The Battle is the Lords: Joshua Follows God's Instructions

Outline of Service 25^th August 2019

The Battle is the Lords: Joshua Follows God’s Instructions – Joshua 3:5

Hymn91 – Tune 96:  Unparalleled Power  

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 119:89-96 – God Looks After Us

Bible Readings: -                                             

·     The Battle of Jericho:  Joshua 6:1-7, 10, 13-16, 20-23

·     Personal Instructions: Romans 14:1-13

·     God Does the Work in Us:  John 15:5-11

Hymn 24 – Tune 13:  Victory Comes from God

·     Sometimes we may not understand why God instructs us to do certain things, but if we do follow His instructions we will get the outcome He has promised!

·     God has set out a Life-style in the Bible which in many ways seems “strange” to the natural-man

·     As believers we must seek to follow the instructions God has given in His Word, and to do the things He puts on our hearts

·     God and good will win the ultimate battle against evil and wrong, but we need to present ourselves to follow His instructions if we want to be part of the victory

·     When Jesus Christ returns and the walls of evil which preclude us from fully knowing God fall, we can hope to enter His Kingdom wholly – in spirit and soul and body.

Hymn 121 – Tune 115:  Trust and He Will Make it Plain

Doxology

The Battle is the Lords: The Rod of God

Outline of Service 11^th August 2019

The Battle is the Lords: The Rod of God – Ps 23:4

Hymn 104:  God is Our Refuge  

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 23 – God Looks After Us

Bible Readings: -                                             

·     The Battle With Amalek:  Exodus 4:17, 20; 17:8-14

·     The Rod of God: Isaiah 11:1-5

·     Depend on God:  Mark 6:1-13

Hymn 3:  The Time is Come

·     God will win the battle for us, but sometimes He requires a token acknowledgement to show that we trust in Him

·     We should seek for the favour of God to bless our lives

·     The Rod of God was a type of God’s Power shown through Jesus Christ who reconciled the World to God

·     In showing our faith in God we are holding up His Rod and He will continue to bless us and lead us as we go through life’s experiences

·     Those in whom the battle between good and evil will be won will be changed wholly, in spirit and soul and body, when Jesus Christ returns.

Hymn 47:  Uphold God’s Standard

Doxology

The Battle is The Lord's: God Does It All

Outline of Service 28^th July 2019

The battle is the Lord’s: God does it all

Hymn 105:  Thanks to God for Everything!

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 34 – The Lord delivers the righteous

Bible Readings:                                                  

·     Exodus 14: 5-25 – The Red Sea parts, Israel escapes

·     Romans 8: 28-39 – If God be for us, who can be against us

Hymn 6:  Unconceivable Joy

·     God fought on behalf of Israel and delivered them from the Egyptians.

·     Just like Israel, if God is with us, we can overcome anything!

·     It is a challenge to surrender our will to God and let God fight for us.

·     God has a special group of people – “Brethren” of Jesus Christ – who overcome evil and their own fallen nature.

·     Are we willing for God to do the work in us so we can become part of his special people and part of his grand plan?

Hymn 126 – Tune 125:  The Righteous and Peaceful Lord

Doxology

The Sword of the Lord - the Story of Gideon

Outline of Service 14^th July 2019

The Sword of the Lord – Judges 7:18

Hymn 106:  God’ Truth Shall Prevail  

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 96 – The Greatness of God

Bible Readings: -                                             

·     Gideon, God’s Servant:  Judges 6:1-2, 36-40: 7:1-11, 15-23

·     The Light within Us:  2 Corinthians 4:3-7

·     Rest, after the Victory: Hebrews 4:1-12

Hymn 35:  The Battle of Faith

·     Like many of us, Gideon looked for confirmation about what was God’s Will for him to follow

·     God wanted a small number of helpers through whom to demonstrate His power, not to win the battle for Him – using the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17)

·     God showed Gideon that He works at a level beyond earthly constraints that control our capabilities!

·     Paul talked about the Day of Rest when sin and evil will be conquered by God’s Sword, and we will live in peace

·     As Gideons warriors’ pitchers were filled with light that was not seen until the pitchers were broken, so we must seek to be freed from the evil that stops us from knowing God

·     Those in whom the battle between good and evil is won will be changed wholly, in spirit and soul and body, and show God’s light, when Jesus Christ returns.

Hymn 15 – Tune 13:  The Sword of the Spirit

Doxology

The Battle Is the Lord's

Outline of Service 23^rd June 2019

The Battle Is The Lord’s – 1 Samuel 17:47

Hymn 117:  The Victory is the Lord’s  

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 139:1-12, 23-4 – An All-knowing God

Bible Readings: -                                             

·     David and Goliath:  1 Samuel 17:1-11, 23-30, 38-47

·     Jesus Looks to the Lord: John 14:1-14

·     The Armour of God:  Ephesians 6:10-18

Hymn 25 – Tune 20:  The Battle for Good

·     The story of David and Goliath reminds us that God always has a simple way to win, but we often would not even think of it!

·     We would do better to put our trust in God, without knowing how He could possibly solve our problems, rather than try to solve them ourselves

·     Even Jesus acknowledged that the battle is the Lord’s, and trusted in His Father to set the directions in His life

·     God’s Power extends to solving both our day to day problems as well as upholding us in our hearts and minds as we fight against the influences of this world that try to turn us away from God

·     Let us seek to God to give us His armour so that we can stand against Satan and his forces as we wait the return of Jesus Christ to this Earth

·     The Battle to be preserved wholly, in spirit and soul and body until His return, is the Lord’s, and He will win that battle in those who believe in Him. 

Hymn 37 – Tune 34:  God and Good Prevail

Doxology

Learning from the Past - Jude

Outline of Service 26^th May 2019

Learning from the Past – Jude 3

The faith which was once delivered unto the saints…

Hymn 102:  Joy in God’s Presence  

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 47:1-9 – God Reigns!

Bible Readings: -                                             

·     A New and Parallel Hope:  Isaiah 65:1-7, 17-20

·     Changing Relationships:  Acts 15:1-9, 13-21

·     Jude’s exhortation - look for the truth: Jude 1-13, 20-25

Hymn 26:  God’s Plan for Renewal

·     God chose Abraham and Sarah and delivered to them a special Faith which resulted in God choosing Israel as a “peculiar treasure” to be the witnesses of His Presence to all people on the Earth

·     Isaiah tells of how Israel dropped their side of this relationship, and as a result, God told about how His Plan of Salvation would be extended to all

·     This was fulfilled after the ascension of Jesus when the Christian Message was spread abroad and offered to all

·     Some people believed that this “new” message replaced the old Covenant with Israel, but Jude points out that the “old” message is still there in parallel with the “new”, and should not be forgotten

·     Jude raises a number of important ways in which understanding the past can help us to know what to expect in the future  

·     May each of us seek to God for personal understanding and commitment as we look for the outpouring of His Power this coming Whitsuntide and the fulfillment of His Promises with the return of Jesus Christ to this Earth.

Hymn 59:  The Past Points to the Future

Doxology

Servanthood or Selfishness - 3 John

Outline of Service 12^th May 2019

Servanthood or Selfishness – 3 John 11

He that doeth good is of God

Hymn117:  Faith of Those Who Have Gone Before  

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Psalm 44:1-8 – God is our Deliverer

Bible Readings: -                                             

·     Sarah and the Angel:  Genesis 18:1-15

·     Gaius and Diotrephes:  3 John 1-14

·     Faithful Supporters: Luke 23:50-24:11

Hymn 14:  Power to Stand for God and Good

·     In 3 John, John compares the different lifestyles of Servanthood (Gaius) and Selfishness (Diotrephes) recommending us to follow the example of Gaius

·     Through this Epistle John demonstrates the importance of friends and friendships in our Christian life 

·     Sarah one of the Matriarchs of the Bible shared fellowship with an Angel, whilst still questioning the Power of God

·     On Mothers Day let us remember the role that women (and mothers) played in supporting Jesus during His lifetime and through His trial and crucifixion

·     In this period between Easter and Whitsuntide let us seek to show true servanthood to the Master as we seek for the Promised Power to deliver us from selfishness!

Hymn 90:  Faithful Servants

Doxology