How to bear the fruit of the Spirit!

On the night before Jesus was crucified, Jesus taught his disciples by using a farming image:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:1-4

The person who remains, lives, trusts, relies on Jesus, will produce fruit!

Jesus repeats, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;

A life lived in Christ, is a fruitful life, a Spirit filled life.

Paul too, runs with the farming imagery, as he contrasts the acts of the godless life with the fruit of the Spirit filled life.

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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

You can tell the kind of tree from the fruit it produces, the authentic christian life produces the fruit of the Spirit. God works that fruit in us, as we "sow" in the Spirit.

Likewise the godly person prunes bad fruit, or God prunes bad fruit from the godly person.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

What does the fruit of your life show about the health of your relationship with God ?

Walk by the Spirit!

GP

Family Service is coming this Sunday, 24/6

This is a reminder that this Sunday

is Family Service !

Our theme will be the fruit of the Spirit.

Youth Group and Kids Church

will be involved in the service for the

whole time. We will have

a sausage sizzle after the service.

It is a little crazier than normal

but a Chance to celebrate with families as a church family!

Kanishka will be speaking on the Fruit of the Spirit

at 8am in the more usual way...

See you there !

GP

Fun alert for Youth Group and their Families

Here are a few dates to put in your diary

for Third Term for Youth Group and their families!

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1. Friday the 10th August

Family Quiz Night for Youth Group

and 10am families

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2. Friday 17th August

Youth Surge @ Applecross Anglican

7:00-9:30pm.

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3. Friday 14th September

Youth Group Fun n' Games

for Youth Groupers and their friends

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Call Jeremy Chappel for more info 9381 2640 !

How to pray in the Spirit !

Romans 8 describes the life of the Spirit (It is well worth a slow read and reflection!)

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit....For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God."

Christians are people of the Spirit. Notice two things about how the Spirit impacts on our prayer life:

1. By the Spirit we call God "Our Father..."

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as children, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ Romans 8:14-17

By the Spirit, we are adopted as children of God, we are invited to cry out to God as "our Father..." The Bible describes God as the Heavenly Father who longs to give good gifts to his children, so we approach God with confidence in prayer in our time of need?

The Spirit enables us to have this intimate prayer relationship with our heavenly Father.

How does this change the way you think about prayer?

How does this effect what you pray for?

2. The Spirit helps us to pray when we struggle to pray

Second the Spirit helps us when we struggle to pray. We all know this temptation.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

When prayers are a struggle for us the Spirit, as the counsellor, the helper, the advocate, speaks on our behalf and takes our feeble prayers to our Heavenly Father, who hears and responds.

As David Seccombe said "I don't know about you but when I hear this it makes me want to pray more!"

How does this encourage you when prayer is a struggle?

Paul encourages us to pray in the Spirit.

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

Keep praying!

Hear David Seccombe's Talk on this Subject:

http://stmattsshentonpark.org.au/o/content/blogsection/6/83/

GP

A night with David Seccombe

A Catch Up With David Seccombe over coffee

David will be giving an update about the work at George Whitefield College, South Africa on Monday the 18th June 2007.

Venue: 6 Strathcona Street, West Perth
Time: 7.30pm-9.30pm

Please contact Betty McSkimming on 9444-8512 or 0412-844-869 if you are coming to

assist with catering purposes.

Download a talk !

Did you miss a talk ?
Do you want to listen to one of our talks again?
Do you want to send a talk to someone you know?

You can download our talks via the website....
You will find our recent talk series Luke, Micah, Zechariah
and our two new series in progress...

1. How to Walk by the Holy Spirit @ 8am & 10am
2. The Scandal of the Cross @ 5pm

click on the link below to our audio download section.....

http://stmattsshentonpark.org.au/o/content/blogsection/6/83/

How to receive the Spirit !

Acts 2: 1-11 describes the Day of Pentecost.
The experience of the Spirit, is marked by noise like a wind,
Tongues of Fire, the speech of the nations....

But what does it mean?

Peter explains to the crowd from 3 OT passages:

1. Through Joel 2, Peter explains that Pentecost is the fulfilment of the OT promise of the Age of the Spirit coming.
2. Through Psalm 16, Peter explains that Pentecost happens
because Jesus was raised from the dead by his Heavenly Father!
3. Through Psalm 110, Peter explains that Pentecost happened because Jesus returned to his Father's side to pour out the Holy Spirit on his people, as he promised.

So Pentecost is about the Old Testament believers were being drawn into the new age of the Spirit. The kick-off is marked by the Spirit falling on God's people to witness to the risen Lord Jesus.

Acts 2:1-11 describes the experience of the Old Testament Faithful on that day.

Acts 2:38 describes our experience of the Holy Spirit as we are born into the new age of the Spirit.

How should we respond ?

"Repent and be baptised, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call"

Everyone who genuinely entrusts themselves to the Lordship of Jesus,
who turns from their old ways, of living apart from God, will receive the forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit! Baptism is the outward sign of the inward turning to Jesus.

But once we have received the Spirit, What does the Spirit do?

Walk in the Spirit!

GP

A Cafe in Paris!

Paris has come to us!

Libby Leach one of our CMS mission partners
is in Perth for a week!

Spend the evening with Libby Leach and hear about her work among uni students in Paris

7:30pm Saturday 16 June
at the church
with dessert and coffee

RSVP to the office 9381 2640

Reconnect with Libby so you will
have more informed prayer and support!

AMP (a.k.a AGM) is coming Monday 11th June

This is a reminder that The AMP (The Annual Meeting of Parishoners a.k.a. The AGM) is on Monday 11th June 2007, 7:30pm at the church.

We will recieve reports of ministries.
We will approve the budget for the next year.
We will discuss future directions booklet .
We will appoint people to particular roles .

Please join us as we plan and pray as a church together for the future.

Please pick up from church your copy of
1. the Future directions booklet
2. the AGM booklet
3. The budget leak
4. The job description handout of roles that need to be filled

Thanks for your participation in this !

GP & KDR

Jesus Baptiser of the Holy Spirit!

When we get to the New Testament the one God reveals himself in an extraordinary new way. It is not till we get to the New Testament that we see the one God is in relationship in himself Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Rather than Trinity being something constructed by theologians. It is something that disciples experience of God as they encounter Jesus.

As an example we read of the baptism of Jesus in Mark 1

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

God the Son is baptised by John the Baptist with water
God the Spirit descends from heaven
God the Father speaks “This is my Son whom I love...”

God reveals himself in a more intimate way right at the start of the public ministry of Jesus. It is a ministry the John the Baptist anticipates is greater than his own

“After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.” Mark 1:7-8

On the night before Jesus went to the cross

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. John 16

After the resurrection as Jesus is about to return to the Father

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1

The Son sends the Spirit to continue his action on earth

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth

Waiting for the Spirit means trusting in the promises of God that through Jesus he will establish God's kingdom forever? Are you waiting well?

But how do you recieve the Spirit ?......

GP

The Spirit is the Breath of the one God

Spirit in action in the Old Testament

Spirit is an action word.

The Spirit of God is God in action amongst his creatures in his creation.

The word used to translate Spirit in the Hebrew (Ruach)
Literally means breath so the Spirit is the breath of God.
We see that clearly right from the beginning.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ...

God’s Words are carried by God’s breath powerfully calling creation into being.

I liked what J. I. Packer had to say, "Spirit in this sense was what the big bad wolf was threatening the little pigs with when he told them, “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down!” The picture is of air made to move vigorously, even violently, and the thought the picture expresses is of energy let loose." The word Spirit in English loses this sense of power in action.

The majority of references to the Spirit of God in the Old Testament refer to God’s breath coming onto individuals to anoint them for action, the judges, the kings, and the prophets....

'He has filled him with the Spirit of God'
'The Spirit of God came upon him'

Power in action is the biblical thought whenever God’s Spirit is mentioned
In the Old Testament 'the Spirit of God' is always at work changing things .

There are 90+ references to the Spirit of God in OT

1. The Spirit moulds creation
2. the Spirit controls the course of nature and history
3. the Spirit teaches God’s people
4. the Spirit draws out a personal response to God
5. the Spirit equips individuals for leadership judges kings priests prophets
6. the Spirit equips with skill and strength and craftsmanship who will build the Tabernacle and the Temple

The Spirit is the power of God himself in action.

Packer highlights Spirit in the OT is God active as creator, controller, revealer, lifegiver, enabler God makes himself present to men in a dynamic and demanding way. By the end of the Old Testament the prophets leave us looking forward to the Age of the Spirit which the Lord's Messiah will bring in.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;

I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Ezekiel 36:27-28

Who will bring in this age of the Spirit ?

Walk in the Spirit!

GP

Books to Read on the Holy Spirit

While we are having a series on the practical ministry of the Holy Spirit,

here are four books worth reading on the Holy Spirit.

1. Keep in Step with the Spirit- J. I. Packer

Packer focuses on the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

This is a "rousing" call to implement the Spirit's directives in your life.


2. Baptism and Fullness: The Work of the Holy Spirit-John Stott

Stott's aim in this clear and searching study is to help us to a biblical understanding and experience of the work of the Holy Spirit today!

3. The Fruit of the Spirit- John W. Sanderson

Sanderson unpacks each of the fruits of the Spirit
in view of it's broader biblical context in both NT and OT. It is also helpful in applying the fruits of the Spirit to your own life as a growing christian.

4. Showing the Spirit - Don Carson

In Showing the Spirit, Carson gives us a rich theological exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14 focussing on the work of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit in the church. This is at the deeper end of the reading pool but well worth the chew!

You might have others you want to add to my list ?

Keep in Step with the Spirit!

Gavin