God's Goodness, Journeying Together, Part 1

Psalm 103 1-5
1 Let all that I am praise the Lord ;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord ;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle's!

'He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases' - Wow!

Steph told her story at the front of church recently and being part of it I would like to retell it here. Some two to three months ago, about ten of us met together to pray for the healing of some people who were seriously ill. We prayed for about two hours and the time seemed to fly past. Just as we were leaving someone said, 'we ought to pray for you Steph, with your headache'. I didn't know about this, but apparently Steph had had a headache, more or less constantly for a number of months. So we laid hands on her and prayed. After this the headache gradually went and has not returned! I read somewhere that every healing is also a sign or sign post. So that whilst all of us would definitely rather have had some of our other prayers answered, I believe God was trying to get us to see something, or show us a sign post as it were. We had just spent two hours praying for various people that they would be healed, at the end of this, someone is healed! I believe the Lord was saying, " I am a God who heals, you are on the right road, don't give up ! ".

We can also be encouraged by the experiences of other churches, for example, Bethel church in Redding California. Bethel is now well known for it's healing ministry, but still has it's seeming failures and heartaches. However, Bethel church was much like us ten to twelve years ago. Part of the pastor's story (Bill Johnson) is this: In a chapter of one of his books describing the growth into healing of his church, he explains how his dad became ill with pancreatic cancer. The whole church prayed fervently for six months, but, unfortunately his father died. Bill Johnson says that, at that point, in his grief, he had a choice whether to give up or whether to keep on believing that God could heal people with things like pancreatic cancer. He and his church chose to persevere. As he was writing this chapter he was interupted by a phone call. He returned to complete the chapter by saying he had just had a phone call from his ministry team, to say they had just had their first confirmed healing of pancreatic cancer!

So I just wanted to say, let's not give up! We face alot of difficulties, questions and heartaches, but, surely in the loving and safe place of being together as 'church' we can learn and move forward together? It really must be possible to do the things that Jesus did, because He said we would!

John 14:12


12 "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn

Just in case the accuser is whispering in your ear that God has taken anything away from you, then below is a great verse!

Romans 11:29 "For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn"

So once God has given you a gift/ability it can never be taken away! WOW!

Also his salvation can never be withdrawn - you're part of God's family, He is your Daddy, nothing can change that

Also that verse is in the context of Paul talking about God's plan for the Jews and the Gentiles. This means that 'his call' is not just God bringing you into His family, but, 'his call' on your life. That is, God's plan for your life

So, God's plan for your life, 'can never be withdrawn' !

I was reading Ephesians yesterday and was encouraged by this verse

Ephesians 3:20
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,"

It's good to know that God is at work within us! Even if we don't feel like He is, we can be reassured that He is

Not only can Jesus do more than we ask, He can do more than we imagine! So God has got a much bigger view of our lives than we have. I might have all my 'asks' for the day, the things worrying me most and God is easily able to answer these and do more. Also He has some excitig things lined up for me that I can't imagine. Sometimes life might seem humdrum, dull, full of routine, but, we just don't know what God has in store for us. God has, for each of us, a unique plan, a destiny, and He is at work to bring this about. So we don't have to struggle to get there, because, it's, 'according to His power'.

It may be that God has planted a seed in you about a gift or ability or a way to serve Him in the future. If you have been discouraged or given up on this, I pray you will feel hope again. Because it doesn't matter what anyone says, or what that inner voice of doubt might say - God's mighty power is at work within you !

Read Ephesians 3 14-21 Paul's Prayer for Spiritual Growth