdom of God at work.

Go in the power you have. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
Mission: People of the Kingdom of God, People who stand up for Justice. Micah 6:8.

Have a great week! Reflect on this message and the challenges that it brings. Keep reading your SOAP readings! Keep praying for your REAP targets!