- ONE
INTRODUCTION
Thank God for this house,
New Beginnings. Its week One of 2025. Often time of mixed emotions too. And traditionally it’s a time to reflect to set new plans in place, set some new priorities, new rhythms for life and especially for our own Jesus walk.
Busy lives/ demands/challenges
So, on week ONE of this new year, I began to reflect and pray over some of the ONE priorities or principles that we find in the word.
As I believe God is reminding us of some key priorities as we gather together in week ONE of 2025.
Of course, taking stock and review what’s important is a very healthy activity to do, particularly in the context of our every changing world and culture.
Let’s face it the world around us is changing at a fast pace, and there are all kinds of challenges on the world stage and challenges locally and personally
Attitudes change, we are living in the middle of a cultural shift. Society is more individualistic and attitudes to faith, to God, to Church.
We are now living our lives and representing Jesus in a post Christian society, especially in the West! We are getting the sense that Christian faith and values are marginalised, there is a sense of intolerance.
This doesn’t mean we hide in the shadows, but rather we dig in and be the Jesus follower that shines bright in such a time as this!
If you are like me, its difficult to know where to start!
As we walk together in week one I believe the lord has given us a clue on how to move forward together, as we explore ONE things we can do to shine bright for Jesus.
SO WHAT ARE THESE ONE THINGS?
We kick off with PSALM 27: 4 (David running from Saul or Absolum David had seen it all and in may ways done it all)
David writes
‘One thing I have asked of the Lord, that I will seek after, that I may Dwell in the house of the Lord ALL the days of my life, and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his temple.
ONE – DWELL
The Holy Spirit is setting out our assignment or priorities for 2025. And top of the list is putting God first.
OF COURSE THE HOUSE OF THE LORD IS A PHYSICAL PLACE WHERE WE FIND THE PRESENCE OF GOD BUT PAUL REMINDS US IN
I CORINTHIANS 6:19 THAT OUR BODY IS A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO LIVES IN YOU AND WHO WAS GIVEN TO YOU BY GOD
WE were created for relationship. Back in Genesis God created Mankind for relationship. So in Week One of 2025 Father God is reminding you that he Loves you, and that he is for you and not against you.
He sings and dances over you. You are His delight, You are precious beyond measure!
One thing I desire is that I might know you, that I have a heart to love God and seek after him, to seek him and allow Him to take us to new places.
Church this is a MATTER OF THE HEART = OUR DESIRE. Matters of the Heart are really important
WHEN OUR HEART IS RIGHT – EVERYTHING ELSE FALLS INTO PLACE – THAT’S HOW IT WORKS
When our heart is firmly directed to the living God that brings us to a place of JOY and it’s a place to savour, it’s a place or position that we long for the presence of Father God.
WE HAVE TO BE HONEST – THIS COMES AT A COST – SURRENDER
That we adopt a posture of surrender and develop a heart that’s open and receptive to the heart of God.
Church, as Jesus followers we have such a joy and privilege to know Father God. This is something we have been talking about together for a while now!
We have to remind ourselves that we are loved by God. Full stop.
There is nothing on earth that’s betting that dwelling in the presence of God, sitting at his feet and allowing God’s amazing love to cover you.
You are not Alone,
I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH FRIENDS/FAMILY LOOKS LIKE. YOU MAYBE THE TYPE FOR WHATEVER REASON TO PUSH PEOPLE AWAY BUT ON WEEK ONE OF 2025
ALLOW FATHER GOD TO LOVE YOU
We are in relationship with THE LIVING, LOVING GOD a Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Sprit
Father – the origin or creation and redemption who communicates his divinity to the Son and the Holy Spirit
Son – The mediator, who accomplishes the fathers plan and saves humanity from sin
Holy Spirit – The bond of love between the father and son, who applies the fathers plans to believers
Remember that in Christ we have
Intimacy – Dwelling with the Lord gives us the joy of listening to the father’s voice, hear his heart for you and his will for your life
Trust – Dwelling with the Lord means trusting in God’s live, power and wisdom to protect you and give you everything you need
Peace – Dwelling with the Lord can bring a sense of peace, even in the challenging times of life
Guidance – Dwelling with the Lord gives clarity and a sense of guidance
Trust – Dwelling with the Lord gives us a sense that we live, move and breath, we are held firmly in the strong arms of our heavenly father
Hope – as we step into 2025 we need a strong dose of hope
Church we are loved – Father God is again, call to Allow God to love us, to take those small steps towards our heavenly Father. To sit at his feet in the good times and the not so good times!
John 16:33 – reminds us that God has given his children, help, rest and peace. Even in the storms of life
1 Corinthians 6:19 – Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God. You are not your own, you were bought with a price, so Glorify God with your body
ONE CHURCH
1 Corinthians 12:13 – Christ has only one body THE CHURCH, HIS ONE BRIDE, HIS ONE HOUSE, HIS ONE FAMILY
Ephesians 4:4 – There is only ONE body and ONE spirit
1 Timothy 3:15 – There is only ONE house of God
Philippians 2.2 – complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being of full accord and of ONE mind!
The church – This church is God’s idea
The Lord has placed us together as a family, we are called to gather as sons and daughters of the living God FOR A REASON
We are ONE church – blood bought, sanctified, anointed set apart to get the job done.
The Church is a vibrant, organic living organism of imperfect, redeemed people
From God’s perspective there is only ONE church and we at Bethel and Aberafan are LOCAL EXPRESSIONS of His ONE Church.
EKKLESIA IS GREEK WORD FOR CHURCH IN NEW TESTAMENT WHICH MEANS THOSE WHO ARE CALLED OUT
Ed Sil Voso in His Book Ecclesia reminds us that –
The Church is God’s instrument for global transformation. He describes
The Church is ‘people movement’’
That really excites me because it takes our attention away from structures, as important as they are!
Let’s cherish our times together as a family.
As we gather together its our chance to bring our dwelling experiences that we enjoy on a personal level to a corporate setting.
We all have something to contribute, we have acts of service, but we also have spiritual gifts, we have our time, our financial resources and more than anything else we have OUR STORY.
OUR STORY – OPEN MIKE
Never underestimate what God has done, or is doing in your life. Even the small things!
My Prayer
My prayer for this house is that in greater measure that when we gather together, at every setting we will come with expectant hearts and minds, come with a heart to worship, heart to pray heart to serve, heart to love, heat to exercise spiritual gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
My prayer is that collectively we move from a place of collective consumption, to a place of individual sharing, praying , prophesying, believing God for the impossible, as we believe God to see signs and wonders
But, more than anything else be a gather where the banner over us is LOVE, love to be, love to share, love to show.
RECAP
WE ARE A PEOPLE MOVEMENT WHO ARE IN LOVE WITH JESUS AND ENJOY INTIMACY WITH THE LIVING GOD AND ANOINTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
THAT’S PRETTY SPECIAL IN ANY MAN’S BOOK.
WE ARE NOT CALLED TO LIVE IN SOME KIND OF HOLY HUDDLE A HAPPY SPIRITUAL BUBBLE, BUT WE ARE ALL CALLED TO GO – WE HAVE TO… WE HAVE TO LIVE OUR LIFE
ONE MISSION
Go into all the world. To make Jesus Known, to be the hands, eyes, feet of Jesus. We are the carriers of life and Hope, we are the carriers of the word the fire of God, the amazing love. God is not willing that any should perish but all have life in Jesus Christ
Micah 6.8 MSG
He has already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple, do what is fair and just to your neighbour be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously’
THE GREAT COMMISSION – NO SURPRISE ITS RECORDED IN ALL FOUR GOSPELS
Mark 16:15 MSG
Jesus speaking to the 11 said
Go into the world (your world). Go everywhere and announce the message of God’s good news to one and all
We are the messengers, we are the light carriers, the beacons of hope,
WE ARE LIVING IN TURBULANT TIMES AND THE NEED TO RESPOND TO GO IS AS URGENT AS EVER.
ONE LIFE
In the book of Genesis, In week ONE – God created man and woman and said it was good
God Created YOU – for this ONE life, you are not a mistake. Your arrival on this planet was on point!
In this ONE life we have met thousands of people in a life time. It could be as many as 80,000.
But ONE day we met ONE person – Jesus Christ the Son of the living God.
Suddenly in ONE moment our ONE life changed forever. In fact it changed for eternity
So, here we are in the middle of week ONE of 2025
God by his Holy Spirit is wrapping his very strong arms around you and is saying what one thing are we going to do together.
- What one thing that will take us closer deeper.
- What ONE thing can we do to make this One life count
- What ONE thing can I do that will help me to be Jesus in my family, in my workplace, in my street,
- What ONE thing can I do to help someone come to a personal faith in Jesus Christ
- What ONE thing will put a smile on the face of our ONE Lord
During our ONE life
I am sure of ONE thing there are ‘negative voices’ going through your head
Those voices come to seek and steal all what God has invested and is doing in your life
Stopping you from fulfilling God’s purpose for your life and mine
The battling that we are all in has been won.
WON
1 John 3:8 – The reason why the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the evil one, the devil
As the Ekklesia Church of God, our spiritual warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual beings in high places.
THIS MORNING I AM EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE LORD HAS IN STORE FOR YOU.
CHURCH we are standing in the victory of the cross. The lord has already fought the battle and the victory has already been won
As a church we stand to maintain Christ’s victory, we guard it, we maintain it
We trust in the Lord, we stand in victory, we don’t hope to win, we have won.
We stand in it and we proclaim it
WRAP
Time to come to some conclusion around our Journey around some ‘ONESEES’.
SO ON WEEK ONE OF 2025 I BELIEVE THE LORD WANTS TO SET SOME PRIORITIES IN YOUR LIFE ANE MINE THAT WILL NOT ONLY TAKE US CLOSER IN OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS BUT IT WILL TAKE US OUT OF THESE FOUR WALLS ON A MISSION TO SHARE JESUS.
BUT TO STEP INTO THE NEW WE MAY HAVE TO SHAKE OFF SOME OF THE OLD
SHAKE THINGS OFF!
I HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED ABOUT THIS
UNBLIEF, DISSAPPOINTMENTS, CONDEMNATION, A WHOLE ARRAY OF NEGATIVE VOICES