Easter

Happy Easter Everyone

Amy

Everyday faith Wk3: Tranformations

 Hello everyone,

The serman this week was regarding tranformations...

Romans 1: 5 - 7

"Through him we reiceved grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obdience that comes from faith for his name's sake. And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

We should celebrate the given grace and peace as God doing.

Hosana (praise is rising)

Oceans

Jesus knows our name, so let us call to him

Thank you for being a loving and trusting God that we can take comfort in the knowledge that we can trust him.

As this service was commitment Sunday so we said the commitment prayer. Some key point of this prayer that spoke to me was . . . 

'I am no longer my own but yours'

'let me be employed gor you'

'glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it'

I felt that the message of this prayer was to say to God: Here I am Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit, grace, peace and use me in the capicity you need so that I may listen, understand and follow your plan.

Reading: John 2: 1 - 12 (Jesus changes water into wine)

"On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galiee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother sait to him, 'They have no more wine.'

'Woman, why do you involve me?' Jesus replied. 'My hour has not yet come.'

His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever tells you.'

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from eighty to a hundred and twenty litres.

Jesus said to the servants, 'Fill the jars with water; so they filled them to the brim.' Then he told them, 'Now draw someout and take it to the the master of the banquet.'

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realise where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, 'Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after  the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.' 

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galiee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days."

Through this passage we learn that Jesus felt that he was not yet ready to be truely known to us "Woman, why do you involve me?' Jesus replied. 'My hour has not yet come." but still he helped as Mary had faith that he would when she told the servants: "Do whatever tells you." 

We need to have faith in Jesus and do what he askes of us, trusting in him to lead us.

Ephesians 5:18

"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit"

Psalms 104: 15

"wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts."

The speaker used an anaology of a fire: when we have a small amount of fire we are kept warm but if we have too much it becomes this uncontrollable thing. I feel that the message recieved from this is that we are given blessings and gifts throughout our lives that we should treat with respect and not overendulge in them, but being filled with the Holy Spirit is endless. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit we are transformed like the water turning to wine.

1 Peter 3:15

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with  gentleness and respect,"

What is a Miracle? 

They are works of power, brings wonders from the peoples reactions, and signs that point to Jesus. 'Jesus changes water into wine' is the first miracle that Jesus performed, taking place when he was 30 years old which is an important year as it is at this age that you can become a priest. This miracle is the first of seven signs within John's gospel that point to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God.

The speaker spoke about what it takes to make wine: how it takes nine chemical transformations and then time to mature for it to become a god quality of wine. Jesus could have done this in a matter of minutes, showing that he as the power to manipulate substances and time, which is known by the banquet master commenting on how it was the best wine. Jesus does this with us through the Holy Spirit.

Romans 12:2

"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 will."

What are you full of now?

- fear

- anxiety

- worry

- overwhelmed

- insecurity

We need to remember that . . . 

nothing is to difficult for God

it is not about whether we are good enough but about God's grace.

We do not know how long it took Jesus to turn the water into wine, so remember that it could take time for Jesus to conduct the transformation within you.

Prayer

We thank you Lord, that you are a transforming God,

transform us like you did the water into wine.

God, I look to you

Lord is my strength, sheild, rock and I know that I can always trust in him.

You reign in our light and darkness, please give us what we need for the coming weeks.

Build my life

Yet not, but through christ in me

How great thou art

Thank you for reading

Feel free to leave a comment

Amy x 

p.s. These blog posts are what I have gotten out of a sermen that I have listened to so not all of what I write is my work

Everyday faith Wk2: Mary Magdalene

 Hello All,

Last Sunday's service was an all-age service so the vicor spoke about how we are all people of different ages, and from different backgrounds but we come together to worship Jesus and learn from the teaching of our Lord, as we are one family of God.

Holy, Holy, Holy

"God in three persons, bessed trinity"

God is the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

Be Glorified 

This is our God

Reading - John 20:1-18 

"Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!' So Peter and the others disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the othe disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally, the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)  Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying?' 

'They have taken my Lord away,' she said, 'and I don't know where they have put him.' At this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realise that it was Jesus. He asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?' Thinking he was the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.'    Jesus said to her, 'Mary.'

She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means teacher).

Jesus said, 'Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: 'I have seen the Lord!' And she told them that he had said these things to her."

Luke 24:5

"In their fright the woman bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead?"

This shows that we do not always recognise Jesus or his teaching. Sometime we do not even recognise what he has done for us. However, we find our true place when God opens our eyes.

U2: I still haven't found what I'm looking for

We discover answers through searchin. When Jesus said 'Mary' answers where discovered as she realised that he was her Lord. He said her name and her eyes were opened. Jesus knows each and every persons name and through this he will open our eyes to his presence and teachings. 

Before the thorne of God above

He gave his life for us, so the we could live sin free

He has our names tattooed on his heart, he knows us all by name and loves us unconditionery. 

Shout to the Lord 

Living hope

As God opens our eyes, he breaks the chains on us.

This message reminds me of a song a once listened to some years ago 'Holding nothing back'

Next post . . .  Tranformations

Thank you for reading

Feel free to leave a comment

Amy x 

p.s. These blog posts are what I have gotten out of a sermen that I have listened to so not all of what I write is my work.

Everyday faith Wk1: Paul and Ananias

 Hello everyone,

I know it has been a long time since my last post, years in fact. 

I am going to try and start my chistian weekly post again, fingers crosser I an keep to it.

Anyway,

I have joined a new church (St. James) that has a yearly vision, for 2022 it it 'everyday faith' focusing on asking God to open our eyes to him. He is beside us always.

Ephesians 1:18

"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of glorious inheritance in his holy people."

We need to open our hearts to God so that he can work through us and to that we can have our eyes open to him.

You and Amen

This is our prayer

Crown him with many crowns

Reading: Act 9:1-19

The Apostle Paul

There a two key things that the speaker talked about regarding Paul: Life changing, and God initiated. Paul went through a life changing experience when his eyes were opened to the lord. When he was Saul he was not a nice person, he was againist God and his people.

Act 9:1-2

"He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem."

But then when Saul was blinded, God worked through Anaias the help and heel him.

Act 9:15

"This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Isreal."

The then he was a change man, who was batised and embraced the holy spirit and allowed God to work through him, becoming a humbling servent.

Act 9:18

"Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and he was baptised."

The message of this amazing story is that opening our eyes to the Lord can be life changing.

God Initated

The astonishing fact of this story in that God appoached Saul and completely changed his life. God has a plan for all of us, we need to be open for him to work through us.

Saul new what type of a man he was but God didn't care, he resuced him and brought him out of the darkness.

Romans 7:24-25

"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

We are sinners, but that's okay for God loves us as we are, he even sent his own son to died on the cross an take all of our sins.

1 Corinthians 2:2

"for I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him cruified."

Jesus, friend of sinners

Close your eyes and listen to these words...

Ananias

He was prayful, obedient and full of grace. He was open to the Lord and followed God's path for him even when he was asked to approach a man who would see him imprisoned. 

Act 9:13

"'Lord' Ananias awsers 'I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem."

but still he went.

Act 9:17

"Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said 'Brother Saul, the Lord - Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here - he sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.'"

God puts his hands on us and forgives us, welcomes us in and fills us with the Holy Spirit. We need to be open to recieve him. We need to open our heart and eyes to him.

Open the eyes of my heart

Cornerstone

Prayer

We pray God that you take away our sins and we recieve you grace and life so that we can take you into our hearts.

Next Week ... Mary Magdaleme

Thank you for reading

Feel free to leave a comment

Amy x 

p.s. These blog posts are what I have gotten out of a sermen that I have listened to so not all of what I write is my work.

Make the right choice

Hello Everyone,

I apologise for not posting in a long while. it is no excuse, but I have been busy with my second year at University. I am afraid that this will be a short post a this week I was on the kid zone route and not in the actual service. I thought I would write a post anyway, even if short, so I could share the songs I heard in church with you.


The lesson in Kid zone today was about making the right decisions and to allow God to guide you to make the right choice. The example that was use for the children was in the form of a video where two friends watched TV together but when their other friend came looking for them they remembered that they had forgotten that they had agreed to play together. so, the two friends made the right choice by agreeing to go and say sorry to their other friend and then play together, all three of them.


Songs . . . 


You can make a way

I'm Trading my sorrows

Thank you for reading



Amy x

Religious Songs

Hey,


This Sunday I helped out at Kidzone in my church, so I am writing this post just to share the songs that were sang during the service.

Songs:

Today is the day 

Nothing holding me back

Build my life

Hope you enjoy these songs

Please comment below





Amy x

Spirit of Truth

Hello,

This post focuses around the quote ‘Spirit of truth’ from the Bible. I feel that this quote and it’s meaning is demonstrated well in the song ‘Voice of Truth’ by Casting Crowns.

John 14:15 – 21

“If you love me, keep my commands and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for ever – the Spirit of truth. The World cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realise that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Throughout the Bible there are many examples of following this teaching and raising to that faith. Some of these examples were when Lazarus came back from the dead, or when Jesus fed five thousand people with only five loafs of bread and three fishes, and when Jesus walked on water. It takes a lot of faith to have observed all these miracles to then to be told that their teacher is leaving and that you have to take his place in delivering the news of the Father, God to the people. This is like the star player of a game taking you to the win and then turns around and says ‘I am leaving’. However, Jesus did not leave us alone as it says in John 14 “I will not leave you as orphans”. He gave you someone who would never leave you just like he would never leave us, he sent down the Holy Spirit who will be with you and live in you.

This is demonstrated in Acts 2:1-4

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. The saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

Jesus’ love is given those who trust and obey but he will love you no matter what. For example, if you have children you will love them no matter what but there is something beautiful about an obedient child. Well so I am told, I personally don’t have any children.

Romans 5:1-2

“Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”

We have peace with God and we are welcome to join the family of God. We have many things to worry about in our life such as money, children, illness, work, and more, but do you think Jesus worried about anything? No, he was at peace and as said in Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in ever situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” So don’t worry about anything and put your worries to Jesus and trust in him.

The Holy Spirit is given to those who Trust, Love, Ask and Obey God. An imagery of this is a car as we are like a car because we need to be refilled with the Holy Spirit like a car needing to be refilled with gas.

Songs

Nothing Holding Me Back

Chains cannot keep you from loving Jesus.

You are Good 

Devotion

This is a new song to myself and the church which I feel is about giving yourself to Jesus.

All hail King Jesus

This is also a new song to me that I feel is about God’s love changing us.

My Troubled Soul

I feel that this song is about how chains cannot hold you back and about casting your worries to the Lord.

Thank you for reading,

Please use the contact box or comment below

Amy x

Kids Zone

Hey everyone,

I am sorry that it has been a while since my last post but I have been busy on my university course which is primary teaching, however I also haven’t had time to write a post because my grandad recently passed away so I have been spending time with my family and both organising and attending his funeral.

I have started volunteering at Kids Zone in Blue Zone which is for children of primary school age. This is the kids club for my church which is Plymouth Christian Centre. I got given a T- shirt and I volunteer for 2 weeks and then have 4 weeks off to attend the service and then repeat.

John 14:6

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The order of this group is to first allow the children to play with a variety of equipment before they join together to sing some songs in worship such as ‘Our God is a Great Big God’. The children would then sit at tables for a drink and biscuit before they sit down together on the floor while an adult reads a story to them and then ask them questions and discuss the story. This week the story was ‘Noah’. We would then finish with a song before playing with toys while waiting for the parents to collect them.

I really enjoyed myself looking after and playing Lego with the children.

Thank you for reading,

Please use the contact box or comment below

Amy x

Wise Man

Hey,

The church service from before I went on holiday to Yorkshire was about building a house on rock or sand?

Matthew 7:24-28

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house on the rock; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and it fell with a great crash.”

 

Paul from small groups did a demonstration of this by having 2 houses made of wooden blocks; 1 on rock and the other on sand. He then turned a fan on for wind and poured water on the houses, and you could probably guess what happened? The one on rock stayed whereas the one on sand slowly began to fall apart.

One of them showed listening and following through actions, whereas the other one listened but forgot, not putting what he had learnt into practice. We need to be like the guy who listened and then followed by acting on what he had learnt.

Philippians 2:14-16

“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved verse as you hold out the word of life – in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labour for nothing.”

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.

Any questions please use the contact box

Amy x

Family Fun Day

Hey,

So, as I posted last week, I am catching up on my blog and I am sorry for the wait but I have been away in Yorkshire for the past week and had no Wi-Fi so was unable to update my blog.

Anyway . . .

 

On the 15^th of July, I went to Kenilworth Guy Road Park, where the Family Fun Day was being held. I, along with my sister went to help with the face painting stool, but not before looking around. There were many things to participate in: Hunk a duck; Art & Craft; Cream Tea; Tea & Cake; free Burger and of course face painting.

During face painting, I ended up painting: about 5 butterflies, blue, pink & purple; about 4 flowery patterns; 1 or 2 snakes and 1 rainbow. Once I had finished face painting, both my sister and I had our faces painted; I have a flowery pattern while my sister got a red crown with a pink heart in it to represent the queen of hearts from Alice in Wonderland.

While I was having my face painted, the guy who was in charge of the water kindly offered to get me a burger which I accepted and then ended up getting the last burger, which meant my sister didn’t get one as she was in the line behind the guy. I did give her a bite though.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it,

Any comments or questions please use the contact box.

Amy x

Doubting Thomas

Hey,

Sorry late post again but have been busy revising. So this past week at church Andy came in to talk about his time in India. This meant that after some songs he got us to fill in a sheet of questions about India before him talking about his time there. However, the last question was about teaching as we are looking at Jesus as a teacher. The question was . . .

In your opinion, What are the five most important traits a teacher can have?

I put Understanding, patients, passion, to teach and authority.

He then went on to talk about the topic of the service which was doubting Thomas. In the Sound of Music their head sister said, "I always tried to keep faith in my doubts". In this case the doubt was Maria who was overcome by the beauty of the world around her she was always late and never where she needed to be.

Many people have come out and freely said that they have doubts, here are some examples: Martin Luther King, CS Lewis, Mother Teresa and even Pope Francis who said

"who among us – everybody, everybody – who among us has not experienced insecurity, loss and even doubt on their journey of faith? Everyone! We've all experienced this, even me. This is part of our journey of faith, it is part of our lives. This should not surprise us because we are human beings marked by imperfections. We are all week, we all have limits: do not worry we all have them."

Now let's look at teachers in general before looking at Jesus as our teacher and saviour. Teachers have to create relationships with pupils so that they can understand them, gain their trust, to be able to calm them down. Teachers need to be able to changed their approach in teaching with different children as we are all very different and unique people. A teacher has to create an environment in which the pupils have the confidence to make mistakes so that they can learn and feel free to show what they have already learnt therefore the teacher will have a greater understanding of the pupils ability. The teacher needs to be calm and patient as they will have to repeat what they've already taught as pupils can make mistakes and they may misbehave. Now looking at Jesus we have to remember that he had been with his disciples who were his pupils for 3 years teaching them about God.

Andy also spoke about senses when looking at what Jesus taught us. I'm sure that everyone knows that in ‘Genesis 3’ Adam and Eve were told not to eat the apple from the forbidden tree but still Eve disobeyed God and took an apple from that tree, she just couldn't help but touch and taste the fruit from that tree. Now if we look at our lives, when you go into a restaurant and the waiter tells you that the plate is hot, you still touched the plate and find out that it is indeed hot. You needed to touch it to confirm that what you've been told was true.

Now we look at John 20:1 - 31 as this shows through our senses that the disciples begin to recognise their teacher who had risen.

John 20:3 – 8

"So, Peter and the other disciples started for the tomb. Both are running, but the other disciple outrun Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along beside him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head. The cloth is still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally, the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed."

 Peter and John completely believed although they didn't understand what had happened, but they did believe.

John 20:11 – 18

“Now Mary is outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?' 'They have taken my Lord away,' she said, 'and I don't know where they have put him. 'At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realise that it was Jesus. He asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?' Thinking he was the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you had put him, and I will get him. 'Jesus said to her, 'Mary.' She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, 'Rabbi! (Which means teacher). Jesus said, 'do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go inside to my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascended to my Father and your father to my God and your God.' Mary went to disciples with the news: 'I have seen the Lord!' And she told them that he had said these things to her.”

Mary needed to hear his voice in order to believe.

John 20:19 – 23

"On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'peace be with you!' After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again, Jesus said, 'peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.' And with that he breathed on them and said, 'receives the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.'"

The other disciples needed to see the Lord, their teacher, in order to believe.

John 20:24 – 29

"Now Thomas, one of the twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, 'we have seen the Lord!' But he said to them, 'Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.' A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'peace be with you!' Then he said to Thomas, 'put your hand here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.' Thomas said to him, 'My Lord my God!' Then Jesus told him. 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed of those who have not seen and yet have believed.'"

Thomas needed to see and touch him to believe, which Jesus knew as his teacher. Jesus then continued to teach by saying to Thomas stop doubting. Through these verses you can see how much joy Thomas has once he understands that Jesus is in front of him. In the Bible, it states that by 'believing in me you will have love everlasting' therefore by believing in him will have joy. Throughout the Bible Thomas questions Jesus in a way so he can understand, Jesus said to Thomas 'I am the way to the father.'

The servers ended by saying 'peace be with you' and prayer. The prayer was thanking Jesus for being a great leader and teaching us as well as asking him to transform our doubt in to faith. We then ended by repeating Thomas's words 'My Lord, my God!'

Songs

There is not much to say about these songs except that to me they are traditional as I have heard them since I was a child and I love them.

Lord Reign in Me

In Christ Alone

O Praise his Name

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it,

Please use the contact box for any questions or comments

Amy x