There are times when the Word of God is difficult to read, let alone discern and interpret. There are also times when our prayers, however faithfully given, are seemingly met by silence. In the past our weeks of prayer have been times when we asked God for answers to earthly questions and the answers were often faintly heard as if shouted from a far shore to a distant ship. The following conversation was heard and discerned by the ones who simply sat and listened to what God was saying.


The message is a universal one and could be given to anyone seeking God’s Will, but it was also specifically given to our church for the times coming soon. It is a conversation about where we have been, where we are, and where we should be. Each word represents one prayer meeting held during our recent Prayer Week in Oct 2022 and is presented here in the order they were given.


           Pastor Ian Upward



A Message for SCC

Abide

Abide– Verb: Accept or act in accordance with a rule.


God wants you to know who He is. He gave us The Law or "Commandments", so we may understand how Holy, Pure, and Righteous He really is. The Commandments were the light shining in a darkened world. God's presence was so bright that it made Moses' face shine. When people saw the light beaming from Moses they were afraid and didn't want to be in it. They chose to move away, they chose darkness.


The only way to understand the light is to abide in the light, that is, to choose to move into 

it and allow it to be the guide for our lives and turn away from fear. Fear is not fully comprehending what the light is and moving away from it. The light, is, of course, Christ Jesus, and our abidance in Him will banish fear and allow us to approach God’s throne boldly and 

without shame. Abidance restores our relationship, and we can once again be restored to 

walk in the cool of the day with God.

Build

Build -Verb: Construct (something) by putting parts or material together


Humans are great builders and for thousands of years, we have drawn up plans and built incredible and beautiful structures that have amazed and astounded generations. But no man, except Jesus, has ever built a church. Only God has the Power and the Glory to build a church. A church is not bricks and mortar, a church is a group of people brought together by God to find healing, direction, and most of all, to give praise to a loving Father God.

Only God can build a church.

Harvest

Harvest – Verb: Gather (a crop) as a harvest


Imagine how many hours and lives have been spent planting and harvesting the food we need to survive. Even now, with complicated machines, the harvest is hard, grueling work.


What do we get from our toil?


If conditions are favorable we may have enough food for all. Often, conditions are far from ideal and the harvest fails.


God is the sower of a seed that never fails. A seed that can feed the world for eternity. God has ensured that the conditions are just right for that seed to flourish and grow. That seed is Jesus and the harvest is love. If we allow the seed that has been sown into all our hearts to grow into a love for Christ then the Lord will gather us together because ultimately, the harvest is His.

Protect

Protect – Verb: Keep safe from harm or injury.


Sensible farmers know exactly when to harvest the crop. A good farmer will take care of the crop whilst it is growing by providing everything it needs to grow and be fruitful. A good farmer produces good fruit.


A church is only as good as the one in charge of it. If we are to be protected and nurtured, then we must surrender ourselves to a higher authority, one who cannot break a promise to protect.


We recognize that human powers to protect have serious limitations and we can often fail to protect those that need it most. 


That is why God is our protector and Jesus the head of the church. Our job is not to fear but trust to in the God that protects us.



Unburdened

Unburdened– Adjective: Not burdened or encumbered


Have you ever felt the pain from your past is slowing you down?


Do you sometimes feel that you are merely a collection of bad memories shuffling along life's pavement?


Wouldn't it be great if someone could come along and carry that baggage for you?


Sometimes a friend or family member can help, or maybe even someone like a trained counselor. That can often give us a break, but what about when they are busy or weighed down with their own baggage? Nobody wants to be a burden on others, especially the ones we love. 


Isaiah was a great prophet and God told him that one day a wonderful counselor would be sent to unburden the heavy laden and bring peace to the troubled. Jesus was that wonderful counselor and through His suffering are we healed and unburdened, not just from the eternal effects of sin but also He can heal us from our past and make us something new. 


In our walk with Jesus, He will carry our load when we need it, He is available 24/7 and 365 through prayer. Trust God to do the heavy lifting.

Release

Release– Verb: Allow or enable to escape from confinement; set free.


So what do you do when the burdens that weighed you down are lifted? 


I mean, you carried them for so long, can you even remember what it's like to be free?


It's so easy to carry on doing the same old things that we used to do. We carried that baggage for so long, we don't know what to do anymore so we go back to what we know. What we have always done.


Wait, don't you know that you are free! 


If you trust and believe in Christ and turn away from sin, you are free! Free from condemnation! The price has been paid for your sins.

 There has been a release and finally, you can move forward and on into a greater relationship with God.


So what are you waiting for? Get going!



Movement

Movement – Noun: An act of moving.


So you made that commitment, that leap of faith. You dared to be different and accepted Jesus as your savior. You've been forgiven and you've been released. You have decided to stick with God's laws and are trying to obey them as best you can. Occasionally you mess up but you ask for forgiveness and you are ready to move.


Fantastic, but where on earth do you go now?


Grimsby?


Thankfully there are other options, although I'm sure Grimsby is a lovely place.


The best place we can go is into greater abidance. Committing ourselves to work with God to continue the work He began in you. By drawing closer to God through abiding in the light of His Word we will be cleaned up, polished, and made to look like Jesus himself in the fullness of time.


God asks us to abide in the light and keep on moving closer and closer and closer.


Will you abide in the light?



 

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