Oakham Church

The Spirit is upon you and your life.
Energising, strengthening and enabling you.
#threesixteen #oakhamchurch #church #holyspirit #openheaven

[PM Message] Matthew 3:16_ three:sixteen#2_
“For God so loved the world...”
... You are SO loved!
As we read Matthew 3:16 about Jesus’ baptism, we need to realise that WE are somehow involved in that.
See, Jesus didn’t NEED to be baptised (the way that we do)... instead, he did it as an EXAMPLE for us.
And what happens to Jesus in this ‘other 3:16’ ,BECAUSE of Jesus, also happens to YOU.
Here’s the 3 big ideas from Matthew 3:16... 1] THE HEAVENS WERE OPENED TO HIM_ If you have accepted Jesus, then the heavens are opened to you! An ‘open heaven’ means blessing / access / favour / presence / involvement of God in your life. God isn’t far off. God is here.
2] THE SPIRIT OF GOD DESCENDED LIKE A DOVE_ The Spirit is upon you & your life. Energising, strengthening & enabling you.
You’re moved from “have to” to “want to” and “get to”. The Spirit of God is upon you and within you.
Dove = purity / innocence / peace. If you’re feeling weighed down with guilt or shame... know that the Spirit if God has the power & potential to RESTORE your purity & innocence and give you peace.
Spirit works & moves in these subtle, feathery-like ways... gently whispering & nudging you.
God just keeps on nudging. And the ‘dove’ in my life shouldn’t make me opinionated. We should be known by what we’re FOR, not by what we’re against.
3] THIS IS MY BELOVED, IN WHO I’M WELL PLEASED_ This was Jesus’ identity BEFORE he’d done anything else. Jesus ALREADY knew this. So, WHO are these words for? US.
WE are loved by God... SO loved! God is pleased with you... WELL pleased!
You can be... Someone with an open heaven. Someone with Spirit on/in you. Someone who is SO loved.
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Week 2 of #threesixteen - Matthew #oakhamchurch #church #openheaven

[AM Message] Deuteronomy 6_ SHEMA:1_
“Hear O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is One...”
... What takes 11 words to say in English is said in 4 ancient Hebrew words. ‘Shema’ means “hear” or “listen up!” “Adoni” & “Elohenu” are both names for God... and then “echad” means “one”.
Is this ‘one’ the number 1, like God is the first? Or is this moe like a cheerleading cheer, “God is number one!” like God is the best? Or is this a monotheistic claim, like “There is only one and God is it”?
Well, all these ideas that come up in this ancient liturgical Hebrew prayer are linked to Deuteronomy 5 and the 10 Commandments.
A better way to translate the word “one” is “alone”... which takes us to the command about having no other gods before God.
This is about idolatry. The issue with idols seems like an ancient problem... but it’s JUST as dangerous today (if not more). Our idols are more sneaky. Anything that promises meaning, identity or purpose that ISN’T God... is an idol.
Then the prayer goes on to say, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might...” How do you LOVE God?
This ISN’T about having ‘feelings’... this isn’t just about an emotion. Love is an ACTION.
THAT’S why church is important. Not because God has got a tally chart, keeping score! But because it’s this kind of active love... moving us in the direction of God and others.
What is the ‘Shema’ calling YOU into?
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God sees you. God knows you. God pays attention.
Malachi 3:16.
... #threesixteen #malachi #forgodsoloved #church #scripture
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[PM Message] Malachi 3:16_ three:sixteen #1_
John 3:16 is THE most well-known & well-quoted bible verses... but do we actually KNOW what it means?
... Are there truths within the OTHER ‘3:16s’ that can teach us about John 3:16?
“For God SO loved...” You’re not just loved... you’re SO loved!
The prophet Malachi speaks to Israel whilst they’re in exile in Babylon. They want to know, “Where is God?” “IF God loves us, then WHY are we here in Babylon?!”
Malachi says, “God loves you!” And the Israelites are like, “Really? It doesn’t FEEL like it!”
Malachi 3:16 tells us that God has a BOOK. A ‘book of remembrance’... not because God forgets. God doesn’t need reminding.
God keeps this book because God CAN and because God is SO in love with people!
God sees you. God knows you. God pays attention.
God doesn’t NEED this book... God WANTS this book. God doesn’t NEED you... God WANTS you.
Psalm 139 tells us that there’s a book in heaven and before you were even born, God wrote all these things about you. Because God is crazy about you!
Another Psalm says that God pays SUCH close attention to you that God collects your tears in a bottle.
Our God is a God who counts your tears and who writes books about you. THAT’S where our confidence comes from. That God SO loved you and me.
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[AM Message] Matthew 5_ {beats} Persecution_
These ‘beats’ never stop speaking into us and through us... the beat goes on! There’s a flow to these announcements.... They move us from one to the next to the next.
“Blessed are the persecuted” is Jesus talking about LOVE. Unconditional love. Radical love.
Radical love is sacrificial love.
2 things come from persecution because of this radical love... 1] PATIENCE in our persecution_ That’s when we realise the “now and not yet” of God’s Kingdom. This Kingdom is BOTH here & now AND not yet. It’s anticipation. It’s patience.
2] PEACE in our persecution_ That’s when we realise that God is forming the Kingdom WITHIN us. We are shaped by the ‘mountains’ AND the ‘valleys’. Rohr says there are two main teachers in our lives... great love and great suffering.
Radical love means open hands, outstretched arms... surrendered, available and vulnerable. THAT’S the posture of Christ on the cross. THAT’S the posture of radical love.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness... for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”
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Join us at 6pm this evening for the start of our new series 'three:sixteen'. Tonight Ps Stephen @sparkle81 will be looking at Malachi. See you tonight! #oakhamchurch #threesixteen #malachi #church #newseries

Reposted from @iaminbloom - Wow, what a weekend! A massive Thankyou to everyone who made this weekend happen, it would not have been possible without you. Thankyou ladies for buying your tickets and giving your time to come and seek God’s word. Above all Thankyou to God for his all he has done! #iaminbloom #bloom2019 #prepareforbattle

Reposted from @iaminbloom - Good morning, praying you all have a lovely morning and safe travels to Bloom for Day 2! Croissants and coffee will be waiting at 9:30am. Please bring your tickets. God Bless xx #bloom2019 #prepareforbattle #iaminbloom

Reposted from @iaminbloom - 1 DAY!! It’s almost here and I can’t wait, @sparkle81 we loved his message last year... wonder what he’ll bring this time?! Bloom would not happen if it wasn’t for our amazing church @oakhamchurch for all the support and hard work so a massive thank you!! #bloom2019 #prepareforbattle #iaminbloom #1day

New series starting this Sunday! #threesixteen #oakhamchurch

From @iaminbloom - 2 DAYS!! Last night new plans were made for this years Bloom, surprises around every corner and I can’t wait for you to come and soak in God’s words, worship in his presence, spend time with an army of women and just have a good time. Tickets are almost sold out for Saturday. #bloom2019 #prepareforbattle #iaminbloom #buyyourticketsnow #2days

From @iaminbloom - 3 DAYS!! Where are these days going? Our favourite jewellery maker is joining us at again this year @bloomchristianjewellery #bloom2019 #prepareforbattle #iaminbloom #buyyourticketsnow #3days

From @iaminbloom - 4 DAYS!! @mindyeaston will be joining us Saturday afternoon to share her testimony with us. I can’t wait to hear it, if you can’t either then make sure you’re there!! #bloom2019 #prepareforbattle #iaminbloom #buyyourticketsnow #4days

[PM Message] Matthew 5_ {beats} Blessed are the persecuted_
This is the last of our ‘beat’ messages... looking at what they can drum into our lives and the life of the church.
... It’s continually working into us & out of us & through us... the beat goes on!
These announcements are countercultural. These announcements are counterintuitive.
God’s will for creation looks EXACTLY like Jesus.
“Blessed are the PERSECUTED...” Persecuted means “driven away”.
“Blessed are the persecuted for RIGHTEOUSNESS...” Righteousness and justice HAVE to work together.
Then Jesus tells us to “rejoice!” because of our reward in heaven. This ISN’T saying “go out of your way to get persecuted” or “live such a controversial life that people attack you!”
This is live a life that lines up with the life of Jesus... even if that means persecution.
How does this ‘beat’ speak into our past, present and future?
1] PAST_ If you were a Jew in the 1st century and you claimed that “Jesus is Lord” THAT would cause problems with the religious & political leaders! If you were a Roman citizen in the 1st century and you claimed that “Jesus is Lord” THAT would cause problems with your family and if Jesus was Lord, then Caesar wasn’t! The cost for following Christ was very high.
2] PRESENT_ Globalisation and social media are making us more AWARE than ever before. The world has never felt so small. Yet it can be hard to relate to the persecution that we hear/read about. This ‘beat’ is the invitation to stop always thinking about myself. As we gather as ‘peacemakers’... as church, we join with THE church. Worldwide.
3] FUTURE_ Jesus is also talking about politics (awkward!). Politic on a bigger scale. What you value. What’s important. Where your treasure is... because THAT’S where your heart is. THAT’S where you put your life.
There’s lots of different things demanding our time, our allegiance... our worship.
When the world de-humanises... Jesus re-humanises. When the world is hostile... Jesus is meek. When the world is angry... Jesus is peaceful.
Whatever happens to us... let’s make an announcement... let’s resolve... let’s band OUR ‘drums’ in time with this ‘beat’ and LOVE ANYWAY.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness... for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
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