Tag: Bible

GOD’S GREATEST SERMON. Judah Smith. Catalyst #cat2011

GOD’S GREATEST SERMON: Judah Smith at Catalyst 2011 Exodus 33 Consider the glory of God. its implications in your life. 12 Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”  14 The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”  17 And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very […]

Jesus’ Job Interview

Just thinking about this as I prepare to speak Sunday on John 21. The original ‘Footprints in the Sand’ I suppose… Here’s Jesus’ job interview… Simon do you love me? You know I love you. Feed my sheep. Do you love me? I love you deeply. Good – feed my lambs. Do you love me? You know I love you… Feed my sheep. Okay – er… What about him?

Debra Green – Mountains or Fountains

My notes from this, the first talk in our 40 Days of Ivy DNA Series: RELEVANT. People are surprised when we as a church are normal rather than ‘religious’ Text –  John 4- the samaritan woman at the well. 1) Jesus asked – ‘Will you give me a drink?’ This is a very controversial conversation for him to have at all. He’s showing us the type of Saviour he is. He’s speaking to her in her language, about her every day life and needs. Connects with the familiar. If we want to be relevant we need to offer and speak into what people need. Cf Breathe City Church in Stoke- their ‘When‘ ministry: giving clothes to the poor in the city. Thousands of clothing packages given. When we meet the felt needs of people, we’ll be relevant. We’re not relevant because the worship is great or the preaching is good: people outside of church are not even asking about that anyway! But if we help people and connect in people in prison, in debt, when we are marked by hospitality, […]

DEBRA GREEN: Nehemiah 10 – 13. The house of God.

Debra rounded off our series tonight. She began by talking about competing voices – a time in the week when there were 2 sat navs going in the church, which one do we listen to? God’s word to is the Bible, and Nehemiah kept having to come back to that, and call people back to what the Lord had said. 10:28 Now the rest of the people—the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Nethinim, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge and understanding— these joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes. At what age can a child understand and come into the things of God? Josh 24:15 – Choose who you will serve! As for me […]

Ecclesiastes 5: Motor Mouth.

Kris Tucker at Ivy Mcr. This forms our grow group notes for this week: ‘I will let my words be few…’ Read Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 Some of us love silence. Others can’t wait to fill it with something. which are you?! Kris shared a time when he went to the beach to get really quiet, but there was no way he could get quiet inside. Even when we are in silence- do we wait ‘long enough to hear the silence itself.’ Mother Teresa: ‘God is the friend of silence.’ Are you? How do you get on with silence? Do you see it as a friend? Have a time of silence… Then discuss! God said to Kris: ‘Your worship is one style – you come to me with lots of words.’ This passage tells us, there is a time for silence. How do we make time for silence in busy lives? Kris then showed us a video clip from The Blue Planet- about a Blue Whale. Watch something like that, (link below) then put your hand over your mouth, and silently stand […]

Alan Taylor at Ivy MCR – how God can change me

We can become complacent. If I’m going to heaven anyway, why bother changing now? Jesus invites us into the Kingdom NOW. He wants us to enter into what has already been won for us 2000 years ago. We’ve all picked up habits. We all have hurts & hang ups. We are powerless without his power. He has to save us His power has to change us I believe in victory. We mustn’t shy away from overcoming. That’s for us! To live extraordinary lives! We believe in miracles But sometimes they come as process not climactic events. I must earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to him, & that he has the power to help me recover. Heb 11:6 1. Acknowledge God’s Existence Psalm 14:1- The fool says in his heart there is no God Rom 1:20 – God’s power & nature – clearly seen. All the universe speaks of him. The stars are a sermon!! We need to know the historical nature & apologetics of our faith. Don’t be lazy. 2. Understand Gods Nature Our parents might not […]

Charlotte Gambill – THE BIG LIFE at ALC Network Day

Great first talk at ALC Network Day. I’m blogging live on this stuff so it’s not as tidy as I usually like…but EVERY leader needs to get hold of this! The BIG life We can be surrounded by smallness in the UK. 2 Cor 6: 1-10 (Msg) Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don’t squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us. God reminds us,    I heard your call in the nick of time;    The day you needed me, I was there to help. Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped. Don’t put it off; don’t frustrate God’s work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we’re doing. Our work as God’s servants gets validated—or not—in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we’re beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; […]