Teaching Themes
Lakeside Community Church Perton plans a series of services usually around a life-related theme.
The Christian life is not designed to be lived through our own strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit who resides within us.
He produces spiritual fruit and provides spiritual gifts – the tools of the trade. We are encouraged to eagerly desire spiritual gifts in co-operation with the Holy Spirit who gives those gifts as he determines.
When our children pursue us for somthing they really want, that we know they will enjoy and treasure, its hard as a parent to resist; we often plan in secret to make the occasion even more significant, waiting to see the delight on their faces!
God will release his spiritual gifts in us as we eagerly desire them. At New Wine this year I found myself holding out my arms and yearning before God to release the gift of healing in me.
Each time I attend a Bible week like New Wine, or a church moving in the gifts of the Spirit, I’m even more encouraged to step out and have a go and I encounter a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit who reduces doubt and increases faith which can be caught as much as taught. I believe in the anointing of God for works of service.
God wants us to succeed and overcome all the works of the enemy in the process.
There is a process and we have to start somewhere with a goal in mind. Paul encourages us to ‘eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy’ (1 Cor 14:1). I believe this is a good starting point and this series begins with choosing to believe the prohetic gift can be a key to unlock the rest. Try and picture yourself eagerly desiring spiritual gifts and then on top of this even more desiring prophecy. When you do this, how can God resist and not give you what he promises to give.
If you are reading this based in a church other than Lakeside Community Church Perton, you will find a practical exercise you can try at the end of the message. When you step out in faith it is really exciting! When you pray for prophetic words before a service and give them out, it is exciting when you have taken a risk to see the very thing you heard/ felt/ pictured etc, actually take place. You are blessed and so is the person who is helped through that prophetic ministry. John Wimber called it ‘loving God and playing with the toys.’
God bless you,
Rob Pearson, Pastor
Re-engaging with the community (John 10:1-18)
Pastor Rob Pearson, 03/01/2010Part of the Re-engaging with... series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
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| « Dealing with the past - overcoming unforgiveness | None | Re-engaging with the fullness of God » |
John 10:1-18
10:1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (ESV)