I have been reading this book of late Remember….the things that matter when hope is hard to find. – Rhonda Watson it has given me some great insight into joy and thanks, see some quotes below….

We can deny ourselves the possibility of joy, if we also run from the other emotions of life. How can we really be joyful if we deny our greif? There seems to be a need to be real with ourselves at an emotional level, and resist the habits that we use to distract ourselves from feeling. To be fully and deeply human involves full and deep emotion”

“The psalms give expression to the full range of human emotions. Why do we love the psalms so much? I think one reason is because of their daring. The dare to give honest expression to our strongest emotions. They say things we feel we are ‘not allowed to say’ out loud. They throw caution to the wind, expressing anger, fear, dismay, depression, outrage, love, bewilderment, grief, hunger, yearning confusion – and Joy!!”

Now in my mature years, how I wish I was better at joy!!

I look at the way some Christians flinch from music that stirs emotions. I hear the shallowness of our prayers and the way we avoid pouring out our hearts’. Our restraint seems to make us aloof; and our correctness has made us, well, correct. I am as much a part of this as anyone. As I reach the tail end of my life, I long to embrace joy more wholeheartedly

Over and over, God commands his people to be joyful. That in itself is strange. How can I be made to be joyful? It seems joy matters deeply to God…but his people are so bad at i that he must tell them they must do it.

In another chapter she says this about thankfulness – that I think applies equally to the pouring out of Joy in our lives

No longer in need of law that requires us to bring thank offerings, we live by the spirit who pours out God’s love into our hearts, comforting, strengthening and drawing from us the response of thankfulness and trust (and Joy!!)

Easter has come and gone for another year – we have had our last serious holiday for the year as we now head for winter.

Is that what Easter is for you?  Just another passing Holiday??

This Easter we explored what Jesus ment when he cried out “It is Finished” as he breathed his last.  His saving work was complete – He paid the price of Sin – took the punishment of sin upon himself – the wrath of God was poured out upon him and he was forsaken by his father.

SO THAT……

Whoever beleives in him would not die but have eternal life.  Faith in Jesus Christ and his completed work means God cannot be angry at us or punish us – because Jesus finished His work on the cross. There is no condemnation for those who have faith in Jesus. Nothing can seperate us from his love!!!

But that’s not all – it wasn’t all over on the cross – because the 2nd half of the story is that 3 days later Jesus rose again gauranteeing those who beleive A NEW LIFE.    A life that is Eternal, that starts now and is full of hope!!  Easter is a celebration of new life – ‘Life to the full’ Jesus said.

I just read agin this morning how Jesus breathed on his disciples and said “recieve the Holy Spirit” John 20:22. It is a reminder that this new life we have is a spirit filled life – one that is full of love, joy, peace, paitence, gentleness, goodness, kindness, faithfulness and self control. This new life is pwered by the spirit and get get us through all circumstances as we wait to be with Christ in eternity – the life on the new earth will be one of no suffering, no mourning, no discontent – full of peace and satisfaction.

The Easter message has once again brought a smile to my face as I realise that this is just the begining of eternity – LIFE IS GOOD!!!!

On Sunday we Explored the first 6 chapters Joshua and asked ourselves the question of what this has to say to us as a church at WCCC.

Remembering a God who is active amoung his people – Be strong and courageous – for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go!!

As we enter a new part of our story we remember that our God goes before us – having already won the victory – so wee seek to follow him (3:4) “you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before” we will seek to listen to the word of the Lord (3:9)

We will look to the cross of Jesus this Easter as a memorial of the work that Jesus has done – “he did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know the hand of the LORD is powerful” (4:24)

As we remember who we are in Christ – consider our baptism and celebrate the Lord’s Super (5:8 & 10) we remember that God has his angels involved in a spiritual battle for his people.(5:13-15)

There is much in these chapters that point forward to christ and his church – so as we enter our next era and we seek to seek God’s kingdom come we can be reminded of the promises he gives us.

Why not have a read again and pick out the things that God is saying to his NT church through Jesus – its quite amazing!!

House Worship

Psalm 134

A song of ascents.

¹ Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD
who minister by night in the house of the LORD.
² Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
and praise the LORD.

³ May the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth,
bless you from Zion.

1 Peter 2 reminds us, “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through jesus Christ….you are a chosen people a royal preisthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light”

That’s who we are as His Church -  a priesthood of believers, called out to serve eachother and the world.  How and where are you serving? How are you ministering in the house?  Is God calling you to serve somwhere new? Is he confirming your call to service. Why not spend some time praying seeking God for your life in this area!!

Body Worship

As we continue to explore iworship24.7 Sunday lead us down an interresting path as we wrestled the the Psalms body language. We saw that it was much more than just metaphorical language but the Psalmists were actually engaging physically with their bodies as they worshipped.

“Bow down before the Lord”, actually takes on an added dimension if you physically get on your knees and place your face to the ground. This Body language says something about who God is and who we are. We are humbled in the presance of a mighty God. Reverance and humility can be shown physically as well as in our hearts and minds.

Psalm 145:14 the lord uphold those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down

Through Jesus Christ we are lifte up see God face to face, we can look into his eyes with out spot or blemish, perfect and dearly loved!!

As a response to his wonderful GRACE we worship him – We offer him our bodies as a living sacrifce – as our act of worship,  24/7!!

We don’t use our body laguage worship to gain favour with God – we use our bodeies to say thanks for what he has done for us – We lift our arms and hands to say thanks God – you deserve the highest praise. We lift our voices to the king of kings for what he has done for us.

Many of us come from backgrounds where using our bodies in worship has been frowned upon – especially in a public setting. There is always a danger in the use of our bodies becoming about us – but we have missed much of richness of worship by disconeccting it from physical expression. God always looks at the heart and thats where body worship needs to come from. That being said we do need to excercise our bodies and push things a little for this to become more natural.  Why not try exploring it more – at home get on your nees and pray, bow down in a time of prayer, trying raising your hands in your prayers – next time you are in church try using your body to express your worship – it may well be tough at first, and it will be different for different people – But why not give it a go – God can be glorified as you use your body language to praise him.
Psalm 71:15 My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long,

Psalm 25:15 My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare

Psalm 49:4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;

Psalm 26:4 I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites;

Psalm 119:32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

Psalm 86:12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.

Psalm 150:4 praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute,

Romans 12:1   In view of God’s mercy offer your bodies as living sacrifices – holy and pleaseing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.

The Road Repentance

Psalm 51 helps us understand the road to repentance – why not have a read

Turn to a Merciful God  vs 1-2

Recognition of the Ugly stuff  vs 3-5

Cleansing from God vs 6-7

Restored Joy  vs 8-12

It’s a heart thing  vs 17

A responses of true praise and worship vs 18 -19

The road to true repentance is humbling ourselves before a merciful God and is an act of worship that turns us back to Jesus

How is your waiting going this week?

Readings from sunday   Isaiah 11:1-12, Jeremiah 29:4-11, Romans 8:18-39  -  Well worth another read!!

Isaiah 1:17  “learn to do good, Seek Justice, encourage the opressed, defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow”

This year I will seek justice in the area of……

In what ways is God asking you to ‘justice worship’? What are the things he is laying on your heart to defend?  who is He asking you to encourage? Whoes case do you need to plead?  What do you need to learn about in order to expose injustice?   How is your lifestyle leading to the opression of the poor and needy.  Why not visit some of these websites and start exploring…..

www.micahchallenge.org.au

www.etiko.com.au

www.slaveryfootprint.org

www.oxfam.org.au

www.donttradelives.com.au

www.stopthetraffik.org.au

www.schooliesrevolution.com

www.hopebuilders.org.au

Marriage – is what keeps us together!!

We have an amazing picture of God’s love for His people in the book of Hosea. Though much of the book is focused on the punishement of Israel – we do get a vivid image of our loving God. God who is prepared to marry an adulterer, a God who is willing and able to forgive a people of the most rebellious acts. A people who have forgotten Him. A people who have fallin in love witht he world around them and themselves. Doing as they wished with little regard to their saviour God….and then this verse: “I am going to allure her….and speak tenderly to her”. this to a people who have spurned his love and had affairs with multiple partners.  What Love is this!!!

And as we saw and experianced int he Lord’s Supper on Sunday – This is a love that invites us to the wedding banquet table – not just as guests – but as the bride – with her husband – as Paul says, “This is a mystery – but I am talking about Christ and the Church”. Our lives washed pure white by the blood of Jesus on the cross -  “oh a love that paid so dearly” So that we may feast at the wedding banquet of the lamb – pure and spotless and with out blemish.  What could be our response to a love like this?

Hosea 2:15 “she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the days she came up out of Egypt”  vs 23 “and will say, ‘You are my God!!’”  There is no other who can love like this! Our response - is a life of worship – a continual song of praise to our loving God. A life of devotion to him. Turn to him daily and remember His promise. 24 hours per day 7 days per week.

“I will betroth you to me forever….in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion”

What great news for an unfaithful people!!!  turn to him and recieve his love!!