Net News November 092

Posted by Chris on 16 November 2009 | 0 Comments

THE NET
 
 
net news -
nov '09/2

In this issue:

  1. Tim's ramblings    
  2. Education Breakfast THIS WEEKEND   (is this for you??)
  3. Sector News
  4. Leaders Net
  5. GENnet news    
  6. Salvation Army news
  7. "Compassion" evening at Hasbury Meths
  8. JOBS  (good to see so much web activity on these of late)
 

Dearest Black Countryites,

Hope all is well again. It seems to me as though time is flying by again of late at an unprecedented pace, and it makes me wonder what else might be accelerating. I say this as I feel like The Lord has taken me through a very deep process this year which has taught me that He realy is involved in every square inch of our lives.
 
So, I am more than ever aware of the fact that nothing is really a co-incidence as He has designed a world that is filled with stories, pictures, connections and matixes, and ultimately, with Himself.
 
I am learning to love Him in a new way, and with more of "me", and I wish I could articulate this further, but I can't as the scan hasn't been born yet!
 
Like me, you probably get asked 5 times a day how you are. Well, thanks for asking! Things are fine...I don't FEEL great, but realize more and more than I should be manipulating my feelings rather than them manipulating me.
 
I really sense that I need to do something very intentional with regards to my mental strength. It keeps hitting me how powerful our minds are, and rather than them malfunctioning from time to time due to emotions or stress, I should take control and see to it that this doesn't happen.
 
I am convinced...yes, convinced that we can do this. We are called to RENEW OUR MINDS....this means that Jesus doesn't do it for us.......we do! So why do we allow so much stuff to control the way we feel.....why does the way we feel have such a huge influence over us.
 
SIMPLE......we live in a culture underpinned by "Existentialist Philsophy". Very simply put, our primary instinct is heavily influenced by our feelings. This is why our society is so fragile. And even our churches get affected by this. Very often, how we feel is stronger than how we are, so reality to us is being shaped more by our feelings (which are largely made up of emotion/stress/circumstances) than facts. Therefore truth is felt, not dealt, it could be said.
 
REALITY....this is a word/concept that has me challenged. Think about some of this stuff guys as you ponder how you are (feeling).
 
I remember being told ages ago that the greek word very often used in The NT for TRUTH can be translated as REALITY too. Therefore, that which is true is that which is real. So, truth is reality. So reality is really (what is real) truth. When we think of people being "real", we are saying that they are true, genuine and authentic (root word for authority).
 
If you think this through, it seems to me that we can actually be like God (which we are called to be by the way) in that we can actually create/shape reality in our own minds, and we can therefore shape more than we realize. We were created in His image, or in His imagination. We were designed with the in-built capacity to renew our thinking just as we renew our cells.
 
And we can create our own view of Him in our imagination too. Where else can we understand and relate to our Creator. I struggle to think of anything that God says or does toward us that does not pass through our minds or souls, or need agreement in some way from this very wonderfully human part of us that Christ also died to redeem.
 
So, if we do not use what God has given us, we will find that reality gets shaped for us, and truth can therefore be easily distorted. But how do we know what is true, and what is truth?
 
This is why the enemy so longs to get hold of our imaginations. If he can control our thoughts, he can shape or limit what we perceive as reality, and therefore, he can control truth.
 
Ultimately, Jesus is THE TRUTH, and as such cannot be controlled by anyone or anything, but He can be limited in our lives in as much as we can choose not to believe what He says to be true. In Nazareth, Jesus was not Christ.
 
He can also be severely limited in that we can very easily misunderstand Him......who He is, what He's like, eg. And when you think that He chose to build His "ekklesia" on the revelation of understanding who He really (or truly) is, no wonder the enemy has earmarked this as a primary target.
 
Do you know who Jesus really is? In other words, do you understand THE TRUTH concerning His real identity? Upon this rock foundation He is still building His EKKLESIA community, both locally and globally.
 
Ths is is the most critical question you will ever be asked.
 
But the true answer can only come from within, and never from mere education, no matter how religious or pious, as it a gift from The Father in Heaven. Being "born from above" is really then a divine encounter with someone in whom TRUTH itself is hidden and revealed. Jesus enters our understanding and longs to re-shape reality forever.
 
In John 3, Jesus shows Nicodemus that when we are born from above, we can see The Kingdom. He then tells Nicodemus how he can enter that reality, or that dimension of TRUE LIFE that is beyond the reach (of understanding) of those that are earth-bound, ie, restricted to perceiving reality as it is shaped by the world's culture.
 
Truth is not to be merely read. Reality is not to be observed and sung about. Life is to be lived to the full, to the uttermost, to the boundaries.
 
Truth is to be experienced and consumed. Reality is to be entered and occupied. The Kingdom of Heaven is to be brought to earth and it's reality is to be translated into the natural dimension. That's your job! But you must first enter and experience that reality  in your own life before projecting this into your world. His Will is that we re-shape our culture with the culture of Heaven, His dimension......His reality.
 
Understanding is therefore crucial in our approach to Him, and therefore, this is what FAITH is really all about then, but it's not intellectual. It is our ability to understand THE TRUTH as He is revealed. Faith, therefore, is knowlegde, but a very specific type of knowledge----revelation.
 
Revelation is something that is supernaturally opened up to us from above......something that is suddenly (or over a pocess of time) seen to be true, and reality can therefore be re-shaped by our re-understanding of what we perceive to be real. In other words, a realization occurs that changes our take on reality. Something shifts.
 
Truth is a very valuable commodity. Without truth, there is nothing left that we can build anything on. The world's culture is based on distorted truth, and lies. Our ability to believe lies determines how we interact with this culture. Our willingness to engage with a distorted version of reality shapes our position in this dimension.
 
Jesus came to show us another way, a higher calling. He was revealed to enable us all to reach beyond the limitations of fallen humanity to aspire to live as He did, as a Man on the earth. That challenge enters your world every day you arise. It knocks at your door even now. Do you hear Him?
 
Jesus wants to re-invade your world today and bring His version of reality to the table. He wants you to feast with Him and grasp again what LIFE is really (or truly) all about.
Will you eat at His table? Will you allow your thinking to be re-shaped by facts beyond the ability of your natural mind to grasp?
 
Can you eat Him? This question, when asked 2000 years ago, caused many to turn away and stop following Him. Today, the question is asked so that we can start following Him in a new way.
 
Our world is desperate for a new version of LIFE. Our surroundings are crying out for something beyond all this to be revealed. Paul wrote to Christians in Rome 2000 years ago and told us that creation itself was waiting for THE SONS OF GOD to be revealed on the earth.
 
She is still waiting.
 
History will record whether or not this generation of Christians in this part of the world will arise out of the mediocrity and apathy of 21st Bristish culture to reflect the true nature of their TRUE FATHER. And this is what "bringing glory" is really about, ie, to reflect the true nature of something, or someone.
 
The Black Country awaits this revelation right now. It's populus is secretly desperate to be distracted by a new wave of Heaven in their lives. Let us bring glory to our Father by loving people with His heart as He reveals it afresh as we seek Him, and let us honour Jesus by actually doing the very few things He actually asked us to do.
 
How are you? And can you use your feelings rather than be defined by them.
 
What is really happening in your life right now, and how can you read this accurately in light of what is happening in Heaven right now. What is truth to you? Can you enter into an encounter with THE WORD OF TRUTH beyond reading words that are true?
 
Have a great week guys, and I pray that you will be a storefront for The Kingdom of Heaven as you go about your normal, daily lives. You were called to be a doorway into a new reality for those who are lost from this, so walk it out in the only way you can.....as you. The real you.
 
Much love,
 
 
Tim
For your Network in The Black Country 
 
 
                                     FINAL REMINDER!!
 EDUCATION PRAYER BREAKFAST -  SATURDAY 21st NOVEMBER
10am-12pm - NET CHAPEL, SEDGLEY
Hi everyone,
 
Just wanted to take this opportunity to invite you to our next Education Prayer Breakfast, taking place on Saturday 21st November, 10:00-12:00 at Alpha House (old Methodist Chapel) Tipton Street, Sedgley (flyer and more details attached). This breakfast will no doubt prove to be a great opportunity for you to receive prayer for your role at work and be encouraged by others who serve God in their work in the Education Sector in this area.
 
Please feel free to invite any of your colleagues and friends along to the breakfast...the more the merrier.
 
Warm regards,
 
Linsey Pearson
 
Ed - if you work in this field, have a heart for it or would love to connect with others, please join in AND LET OTHERS KNOW....We're One Body.

Sector Christmas evening

Our Christmas Bash is almost upon us, on the EVENING (yes, evening) of 2nd December, and we only have around 10 places left now......please don’t leave it to the last minute or just turn up on the night as we have a hotel room restriction of 100 seats, and 90 have already gone!!

Our after-dinner speaker is someone we have seen with us before, someone who is both inspiring and challenging, the very passionate advocate Andrea Minichiello-Williams, as below; (you may have seen her on the main BBC news this week)

Andrea Minichiello Williams is a barrister and the Director of the Christian Legal Centre. Andrea is closely involved with cases where Christians are defending their right to speak biblical truth in the public sphere. Initially specialising in Criminal and Family law, she has for many years been involved in the public arena seeking to influence Government Policy for Christian values. Andrea continues to focus on policy matters and Christian Interest cases, specifically freedom for Christians to speak truth in the public sphere, and to live according to biblical standards.

Andrea is also a co-founder of Christian Concern For Our Nation (CCFON), which has over 25,000 supporters. CCFON is committed to enabling Christians to stand for biblical truth in the public arena. For more information please visit www.ccfon.org.

Please get in there now, and please also understand that reserving your seats must be quickly followed up with payment due to the nature of this evening. Bookings for this are via tim@thenet.org.uk , and payment can be done in two ways; 1) send us a cheque payable to THE NET for £15 each, or use the PAYPAL facility on www.thenet.org.uk (please add £1 per ticket if you use this).


leaders' net

Next leaders' gathering is happening on Tuesday 8th December 2009 at All Nations Christian Centre in Wolverhampton from 9.30am.

*Mission** and Community - Leaders Net 8th December 2009*

*9.30am for coffee.*

All Nations Christian Centre

Temple Street/Summer Row,

Wolverhampton. WV2 4AQ.

Our December session will follow this year’s Leaders’ Net theme of *‘Mission’*.

We have asked three church leaders from three different boroughs of the *Black Country* to share their stories of how they have reached out to their local community in creative missional ways. The focus of the stories are not on ‘huge projects’ that for many of us are beyond our reach but on /practical engagement, involvement and influence/.

Each story will be followed by small group discussion where we will explore the issues of Involvement –

- *Involvement – How should we be involved in the life of our communities*? Facilitated by Paul Chamberlain;

- *Distinctiveness - What does it mean to be distinctively Christian*? Facilitated by Leon Evans;

- *Influence – How do we influence our communities and culture*? Facilitated by Adrian Lowe.

This is purposefully aimed at being a practical session where we can share stories, engage in debate, and learn from each other.

Please book in as soon as possible with John via admin@thenet.org.uk <mailto:admin@thenet.org.uk> as usual to enable us to maximize our preparation for the morning, and please be mindful when doing so as we will assume that you will *stay for lunch* unless you tell us otherwise.

Please allow us to remind you about this as we sometimes have to subsidise these sessions, and we know that you are very busy people. Please understand that we have to cover the costs for this even if you do not turn up, so please “partner with us” in this and let us know if you book and your plans change, even at the last minute. We appreciate your assistance in this guys.


GEN NET 

Hi Everyone,

Hope your ok?

Please see below for some great events, and also some opportunities for you to connect with others,

Love Cookie

On Behalf of the GENnet Team

 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 NEXT GEN NIGHT –

 Thursday 10th December, 8pm at the Chapel, Sedgley

 ALL are welcome, please let me know if you need any directions

 Last DATE for this year!!  – same time & venue as above!!

.......................................................................................

GENnet Kids Weekend 2010:

Fri 17th – Sunday 19th September 2010 at Quinta, Oswestry for children in years 3-6 (in school year 2009-2010).

More details coming soon- please e-mail philmiles@junction10.com for more information.

 

 
Salvation Army news
 
All the following at
The Salvation Army
Field St
Willenhall
WV13 2NY
 
DEC 6th   at 6pm Carols & Christingle
DEC 20th at 5pm Carols & Nativity Play
DEC 24th at 11.30pm Carols for Christmas Eve
DEC 25th at 10am Family Service
 
Any more info wanted please contact Les westwood on westwoodlb@btinternet.com
 

“Compassion Evening"** at Hasbury Methodist Church, 89 Albert Road, Hasbury Halesowen B63 4SL on Friday 20th November at 7.30. the event is led by Ashley Cooper and the NXT Ministries team with new songs, QUALITY dramas and STUNNING VISUALS!

Tickets are from our Circuit Office (Tues – Thurs 1 -5) and cost £3. Suitable for teens and upwards.....Circuit office number is 0121 550 6591 or Minister is 0121 550 1461

Ed- **Compassion is an excellent organisation which seeks to release children worldwide from poverty. We are planning an event with in 2010 with Dr Tony Campolo and Graham Kendrick at present.

 

Jobs

Jobs

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