Taste and see that the Lord is good

God is stirring up His people and showing His manifest presence in a way we have not seen in many years.  There is an Outpouring of God's Spirit in Wales centred on Victory Church, Cwmbran.  God's presence is very strong in their daily meetings as we saw when we visited last Monday.  Many are being drawn to Jesus and saved.  The leaders  are rightly more excited by those being saved than by the physical and mental healings through which God is also demonstrating His power and grace.

We can see that God's Holy Spirit is increasingly active and powerful in our own churches.  This Sunday evening the power of the Holy Spirit was resting on people from virtually the start of the service.  We simply had to get out of the way and let God meet with His people.

Various encouraging words were given.  We were reminded to trust in Jesus, to be bold and take a risk.  The Holy Spirit reminded us that He can come in many ways appropriate to each individual, sometimes a still small voice, sometimes a rushing wind.  But we were also reminded that we were being sent out as sheep amongst wolves, although we would be going with Jesus.  

Keep praying and keep seeking God for more of His presence, more of His Glory and more of His power at work in people's lives.  Pray that He will draw in those who need to hear His message of salvation.

God bless you as you seek to follow His will

Peter
 


 

God's Priorities

A number of words have been given at recent services and prayer meetings that emphasise that this is a time of preparation for God's people here at St George's and St Giles and that God has plans to show more of his power and glory in our churches.  Please weigh these words before God and decide how you should respond.

Last Sunday Mary gave this word at St George's at 7:

My children, prayer is my highest priority for you.   I urge you,  encourage you, command you to be committed to prayer.

I am delighted that many of you have made this commitment.  To those who have not I invite you to join with those who have.

Prayer is the blood vessels through which My life will flow.  If you want more of My life you must be the vessels.  If My vessels, My arteries become clogged and do not function, My life blood will not flow and I will not be able to accomplish all that I have for you.


Michael saw a picture of dry sponges which had gone hard.  He then saw a picture of St George's filled with a humid cloud.  On each seat there was a dry sponge that was being softened in the humidity.  God said to receive Me you need to be made soft.

We were reminded of the picture of Joshua's hands being raised by helpers so that the Israelite army could prevail and the need to support and work with each other,

Previously a picture was given of a Puppy on a retractable lead and an understanding that God gives us freedom but sometimes needs to rein us in and direct us and this is such a time and a picture of God's glory descending from the top of the mountain to our church. 

 Finally Janet saw a powerful eagle and received the words 'I will raise you up on wings like eagles'.  The eagle was not flying but was poised and the words were 'The conditions are not right.  You must prepare yourselves.'

In the Old Testament the people were called to purify themselves and make themselves ready when God wanted to speak or to direct them.  It appears that God is calling upon us to refocus on Our Father and upon Jesus, to rededicate ourselves and like the early church to devote ourselves to prayer and to God's teaching.

The challenge to us is how much do we want to see God move in power and authority in our church.  Will we respond to His call or ignore it, and God will turn aside from his purposes for us in sorrow.

May God lead us as we each respond.

Peter
 


 

Our Commitment

Last Sunday at St George's at 7 we were looking at 'Love for the brothers' as the first of our series from Hebrews 13. Bob encouraged us to build each other up, to show love to each other in practical ways and to spur each other on in love and good works. At the end of Bob's Sermon, Bob asked us if we were willing before God to make a renewed commitment to each other and to the Body of Christ as expressed in the St George's at 7 Congregation. If you made that commitment this is what we committed to in 2013 and beyond. May God help you in fulfilling your commitment.

So I want to conclude this sermon by asking you & myself, this evening, that if you consider yourself to be a member of the 7 at St George's, to simply and intentionally recommit yourself to the work of Jesus Christ in this congregation for this New Year.

I want to ask us to commit ourselves to the things we've talked about this evening ....
 

• to accept the "us-ness" of being part of Christ's Body in this congregation
• to share together the task of both living & proclaiming the faith of Christ
• to encourage one another towards love & good works
• to the responsibility of assembling together in prayer, in worship & in teaching

:
My brothers and sisters in Christ, I ask you and I ask myself, will you commit yourself afresh to the one-ness of the Body of Christ and the local expression of that in this congregation?
"I will, the Lord being my helper"

In the presence of the Lord, I ask you and I ask myself, will you commit yourself to the building up of one another in the faith, and to the proclaiming of the Gospel here in Ashtead?
"I will, the Lord being my helper"

In the name of Him who loves us, and gave himself up for us, I ask you and I ask myself, will you commit yourself to encouraging one another to love and good works?
"I will, the Lord being my helper"

In the name of the Holy Spirit, who promises to be with His people when they meet together, I ask you and I ask myself, will you commit yourself to responsibility of regularly meeting together for worship, teaching and prayer?
"I will, the Lord being my helper"


Peter                                                                                                                       12 January 2013



 

God's Direction for St George's at 7

The CLT took a day for prayer and fasting in December to discern where God is leading the evening St George's Congregation.  We see God at work in people's lives.  There is a strong sense of God's presence when we meet together.  Most of the congregation demonstrate their servant hearts ministering to people outside the church through charitable, pastoral and other activities reaching out to those who do not yet know Jesus, as well as in service on a Sunday.  We have people who have experienced or are experiencing tough times in their lives and many in the congregation show love in very practical ways.

But we are a smaller congregation than we were even 5 years ago, typically 70-80 people.  Many churches would be delighted to have such a large congregation but for us we have more struggles to keep current Sunday ministries going.  Over 30 people are involved most Sundays apart from the clergy, the band 3-6 people, the prayer team 6-8 people, the 2 sidespeople, the Welcome Team including the newsletter team 6 people, the intercessor, the reader, the sound desk, the AV, the rota to collect Brenda and Linda, the coffee team 3 people, the band refreshments, the chalice assistants and assistant vergers up to 6 people.  My apologies if I have forgotten anyone.  We do need everyone to share the burden. 
 

Three themes came through.  The need to show Jesus's Love in all we do.  Jesus told us our love for each other would demonstrate the reality of His love for us, John 13 v 34 'A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.'  Jesus also commanded us to show love to strangers and the poor and oppressed.

Second the need to encourage each other all of the time.  Hebrews 10 v 24-25, 'and let us consider how we can spur one another on towards love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.'

Third the need to trust in Jesus who is faithful.  When we pass through dark times or when we have heard God's promises but seen no sign of their fulfilment, we need to cling to the rock of Jesus who is faithful and will meet us and show His love whatever our situation.  Isaiah 28 v 16, 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation, the one who trusts in Him will never be dismayed'.

We believe that it is right that we respond to this by following a  different teaching programme for the first 6 weeks of the new year based on Hebrews 13.  The aim is that we encourage each other as we come into this new year to demonstrate even more deeply the fellowship and love of Jesus among us and in reaching out beyond our existing members.   We want everyone in the congregation to experience God's love in the Church Family and to show God's love to a hurting world. We trust God wil bless and lead you and the 7pm Church Family through this time.  Do make it a commitment to be with us as we work through what we believe God is saying.

January 6  Love of the Brethren
 

January 13 Love for Strangers

January 20 Love for the Under-Privileged

January 27 A Sharing Life-Style

February 3  Shared Leadership

February 10  Shame and Suffering

You may find David Prior's book Bedrock helpful as we work though the series.
 

God bless
 

Peter and the CLT

God inhabits everything he has made

On September 4 one of our members received this picture, which a number of people felt was important:

'I could see a ball of white.  Then I noticed that someone was holding it and moving around with it very much like a basketball player.  The ball was almost part of him as he moved it around.  He seemed comfortable with it and pleased.  As I looked closer I could see that the ball was the world and the white seemed to be the Holy Spirit hovering over the surface.

The white was then peeled back to reveal the surface of the earth.  Everything seemed to go much quicker then and I was shown the Spirit moving over mountains, rivers, waterfalls, dry parched land and then lush grass.  Eventually I could see our church, then inside it.   There were hands opened up side by side and I could see names appearing one after the other written on the hands.

I felt God saying "I inhabit everything that I have made" '

Peter

A blessing for the spiritually poor

On June 5 at the evening service Mary Start shared that she had been studying the beatitudes and been struck that Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."  That sounded like being poor in spirit was something we should be.  That led Mary to think and pray more about whether she realised that she was poor in spirit and what did that mean.

She was led to Revelation 3 and the message to the church in Laodicea Rev 3:17 'You say, "I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing." But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
Rev 3:18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.'

Jesus challenge to us is do we see ourselves as rich in need of nothing, or do we recognise that no matter what our experience of God, we are poor, blind and naked in terms of the Kingdom of God.  What little we have in the Kingdom is a gift from God.  When we realise that,  we will seek with all our heart to receive more of God's riches that will last, and to clothe ourselves in the robes of righteousness that only Jesus can give.

Peter
 

When God Speaks

It is great to have Edward Wata with us.  It is clearly God's plan that he is here.

On Sunday June 5, Edward's visa was blocked and James asked us during the service to pray for it to be unblocked.  I prayed and then waited for my wife to pray.

She simply said it has already been sorted and explained how earlier she had been given a clear picture of big doors opening wide to show a mountain with an African landscape.  She was clear that the message from God was that the issue was already sorted and the visa was on its way.

She shared the picture and message with James, and we waited in expectation for Edward to arrive.

Edward's message to us on Sunday night was that he was sure that he was in Ashtead according to God's will to give God's message. 

He reminded us powerfully that the only way to true happiness is through a relationship with the Living God through his Son Jesus.

Praise our God who speaks.

Peter 

God calls us to step boldy into His Presence 

During the Evening Service on December 11 God gave a number of people pictures and words.

A picture of God's throne room with God's people bathed in light, but us coming quietly into His Presence in the shadows.  A call from God to come close and step into the light.

Another picture of struggling to break through, like we were in a bubble and unable to receive all that God wanted to give to us.

A word reminding us that we are made worthy to come boldly into the Presence of the Living God by the Blood of Jesus that has washed us clean.

The words of 1 John verses 5 to 7:  This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and we do not live by the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.  A reminder that we are to be people of the light who walk in the light.

Let us approach God's throne boldly for we know that He will welcome us there. 

Peter Levinsohn                                                                                                              December 11 2010

God Reminds us that He is Our Provider

One of our members felt God gave them a picture on December 5:

They saw a large skeleton of a cow lying on the ground.  The cow had big horns as if it had been powerful, but the bones were now very dry.  God said, 'This skeleton is made up of the people who have brought their skills here to serve me.'

As they watched people came and put their hands inside the dried out skeleton and brought out choice pieces of meat to eat.  The meat was inside the skeleton but not visible from outside and not attached to the skeleton.

God said 'I provide the food for my people. It is me and not anything that you do.'

There was no sense of criticism.  God was simply reminding us that he is the sovereign God.  We can provide a helpful place for His people to come and meet with Him, but it is God who provides the spiritual food His people need.

We need to continue to seek the face and the favour of our loving Heavenly Father who knows all of our needs.

Peter Levinsohn                                                                                                              December 9, 2010

Fusion Services

It's great when we can come together, St George's at 7 with the young people's congregation at Life to celebrate God's goodness together.  We do that every 4 to 6 weeks and try to bring elements of both services together.

Why do we think it is important.  It provides a bridge between the two services and makes it easier when it is time for our young people to move on from Life into another congregation.  It enables us to support each other and minister to each other.  It provides an opportunity to grow young leaders in music and in leading the service.  It enables us to learn from each other. 

Fusion is just another expression of the life we share together in Christ.


Peter

Listening - Abundant Life

I felt God was saying:

Keep seeking after my abundant life. So I said what does that look like.

He said when my abundant life is present it is present in every part bubbling up all over the place. (That came with a picture of a pudding shaped lump bubbling all over, which felt sort of out of control). It is in every person. It is overflowing in all directions; and when that happens then everybody is stirred up to make their own special contribution, to make their particular music.

I said but how does that all fit together and work; and he said I am the conductor of course it all fits together.

Then I felt he said if one piece of the music is missing you will feel the lack even though there may be huge number of parts.

Word from Peter

Not sure at all how it fits but thought I should write it down as I keep being reminded.  It may be a particular word for me.
 
I believe God says:
 
'I have made each of you a unique instrument, beautifully and perfectly made.  You are designed to play a particular tune that I need.  Your task is to be available to allow me to play that tune when I need it.'
 
The challenge is are we available or are we using our instrument to play some other tune most of the time and not there when God needs us to play our part in making the music of heaven that he wants to create.

Hungry?

A picture give at the 7pm on Sunday 14th June 2009:

I saw a picture of God (just His head, chest and arms), as if He
was part of, and yet separate and emerging from this huge bank
of swirling powerful clouds, full of incredibly powerful winds.
The winds were trying to force past Him to blow onto St.
George’s and the surrounding area. Some were being allowed
through in small measure, but the fullness of their power was
being held back by God’s outstretched arms. There was a sense
that they were waiting for His command to be released. There
was nothing evil about the clouds — they were God’s spiritual
power — but they were not all white — more like a huge bank of
building cumulus clouds so intense that there were dark in
places.

I asked God why He was holding them back and He replied that
we were not ready and to release them now would be a waste.
Again I asked why and He said we were not hungry enough. I
had a sense that if He released them now we would only accept
the bits we liked (like choosing from a box of chocolates), and
not receive everything that He has for us.



Mary Start
Sunday 14th June 2009

From pictures from the Houseparty

Recent Picture from 7pm

Words and pictures give at 7pm on 15th March

These picture where given out at the 7pm service and Sue Turner has very kindly painted the for us.

Feedback from our New Year Week of Prayer and Fasting

There were five themes

St George's at 7

Opportunities for Service

Stepping out in Faith

We want to be a people of God constantly giving thanks for what He has done.

7update

Hi friends the objective of this page is supply a feed of news for the 7pm service. Hope its helpful.

If there is anything you think should be up here, let me know.

Peter Levinsohn