Category: Sermon highlights

During our service today we sang the worship song “May the Lord bless and keep you and cause his face to shine upon you and give you peace.” The lyrics are based on the bible scripture Numbers 6 v 24 to 26.This is a beautiful blessing. It feels warm and encouraging. Just what we need in these times. As we were singing this song one line jumped out at me. “He is for you, he is for you”. As I sang these four words “He is for you” I felt God remind me of the scripture Romans 8 v 31 – If God is for us who can be against us? God does speak to us. In John 10 v 27 it says my sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they follow me. God said to me “Many people think I am angry and against them for the things they have done and they feel it is a barrier between them and me”. God bought to my mind the story of the Prodigal son which is in Luke 15 v 11 to 32.There was a man who had two sons. The youngest son came to him and asked to be given his inheritance. The Father divided up their share of property between them. Shortly after the youngest son left his Father and went out into the world to make his own way. He took all the assets his Father had given him and wasted them on reckless living. There was a famine in the land and the son became hungry and became a servant to earn a living. His job was to feed his master’s pigs and he was so hungry he longed to eat the pods he was feeding them. The young man came to his senses and thought I will go back to my father and say I am no longer worthy to be called your son. I will become your servant and at least have bread to eat. His father was watching for him and saw him coming along way off. He felt compassion on him and ran out to greet him kissing and embracing him. I have noticed that the Father runs out to greet him. He is not angry because the younger son turned his back on him and left his house. Even when the son admits that he is not worthy to be called his son any longer the Father does not scowl at him nor berate him for his reckless living or for squandering his inheritance. He puts a robe on him. He says my son was lost but now he is found. He calls for a celebration and for the best calf to be killed for the feast. So our Father God is watching out for us to walk up the road to him. If we come to him and say sorry for what we have done, he blesses us. He is gracious to us. His face is happy and shining upon us. He accepts us into his family even though we do not deserve it. I can personally testify that for a long season I went away from God and lived my own way. Getting into a few scrapes plus living recklessly. I was like the son in this story but when the pandemic came I came to my senses and made the decision I will go back to Father God because I cannot cope on my own any longer. I am so grateful he welcomed me back with open arms and was happy to call me his daughter. He felt joy because I was no longer lost to him. Don’t let your faults and failures keep you from coming to God. He is looking out for you to come to him with outstretched arms.

We have had some bright, light, sunny days this week.  The evenings are drawing out.  I know which I prefer the brighter, lighter days and evenings.  I hear many people say “These brighter days are making me feel much happier”.  I certainly agree with them as they have uplifted my spirit also.

For me the theme of Light has come my way from three directions this week.  

In my personal bible study I have been listening to a reading of Genesis via an audio bible. In the story of creation in Genesis chapter one God commanded “Let there be light” and light appeared.  God was pleased with what he saw.  I have enjoyed listening by audio.  I can relax and let the words sink in.  I can even chill out lying upon my bed with a nice cup of coffee in my hand and enjoy God’s word!

I prepared a church service for some clients in a care home.  The theme I selected after praying for help was Jesus is the light of the world.  This is how Jesus described himself in John 8 v 12.  “I am the light of the world.”

To help me chat about this in the service I googled what light represented in the Bible.  The answer was light has always been a symbol of holiness, goodness, knowledge, wisdom, grace, hope and God’s revelation.  I have found these qualities in Jesus.

He was holy without sin and became the sacrificial lamb upon the cross for my sins.  I have accepted Jesus as saviour in my heart by saying a simple prayer acknowledging that I have sinned and that he died for me.  He did it so I may be forgiven my sins and adopted as a child of his Father, God.  I now shall not perish when I die but have eternal life.  John 3 v 16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus has knowledge and wisdom.  He once met a Samaritan lady at a well and she was amazed that he knew how many husbands she had been married to.  She went back into the town and said “Come and see the man who told me everything I had ever done.”  

Jesus knows more about me than I know about myself.  He knows how many hairs are on my head which is a fact I have no idea about myself. Luke 12 v 7.  Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid you are worth more than many sparrows.

There have been times when I haven’t understood myself.  Do you know the feeling? I have acted in a stupid way and then thought after “Why have I done that. I wish I hadn’t”  That is when I find comfort in knowing Jesus knows all about the emotional baggage I carry from my past and can understand my actions even though he may not condone them.  I can pray to him knowing he fully understands my thoughts plus ways.  No one else understands me as well as this.  I am so glad I have him to turn to for comfort and support. 

In Jesus I have hope.  Hope that my life will not be a long disappointment of frustration and failure.  Hope that with his help I can overcome the challenges in my life.  Philippians 4 v 18 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  I have called upon Jesus’ strength many times – strength to endure lockdown plus separation from families and friends.  Strength to eat healthily so that my health would improve by losing weight.  Strength to forgive people when they hurt me.  Strength to be brave enough to start a new job.  The list is endless of how I have been helped by Jesus.

Sometimes when you are in a jam you hope that your loved ones will come to your aid but quite often you are let down.  I am so grateful I can put my hope in Jesus who will never let me down.  Hebrews 13 v 5.  “Never will I leave you or forsake you”.   When I am lonely or afraid Jesus is always with me.  His name is Immanuel.  “God is with us”.

Jesus revealed to us here on Earth the very nature of his Father.  All we have to do is look at Jesus, listen to what he said and look at how he served the people to see the love and provision of his Father.  In John 14 v 9 Jesus explains that if anyone has seen him, he has seen the Father.

I am reassured that God is a provider by the miracles of Jesus.  When Jesus provided there was always more than enough, like when He fed the crowd of 5000, there were 12 basketfuls left over.

I know when I need provision that Jesus will provide.  Once when I was bringing up my family I needed a new dining room table as my current one was a bit old and wonky.  I went in a charity shop and I saw a table and set of four chairs I liked but couldn’t afford to buy it.  I prayed to God to help me get a table.  Shortly after that a friend up the road called me.  She explained that she had purchased a table but now realised it wasn’t right for her home.  As I walked up the road I began thinking that the table was going to be the one I couldn’t afford in the charity shop and lo and behold it was.  I was so surprised but instead of charging me the sixty pounds she had paid for it, she sold it to me for twenty!! That was a lesson to me just how much God cared about my needs.

In this world so many people seem to have darkness in their hearts.  Selfish, greedy, angry, uncaring, proud etc.  In the bible it says that God shines his light into our hearts.  This scripture was read in our service today 2 Corinthians 4 v 6 – And the God who said “Out of the darkness, the light shall shine!” is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts, to bring us to the knowledge of God’s glory shining in the face of Jesus.

I am so glad that God’s light has shone in my heart.  It lit up the ignorant darkness that believed that life was all about me and what I wanted. God’s light revealed life is for loving Jesus the light of the world and following him.  The light shone upon my heart making it warm and loving to God and those around me. I still have a lot to learn but if I ask for help The Lord will shine his light and guide me on the right path.  Psalm 119 v 105 – Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light on my path.

Geoff began the service by saying that today is Valentine’s Day. A celebration of love. He reflected on God’s love for us.

John 3 v 16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God’s love meant that he was willing to give his one and only son so we can have everlasting life.

God loved us first before we loved him

God’s love meant that he sent his son to save us not to condemn us.

God’s love will not die or change no matter what.

When Geoff was a school boy he sang this song. 
“Jesus love is very wonderful. Jesus love is very wonderful. Jesus love is very wonderful. Oh wonderful love.  So high, you can’t get over it, so low you can’t get under it, so wide you can’t get around it, oh wonderful love”.

God loves us more than we can comprehend.

Psalm 27 v 4 was shared.

One thing I ask of the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and seek him in his temple.

The Lord is beautiful and when he reveals his beauty to us, we are lifted up.

God created us to look at beauty. 

Take your mind off the ugly negativity of the world and look up to the Lord’s beauty.  

Focus on good things.

Prayers were said saying that God deserved our praise and to be honoured by us for what he has done for us.

For his truth to be a reality in our lives by willingly making the Lord a guest in our hearts and lives.

The Lord was thanked because we can confidentially rest in assurance that we belong to him and he belongs to us.

We thanked God for the freedom we have to gather to worship him without the fear that we are breaking the law.

A member of the church shared that he had read in the book of Revelation that we must be careful not to be deceived and Geoff said that to prevent this it was important to know the word of God.

The Sermon

In Ecclesiastes 3 it says there is a season for everything.  God works in seasons. In the natural world and in God there are seasons for a reason.  

What is the current season?

In the natural it is a season of despair, frustration and depression.  It would be nice to get rid of this virus but God is with us in this season.

During this present season God wants us to press deeper into him to be ready for the next season.

At the moment there are bare trees and dismal gardens.  Underground dormant seeds are coming alive.  The daffodils are appearing.

Ephesians 3 v 14 to 20 was shared.

Verses 16 to 19
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, may have the power, together with all the Lord’s holy people to grasp, how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know his love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure with all the fullness of God.

God has a plan for each one of us.  God is the creator of everything.  God’s plan is greater and better than we can comprehend in our minds.  God has unlimited resources.  God’s warehouse will never run empty.  We cannot outdo what God has for us.  The Holy Spirit is the most important partner for us to receive what God has for us.  

This is a season for building up.  So God’s ways and love will be rooted into our lives to blossom for others to be blessed.

Deep roots are sustaining the plants during this winter time.  Being deeply rooted in God will sustain us.

The more we meditate on God’s word, praise plus worship him the more authority and power God will give us.

When God wants us to step out and do things for him our roots will be firmly established in him.

Have you got a dream of what you would like God to do?  To accomplish these dreams you have to have a deeper understanding of God.

Colossians 2 v 6 to 7

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving.  Be deep rooted in God so when the time comes you will overflow to those around you.  

We are moving into a new season but there is a reason for this season.  Use this season wisely to prepare for the next.

Keep praying for all those on the church prayer list.

Geoff read Psalm 37 v 4 – Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

He also read Ephesians 2 v 4 – 5.  But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.

Geoff prayed praising God saying that He is high above all things, problems, situations and worries.

“We exalt you because you alone are high above the earth”.

Geoff chatted about God is longing to have communion with us, that we can all see each other’s faces on Zoom but God looks into our hearts. God is looking at us all the time.  He sees us when we are not on Zoom. He loves us and wants the best for us.

On the first Sunday of the month Frome Christian Fellowship partakes of Holy Communion during the service.

Geoff asked us to examine ourselves. To come before his table in the right manner and attitude. To be calm and be in line with God.  He urged us to give God our disappointments. Confess our sins to allow God to cleanse us from unrighteousness. 

We were reminded to remember what God had done for us. To be grateful and thank God for what he has done.

A member read a verse from a hymn called “Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face” by Horatius Bonar.

“Mine is the sin, but Thine the righteousness; 
Mine is the guilt, but Thine the cleansing blood.
Here is my robe, my refuge and my peace.  
Thy blood, Thy righteousness, O Lord my God.”

Geoff’s sermon was about the Holy Spirit.   The Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity.  It feels like he has a small part but He is equal with the Son and the Father. In the first two verses of Genesis it tells us that when the earth was formless and empty.  There was darkness over the surface of the deep but the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  The Holy Spirit has always been involved in the Earth and still is.  We often think that the Holy Spirit is a ghost but He is a person in his own right.

In the bible it tells us that the Holy Spirit teaches us, helps our memory, brings to recognition scriptures, and guides us into all truth.  The Holy Spirit is an essential part of who we are as Christians.

We must respect the Holy Spirit.  All sins can be forgiven except blaspheming Him.

We receive power from the Holy Spirit.  At the start of Jesus three year ministry the Holy Spirit came upon him as a dove. In the book of Acts the Holy Spirit came down upon the early church believers.

The Holy Spirit gives us all the gifts we need to live for Christ and to do his work. There are four things which are good not to do.

Do not blaspheme the Holy Spirit.  Blaspheme means to insult the Holy Spirit and take his name in vain.  In Mark 3 v 29 it tells us that this will never be forgiven and it is an eternal sin.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.  Grieving means to bring hurt, sorrow or sadness. 

We don’t realise we can do this by what we think, say or do. The Holy Spirit is as gentle as a dove and can be easily frightened away because of our actions.

Do not resist the Holy Spirit.  We resist him by going against what he is doing. This may be through ignorance or by being awkward because we do not like what he is doing. Acts 7 v 51 “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears.  You are just like your fathers; you always resist the Holy Spirit”.

Do not quench the Holy Spirit.  To quench means to dampen and to extinguish.  The Holy Spirit comes to help and encourage us.  Allow Him to have the reign in our lives.  We need to understand what God is saying to us in this day and age.  Allow him to have full range in your life.  Be encouraged if God is for us who can be against us – Romans 8 v 31.

The service was vibrant in the fact that many of the congregation had inspiring scriptures to share to encourage us all.

Geoff began by asking us to give thanks to the Lord for He is worthy of praise, from our heart for what He has done and what He is going to do for us.

Psalm 7 v 17 I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the most high.

A member of the church read Psalm 27. In Verse 4 it is written One thing I ask of the Lord this is what I seek, that I will dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and seek Him in the temple. Verse 8 My heart says of you, “Seek His face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.

Members shared that they have a desire to seek His face through worship. That Satan tempted Jesus to worship him. Worship is the sound of heaven. “Looking into the face of God is looking at His goodness”. If we start to look at the faces of the world then our spirits will become discouraged.

Geoff shared in the scriptures it says “Ascribe greatness to our God” which is found in Deuteronomy 32 v 2 to 4. He asked us if we are making God bigger than our problems.

Geoff’s sermon was on the subject of ‘What have we learnt in the past year of lockdown?’ He had found he is not as in control as he thought he was. Things that we thought were set in stone and had taken for granted, for instance our liberty, had been taken from us albeit for good reasons. He has learnt God hasn’t changed. God knew what was going to happen. We can trust God because He knows what He is doing. Our trust has to be more in God than ourselves. “Let go and let God”.

We have learnt we can’t do it ourselves. God says “Trust me”. It can be hard to trust God. In the message Bible Matthew 16 v 24 to 26 it says “God is in the driving seat”. Who is driving our car? Are we a back seat driver? We try to influence God in what He is doing. We don’t allow God to do what He plans for us. Jeremiah 29 v 11 “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future”.

Proverbs 3 v 5 to 6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

The passage of scripture entitled Do not worry, was read. Matthew 6 v 25 to 34. Anxiety equals taking away control from God and putting it on ourselves. Anxiety leads to stress. Stress leads to depression. Overcome stress by giving it to God. God has got a way for us.

In 1 Peter 5 v 1 to 9 it explains to us that we should cast our anxieties upon Him because He cares for us. To have a sober mind. Watch what we are thinking as Satan is trying to put negativity into our thoughts.

It’s time to trust God, not what we think. James 5 v 15 Instead, you ought to say “If it is the Lords will, we will live and do this or that”. Involve God in all you say and do. Recognise that we can’t do it but God can.

How often do we tell God that we love Him? How often do we tell God He is in control and we are not? Give thanks for everything that is good and it will lift our spirits.

Geoff began our church service on zoom with a prayer thanking God for his presence with us. That his eye was upon us. That he was listening to our prayers. The prayer was based on the truth of God’s word in 1 Peter 3 v 12. We lifted up all who need healing within the fellowship, our loved ones’ plus all the requests that we have received. We are committed to pray for them until we see a breakthrough. We asked in faith that God will send supernatural healing. That we will see healing miracles.

It was a pleasure to hear Ken’s encouraging sermon on the subject of “Stepping out in faith”.The account of Jesus walking on the water and of Peter stepping out of the water to join him was read. Matthew 14 v 22 to 32. We identified with Ken as he talked about stepping out of our comfort zone is, difficult and scary. God is calling us to step out and trust in him. As Peter stepped out he was trusting in and had faith in Jesus. Then Peter saw problems. In his case, it was the wind. He was afraid and began to sink. Jesus immediately caught his hand and made him stable. Ken advised that things are likely to get hard when we step out but when they do, not to lose faith. “When God asks us to move, we must trust God to provide for us. He will answer our prayers in unimaginable ways. Just get out of the boat and face your fears. Focus on God’s word to still your mind”Ken shared that the message he was giving had been his own personal experience when answering God’s call to share a word with the church. Ken presented a slide show about how church was before lockdown. What it is like during lockdown. It was interesting to see that the church has grown and progressed in ways that we would never have imagined. The last part was how the church may take advantages of opportunities in the future.

Our service on Zoom today was thought provoking in a positive way especially the sermon preached by Geoff our pastor.

In the notices we were reminded that we are gathering together on Zoom, this Friday 22^nd January at 7 p.m. in answer to the call for one million to pray for our nation on this day.  

Our Pastors comment that “God hasn’t stopped working because we are in lockdown” was confirmed by a member of the church who shared the encouraging news that the Church of England’s congregation has gone up by half a million during lockdown.

A lady at the service shared her thoughts that God had ordained that we live in these days and that we should count on him to be present with us in them.

Our church has been asked to pray for several sick people and we were all in agreement with Geoff’s comments that “it is a privilege to pray for them”.  He encouraged us to be vigilant in our prayers for them as the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well – James 15 v 5.

A couple of weeks ago Geoff asked us all to consider what it means to “seek the Lord’s face.”

A member of the congregation read Psalm 27 v 4 – One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and seek him in his temple.

Another scripture shared was Deuteronomy 4 v 29 – But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.

There was a discussion about it is our responsibility to seek him.  Not to put him in box expecting him to do things the way we see him doing them but to come to him with an open mind plus open view with what he is going to do.

Sermon

Ephesians 6 v 1 – 17.  This passage is about the Armour of God and verse 17 states God’s word is a sword.  

During the sermon we reflected upon how powerful God word is.  That it is a mighty divine weapon. We can use to demolish strongholds as revealed in 2 Corinthians 4 v 4 – 5. 

Hebrews 4 v 12 – For the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing the marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Geoff encouraged us to SPEAK OUT WHAT GOD HAS FOR US, SPEAK OUT WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT US, SPEAK OUT HIS WORDS OVER OUR CHALLENGES, FAMILLIES, AND OUR NATION.

God’s word prayed is more powerful than just our own words thought or  prayed.

A verse in the sermon Jeremiah 33 v 3 – Call on me and I will answer you and I will tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Believe God is going to do something mighty and great.

When his words go out it will achieve what it was sent to do.