Southport Salvation Army, Sunday Worship Livestream – 14th January 2024
Spe for E You 5 For For for H [Applause] H Oh All You good morning everybody we’re slightly late today so we do apologize but it’s giv you all chance to to Talk Amongst yourselves and just share but isn’t it good to be back here today sharing together being with one another and just worshiping the Lord this just a few announcements you’ll be
Pleased to hear so I will keep it short you’ll have seen I mentioned it last week that notice we have got posters that we we do stream the meeting we’re just trying to make sure everyone’s aware if you don’t want to be on camera please let us know and we’ll let you
Know where to sit so that you’re not going to be visible I’d also encourage you all to pick up your copy of the Outlook lots of information in there now we’re back to normal even the band and the sers are back to rehearsal whether that’s good or
Bad I’ll let you be the judge of that individually but we’re back to to normality and just which is great isn’t it it just gives us chance as as different groups to share and to be together and just come together and practice ready for whatever we’re doing throughout the
Week in the Outlook there’s a an update on our community garden you can all see it out there it looks great there’s going to be work going on over these next few months if you’d like to be involved we’re looking for for volunteers please let us know there’s
There’s a meeting coming up so have a look come along and just get involved in that project that we’re doing we after volunteers for our coffee shop another opportunity to serve so please let us know if you’d be able to to help there at the end of the month we’re we’re going to
Celebrating celebrating David who’s worked in our in our community services area for 26 years serving this community we’re going to be having a collection for him and we’ll just have the opportunity to thank him for everything that he’s done over these this period of
Time so have a look have a read and just if you’d like to contribute towards a gift to him then there’s an opportunity to do so Peter’s asked me to to mention connect it’s uh on this week on Wednesday at 1:15 to to 2:30 there’s going to be a talk about medical
Detection dogs try saying that quickly this time with the morning um but we have a a speaker coming in to talk about the work that’s going on there it sounds absolutely fascinating doesn’t it we’ve seen the dogs working for the police hunting out uh drugs and things like
This but this is a a completely different like service I suppose that are our four-legged friends are able to do so come along share it’s 2 you get refreshed included but it soundss like an absolutely fascinating afternoon I would ask you to to remember those that need our prayers and names
Are in the Outlook Magazine so please remember those people at this time in particular I’d ask you to remember an who’s lost her son at the end of last year so please remember Anne in your prayers this week along with everybody else that just needs to be uphow at this
Time thank you for listening good morning to everybody how are you good good are you well are you healthy that’s good to know good to know I’m still coughing and spluttering a little bit but please please forgive me I’m fighting fit almost now so that’s
Great um I’ve been away this week uh on a on a course a conference uh down south so it’s good to be back North where I understand what people are saying and and tune with a culture and this is where home is up north yeah so
It’s great to be here uh welcome I would say welcome to worship we haven’t just arrived to worship have we the whole of our lives are an act of worship but we’re going to continue as We Gather in gathered worship this morning before we scatter to continue living Our Lives of
Worship for God so we it’s it still feels a little bit like you know that post Christmas not post Christmas blues we haven’t got the blues but we’re still slowly weathering we’re slowly reemerging from wherever we’ve been over Christmas whatever we’ve been doing we’re still in that state where we’re reemerging
Regathering but here we are and it’s pirate Sunday are you excited about that pirate Sunday who’s excited just raise your hand come on all seven of you are excited because it’s pirate Sunday and you don’t know why it’s pirate Sunday or do you so Allison will reveal all later on why it is
Why later on Sebastian will be preaching the word on pirate Sunday so it’s going to be great thank you for explaining what I was struggling to do you made it simple pirate Sunday right good on that note we are going to continue our worship as we stand together and we
Are going to sing these words how lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news proclaiming peace announcing news of Happiness Our God Reigns and in a world which has so much precariousness about it which is so uncertain where there’s so much a lack
Of peace we need Messengers who will bring a message of Peace message who will bring a message that says our god reigns your god reigns so let’s stand together and as we reach that forth to us let’s Proclaim together ends of the Earth see the salvation of your God
Jesus is Lord one of the earliest Creeds of the church and one we can still state today with confidence Jesus is Lord let’s Stand Together As we sing Our God Reigns The Say to The The Jus Is Amen I’m going to invite the choir songers to come forward they’re going to sing in just a moment but as they’re coming forward let me read to you the verses from Psalm 100 which say shout for Joy To The Lord all the Earth Worship the Lord with gladness come
Before him with joyful songs know that the Lord is God it is he who made us and we are his we are his people the Sheep of his pasture enter his gates with Thanksgiving and his courts with praise give thanks to him and praise His name
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever his faithfulness continues through all generations I wonder how you come to this gathered time of worship this morning whether your heart is full of joy whether you leaping In Praise as it were figuratively speaking well as the S say
As our choir sing may you just take this moment to write your heart with God and enter into this time of worship in praise and adoration as they sing enter his gates with Praise Will Thanksgiving I will ENT his call with praise I will come the Lord with in my heart I will enter enter Entering will sing Will I will sing to the of my I will sing sh of praise I will enter Gates enter Gates enter gates [Applause] with I will come into the house of the Lord will Will I will take a I will for with Thanksgiving I will his praise I will with my heart I will his Gates his Gates his gates [Applause] With is I will sing to the I will sing I Will ENT his ENT his ENT [Applause] [Applause] His it’s a great way to uh to just gather isn’t it we’re going to enter his gates with praise that’s what we’re going to do today we’re going to praise God and on that note we’re going to spend a little bit of time celebrating you know that sometimes on a Sunday
Maybe about once a month we have something called celebration Sunday where we just invite people to share something that God has perhaps done in their lives something they want to celebrate something they want to share might be something as simple as passing an exam it might be maybe an encounter
They’ve had with God or something that’s impacted them they want to just let people know about that and praise God for that so this is an opportunity do we have a radio mic actually yes Allison’s got a radio mic So for anybody would like to share now this is celebration
Sunday with a Twist you know normally on a celebration Sunday we will um I was going to say bribe we will reward you for sharing with a celebration but we know that you are healthy people and we know that over Christmas there can be a tendency among one or two of us perhaps
To overeat overindulge just a little bit on the the chocolate or the other unhealthy foods that are available so if you would prefer because it’s such a grape idea you can have a grape so the choice is yours no one will watching you no one will judge
You but if you have a chocolate we will know but that’s fine you can share either way and you can just take a grape or you can take a chocolate just as a thank you for sharing so is there anyone who would be willing to share something
They want to celebrate or they want to thank God for this morning do you need a helper Allison needs a helper who wants to help Allison this morning no I’ll cope on my own I’ll wait the children up in a minute just to say thank you that my
Grandson who’s been in the Red Sea with the Navy on electronic weapons has gone safely back to Bahrain to a base for a break and thank God for keeping him safe right good news grapes or chocolate have a great you can take a little cluster they all cut into CL
Janet took grapes everyone Michael you can’t sorry I said I wouldn’t mention it didn’t [Laughter] I okay anybody else well I celebrated because we weren’t expecting to see every member of our family having four sons and 11 Grand grandchildren is rather a large family but there was one day when we managed to
Have everyone except two of our grandsons who enabled everyone to be together one day over Christmas Even though one family had to um come for 24 hours nearly 12 of which was spent on the um on the motorway coming up from Kent but managed to get there and it was
Um it was a lovely day and we were able to see most of our family lovely fantastic thank you Mavis anybody else have some great thank Carol we had a Spanish student when the children were young and he lost touch with us and one day in I think Spain he
Walked into Salvation Army and said that he had um friends in Southport and got back in touch with us and he came over a couple of years ago with his wife and we back in touch and Craig and I went over last year and met his him and his wife and his baby
Girl um last week he was in London and Craig and I went down and spent a lovely lovely day and I met his mom for the first time and although her English is quite poor she said thank you for loving my son it was a lovely
Day have a great thank you Carol time for one more if anyone would like to Louis is armed with his own microphone upstairs he’s ready to go here we go Louis I’d share what my wife said about the uh celebration with the family but I’d been thinking this I was
Talking this morning to somebody about the collecting with the band in Chapel Street and that person said how much they’d enjoyed it and I would celebrate those encounters that I certainly had collecting in Chapel Street with people people are so willing to trust us to use
Money that they give to us but equally they’re happy of course to tell you if they have some experience or some links with the Salvation Army or with church in the past that gives rise to their desire to help now and so those encounters on those three Saturdays they
Really were something to celebrate for me and I’m speaking on behalf of the balcony here unusually we’ve got another one so can hello um I just wanted to say thank you I had a an amazing couple of weeks um which involved a significant birthday and I’ve got a few friends who were sort
Of coming up to those significant birthdays and have had a few issues with coming to terms with that um but I really want to say that because I’ve had friends who haven’t made it to those significant birthdays what a privilege it is to get older um and things hurt more when you
Fall over and you know things take a little bit longer and you know there’s all sorts of things that I would prefer not to be happening but thank God that I’m at that age and I can experience those things and I’m just so grateful that I’ve got so many amazing friends
And family and things that I can you know that I can take part in enjoy um and you know we should be thankful that and and grateful that we’re at this stage when other people haven’t had that privilege so you can the microphone I got a track okay we have time for one
More person one more while I go to the upper so growing old is a privilege growing old is a privilege the aches and pains are a blessing because okay so we have two people but I’m going to come to you next okay we want to celebrate the fact that we
Actually got to spend Christmas with my dad um we got him home from hospital two days before Christmas um and it was a very special time because we didn’t think we’d have him home um but we’d like to thank you all as well for all the prayers that you
Are giving to our family at the moment they are really appreciated and we can actually see them working thank you you and we do we do remember Robin don’t we although he’s not here in person he’s never far from our our thoughts and our prayers our L Bron and I are retired and
We’ve gathered up our Christmas cards and put them away but in doing so we were reminded that many many people have been led to the Lord and they’ve still not forgotten the fact that our ministry uh was effective in helping them to make that important decision in their life
And it’s well it’s Everlasting and it’s it’s very rewarding it’s one of the best Christmas presents that you can get to be assured that your ministry had fruit thank you to everyone for sharing we’re going to sing a song now and uh for those who’ve just had significant birthdays and although
They’re aching and so on are still lively and full of energy it’s it’s an action song so we’re looking forward to every everybody joining in to the extent you’re able because the words say this I’m going to jump up and down I’m going to spin right around I’m going to praise
Your name forever get I’m going to shout out loud I’m going to deafen the crowd so let’s see how it goes with that one partake as far as you’re able to if there’s any children would like to come up the front and join in there’s some
Great actions for this song and you get to jump up and down and spin right around so what’s what’s not to like about that come on come on children not a lot of people rushing forward at the moment in the meantime while we’re cajoling anyone who’d like
To come to is there anyone else who’d like to come to the front and just show us how the actions go anyone upstairs anyone downstairs we’ve got a few coming anyone else like to join in age is not a barrier to joining in this song okay it’s very easy you can do the
Actions where you are if you want to jum up and down spin around do so at your own risk we have not risk assessed this other than it is risky so just do what you can but enjoy this and actually just sing it as a song of praise to God as we
Join together Okay you to Stand Your forever I’m Toout [Applause] [Applause] I you got you Got I’m going to jump up down going to SP right around Praise Your Name forever I’m going to shout out s my praise to heaven I’m going to jum up down SP right around your forever I’m going to shout out loud [Applause] the I can do Got Happ Well done you a sterling effort I have to say Peter you’re to be commended you knew the words you knew the actions you left the way wonderfully when you have got a lot when you’ve not got a lot what be happy praise God for the good times and
The bad times we’re going to sing again now and it’s going to be a very different style of song you might be pleased to know and it says this Lord I come before your throne of grace I find rest in your presence and fullness of joy in worship and wonder I behold your
Face singing what a faithful God have I why don’t we remain seated for this one I think we deserve to remain seated Lord I become before your throne of grace what a faithful God have I and just remember in the third verse it’s slightly different tune to the first two
Verses towards W the end but you’ll you’ll work that one out we’ll take David’s lead do we have an introduction David we Do Jo wor and your face singing God God faithful every way Shel of your wngs my heart sful God what a fful God fful inace Sful God a faithful God fful Aere am we’re going to uh take up the offering now and then we’re going to continue a time of prayer after the children have left us so children you can leave and we’ll take up the offering right now now For shall we pray Lord we do thank you for all the good gifts that you give to us we thank you for the time we have enjoyed over Christmas and New Year and we do pray that you will bless us and you will guide as we start a new year AR fresh be
With us in all that we do in your name this day and in the future for we ask it through your name amen um before Allison brings us the word this morning we’re going to spend some time in prayer and I’m sure you’ll agree with there’s an awful lot to pray
About isn’t there when you think about it we have um we have our local situations we have the town of Southport we have this this region of the northwest of England we have this nation which needs a lot of prayer we’re going into uh an uncertain
Year with the the the U the lightly Hood well the the reality of a general election and all that that’s going to bring and all of the turbulence and the thinking and all that to think about and to pray about of course and we want to
Be praying for our MP that for as long as he’s in office he continues to serve with diligence we have the global situation and heaven knows there’s an awful lot going on in the world at the moment isn’t it such a complex web of alliances and Inter relationships and
Threats and concerns going on in the world that we need to think about we need to pray locally but also globally but we also need to be praying for our own lives and those places where we find ourselves those places and spaces where we find ourselves on a Monday morning Tuesday morning when
We’re not here when we’re not gathered together but actually we’re scattered those places where we work where we rest where we play where we study where we find ourselves out there in the world World rubbing shoulders with people who don’t know how much Jesus loves them who
Don’t follow the way of Jesus who who don’t call themselves Christians many of whom would say they’re actually atheists or perhaps even worse they’ve not even made a decision about God because it’s not on their radar each of us has a front line a place where we spend time
Regularly with non-christians it may be very obvious to some of us may be the workplace for others it may be less obvious and we have to think about it it might be the neighborhood it might be the shop it might be people we spend time with where we live all sorts of
Different places but we need to be praying locally we need to be praying globally and we need to be praying for our front lines because we are God’s people on a Monday morning we need to be praying for people who are having a good time in life at the moment for whom
Things are going well and there’s lots to celebrate we need to be praying for people who are having a really rough time and you may have a name that’s coming to mind as I as I say that even but we also need to pray for people people who are actually just having a
Very average day they’re neither too high nor too low they’re just going through life and we don’t want to forget them either do as we pray because actually that’s often so many of us just another ordinary every day but actually God wants to take our ordinary and our everyday and make it extraordinary
Because he’s at work in us and through us and sometimes even in spite of us so we’re going to play um a lovely piece of music that we we came across during lockdown one of the many we came across during lockdown uh and it’s called all
Of our tomorrows and so as you listen to this music and you see the words on the screen maybe think about some of those situations and bring them to God and say God for all of our tomorrows will you be present in those various situations and
Then I’ll pray when the music comes to an End This spinning World by your own hand hls ever on around the Sun the seasons March at your commend the old departs the New Year comes and those Celestial is your K you search and care for all our ways we offer up to you this day and all of our Tomorrow May Ze Youth and cautious age determine not the steps we choose great shepher guide us through each day oh how we want to follow you come living way our way may clear let perfect love Dy out our fear be thou our vision now and here and alliv our
Tomorrow when winter makes us REM hope warmer days so distant now I’ve cherished St the sun once kissed whose Beauty passed behind Shall we pray loving father heavenly father as we as we as we continue to move into this new year we want to do so with you ahead of us with grace before and Grace behind empowered by your love as we commit to you all of our our
Tomorrows as we commit to you the tomorrows of those who live locally to us those who are part of the global Community Lord over whom we it feels sometimes like we have no control no influence those we meet on a daily basis whose lives we can impact with the love
Of God by simply seeking to be followers of Jesus where you’ve placed us at this time of our lives Lord we can’t do any of this without without you and so we commit to give you all of our tomorrows and ask that you will show us the
Way ask that you’ll give us the words to speak you give us the actions and reactions that we should take and make you’ll take us to those places those spaces those people where you want us to be because you want us to be your ambassadors your spokespeople your people who can bring
About a change who can be Salt and Light in a world that needs Salt and Light and flavoring and goodness and Direction and focus and hope and so Lord this morning as we’ve reminded that you a God who Reigns as we’ve entered your gates with Thanksgiving as we’ve confessed that
You’re a God who is faithful even when we are Unfaithful just now we pause and we commit Our Lives to you again we commit our today and we trust you for our tomorrows I make this prayer in your name amen our Bible passages this morning are both taken from the New Testament and
Both from Paul’s letters first one is from Philippians and it’s Philippians chapter 3 if if you’re following in your Bibles it’s verses 4B to 14 and then chapters chapter 4: 10-13 and then we move to Ephesians chapter 3: 20- 21 so starting with Philippians chapter 3 starting to
Read the second half of verse 4 if anyone else thinks they have reason to put confidence in the flesh I have more circumcised on the eth day of the people of Israel of The Tribe of Benjamin a Hebrew of Hebrews in regard to the law a Pharisee as for Zeal
Persecuting the church as for righteousness based on the law faultless but whatever gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ what is more I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for whose sake I have lost all things
I consider them garbage that I may gain Christ and be found in him not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith I want to
Know Christ yes to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings becoming like him in his death and so somehow attaining to the resurrection from the dead not that I’ve already obtained all of this or have already arrived at my goal but I press on and take hold of
That for which Christ Jesus Took hold of me brothers and sisters I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it but one thing I do forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me
Heavenwards in Christ Jesus and then moving across to chapter 4: 10-13 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me indeed you were concerned but you had no opportunity to show it I’m not saying this because I’m in need for I’ve learned to be content whatever the
Circumstances I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation whether wellfed or hungry whether living in plenty or in want I can do all this through him who gives me
Strength and then finally Ephesians 3: 20 to 21 now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever Amen William Whiting bordon you may or may not have heard of him he’s the heir of the bord and dairy estate in in America and he received a trip around the world as a gift from his parents so bordon he was a Christian he traveled through Asia through the Middle East around Europe
And as he was traveling he felt this growing desire and this growing burden for lost people finally he wrote home and informed his parents that he was going to give his life in preparation for the mission field and after making that decision William bordon wrote in the back of his
Bible the words no reserves upon graduation from Yale in 1909 bordon turned down some very high-profile high paying bearing in mind is from a millionaire family these fantastic jobs he turned them all down because he was determined to fulfill that call that God had placed on his
Life and he wrote two more words in his Bible no Retreat after graduating from Princetown Seminary he went to Egypt to study Arabic and during his time there he wrote these words no regrets those three statements summed up Borden’s life no reserves no retreat no regrets and this is the inspiration the
Story behind what I want to share with you this morning and perhaps that’s why we’re going to call it pirate Sunday because it’s full of ours that’s it that is weatherlink pirate Sunday full of ours no reserves no Retreats no regrets she says in her Cornish accent next week is Covenant
Sunday for those of you who have been in the Salvation Army for many years or even more recently you may have known this previously as vision and commitment Sunday it’s now called Covenant Sunday and it’s an opportunity at the start of the new year sometime in janary lots of different core churches around
The um Salvation Army churches around the territory around the country are inviting people to reflect on the year ahead of them and to take time to commit themselves in living in Covenant with him to live out a faithful relationship with God and we’re going to be thinking about Covenant Sunday marking that next
Week but today is an opportunity to begin to prepare our hearts and Minds to reflect on our commitment our covenant relationship over the Christmas holidays we uh visited family and part of the trip was to see Michael’s sister and her her our niece Michael’s niece Lauren was
There and she had had a bit of a wardrobe sort out and when we got there there were piles of clothes that um Lauren was giving away and the girls were able to take the hme downs and so they had lots of lovely clothes and it
Was just as well we had our roof box on because we had to squish all of this stuff in there should I use the handheld mic is that going to be better But acquiring all of this new stuff meant that when the girls got home they had to have their own sort out of their wardrobes and in turn they then created loads of stuff that they wanted to get rid of thinking about our Bible passage the the analogy may not be perfect but
Perhaps it is helpful because Paul Paul’s description in Philippians that Michael just read is about the great change in his life where he has gained something new something precious and all of the stuff that he had before are all things now to be left behind or or thrown away or or got rid
Of and just as the girls acquired new things their old stuff they no no longer needed back to my earlier illustration of William bordon the heir of a multi-million dollar business he gave up this life this high-profile life to become a Christian Miss missionary he counted everything as loss
As rubbish for a life in being obedient to Christ and finding his fulfillment in him no FS no butts or M babies no reserves if we look at Philippians 3 Paul recites his credentials and accomplishments as a as a Jew and um in Judaism and in his past Paul would say
Well I was really proud of all of these credentials of all of these accomplishments but now I found Christ and and my perspective has changed completely the very things that were Central to Paul he his god-given religious identity his tribe his circumcision the observance of the law his pride in being
A Pharisee all of these things were right things in Judaism but these were all things he could now let go of because he’s now describing an all consuming desire to know Jesus Christ to be in Christ to have his righteous that being made right that comes through faith in
Jesus Paul is talking about a no reserves no holding back throwing the lot approach to Faith and maybe the beginning of the new year is a good time to reflect on that and what we might need to let go of what what practices what beliefs what values are are we perhaps clinging want
To but now we need to let go to count is rubbish what value are you going to place on a life with Christ no reserves I came across an interesting quote um by someone called Alan redpath I don’t particularly know who who he is but he suggested that you can have a saved
Soul and a lost life you can have a saved soul and a lost life and that caus me just to pause and think through what what he was trying to say I think we we we can be theologically saved technical Christians if you like but if our lives aren’t fully invested in
Christ then we’re just going to be drifting along through life surrounded by clutter and baggage or as Paul wrote rubbish maybe you’ve been a Christian for for many years but you’ve never really stood up and said that this is for real I’m going to make it count I’m not
Just going to dabble my toes or or skirt around the edges of walking a committed life but I’m going to give it everything I’ve got I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection why it’s Paul is that your prayer this morning for this new year I want to know
Christ are you willing to make that your prayer for 2024 I want to know Christ no reserves what about no retreat who’s made some New Year’s resolutions anyone make any New Year’s resolutions nobody oh excellent do you want to share what it is do more cycl do more cycling and how’s that going
Luke excellent okay so so Luke has made a resolution and he’s sticking to it just about yeah two days okay okay I’m not going to ask who’s made made resolutions and they’ve gone out the window already because to be honest resolving to live differently is really hard there’s an amusing friends clip I
Don’t know how many of you have ever watched Friends in in the past um but one of the characters Chandler he talks about his gym membership and how he’s paid $40 a month but he hasn’t been for something like two years you might recall that if you are a friends fan and
For some Jim membership Fitness by direct debit as a friend described it seems to be a way to support local business rather than a way to implement any real life change have any of you ever been a member of a gym and never gone yeah I
Think this is going to be more more like it you know and and that can be the case in the Christian Life Implement implementing real life change is really difficult and our human tendency can be complacency or lethargy when it comes to our spiritual growth
It’s a bit like saying I’ll go to the gym tomorrow I’ll go cycling tomorrow I’ll do this tomorrow but maybe in our Christian faith I I’ll start praying tomorrow I’ll dig my Bible out tomorrow I’ll do this tomorrow but as we know tomorrow never comes but for Paul in now reading in
Philippians it is clear that his transforming encounter with Christ has now become his daily rule in life Paul’s desire to know Christ is in ongoing daily journey of letting go of the past and coming to know his Lord in a new way he says forgetting what lies
Behind forgetting all of that stuff and pressing toward what lies ahead I will press on towards the goal of knowing Jesus more fully and completely and living the life that Christ wants me to live in Paul’s mind that there was no possibility of returning to his old
Ways there is simply no retreat there is no going back but it’s so easy isn’t it in life to sett all in to be comfortable in one place and to stay there or or to opt out of Faith or church all together we quit growing and learning and studying the
Bible or discussing life and faith with others we quit reflecting critically on our faith and sometimes we can find ourselves drifting even backwards there is none of that In this passage from Paul Paul describes Faith as a journey or a race That Never Ends we are in constant motion and God is is
Always always calling us into new and deeper experiences of knowing Christ and what it means to become more like Christ that’s the model of the faith Journey that Paul gives to his Philippian readers it’s a daily experience of growing and deepening in faith if someone asked you how did your faith and relationship
With God grow in 2023 what would you say well this morning I’m asking you that question how did your faith and relationship with God grow in 2023 and as we move into 20 20 24 are we striving to move forward to get to know Jesus more and more each day
Or have you found yourself just drifting maybe that first flame of energy and belief has long flickered out and your Christian Life is at best routine maybe you feel like you’ve lost your way of late maybe you’re longing to be back in the arms of Christ but you just don’t
Know how to get that then this morning may you know that Jesus is ready to draw you close to him again may you still your heart may you hear his voice may you know that you can start over with Jesus so as we begin to ready ourselves for Covenant Sunday next
Week don’t play lip service to your discipleship a bit like paying for a gym subscription and and never going but take some serious steps in clothing yourself in the new Embrace Christ’s love and goodness live under his guidance and instruction it’s a new year maybe it’s time for a new
Resolution I’ll not turn back whatever it may cost finally no regrets Paul has his eyes on the prize the end goal he has thrown himself in Lock Stock and smoking Barrel no reserves there is no looking behind or turning around this is a new way of life
He is as he writes in two Corinthians 5:17 a new creation in Christ the old is gone the new is here to stay and he’s going to fully embrace it and in doing so there are no regrets and the prize that Paul has got his sight set on is the experience of
Knowing and being in a relationship with Jesus Christ creator of the universe the Good Shepherd the bread of life the Living Water our strength and refuge and a million other things the prize is the strength of being able to do all things in the power and name of Jesus Christ we have the
Power of the Resurrection in us God has given us his power there’s part of the price as we put our trust in Jesus the prize is to be a part of the Eternal Kingdom where the king can do immeasurably more than all we can even think about think of the most amazing
Thing and God could do more according to his work in us the prize is an eternal life with Christ Jesus a hope Beyond this life and a resurrected body Philippians 3:11 there is no room for regret because the prize is too great as we set our eyes on the prize which is
The Lord Jesus Christ and his salvation and his love for us and an eternity with him surely we will with the songwriter say I’ll not deny the one that I have followed nor be ashamed to Bear my master’s name there’s no regrets in a relationship with Jesus Christ so no reserves no return
No regrets this coming week then I urge you to prepare your hearts to challenge your own thinking to critically reflect on your discipleship on your faith journey to invite God to reveal to you where he wants to work in your life which parts of your heart need a little bit of a
Sprinkling which attitudes or behaviors need to be thrown out next week we will be challenging you again on your relationship and your your Covenant relationship with Jesus where do you stand what are you going to resolve to do differently in 2024 and my prayer is that when we get to the end of
2024 and maybe I’ll ask that question again how did your life life and faith Journey grow in 2024 you’ll be going let me tell you about Jesus let me tell you what he has done for me this year see how I’ve grown may that be our prayer for this coming year
Amen David I wonder if you can just lead us now with the piano As we sing a responsed song All I once held dear all of this stuff all the stuff that I built my life on all of the things that I thought were important our loss are
Nothing compared to what we have in Jesus Christ let’s sing this through as as we just take time to respond bond to prepare our hearts to reflect there’s three verses you can pray where you are you can pray here at the front but just take this time to to
Begin to reflect thank you David we’ll sing it straight Through Jesus you is the great you’re my own you you to be found you and Toess you Jesus KN you there is you’re my you’re my Jo My to your sing to you in Your you Jesus you there is no greater you My my Jo My knowing you Jesus knowing you that is no greater thing you’re my all you’re the best you’re my joy my righteousness and I love you Lord this morning Jesus we just simply say we want to walk this Faith Journey with you with no reserves no return and no
Regrets father help us to prepare our hearts may you speak into our lives each one of us reveal to us those parts that you want to give a bit of a Sprinkle clean to those attitudes and behaviors that you want us to throw out help us to acknowledge you
Fully and to throw our lot in with you so that we can say knowing you that there is no greater thing I pray this for each one of us here this morning all those who listen during the week wherever we may find ourselves May each one of us say there is nothing
Greater than knowing Jesus I pray this in your name Lord Jesus amen amen well invite you afterwards to join with us in tea and coffee in time of just catching up with one another in the in the coffee shop but before we do that let’s close this time of gathered
Worship by singing number 6 80 sing 680 sing 686 which we will sing um and the first verse says unto thee Oh Savior King our Allegiance now we bring Body Soul and Spirit all everything about us in obedience to thy call not have we thou did not give by thy life and Grace
We live selfish aims do we forsake service with our Lord to take there’s some of the words a little bit of our mouth or some of some Old English obviously in there but the essence of it is all about bringing ourselves in full Allegiance with our Savior King let’s
Stand and sing this and thanks to the band for their contribution this morning thank you let’s stand and sing four verses we sing verses 1 2 and Four PR To The Oh The The so some closing words is our benediction from Romans 12 therefore I urge you in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as a Living Sacrifice holy and pleasing to God this is your true and proper worship do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing
Of your mind then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is his good pleasing and perfect well may God bless you this week to go in peace in Jesus name amen H be oh