littlelaughalot
Monday, October 30, 2006
Be encouraged!Another fantastic night at Alpha! Tonight's topic was about "Why and how should I read my bible?"
As usual we started off with great conversation over a bowl of Isobel's soup. To hear the noise of so many different conversations going on at the same time is music to my ears. People are so relaxed and really do appear to be happy to be in each other's company.
Our worship tonight included three songs "Shout to the Lord"..."There is a Redeemer"...and the beautiful song "How deep the Father's love for us". Before singing the last song, I had chosen some bible verses that would just help people to realise just how awesome and amazing and deep God's love for them really is. God really works in amazing ways. Some of these verses I had chosen were then used in the talk tonight and worked so well with what we were discussing....how the bible is just like God's love letter to us all. Billy...who is experiencing Alpha for a second time said how he doesn't really read the bible...he enjoys listening to the sermons on a sunday and enjoys the verses of scripture being explained to him, but can't really get into the bible. He then went on to say that all through tonight from beginning to end he had felt God near him. The songs which B.L.O.C. led through he said really touched him, and the verses of scripture chosen in that worship and the verses included in tonight's discussion had made him decide that tomorrow he is going to go out and buy a bible in a translation that will be helpful to him and he is going to look the verses up.....WOW!
Jim, who is a neighbour to our dear friends Bobby and Diane, has been attending Alpha with not having any real "church" experience in the past. He came to our meeting on Sunday night. I was blown away. God is SO Good...and praise God He is still working in people's lives today.
Laura brought another couple along tonight as well, and they participated well within our group.
More and more I really feel that this part of the ministry, is where I feel most comfortable, most useful, and most blessed. This is Church! This is where I want to be. Talking about Jesus to folks, ...what an amazing priviledge! I am truly blessed to be part of this. These people just amaze me...they are so open to what is being said...and it just blows me away. And why should I be surprised?...who am I to limit God?
As usual there is always something that comes up to try to bring us down...and I would just like you guys to pray for our corps and also for Kenny and Sarah...good friends of ours from our church who are part of the "A life worth living" team that is running alongside Alpha. Word has come to us that some individuals within the church feel that what has been going on for the last wee while is going to cause a split in the corps. This kind of talk really concerns me, because what has been happening for the last few years has been God working through people...God speaking to His people ...and God ministering through his people to bring others to Him. We have seen house groups starting from 3 or 4 growing to mid twenties. We have seen Alpha really take off and has seen many new people into our church services. We have really developed a thirst and hunger for God's word....and people are noticing this change in us. We have changed! We are listening to what God wants us to do are we are seeing amazing results...but sadly there are a few who see this somehow as a threat. How very sad, and discouraging to the folks who have done nothing else but respond to the call of God.
The way our church used to be is changing for the better may I say.....(People getting serious about God is always a change for the better!), yet that is too scary a change for some. Sometimes folks can't sit and just think, well maybe I am the obstacle here, maybe I should get involved, or maybe I could just encourage...but unfortunately these folks don' t like change, even when it's in God's plan.... so they become very defensive and the prickles stand up. This does genuinely worry me because we are not doing anything radical or crazy here...we are studying God's word, and learning more about Him. We are trying to serve Him better every day.
Kenny and Sarah are really feeling it just now...so just be encouraged you two, to know that you are both in our prayers,...we are praying for the whole situation and for ourselves too that we would deal with this resistance in the best and God loving way we can...which is hard at times....but that's why we need God's help. Be encouraged...we will continue to listen to God's voice...we will continue to do what He says...whatever that may mean we are up against.
Remember the words to this song...
"I'll not turn back
whatever it may cost
I'm called to live to love and serve
The lost."
