Acts 9: How to live a life that counts Notes from Andy at New Wine North last night: By the end of the chapter, after mission and suffering, Paul has hit a wave. He did the 3 things that he needed to do to get there… 1. He went to the church. Paul was rooted in the local church. We need to never diss the Lords bride. Be devoted to it through thick & thin. Get committed to it. 2. He went to the lost. Verse 20. 3. He proclaimed Jesus. He is the only one who can change a broken life forever. V 21. Paul got busy about doing some remarkable things! There should be some astonishing things happening. We should be growing more & more powerful. We reflect his glory! There should be growth – glory to glory! The devil stirs up all his forces against a move of God. Paul ends up having to leave in a basket. tries to join the church, but the church don’t receive him. He must have felt so discouraged. Thank God […]

God loves heretics. The last generations heretics can become this generations heroes. Acts 10 is about a heresy. It’s about boxes & doors. We have been brought up with ideas in boxes, & things outside the box disturb us. Eg box of appearance. How 6long should a skirt be? Is a tattoo ok? There are also doors. Acts 10 is about a vision & a visit. Peter falls in a trance. God says up, kill & eat. But Peter had a box that was ok food & other stuff was outside the box. But God says ‘Don’t call what I say is clean unclean.’ Gods rule is more important than keeping the rules. We all have our boxes. And so do our churches, and our culture. Maybe God is more concerned that we listen to his voice? Jesus broke the sabbath box by healing on it many times. Freedom & healing & compassion matter more. Jesus rule of life? ‘I only do what I see the father doing.’ Wycilf was called a heretic. Wilberforce was called a heretic. Wimber was […]

Value at the core of his church – welcome everyone. Acts 17. God wants us to reach, & he’s not far! Idea:,after worship,,before talk: get people to go to loo or get a drink or say hello to those round them. Rom 8:28ff If you read the Bible a lot you get to hear the voices:,here he voices that God works in all things for our good- That’s love! When Paul proclaims that – then he soars! Tells us God has a destination of salvation for us. That love changes everything. Nothing can separate us from that kind of love. The reason we don’t embrace the unstoppable love of God is 1. We define it wrongly We are used to a more incomplete & immature definition of love. We think it’s ‘You do what I want so I love you.’ you give me that so I love you. Gods love is bigger & more challenging. Not self focused. Gods love is self sacrificing. A higher standard 2. We don’t understand the cost of love. That when we love deeply it’s […]

I have deep concerns in times of economic uncertainty and hardship for many people, (which the recent budget will do little to help alleviate and much to exacerbate) from a pastoral and social point of view.