Paul tells us in Phil 4 :19, that God will meet all our needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus, I want you today to remember this, it is a new year, but it is possibly the same old you, same routine same patterns, or it may be a new you where you have discovered again or for the first time the love of God that is real in your life.
I guess the sermon this morning is one where we take on board what Paul says in ch 2 of Philippians “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” – Not that we are saved by works, but God who has saved us by his loved and his grace, requires something of us, we are to work with God so that we journey towards how God already sees us. In other words we are to become what we already are. Does that make sense? It is like Paul who says that the old me still tries to convince me that he is in control and so I do the things I do not wish to do, and don’t do the things I want to do, but God knows that the old you is gone and you are a new creation through a relationship with Jesus Christ, and we have to grow into that new creation, it is a process, but if we don’t grow we simply revert to the old self who will never truly die until we meet with Christ. Who is always willing to drag you back to the way you once were.
So how do we work with God to become this new creation that we already are? This is the challenge for 2008, God has been nudging me, prompting me, speaking to me that this year for this Church will be even more exciting than what has gone before, that he will break open the gates of the Kingdom upon us if we are open to what he wants to do is us, are we ready for that?
Lets look at Elijah, trust, faith he was not forgotten, God called “I have commanded” God was in control, that is all we need Elijah listened and he was equipped for his ministry.
Same for us, trust, faith, won’t be forgotten, God speaks and if we listen we will be equipped for our ministry, which each one of us has been given, will we rely on him completely to see the amazing things he has in store for us?
So what for us then? What will be our plan for God’s work in 2008?
Personally, daily dozen
Church, how can you serve this Church? Sunday club, youth work, women’s ministry, men’s ministry, cleaning the church, visiting the house bound, switching the heating on, when you have an idea, pray about it, and go for it, you will never be criticised by the leadership of this Church, even if you make a mistake, it shows you are trying, listen to what God is saying, or volunteer an hour a week to this Church and see what God does in your life, in the lives of other and the life of this Church, you get a purpose, others are blessed, the Church grows
Community, conspiracy of kindness, each group in the church to take on a task, lets change the town of Dalkeith lets capture it for God.
Elijah was in the barren land, yet God provided, wherever we find ourselves God will provide!
