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Will you be my Valentine?

12/2/2018

The 14th February is traditionally known as Saint Valentine’s Day. Right across the world there will be expressions of love, given in many different ways. Who Saint Valentine actually was is debated in many circles, but how did his name become associated with ‘love’? One is that in the 3rd century AD it is said that Valentine, who was a priest, defied the order of the emperor Claudius and secretly married couples so that the husbands wouldn't have to go to war. The legend claims that soldiers were sparse at this time so this was a big inconvenience to the emperor.
   This year Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent, falls on 14th February. Lent is the season which is designed to help us prepare for the events of Holy Week and Easter, where Christians all over the World remember and celebrate how God showed his Love for us.
   As couples exchange gifts and cards on Valentine’s Day with messages of love, let us stop and ponder the gift that has been given to all of us. The gift of Love in the form of the Lord Jesus.
   During Lent we remember how Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness. We also reflect on how that even though Jesus is fully God, He became fully man and experienced temptation as we do. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, we read the accounts of Jesus in the wilderness and how he was tempted by the devil. One of the things which strike me in Matthew and Luke’s account is how the devil used what he saw as a weak point for Jesus at that time. As Jesus had fasted for so long, He must have been really hungry, and the devil used this hunger to try and trip Him.
   I am sure like me, in your own life, the devil often uses the same tactics and does pry on our weakest points. The joys of being a Christian is that even when we are weak, God can make us strong. However, for us to receive this strength we need to fully rely on God. We need to place our full faith and trust in the Lord Jesus and he will give us all that we need to overcome the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil.
Ask the Saviour to help you,
comfort, strengthen and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through!
CH#641

epiphany

8/1/2018

The joys and celebrations of Christmas by now seem like a distant memory. In Church we have moved from the season of Christmas to the season of Epiphany. The 12th day of Christmas brings us to the 6th January, which marks the Feast of Epiphany (or more commonly known as Old Christmas Day). On this day we are encouraged to think about the Wise Men/ Magi and how they followed a star, which lead them to the infant child, the Lord Jesus, in Bethlehem. While we can’t be sure exactly how many there were, how far they travelled, or for how long their journey took, we can be sure of what their intentions were. “We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2).
   Matthew continues on to tell us what exactly happened when their search came to an end. “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11). From this verse we learn three very significant things that we should apply to our own lives.
   Firstly, “On coming to the house, they saw” – It is good for us to gather together in God’s House. I know that scripture tells us that God does not dwell in houses made by man (Acts 7:48) but desires to dwell in our lives. However, the Wise Men came together for a common purpose. That’s what we do when we come to Church, we gather together for a common purpose (Acts 2:44, Hebrews 10:25).
   Secondly – “They bowed down and worshipped him” – The first thing the Wise Men did was to worship Jesus. As followers of Jesus, our purpose in life should be to worship Him (Romans 12:1). All that we do, think, and say, should bring Glory to God and point others to Him. Worship isn’t only for Sunday’s and curtailed to what happens in a church building. We worship God 24/7.
   Thirdly – “They presented him with gifts” – The gifts which the Wise Men presented to Jesus represented various aspect of His life and purpose here on earth. As part of our worship we should also present Jesus with a gift - the offering of our lives (James 4:7). The Lord Jesus desires nothing more than for us to give Him first priority in everything that we do.
   This leaves us with a final question - Are you, and I, following the example of the Wise Men in ‘Coming to Jesus’, ‘Worshipping Jesus’, and ‘Giving our lives to Jesus’?

Love came down at christmas

28/11/2017

One of my most favourite services in the Church’s year is the 11:30pm Service of Holy Communion on Christmas Eve. I enjoy the dramatic feeling of entering Church in total darkness, and how that during the reading of the Christmas Gospel, the lights are switched on and the Church illuminates with the brightness of the lights. At this point in the service the figure of the Baby Jesus is placed in our Nativity Scene and centre candle on the Advent Wreath is lit with the other four being extinguished. For me, this does two things:
   Firstly - there is a real sense of joy that Christmas is now upon us. The celebrations begin and all has been made ready. There is no more rushing about, no more preparing, no more shopping, no more panic and mayhem that this time of the year can bring.
   Secondly - Advent is over, the season of darkness has passed and we are now in the Season of Light. This reminds us that the darkness of sin no longer has dominion over us. The Baby of Bethlehem - the Christ Child, entered the world for one purpose, to die for our sins.
   In one Church building I have seen the nativity scene placed below the Christmas Tree, thus reminding us that Jesus is the greatest gift that has been given to us. In another I saw the nativity scene placed in front of a Cross, encouraging us to consider the purpose for which Jesus came - to die for the sins of the world. The Gospel of Matthew points us to this. “She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins”.
   As you celebrate Christmas, and get involved in all the festivities that it brings, do you consider what this one day is all about? Is it really just about the Turkey, the Presents, the Cards, the Decorations, the long queue in Asda, etc? For me, No, it is about far more than that. It is a day set aside to allow me to celebrate with my family and friends the wonderful miracle of knowing that my sins are forgiven, and that when Jesus comes again, I can be sure that I will be with Him in Heaven.
   Christmas is all about Love. The Love of God towards us, the Love of God in us, and the Love of God working through us, as we reach out to a broken world. As the hymn states:
Love came down at Christmas,
love all lovely, Love divine;
Love was born at Christmas;
star and angels gave the sign.
May I take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very happy and Christ-filled Christmas.

The Reformation

31/10/2017

This year marks the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. The Reformation was brought about by the actions and convictions of a German Monk and Theologian – Martin Luther. Luther came to reject several teachings and practices of the church of the day, namely relating to Salvation. In his role as a Theologian Professor, Luther drew up a document of 95 Thesis which were intended to bring about academic debate. Tradition has it that Luther not only sent a copy of his Thesis to his Bishop but one historical account also states that he nailed a copy of the thesis to the doors of All Saints’ Church, Wittenberg. Within two weeks Luther’s writings had spread across Germany and within two months had spread throughout Europe. Thus starting a Reformation that would change the shape of Christianity and the Church forever.
   What does Luther’s work mean for us and why should we be remembering it 500 years later? The Church of Ireland is a church, which has formed its doctrine on the basis of the Reformation, while holding onto our catholic heritage. We are a catholic Church in that we:
-   Belong to a world wide Church
-   Recognise the Biblical teaching for the ordering of the Church in Bishop’s, Priests/ Presbyters, and Deacons.
-   We practise sacramental rites of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion as recorded in the Gospels and commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ.
-   We hold fast to the three historic creeds (Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, Athanasius’ Creed)
We are a Reformed Church in that we:
-   Believe that Salvation comes direct from God
-   Scripture alone contains all things necessary for Salvation
-   Believe in Faith alone, by Grace alone, in Christ alone.
-   We are not saved by any works of our own, but by forgiveness that comes, not through any member of the Church, but direct from God.
-   That the head of the Church is the Lord Jesus Christ
In the book of Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8+9 we read “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
   In remembering this 500th Anniversary we are giving thanks to God for the Reformation and reminding ourselves what it was all about. Also we should ask ourselves the question - “What do I place my faith in and what am I relying on to take me to Heaven?” For me the hymn writers Stuart Townend and Keith Getty put it right “In Christ Alone, my hope is found…”

Spirit of Generosity

5/10/2017

From September to the middle of December we are following a series of sermons on Sunday Mornings on the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). In this, the Apostle Paul uses descriptive language, and encourages every follower of Jesus to show signs of all the fruit in their lives, and not just some of them. One fruit which is particularly apt for this month is the Fruit of Generosity. What does it mean to be, and how can we be, Generous in our showing of the Fruit of Generosity?
   Firstly, I think we need to gain an appreciation of how God is generous towards us in our daily lives. In Churches across this land the month of October is traditionally Harvest Thanksgiving Month. On the 15th October we will celebrate our Harvest Thanksgiving Services when we once again will give thanks to God for all the many blessings and generosity He has shown to us in our daily provisions. We are reminded from one of the Harvest Hymns “All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above; then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord, for all his love” (#47 Church Hymnal).
   Secondly, we need to try and grasp an understanding of the Generosity of God’s Love towards us. Not only does God provide for our daily material needs, He also provides for our spiritual needs. Probably the most famous verse in the whole of the Scriptures is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. How much more generous can one get than giving His only Son for you and for me? God wants to bestow on us the greatest blessing of all – the gift of eternal life. He has made this possible by generously offering us forgiveness of our sins and opening up the gates of Heaven by allowing Jesus to die on the cross for us. What Generous Love!
   When someone is generous towards us and gives us a gift we usually make some sort of a positive response. To show a Spiritual Fruit of Generosity in our lives we need to ask ourselves – “How do I respond to God’s Generosity?”
   It is possible to do this in several ways. Firstly and most importantly is to say “Thank You” to God and allow Him to be Lord of our lives. That is a response that God requires – that we would accept the Lord Jesus into our lives and seek forgiveness for our sin.
Secondly, we should offer God our time and talents. When I receive the Free Will Offerings at the front of the Church I often pray these words “Accept Lord these our gifts which we present with thankful hearts, but teach us to bring to you that which you most desire – the offering of our lives in your service”.
Thirdly, as God has been generous towards us, so we should be generous towards others. As God has blessed us, we should also extend blessing by supporting the work which He does through others.
“All things come for you, and of your own we give you” 1st Chronicles 29:14.

My Story, your story

25/8/2017

Do you ever people watch? Have you ever found yourself sitting in a café, or in an airport, or bus station, etc. watching people going about their daily lives and routines? I do and I find myself gently praying for the people I see. If someone looks sad I pray that something will brighten his or her day. If they look happy, I thank God for the lighter moments in their lives. If they look like the weight of the world is on their shoulders, I pray that they will be able to cast their cares and worries on the Lord.
Everyone has a story – a life story! I have a story and you have a story. We are all books of life that are continuing to be written. Everyone’s story is unique and every story is different. In Psalm 139 verse 14 we are reminded of this uniqueness when the Psalmist writes “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Every single one of us is made by God and all our stories are different. I do find myself thinking about my story and what people might think when they ‘people watch’ me? What sort of story is my life telling? Confession time from the Rector – I know that my life is messy, I often get things wrong, and I often fall short of the standards which God has laid out for me (Romans 3:23). However, I also know that God is merciful and compassionate and forgives me when I do wrong (1st John 1:9). This is what is called Grace – Amazing Grace.
The verse that was on the back of our Peru 2017 shirts was Ephesians 1:18 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people…”. When other people look at us, even if only for a few seconds in a public place, will they see something which enlightens the eyes of their hearts to the Glory of God? In other words, do they see God in you and in me?
One final thought on ‘our story’. When life on this earth comes to an end for you and for me, it is not the end of our story. It is just the end of that particular chapter. The Bible promises us that even though our time on earth comes to an end there is a place far greater than earth where we can live forever. That place is Heaven, and there is a place in it for each of us. Jesus has made the way possible for each of us to get there, by asking Him to be Lord of your life and give Him full control of the pen which writes your story.

WEdnesday 26th july 2017

26/7/2017

Then there were 7. Last night Bishop Fanta and Mikey left Lima to begin their journey to Paraguay. So we are back to our original team. This is our last day in Lima and that makes me feel kinda sad. We have had a great time and made loads more memories. God has been moving and working in not only other people's lives but also in ours. Everyone of us are coming home changed.
   So what did we do yesterday? Yesterday morning was the first morning of this trip that Anderson arrived for us early. We went to the Juvenile Detention Centre and firstly met with the Captain who is in charge of the Jail. She was lovely and explained to us her vision for the place. She has only been in post for about 3 months but wants to pull the staff together and create a more family atmosphere amongst them. Then we went to one of the classrooms and I had a chance to tell both staff and inmates about Jesus and present them with the Gospel. On our way out they took us to one of the cells - words can't describe what we saw.
   We made one final trip to Cristo Redentor Church to help the Nursery School celebrate their term closing events. They are now on a 2 week break for their mid winter holidays. This is the equivalent to our Christmas Holidays. After Lunch we visited the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd and prayed for the whole congregation and staff team who meet and worship there. Then Bishop Ken prayed specifically for Anderson. This was a very moving moment. Anderson told me after that Fanta is the only Bishop who has ever prayed for him like that and he can sense the true love of the Lord radiating from us all.
   Last night we had a treat. We took Anderson and his family out for a meal. It was buffet style, so gives a chance to try new foods. An interesting experience.
   Today the plans are fairly light. This morning we are packing up and getting ready to move on. After Lunch Anderson will pick us up and take us on one final tour of Miraflores and give us a few minutes in the Inka Markets. Then this evening, about 10pm we will be taken to the airport.
   Please continue to pray for us, for all the God has shown us that we have shared over the past 10 days, for those we have met and for the Churches we are linked with. Also please pray specifically for our journey this evening and for us as we get our heads around all that we have seen and been involved with.
   Muchas Gracias. Dios te Bendiga. (Thank you very much. God Bless you).

Tuesday 25/7/17

25/7/2017

It is hard to believe that our adventure is nearly over. This is our second last day and this has been an amazing experience. Yesterday morning after breakfast and devotions, Anderson took us back to San Pedro and showed Bishop Fanta the work that we had done on San Pedro Church. We then went to visit Jorge and his family in their home. Jorge had helped us paint the church. We received such a warm welcome. Their children had made little gifts for us, and they had some photographs from Sunday's service printed out and hanging on their wall.
   Sully, who we told you about last week, only lives next door to Jorge, so she came out and invited us back into her house. We had another good chat with her and she told us that her partner's attitude had changed for the better since we prayed with her about him. He asked her if he could read her bible, and when he saw our photograph he asked who we were and what we had been saying. She was able to tell him the good news about Jesus. So let's pray that he responds to the Gospel.
   In the afternoon we went back to Holy Trinity School to have lunch with Norma and Julio and to hear a little bit more about the Church and the School. The kids had all gathered outside and welcomed us, they also had a banner for Bishop Fanta. He is like a celebrity here.
   Last night the team had an evening off. Bishop Fanta and myself went to the Church of St. John the Evangelist and to lead a meeting for Pastor's and their wives. The Bishop spoke on the importance of watching yourself and your doctrine and I spoke on the importance of staying close to God and continuing to be a disciple as well as being a leader in the church.
   This morning we are going back to the Juvenile Detention Centre where I am speaking on Romans 8:11-28. Then we have been invited the Cristo Redentor to celebrate the closing of the school term with the Nursery School for their holiday's. After this we are going to the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd to partake in a prayer walk.
   Again we want to thank you for your continued prayers and messages of support. They mean so much to us and we ask that you continue to uplift us before the Lord and pray for all the points we have mentioned previously.

Monday 24th july 2017

24/7/2017

What a day yesterday was. It was an early start for the whole team as we had been told that the bus would pick us up about 8-8:30am. It didn't arrive until 9:30am. Church was to start at 9:30ish but it didn't start until well after 10. Anderson told me that he decided to hold the service back a little due to celebrations in district for the Peru Independence Day. Anyhow once the service got underway it was amazing. The little Church of Cristo Redentor was packed and people had to stand outside on the steps and watch in. I preached on Romans 8:11-28 and I sensed such a real presence of the Holy Spirit. There was so much liberty. Anderson translated for me and there was such a sense of God's presence and a connection between us that at one stage he was finishing my sentences for me. At the end of the sermon I gave an opportunity for people to commit their lives to Jesus. I lead them in a prayer of committee not and asked that if anyone had said this prayer for the first time and really meant it then to please stand up. When I looked around the church there was about 12 locals standing. It was such an emotional moment. I pray, that this is the beginning of something truly remarkable here in Peru.
   The service was extra special for Mum and I. Carlitos was Baptised and made his own declaration of Faith. I had the joy of presenting him to Anderson for Baptism, with mum and myself promising to pray for him for the rest of our lives.
   After Church we went to Anderson and Isabel's house for lunch. Isabel had provided us with a huge feast, and it was delicious. Anderson and I went for a short walk and then sat in his garden having a personal chat. Isabel came out at one stage with some pudding for me and I told her she was a real Martha from the story of Mary and Martha. I also said to her that as I sat in her house, I felt like I was sitting at home. She told me - Marcos, mi casa, es tu casa! My house is your house. She went on to say that I should feel like that because I am at home, I am in my brother's house. This really touched me. So, their children are now my Peru Nephew and Niece.
   Yesterday evening we went to a different church - The Church of Jesus the Nazarene. The Pastor of this Church is Rev. Juan Carlos. Juan Carlos is also the co-ordinator for Alpha in Peru. Bishop Fanta preached at the service and I was asked to give a short account of our work in Lima.
   Today we are going back to San Pedro to visit a few more people, then we are going to Holy Trinity School. This evening I have been asked to lead a meeting along with Bishop Fanta for the Clergy of Diocese - so that should be interesting.
In your prayers for us today please pray for:

Safety in our travelling
Health of the whole team (a couple are feeling sniffles of colds and tiredness)
Carlitos after his baptism and for his parents who support him
Those who came to faith yesterday in Cristo Redentor
For the Clergy meeting this evening and Bishop Fanta and I as we lead it
That I will continue to learn some Spanish and be able to communicate the gospel with people in their homes.
For everything else that we have asked in the past few days

Sunday 23rd july 2017

23/7/2017

It is 7am and all is well. Yesterday was a lovely day in many ways. The weather was beautiful, sunny and warm. As I said yesterday, we had a tourist day. After our morning devotions we went into the centre of Lima. At the 'Casa de el Presidente' we saw the changing of the guard and heard the Navy Band. It was lovely to see and something different for us. At home we would have to go to London to see the like. After this we walked around a bit of the city and went into the Inka Markets. Then yesterday evening we visited the Water Park. This is a large park with lots of water fountains, and at 7:15pm they play music and the water dances to the music. It was really good to see. On our way back to the convent we had a lovely meal in Larcomar.    Today it is back to work. I am preaching this morning in Cristo Redentor Church. On the 4th Sunday of the Month the two Churches come together for one service. This morning is also a Service of Baptism. You will remember me mentioning earlier in the week about Carlitos, well today he is being baptised and he has asked me to be his Godfather and my Mum his Godmother. Both the last time we visited here, and this time, Carlitos has been like my shadow. So this is extra special today.
   Bishop Ken is preaching this morning in a church we visited at the start of our trip with Pastor Rueben. The Church he is in is called Jesus the Saviour (Jesus Salvador). Then this evening we are both taking part in an evening service in a Church called Christ the Saviour.
   Please keep praying for us and thank you for your messages of support