FRIDAY 23 SEPT 11 Obedience to God in ACTION.

Let's take a peep into Acts 19 v 1-7: 'While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul travelled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" he asked them.

The FIRST action of faith.

When it comes to acting in obedience, (or acting in faith,) there always has to be two persons involved- One giving the commands, and one carrying out the commands. When looking at the Commander in terms of faith, it's often God that we're talking about. Let's observe how many times Paul acts in FAITH in this portion of scripture. When we look at this story the first thing we see is that Paul is travelling to a place. There's ONE- Paul knows that if he continues to search he will find the people whom God has called him to find. TWO- Paul asks the people "by chance" whether they received the Holy Spirit or not. Again- Paul goes by discernment. THREE- Upon realisation that they hadn't heard of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, Paul goes on to explain Jesus and what John the Baptist was pointing to. FOUR- Paul lays his hands on the believers and, due to this step of faith, the Holy Spirit itself came upon the believers and they moved in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul acts in faith in four different recognisable ways. 1.) He goes where God leads him. 2.) He discerns where the people are, spiritually. 3.) He teaches the believers the ways of the Holy Spirit, and 4.) he acts on the guidance of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands. That's four moves of God in 19 lines alone. No wonder the book is called 'Acts'! Paul is evidently fully-reliant on the prompting of the Holy Spirit- and that's where we can be.

The SECOND action of faith.

What's so powerful is that God is not only in more than one place at the same time, but He's speaking to more than one person and using more than one person at the same time also. So, as Paul is being obedient to the Holy Spirit, and saying everything that God is telling him, on the OTHER side the exact same thing is happening. Let's look at this SECOND action of faith- this time on the Ephesians' part. 1.) The Ephesians are willing to learn- as Paul communicates the Holy Spirit to them they listen and understand- they are sensitive to God's voice. 2.) They express an area where they've shown obedience to God before. and 3.) They receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit- They receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit- they trust in Paul and his anointing from God.

That's SEVEN known acts of God in only 19 lines. When we trust, God moves.

    At this point in time we can't literally see what happened, but I can imagine that in these thirteen believer's lives in this point in time, God was shining so brightly- God was revealing himself- TO ALL- in a mighty way through them- even up until today. Because of their FAITH we learn God's ways!! As you venture in the joys of trusting in God and learning about the Christian life this week, I pray that we'll see some of the great things that cause our faith to be known in this world.

God bless you all, and see you soon!

(Brought to you by Adam Elkington)

THURS 15 JUL 11 Hi Church!

We had a fantastic time at the Annual 'Leek Club Day' event, which was held on 9^th July.
Club Day is an event where the Sunday Schools (and Scout Groups) from churches in Leek take part in a service in the marketplace, which leads to a procession around town, and ends with returning back to church for refreshments.
It was a blessing to see many people together, and seeing God move through praise and worship.
It rained briefly too, which was... entertaining!

Well, hope you're all ready for another week. We had a blessed time on Sunday with Barry Moss bringing the word- Barry used to be an elder in the church here at West Street and has been part of the fellowship for a long time. This week he spoke on the events towards the end of the Old Testament in Malachi where the Israelites were tired of God. Then God gave them one last chance... But before Jesus' arrival there was a long, 400 year, period - the page between the Old and New Testaments- as Barry put it- where God was silent. You can only imagine the chaos!
But Jesus came and, being their last hope tried to show Himself to the religious leaders and people, but they rejected Him- many of them knew however after the death that Jesus was truly God.
But, that all done, Jesus, as we know now, is very much alive- risen from the dead in fact.
Let's be inspired for a lifetime with the life of Christ, when He was here on earth.
Let's take up our cross and follow Him. Onward! 

                                                           God bless.

(Brought to you by Adam Elkington)

 

THURS 01 JUN 11 Forgivness

God created us to live in relationships, both one with another and with Him. Unless you're a hermit living in a cave on some Outer Hebridean island that is what we do - relationships within families, with friends, at school, at work, our neighbours, even those we bump into and don't know very well.  Hopefully most of the time those relationships are good ones, but occasionally things happen that can threaten them.  Something is said to us, or something is done to us that causes us hurt. The closer that person is to us who says or does something, the greater can be our sense of hurt.  Although we are not responsible for and can't necessarily influence how people act towards us, as Christians we are responsible for the way we react. Should we forgive? Can we forgive?

On an emotional and psychological level, the consequences of not forgiving can be damaging.  We hold a grudge perhaps to spite the other person, but that unforgiveness backfires.  We can become proud, untrusting, stubborn and bitter.  We think we are putting one over on that person, but we are creating a prison for our soul.  Our joy can slowly be squeezed out of us.  On a spiritual level, as a Christian forgiveness is not an optional extra, it is compulsory, and the Bible teaches that the consequences for not forgiving are an eternity without God. That is the stark fact of the matter.  The following verse, which we can glibly trot out, spells out that one action is dependant upon another. 'Forgive us our trespasses, AS we forgive those who trespass against us.'

In the parable of the unmerciful servant, Jesus likens God the Father to the employer who lets the servant (each one of us) off from an unpayable debt (our sin) and bears the cost himself (through Jesus' death).  However, having received this release from debt, the same servant is unwilling to let off a fellow servant who owes a small amount.  The employer hears of this and the unmerciful servant is forced to suffer the punishment that the employer would have been pleased to spare him. Jesus concludes 'This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart' (Matt 18 v 35).  Forgiving someone can be really tough and wanting to seek some form of retribution is natural to our sinful nature.  However, as Christians this is not an option open to us. We must be prepared to give up the desire to seek revenge, to come to see those who have hurt us in a different light, as God sees them.  When we get to the point where we wish them well and really want God to bless them, our forgiveness is really working through.  Of course, this does not happen overnight and sometimes it can be a case of 2 steps forward and 1 step back.  Our desire should be to forgive as we have been forgiven, and to take the necessary steps with God's help to bring it about.

(Brought to you by Dave Elkington)
 

TUE 13 MAY 11 A Call To Preparation
Proverbs 24 v 27: Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.

Good SUNDAY! (Or whatever day you are reading this! Happy day to you- from us!)
BE INVOLVED with our church at any time this week. See what's on http://www.leekpentecostalchurch.org.uk/What%27s%20On.html. Whatever you are doing this weekend or this week- God bless. I know that you have arrived at this site for a reason. God, I pray that you would use what I say, that these words would be of a divine inspiration. Thank You Lord for every life reading this… I know that You have a special calling for every life. Move on our hearts and help us to be living righteously. Use Your people for Your glory alone. Thank You Lord. Amen.

Something that God has spoken to me quite a lot about, recently, is the area of preparation, and I've found that when we go to do anything we need preparation- an area of preparation can be helping out in practical areas, whether that's serving in a Cafe or cleaning someone's house. Every single good thing that we do as Christians brings about the Kingdom of God. The key scripture I've used for this is: Proverbs 24 v 27, which reads: Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house. Which you can take it metaphorically as meaning: Take up guitar lessons before playing lead guitar in the band. When getting involved in something spiritually, physically beneficial there often needs to be a level of experience. I know that God takes joy in watching the DEVELOPMENT process, and we have inherited that joy in the mind set He has given us. There's something about CHANGE- DEVELOPMENT- that excites the human mind and that is exactly what the true, devoted, Christian walk is- a move of excitement. I've talked before about it being an adventure. There are ups and downs but we KNOW at the core of us that God is the ultimatum.

                                                               God bless. 

(Brought to you by Adam Elkington)

TUE 03 MAY 11 Focus

I don't do it very often, but one thing I really enjoy is swimming in the sea. Admittedly it might take me an embarrassing long time to get in, in the first place, but once I've managed to get acclimatised to the temperature of the water there is no stopping me.  However, I can recall a number of occasions when I've been treading water and a strange thing has happened to me.  Without me realising it, I am no longer where I thought I was - a current has ever so gently taken me along the beach and I am slowly drifting further away from my starting point.  This lack of realisation always occurs when I'm facing out towards the sea with my back to the beach. Had I been facing the beach then I would have recognised I was drifting very quickly.

The same thing can happen in our Christian walk.  It can be so easy to drift from where we once were because we're not looking the right way.  As Christians we know that we are in a spiritual battle.  Peter warns us that 'the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour' (1 Peter 5v8, NIV).  However, he is also a cunning adversary, a master of deception.  He will use subtle ways to cause us to drift away from God - worldly pleasures, selfishness, wounded pride, hurts, the pressure of time.  Peter exhorts us to 'be self-controlled and alert' (1 Peter 5v8 NIV) and Jesus himself in the Garden of Gethsemane told the disciples to 'watch and pray so that will not fall into temptation' (Matt 26v41 NIV).  We need to guard our hearts and minds, and not lose our focus.  What might be causing us to drift away from God?  Is it our thought life, our self-centredness, our lack of spending time in the presence of God through prayer and reading?  We need to set our hearts on things above, not things below.  As the writer of the book of Hebrews puts it, we need to 'fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith' (Hebrews 12v2 NIV).  What steps do you need to take to refocus your life and put Christ back at the centre?   

(Brought to you by Dave Elkington)
 

SUN 24 APR 11 Easter Sunday!
Ephesians 1 v 7: He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

Hello to those who are reading this- may you ALL have a blessed Sunday :)

Praise God for the time that we live in. Praise God that we have the full picture- the Bible- the Word of God- in its fullness for us to learn and consume. This Sunday so many people are celebrating the fact that Jesus died and rose again from the dead, the fact that the RICHNESS of His FAITHFULNESS brought about incredible life and salvation for all to take and apply to their own lives. We're celebrating today, worshipping with instrument and voice in spirit, which comes to us THROUGH accepting the things Jesus promised, and the things He did.

Ephesians 1 v 3, 7: All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ... He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.'

Yes... ALL praise to Him. May His praise be your song today- May the understanding that Jesus' death on the cross was so that we do not have to suffer for our sins but have hope lift us up in joy. May our hearts be open to Him. Maybe you've come across this page and heard about Christians before. Maybe your life so far has revolved around searching for something, maybe something you were always sure was there. Maybe you've been an atheist, determined to bring the world to know the truth that there isn't a God... but you've come to the conclusion- the realisation- that the only truth, the only way and the only life is Christ. You want to make that decision. You can pray this prayer (, or something along these lines): 
'God, I understand that I am a sinner- that I have done wrong. I know that Your way is the pathway to life- that Jesus died on the cross for the sins that I committed, because He loves me. I pray that You would wash away all my sin, welcome me into Your plan.  From now on may I be known as a disciple of Your son, Jesus Christ. Thank you for life. Thank you for Your grace and mercy. Thank you Lord God. Amen.'
If you made a decision to follow Christ, please email us at info@leekpentecostalchurch.org.uk our hearts' desire is to see people enter into God's Kingdom and we can't wait to see you when you get there :)

Hope that you all have a great Easter weekend all, and are blessed by God. Hope to see you soon!
                                                                              HAPPY EASTER!!!!

(Brought to you by Adam Elkington)
 

SAT 16 APR 11 Joy Inexpressible
The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you... "

(Brought to you by Adam Elkington)

FRI 02 APR 10 Easter, a time of new life... always!
Easter means different things to different people. For some it's about eggs, Easter bunnies, and the odd baby chick thrown in for good measure. For others it's about seeing family, enjoying a rest from work, or getting away on holiday.
Others still look back and remember a huge landmark in history, the moment God came to earth as man, lived, died, and ultimately rose again to set us free.

There's a greater truth though, that the Jesus who rose is alive today, and is calling us to know Him, to walk with Him, and to follow Him. That same Jesus wants to come and dwell within of us by His Holy Spirit, changing us and transforming us to be like Himself.
No longer does it become about remembering, but about living, today God is calling everyone of us "Choose Life!", "Live!","Today!".

Having recently got back from Pakistan I can say indeed the harvest is ready, God is drawing men, women, and children into His Kingdom. But time is short, our days are few, lets make them count. Let's walk in all God has in store for us, both over Easter and every day of our lives!

To steal the favourite line of a certain elder,  "Come on church!"

(Brought to you by Jonathan Howard)
 

THURS 24 DEC 09 The End of a Decade
With Christmas fast approaching (a big thank you to everyone who attended and helped make both the "Birth of Jesus Presentation" and the "Carol service" what they were! Plus all the food and parties *yum, yum!*) I guess it's time to look back on the last year, and even the last decade.
Time really seems to fly and the urgency and importance of it always seems to be niggling away at the back of my mind, our time on Earth is really so very short in the sight of eternity.
It was George Santayana who said "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

But however much history can teach us we have no power to change the past, it's the now that matters, what will I do with this moment, what will you do?
Time is ticking, the world is dieing, but God is living and He has amazing things in store for those who follow Him.

Tuesday nights prayer meeting was so encouraging, Gods presence showed up mightily demonstrating once again His desire to move amongst His people.
This is my desire for the following year, even for today, to see God glorified, and to see His Spirit moving freely amongst His people.

What are your desires? Perhaps a more important question, what are Gods?

"O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely.”
Song of Solomon 2:14
(Brought to you by Jonathan Howard)
 

WED 25 NOV 09 Wedding and Baptisms!
The past few weeks have been very eventful and exciting.
We celebrated a fantastic wedding where we all came together in the joining of a very Godly couple. A day we won’t forget I’m sure.
Then to follow on from this joyous occasion we cheered and prayed for both Isaac Elkington and Beth Sherwin as they entered into the baptismal pool.
(Photos for these two events will soon be up on the website to look at.)

 Paul says in Romans 1 v 16 that ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.’ These Godly people who took great steps through the baptism and wedding surely had big faith, because they knew that it was time to do these things, and God put that on their hearts. We can thank God that they made these steps because they can encourage us in our spiritual walks. Ultimately Beth and Isaac, and Graham and Marion are righteous in God’s eyes, because he gave them the privilege, in taking their steps of faith, to become stronger in God through their commitments and testimonies. Which I believe should inspire each one of us to take major steps, and in doing so, glorifying God. God bless you. So, what more can be said?? Bring on more weddings! And more baptisms!

(Brought to you by Adam Elkington)