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.