Servanthood

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Sons and daughters of God

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Sons and daughters of God

People ask me, who is your successor? My answer is, I have no successor! I haven’t finished my job yet, and I won’t quit until the job is finished! But more and more young pastors and leaders are coming to me for help and advice; I want to encourage others to follow in my steps, and do as I have done for the last 73 years in full-time ministry. That’s why I have chosen Paul’s first letter to Timothy - whom he describes as his ‘true son in the faith’ - because I want to talk to you as MY true sons and daughters in the faith.

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Reconciliation and Transformation through Christ

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Reconciliation and Transformation through Christ

Our faith and love should be such a hallmark of who we are in Christ. This is key – our trust in Jesus. Our faith is in HIM. As Christians the most important thing in our lives is trust. And it’s not just faith, it’s love for Christ – and our love for all the saints.

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Faithful to the Calling

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Faithful to the Calling

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). This theme runs right through Scripture, watching, praying – with thanksgiving – faithfulness in prayer! There is a big responsibility for us in this. Paul says here in v3, “Pray for us that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ for which I am in chains.” There must be constant prayer from me and from you – pray! Just like Paul, I need prayer that God will open doors.

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Knowing Christ and the Power of His Resurrection

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Knowing Christ and the Power of His Resurrection

“My heart’s desire is that I might KNOW CHRIST, AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death – that I might attain to the Resurrection of the Dead!” Phil 3:10 has always been marked in my Bible. It’s one of my favourite parts of the New Testament! Ultimately, this life is nothing, length of life is nothing (I’m 90!) – because I will live forever with Christ!

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The Road to Glory

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The Road to Glory

In such struggles and conflicts that we have, Paul says in Philippians 2, the key is to be like Jesus. We have to seek and to know what God’s Plan and Purpose is. In my praying to God the Father, I pray through Jesus – He is the Intercessor. He lives to make intercession for us. None of us is perfect. I’m not perfect. We all fail. It’s because of our imperfection that Jesus is the Intercessor – He paid the price for our sin!

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Living Sacrifice - Holy and Pleasing unto God

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Living Sacrifice - Holy and Pleasing unto God

God so impressed Romans 12:1 on me when I was a teenager: ‘I beseech you to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.’ God is talking about normal service, nothing exceptional – for every believer – the norm. Today the churches are talking about being normal, taking care of yourself, not working too hard… But the challenge is ‘reasonable service’ – giving your whole life as a ‘living sacrifice’! Everything! God didn’t call me to be an ‘evangelist’ or a ‘preacher’ – He said He wanted ALL of me!

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Authority over the works of the enemy

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Authority over the works of the enemy

Many people talk about ‘spiritual warfare’. To me this is the ability to come before the Lord in prayer, receive power, then get out there where the action is. In order to do this, we need to know who we are in Christ and what authority and power we have. If we are going to respond to the enormous challenge which is facing us today, we need less words and more action. Surely anyone who actually realises that they have power and authority and who also knows their God is going to get out and DO IT.

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The challenge of repentance and relationship

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The challenge of repentance and relationship

The challenge today is to repent. If there is no repentance, no transformation you don’t have Christ. That’s why we have believers’ water baptism by full immersion – you are buried with Christ through baptism, and you are born again into the Kingdom of God! In Acts 17, Paul and Silas continue their missionary journey and come to Thessalonica, where Paul begins discussing and debating with the Jews in the synagogue. He’s preaching Christ, who suffered, died – and rose from the dead. The teaching of the New Testament is centred on the resurrection and our need of repentance! - ‘Repent and be baptised for the remission of sins.’

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Built on the Rock of Christ Jesus

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Built on the Rock of Christ Jesus

We must get back to the Authority of the Word of God. We have no other foundation. If you build your life on any other foundation than the Authority of the Word of God, you’re building it on sinking sand. But we, as the Word says, are built on the Rock, which is Christ Jesus.

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Faith is demonstrated by what you do!

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Faith is demonstrated by what you do!

Faith is something practical, it’s substance, evidence – of ‘something’. But remember, right from the very beginning, we’re ‘saved by faith’. But by faith in what? We’re not saved by ‘having faith’… We’re not saved from sin ‘simply by faith’ – we’re saved by faith in Christ! It’s faith in Him, it’s specific. It’s very strong! I’m looking at the practicality of faith, at the evidence – not just because we nominally believe in something – but faith that is demonstrated by what we do! Not just by what we say, but by our ACTIONS.

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