The Pastor Says

The weekend’s not over yet and yet there’s a few of us who are really tired. Andre’ Kempen has been with us again and we have had a great time. Funny thing is, it has made us understand that no matter how ‘religious’ a community, how little time there is to spare for God.

Someone commented how  many people made sure they walked onto the other side of the street, rather than come close to where Andre’ was playing. Another person said they were amazed how many people simply refused to accept a leaflet/invite.

The message of the gospel is not complicated and there are time when for some people it is too simple. It is the message of the creator God loving His creation so much, He sent His only Son Jesus He made a way for sinful mankind, to come back to God, by paying the penalty of sin on our behalf.

Our world seems to be a place where so many have no time for God, yet the Bible is clear that we need God. Cross the road, ignore or even shout down the messenger, yet the time will come when we stand before God. There can be no crossing the road then!

Sometimes we can use that little four letter word as a huge excuse for doing very little. I suppose the truth is that we are a much busier world.

I was up very late last night and while I was working, the television was on, almost as wallpaper music. I watched with half an eye the Canadian motor race, can’t remember what followed but then came onto a programme which diod make me look a little bit more. It was all about Sunday Schools in the past. It covered an era of my childhood and reminded me of what it used to be like.

Frankly, there certainly seemed more time to be ‘normal’ in thos days. Things that gave great pleasure were more easily achieved. Kids went to Sunday School and enjoyed it. Now everything is rushed and levels of spirituality, which gave standards certainly was in place in society. Now the pressure of work and ironically the pressure of pleasure seem to dominate.

At the church this week we are Busy… Busy…Busy. A special friend of the church is back again. Andre’ Kempen, a remarkable musician from South Africa is with us again. It was booked without us knowing at the time that it is the same weekend as Wimborne Folk Festival. Thousands will pass right by the church and we are planning to do short and sharp sessions outside, if the weather holds. Saturday night will be a ‘concert’ and Sunday worship in the morning plus our Sunday evening service (the Sunday evening is being held in Shamrock Court’ a sheltered housing scheme.) So for us it will be very busy.

Interested? Give me a ring on o1202 546921 for more details.

Just a brief note tonight, I seem to have been typing for hours already.

Life seems to be blighted with what we so often call RED TAPE. Massive of documents and reports for just about everything, much of course is vital in the world we live in today.

One of these time consuming forms I have been working on this week related to the Child Protection measures, which have to be in place for any church children’s or youth group to function. One issue involves identity, being certain that people are actually who they claim to be.

It doesn’t matter how well we know people, it is a criminal offence if we do not see the actual documents. A couple in the church, good friends, people we know well, produced their birth certificates. “Sorry”, I had to say, “Not good enough, these are copies.” (Provided by the registry office but still copies.) The only acceptable birth certificates in this case are originals issued not more than 12 months after the birth.

RED TAPE might frustrate us and even cause us problems but when it comes to the Christian’s identity in Jesus, just take a look at what the Apostle Peter wrote.

1 Peter 2:10 (New Living Translation)                                                                                                       ”Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.”

I like that, no RED TAPE, no forms to fill in, just real acceptance by God through faith in Jesus Christ!

The dictionary definition means to make a higher offer. “Gazumper” the noun has its origin in the 1920s (in a sense ’swindle’) and comes from the Yiddish meaning to overcharge.

I have just been Gazumped and it’s not a very nice feeling. It was not huge, but still painful. A garage at the back of my house which I had tried for 5 years to rent, became available. I was told the price and was amazed, so I queried it. “No that’s the amount per month.” Then when I went to pay the price had amazingly doubled. I discovered that another neighbour had offered more! Not nice, but I suppose that’s life.

Thinking about it, I thought of a price I simply could not pay, totally beyond my reach, yet Jesus Christ stood in my place. His offer of Salvation is the greatest FREE gift, and yet it comes with a demand of taking up my cross daily. (Sacrifice to his purpose and will for my life.) That price is clearly spelt out in the gospels and the one thing I am certain of is, that there are no hidden charges or the fear of being gazumped.

On a different tack, this Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, when the early Church was formed at the time of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. BBC Songs of Praise this week looks back on the history of the Elim Church. We trust that their presentation shows a good clear picture of the work of Elim. We in Wimborne, have been holding a week of prayer, to coincide with the ‘GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER’ on Sunday 11th. May. We certainly do believe that God hears and answers prayer in 2008

Sometimes Christian believers seem to have the wrong impression… that because they are a Christian, because of their relationship with the Lord, everything MUST go right. WRONG! We live in the world, even if we use that expression but not of the world. In that real world, we all have the uphill struggles like anyone else. Yes of course we all pray, we bring the most practical of things to God and I believe that if nothing else, He gives us the strength to cope.

Yesterday, (to illustrate my point) was about as frustrating as it could get. An early appointment was followed by taking my little ‘run-about’ car for it’s MoT. It failed, although not in a big way. I had made an appointment to meet someone while the car was being tested, he had forgotten that he was at the hospital for a check up. - So wasted an hour, reading the “Echo” in McDonalds.

Then early evening it was time to launch the boat for the season. Despite my claims that it is a luxury cruiser, it is just a 15ft. fishing boat and two of us can do the job. That went quite easily and although all the family were expecting news that I had falled in (again) I remained dry. Back to the tow car. Couldn’t find the house keys nor the church keys, thought I must have left them with Maureen. No they were not! Later in the evening I  suddenly  remembered. I had put them in a ’safe’ place on the boat, together with my wallet, money and cards. Ten o’clock last night, with a torch and waders, I was chugging out in the tender to the mooring to retreive them.

All of that is trivial, compared to some of the things Christians face from day to day, I used that story of my day just to illustrate my point. - We live in a real world, have the same real problems that everyone has, the same financial, illnesses, the same old-age problems. The great difference, I believe, is that through faith in Jesus Christ we have a realtionship with our heavenly Father that others simply do not enjoy. I believe that by the Holy Spirit of God, we have His presence with us each step of the way. I believe we can and should call on the Lord, whatever the difficulties, small or large. I believe He does hear and answer prayer.

This is my first ever ‘blog’! Oh yes I know I write on various message boards but it is the first time on a church web site.

We have been feeling our way for too long, trying to get a WWW site up and running, but finally it’s here. There is still a way to go as we need to put some photographs up so that you know who we are. They will come shortly.

In a way it is all a bit like our own personal lives, sometimes we keep putting off the inevitable, even if that particular action is vital for our own good. How many off us wait until the pain in the tooth is very bad and then hope the poor dentist can help us.

The Christian life is not a painful experience, nothing like having a tooth pulled yet all too often folk know they need God in their lives but simply leave “doing the God thing” until it’s almost too late. - Let me correct that statement, it is never too late to find real peace with God, but think how much you have missed. One person said to me recently, their life up to the point of accepting God’s offer of love was “wasted years”. Whatever the reason for you to log on to this site today, there is the first time for everything! - Jesus loves YOU!