Grapevine 2017 issue 84 febmar2017 fullcol by Ealing Christian Centre

ISSUE 84 Feb/Mar 2017

rapevine G

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Ealing Christian Centre

magazine

Pentecostal Church

One family of many nations proclaiming one Gospel through many disciples

Our God of the

IMPOSSIBLE

www.ecc.org.uk

Hubble Space Telescope image of Westerlund 2 in the Milky Way

A word from the

With GOD, ALL things

here is a passage in the gospels, where we get an insight into the surprise and frustration Jesus experienced whenever people expressed doubt and unbelief in him. He had been on the Mount of Transfiguration, where Peter, James and John had seen the glory of Jesus radiate in full measure. As they came down from the mountain, they saw that the other disciples had been trying to cast out a demon from a young man. The father told Jesus, “I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” Jesus’ response, which reveals his mind, his emotions and his deep frustration, quite clearly was, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I put up with you?” (Mark 9:19). Unbelief really grieves Jesus. It was very trying to him. We also live in such a generation, often among those we live and work with. And the unbelief of our culture very easily permeates the Church if we allow it. Jesus immediately picked up on the unbelief of the father, who said, “But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us” (Mark 9:22). Two words caught Jesus’ attention immediately: ‘if’ – a word that expresses hopelessness and doubt, and ‘anything’ – meaning if you can only do a little, at least that is better than nothing. The man was talking to the Creator of the universe, the world and all that exists, to the One who upholds all existence by his powerful word. And yet this father questioned his power and ability in what may have been a major problem to him but, in the great scheme of things, was a tiny matter to the Lord. Jesus rebuked his unbelief. “If you can? Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23a). To the man’s credit he answered honestly: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” (Mark 9:23b), which is a position where perhaps many people may be – having a measure of faith, but still lacking confidence in expecting an actual answer to prayer. When later asked by his disciples why they could not cast out the demon, Jesus replied, “This kind can only come out by prayer and fasting.” His answer shows, firstly, that some situations are more difficult than others, and will yield only after prayer that results from a very close relationship with God. But, secondly, it shows that even the most difficult of situations can be overcome, if we are prepared to live a lifestyle of prayer and fasting. Jesus has given us his salvation as a free gift and, at the moment of asking Christ to be our Saviour and Lord, his Holy Spirit comes

I remember that Shawn Bolz, when he was with us at ECC, prophesied that ECC would become a centre for healing cancer. 2

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

God is the God of the impossible. What is impossible for man is possible for God. God has not changed, and continues to display his power and glory. We never know when we will need to step out in faith. to live within us – first, to change our character from the inside out and, second, to provide us with his power. How effective we can be is then up to us. Are we prepared to live a lifestyle that is walking closely to God? A lifestyle that includes avoiding compromise with sin, which will always render us ineffective because it gives the devil a foothold in our lives? A lifestyle of prayer and fasting? If we are, there is no limit to what we may see God do in us and through us. I love to hear testimonies of how ECC members have prayed for people at work or on the streets and seen major answers, such as healing and other obvious answers to prayer. Each one of us can choose how close to the Lord we would like to live, and how effective we shall then be outside the church as ambassadors for Jesus in this unbelieving generation. God is the God of the impossible. What is impossible for man is possible for God. God has not changed, and continues to display his power and glory. We never know when we will need to step out in faith. During the last six months of 2016, we were living through quite

IN THIS ISSUE

SENIOR PASTOR

are possible

WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE A Word from the Senior Pastor

MISSIONS: Explosion in the Philippines by Pastor Mark King

MISSIONS: Winter Night Shelter at ECC by Pastor Mark King

a difficult time. Seven years ago, our son-in-law had had a large tumour removed from his brain. Since that time there had been no recurrence of any problems. He was having six-monthly check-up scans and, in June 2016, he was due to have his last one before going to annual reviews and thereafter no further reviews. On that occasion, they noticed something small that appeared on the scan. The oncologist (cancer specialist) did not seem too concerned at the time but, after another scan three months later, he totally changed his prognosis.

by Pastor Bob Seare

In the middle of December he had another scan, and was given an appointment a few days later to discuss the result with the same oncologist. This scan showed that all the cancer had completely vanished. The oncologist said he “did not have a scientific basis to explain it”. I remember that Shawn Bolz, when he was with us at ECC, prophesied that ECC would become a centre for healing cancer. God does such miracles for two reasons: first, because he is a God of love and, second, because these are what the Bible calls ‘signs’ which are to point people’s eyes to the more important reality of Jesus as Saviour and Lord over all sin, sickness, death and satan.

Richard Buxton

All the cancer had completely vanished. The oncologist said he “did not have a scientific basis to explain it” If you would like an item to be considered for the next edition of the Grapevine magazine, please email your article to info@ecc.org.uk, marked 'For Grapevine'. Articles for half a page should be no more than 250 words, and for a full page should be no more than 600 words. The Editor reserves the right to edit articles where necessary. The deadline for the APRIL/MAY edition is no later than FRIDAY 3rd March 2017.

REVIVAL HEALING TESTIMONIES compiled by Pastor Rajinder Buxton

HOW TO LEARN THE LESSON OF DAVID Practical Truths by Roy McEwen LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE EVANGELISM

At the beginning of December, he had a meeting with our daughter and son-in-law and informed them that this was a new cancerous tumour. It was not like the previous one, which was solid and could be removed, but was one that had diffused into the brain cells and so could not be operated on, neither could it be treated. Chemotherapy could only contain it for a period, but there was no cure. He prepared them for the fact that our son-in-law had only months to live. He later confirmed all this in writing. With their two small children, this was devastating news for us as a family. Rajinder and I visited them to pray for his healing. As we were praying for him, our daughter saw an angelic being suddenly arrive, stand behind her husband and place his hands on her husband’s head. Light streamed through her husband’s head from the angel’s hands, and out of the place where the tumour was. We could not, of course, see if anything had changed in his head, but they had noticed immediately that there was a distinct positive change in him.

ECC CORE VALUES: Spirit-filled

compiled by Pastor Rajinder Buxton VULNERABILITY & INTERFERENCE

by Pastor John Starr PRAYER CENTRE TESTIMONIES

compiled by Bro Tom Ibrahim Two-month Prayer Diary pull-out Evangelism & Prayer calendar

Weekly meetings/What we believe

Sunday Services/What’s on at ECC

CLASSIFIEDS DISCIPLESHIP REVISITED by Elder Akin Osuntoki FELLOWSHIP & CONGRATULATIONS compiled by Sharon Grant INTERVIEW: BISOLA OBILEYE by Pastor Rajinder Buxton WINTER WONDERLAND by Pastor Alex Morgan KIDZ ALIVE by Ann Ko BAPTISM SPECIAL compiled by Pastor Rajinder Buxton BACK PAGE PICS: NEW YEAR’S EVE AT ECC

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Editor-in-Chief: Senior Minister Richard Buxton Editor & Design: Berean Services UK, Email: bereanservicesuk@gmail.com COVER PICTURE: Westerlund 2 PICTURE CREDIT: NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), A. Nota (ESA/STScI), and the Westerlund 2 Science Team Photography: Roy McEwen plus various contributors from ECC Stock Images: lightstock.com, freepik.com, publicdomainpictures.net, Google images Print: Deluxe Printers Ltd, London NW10 7NR, Tel: 020 8965 1771 Ealing Christian Centre, 268 Northfield Avenue, Ealing, London W5 4UB Tel: 020 8840 7508 Fax: 020 8840 1461 Email: info@ecc.org.uk Website: www.ecc.org.uk Grapevine is published by Ealing Christian Centre. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Grapevine and the ECC logo are trademarks of Ealing Christian Centre in the United Kingdom where Grapevine circulates. Copyright © Ealing Christian Centre 2017. All rights reserved.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

MISSIONS: PHILIPPINES

EXPLOSION! in the Philippines

“Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1

our years ago, when my family and I returned from the mission field of the Philippines, God spoke to me with the words, “When you leave, there will be an explosion here.” I took that to mean an explosion of growth Pastor Mark, Cora and Georgina King in the ministry and not a literal one. And God was true to His word. Over the eight years that we were in Cebu, we had seen dozens of people come to Jesus and, after working alongside the indigenous missionaries for a while, we felt God leading us to plant a church. Out of this, Portland Christian Center was born. PCC, as it is known, is situated in the Danao mountain region of Cebu, and has become the ‘mother centre’, where many have been trained, equipped and released into ministry. Last November, my wife and I, my daughter Georgina and Russ Kline, who has regularly been ministering at ECC since 1993, returned to Cebu to witness this explosion in growth.

Following the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, our team was assigned to reach out to five areas in northern Cebu – one of which was Daan Bantayan. Through acts of kindness and handing out emergency packs in the immediate aftermath of Haiyan, relationships started to be formed, and a fellowship has now been planted. This will become a recognised church plant in the nottoo-distant future.

These are some of the pictures of the outreach

The following are some of the highlights… In April 2013, we returned to the Philippines with a short-term mission team and held an outreach in the city of Danao. As a result, the city church, Pilar and Roy Global Ekklesia Danao (GED) was planted. GED is now thriving, and will soon have its own full-time pastor as, up until now, our team have been overseeing it. Roy and Pilar were amongst some of our first converts back in 2015. They have now been trained as ministers in training. Please pray for them and their young family, as they embark upon pastoring the GED church.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

In September last year, ECC’s facilities manager, Adam Wiecki, initiated a project designed to bless the children in the five Elim churches in Cebu and Leyte – the contents of which were donated by members of ECC. A large one cubic metre box - containing teaching materials, stationery, new clothes and games - arrived a few days after the start of our mission. Some of the team members, as well as Russ Kline, helped to unpack and sort the contents. Pastor Jen remarked, “Thank you so much, ECC! You have blessed the children in five churches by your generosity.”

MISSIONS: PHILIPPINES Explosion of the Holy Spirit! Box is delivered

Unpacking the box

On the last day of his visit, Russ ministered at the main church in Portland on the topic of the ‘Outpouring of the Holy Spirit’. After his message, there was a chance for people to be ministered to, but what was truly amazing was that we all had an ‘upper-room’ experience. As everyone cried out to the Lord, the Holy Spirit descended upon the whole church, and all were baptised (filled) with the Holy Spirit. A 94-year-old man and his granddaughter also came to know Jesus as Lord at the same meeting.

Explosion reaching beyond the Philippines Sorting the contents

We now have nine small-group outreaches, based in the villages and towns in the Danao region. These will one day become churches in their own right. As part of our ongoing church-planting strategy, we see the prophetic playing a major part in this process. Russ Kline, who travels internationally in prophetic/apostolic ministry, held three nights of teaching on the prophetic. Each night, through heavy rain, floods and power-cuts, the people came out to learn how the Lord can use His people in the area of the prophetic.

Russ prophesying over a young lady

Activation ministry

Ministry during a black-out

The two people pictured here in the centre - Divina and Francis - have both successfully completed the Child Sponsorship Programme (CSP). This is a programme that has been in existence since 2001. Numerous children have graduated secondary school and college, and have entered into full-time work. They have both been involved in the ministry for many years, and are able to teach and raise up leaders. As part of the growth ‘explosion’, God is now moving people beyond the Philippines with their jobs. Divina has found work in Japan, and Francis will be working on a ship, which will be sailing to various countries. These two will truly be our first ‘overseas missionaries’, as they take Jesus with them. In May 2015, we planted our first church in a town called Padre Borgos, which is situated in southern Letye. Borgos Christian Center (BCC) is pastored by Evan Gilles and his wife, Onie; they are also part of our team in Cebu. In April 2016, the ECC mission team helped to clear a portion of land that has been loaned out to BCC, and started building a temporary place of worship, funded both by continued overleaf GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

MISSIONS: EALING PICTURE CREDIT: www.ecwns.org.uk

EALING CHURCHES WINTER NIGHT SHELTER @ ECC

“For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in.” Matthew 25:35

rom January to February this year, ECC, in partnership with Ealing Churches Winter Night Shelter (ECWNS), opened its doors to the homeless in Ealing.

ECWNS (www.ecwns.org.uk) is run by an ecumenical coalition of churches within the London Borough of Ealing. It first opened in January 2011, and now 20 churches are involved in ministering to the homeless.

According to the GLA official ‘CHAIN’ reports, the borough of Ealing had 287 people recorded as sleeping on its streets in 2014/15 - a 31% increase over the previous year - with many more in precarious accommodation, eg. on friends’ floors, on night buses, etc. ECWNS stands in the gap by providing the most basic and essential needs for homeless people: sleep and food. A person, who has been made

homeless, faces enormous risks as a rough sleeper, including substance abuse, poor physical and mental health, and acts of criminality. ECWNS seeks to minimise these risks by creating a safe space for homeless people to find temporary respite, while helping them to secure more permanent accommodation. Providing temporary respite ‘buys’ more time before guests become further entrenched in homelessness and, adversely and sometimes irreversibly, affected by the risks presented

by homelessness. Each guest is offered 28 days in the shelter, during which time ECWNS works with partner agencies (St Mungo’s Broadway, Ealing Soup Kitchen and Acton Homeless Concern) and local housing services to look for a way to move on. It was great to see many ECC members get involved in cooking, setting up the beds and furniture, serving the guests and sharing the Gospel.

Pastor MARK KING

EXPLOSION IN THE PHILIPPINES (continued from page 5) Elim International Missions and ECC. In November last year, the building was half-built, however the church held their first service on Christmas Day in their new premises. Please pray that BCC will one day have a permanent building, so that they can continue to train, equip and send out church planters throughout Leyte. The BCC team has also been reaching out to one of the areas devastated by Typhoon Haiyan, called Dulag. Through the support of Elim Relief Association, we helped to build and repair over 50 homes in this area – the vision of BCC is to see a church planted here also. There are many other areas of the ministry that are experiencing an explosion of growth, including youth, children, evangelistic outreach and discipleship, but the main focus is always to make Jesus known in all that we do. In order to continue to support our

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

brothers and sisters in the Philippines, so that they can continue the great work they are doing, we are constantly seeking to raise funds. Please pray for the finances and, if you would like to give in any way, please speak to Pastor Mark or email him at mk@ ecc.org.uk.

Pastor Mark King

Locally made jewellery for fundraising

ECC CORE VALUES We continue taking a closer look at our Core Values at ECC, and in this edition of Grapevine, Pastor Bob Seare explains what it means to be Spirit-filled

SPIRIT-FILLED

ne of our Core Values as a church is to be SPIRIT-FILLED. We need to appreciate who it is we are filled with, and look at ways to live out God’s Spirit-filled life.

A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE IS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO IS GOD The most important thing for us to understand and believe is to know who the Holy Spirit is. He is not an app, an add-on or optional extra, someone or something to contact when we have a problem. He is a vital, essential, necessary PARTNER in our relationship and walk with God. HE IS GOD, and yet He reveals God. In Matthew 1:23, Jesus is referred to as Immanuel, ‘God with us’. In Paul’s letter to the Colossians (1:27), we read “Christ IN you, the hope of glory” (emphasis mine). He lives in us in the Person of the Holy Spirit. How amazing that we are indwelt by God Himself! The good thing is, He doesn’t go out: “He is with me everywhere... the Comforter abides with me” as we used to sing! The great healing evangelist of the last century, Smith Wigglesworth, used to proclaim loudly: “FILLED WITH GOD!”, and that’s what we are... or should be. When I arrived at my last church, they kept asking to sing ‘Come, Holy Spirit’. I asked why? They said that they needed the Holy Spirit in their meetings. I replied that He was already there and, over the following six years, demonstrated the fact, with strong manifestations of His presence and signs and wonders. When we asked Him to ‘come’, we were denying that He is here. Knowing and believing that He is in us makes all the difference. We need to know that everywhere we are, the Holy Spirit is. Jesus said, in Acts 1:8, “You shall receive POWER when the HOLY SPIRIT has come upon you.” The Greek word for ‘power’ is ‘dunamis’: power, ability, might, strength - a similar word to dynamite. So believe this, and explode with the power of the Holy Spirit within you! Another similar word is ‘dynamo’. When I was a lad (decades ago!) we had dynamos on our bikes, which rotated on our wheels and provided the power for our lights. The faster you pedalled, the brighter the light. We often pray to be ‘filled with the Spirit’ and obviously we need initial prayer to be baptised with the Holy Spirit. We need to receive and believe, as our Pentecostal forefathers used to preach. Living a Spirit-filled life is a life of obedience, faith, prayer, discipline. As with everything in our Christian walk, it all hinges on our relationship with GOD. Quick fixes don’t last – just like the New Year resolutions we made in January, or all those decisions to lose weight or hit the gym and get fit this year! A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE IS A LIFE OF HUMILITY John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). God’s will cannot be done in our lives if our own will is prominent. “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16-17). To live a Spirit-filled life is to daily deny ourselves - our plans, ambitions, our will, our intellect - and replacing them with God’s. A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE IS FILLED WITH GOD’S WORD The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. “When He, the Spirit of Truth,

Living a Spirit-filled life is a life of obedience, faith, prayer, discipline. As with everything in our Christian walk, it all hinges on our relationship with GOD. has come, He will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit wrote the Bible, inspiring men. With a Spirit-filled life we can speak, teach and proclaim God’s Word with authority. A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE WILL GLORIFY JESUS “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (John 16:14). The Holy Spirit is in us to reveal and glorify Jesus, in and through the Word of God. To live a Spirit-filled life, learn of HIM, seek HIM, worship HIM and testify of HIM. A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE IS A WORSHIP-FILLED LIFE “...be filled with the SPIRIT, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns...” (Ephesians 5:18-19). In the Greek this means ‘be being filled’. Paul knew what suffering was, yet in it all he wrote, “Rejoice evermore.” Whatever your circumstances, WORSHIP. SPEAKING IN TONGUES Speaking in tongues is an amazing gift and a gateway to spiritual gifts. I recently saw some research that showed that many in Pentecostal churches do not speak in tongues, and yet it brings revelation and builds us up spiritually. Do you desire to live a Spirit-filled life? Then believe that He is in you; read and obey the Word of God; repent of any obstacles, and pray in tongues.

Pastor BOB SEARE GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

TESTIMONIES: REVIVAL HEALING

Giving JESUS the praise T

he disciples had fished in the same location many times and had caught nothing, but then Jesus came along and asked them to fish in the same location. In Luke 5:5, Peter responded by saying, “Master, we have worked hard all night long but we did not catch any fish. But because You say so we shall.”

Persevere and push in. You could be on your last lap before your miracle.

A miracle happened, whereby they caught so many fish that their nets were close to breaking. Psalm 138:3 says, ‘In the day when I cried out, You answered me and made me bold, with strength in my soul.’ Don’t give up the moment you pray and nothing happens.

Bisola says in her testimony: “In 2014, the clinic wrote to me that they hadn’t seen me for over two years, and were inviting me for a check-up. Soon after that check-up, the devil plagued me with something that I wasn’t sure about. The doctor thought I had shingles at some point, which resulted in some damaged nerves. For the next 12 months, I was in pain to the point that my husband says I even grunted in my sleep.”

Persevere and push in. You could be on your last lap before your miracle. My dear friends, there are many who cry out to God for their healing and have received it, as their trust and faith in Jesus are stretched. At a recent Revival and Healing meeting, around 20 Nepalese people walked into the meeting because they said they wanted Jesus to heal them, and a number of them received their healing. One Nepalese sister was very short-sighted, and could not even join in the worship as she could not read the words on the screen. She came forward for healing and she was prayed for. After praying with her, we asked her to read the big screen but she couldn’t. We prayed again for her, and this time her eyes were totally healed; a big smile came over her face, and she read the whole sentence on the big screen. David also shared his testimony, how for a number of years he had been having leakage behind his eyes. The Ministry team prayed for him at the Healing meeting. Previously, David Joseph the doctor had put dye into his eyes to examine them and concluded they were bad. But God miraculously healed David’s eyes, because when he went back to the doctors, they were totally surprised that there was no leakage and that it had repaired ‘on its own’. Jesus heals today.

God miraculously healed David’s eyes; the doctors said they had ‘repaired on their own’

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

Bisola Obileye

She went for all sorts of tests, and the doctor in the meantime gave her a very strong painkiller that she had a bad reaction to. Then she prescribed Gabapentin, in a small dose to start with, and then built it up over time to the required dosage. The doctor smiled at her, saying that “even older people can stand larger doses”. She asked Bisola to take it in the evening before bed, and it made a huge difference. But, on one particular day at about 2.00am, Bisola attended a special event, and was so tired that after her bath she just dropped into bed without taking her tablet. She woke up the next morning realising that she had forgotten to take her medicine. On her way to church, on 12th June 2016, she prayed and prayed as she came into the building, saying that today she would receive her healing. The worship was awesome, and its general theme was also about healing. Bisola concludes that very day Jesus healed her and she has been pain free.’ She gives Jesus the praise.

Pastor RAJINDER BUXTON

PRACTICAL TRUTHS

How to...

Understand the lesson of David, Joab and Uriah

Supporting our leaders

his story informs us how to support our church leaders despite their failings, weaknesses and character flaws. No leader is allencompassing; they all make mistakes. They make poor decisions, like the rest of us.

listen to the message. The risk here is that a message based on a deception, but delivered ‘acceptably’, goes unchallenged... So...Uriah is dead; Joab is trusted by the King; Israel wins the war, and King David gets the girl. However, one end marks a new beginning. In comes Samuel, and reveals to David that his dark secret was witnessed by heaven, and reminds him about his accountability to the Great I AM.

The difference is that their decisions impact many more lives, whereas the decisions we make in our family affect fewer people. Let’s learn how to support our leaders - especially when their flaws become public knowledge. Be encouraged. The scene is from 2 Samuel 11: King David gives Uriah a letter to present to Joab; the letter contains harrowing instructions regarding Uriah (yes, the very man carrying the letter), which were to result in Uriah’s death - plain and simple. Suffice it to say, Uriah dies in battle and David takes Bathsheba (Uriah’s widow) to be his wife. Not nice. However Joab, knowing this murderous secret, continues to support the God-appointed King. Wow! Tough, I know, but Joab shows us how to allow God to be the Judge.

of tune with God, we will misunderstand the decisions our leaders have made. That said, being in tune with God enables us to see the outcomes of the decisions made by leadership, and to pray for them, both where they have listened and got the decisions spot on - and even where they haven’t, and have made poor decisions. Our leaders are human and broken - just like us.

It’s easy to forget that our leaders are appointed to achieve God’s purpose, not our own. And, being human, our leaders risk forgetting they are appointed to achieve a purpose decided by God.

Without knowing their life history, you can say with some certainty that church leaders are as broken as the rest of us. Remember, it’s only because of Jesus that any of us have a hope and a future. In Christianity, we get ourselves in a twist over ‘appearances’, and hold unrealistic expectations of their holiness.

And, because the purpose belongs to God, leadership are required to be in tune with what God wants them to do. Similarly, if we are out

The lives of Paul and Peter teach us an amazing lesson about spiritual leadership despite brokenness. Both these men made decisions

God chooses spiritual leaders, for His purpose - not ours.

with very public consequences: Peter denied Jesus, and Paul persecuted the Church. Both, however, had to stand, despite their previous public failings, and declare the message of truth. In this we see that the Kingdom is not just about the character and past of the man (or woman); it also includes the content of the message. Think back to Rahab. The Bible recalls her profession was a prostitute. Today, if a member of your family in the same profession as Rahab gave you news of impending danger, tell the truth, would you believe her (or him)? No, you wouldn’t. Just think, if some of Rahab’s family had chosen to judge her profession instead of listening to her message, they would be dead. However, today, unless the messenger ‘appears’ to be holy, people won’t generally

That fateful decision heralds a series of extremely negative consequences for David’s family. What’s fantastic, though, is that David handles them all with continued confidence in the Lord. So, what have we learnt? In the Kingdom, our leaders don’t have to appear perfect for us to follow their lead. We accept they may make poor decisions; we may see those poor decisions, and the impacts may upset us. But remember, the leader hasn’t got away with anything. They must answer to God, and He sees and knows everything. Our challenge is to operate in the Spirit, even when our leaders may not be. That way, our love for God will cover a multitude of sins. Likewise, the love of great leaders towards those they lead, results in amazing spiritual achievements. Be encouraged.

Roy McEWEN GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

EVANGELISM: LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE

LOCAL

Team leaders: SARAH & CORNELIA

“

We prayed for the people of Chiswick, as we walked through the streets and shared various Scriptures from the Word of God on salvation through Jesus Christ. Many people listened to the Good News, and were actually amazed to hear the message.

WEST EALING

CHISWICK

As teams from ECC go out onto the streets to evangelise in their local areas, here is what has been happening:

At one point, we stopped outside M&S and handed out the ECC tracts. Many people took them and asked where our church was located. Others shared their personal situations, and we offered to pray for their situations especially for their sick relatives. They were thankful for the prayers.

She told us that she goes to church sometimes, but nobody had explained the Gospel to her like that before. She asked what she could do, and we led her in the Sinner’s Prayer and she repeated the prayer after me. We invited her to come to ECC.

compiled by Pastor RAJINDER BUXTON 10

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

evangelism

Team leaders: JENNY & GLYNIS

“

Glynis and I stood in prayer under a clear, blue sky. Then the team arrived, armed with smiles and tracts.

Most had come out for the first time, but each one soon found their way to witness; some delivered tracts through the doors, and others handed out tracts and were possible engaged in conversation with people. One homeless man stood, explaining that God was in nature. I agreed that God made nature to reflect His glory, and that He speaks through His creation. Suzanne had a surprise when one man suddenly stopped, and she invited him to the Revival Healing meeting. He asked if she believed in the crucifix, and she assured him we believe in Jesus’ death and that in His Name we are healed. He was really interested, and he took the tract and went away reading it with intent. One ‘official’ man looked disapprovingly over the tracts left lying on the bench. I quickly went to him and apologised, and confessed they were mine and that I would remove them at 1pm. He said I was doing a good work. I asked, “Are you a believer?” He answered, “Yes, I go to church four times a year at Christmas.” I invited him to our special Christmas activities; he was appreciative and accepted the tract. I saw a great change in West Ealing, and I believe the time of reaping is now.

GREENFORD

We felt God’s presence, calmness and peace on the streets. There was no conflict or rudeness from the people. Some asked what did Pentecostals believe in, to which we answered - to the best of our ability - that we worshipped no statues, pictures or objects; we study the Word of God, pray and fast. We also told them we believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. One lady gave her life to Jesus after being asked, “If God could do one miracle for you, what would it be?” She replied that she would love to win the Lottery and share it with her family. We took the opportunity to explain the Gospel message to her: namely, to repent, believe and trust Jesus and ask His forgiveness of sins and then she would receive eternal life. We explained that she would then become a child of God and that His Holy Spirit would come and live in her. We ended by adding that it is also God’s will that we should help one another, especially if someone in God’s family needs help.

LIGHTHOUSE

Team leaders: STEPHANIE & BARBARA

“

During the Greenford Local Lighthouse evangelism, hundreds of tracts were given out and were well received. There were people we witnessed to and prayed for - including an atheist - who accepted a tract. We believe a seed has been planted, and continue to pray that many who received the tracts will also receive their salvation

THE WAYS OF GOD:

PASTOR JOHN

Vulnerability & Interference

hen you think of the word ‘vulnerable’, what comes to mind? What other words do you usually associate with it? Do words like: weakness, insecurity, instability, unprotected, exposed, unsafe, risky, breakable, come to mind? Do you normally associate the opposite of vulnerable as being strong, protected, tough, resistant, secure? Have you considered that the call to discipleship requires vulnerability? Have you considered how God embraced vulnerability in order to be connected with you? Jesus’ incarnation, life and manner of death, from the manger to the cross, speak of Him becoming vulnerable for our sakes (Philippians 2:6-8). Have you considered vulnerability as essential to following Christ? Most of us are self-protective. We put up barriers to letting others get deeply involved in our lives. We also want transformation without change, and character development without pain. However, submission, humility and vulnerability need to be pursued before we can expect spiritual transformation. We are called to submit ourselves to God; show humility in our relations with others, and practise vulnerability by willingly opening ourselves to the influence of others. Christianity is communal To follow Christ is to connect and engage with a community, the Body of Christ. There are 59 ‘one another’ commands in the New Testament. We cannot fulfil those commands without building relationships in the Body of Christ. Relationships are built on trust, and trust is built on integrity. You can trust someone who has been proven to be reliable and honest. But that does not mean the other person will always agree with you or support your behaviour. “Can I trust me with you?” Finding someone who is trustworthy gives you a safe place where you can find open and honest acceptance. You can take the risk of coming under their influence. You can give that person permission to speak into your life. Only in trusting relationships can we deal honestly with barriers to obedience, and crushing sins that hold us back from spiritual growth. We’re told, ‘Confession is good for the soul’. James’ epistle says, ‘Confess your sins to one another’ (5:16). If you want to grow in a meaningful way, not only must you tolerate another person’s

You can trust someone who has been proven to be reliable and honest. But that does not mean the other person will always agree with you or support your behaviour.

We also want transformation without change, and character development without pain. However, submission, humility and vulnerability need to be pursued before we can expect spiritual transformation intimate knowledge of you, but also you must willingly invite that person to speak into your life. Discipleship is about interference Interference is usually thought of as someone sticking their nose into our business. And that’s one reason why people tend to avoid discipleship. No wonder CS Lewis said he detested the word ‘interference’, precisely because it strikes at the very roots of the ‘self’ life. The disobedient regard the godly as interfering when they speak into their lives. The Gadarene demons resented Jesus, saying, “Go away! Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth?” (Luke 4:34 NLT). To be an authentic disciple of Jesus, you need to take up your cross and follow Him. The cross involves submission, accountability (a-countof-your-ability), confession, sacrifice and discipline; in other words, making yourself vulnerable. God’s Word instructs us that we need a great deal of ‘interference’ to turn back the tide of selfishness. Interference lies at the heart of true discipleship: “Obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). It is by being connected to the Body of Christ we learn Christianity is communal, and we are given the opportunity to be trained and transformed by ‘interference’ and ‘vulnerability’. “For whoever would seek to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me shall find it” (Matthew 16:25). “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10) Are you COMFORTABLE thinking about the Christian life in this way, that is, being vulnerable to one another in the Body of Christ and vulnerable to God? Do you want your congregation to be a place of Christlike vulnerability? Or do you look to worship and your congregational life as a place to prop up, a sense of being strong and protected from vulnerability?

Pastor JOHN STARR GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

24/7 PRAYER CENTRE

PRAYER centre Testimonies from the

The Prayer Centre operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a team of compassionate prayer partners, who are waiting to take your prayer requests and to pray for your individual needs over the telephone. Here are a small selection of the amazing answers to prayer, as individuals ring back to share their answers with us.

HEALING

A mother had previously called the Prayer Centre regarding her daughter, who was in America and experiencing terrible pain in her legs. After receiving prayer, the severity of the pain was reduced enough for the daughter to fly home from America. Praise the Lord.

A wife called the Prayer Centre on behalf of her husband, who was due to undergo dialysis. She called back three days after receiving prayer, to say that God had healed her husband, and that the dialysis had been cancelled; he no longer needed it. Glory to God.

A mother has been calling the Prayer Centre on behalf of her daughter, who suffers from epilepsy. Praise God, for six weeks now she has had no seizures – truly an answer to prayer.

A woman called the Prayer Centre about a pastor on life support machine in Liverpool. To God be the glory, after prayers, the pastor is now recovering, and has been taken off life support.

A man asked for prayers; he had been having a severe headache and attended emergency department. He was later discharged to go home. He is thanking and trusting God for perfect healing.

EMPLOYMENT

An aunt prayed for healing for her two-year-old niece, who was undergoing intensive surgery to have a shunt inserted into her brain. Her niece was unconscious and had had two major operations. Her illness had caused her mother to lose faith. Glory to God, however, because the niece has now opened her eyes and is recovering.

A lady had incurred a leg injury that was hindering her from walking properly. After she called the Prayer Centre for healing, the pain persisted for a few more days, but she continued to believe God for her healing. Praise God, she has now testified that she can now walk, jump and even dance without any form of pain.

A woman has been calling the Prayer Centre for healing from pains in her stomach and uterus. She has called back to thank God for His continuous healing over her life, as she has seen much improvement.

FINANCES

A businessman called the Prayer Centre for a financial breakthrough for his business, which was suffering from poor sales. He later called back to give thanks to God for answering his prayers. He made a great sale on some bikes - enough money to help the business. Glory to God.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

A woman called the Prayer Centre as she had been calling out to God for a new job; her previous one had caused her back problems, so she needed a change. She called back to say that she has been offered a new job, which she is hoping to resume when she returns from abroad. This answer to prayer is confirmation of a word from the Lord that she received a few Sundays before.

INTERVENTION

A woman had been prayed for and was seeing changes in situations in her life. Her divorce had caused great anxiety, but the Prayer Centre had helped and comforted her through those dark moments. She is now dating a new person and is praying for their godly relationship to blossom.

A woman called the Prayer Centre as some of her items had gone missing. After receiving prayers, the items were found, and she rang to thank God for helping her.

PROVISION

A landlady was worried and anxious because her rooms remained unoccupied, and the rent was her only source of income. She called back after prayers, thanking God that she had received four people who came to view her rooms. God is faithful.

PROTECTION

A woman had felt led by the Holy Spirit to go into a particular area in Belfast to do a prayer walk. She was obedient and called the Prayer Centre to thank God for His protection.

A woman called the Prayer Centre as she was experiencing spiritual attacks from the enemy. She called back to thank God because the attacks have stopped.

ACCOMMODATION

A daughter and her mother have been calling for prayer regarding a place to live. To the glory of God, they have now been given a flat for two months.

GOD CAN USE YOU

Amazing testimonies abound at the Prayer Centre, and you can make a difference to someone's life. Are you willing to be used by God in this area? Please contact Tom or Rudy, our Prayer Coordinators, on 020 8799 2199

PRAYER DIARY

MARCH 2017

his book is about building through the inspiration of God. It contains many practical and spiritual lessons applicable to our service for the Lord and building his Church. Nehemiah had a very good and comfortable job, working in the luxury of the palace of the most powerful man in the world at that time. Jerusalem was in a far distant land, in complete ruins, lacking every basic comfort of life. And yet, Nehemiah’s passion for God and his Kingdom was so strong that swapping a life full of comforts for a venture that would knowingly bring hardship and discomfort, provides no dilemma for him. He was driven by his desire to serve his God - no matter what the personal consequences for him would be. Why did God choose him and move him to undertake this daunting task? First of all, as we have seen, he was a man of passion for serving God. He was also a prayerful man. Like Daniel, before him, although he had a full-time, very responsible job, he nevertheless did not use that as a reason not to seek God in prayer. The closeness of his relationship with his God is seen when, between King Artaxerxes asking why he looked sad and his reply, he sent up a silent prayer to heaven, which was immediately answered. Remarkably, the king agreed to his request to take a very long sabbatical from his palace job in order to oversee the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Not only that, but the king also agreed to his request to provide necessary building materials free of charge. Nehemiah’s relationship with his God, cultivated through prayer, is also reflected in the favour Nehemiah was granted by King Artaxerxes, who furthermore freely gave him letters to provide him safekeeping from the local inhabitants, and also soldiers to protect him on his long and hazardous journey to Jerusalem. Nehemiah’s story is one of building for God in the midst of great opposition. The devil knew the spiritual significance of Jerusalem in God’s plans and prophetic purposes, and wanted to oppose its rebuilding at all costs. This he did through people who did everything to stop the progress of the work, including intimidation, threats, libel and slander. But Nehemiah inspired the people of God to press on through it all. He taught them how, through unity, everyone participating according their ability and hard work with perseverance, the Lord could help them succeed. And succeed they did - in record time. God has called us to build his Kingdom through the preaching of the Gospel, witnessing and leading people to Christ in the face of great spiritual opposition. We, like Nehemiah, are in a spiritual battle. The devil does not want Christ’s Kingdom built, and will oppose and hinder us at every turn and by every means. But Nehemiah worked with the sword in one hand and trowel in the other. As we pray this month, we are seeking the Lord’s help to enable us to apply the same spiritual and practical principles in building his church in a hostile world. Our sword is the Holy Spirit and the Word of God; our trowel is the practical application of ourselves to God’s work and ministry. 1st – Nehemiah 1:1-4 Prayer and fasting for a desolate nation 1. Give us eyes to see how you see our nation, O Lord, in all its spiritual desolation, and move our hearts to act decisively, we pray. 2. Lord, as we understand the desperate spiritual plight of this nation, cause us to come before you in weeping, fasting and intercession. 3. Lord, since the sins of our nation are a great offense to you, have mercy on all who live in this land, and open people’s eyes to the desperate spiritual trouble we are in. 4. Help us not to be so involved with our own personal affairs that we fail to give time to the more pressing priority of rebuilding our nation’s spiritual foundations. 5. Lord, put a passion within all your people in churches up and down this land to stand in the gap and intercede on behalf of our nation.

2nd – Nehemiah 1:5-6 A confession of sin 1. Lord, we confess that we do not always live according to your perfect standards, and ask you to forgive us our failings. 2. Help us to walk humbly before you, with hearts overflowing with gratitude for our salvation through Christ. 3. We confess the sin of your Church in remaining silent over the years, when we should have spoken out louder against iniquity and injustice; forgive us, we pray. 4. Lord, have mercy on us for those who governed us over the years, from all political parties, who have scrapped our laws based on the Bible and replaced them with laws that are offensive to you. 5. We confess the sins of all the institutions in our society that have encouraged people to live a lifestyle that is ungodly; forgive and have mercy, we pray, Lord.

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

BUILDING THE KINGDOM Nehemiah - Chapters 1 to 6

3rd – Nehemiah 1:7 God’s laws broken 1. Lord, as a nation we have acted wickedly towards you, rejecting your commands and decrees; forgive us and have mercy, we pray. 2. Forgive us, O Lord, for replacing laws, which put God’s righteous desires at the centre, with laws that promote human, unrighteous desires. 3. As a nation, forgive us for rejecting your laws of sexually morality and, instead, encouraging every form of sexual immorality. 4. Forgive us as a nation for removing you from the schools, O Lord. 5. Forgive us as a nation, O Lord, that we have rejected your standard for the sanctity of life, and have allowed the taking away of the lives of millions of our unborn through abortion.

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PRAYER DIARY

MARCH 2017 4th – Nehemiah 1:8-9 Restore us, O God 1. Restore to our nation the righteous fear of you, O God. 2. As we have forsaken the worship of our God, restore this nation once more to its sense of understanding the true value of spiritual principles as the bedrock of society. 3. As we see dwindling congregations in some churches in our land, put the fire back into the ministers, O Lord, causing them to seek you to turn the situation around. 4. Lord, for those church congregations that have lost hope in seeing church growth, stir them up by your Spirit, and give them a believing faith that sees change. 5. Where Christian assemblies have been abandoned in schools, put teachers who are passionate for Christ into places of influence to bring change, we pray. 5th – Nehemiah 1:10-11 Grant us success 1. Help us to be overcomers in prayer, we ask. 2. Lord, as your church intercedes in prayer, frustrate the plans of the ungodly groups that bring an ungodly influence on those in government who make decisions and laws. 3. We pray that those who govern us at a national level will be moved to show more favour to your Church, and to listen carefully to concerns voiced by Christians and Christian organisations. 4. We pray you would cause all those who govern us at a local level to show increasing favour to your local church and your people, so that the influence of your Church on society may increase. 5. Make us a people, who take up the authority Jesus has delegated to us, and pray into action plans that undo and push back the influence of ungodly people. 6th – Nehemiah 2:1-4 Praying at all times 1. Let nothing distract us from our times of prayer and intercession, O God. 2. Cause us to be a people who are so practised in prayer that we can pray effectively at a moment’s notice. 3. May prayer always be to us a lifestyle that begins in the morning and continues through to nighttime, no matter how busy we may be with the affairs of daily life. 4. Help us never to neglect our times of devotion with you, O Lord. 5. Whether we are by ourselves alone, or surrounded by people and activities, teach us how to talk to you.

7th – Nehemiah 2:5-6 Stepping out for God 1. Lord, give your church a clear vision of your will and purpose, so that we may always have the courage to step out to fulfil the vision you have given to us. 2. Give us boldness in prayer, O Lord, so that we can then be bold towards people. 3. Give us a heart like Nehemiah that is prepared to forsake all to do your bidding, O Lord. 4. Give us clear vision for our own lives, O God, to know what to do for you. 5. Teach us how to be strategic in our prayers, we pray. 8th – Nehemiah 2:7-8 All needs met 1. As we walk obediently in your ways, O Lord, meet all our needs according to your riches in Christ Jesus, we pray. 2. We pray for your blessing on our jobs and businesses, O God. 3. Put us into places of influence, O Lord, so that we can be the salt and light you desire us to be. 4. We pray that as we act as careful stewards of all you give us, O God, you would bless us financially. 5. As we continue to pray and intercede, may no weapon of the enemy that is formed against us prosper, O Lord our God. 9th – Nehemiah 2:9-10 Knowing our enemy 1. Lord, open the eyes of our understanding to know who and where our spiritual enemies are, so that we may be forewarned and forearmed. 2. Holy Spirit, give us the gift of discernment of spirits, so that we may discern the hearts of those who would seek to frustrate your plans and purposes. 3. Give us the wisdom to realise that the more we want to be obedient to God, the more the powers of darkness will seek to knock us off course. 4. Give us strength to persevere at all times against our spiritual enemy, we pray. 5. Help us not to be ignorant of satan’s devices, O Lord, especially when he seeks to appear as an angel of light. 10th - Nehemiah 2:11-16 Wisdom to understand the needs 1. As we seek your will, O Lord, put your thoughts and plans into our minds and spirits. 2. Lord, like Nehemiah, help us to know when to speak and when it is wise to remain silent. 3. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches,

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O Lord. 4. Where we need wisdom to make difficult or complex decisions and lack such wisdom, provide it to us liberally, we ask. 5. Help us to inspect the spiritual terrain around us, to understand the scope of what we must do as your servants in building your Kingdom, Lord Jesus. 11th – Nehemiah 2:17-18 A determination to work for God 1. Make us steadfast in our service for you, O God. 2. Lord, give us willing hearts to make the work of your Kingdom a priority in our lives. 3. May our hearts be on fire to serve you, O Lord, so that we can begin to address the disgrace of the spiritual state of our backslidden nation. 4. Holy Spirit, as we wait upon you, show us and guide us into the works of service you have for each of us to do, we pray. 5. Lord, we pray for your gracious hand to be upon us as we seek to serve you and see the Kingdom of God built. 12th – Nehemiah 2:19-20 Facing opposition 1. Help us always to rise above all criticism that comes to us simply because we serve Jesus. 2. Cause us to understand the spiritual poverty of our critics, O Lord, and so pray for them. 3. Give us the boldness to speak up for Christ, even in the face of criticism, we pray. 4. Help us to count it all joy when we face opposition for following Jesus, knowing that our salvation is worth more than anything else this world could give us. 5. Give us the grace to forgive and pray for the salvation of those who oppose us in our stand for Christ, we pray. 13th – Nehemiah 3:1-5 Praying for the uncommitted 1. We pray you would bless all those who have a willing heart to serve you to the best of their ability, as they work with all their heart. 2. Open the eyes of those believers who seem content with the knowledge that they are saved and have no motivation for service, to the blessings they are forfeiting, we pray. 3. For believers we know who are backsliding, turn their lives around and cause them to rekindle their love for Jesus, we pray. 4. Help us not to be lazy as Christians, Lord, by preferring to leave the work to others. 5. Give us the zeal we see in your ministry, Jesus.

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t was one of the darkest periods in the life of the nation. From the greatness of the days of David, the nation of Israel began its slow spiritual descent as it backslid and forsook the Lord and all his godly ways, preferring the carnal activities of pagan worship instead. Such worship allowed them to live lives of immorality, violence, child-sacrifice and generally living however they pleased. We have seen a similar resurgence of pagan attitudes and ways of living in our own generation and for the same reasons; it allows people to live their lives however they choose with little self-restraint. God had been patient with his people Israel for many years. He sent prophet after prophet to remind them that as a nation they had entered into a covenant with him, at the centre of which were the Ten Commandments. Their covenant brought God’s protection and blessing on the nation for obedience, but a forsaking of both things if they disobeyed. Finally, after their rejection of the warnings and pleadings of the prophets, God’s patience ran out and he acted in accordance with the covenant he had made with them. He allowed first the Assyrians to take into exile and captivity the northern ten tribes of Israel, and then the Babylonians to take away the final two tribes of Judah and Benjamin. In the process, the Babylonians destroyed the magnificent temple built by Solomon and then proceeded to destroy the city of Jerusalem, taking it apart stone by stone, exactly as Jesus had foretold. Now seventy years of exile had passed. Daniel, who was one of the earliest of the exiles from Jerusalem, had noted this and interceded earnestly for the prophecies foretold earlier by Jeremiah (that after seventy years God would bring back the people of Israel to Jerusalem out of their captivity). God answered and moved the heart of the Persian King Cyrus not only to allow any willing Israelites to return to the ruined Jerusalem, but also funded the expenses of their project to rebuild the temple. The story of Ezra is one of a minority of God’s people, broken by their nation’s sin, seeking God through prayer and fasting to rebuild what sin had destroyed. It shows what can be achieved when we use the spiritual weapons God has placed into our hands: repentance, prayer, fasting and a desire to walk in holiness and seek the revival of a nation. Under the spiritual leadership of Ezra, they did turn back to God and, after many heartaches, this godly man witnessed a major move of God as the people wept in repentance, listened avidly to the Word of God and committed themselves to serve the Lord with righteousness. How our own nation needs such men and women to rise up in spiritual leadership and live their lives by example in the same way Ezra did. As we pray through the prayer points for this month, we are seeking God for exactly that.

1st – Ezra 1:1 The Lord moved the heart of Cyrus… 1. O Lord, move our hearts to seek you with all our being. 2. Move the hearts of all our politicians to restore our nation to godly ways, we pray. 3. Move the hearts of the people of our nation to begin to see the folly of rejecting you, O God, and put a new desire in their hearts to seek you once again, we ask. 4. Move the hearts of all authorities, including local governments and schools to stop seeking to oppose and remove Christian worship, but rather to promote it. 5. Move on the hearts of the authorities of public employers to stop dismissing their staff simply for praying or talking about their faith in Christ, we pray. 2nd – Ezra 1:2 Go…and build the temple of the Lord 1. As the temple of the living God, help each of us to grow closer to you, our God, day by day.

2. Stir up the fire within us, O Lord, to seek to fulfil the Great Commission and help you build your Church. 3. We pray that you would strengthen each Cell leader for the important ministry of the Discipleship Cells, and raise up more men and women for this the crucial work. 4. As a church, deepen our walk with you, O Lord, so that out of the overflow of the Spirit within us we would touch the lives of many others, showing them the way to God. 5. Build your church amongst us and through us, O God. 3rd – Ezra 1:3-5 Willing hearts to serve the Lord 1. Help us to get our priorities right, O Lord, and understand that nothing has eternal consequence more than serving you. 2. In every area of our daily lives, wherever we live, work or study, may we serve you effectively as a powerful influence for Christ upon those we are in contact with day by day.

3. Break any areas of our hearts that are stony and currently unyielding, and cause us to seek you with all our heart. 4. Let our service for you always be a joy and not just a duty, O God, as we fulfil the purpose for which we are created. 5. Move us to serve you faithfully, persistently and consistently to see your Kingdom come, O Lord.

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

INTERCEDING FOR REVIVAL IN OUR NATION Ezra - Chapters 1 to 10

4th – Ezra 1:6-11 Freewill Offerings 1. Since you have held back nothing from us, O Lord, make us to be a generous people, holding our worldly possessions only lightly, recognising that our true riches are spiritual not physical. 2. Let us be a people who are happy to tithe and to do so joyfully, knowing that you are no man’s debtor, O God. 3. Cause us to be able to give freewill offerings over and above our tithes, we pray. 4. As we put you first, O Lord, we pray that you would bless your people financially,

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PRAYER DIARY

FEBRUARY 2017 and cause each business to prosper and each employment to be rewarded. 5. As we give to you, O God, give us testimonies of your provision that will be a blessing to many. 5th – Ezra 2:1-2 Willing individuals known by God 1. Lord, since you know us individually, show each of us individually what you would have us do this day and every day. 2. Lord, since you know every hair of our head and our every thought, search our hearts and cause us to reject all that is ungodly within us and, instead, to seek to be more like Jesus in every area of our lives. 3. We pray for your people throughout this land that you would cause there to be a great hunger and thirst among all of us for a new move of God in our nation. 4. Raise up more spiritual leaders in our nation, who will take the lead in turning many to Christ, we pray. 5. We pray that you would set alight, with the presence of your Holy Spirit, a national move of God, every church in every city, town and village in this nation, O Lord. 6th - Ezra 2:61-67 Those outside the family 1. We pray that we may see saved and added to the Kingdom of God all those outside the family of God whom we know. 2. We pray for all those in our personal families, who do not know Christ, that you would save them, O Lord. 3. Give us a clear understanding of hell, so that we may be moved with compassion and zeal to seek to save the lost. 4. Let a sense of urgency take over your church, O Lord, to see the lost saved before it is too late for them. 5. Start your work in each one of us, O Lord, we ask. 7th – Ezra 2:68-70 Freely give 1. Lord, this day, once again, we freely lay down our lives for you and in service for you. 2. We freely give of our time to you, O Lord, and ask for wisdom to use it wisely, profitably and fruitfully for your service and your Kingdom. 3. Because you have given us talents, O God, we now dedicate them to you and your service. 4. As we have freely received financial blessings from you, O Lord, may we also freely give, just as you have told us to. 5. As we freely give away the Gospel, cause us to rejoice in freely seeing great spiritual fruit as a consequence, we pray.

8th – Ezra 3:1 Assembled as one man 1. O Lord, knit our hearts and souls, and join us together as one in the church. 2. May we be a people of one united purpose, which is to seek only to do your will, O God, and to be used in building your Kingdom. 3. Heal any wounds that may exist between any of your people, O Lord, causing us to be a people who can freely forgive. 4. Holy Spirit, as your people join together in unity, may you flow freely among us like the anointing oil upon Aaron the priest. 5. Help us not to forsake the meeting of one another together in corporate worship and fellowship, but rather to build one another up in the faith, we pray. 9th – Ezra 3:2 Rebuilding the altar 1. Holy Spirit, strengthen our daily walk with you, we pray. 2. Lord, for those among us who have neglected their daily time with you, restore to them that most precious and important of times. 3. For any areas of our spiritual lives that have fallen into disuse, forgive us, restore us, and help us to rebuild them, we pray. 4. For all those in our midst who have backslidden, we pray that you would restore them to their former walk with you, O Lord. 5. For any issues in our lives that are causing us to neglect our walk with you, O God, give us the strength and wisdom to deal with them effectively, we pray. 10th – Ezra 3:3-6 Overcoming fear 1. Break all fear in our lives that may hold us back from serving you, O Lord. 2. Break all fear in our lives that may cause us to remain silent when we should be standing up for the truth and for righteousness. 3. Break all bondages in our lives, O Lord, that hinder us from being effective and making you our first priority in life. 4. Remove all fear of our spiritual enemies and, instead, as we humble ourselves before our God, may we resist the devil and see him flee from us. 5. Deepen our relationship with you, O Lord, so that we have a boldness that can overcome every challenge we face - no matter how great. 11th – Ezra 3: 7-11 Getting to work 1. Cause us to be a people who are prepared to work sensibly but hard for you, O God, redeeming the time, knowing that the days are evil.

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2. May our service for you, O Lord, be like silver, gold and precious stones that will stand the fire of judgment on the last day, and not like wood, hay and stubble that will be burned up as worthless. 3. Cause us to remember, O Lord, that there is no such thing as unemployment or retirement in the Kingdom of God, and so cause all our work be profitable. 4. For those amongst us who, without good reason, are doing nothing for you, stir up a passion within them and help them to see they can do all things through Christ. 5. In all our daily work and service, may all we do, O God, be as unto you, so that we excel in all we put our hands and minds to. 12th – Ezra 3:12-13 Looking forward not back 1. Having put our hands to the plough, may we never look back, O Lord. 2. Give us the vision to see that greater are the days that lie ahead than those that have already passed. 3. Cause an excitement to rise within us, as we realise that with our God nothing is impossible and we are capable of seeing a great and mighty move of the Holy Spirit. 4. Help us keep our eyes firmly fixed looking ahead to Jesus, and not on the wind, sea or waves that may be buffeting us at this time. 5. Holy Spirit, make us visionaries who can see by faith the great things you can do through us in days to come. 13th – Ezra 4:1-16 Overcoming discouragement 1. Give us a courage to stand up for our God in every situation, and not to be overcome or intimidated by discouragement, O Lord. 2. Keep our eyes fixed on you, Lord Jesus, at all times, so that we always rise above our circumstances rather than letting them overcome us. 3. We rebuke and bind every spirit of discouragement that would seek to keep us from being effective servants of God. 4. We rebuke and bind every spirit that seeks to frustrate and prevent the full measure of the plans and purposes of God being fulfilled in our midst. 5. Make us bold so that no word or action of the ungodly would cause us to stumble, change course or stop doing what you, O God, want us to do. 14th – Ezra 4:17-24 Overcoming opposition 1. Lord, cause all human opposition to your work in this nation to be frustrated and defeated, we pray.

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FEBRUARY 2017

15th – Ezra 5:1-5 Prophetic encouragement 1. We thank you for every word of prophecy you have brought to your people, O Lord, and pray that those words give us strength and determination to press on. 2. Raise up in our nation prophetic voices that will stir up your Church to serve you with passion, O God. 3. Raise up in our nation prophetic voices that will speak to our rulers and turn them back to you, O God. 4. Lord, we pray that you will enable us to be a people that walk so closely to you that you will be able to fulfil every prophetic word you have given to us as a church. 5. As you speak to us as individuals and as a church, cause the ears of our understanding to be open to hear, we pray. 16th – Ezra 5:6-17 Praying for civil authorities 1. Raise up men and women from your Church to prominent and influential positions, who can bring godly change in public authorities and institutions, we pray. 2. We pray for our Queen that you would preserve her life, and help her as she walks in the fear of God. 3. We pray that you would cause each member of the royal family to know the true God, and to have the wisdom to walk in your ways. 4. We pray that our government would turn from making laws that are contrary to biblical values, and instead to pass only righteous laws. 5. We pray, O God, that you would turn back to godly ways our local governments, the police, schools, hospitals and all other national institutions. 17th – Ezra 6:1-12 Moving the heart of those in authority 1. Move the hearts of our government, O Lord, and let there be a move away from political correctness back to biblical correctness. 2. Cause our government to see the

immense value of our Christian heritage, and to stop dismantling its influence in our nation, we pray. 3. Cause our politicians to look with favour on your Church, O Lord, and to seek our counsel. 4. Cause our politicians to stop being afraid to promote Christianity, but rather to give it the place and priority in our nation that it deserves. 5. Sweep away the opposition of humanists to you and your Church, O Lord, and remove their ungodly influence on those in authority. 18th – Ezra 6:13-22 The joy of the Lord is our strength 1. Lord, may we know the joy of the Lord, no matter what our current circumstances may happen to be. 2. Cause your people to rejoice in the joy of leading people to Christ, we pray. 3. Cause your people to know the joy of being effective instruments in the hand of our God. 4. May we rejoice in seeing a great move of God in our church, displaying signs and wonders with many being saved. 5. May we rejoice in seeing many answers to prayer, both great and small, we pray. 19th – Ezra 7:1-10 Devoted to knowing, teaching and obeying God’s Word 1. Like Ezra, O Lord, let us be a people who are devoted and wholly dedicated to walking in the ways of our God. 2. Cause us to be a people who are devoted to knowing the Word of God and, as we regularly read it, Holy Spirit, enlighten our minds to hear your voice. 3. Like Ezra, let us be a people, O God, who are able to disciple others in the ways of God. 4. Cause our Discipleship Cells to multiply and anoint all Cell leaders, we pray. 5. Like Ezra, may we be a people, O Lord, who are not merely hearers of God’s Word but are ones who obey it. 20th – Ezra 7:11-17 God’s Word in your hand 1. Give us an all-consuming hunger to read and to know your Word, we ask. 2. Teach us the power of your Word, O Lord, and help us to use it to change our own lives and the lives of others. 3. Teach us, Holy Spirit, to use the power and authority of the Name of Jesus to save the lost, heal the sick and to see your power operate in the lives of many. 4. May we, O Lord, be wise, yet fearless bringers of God’s Word to all those we come into contact with, sharing the Good

News without compromise. 5. May your Word always be a lamp for our feet and a light for our path, seeing us through the darkest situations. 21st – Ezra 7:18-24 Do whatever God has commanded 1. May we always be careful not to move to the right or the left, but to walk carefully in your ways at all times, O Lord. 2. Cause us to be a people who seek to carry out the Great Commission to share the Gospel to all people, we pray. 3. Give us divine opportunities, and lead us to those whose hearts you have prepared, Holy Spirit, we ask. 4. Lord, if we are not doing at this time what you desire of us, show us and cause us to change our ways so we can be fully obedient, we pray. 5. Since you said, O Lord, that the sign of being your disciples was demonstrated by our love for one another, cause us to be fully compliant with your command. 22nd – Ezra 7:25-28 Teach the Word of God 1. Lord, anoint all those who preach in our midst that they may be able to mightily preach your Word with the power of the Holy Spirit. 2. Lord, anoint all those who teach our children, giving them wisdom and knowledge to train the boys and girls up in the ways of the Lord. 3. We pray for all the parents in the church that you would give them the ability, wisdom and knowledge to train their children up in all the ways of the Lord. 4. We pray for all those who teach our youth that you would help them to be good role models to be vehicles for bringing the life-changing Word of God to our young people. 5. Use all in the church who are school teachers to be great role models and influences for God on the children they teach, we pray.

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

2. Lord, cause all the plans of the powers of darkness that oppose a great move of God in our nation to be frustrated and defeated, we pray. 3. Open new doors of effective ministry for your people, O Lord, that no man can shut. 4. Remove every barrier that may stand in the way of us seeing your great move amongst us, Holy Spirit, we ask. 5. Rise up, O Lord, and let all your enemies be scattered!

23rd – Ezra 8:15-23 Fasting before God 1. Teach us to have the discipline to fast before you, O Lord, in a way that enables us to grow spiritually, 2. Speak to us, Lord, as we seek to listen to your voice through fasting and prayer. 3. Help us to fast before you, O Lord, even if we have very busy lives. 4. Hear our cries, O Lord, as we bring our nation before you with prayer and fasting and, in your mercy, remember this nation once again, visiting us with your power. 5. Lord, may we be a people who can not only spend seasons of fasting from food,

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PRAYER DIARY

FEBRUARY 2017 but also to abstain continually from every practice that is not in accordance with your revealed ways. 24th – Ezra 8:24-32 God’s hand upon us 1. We pray for your divine favour on every part of our lives, O Lord. 2. O Lord, may we know your close presence with us in all that we do. 3. We pray for all the families of the church that your hand would rest upon every family relationship, our children, and that you would be the rock upon which each family is built. 4. We pray for your hand to be upon all those in the church with businesses, and that you will prosper and bless the work of their hands. 5. We pray for all those in the church who are employed or who are seeking employment, and that you would keep your hand upon them by providing jobs and promotions, we pray. 25th – Ezra 9:1-5 Separation from sinful ways 1. Keep us from compromise with sin, the world and its values, so that we may walk in faithfulness to you, O Lord. 2. Help us to live as ones who are in this world but who are not of this world, we pray. 3. Holy Spirit, work so powerfully in our lives that we are always conscious of when we may be grieving you, so we can change our ways. 4. Show us the ugliness of sin in the same way that you see the ugliness of sin, O Lord, so that we may never become complacent or compromise our testimony. 5. Help us to maintain our testimony at all times, O Lord, even when there is great pressure all around us to do otherwise.

27th – Ezra 10:1-8 Weeping for the sin of the nation 1. Lord, we confess the sins of our forefathers, praying that you would bring your forgiveness and break any generational bondage that is flowing as a result. 2. Lord, we pray for the sins of the present generation in our nation, and ask that in your great mercy you would forgive and bring a cleansing to our land. 3. Lord, we confess that your Church in this nation has sat back for years in complacency and compromise, and allowed a tide of evil to sweep over our nation, so forgive us, we pray. 4. Holy Spirit, put the fire back into your people to rise up in power and make a stand for truth, we pray. 5. Lord, we have no excuse, but only cry to you for your mercy on this nation. 28th – Ezra 10:9-17 Turning to God 1. Lord, let our church be a lighthouse that shines out the ways of God and the righteousness of Christ in a way that causes many to come into your Kingdom of light. 2. So move in our midst, O Lord, that all in the church will desire only ever to remain close to you in every area of their lives. 3. Come, O Lord, and let your manifest presence be seen in our midst, turning sinners to Christ and moving in signs, wonders and miracles. 4. Visit us, O Lord, with an outpouring of your presence, and may you stay to inhabit this church as a place that draws many to you and causes your Kingdom to advance rapidly and extensively. 5. Send revival to your church, our borough, our city and our nation, O God.

26th – Ezra 9:6-15 Confessing sins 1. Lord, forgive us all our sins, just as we forgive those who have sinned against us. 2. Search us, Holy Spirit, and see if there is any wicked way within us, so we may turn from it and allow you to operate freely through us. 3. We pray that you would help us identify any sin in your church, O Lord, so we may change whatever is necessary. 4. So move in our church, O Lord, that every member will desire only to walk in your ways, we pray. 5. Give us the desire to always walk in holiness and to grow ever closer to you in all our words, actions, thoughts and ambitions, we pray.

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NOTES & ANSWERS TO PRAYER

PRAYER DIARY

MARCH 2017

15th – Nehemiah 3:15-21 All working in unity (1) 1. Lord, help each of us discover our different God-given talents and to use them effectively for the building up of the body of Christ. 2. Lord, we pray for the continuing unity in every area and department of the church. 3. We pray that each of our men’s and women’s Discipleship Cells would have such unity of purpose that they will be effective in both building one another up spiritually, and in bringing others to salvation in Christ. 4. We pray for all our youth Discipleship Cells, that they would be of such unity of spirit that they would continue growing both spiritually and numerically. 5. Cause every ministry and department in the church to work in total unity, we pray. 16th – Nehemiah 3:22-32 All working in unity (2) 1. Lord, we pray for a continuity of purpose, vision and ministry within the leadership of the church. 2. We pray for a unity of heart, mind and vision within all the teams involved in worship. 3. We pray that all the teachers of youth and children in the church work with a unity of spirit that continually prevails. 4. For the other teams that minister inside and outside the church, may they flow together of one mind, heart and spirit at all times, O Lord. 5. Holy Spirit, cause your anointing to flow through the whole church, as we work together in unity. 17th – Nehemiah 4:1-3 Living with ridicule 1. Help us to stand firm at all times, not allowing opposition to shake us, we pray.

2. Lord, give us courage to stand up for you in the face of ridicule, and not to be intimidated. 3. When we face negative words, attitudes and actions against us, because we are following Christ, cause our character to grow stronger through it. 4. Enable us not to react against those who ridicule us, but instead show grace and pray for them, knowing that, without change, they are going to a lost eternity. 5. When we do not return insult for insult, cause our testimony to demonstrate the reality of the living Christ within us to those who would ridicule our faith in Jesus. 18th – Nehemiah 4:4-5 The sins of God-opposers 1. Frustrate the plans of those in our nation who plot to remove every reference to you, O Lord, from the public arena. 2. Open the eyes of those who persecute us for following Jesus, to their folly of rejecting Christ, we pray. 3. We pray that those amongst us, who have to struggle with opposition from family members, would have the joy of seeing those family members saved. 4. We pray for those amongst us, who struggle with opposition in their workplace, to have the grace to personally overcome and triumph in such situations. 5. Holy Spirit, help your Church in this nation to stand up in your power against every force that opposes Christ, the preaching of the Gospel and the promotion of biblical values, we pray. 19th – Nehemiah 4:6-14 Protecting families 1. As we follow you, O Lord, provide all that each of our family members need in every stage of their lives. 2. Lord, save the non-Christian husband of every believing wife in the church, and the non-Christian wife of every believing husband. 3. For each of our children who, as yet, has not given their lives to Christ, may we experience this year the joy of seeing them surrender their lives to Christ, we pray. 4. Watch over our family members at all times, and keep them from harm and every attack of the enemy, O Lord. 5. Through all times of uncertainty, we pray that you watch over our jobs, studies, houses, businesses and every aspect of daily life, O God. 20th – Nehemiah 4:15-23 A sword and a trowel 1. May we not be a people who are so heavenly minded that we are of no

earthly use, but rather make us naturally spiritual and spiritually natural. 2. Raise up in your church all those with practical ministries to use them effectively, we ask. 3. Lord, make us a people who are wise enough to continually study your Word, making it the foundation of all we do, and to be expert enough to use it as our spiritual sword to overcome every temptation and attack of the enemy. 4. Give us servant hearts, O God, willing and able to excel in every practical ministry that is required to build your church. 5. Lord, make us a people who are effective in both the charismatic and spiritual gifts, as well as all practical gifts. 21st – Nehemiah 5:1-5 Internal divisions 1. Holy Spirit, sweep through the Church in this land, removing all obstacles to revival, we pray. 2. Where there is breakdown in the relationships between believers, O Lord, bring the humility needed for change and restoration, we pray. 3. Continually give us a unity of mind and unity in the Spirit, so that nothing will hinder you moving through us, Holy Spirit, we ask. 4. Cause your Church in this nation to rise up in unity of purpose to turn back the tide of ungodliness that is overwhelming our land, O God. 5. Help us to obey your command to love one another as you have loved us, Lord Jesus. 22nd – Nehemiah 5:6-11 Confronting ungodliness 1. Where there is ungodliness in the streets of our local neighbourhoods, bring the light of your Gospel and your presence through us, O Lord. 2. Stir up the fire within each of us, Holy Spirit, and give us a passion to present Jesus wherever there is spiritual darkness. 3. Help us to make a clear dividing line in our lives, O God, between what is righteous and what is unrighteous, so that we will never cross over. 4. Deal with all ungodliness and compromise in your church, O Lord, so that your people may rise up in strength and power of your Spirit. 5. Help us to stand up to ungodliness, rather than merely compromising, we pray.

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

14th – Nehemiah 3:6-14 Working in our own neighbourhood 1. Help us to bring godly change to our local communities, we pray. 2. We pray you would save our immediate families, O Lord, and for those who are believers, move them to higher service. 3. We pray you would give us opportunities to our neighbours, to show them the love of Christ and also to see them saved. 4. Pour out your Spirit upon all the churches in our local neighbourhoods, and bless them in all their service for you, O God. 5. We pray that you would help all those people, whose priority is to attend the pubs and clubs in our neighbourhoods, to receive instead the abundant life of Christ.

23rd – Nehemiah 5:12-13 Making wrongs right 1. Search us, O Lord, and know our hearts; test us and know our thoughts; see if

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PRAYER DIARY

MARCH 2017 there is any offensive way in us, and lead us in the way everlasting. 2. Give us the grace to recognise when we are in the wrong, and the humility to take the steps to put it right, O God. 3. If we are harbouring unforgiveness, Holy Spirit, teach us how to demonstrate your agapé love, and so release them from all our resentments. 4. If there is any unconfessed sin in our lives, Holy Spirit, bring it to our remembrance, so that we are not hindered but released into the fullness of your purpose and blessing for our lives. 5. Teach us to always love the good and hate the evil, and never to compromise between the two, O Lord. 24th – Nehemiah 5:14-16 Servant-heartedness 1. Help us to be servant-hearted like you, Lord Jesus. 2. Teach us how to prioritise all the things we have to do, so that we can serve you with maximum effect. 3. May everything we think and may everything we do, O Lord, be done out of reverence for you. 4. In reverence to your holiness, help us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, so that you, O God, can work in us to will and to act according to your good purpose. 5. May our service to you be done with such selflessness that when we stand before you, O Lord, we will hear your words, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” 25th – Nehemiah 5:17-19 Generosity 1. Where it is due, help us to be generous in our praise for others, to encourage them to higher levels, we pray. 2. Make us a people who so understand the enormity of the debt you have paid for us, Lord Jesus, that we are open-hearted and generous in all we do for you and for others. 3. Make us generous with our time, O Lord, getting our priorities right, but not neglecting service for you. 4. Make us a people who are generous with our finances, O Lord, so that your work is never hindered or slowed down through lack of finances. 5. Be the Lord of every part of our lives, O God, to make us people who are more willing to give than to receive in every area of our lives. 26th – Nehemiah 6:1-4 Wisdom to see falsehood 1. Open our eyes to the subtle pitfalls and

temptations the devil may lay before us, we pray. 2. Whenever we lack wisdom, O God, help us to remember to ask you, who gives generously to all without finding fault, when we ask without doubting. 3. Give us the discernment to make the right choices in all we do, O Lord, so that we may continue to outwork your destiny for our lives. 4. Give us the gift of discerning of spirits, we pray, so that we may discern when it is evil spirits who are operating through people. 5. Help us to be wise and discerning, O Lord, so that we are always aware of the schemes of the devil and are therefore not deceived. 27th – Nehemiah 6:5-9 Strength from the Lord 1. Give us strength to continue, especially in the face of opposition and difficulties, we pray. 2. O Lord, in times of spiritual oppression, cause us to remember that greater is Christ within us than the devil who in this world. 3. In times of trial, help us endure so we come out of the experience stronger than when we went into it, we pray. 4. When we feel weak, O Lord, be our strength, so that you are strong in our weakness. 5. Help us to understand the mighty power of prayer, O God, so that we never cease to pray - no matter what our situation may be. 28th – Nehemiah 6:10-14 Courage in the face of difficulty 1. O Lord, make us strong in your might and the power of the Holy Spirit. 2. Give us the grace and the determination to swim against the tide of ungodliness that is prevalent in our society, O God. 3. Help us to stand up for Christ - no matter what situation or person seeks to intimidate us. 4. Help us to understand, O Lord, that because of the authority that Jesus has bestowed upon us, the devil has to flee from us, not we from him. 5. Since we only need courage when we are afraid, help us to overcome all fear that would seek to stop us from being effective servants of God. 29th – Nehemiah 6:15 Completing the vision 1. Give us spiritual stamina that nothing can diminish, O Lord. 2. Lord, as we seek your face in prayer for the revival of our church, borough, city

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and nation, help us persevere until we see the breakthrough. 3. Help us keep our eyes on the finishing tape and on you, Lord Jesus, and so run the race of righteousness without stumbling. 4. Make us a people, O Lord, that so allows your Spirit to work through us, that we bring effective and permanent change for Christ to the ungodly generation we now live in. 5. Rise up, O Lord, and let all your enemies be scattered as your Church moves out in the authority bestowed by Christ and in the anointing of your Spirit. 30th – Nehemiah 6:16 Enemies defeated 1. Help us to stand firm against every spiritual attack of the enemy, we pray. 2. Give us a boldness to stand up to every form of intimidation against us simply because we follow Jesus. 3. Teach us the power of your agapé love to overcome and conquer, O God. 4. Help us to see many people rescued from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Christ, we pray. 5. Cause us to see many people set free from every kind of spiritual bondage into freedom in Christ, we pray. 31st – Nehemiah 6:17-19 Overcoming intimidation 1. Give us the strength to ignore, when it is best to do so, every untrue word spoken against us, we ask. 2. We pray for those who seek to attack us or undermine us, and ask that you would save them, O Lord. 3. In the face of every intimidating situation or person, help us to have the faith of David as he stood up to Goliath, we pray. 4. Strengthen all those who are under pressure in their workplaces because they follow you, Lord Jesus. 5. Give us many testimonies of how we overcame through our faith in you, O Lord, in the face of many adversities.

EVANGELISM PRAYER @ ECC BOROUGH-WIDE Second Saturday of each month 11am to 1pm Saturday 11th February Location WEST EALING Saturday 11th March Location WEST EALING

LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE EVANGELISM Please support your Local Lighthouse Third Saturday of each month 11am to 1pm

Saturday 18th February Acton Chiswick Hayes Hounslow Northolt Pinner Shepherd’s Bush Southall Twickenham West Drayton West Ealing

Saturday 18th March

Acton Brentford Chiswick Ealing Broadway Greenford Hanwell Hayes Isleworth Kingston Northolt Shepherd’s Bush Uxbridge

ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THE TEAM

POLISH FELLOWSHIP Elim Springs Every Sunday @ 2:30pm in the FOYER

ECC Japanese Fellowship Every Sunday @ 2:30pm MAIN AUDITORIUM For details, please contact AOGU & CHISATO TATEYAMA

info@eccj.org.uk

24/7 PRAYER CENTRE Call our confidential prayer line for ANY need 24 hours a day 7 days a week

020 8799 2199 DAILY REVIVAL PRAYER MEETINGS Monday to Friday Morning meetings 10.00am to 11.00am - Annexe Room 2* EVENing meetings 6.00pm to 7.00pm - Foyer (*accessible from Northfields Avenue)

WEEKLY TUESDAY NIGHT PRAYER MEETING 7.30pm to 9.15pm - Foyer

MONTHLY REVIVAL & HEALING MEETINGS Second Sunday evening of every month at 6.30pm Sunday 12th February Sunday 12th March

DELIVERANCE MEETINGS For ECC attenders: Before coming for deliverance for the first time, please make an appointment to speak to Pastor Rajinder Saturday 18th February Saturday 18th March For non-ECC attenders: Please contact ELLEL MINISTRIES on 01252 794060

ALL-NIGHT PRAYER MEETINGS Last Friday of every month 10.00pm to 5.00am A night of intercession, celebration, thanksgiving and praise Friday 24th February Friday 31st March GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

Note from the Treasurer When we give to God, we receive a blessing in return Paul closes his discussion of giving in 2 Corinthians 9: 10-11, ‘Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed, and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way, so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God’ (NIV). He is saying plainly that, when we give, God will always give back. God will provide us with more. But notice what getting more leads to: increased resources, a great harvest of generosity in us and we will be enriched. God doesn’t give back, so we can live the easy life. No, He gives back, so we can give more. There’s no hint of selfishness here - only an ever-growing cycle of appreciating and trusting Jesus more fully. The practice of giving money is one that builds a godly and joyful heart. And that, indeed, is a precious blessing. May your giving this year, in 2017, produce a bountiful harvest in return, to you and your household, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

WEEKLY Meetings Sunday services Celebration service

9.00am to 10.45am

with classes for Children & Youth

Celebration service

11.15am to 1.00pm

with classes for Children & Youth

Japanese service Polish service Evening service

2.30pm to 4.30pm in Auditorium

2.30pm to 4.30pm in Foyer

6.30pm to 8.00pm

See ‘What’s On at ECC’ on page 23 for details

Mondays

Prayer meetings

10.00am & 6.00pm

Prayer meetings

10.00am & 7.30pm

Tuesdays

Wednesdays

Prayer meetings 10.00am & 6.00pm Little Stars’ Parents & Tots Term-time only 10.00am to 12.00pm Wednesday Afternoon Fellowship 2.00pm to 3.30pm

Thursdays

Prayer meetings 10.00am & 6.00pm Equippers: Life skills 7.00pm to 9.30pm Registration required

Fridays

Prayer meetings 10.00am & 6.00pm Equippers: Ministry skills 7.00pm to 9.30pm All-night Prayer

Registration required

10.00pm to 5.00am

Last Friday of the month

Saturdays

Street evangelism

11.00am to 1.00pm

Sandra Dawodu

Please note that you can now pay your Tithes & Offerings through the Church Website at www.ecc.org.uk

FINANCE THANK YOU

FOR YOUR FAITHFUL GIVING TO GOD’S WORK November December Tithes & Offerings £45,395.03 £46,284.30 Building Fund £3,050.54 £2,594.27 Standing Orders £15,160.46 £18,102.81

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

WHAT WE BELIEVE Elim Pentecostal Churches 1. THE BIBLE: We believe the Bible, as originally given, to be without error, the fully inspired and infallible Word of God and the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and conduct. 2. THE TRINITY: We believe that the Godhead exists co-equally and co-eternally in three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and that these Three are one God, sovereign in creation, providence and redemption. 3. THE SAVIOUR: We believe in the true and proper deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His real and complete humanity, in His sinless life, in His authoritative teaching, in His substitutionary and atoning sacrifice through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His heavenly intercession and His second advent to receive His Church. 4. THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe in the deity of the Holy Spirit Who proceeds from the Father and the Son and the necessity of His work in conviction of sin, repentance, regeneration and sanctification, and that the believer is also promised an enduement of power as the gift of Christ through the baptism in the Holy Spirit with signs following. Through this enduement the believer is empowered for fuller participation in the ministry of the Church, its worship, evangelism and service. 5. MANKIND: We believe in the universal sinfulness of all mankind since the Fall, rendering man subject to God's wrath and condemnation. 6. SALVATION: We believe in the necessity for salvation of repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by which the sinner is pardoned and accepted as righteous in God's sight. This justification is imputed by the grace of God because of the atoning work of Christ, is received by faith alone and is evidenced by the Fruit of the Spirit and a holy life. 7. THE CHURCH: We believe in the spiritual unity and the priesthood of all believers in Christ and that these comprise the universal Church, the Body of Christ. 8. THE MINISTRY: We believe in the ministries that Christ has set in His Church, namely, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, and in the present operation of the manifold Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to the New Testament. 9. THE ORDINANCES: We believe in the baptism of believers in water in obedience to the command of Christ and the commemoration of Christ's death by the observance of the Lord's Supper until His return. 10. THE COMMISSION: We believe that the Gospel embraces the needs of the whole man and that the Church is therefore commissioned to preach the Gospel to the world and to fulfil a ministry of healing and deliverance to the spiritual and physical needs of mankind. 11. THE COMING KING: We believe in the personal, physical and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign in power and glory. 12. THE FUTURE STATE: We believe in the resurrection of the dead and in the final judgment of the world, the eternal conscious bliss of the righteous and the eternal conscious punishment of the wicked.

WHAT’S ON AT ECC

Sunday Services at a glance 9.00am, 11.15am, 6.30pm

March

February 5th 12th 19th 26th

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton REVIVAL & HEALING MEETING Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Sam Blake HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Mark King CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Sam Blake

PRAISE & COMMUNION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Mark King

AM PM 12th

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton

HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan

REVIVAL & HEALING MEETING Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton

AM PM 19th

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton

AM PM 26th

MOTHERING SUNDAY CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan KIDZ ALIVE Speaker: James Morson

EUROPEAN EVENING Speaker: Pastor Sam Blake

Details of forthcoming events will be confirmed in the Sunday services

EUROPEAN EVENING Sunday 19th March

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

AM PM 5th

ECC WOMEN’S PRAYER BREAKFAST Saturday 8th April

KIDZ ALIVE IN CONCERT

8.00am to 11.30am _______

Sunday 26th March 6.30pm Speaker: James Morson

EACH ONE BRING ONE!

AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM

first steps An opportunity to explore the biblical foundations of our faith Classes take place during second service from 12.00 - 1.00pm Each Sunday from 26th February to 2nd April Venue: Stewards’ Room at the back of the auditorium All welcome

PRAYER CENTRE MEETING Saturday 25th March 9.30am to 1.00pm ELIM REGIONAL DAY TUESDAY 21st March

NEXT MEETING

Saturday 4th March 9.30am til 1.00pm

Metropolitan West Regional event Organised by Rev David Campbell Day and evening sessions, hosted at ECC

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

Rebecca and the Strangest Garden by V.V. Thomas

A delightful story of a young girl’s half-term adventures that will engage readers on many levels. (Recommended age range 7 to 10 years.) Available in the following formats: paperback £3.99 hardback (colour) £9.99 eBook/Kindle £2.99 PDF download £2.99 Order from rebeccaandthestrangestgarden. com and Amazon. Books and unframed prints also available from Jackie Raymond.

Grapevine

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GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

MEN’S DISCIPLESHIP

Discipleship REVISITED

regularly get email prompts from Twitter encouraging me to follow someone or the other. Some of these are notable Christian leaders, including Chris Cartwright (General Superintendent of Elim). This often makes me wonder what Jesus’ regular tweet would be if He were a Twitter user: “Follow Me”, perhaps? Scriptures would back this up, as there are several instances where Jesus commanded not just the Twelve, but anyone who would, to follow Him. His was not an easy call to follow, though. Consider His unambiguous criteria to His followers in Matthew 10:34–39: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. Anyone who loves their father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for My sake will find it.” What a radical call! As disciples, Jesus is calling us not into a wishywashy relationship, but into radical abandonment of all others and of oneself, fully embracing Him and Him alone! This begs the question: In our current world, just how many of us believers actually heed this radical call in our journey of faith? I recall with a chuckle a funny incident with Jonathan Mapp, our brother who very recently went to be with the Lord. Jonathan served as a steward for many years. For a long time, even when he had stopped stewarding, Jonathan had the responsibility of locking the offering away each Sunday after it had been collected. One day, as he and two other stewards went through the door with the offering buckets, I sneaked in unseen behind them, and in jest demanded: “The money or your life.” Without even as much as looking back, Jonathan’s response was instantaneous: “Brother, you can take the money, my life has already been taken by Christ!” What conviction! I guess Jonathan understood the wisdom of Matthew 16:25 - “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Jonathan was an inspiration to many and definitely to me. He lived a life of solid obedience to Christ, and in him I saw a true disciple. No doubt, he is now in Heaven where there is no more night and where there is no need for a lamp or the sun for light, because Now the Lord God present Himself is the Light of those there. with the

Jonathan Mapp

LORD

No matter your gender, if you fancy

Jesus is not calling us to abandon our families and hate everything and everyone; He is calling us into a life of absolute obedience, into a life of love and passion for Him. yourself as a disciple of Jesus, I encourage you to solemnly reflect on whether you are truly living a life that is fully sold out for Christ. Ask yourself the critical question: ‘What does Jesus really mean when He called out to me, “Follow Me”?’ When Jesus called Simon Peter and Andrew (his brother) and the sons of Zebedee, James and John, He called them to abandon their career and all they had ever known. He called them away from everything they were accustomed to, and from their boats and their nets; their assets and prized-possessions. But they also abandoned their father in the boat and, by implication, abandoned families and friends. Ultimately, they left everything behind - without so much as a whimper! Jesus is not calling us to abandon our families and hate everything and everyone; He is calling us into a life of absolute obedience, into a life of love and passion for Him. A life lived for Him in His service, and in making Him known to people around us who do not have a relationship with Him.

Our discipleship must therefore be a passionate and active pursuit of Christ

Heaven is our destination. Our discipleship must therefore be a passionate and active pursuit of Christ, as we hang on stubbornly to His instructions and as we abide in His Word until the very end. Indifference will not do! Determination must be our watchword as we tighten our grip, mindful not to miss the crown as we make our way home. And, when death finally comes calling, we can be confident that we will face our Maker, expecting to hear the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; … Come and share your Master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21).

Elder Akin OSUNTOKI GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

Fellowship

Please email your Wedding, New Baby and other good news to SHARON GRANT at sg@ecc.org.uk

& CONGRATULATIONS

STRENGTH AND BALANCE CLASSES

We continue to have Strength and Balance classes on Mondays, at 12noon and 1pm, in the Foyer at ECC. Aran, who runs the Strength and Balance classes, has agreed to offer the classes for a limited time, free of charge, for 10 weeks for ECC members and for those connected to Wednesday Afternoon Fellowship. These classes are available in other venues of Ealing. To apply for your free class, please speak to Aran or to me for a discount card. Isn’t it good to get something free for a change?

Saturday 18th February Saturday 1st April Saturday 27th May

2pm - 6pm

Please contact Sherine de Mel Haug or Sharon Grant via ECC church office for further information

WEDNESDAY

AFTERNOON FELLOWSHIP FEBRUARY 1st 8th 15th 22nd

Jasmin Jeffrey with Pastor Bob Pastor Bob with Merle Aqui Chris Seare with Pastor Bob Lola Vassell with Merle Aqui

MARCH

1st tbc 8th Pastor Bob with Merle Aqui 15th Lola Vassell with Pastor Bob 22nd Pastor Bob with Merle Aqui 29th Pastor Bob with Ann Morris 26

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

Upcoming Evergreen Event Monday 13th February after lunch at 1.30pm, our speaker will be Franklin Massahood, and his subject will be ‘Let’s talk about hair’. Franklin was born in Trinidad and brought up in New York, which is where he went to high school and studied Law at university. He has been hairdressing for over 50 years, and worked at Morris Masterclass International for 27 years. He was Artistic Director and later became Director of Education. His job also entailed film and television work. Franklin has been commissioned all over the world, doing fashion shows and launching lines of fashion and make up for large companies. He has won many awards, such as the British Hairdressing Awards and equivalent awards in other countries. Later he owned his salon in Holland Park and, as they say, the rest is history... This will be a very informative and interactive event, so invite your friends and bring along some of your hair products - you’ll get excellent advice. Every blessing

Sharon Grant

Evergreen Coordinator

EVERGREENS MONDAY 13th February

‘Let’s Talk About Hair’ Special speaker: Franklin Massahood ECC Foyer 1.30pm - 4.00pm Bring and Share Lunch

MONDAY 24th April

The Water’s Edge Crown Carvery, Ruislip Meet in ECC Foyer at 1.30pm Approx cost for carvery lunch - £7.50 Please note drinks cost extra (PLUS £4.50 for minibus transport) Please book your place as soon as possible (Seats on minibus - first come, first served)

WOMEN’S DISCIPLESHIP PASTOR RAJINDER interviews

BISOLA OBILEYE Women’s Discipleship Cell member

“...Challenges will come, but the way you see them or approach them is what makes the difference. My challenges are steps that get me closer to God.”

You have been at Ealing Christian Centre for nearly two years. What made you come to this church? I came to ECC on 16th November 2014, because I had been searching for a church that would stretch me even further, spiritually. I had attended several churches looking to settle in one. I was at a status quo in my life, and needed a breakthrough. My family were facing some serious challenges: my husband was without work, and my son had had a serious breakdown. My husband had been with my son all night in hospital, trying to convince him to accept treatment. He encouraged me to go to church and pray for them. That day, I chose to visit ECC for the first time. As I entered I said, “God, if this is the church You want me to attend, You must make a way today for my son, and I will testify to Your goodness.” I came in expecting a miracle, prayerfully worshipping God and crying out to God in my heart. As we sat down after worship, I received a text from my husband to say my son had agreed to go for treatment. That was the beginning of our breakthrough, and it was like the floodgates of heaven opened on my family over the next three months. My home flourished, and since then God has been gracious to us. What has happened in your life since you joined this church? I have been privileged to have my own businesses - in catering and accounting - for the last 10 years. Since I joined this church, my catering business has flourished beyond my wildest expectations, to the point that on one occasion I was out of the country and someone needed catering for a wedding. They sent me a flight ticket to bring me back to do the catering. My husband has been in work ever since, gaining one job after another. My son has recovered, and now works for a big firm in London and is developing in his career.

Are you a part of a Discipleship Cell group? Yes, I am, and I have placed my roots here. This church is fertile ground, but you have to work it. Part of my success comes from being grounded in the Word of God. The teaching in this church is awesome, and going to the Discipleship Cell group to further study the sermon preached on the Sunday has also contributed to the development of my spiritual life. I have always been very prayerful, and I believe that as long as I am in this world, challenges will come, but the way you see them or approach them is what makes the difference. My challenges are steps that get me closer to God. I probably spend one or two hours - on a good day - in the Word and in prayer. On a busy day, 15 to 30 minutes. If I must go out, then I wake up earlier than usual. It is important for me to dedicate my day to God, as I achieve more. My motto in life is taken from Colossians 3:20 - ‘And whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for man.’ Have you been on a Women’s Encounter Weekend? I thoroughly enjoyed the Encounter Weekend. I have attended two years in a row now, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to take their spiritual life to another level. The presence of God was awesome, and it was an opportunity to get away from the busyness of life and to seek God for myself. I have had many breakthroughs come into my life. You should try to attend at least one, if you haven’t done so already. The date of next Woman’s Encounter Weekend is Friday 4th to Sunday 6th August 2017 at the High Leigh Conference Centre in Hoddesdon. Delegates travel by coach from ECC.

Pastor RAJINDER BUXTON

Women’s Discipleship Cells Coordinator GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

YOUTH MINISTRIES

an incredible sense of

ADVENTURE

ver Christmas I went back home to Fraserburgh to spend time with my family. As I wondered around the town in the north-east of Scotland, and continued to show Nicole the area in which I grew up, I began to have this incredible sense of the adventure in which God has brought me on. I love where I grew up; it was a place where everyone knew who you were; where you would leave your front door unlocked, and where as a child you would play in the street, as there would be no cars. It was full of adventure as we played down by the shore or in the farmer’s field. It was a place of peace. It is a place that is unique to the rest of the UK; a place where they speak a language called Doric, and everyone says Hi to you as you walk down the street. As an 18 year old, it was also a place

Know that God is in control of your life and your destiny, that He is the One who plans your path.

that I never wanted to leave. I remember, as I was about to leave the town for the first time, someone saying to me that once you leave this place you will never come back. I remember being shocked that someone would never come back to this place as, to me, it was and still is one of the best places on earth. In Proverbs 16:9, it says ‘In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.’ As I left Fraserburgh as an 18 year old, I was taken on an adventure that is more than I could ever imagine. I have been and am continually blown away by the grace of God in my life. As I have said

winter wonderland

Yes to Him, He has continued to show me favour and open up doors to me that I could never believe. Sometimes, as I wonder around London and walk into ECC, I have to pinch myself as I’m expecting to wake up from a dream. A few months ago, I wandered into Lambeth Palace, which is where the Archbishop of Canterbury lives. As the Archbishop disappeared through a secret bookshelf in the wall, I thought to myself, ‘God, how have I ended up here?’ While I was in high school I would often think about what it would be like when I was 30. I would often spend hours daydreaming and imagining what life could be like.

As young people, you are often asked where you are going and what you are planning for the future. The one thing that I have learned is that you seek first the Kingdom of God, then everything else will be added to you (Matthew 6:33). When it comes to school, sports, family, career, money, housing and whatever your future might be; when you put God at the forefront of it all, you end up in situations that you will never believe. Know that God is in control of your life and your destiny, that He is the One who plans your path. These next couple of months, commit to seeking Him first in everything you do, and you will be blown away by His grace.

Pastor ALEX MORGAN

This is one of the few trips throughout the Over Christmas, we took a group of 30 year, where ... all the young people on our annual trip to Winter Wonderland. During this time, a group of young people get to young people went ice skating, while others connect with each went on the rides and ate chocolate churros. This is one of the few trips throughout the other. year, where we combine both our 9am and

11:15am services, and all the young people get to connect with each other. This trip is always an incredibly fun experience for the young people, but it also allows the youth leaders to connect with the young people in a different context. It was great hearing one of the youth leaders telling me that he had loved going and getting to know a whole new group of young people that he wouldn’t normally get to interact with, as they are part of a different service to him.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES

Christmas Family Service HIGHLIGHTS

hat a privilege it was to have the Kidz Alive Choir perform during the Family Service at ECC on 11th December 2016. The group gave a very impressive performance, which was fun to see and hear! Also during the event, our Children’s Ministry team put together a short but meaningful nativity play. It was great to witness our children reach out to others, as the play emphasised the significance of Christ’s birth. Great job to all the children! It truly pleases the Lord when His children use their talents and abilities for His glory.

Ann Ko

Children’s Ministries Coordinator

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

BAPTISM SPECIAL

New creations in Christ

hat an awesome time we had, with hundreds of people who attended to witness the baptism of their loved ones. Family and friends cheered the candidates as they shared their testimonies and were finally baptised in water.

The testimonies shared were truly powerful, as the candidates shared the reasons why they were being baptised in water. At the end, a short message was preached and a Gospel appeal given to which six people, mainly men, gave their lives to Jesus. It was truly one of the highlights of the water baptism, to see people coming to have a personal relationship with Jesus. It was a genuinely moving service, as we shared the joy of each person who was baptised in water. The Polish church joined us in having some their members baptised in water, together with ECC. The candidates went home rejoicing, with a baptismal certificate given to each candidate. Pastor RAJINDER BUXTON

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

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KAIRA COLLINS Jesus loves me and died selflessly on the cross for my sins. Since I gave my life to Jesus, He has made me joyful and given me hope for the future. He has been my support, and has helped me through my struggles.

KEELY COLLINS My mum took to me to church and I gave my life to Jesus. He has made my life great for me, and He died on the cross for my sins.

BAPTISM SPECIAL

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SARAH EYIRAM DOE Although attending church and Sunday school, I never knew that having a personal relationship with God was real. It wasn’t until I went to conference and something clicked in my heart. I now have a real relationship with God.

NORMAN JOHNSON I was walking in darkness and led others down this path with me. After being so hungry and feeling empty inside me, I found Jesus, and prayed a prayer of salvation. Jesus has changed my life.

CHARLENE NYANHEMWA I was once lost in rejection, loneliness and deep depression. I was invited to church and gave my life to Jesus. I now know I am not here on earth by mistake, but have God’s plans and purposes and am loved by Him.

OLIVE RHOADES I was brought up as a Catholic. I was going through a very tough situation, and a friend visited me, shared about Jesus, and invited me to ECC. I now believe on Jesus. He has strengthened me and given me hope through His cross.

JOANNA SMITH Even though I attended church with my family, I always felt something was missing. I realised I needed to know Jesus for myself. I now make better choices throughout the day, and know that Jesus died for me on the cross to forgive my sins.

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MICHAEL EZIASHI I always felt empty inside, looking for something more than just the company of friends. I found Jesus when I heard sermons preached about Him. He has given me new hope, focus and in control of my life.

KINGSLEY KERSON I had often thought, ‘Why are we here on earth and what is my purpose?’ I always wanted a close and personal relationship with God. I gave my life to Jesus, and He has given me hope, purpose and confidence.

TEMI OGUNKOLATI I tried many different faiths, but found no answer. I was so sick, but my believing mother prayed for me and I was healed. From then on I decided to follow Jesus.

WILLIAM SAM-AGGREY I knew about Jesus but not in my heart. I lived life as I pleased, and wasn’t in good shape. I finally gave my life to Jesus and now my focus is on Him. Without Jesus, life is meaningless.

CLIFFORD STEELE Jesus has done so much for my life. I used to drink and gamble, but He has changed my life and I don’t do those things anymore.

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YOLANDA GALINDO My life was hungry for something. I had lots of questions, and I was feeling sad and lonely. I surrendered my life to Jesus and He has given me many answers to my questions, made me happy and set me free.

SHARLENE McFARLANE Although I had once given my life to Jesus, I was backslidden and partied and drank. Something was always missing from my life and I felt so lonely. Jesus brought me back to Himself again, cleansed me of all my sins and gave me purpose to live.

KEZIAH PILLAY Although brought up in a Christian home, I wanted to know Jesus personally for myself, as the Bible teaches. He has made me safe and washed all my sins away.

ANNE SANUSI As I sat listening to someone’s testimony, which coincided with my situation, I decided to leave my old life behind and follow Jesus. My life has been changed, and Jesus has given me peace and taken away my tears and sorrows.

JAMIE WOODS Although being an atheist, I did not believe in God and lacked direction. I now know God and am more confident, patient and loving to people. Jesus sacrificed Himself for me, so my sins can be forgiven.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 84 • February / March 2017

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