Saturday, 3rd July 2010 @ 11:26
Church Update 4-7-10
The Transforming Word of God
Dear Friends,
Over the past number of weeks I have felt compelled to focus again on the foundational need in
our lives for God’s word.
God’s word is the beginning of His creative work, both in the natural creation of the universe
and of our spiritual new creation when we are born again.
John 1: 1—5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the
beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that
was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men….
2 Corinthians 4:6
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to
give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
As we progress in our spiritual life, it is God’s plan that we learn to live by the promises he
has placed for us in His mighty Word.
2 Peter 1: 3-6
His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the
knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us
exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust
These promises are the means by which we are able to take possession of God’s blessings.
We are told clearly in these verses that we have everything we need for life.
The promise however is not the same as a gift that is handed from one person to another.
With a gift, all we need to do is be willing to receive (I think 99% of people are very capable
of that).
The promises however do not come to us on a platter, they need to be possessed. In the same way
as Israel was given the promised land, and then had to go in and claim the territory, so also
our promise land is not wthout its battles.
My prayer is that you will know and understand the promises that God has spoken to you and that
you will be able to take possession of the inheritance provided as one of His own dear children.
MAKING IT WORK:
In my own personal journey, I have discovered that there are particular areas of my life where
I have had to memorise and know the promises Word for Word. In times when my faith has
struggled, or circumstances have been against me, I have been able to bring His promises to
rememberance and speak them out in the middle of the opposition.
When we declare the word of God and speak it out in the face of what popular opinion is, or
what our circumstances declare, or what our feelings are, something begins to happen within us
and through us.
Recently, I had a discussion with Colin (A close friend) before he and his wife went up North
for their holidays.
His concern was that he wouldn’t be able to keep up with the expectation of learning the whole
bible. Col is no longer a spring chicken, and so said that he would struggle to remember the
verses. I think most men as they journey into Senior years, have times where they will forget
things they have read, people’s names, places they have been and most of all, what their wife
has asked them to remember when she has gone out to the shops.
My encouragement here is to keep it simple. If you were once able to remember two verses a day
as a younger person, then I would say cut it back to one perse per week.
Below are some simple strategies to empower each of us to bring God’s word to life in our homes.
1. Identify the area/s that you need to overcome and breakthrough
2. Get a piece of paper with these areas as headings at the top and create coloumns
3. Go to your bible concordance and write down all the references to your area of need
4. Start a memorization plan that works for you, ie: one chapter per day or one verse per day or one verse per week.
5. Write or have the verses typed out and put in STRATEGIC LOCATIONS where they are going to
regularly be in front of your eyes. Ie: Fridge, Toilet door, Car dashboard, Kitchen, bench, Bathroom/ Bedroom mirror.
Just to be clear, Im not saying place 100’s of verses everywhere, but to have one or two that
you keep in place until the knowledge and memory of those verses has gone in and stuck.
When Jesus faced His enemy, he used the Word against him and overcame every opposition from the
evil one.
Over the last 25yrs of following Christ, I have found for me there have been five fundamental
areas that I have had to know the Word of God. Every part of God’s word is good and helpful to
instruct and guide us, but you must strengthen yourself and build godly strongholds of thinking
where the enemy seeks to ruin your life.
Key personal areas:
1. Eternity, 2. Identity, 3 Family, 4. Finances, 5. Difficulty/ Trials
God’s word gives me knowledge of God’s will for these areas of my life. Through memorizing the
promises, my thinking and approach to each of these areas is different. What happens then is
that I will act differently and in my actions—the discovery of God’s will.
God’s will is not a clinical black and white event, but rather discovered in the faith journey
as we seek to apply God’s word in each situation. His will is organic and real, able to be
attained by every believer,
Romans 12: 1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed
to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
For those who are struggling to make a start and need help to begin, I would encourage you to
talk to a lifegroup leader or a member of the Pastoral team for support.
At present MCLC runs about 17 small groups where members are able to encourage and strengthen
each other in the word of God. It would be our great delight to support and help you in your
journey with Christ.
Below I have listed a group of key verses that I have used as part of a foundation for my faith
and life in God.
John 3: 16 God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son …
John 1: 1 In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God…
Palm 119: 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
Proverbs 3: 5,6 Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own underst…
Romans 3: 23 All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Romans 6: 23 The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus..
Romans 5: 8 God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were still sinners,…
Romans 10: 9,10 If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart…
Romans 8: 1 There is therefore now on condemnation to those who are in Christ…
Romans 8: 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Romans 8: 31 What shall we say to these things? If God is for us who can be against us?
Jude 1: 21 keep yourselves in the love of God.
I promised Col that I would send him enough verses for three months to get him started. Just
one verse a week,for 12 weeks.
These verses are a great starting point to learn a foundation of God’s plan. His grace is
wonderful and amazing.
His love for you is enormous. I pray that you would know the depths of His love and be rocketed
forward in God’s plan for your life.
Lots of love and blessings
Ps Phil and Sue Ayres
MCLC Senior Ministers
Coming Events:
Baptism Service 9am
Sun 4th Juy
Contact: Office 9581 2485
Leaders PD Evening
7th July
Contact: Ps Phil 0414 751 233
Family Camp
16 - 18th July
Contact: Bea 0412 808 633
Valiant Man Series
Tues 20th July
Contact: Tim 0414 328 977
Youth Unite
Fri 30th July
Contact: Sheryl H 0407 192 526
Leaders and Volunteers
Child Protection training
Sun 1st August
Contact: Ps Phil 0414 751 233
Camp Afterglow BBQ and Bonfire
Sat 7th August
Contact: Bea 0412 808 633
Lakes Rd Prayer Meetings
9th - 14th August
Contact: Karin 0407 854 008
Lakes Rd Promise Land 9am Service
Sun 15th August
Contact: Office 9581 2485
Real Men's Conference
20 - 21st August
Contact: Office 9581 2485
Go to link;
http://www.realmen.org.au/
Rockit Youth Camp
27 - 29th September
Contact: Chantelle 0412 047 705
Connect Conference
26 - 28th October
Contact: Office 9581 2485
http://aogwa.com.au/calendar
HEAVEN'S GATES - HELL's FLAMES
4th - 9th November
Contact: Office 9581 2485
