Grapevine 2018 issue 90 febmar2018 web by FIONA ECC

rapevine G Ealing Christian Centre

magazine

Issue 90 FEB/MAR 2018

www.ecc.org.uk

An Elim Church

Highlighting

CHURCH PLANTS Prayer, Fasting & Outreach at ECC One family of many nations proclaiming one Gospel through many disciples

PICTURE: Google images

Prayer, Fasting & Ou O

or many years, as a church we have always set aside the month of February as a time of fasting as well as prayer. At a time when our nation needs prayer more than at any period for a very long time, the prayer meeting is often a neglected discipline in many churches, or even completely absent in some places. Little wonder then, that the Western Church seems so weak and ineffective against the march towards secular humanism pervading the countries that once led the world in faith in Jesus and in global missionary outreach. The apostle Paul reminded the Church: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4). Can you imagine a modern army, where the soldiers are equipped with all the latest high-tech, advanced military weaponry: rifles that can shoot with pin-point accuracy over the distance of a mile; night vision goggles to see clearly in the dark; body armour; head cameras and radio headsets for instant communications, and various grenades that can take out a number of the enemy in one go? Imagine an army is coming against them, far more numerous, but armed only with swords and spears. Who should win? Clearly, the side with the most advanced weaponry, though outnumbered, would easily defeat their less-equipped foes. But what if, instead of using their overwhelming firepower, the high-tech army simply stands and watches their enemy with inferior weapons - marching towards them until they are completely overpowered? Their weapons are of no use unless they are used strategically. That is a picture of the Western Church today. It has been equipped by God with overwhelming firepower against the powers of darkness, who cannot stand against the spiritual weapons of God’s Word, prayer and fasting. But so often

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

the Church is overpowered, because it fails to use the superior weapons it has. Why doesn’t the Church make use of its overwhelming advantage? Ignorance, perhaps? Laziness? Lukewarmness? Selfinterest? There may be a number of reasons. But one thing is clear: in those parts of the world, where God is moving in great revival power, prayer and packed prayer meetings are regarded, quite correctly, as absolutely vital. The followers of the powers of darkness know the spiritual power of prayer and fasting, which is why they incorporate ‘prayer’ to their spiritual masters, accompanied by fasting. At the same time, satan will do anything to stop the followers of Jesus using their advantage in this way. He will do everything and anything to prevent prayer, either individually or corporately. As a church, we believe passionately in the need for, and the power of, prayer and fasting. I would encourage all, who are not prevented for medical reasons, to learn how to fast as well as pray. There are different ways we can fast. Usually, it will be missing a meal (or meals), whilst continuing to drink water. For those who, for whatever reason, cannot do that, we can fast like Daniel. He had a busy and arduous day job as Prime Minister of the world’s largest empire, and he did partial fasting, which was following a very low calorie intake instead of his usual meals. In Isaiah chapter 58, God is talking about fasting. In the five verses of Isaiah 58:8-12, He makes ten specific promises to those who fast in a godly manner: i) ‘Your light will break forth like the dawn.’ God will bring us revelation, when we ask Him: “Show me Your will, O Lord.” When Daniel did just that, God brought him great revelations and He can do that for us also. ii) ‘Your healing will quickly appear.’ Studies indicate that abstaining from food for a while but continuing to drink water, giving our bodies a rest, can be physically good for

Outreach utreach

us. It certainly aids prayer for all manner of healing and deliverance, as Jesus told His disciples: “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21). iii) ‘Your righteousness will go before you.’ In the Bible, God’s people prayed and fasted to successfully avert national disaster. The godly father of our present Queen, King George VI, called for a day of national prayer and repentance four times during World War II. Oh, that we could see that happening in our own day! iv) ‘The glory of the Lord will be your rearguard.’ The Psalmist said: “I humbled myself with fasting” (Psalm 35:13). When we humble ourselves, God lifts us up and protects us. v) ‘You will call [for help] and I will answer.’ When faced with a long and dangerous journey, carrying the Temple treasures, Ezra said: “I proclaimed a fast so that we might humble ourselves before our God, and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children with all our possessions” (Ezra 8:21). vi) ‘The Lord will guide you.’ That is how Jesus prepared Himself for ministry (Luke 4:1-2). vii) ‘He will satisfy your needs.’ David wrote: “I was young but now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken, or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely, and their children will be blessed” (Psalm 37:25). viii) ‘He will strengthen your frame.’ God is as interested in our bodies as much as our souls. ix) ‘You will be like a well-watered garden’ (Psalm 1:1-6). x) ‘You will experience restoration.’ Restoration of mind, body, soul, emotions and situations: ‘…He leads me beside still waters, He restores my soul…’ (Psalm 23:3). Along with prayer and fasting must come action. As a church, we have a number of ways we reach out to the community in evangelism and witnessing. One such way is through church planting, at home and abroad. In this edition, each of ECC’s family of churches – our sister or daughter churches - update us on the exciting ways they are reaching out to their local communities to build the Kingdom of Christ.

Richard Buxton

Contents 4

AN OASIS FOR THE THIRSTY - Elim Springs by Beata Staniszewska

IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITY WITH HOPE

ECC’s NEWLY ADOPTED DAUGHTER Petra by Pastor Mark

BUILDING ON THE PROGRESS OF 2017 Feltham CC by Pastor Edward

HOW TO FOCUS ON LOVE NOT SIN

ONE STEP AT A TIME ECCJ by Pastor Aogu

Hope Community by Pastor Ruth

by Roy McEwen

LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE EVANGELISM

10 11

PRAYER CENTRE TESTIMONIES compiled by Tom Ibrahim

12 13

8pp PRAYER DIARY PULL-OUT

20 21

EVANGELISM & PRAYER CALENDAR

WEEKLY MEETINGS WHAT WE BELIEVE

22 23

SUNDAY SERVICES WHAT’S ON @ ECC

CLASSIFIEDS

24 25

REVIVAL HEALING TESTIMONIES

FELLOWSHIP & CONGRATULATIONS

26 27

TRUSTING GOD AT ALL TIMES Compiled by Akin Osuntoki

28 29

PERSEVERING THROUGH DISCOURAGEMENT by Jessica Smith

LOOKING FORWARD by Ann Vorkel

30 31

COUNT IT ALL JOY by Vanessa Karera

Testimonies from leaders & members compiled by Pastor Rajinder

compiled by Sharon Grant

Senior Minister

Editor-in-Chief: Senior Minister Richard Buxton Editor & Design: Berean Services UK Email: bereanservicesuk@gmail.com Photography: Roy McEwen & Priscilla Mesaque plus various contributors from ECC Stock Images: lightstock.com, freepik.com, publicdomainpictures.net, Google images, unsplash.com, pixabay.com Printed by: 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 2018. All rights reserved.

NYE @ ECC CELEBRATION IN PICTURES

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 23rd FEBRUARY 2018.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

CHURCH PLANTS ECCJ (Japanese)

One step at a time

cannot help but be amazed at how far it is possible to walk ‘one step at a time’.

This year will be the 10th anniversary of ECCJ, and all we have done during those ten years has been to walk ‘one step at a time’. As Chisato and I look back to when ECCJ started, we are so thankful to God for His mercy, grace and guidance, and we praise Him for the plans He has fulfilled, and the ways He has been at work - even in all the ups and downs we’ve been through. Each year, God has brought us closer and closer to reaching the ultimate vision He has put on our hearts, and 2017 was no exception – more believers have gone back to Japan and, even though it’s sad for us when they leave, we send them back to make an impact in Japan. The vision we have is that all these ‘returnees’ - whether they became believers in the UK or were strengthened in their faith while they were with us - are key components of God’s plans for revival in Japan. It’s part of the ongoing nature of ECCJ: we will always be sending people back to Japan, and so we consider it a part of our ministry to continue to encourage them even after their return. We don’t want them to lose their fire, and we’ve heard of the tremendous works God is doing through some of them in Japan. So please pray for us at ECCJ, as we continue our ministry here, which will ultimately make its impact in Japan. Whenever we meet new people here in London, we pray they will become returnee believers to Japan one day. This is the mindset we adopt as we continue to serve the Japanese community in London: to reach them with the love of God and with the Word of God. All our midweek activities are geared towards this, including: English classes; J-Home (baby and toddler group); Alpha course (Bible study for beginners) and Cell groups. This is in addition to our Sunday services and weekend activities. Over the last ten years, we have connected with thousands of Japanese people through these ministries, and we pray for amazing works of God through those returnees in Japan. A few years ago, one of the people we met, when he came to ECCJ for the first time, was Yuki Maeda, who has now been a member of our leadership team for about three years. I am excited

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

that this year he has applied to the Elim MIT (Minister in Training) programme, with a vision to become an ordained minister. We continue to pray for impact in the UK, Europe and Japan through the ministry of ECCJ, and more workers means more planting. ECCJ has already planted a church in Helsinki (Finland), and there are other cities we are praying for, where there are Japanese residents without a Japanese church. Please join us in praying that more churches are planted in Europe to reach out to those Japanese, who may be future returnees to impact and change Japan. For Yuki, who is giving up his promising career with a successful Japanese company, it has been a really big step of faith to submit to God’s calling to become a full-time minister. If he is accepted as an MIT, this will be a huge year of change for him and his family, so I would be very grateful for your prayers for them. He is faithfully following God ‘one step at a time’, and I trust in God that He will fulfil all His plans for the Maeda family. As a church, we will also continue to follow God ‘one step at a time’, and we know God is guiding us in ways beyond what we can imagine, in order to accomplish the vision He has given to ECCJ. Thank you so much for your prayer support during 2017, and over the last ten years. I am always well aware that the prayers of ECC are behind all we have achieved, so I cannot thank you enough for your love and support. Please do keep ECCJ in your prayers throughout 2018. May God bless you richly.

Pastor AOGU & CHISATO TATEYAMA

CHURCH PLANTS Elim Springs (Polish)

ELIM SPRINGS

An oasis for the thirsty

he origins of Elim Springs date back to 2004 when, after Poland joined the European Union, Poles (and charismatic Christians among them) started to come to Great Britain in larger numbers, because the labour market became more accessible to newly adopted EU countries.

God’s plan for the British Church. As a church that gathers mainly Poles, we believe that God’s desire for our church - and our special calling - is to serve the Polish community in London and throughout Great Britain, by spreading the Gospel in every way possible.

At that time, the first among us began to gather at the Elim Church on Vere Street, near Oxford Circus. It was an AngloChinese-Polish community, led by Pastor Alfred Amarquaye from Ghana. Over time, we were separated and became an autonomous congregation of Polish-speaking Christians.

Our church was involved in a project called ‘Cup of Hope’, which was concentrating on helping the homeless, addicted and those in need - firstly, by organising a series of meetings in the church, and also by concentrating on street outreach. The church, under the care of the present pastor, Krzysztof Buchar, is supporting and helping in different projects, like the Soup Kitchen and Winter Shelter, which are organised by different churches in Ealing.

New Place, New Possibilities Elim Springs Polish Church, opened at ECC for the very first time in 2009, and was met with the very warm welcome from pastors and the whole congregation of Ealing Christian Centre. With a new place appeared new possibilities, and with them a readiness to work for God. With Ealing being a home to one of the largest Polish communities in London, we could reach unsaved Poles with the Gospel.

Challenges As our name, ‘Elim Springs’, implies, we would like our church to be an oasis for all who are thirsty. As a church that exists in a certain place and time, we would like to be an active part of

We take part in street evangelism, and at different events and festivals for Poles, where we evangelise and distribute Christian literature. For years now, we have also been supporting missions in the Ukraine, Siberia, Philippines, Brazil and Poland. As an immigrant church, there are a few dozen of us who are ‘core’ members - even though several hundred people have come through our church over the last few years. We tried to equip them, direct them, and help them to serve God and other people in the places where God has sent them.

Vision As the church desires to grow, we want to create a space for personal development within the atmosphere of God’s love: for growth in faith, and shaping God’s character in all who are discovering their personal calling to serve God. We believe and hope that we are a blessing for ECC as ECC has always been and is for us!

Beata Staniszewska

Sunday services take place at 2.30pm in the Foyer at Ealing Christian Centre GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

CHURCH PLANTS Hope Community

Impacting the Community with

t’s five thirty in the morning, and my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter comes running into the dark bedroom. Quickly she climbs in and snuggles into her favourite spot – the middle of the bed.

Her arrival having woken me up means a quick toilet visit is needed. I whisper: “Cuddle Daddy, whilst I quickly go to the bathroom.” She instantly turns to cuddle her Daddy. As I navigate my way in the dark, I hear her little voice declaring: “Daddy, it’s me. It’s me, Daddy.” There, in the dark, I pause and whisper ‘Daddy, it’s me. It’s me, Daddy’, and feel the rush of love of my heavenly Father, filling the moment. How wonderful it is to be known and loved by our heavenly Father! How my heart aches for others to come and experience what it is to be known and loved by Him, too. A passion, shared by those I stand shoulder to shoulder with, as we worship on a Sunday morning at Hope Community. Their inspiring stories - of living out faith in the workplace, seeking to bring hope to the community in which they live, and the natural way they choose to build friendships with those they encounter - fill me with joy. For, inspired by their Christian faith, and being those who want to positively impact their community, we see how one volunteers as part of the Witness Service, offering support to victims and witnesses who come to court to give evidence, while another volunteers in the same area, but offering support to young people.

These are just a few of the stories of those whose faith extends beyond Sundays. 6

Another, having experienced the loss of their child, has set up a local bereavement support group, Next Chapter. What a privilege it is to support those in the midst of grief, and what a delight to find that, through this, friendships are being built. There are those who run Hope’s Little Sensations toddler group, supporting and building friendships with local parents and

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

carers. And another couple, who invest in helping to lead another local parent and toddler group - all part of being salt and light in those places we find ourselves. Still another has joined their local choral. What a great way to meet new people! For two of our men, who love football and have a heart to make a positive imprint upon the community we live, choose to run a local football club, Legacy FC. For our young people - including their friends - the life of their youth group seems natural, as they begin ‘Mission Academy Live’ in 2018. We are excited to be equipping them with the tools to help them invite and introduce their friends to Jesus. These are just a few of the stories of those whose faith extends beyond Sundays. Those who are finding fresh and relevant ways to be hope, to build friendships, and to share faith with those who are yet to know Jesus. Inspired as I am, there is still ground to be made and steps of faith to take, as we seek to be people who share the love and hope Jesus has to offer. We cannot do this alone, so together we rely on our heavenly Father to lead and guide us. Hope Community is led by Pastor Ruth Trbojevic, and is a church plant of Ealing Christian Centre. For more info, please visit www. hopecommunity.co.uk.

Pastor RUTH TRBOJEVIC www.hopecommunity.co.uk

CHURCH PLANTS Petra Ministries

ECC’s newly adopted daughter

etra Ministries was established in August 2004 as a result of Pastor John Starr and his wife Lynette answering the call of the Lord to plant a multi-racial church in West London. Petra has flourished over the last 13-years, and has raised up disciples and leaders who have impacted the local community with the love of Jesus. Because Petra is an Elim church, there has always been a special relationship with ECC. On many occasions, members of Petra have been baptised and married at ECC, and some have completed the EITC Bible College - especially whilst Pastor John was the Principal. In June 2017, the Petra leadership expressed their desire for ECC to work alongside them in order to carry the vision of the church forward. The main reason for this was Pastor John’s imminent retirement, and so it was ‘desirous for ECC to provide pastoral guidance, and help to bring a fresh move of God’s Spirit to the church, as well as gifts, skills and talents’. So, in agreement with the Petra leadership, Rev David Campbell (our Regional Superintendent) and the ECC leadership, we have developed a closer relationship by adopting Petra as a daughter church, and releasing Pastor Mark King to oversee it.

Looking Forward Petra has an exciting Mission: to make, mature and mobilise an apostolic people for today’s world. With their values of being Christcentred - through true worship and prayer; sound biblical teaching; highly relational fellowship; equipping the saints for ministry and mission, and networking with the worldwide Body of Christ – Petra is looking forward to a successful 2018.

Petra has an exciting Mission: to make, mature and mobilise an apostolic people for today’s world.

The leadership are currently working on and praying through a fresh vision for the next three to five years, and will then roll out a strategic plan. This will include looking at prayer, practical discipleship, leadership, evangelism and outreach. We

will also be looking at strategically defining our objectives that connect Petra’s mission and vision, and setting departmental goals. These short-term goals convert the strategic objectives into specific performance targets, and help formulate a specific action plan.

Recent News Recently, a midweek prayer meeting has been established, which is well attended, and God has begun to answer prayers. There has been a restructuring of certain ministries, and it is the desire of the leadership that there be more involvement of ‘the body’, where each member is encouraged to use their gifts to edify the church (1 Corinthians 12). One of the final events of 2017 was the Christmas lunch. It was an amazing time of ministry, fun and fellowship. A parallel that Petra has with ECC is a healthy ethnically mixed congregation and, as with the ECC experience, this spills over onto the array of food on offer at such events. The youth and the children performed a song and drama - a real blessing. So we ask that you pray with us as we seek the Lord at this vital time in the life of Petra.

Pastor MARK KING mk@ecc.org.uk

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

CHURCH PLANTS Feltham Christian Centre

CENTRE

Building on the progress of 2017

t Feltham Christian Centre we are excited and looking forward to what God is going to do in 2018 through His people in the Borough of Hounslow. 2018 is the last year for our vision, which started in 2016. Back then, we embarked on a three-year journey: “To be strong and significant disciples, equipped for service, and moving in God’s will and call, in order to bring godly change to our communities.” The Lord has been faithful! We’ve seen the church grow from strength to strength - both numerically and spiritually, and we’ve seen increased commitment to the different ministries of the church, which is very encouraging.

as part of our discipleship strategy. We will be organising meetings in our homes, cafes and restaurants for the purpose of studying the Scriptures together, worshipping, praying and, most importantly, doing life together. Pray for us as we seek God’s guidance in implementing this. We believe everyone has been saved to serve in the Kingdom and, at FCC, everyone is encouraged to participate in the life of the church, to pursue purpose and to be mission-minded. We believe evangelism is not relegated to a few individuals (normally referred to as the evangelism team!) but is the responsibility of every member of the church. Therefore, this year we will be pressing hard to reach out to the lost through street evangelism, friendship evangelism, meal ministry evangelism and single parent ministry outreach.

In September 2017, we celebrated the induction of our new pastor, Edward Jenami. Pastor Edward took over from Pastor Mark King, who has done a tremendous job of shepherding FCC - in While the vision and addition to his many other responsibilities at ECC - since 2014. strategy of our church are exciting, a church of our 2018 will be a challenging year for us at FCC. We endeavour size has its own embryonic to keep working hard towards our vision, believing God will challenges. We have gaps continually mature us with the goal of being His hands and feet in within our operations the communities of the Borough of Hounslow. that need volunteers. Our worship team needs During our period of corporate fasting and praying in October musicians, and our last year, the Lord revealed to us strategies to shepherd and grow children’s ministry needs the church. We’ll be working hard to execute these this year. extra teachers. If you are stirred to help us – even for a FCC is a praying church; we believe in the power of prayer. season - please get in touch We believe prayer changes people, changes communities with me at ej@ecc.org.uk, or and changes nations (2 Chronicles 7:14). We have long been ring me on 07710284146. dissatisfied with one prayer meeting a week, and are excited the Lord has answered our prayer. Starting in February, we will May God bless you above be adding another prayer meeting on Friday evenings, 7pm to all you could ever ask or 9.30pm, at the Salvation Army Church in Feltham. This will be a think, in Jesus’ Name. platform for intercession for anyone who is hungry and thirsty to Amen seek God in praying and fasting. This year, we are also looking to start midweek life groups

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

Pastor EDWARD JENAMI

PRACTICAL TRUTHS

HOW TO...

focus on love, not sin T

his one is deep.

Do you struggle with BIG sins? Sins such as: being judgmental; criticism; speaking negatively into situations; calling people names, like backslider; keeping silent and allowing others to hurt; unforgiveness? To God, these are big things. Problem is, popular teaching focuses on the ‘visible’ sins and overlooks these more sinister ones that may go under the radar. Be encouraged. We are always reminded to flee a list of sinful acts, because Jesus died for the sins of the world. But did Jesus die only to forgive our sins, or did He die to ‘restore us to our rightful position in God’ by forgiving our sins? If the latter, then ‘sin...is living without God’ - hence the need to be restored. We are encouraged to flee sin using physical methods, by abstaining, for example. The problem is, sin is a spiritual concept, so shouldn’t the method also be spiritual? How to flee is normally described in ways that sound logical. Have you heard this one: “If you have a problem with drink, then don’t stop off at the pub”? As logical as that sounds - and we get the general idea –the problem is that most alcohol abuse occurs at home. Can you see how we unintentionally encourage people to be judgemental: ‘I don’t go to pubs, so I don’t have a drink problem’?!

Your struggle must be to love at every possible opportunity, because love covers a multitude of sins!

God is so wise. The most effective method to addressing sin requires a spiritual solution - that spiritual solution is called love. Spiritual love manifestations are explained in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 - to be kind, patient, longsuffering…. In our present world, it is not easy. Teaching abstention is a valid approach to babies who don’t understand rational thinking. Ever tried to teach a child that fire is hot? Experience is, unfortunately, the only effective teacher. A child hasn’t developed enough experience to make a rational judgement about abstaining from fire. However, after experience, the child knows to abstain to avoid pain. As a child gets older, we use ‘reason’ to help them navigate their way through life choices. Are we still teaching adults ‘to abstain’, when they should be teaching and learning through reason? I know it isn’t intentional, but we are ‘taught’ more about what to ‘flee’, rather than what to embrace. If the Word is true (obviously it is) then sinful acts are not the measure; love is the measure. Therefore, it’s a pointless waste of physical effort to ‘try not to sin’. Your struggle must be to love at every possible opportunity, because love covers a multitude of sins! Jesus said to a lady: “Go, and sin no more” (John 8:3-11). Why didn’t He tell her: “Go and don’t commit adultery no more”? Wasn’t that her problem? Jesus addressed sin (the absence of God in her life), not the manifestation of sin - adultery. Sin is a spiritual concept, with physical manifestations. Jesus was telling her to go and put God first and centre in her life. God told Cain that sin was crouching at his door (Genesis 4:7). Why did God say sin and not murder? Again, God Himself addressed sin (life without Him), and not the manifestation of sin - murder.

Falling in love with Jesus involves these deep emotions. And, as a result of that love, our behaviour changes. Have you ever ‘intentionally’ hurt someone you truly love? Everything in life is easy when approached with love. There’s a good saying: If you love your job, you will never work a day in your life! It’s now time to stop struggling with that old list of sinful acts, and start to focus on falling in love with Jesus the Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Meeting Peter after ‘Deny-Gate’, Jesus focused on one thing: “Do you love Me?” He asked Peter this question three times. That’s how important love is. The answer is: love Jesus. Paul, at the end of his days, said he wanted to learn more of Jesus. Excuse me? The man, who practically wrote the New Testament, wants to know more about Jesus. Kidding? I know he isn’t, but it reflects his passion and his love for Jesus. That love knows no bounds; that love is limitless. Love begets more love. So choose love, and put aside that fruitless old struggle to ‘not sin’. Be encouraged.

ROY McEWEN

www.Praying.Works

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE EVANGELISM

Team leaders and members share the

Chiswick & Hammersmith Sarah and Martin Sharing the Gospel message, through Local Lighthouse Evangelism, so people can know the love and compassion Jesus has for each of us, is the best I can contribute and give to my community. Evangelising in unity with the team members is encouraging; we get to know each other, make it fun, and look out for each other.

Isleworth Elder Prosper Local Lighthouse Evangelism enables the church to fulfil the Great Commission of Jesus Christ to win souls in our community. I have experienced the openness of people to the Gospel; they are hungry for the Good News. The secret of success in witnessing is sharing Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and leaving the results to God.

“

local light evangel

Sharing the Gospel ... is the best I can contribute and give to my community

West Drayton & Uxbridge Claude Evangelism is fundamental to our relationship with our Lord and Saviour, and it has been a privilege. It has helped me to step out of my comfort zone, and to be bold to share the Word. We’re seeing the Lord’s work taking place in West Drayton and Uxbridge with the outreach we’re doing. When we first began to go out in the towns to evangelise, we were the only church on the streets in West Drayton, and one of two in Uxbridge. Now more churches are on the streets in both towns, as we are setting an example for them to follow. We’re constantly encouraged to go out and do our duty.

Ealing Broadway & West Ealing Jenny and Cornelia Jesus said, ‘Go, and I will be with you.’ So we do not go alone, and we have each other to support and encourage. Now that we have this open door to join a Lighthouse team in our own town - or any town we choose - we can all go. So by His grace, our plan for 2018 is to go out on the second Saturday of each month from 11am to 1pm. God has set up teams so all of us can take part. Come and stand with us on the street. Obey and be fulfilled as the ambassador for Jesus whom God has appointed you to be. You too can be a winner of souls, and everyone can take part.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

Northfields Virginia and Martin Evangelism is part of our personal spiritual development, as well as an act of obedience. As we continue stepping out to talk to strangers, fear goes, and speaking about our faith and praying for people’s needs becomes enjoyable. The Holy Spirit guides us to people who are willing to receive the message.

Brentford Olivia and Rosemary Christianity was founded on love. And love isn’t self-seeking. The Gospel must be shared in order for us to fulfil our commission. Further, God doesn’t want anyone to perish. Likewise, we must play our part to rescue our neighbours from perishing! This is the most compelling reason for us to evangelise. To join your local team, you can speak to any of the leaders after a Sunday morning service on the special recruitment Sundays.

“

We must play our part to rescue our neighbours from perishing...

LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE EVANGELISM

eir passion for street evangelism

thouse lism

West Drayton & Uxbridge Nathalie Every soul the Lord has saved should be evangelising for God. It isn’t an easy thing for me to do, and I know there is always a blessing attached whenever I do God’s will. Evangelism is one of the greatest things that makes heaven rejoice, and also shows love and compassion for a lost soul. It’s God’s will that no one should perish. The Bible says, ‘The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (I John 2:17 NKJV). When you evangelise, you’re doing the will of God, you abide in God and your life is secure in Him.

Greenford Stephanie and Sharon We meet many people, and we talk and pray with them. We always believe it’s a privilege to sow seeds by witnessing for Christ. Sometimes, we don’t see in the natural sense what is happening, but we know by faith that God has visited them. To take part in evangelism, the best thing to do is to just turn up and trust God to do the rest; He’s more than able. Even if you aren’t confident, you’ll be supported and encouraged. A tract you hand out to someone could plant the seed that will change that person’s life forever and bring them to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The importance of evangelism shows how everyone can take part.

West Drayton & Uxbridge Barrington (LLE member) The LORD commissioned us to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We’re soldiers for Him. Jesus came and died for the lost that we may have life and have it more abundantly. If there’s ever a time for people to hear about Jesus it’s now, because we are certainly living in the last days. There may be opposition to spreading the Gospel, but we’re to be encouraged to be bold and share the truth.

“

A tract you hand out to someone could plant the seed that will change that person’s life forever...

Hayes Irene & Itee The mission that Jesus had while on earth is now our mission, since we are the Body of Christ. What He did in His physical body, we are to continue as His spiritual body, His Church. Our mission is to introduce people to God, because Jesus has changed us from being His enemies into His friends, and given us the task of making others His friends too. God wants to redeem people from satan, and reconcile them to Himself so we can fulfil the five purposes for which we were created: to love Him, to be a part of His family, to become like Him, to serve Him, and to tell others about Him. Once we are His, God uses us to reach others with these five purposes. He saves us and then sends us out. We are the messengers of God’s love and purposes to the world. Everyone is welcome to join Local Lighthouse - even if it’s once every other month or whenever you can.

West Drayton & Uxbridge Madeline (LLE member) The Lord blessed Local Lighthouse Evangelism in Uxbridge so much, and we gave out so many tracts that we were left with less than 10! Most people were friendly and smiled when accepting tracts even on a chilly day. We also watched the Salvation Army and another church witnessing for Jesus, and handing out Bibles and tracts. This blessed and encouraged my heart.

West Drayton & Uxbridge Nchimunya (LLE member) When I first joined Local Lighthouse Evangelism, I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect but, after the first day out, I was encouraged; I didn’t expect there to be as many people taking tracts and interested in finding out more about Christianity. I urge anyone who is a sceptic or shy to just give it a try; you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how people receive you.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

PRAYER CENTRE TESTIMONIES

020 8799 2199 #

Family relationships had broken down, and a sister called to ask for prayers that God would remove every barrier and restore peace to her family. After years of separation, with no communication and obstacles at every turn, she called back to say that God had not only reunited the family, but most importantly, all of them (her mother and sisters) had given their lives to the Lord.

INTERVENTION

A lady called the Prayer Centre because she wanted to do well in her Level 2 exams. Praise God, she passed her exams and called back to give Him thanks.

Prayers for God’s healing and provision were the reasons why a woman called the Prayer Centre on behalf of her sister and nephew. She called back to praise God, as her sister was discharged from hospital and her nephew’s finances came through.

An orphanage in northwest Madagascar was about to be flooded, but after praying for God’s intervention, a woman reported that, although it was still raining, the water level had started to recede and the orphanage was unaffected.

The search for the right care home for their mum caused someone to call the Prayer Centre. The person later called back to say they had found one around the corner from their home, which had agreed to take their mum and provide her medical care.

Mental issues, suicidal thoughts, poor eyesight, and generally going through a difficult time, all led a woman to call the Prayer Centre on behalf of her friend. God intervened in her friend’s life. Now she is completely healed, her eyesight has improved, and the suicidal thoughts have gone.

A woman was attending a job interview in the afternoon, and called back to give thanks for the job offer she later received.

HEALING & PROVISION

PRAYER centre

A grandson, who is autistic, could barely say a whole sentence, but his grandmother called the Prayer Centre to give thanks for his life, as he managed to say a complete sentence clearly.

EMPLOYMENT

A court case and a job situation caused a woman to call the Prayer Centre to seek prayer for God to intervene. He did; her sister’s and niece’s court case was won, and her own job situation was sorted out. She gives God all the glory.

Please contact Tom Ibrahim or Rudy Brann on 020 8799 2199, if you would like to volunteer for this important ministry. 12

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

PRAYER DIARY

March 2018 A

contemporary of Jeremiah, whom he probably knew, Habakkuk was a prophet who was likewise grieved over the apostasy of his nation, and the way they had turned their backs on the God who had done so much for them, embracing, instead, a lifestyle of sin and idolatry. Living before and up to the time of the first invasion of Judah by the Babylonian armies, which Jeremiah witnessed, Habakkuk’s book records his prayer time and his conversations with God, rather than the messages he preached to the people. He asks God two questions. The first is: “The nation is filled with so much ungodliness, corruption, immorality and crime; why are You tolerating it for so long?” God’s answer is: “Destruction is coming in the form of the Babylonians who are soon to destroy the land.” His second question is: “How can You use an even more ungodly nation to punish the Jews?” God replies: “The time of judgement for the Babylonians is also coming. In turn they will be destroyed by another nation.” God’s patience is great, allowing time, in mercy, for repentance. But there comes a time when He says, “Enough is enough” and His judgement falls. Habakkuk reflects on God’s nature. As a God of holiness and righteousness He must and does punish all wrongdoing. He raises up and casts down nations. The prophet is inspired to make two highly significant statements. First: “Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath, remember mercy.” Indeed, God is a God of justice and His judgement will fall - on nations and, for individuals, on the Day of Judgement. But He is also a God of mercy (not receiving what we deserve). Second: “The righteous will live by his faith.” He is also a God of grace (receiving what we do not deserve). And, as the apostle Paul later wrote, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 8-9). And in his letter to the Romans, Paul quotes these words of Habakkuk to explain that faith in Christ and His finished work on the Cross is the only means of a sinner being restored to a right and lasting relationship with a holy and righteous God. And the truth is that “… all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Habakkuk’s book reminds us that God is a God who will judge all wrongdoing. But He is also a God of mercy, who will always respond to the sinner who comes to Him in true repentance and faith. In addition, He is quite capable of doing in our time the awesome deeds He has done in the past. Habakkuk responds with a song of praise to this righteous yet merciful God, realising that even if he loses everything this world has to offer, he still has everything to praise God for. This month, we are praying for God’s mercy on our nation, and the renewal of God’s deeds in our day, before it is too late.

Habakkuk 1:1-2 How long, O Lord? 1. For those amongst us, who have been waiting for a long time for an answer to prayer, help them to be persistent and not give up, we pray. 2. For those amongst us, who have been praying for their loved ones to come to know Christ and are still waiting, strengthen them, O Lord. 3. For those we know, who have been praying concerning their health and are still waiting, help them persist in faith, O Lord. 4. For those we know, who are still waiting for breakthroughs concerning their jobs or finance, open doors for them now, we pray. 5. Lord, we have waited for many years, but we pray once again for a move of Your Holy Spirit across our nation. Habakkuk 1:3-4 The problems in our society 1. Lord, as we bring the problem of lawlessness in our society, rise up once again in our midst, and help Your people to be instruments of change. 2. Since many young people turn to drink and drugs because they

are spiritually empty, use us to powerfully bring them the Gospel message that will change them. 3. As laws are being passed that will hinder the freedom of Christians to freely live out their biblical beliefs, turn our nation back to righteousness, O God. 4. As we pray for the young people of our society, who can grow up never hearing the Gospel or even Bible stories, create opportunities for them to hear about You, O Lord. 5. Lord, use us for Your glory wherever we are - at home, at work, and amongst every area of our communities. Habakkuk 1:5 Look at the nations 1. Lord, we bring before You all the nations of Asia, praying You move in revival power through each one. 2. Lord, we bring all the countries of Africa before You, asking You to sweep through each one by the power of Your Holy Spirit - from Cape Town to Cairo. 3. Lord, as we pray for all the countries of Europe, turn them back to their Christian roots, and send revival in each one.

4. Lord, as we pray for all the countries of North and South America and the Caribbean, fan further into flames what You have begun, and let every nation see revival. 5. Lord, as we pray for Australasia and all the island nations around the world, may the Holy Spirit visit every one with revival power. Habakkuk 1:6-9 An ungodly nation 1. We bring all those nations in the world governed by dictators who oppress their people and persecute Christians, praying You would bring change and freedom. 2. For all the Muslim countries that refuse to allow the preaching of the Gospel or even owning a Bible, bring radical change, O Lord. 3. For those Hindu regions where Christians are persecuted, bring a new freedom - without violence for those seeking Christ to come to know Him, O God. 4. As we pray for those countries in the world that remain under the communist system, continue to multiply the underground churches, O Lord.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

WAITING ON GOD Habakkuk - Chapters 1 to 3

PRAYER DIARY

7 14

5. We pray for our own nation, O Lord, that is descending into godlessness, and implore You to rescue this generation. Habakkuk 1:10-11 Man as his own god 1. Lord, You have said it is the fool who says in his heart, ‘There is no God’, so have mercy on those who claim they are atheists. 2. Lord, we know that nobody in hell believes in atheism, so lead us to be able to witness to those You know, who have only a short time left on earth. 3. We pray You would open the eyes of all those around us, who are kept from believing in the living God because they stumble over the Theory of Evolution. 4. Lead us to those who may have genuine doubts about God, but who are open enough to listen, and save them, we pray. 5. Help each of us, O Lord, to stand up strongly to the antichrist spirit that is permeating every area of our society. Habakkuk 1:12 God’s instruments of punishment 1. Lord, give us the insight to see when You are visiting rebuke and discipline upon us as individuals, so that we may change our ways accordingly. 2. When we see the ungodly gaining in strength around us, it reminds us of the way Your Church has been too timid, so let Your Church rise up in power, O Lord. 3. Lord, help us to see those events that take place in our nation that are, in reality, You sending warnings; may we intercede effectively for our society. 4. You are the God who controls the weather and the climate, so as You are shaking our planet, may the people’s fears cause them to turn to You, we pray. 5. Help us to use each day effectively, O God, knowing that the time is getting increasingly shorter before You return in judgement. Habakkuk 1:13 God’s eyes too pure to look on evil 1. Teach us Your paths of holiness, O Lord. 2. Help us, heavenly Father, to understand and see sin as You see it, so we may continually be changing and growing closer to Christ.

March 2018 8

3. Keep us, Holy Spirit, from becoming conformed to the ways of the world we live in, but instead to be transformed to be like Christ. 4. Enable us to be the salt and light You want us to be, O God, in the communities we live. 5. May people see Christ in each of us and desire what we have. Habakkuk 1:14-17 Why do the wicked prosper? 1. Lord, we know we live in a fallen world where sin abounds, so help us never to stop opposing wrongdoing in all its forms. 2. Since we know we live in a world that also has invisible forces of the powers of darkness influencing what is happening, make us strong to overcome such powers. 3. When we see wrongdoing prospering around us, O Lord, motivate us as we remember the destiny of the lost. 4. Since we know that the days of the wicked are numbered, help us to pray for them and reach them with the Gospel before it is too late for them. 5. Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth, Lord Jesus. Habakkuk 2:1 Waiting on and watching for God 1. Teach us how to effectively wait on You and for You, O Lord. 2. As we wait on You, O Lord, give us eyes to see and ears to hear the understanding of Your ways and Your plans. 3. We pray that You will speak to us in dreams, visions, prophecies, by angels, through Your Word, and through directly speaking to us, O God. 4. Give us the patience and the perseverance to pray until the answer comes, O Lord. 5. Visit us individually and as a church with Your revival power, O God. Habakkuk 2:2 Make plain the revelation 1. Lord, You have already revealed to us the Gospel message of salvation through Christ, so help us to make this message plain to all we meet. 2. Since Your Word is clear, that Heaven is a real place and so is hell, may we never water down the message of the Bible, but speak with all wisdom. 3. Lord, may we be a living message to our communities, by never

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

compromising our testimony but always living according to the standards of Christ. 4. Give us daily opportunities and divine appointments to share the Gospel, we pray. 5. Help us to speak with clarity and wisdom to each individual we speak with about Christ, so they can clearly understand our message. Habakkuk 2:3 God’s timing 1. Give us wisdom, O Lord, to know Your timing, and not to rush ahead of You or go too slowly behind You. 2. We pray that You would bring to pass, in the power of Your Holy Spirit, every prophetic vision, dream and prophecy spoken over the church, O God. 3. Give us the patience to wait on You and for You, so that we always act according to Your Word and timing, O Lord. 4. Lord, rise up in our time and turn this generation to You, as You have graciously done with previous generations. 5. Help us to pray with a firm faith, believing that You will hear our cry for revival in our land and in our time, O God. Habakkuk 2:4 The righteous will live by faith 1. Lord, help us always to live by faith and not by sight. 2. Help us to live and act in all we do in such a way that it is righteous in Your sight, O Lord. 3. When we are buffeted by adverse circumstances in our lives, cause us nevertheless to be steadfast in our faith in You, O God. 4. Lord, give us a faith that can overcome everything the enemy may throw against us. 5. In times of trial, O Lord, may those trials have the effect of making our faith stronger. Habakkuk 2:5 Giving rather than greed 1. Thank You, O Lord, for all the material possessions we have, but may they never become a snare or an idol to us. 2. Lord, develop continually within us a hunger and a thirst for righteousness, and may we be filled. 3. Lord, give us an earnest desire and hunger to see more and more people saved out of the kingdom of darkness and coming into the Kingdom of light. 4. Fill us to overflowing, Holy Spirit, so that out of the overflow, we may be able to touch and change the lives of those around us. 5. Lord, may the only things that we ‘covet’ be the best gifts of the Holy Spirit, as Your Word encourages us to do.

PRAYER DIARY

February 2018

s the title of the book indicates, this book, written by Jeremiah in poetic form, is a lament. Jeremiah was inconsolable after the city of Jerusalem was utterly destroyed by the invading Babylonian armies, who burnt the Temple built by Solomon, all the buildings, and then took the city apart - stone by stone - until it was uninhabitable. This epic destruction was all completely preventable. All his life, Jeremiah had been warning the Jews to turn away from their lifestyles of sin, sexual immorality and idolatry, which they had copied from the surrounding nations. God had called them to be different - a holy nation, an example and a light to the darkness of the depraved practices of the surrounding nations. But the attraction of sin proved too strong for too long, and Jeremiah’s preaching was ignored. God had made a covenant with the people in the days of Moses. Its terms were very straightforward: Obey Me and follow My ways and I will bless You, spiritually and in every area of Your physical lives, and provide protection from all Your enemies. Forsake Me and My ways, turning to the ungodly practices of the surrounding nations, and I will allow You to be overrun by Your enemies and Your population to be taken into exile in a foreign land. Because the magnificent temple remained a prominent feature in Jerusalem, the people didn’t believe God would actually do what He had forewarned, by allowing it to be destroyed. They were wrong. God always keeps His promises. He had been very long-suffering with His wayward people, and had sent prophet after prophet to warn them of their impending doom if they didn’t change their ways. One or two kings of Judah had listened, such as Hezekiah and Josiah, but those that followed preferred a lifestyle of ungodliness. Finally, God’s immense patience ran out, and He brought upon them the calamity the prophets (including Jeremiah) had warned the people of. The Temple was not a talisman or good luck charm that would ward off danger. Rather, it was the place where the very presence of God was manifested in the Holy of Holies. Ezekiel, a contemporary of Jeremiah’s, had seen a vison of God leaving the Temple. Soon afterwards, it, together with the city, was destroyed. Jeremiah, known as the ‘Weeping Prophet’, was inconsolable, because he knew that if only they had listened to him - even at the last minute before the end came - and had repented, God wouldn’t have brought that destruction. But they didn’t. The lesson for us is that, although we live in a generation that has forsaken the one true God, whose ways we once followed, and now choose instead a lifestyle of ungodliness, God’s mercy is such that, even now, if our nation changes and turns back to Him, we can yet see Him move in revival. But it needs the Church to stand in the gap to pray and intercede fervently.

Lamentations 1:1-5 A people that has forsaken their God 1. Lord, as a nation we have turned our backs on You, so have mercy on our backsliding, and restore the sanity of our nation, we pray. 2. We have elevated the wisdom of man above the wisdom of God, and are suffering the social problems as a result, so open the eyes of the spiritually blind to Your truth and reality, O God. 3. As politeness, good manners and self-sacrifice are being replaced with foul language, yobbishness and selfishness, turn back the tide of evil, we pray. 4. As our institutions seek to push God and Christians out of a place of influence in our national life, remove the ungodly from positions of power, and replace them with men and women who value godliness and goodness. 5. Cause a spiritual hunger to develop in the hearts of new generation that has grown up experiencing only the emptiness of materialism.

Lamentations 1:6-11 Remembering the past blessings of God 1. There was a time when our nation’s laws were based squarely on biblical teaching, but now those are being rejected, so Lord, raise up men and women in Parliament, once again, to take a stand for righteousness. 2. As we remember when even nonChristians respected the values of Christian teaching - even if they did not attend church - turn back the tide of wickedness in our nation, and let good once again triumph over evil. 3. As we remember how the BBC was founded on biblical principles, but the Media now propagate all forms of ungodliness, shake the Media and stem the flow of evil over the airwaves, O Lord. 4. As we remember how a generation ago many people regularly attended church, may the emptiness of our materially rich but spiritually impoverished national life cause

there to be a searching after the true riches in Christ, we pray. 5. Shake the older generation out of their complacency, and revive their hearts, we pray. Lamentations 1:12-17 Weeping over the fall of the nation 1. As we lament the way Christ is being pushed out of our national life, have mercy on the nation, and cause Your Church to rise up in intercessory prayer to push back the powers of darkness behind the ways of men and women. 2. As we lament the way sharing one’s faith at work is trying to be stifled and Christians made to be silent, let good triumph over evil, O Lord. 3. As we lament the way the life of the individual is treated as being of so little value, with mass abortions and the move to legalise euthanasia, forgive our nation’s wickedness, O God. 4. As we lament the sexualisation of our Youth and children, and the encouragement to commit

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

GRIEVING OVER OUR NATION’S BACKSLIDDEN STATE Lamentations - Chapters 1 to 5

PRAYER DIARY

6 16

fornication, to the detriment of their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing, restore common sense to this nation, O Lord. 5. Holy Spirit, put a desire in the hearts of the children in our schools to seek You. Lamentations 1:18-22 Rebelling against the Lord 1. Have mercy on all ministers, who do not preach the Gospel or who preach another Gospel other than biblical truth, and open their eyes to their error, O Lord. 2. Remove from places of influence all those in authority, who undermine the value of marriage and the blessings and stability it brings to individuals, families and the nation, and bring a change of attitude in our land, O God. 3. Frustrate the plans of all those in authority, who seek to promote other religions but marginalise the truth of the way of Christ, O God. 4. As we lift up to You the wickedness of our nation, and the powers of darkness that lie behind it, come in power and destroy the influence of the powers of darkness in our land, O Lord. 5. Keep our hearts from rebelling against You in any matter - great or small, we pray. Lamentations 2:1-5 God’s wrath at a nation’s sin 1. Since, in Your anger, You allowed the nation of Israel to be overrun and taken captive, may our nation turn back to You before You have no choice but to send judgment on our land, we pray. 2. Since, like Israel, You have given our nation much grace in our backsliding, send a spirit of revulsion over the people in our land at the direction in which our society is heading. 3. Since Your Word says: “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” may the people of our nation seek and find You now as Saviour, rather than later finding You only as Judge. 4. Lord, Your Word says: ‘The fool says in his heart there is no God,’ so take away the foolishness from the heart of this nation, we cry. 5. Help us to view all sin seriously, so that we are careful to avoid it at all times, we pray. Lamentations 2:6-11 Broken altars 1. Revive all those churches that are dying because the Gospel is not

February 2018 7

being preached, O Lord. 2. Holy Spirit, revive all those churches that are prayerless, and show them that prayer is their life-blood. 3. Open their eyes to the truth of all those in our nation, who are worshipping a god that is not the LORD, we pray. 4. We pray that in all our schools, which teach religions rather than the Way, the Truth and the Life, that You would help the children to find Christ and not religion. 5. Restore fully to our homes the time of daily individual and family devotions, we pray. Lamentations 2:12-17 False prophets cover sin 1. Give every minister in this land a consciousness of the gravity of sin in this nation, and the courage to preach on the need to turn from sin. 2. Raise up men and women in our Parliament, who understand the disastrous effect unbridled sin is having in our nation, and give them a desire to bring in righteous laws. 3. Let not the prosperity of our land blind people’s eyes to the seriousness of our condition, nor blind them to the inevitability of God’s judgment on this land if we continue down our current pathway. 4. Lord, may we begin to judge ourselves and make godly changes before You have to step in and visit our land with Your judgments. 5. Search our hearts and minds, O Lord, so that if there is any sin within us we may deal with it. Lamentations 2:18-22 Arise, intercessors! 1. As we thank You for all the intercessors and prayer groups all over this land that You are raising up, strengthen and empower them to pull down dark, spiritual forces in high places, we pray. 2. Lord, raise up men and women all over this land to intercede before You on behalf of our nation, and turn back the tide of evil. 3. Give Your intercessors dreams, visions and spiritual insights into the invisible realms of the powers of darkness, so they can pray strategically, O Lord. 4. Enlighten Your intercessors, O Lord, so that they may target in prayer every plan and strategy formed in hell to overcome our nation and Your Church. 5. Strengthen and increase the numbers and effectiveness of all

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

those engaging in intercessory ministry in our congregation, O Lord. Lamentations 3:1-6 The cry of the righteous in the darkness 1. Because our land is spiritually very dark, we cry to You to lift the blanket of oppression on our land and rise up, letting the light of Your presence move across our nation. 2. We take authority, in Jesus’ Name, over the powers of darkness that blind the eyes of unbelievers in our community, and command them to release these captives so they may believe and be saved. 3. We take authority, in Jesus’ Name, over all the unclean spirit powers of immorality in our community, and we command that they take their hands off them, so they may repent and turn to Christ. 4. We take authority, in Jesus’ Name, over all the spirit powers behind lawlessness in our community, and command them to flee this area. 5. Help us to pursue righteousness, O Lord, in every area of our lives and work. Lamentations 3:7-11 When the heavens are as brass 1. Lord, when prayer seems like hard work, give us the grace to persevere until we see a breakthrough. 2. Just as Elijah prayed seven times before the answer for rain arrived, may we continue to pray and not give up, O God. 3. Just as Abraham continued to intercede for the righteous people in Sodom and You listened to him, O Lord, may we prevail in prayer - even in the darkest of situations. 4. Just as Daniel was told that his prayer had been heard the moment he started to pray, even though the answer didn’t arrive until much later, help us to pray with the faith that believes You hear the moment we begin to intercede. 5. Help us to keep asking, seeking and knocking until we see You open the door in answer to prayer, O Lord. Lamentations 3:12-21 The trials of the righteous 1. Lord, give Your people strength and grace when we are mocked for our faith in the living God. 2. Help us, O Lord, in the midst of trials and difficulties to use the occasions to be a testimony of our living faith in You. 3. We pray You would strengthen and

PRAYER DIARY

February 2018

Lamentations 3:31-36 The compassion of God 1. Have compassion on all the men of our nation, O Lord, turning their thoughts and their hearts to their Creator, who alone can save them from eternal death. 2. Have compassion on all the women of our land, O Lord, and let them seek and find the One who alone can meet their deepest needs. 3. Have compassion on all the Youths of our land, O Lord, and rescue them from the destructive nature of the society we live in, causing them to come to know their God. 4. Have compassion on all the children in our land, O Lord, and let them find Christ before a wicked society leads them astray. 5. Since Your compassion for the lost is greater than ours, O Lord, give us a heart like Yours for those who do not yet know You. Lamentations 3:37- 42 Examine our ways 1. O Lord, we ask Your forgiveness for every compromise with the world that has weakened the Christian witness in this nation, and pray for Your church in this land. 2. We ask for Your forgiveness for not speaking up more forthrightly each time ungodly laws have been introduced into our society, and ask for Your boldness. 3. Forgive the complacency of Your church, O Lord, which has been asleep while the enemy has been highly active in taking people captive to sin, and wake us up. 4. As we ask Your forgiveness for times of lukewarmness towards You and the Gospel, in our individual lives and in the life of the church, fan the flames within us. 5. Help us to desire to grow more Christlike each day, and to have the determination to do so. Lamentations 3:43- 48 The people are destroyed by sin 1. Since You are a God of love, but also a God of righteousness who must punish unrepentant sin, open the eyes of Your Church to the depths of sin our nation has plummeted to, that we may fear the consequences and earnestly intercede for it. 2. Open the eyes of our politicians and the people of this land, O Lord, to the destruction caused by unbridled sexual freedom. 3. Open the eyes of the politicians and inhabitants of this land to

the destruction caused by freely allowing the traditional, married family to break down. 4. Open the eyes of our politicians and people of this land to the destruction caused by allowing lawlessness to proliferate. 5. Holy Spirit, bring back a conviction of sin upon the people of this nation, we pray. Lamentations 3:49-51 Persistent prayer 1. Lord, when we fail to see the changes we desire to see in our society, as we intercede, may we sow with tears. 2. Give us a faith that can see the end result, even when outward circumstances seem to say the opposite. 3. Give us a heart that grieves over the sin of our nation, O God, and desires to see rapid change. 4. As we stand in the gap for a wicked and sinful generation, hear the cries of Your people on behalf of this nation, O God. 5. Holy Spirit, help us to pray without giving up, we ask. Lamentations 3:52- 56 God hears our cries 1. As we thank You, O Lord, that we can come boldly to Your throne, knowing You are not deaf to those who seek You in believing prayer, act on our deepest cries. 2. For all those we know, who are struggling in their Christian lives, help them to grow strong, we pray. 3. As we pray for all churches up and down this land that are struggling to grow, turn their situations around, O Lord. 4. For all Christians, who feel intimidated, marginalised or persecuted at their places of work, we pray You would turn their situations around, O Lord. 5. Bring revival to our nation, once more, O God. Lamentations 3:57-60 Perfect love casts out all fear 1. Since fear is the opposite to faith, cause our faith to be strong, O Lord. 2. Lord, may we never fear to make a stand for righteousness. 3. Lord, give us wisdom as we speak, but may we never fear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth of the Gospel. 4. May we never give the devil a foothold in our lives, O Lord, but keep us from every plan of the enemy, we pray.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

help each brother and sister in Christ, who we know is suffering right now for their faith in Christ, O Lord. 4. Lord, in the midst of trials and difficulties, help us always to remember that You will never leave us nor forsake us, and may we therefore always be filled with triumphant hope. 5. Cause the trial we face to strengthen us, not defeat us, O Lord. Lamentations 3:22-24 Great is God’s faithfulness 1. Since our nation has not yet come under Your full judgment because of Your great love and compassion, O Lord, rescue the people of this land from sin and judgment, we pray. 2. Lord, our nation has passed through some dark years spiritually, and things seem to be getting darker, but we pray for the dawning of a new ‘morning’ of the presence of God in the life of our nation. 3. This nation has been graced with many revivals in its history over the centuries, and we desperately need one now, O Lord, so in Your faithfulness, come and visit us again. 4. We wait upon You, but we know time is short, so strengthen us to keep praying until we see You break though in our nation, O God. 5. Since You are always faithful to us, help us always to be faithful to You, O Lord. Lamentations 3:25-30 Waiting for God’s salvation 1. Lord, give us the grace and patience to wait for answers to prayer, remembering that You often have to work in other areas first, in order to make the conditions right. 2. Give us a continuing determination to keep praying and, at the same time, believing Your answer is on its way, O Lord. 3. Lord, teach us when we need to be loudly crying out to You in intercession, and when You want us to wait quietly on You in prayer. 4. Knowing that You are not willing that any should perish, keep us in expectant hope for the salvation of each person we pray for, O God. 5. As we pray for people’s salvation, cause us to keep on and never give up until we see them give their lives to Christ.

PRAYER DIARY

5. Fill us with Your boldness at all times, Holy Spirit, we ask. Lamentations 3:61-66 The future of the wicked 1. Lord, cause us to remember the destiny of those who reject Christ, and burden our hearts to pray for their souls. 2. Since You are righteous and just, and must punish sin, use us to reach those You know will be responsive to the Gospel, we pray. 3. Save our family members and friends who currently do not know You, O Lord. 4. Save our work colleagues who currently do not know You, we ask. 5. Cause us to see many unsaved people come to know Christ: in our meetings, on the streets and through our personal witnessing, we pray. Lamentations 4:1-5 Spiritual wealth alone has lasting value 1. Teach us the value of true spiritual riches, O Lord, so that we may seek after the wealth that endures forever. 2. May we ensure that our material possessions are only ever our servants, and never our masters. 3. Help us to seek first the Kingdom of God and Your righteousness, so that we may experience all good and necessary things being added to our lives by Your great hand, O Lord. 4. Give wealth to those of Your people who have the right heart to handle it well, and who will use it for the furtherance of Your Kingdom, we pray. 5. Teach us how to give, O Lord. Lamentations 4:6-11 God’s punishments 1. Since our nation is trying Your patience with its wicked ways, in Your great mercy, turn the people back to You before You are forced to judge this nation, O God. 2. You did not spare Sodom and Gomorrah for their sexual sins, and You are a God who does not change, so have mercy on our nation, O God, before it is too late. 3. Lord, for those with eyes to see, You are already starting to shake this nation, so cause the people to wake up before sleepwalking to disaster. 4. May we see a great harvest of souls while there is still the opportunity for salvation, since Your Word clearly shows us that there is a coming Day of Judgment.

February 2018 23

5. May our understanding of hell motivate us to spread the good news of Your love to all who currently do not know You, O Lord. Lamentations 4:12-17 A true prophetic voice needed 1. Lord, let Your true prophets rise up with a clear voice to the churches and to the nation, we pray. 2. Lord, silence the mouths of all those who misrepresent You, Your Word and Your ways, especially those who do so from the pulpit. 3. Lord, may each one of Your people be the authentic voice of God to this generation dying in its sins, in which we live, we pray. 4. Frustrate the plans of those in our nation, who try to deliberately suppress the truth and deny the existence of a Creator God. 5. Cause Your church to regularly study Your Word, so we can live out, and bring to others, all the ways of God. Lamentations 4:18-22 Days are numbered 1. Lord, the time is shorter now than when we first believed, so help us to use each and every day profitably for You. 2. May we plan as though we will remain here for a long time, yet live as though each day were our last, O Lord. 3. Since You know the length of the life of each person, give us ‘divine appointments’ to witness to those whose days are short, we pray. 4. In the light of the knowledge that we will be here on earth for a limited time only, help us to keep all we do, say and think in the right perspective, O Lord. 5. Help us not to squander our time, but to use profitably for You all the days You have allotted to us. Lamentations 5:1-5 Remember us, O Lord 1. Remember the height from which this nation has fallen, O Lord, and in Your mercy, restore us back to You. 2. Remember, O Lord, that we are fallen creatures and, in Your mercy, open the eyes of those in this land, who are blinded by the enemy. 3. Remember, O Lord, how many of our forefathers went from these shores all over the world to take the Gospel, and raise up more men and women to take their place. 4. Remember each member of the younger generation in our land, who has not had handed down to them the biblical teaching by their

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

forefathers, and save them, O Lord. 5. As You see the yoke of wickedness the powers of darkness have inflicted on this backslidden nation, have mercy and break that bondage, we pray. Lamentations 5:6-10 The sins of the fathers 1. Forgive the sins of our forefathers, and cleanse our land, O Lord. 2. Forgive the generation that passed laws that undermined the family, by making divorce easy and marriage of little worth, and bring change, we pray. 3. Forgive the generation that passed laws to make it possible, easy and acceptable to kill off our unborn children on a horrific scale, and turn the tide, O God. 4. Forgive the generation that has separated the study of science from faith in God, and sought to make man his own god and master, and bring change, O Lord. 5. Remember those many people who went from these shores as missionaries, giving up their lives; may their sacrifice bring a spiritual harvest in this, their own backslidden land. Lamentations 5:11-16 The national consequences of sin 1. Lord, as a society, we are reaping the grave consequences of our sexual sins, so have mercy and send a revival, we pray. 2. As a society, we are paying for our sins by the rise of lawlessness in our midst, and disrespect for all authority, so come, Holy Spirit, and change our nation, we pray. 3. Our children and youth are suffering as the result of society’s breakdown, caused by the folly of our ways as a nation, so have mercy, O God, and bring a change in people’s hearts. 4. Lord, depression and despair are now common among people of all ages, as God has been excluded from our national life so, in mercy, move once more in this nation. 5. Cause the consequences of a life without God to bring the younger generation to turn from the excesses of their parents’ generation, to You, O God. Lamentations 5:17-22 Renew us, O Lord 1. Renew our minds and our thinking, O God, creating a new spirit within this nation. 2. Renew our attitudes, our values, our aspirations, our goals and our desires, O Lord. 3. Renew Your church by a new outpouring and infilling of the Holy Spirit in our individual lives, and in every church up and down the land, we pray. 4. Renew our spiritual lives, our personal devotions and our family devotions, O Lord. 5. Send revival to our church, our borough, our city and our nation, O Lord, and start Your work in me.

Habakkuk 2:15-16 Drunkenness and sexual sins 1. Have mercy on this generation that finds it necessary to bingedrink, and help them find the One who alone can fill and satisfy their emptiness. 2. We pray You would help us show all the youth that we know, how to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 3. We pray You would shake up and give sense to our national leaders, who do not understand the folly of encouraging sexual permissiveness, O Lord. 4. As teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and abortions freely continue, have mercy on this lost generation before it is too late, O God. 5. We need supernatural help, O God, so send revival in our nation. Habakkuk 2:17 Violence 1. We take authority, in Jesus’ Name, over the spirits of violence in our neighbourhood, and command them to leave. 2. We take authority over every spirit of murder in our neighbourhoods, and command them to leave, in Jesus’ Name. 3. Lord, we pray for our streets, that You would frustrate all those who would use them for crime. 4. We pray for our primary and secondary schools, O Lord, that You would cause violence against teachers to diminish, and that respect would return. 5. As we pray for families we know, which are under stress and may be tempted to act with physical or verbal abuse, bring healing and reconciliation, O God. Habakkuk 2:18-19 The need to know the true God 1. We pray for every atheist we know, that You would save them, O Lord. 2. We pray for every Muslim we know, that You would save them, O Lord. 3. We pray for every Hindu we know, that You would save them, O Lord. 4. We pray for every Buddhist and Sikh we know, that You would save them, O Lord. 5. We pray for everyone we know, who is deceived by New Age religions, witchcraft and the occult, that You would save them, O Lord.

Habakkuk 2:20 Holiness 1. Lord, help us walk in holiness before You at all times. 2. As we wait upon You, O God, reveal to us any areas of our lives that are not surrendered to You, and give us the grace to change now. 3. Touch our minds, and help us to renew them so they are no longer conformed to the unchristlike ways of the world, we pray. 4. Restore to Your church, O Lord, a deep sense of the need to walk in holiness in every area of life. 5. In all our dealings at our places of work, O Lord, enable us always to work with integrity. Habakkuk 3:1-2 Renew Your deeds in our time 1. Lord, raise up national prophets in our land like Elijah, who can bring the voice of God to the nation in power. 2. Raise up godly national leaders, who have the strength and ability to take on the ills of our society and bring change for good, we pray. 3. Raise up powerful church leaders in our nation, O God, who will not compromise or hesitate to challenge the sins of our society. 4. Release a new move of Your Spirit across our land, O God, that will reawaken the hearts of men and women to understand their need to know and walk with their God. 5. Move in signs and wonders once again in Your churches up and down our land, O Lord. Habakkuk 3:3-4 The glory of God 1. Lord, may we live so close to You that Your glory can be seen in us and influence others around us for good. 2. Lord, we pray that Your glory would come and manifestly dwell in our congregation. 3. We pray not only for a visitation of Your Holy Spirit in our midst, but also a habitation of the Holy Spirit amongst us. 4. Bring glory to Yourself in our midst, O Lord, by causing many unsaved people’s eyes to be opened and turn to Christ. 5. Bring glory to Yourself in our nation, O Lord, by rising up in the power of Your holiness and bringing radical change to our backslidden society.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

Habakkuk 2:6-8 A day of reckoning 1. Lord, as Your Word says, help us to judge ourselves, so that we do not need to be judged and disciplined by You. 2. Since there is a spiritual principle that we reap what we sow, teach us to only sow the seeds of righteousness, so we may see a great spiritual harvest, O God. 3. Lord, keep us conscious of the fact that one day each of us will stand before You to give an account of our lives, so we may live now in reverence and godly fear. 4. May the knowledge that those who choose to reject Christ now will suffer eternally for their sins, motivate us to reach them for Christ. 5. Lord, visit our nation in power once more, and change the ungodly ways of those who are currently destined to face You in judgement, before it is too late for them. Habakkuk 2:9-11 A corrupt generation 1. Lord, we pray for our Parliament, that any corruption would be rooted out and Members will always act with integrity. 2. We pray for Your church up and down the land, that any leaders who are tempted to compromise Your values will always stand up for righteousness. 3. Lord, we pray for all the institutions in our land, that all corrupt practices will be exposed, with honesty and integrity becoming prominent. 4. We pray that our children’s generation would turn from the bankrupt sexual corruption of their parents’ generation, and rediscover the value of purity. 5. As we pray for those who abuse the benefits system and the tax system to the detriment of others, expose corruption and restore honesty. Habakkuk 2:12-14 All the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord 1. Lord, let Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth, we pray. 2. Lord, help each of us individually to reach the unsaved for Christ, one by one. 3. We pray You would enable all our individual evangelism and evangelism teams to be very fruitful in seeing people being won to Christ. 4. We pray that each Discipleship Cell will be fruitful in reaching the lost for Christ. 5. We pray that in every service in the church, unsaved people will be present and come under conviction by the Holy Spirit to be saved.

March 2018

PRAYER DIARY

26 20

Habakkuk 3:5-7 The nations tremble 1. Cause all the communist nations to tremble and turn to You, O Lord. 2. Cause all the Muslim nations to tremble and turn to You, O Lord. 3. Cause all the democracies of the world to tremble and turn to You, O Lord. 4. Cause all the countries with dictators to tremble and turn to You, O Lord. 5. Send a revival that sweeps around the world, O Lord, and do not forget our own nation. Habakkuk 3:8-10 God’s anger 1. Lord, give us insight into Your anger at the sin in our nation, so that it drives us to our knees in intercessory prayer. 2. Help us to feel as You feel at the daily slaughter of the unborn through abortions, so we may intercede for a halt to it all. 3. Lord, enable us to experience what You feel at the worship of other gods and the worship of man that is so prevalent in our society, and intercede for change. 4. Give us a heart like Yours that is so moved with indignation against sin that we are not prepared to stand aside while sin prevails in our nation. 5. Lord, give us a godly anger at sin, at the devil, and at all the works of evil in this nation, such that we travail in prayer to pull down every spiritual stronghold working in our society. Habakkuk 3:11-15 God’s deliverance of his people (1) 1. Lord, deliver us from every attack of the enemy that would discourage us from serving You. 2. Lord, deliver us from every assault of the enemy on our family lives. 3. Lord, deliver us from every attack of the enemy on our jobs and finances. 4. Lord, deliver us in every area of our lives from every temptation to sin. 5. Lord, deliver us from apathy, but instead stir up the passion for Christ that is within us. Habakkuk 3:11-15 God’s deliverance of his people (2) 1. In accordance with Your Word, O Lord, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem and that You would save the Jews and the Arabs there. 2. We pray that You would open the eyes of all the religious Jews living

March 2018 27

in Israel to the realisation that Jesus is their promised Messiah. 3. We pray for all the non-religious Jews in Israel, that You would cause them to understand the truth of the Bible and of their heritage, and save them. 4. We pray for all the Jews living outside of Israel, that You would protect them from the evils of antiSemitism. 5. We pray You would open the eyes of the government of Israel to their need to turn to You and acknowledge You wholeheartedly as their God. Habakkuk 3:16 Waiting patiently on God 1. Give us grace to wait on You patiently, O God. 2. Instead of complaining that nothing is happening, help us to grow spiritually, as we wait on You, O Lord. 3. Teach us to understand the importance of Your perfect timing, as we wait in answer to prayer, O Lord. 4. Help us to listen to You as we wait, O Lord, and not just simply talk at You. 5. As we wait on You, Holy Spirit, please drop Your words, thoughts and desires for our lives into our spirit. Habakkuk 3:17 Trusting in times of trouble 1. Lord, teach us to recognise what are the true spiritual riches, so that our faith does not weaken when we lose anything we own that has no lasting value. 2. Help us when necessary, O Lord, to say: “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed is the Name of the Lord.” 3. Help us understand the truth of the apostle Paul’s words, that the suffering of this present world is not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed. 4. We pray that You would strengthen those we know, who are struggling in their faith because of troubles, O Lord. 5. Teach us to trust in You, O Lord, and not in what we possess. Habakkuk 3:18 Faith that enables rejoicing at all times 1. Develop to a greater depth, O Lord, Your joy which is based not on outward circumstances, but on our relationship with You.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

2. Teach us to follow and experience the apostle Paul’s exhortation to “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.” 3. Teach us to live out our thanks to You, Lord, for Your incomparable salvation which is worth more than the total of everything the world could possibly offer. 4. Give us the joy that comes when we lead others to Christ, since we know our actions have eternal results. 5. Help us always to live by faith, O God. Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord is my strength 1. Lord, give us strength in all our daytoday activities, as we seek to do all for the glory of Jesus. 2. Help each of our families to grow closer together day by day in their walk with You, O God, despite all the pressures that would come their way. 3. In our schools, colleges and places of work, give us the strength never to compromise in our witness for Christ. 4. Lord, in our prayer lives, give us the strength to keep praying and never give up. 5. For every new step of faith You call us to take, O God, give us the strength of mind and the character to take it decisively. Habakkuk 3:19 New heights in God 1. Help us to rise to a newer level of spirituality in You, O Lord. 2. Holy Spirit, give us a deeper insight and a greater understanding of Your Word. 3. Enable us to grow more in Christlikeness in all our dealings with the people we live and work with and minister to, O God. 4. Develop within us a more effective level of the use of the gifts of the Spirit, O Lord, which we can use for the furtherance of Your Kingdom. 5. Lead us into new experiences, Holy Spirit, as we allow ourselves to be totally led by You.

EVANGELISM & PRAYER @ ECC LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE

EVANGELISM ALL WELCOME SECOND Saturday of each month

11am to 1pm

Saturday 10th February

Saturday 10th March

Brentford Chiswick Hanwell Harrow Hayes Northfields Northolt Shepherd’s Bush South Ealing Southall Uxbridge Wembley West Ealing

Acton Brentford Chiswick Ealing Broadway Greenford Hanwell Harrow Hayes Hounslow Isleworth Northfields Northolt Shepherd’s Bush South Ealing Southall Twickenham Wembley West Drayton

ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THE TEAMS

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 11th February Sunday 11th March

DELIVERANCE MEETINGS

POLISH FELLOWSHIP Elim Springs Every Sunday Every Sunday @ 2:30pm

@ 2:30pm In the In the FOYER

FOYER

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

info@eccj.org.uk

For ECC attenders: Before coming for deliverance for the first time, please make an appointment to speak to Pastor Rajinder Saturday 17th February Saturday 17th 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 23rd February Friday 30th March - GOOD FRIDAY GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

Note from the Treasurer Seedtime and Harvest

ave you heard of the ‘Law of Seedtime and Harvest’? No? Maybe this is why so many of us fail to see this spiritual law operating in our lives. We read in Genesis 8:22 - “As long as the earth exists seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” God is the One who has set this law into motion and, if we are going to receive the results it promisess, then we must operate according to the Law He put forward. If you’ve never experiencedd the full manifestation of the promised blessings of God, relating to supernatural provision and prosperity, take the time to study the Scriptures on this subject, and then begin to do the following consistently and faithfully: • Believe God for seed to sow • Sow generously in faith • Believe God to meet your need while the seed grows • Believe God to multiply the seed you’ve sown • Believe God for a generous harvest • Ask God to show you where your harvest Is • Ask God to tell you when the harvest is ready for reaping • And finally, when the season of harvest arrives, REAP the harvest by doing what God instructs you to do As you remain faithful and honour God with your wealth this year, may ‘your barns be filled to overflowing and your vats brim over with new wine’, in Jesus’ Name (Proverbs 3:10).

Sandra Dawodu PLEASE REMEMBER:

You can give via the website at www. ecc.org.uk or by bank transfer to Bank: NatWest Acct No: 18844979 Sort code: 60-05-16 Thank you

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

FINANCE THANK YOU

FOR YOUR FAITHFUL GIVING TO GOD’S WORK NOV 2017 DEC 2017 Tithes & Offerings £44,103.88 £52,096.74 Building Fund £5,902.09 £4,523.22 Standing Orders £31,920.67 £24,264.33

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

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

Morning services are now streamed live on

am 4th pm am 11th pm am 18th pm am 25th pm

February PRAISE & COMMUNION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton DEDICATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan SPECIAL GUEST DAY SERVICE Speakers: Pastor Sam & Rachel Blake plus Pastor Alex & Nicole Morgan REVIVAL & HEALING SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan

March

& COMMUNION SERVICE am PRAISE Guest Speaker: Pastor David Silver from Out Of Zion Ministries, Israel 4th SPIRIT EVENING pm HOLY Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan SUNDAY CELEBRATION SERVICE am MOTHERING Speaker: Pastor Sam Blake 11th pm REVIVAL & HEALING SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton

SERVICE am CELEBRATION Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton 18th pm MISSIONS EVENING with Elim’s Vumba 40th Anniversary Tour SERVICE am CELEBRATION Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton 25th ALIVE IN CONCERT pm KIDZ Led by Rhoda Morson

GOOD FRIDAY COMMUNION SERVICE @ 10.30am til 11.30am Friday 30th March - Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan Join us for RESURRECTION SUNDAY CELEBRATIONS on Sunday 1st April

Special Guest Day Missions Evening

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICES on 11th FEBRUARY “Each one bring one” to our Special Guest Day Service Our speakers will be Pastor Sam & Rachel and Pastor Alex & Nicole

Guest Speaker

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICES on 4th MARCH Speaker: David Silver Founder of Out of Zion Ministries based Israel, who will be sharing on the great things God is doing amongst the Jewish believers (Pictured with his wife, Josie)

SUNDAY EVENING on 18th MARCH Elim’s Vumba 40th Anniversary Tour Remembering the Elim Missionaries and celebrating their legacy

Kidz Alive

SUNDAY EVENING ON 25th MARCH Led by Rhoda Morson Come and see Kidz Alive in Concert - an evening of singing, dance and drama by a group of very talented children

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

CLASSIFIEDS

NEW

BEDTIME CHILDREN’S STORIES PLUS BUY to support the ECC Building Fund

Includes Bible verses and a moral for every story

£5 EACH

Email us at storytimeplus@gmail.com or contact ECC Bookshop ISBN 978-1-9999190-0-9

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

Grapevine

Written by a Christian child for children evangelism

THIS SPACE COULD BE YOURS Advertise your goods and services, or promote your business or special event. Call the ECC Office on 020 8840 7508 or email Sandra at sd@ecc.org.uk to book your advert and for further details. We reserve the right to refuse advertisements without explanation. Acceptance of advertising does not indicate endorsement.

email sd@ecc.org.uk

REVIVAL HEALING TESTIMONIES

RESURRECTION LIFE M “

y parents are practising Muslims, and have done their best to bring up their children to be proper Muslims.

I’d studied numerous Islamic-based books to learn more about the faith, as required by the educational policies in Iran, but I became increasingly uncomfortable with what I was reading. I tried my best to study about pillars and practices of Islam, but I realised this wasn’t the right route to salvation. I thank God for His light, which filled me in my early years, when I was lost in total darkness. I’d experienced dark days of unfaithfulness - not knowing where to take my pain, nor who to ask about the truth. I couldn’t carry the burden of my sins on my own shoulders. I was completely lost until the moment the Lord helped me. During those intolerable days of confusion, I met a non-believer who had converted to Christianity. This meeting hadn’t happened ‘by accident’. The Lord sent the convert to me and I was so amazed at the change: his sins had been removed, and I could see peace in his life and tranquillity in his eyes.

through CHRIST

I asked him what had happened to him, why had he changed? He didn’t answer me, because he didn’t know if he could trust me, but I insisted and insisted. I finally begged him to tell me, and it was the first time that I heard the Lord speaking through him. He shared his journey of faith with me and told me the experiences he’d had. He gave me the key that unlocked the door. I gave my life to Jesus; I was born again, experiencing His resurrection life - a life that has brought me purpose, meaning and hope.

I gave my life to Jesus; I was born again, experiencing His resurrection life - a life that has brought me purpose, meaning and hope

There has been further upheaval in my life, as I miss my home, siblings and friends. I’ve left everything behind, but the Lord is looking after me wherever I go, whatever I do. He is my shelter.”

Navid

Oral growth miraculously disappears

“M

y son, Seth, was found to have an unusual growth in his mouth shortly after he was born. He was referred to the resident paediatricians at a local hospital.

The consultant was baffled and called on his colleagues for a second opinion. None of them had seen such a growth. We were sent home and referred to the Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery Service at another hospital a month after he was born. Again, the consultants there were baffled, and couldn’t give us any answers. They suggested we wait to see if the growth shrunk by itself, while they referred Seth to a major children’s hospital in London. The average waiting time for an appointment was usually around six months but, thanks to God, we received an appointment approximately three months after his referral. We noticed however that during theses

The consultants there were baffled, and couldn’t give us any answers

three months, the growth had been getting bigger. During the appointment, the decision was made to operate quickly, as Seth would soon start teething, and biting into the growth would cause him pain and harm. The lead consultant explained that it wasn’t the best course of action, due to Seth’s age, but they had no other options. Seth was booked in for a pre-operative assessment meeting in a fortnight. We fasted, prayed and declared that he wasn’t going to need surgery, because we knew this wasn’t God’s plan for him. On the Sunday before pre-operative assessment, at the 11:15am service, I talked to Pastor Rajinder about the situation, and she prayed over Seth, anointing him with oil. On the day of the appointment, we noticed the growth looked considerably smaller than it had been, the consultant confirmed this after examining Seth. We were discharged that same day and Seth never had an operation, as the growth had disappeared.”

Romero Tayong GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

Fellowship &

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

HERE FOR YOU

EDNESDAY Afternoon Fellowship FEBRUARY

7th Lola Vassell with Pastor Bob

14th Pastor Bob with Merle Aqui 21st Chris Seare with Pastor Bob 28th Lola Vassell with Merle Aqui

MARCH 7th 14th 21st 28th

Pastor Bob with Ann Morris Lola Vassell with Merle Aqui Chris Seare with Pastor Bob EASTER BREAK

We are looking for more volunteers to get involved in the Ealing Soup Kitchen - a very rewarding and worthwhile ministry. If you are interested and would like more information, please contact Sharon or Sherine in the ECC church office.

UPCOMING DATES

Saturday 3rd March Saturday 14th April Saturday 26th May Saturday 4th July

2pm - 6pm

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

EVERGREENS

hat do we mean by the ‘EverGreens’? Well, it is a monthly ministry that focuses on encouraging fellowship between the older members of the ECC family. Loneliness can be a real problem amongst the elderly - there is even a newly appointed Minister for Loneliness - and EverGreens is one of the great ways to keep in touch with others at ECC. Special events take place on the first Monday of the month, and include: day trips to the seaside, visiting places of interest, listening to guest speakers, craft days, going out for meals, etc. These events provide the ideal opportunity for people to come together for fellowship and activities, and lunch is often available. The term ‘evergreen’ means: “A plant that retains green leaves throughout the year, or a person or thing of enduring freshness, success, or popularity.” Oxford English Dictionary

which reminds us of a passage in the Bible: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green...” Psalm 92:12-14

New members always welcome, so please contact Sharon in the church office on 020 8840 7508 for details of forthcoming EverGreens events.

C ongratulations

FELLOWSHIP & CONGRATULATIONS

CONGRATULATIONS Titus & Becky KIRKLAND on the birth of their son XAVIER NEHEMIAH born Monday 27th November weighing 10lb 3oz Baby brother to Mekhi, Devonte and Nevaeh

WEDDING CONGRATULATIONS Stahn Lebrun DEROU married Mado Diane Isabelle YAO on Tuesday 27th June 2017

CONGRATULATIONS Stahn Lebrun & Mado Diane Isabelle DEROU on the recent Dedication of their daughter ZOE ASHLEY

Congratulations!

LESTER & ANN CAMPBELL who celebrated their

50th

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY on 14th October 2017 GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

MEN’S MINISTRY

PICTURE: Google images

TRUSTING GOD AT ALL TIMES

This edition of the Men’s page contains two contributions: the first, from which the title is borrowed, is from our dear sister, Florence Munuoke - the first woman contributor for the Men’s page, I believe! These were the words she used to encourage delegates at the recent soaking session on 30th December, organised by the Prayer Ministry. The second is from Mwim Chellah, expressing God’s faithfulness through His wonderful provision to him. Both highlight the faithfulness of God when we trust Him at all times.

e live in difficult times: bloodshed, persecution, economic difficulties, health issues, broken families, right being called wrong and wrong called right. We therefore need to learn afresh how to cry out to God. We must come back to God, trusting Him, holding onto Him, believing that He will do the impossible. Indeed, we must remember where our help comes from. Psalm 121:1 encourages us to ‘Call upon the Name of the Lord in times of trouble’. In times of trouble, we must remember where our help comes from. Today, many of us look up and observe the false gods, namely: money, power, relationships, governments, modern medicine and science, etc. These have failed. So, where do we go if these have failed? We look up to heaven and to the Creator of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:3-4 encourage us ‘not give up, for God is always at work. He neither slumbers nor sleeps’. Verses 5 and 6 enjoin us to ‘always trust the Lord’s watchful care and protection’. As we seek God more and more, we discover that temptations will come, but for every temptation the enemy presents to cause us to despair and complain, there is a greater blessing God wants to give. We must therefore remain faithful in trying moments; pressing ahead with the knowledge that God will not withhold His best plan for our lives, as long as we follow and trust Him. The Apostle Paul had a chronic pain, from which he prayed to God

for relief three times (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). God didn’t take away Paul’s thorn, but neither did He forget him. Instead, He used Paul mightily. So be encouraged. God won’t forget your difficulties or struggles. God uses life stresses, physical and emotional issues to draw us closer to Him, and to prepare us for the good work He has chosen for us to do. Paul felt pain, sorrow and need, yet when the power of the Holy Spirit flowed in him, he experienced joy, contentment and peace.

he article, ‘Managing the Middle – While Waiting on the Lord’ (Grapevine April/May 2016) by Jackie Raymond, was particularly encouraging to me, because I had been in a challenging waiting season for many years. Being a primary carer for a loved one for over a decade meant I had to take a career hiatus. Returning to full-time work proved rather difficult, and I could only find occasional part-time contracts. However, during the ECC Men’s Encounter of August 2016, Elder Chris Lee, who knew nothing about my circumstances or background, declared to me during personal ministry time: “God is preparing you to work in a particularly exclusive area.” This was confirmed in June 2017, during David and Greta Peters’ School of the Supernatural, when Greta said God was going to open doors for me and restore what had been previously lost before the

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

In conclusion, in the midst of any trials we may be facing today, we must cry out to the Lord. Although it may be difficult, we must thank Him for what He will accomplish through our weaknesses. Whatever hardship we endured in 2017, we must look up and be thankful. The God of all creation loves us, and is working all things for our good and for His glory. Let the joy of that knowledge fill our hearts with praise, thanksgiving and peace, as we move on in 2018.

FLORENCE MUNUOKE year ended. Indeed, some of the couple’s personal experiences resonated with me, given that David had been a carer for a family member for many years, while Greta hails from southern Africa. In concluding her aforementioned article, Jackie wrote: “God knows how to make up for lost time.” Indeed, God does, for in December 2017, I was invited for interviews and offered a job that, over a two-year period, I had twice failed to get. So this was the third attempt. This position is a permanent one, and akin to the one I had left more than 12 years ago, making it a seamless progression in my career field of public policy analysis. God indeed is good, and worthy of our trust at all times.

MWIM CHELLAH

PICTURE: pixabay.com

WOMEN’S MINISTRY

Persevering through Discouragement

iscouragement can be a very real issue for Discipleship Cell leaders and members alike, and can be caused by many different factors.

Some of these factors could be issues in the leaders’ own personal lives – such as sickness, work-related issues, business challenges, family problems or even being hurt or disappointed. It could be due to a lack of commitment from Cell members, who aren’t attending Cells because they’re having problems of their own; Cells not seeming to flourish; members leaving Cells; lack of spiritual maturity, etc. One of the antidotes to counteract discouragement is to fix our eyes on God, press close to Him in prayer, and to trust Him - even when it seems we have prayed and prayed, and nothing seems to be changing at the pace we expect. Many people in the Bible experienced hardship and trouble in their lives, possibly due to discouragement. Paul talks about being ‘hard pressed on every side, perplexed, persecuted and struck down’. Yet he didn’t become crushed, and he didn’t despair, because he had learnt to fix his eyes on God. 2 Corinthians 4:8-18 encourage us to not lose heart.

As we focus on our big God with a heart of thanksgiving, our problems will become small, and we’ll be able to bear whatever we’re going through

The troubles we are going through are temporal and not eternal; they are for a very short time and that time will pass. We may not think it’s a ‘short time’ when we’re actually going through these troubles, but when we view it in terms of eternity, we will see that this is just a fleeting moment in time. The prophet Nahum also talks about the day of troubles that had come upon him, and reminded himself of who God is. Nahum 1:7 says ‘The Lord

is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who trust in Him.’ We need to continue in a close and trusting relationship with God, to ensure that the day of trouble - which we will all go through at some time - does not overwhelm us. Discouragement can come upon us like a heavy dark cloud that seems so overwhelming, but we know that the antidote is to press in to God, to call out to Him. We can also counteract feelings of discouragement by giving God thanks in everything. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 talks about giving God thanks, not for the difficult situation, but through it. We can build up a lifestyle of giving God thanks, and we will find that, as we focus on our big God with a heart of thanksgiving, our problems will become small, and we’ll be able to bear whatever we’re going through, until the Lord delivers us. It’s important to remember that we don’t have to bear these troubles alone; we can share our troubles with those around us who are trustworthy, who are able to encourage us, and who can help to intercede with us. Cell leaders (and leaders in general) are very busy sowing into the lives of others, and can sometimes become weary and tired. We should remember this. Galatians 6:9 says ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up.’ Let’s persevere and trust Almighty God, who can deliver us out of every situation. Whether leaders or members, let’s keep on serving, keep on giving, and keep on living for God, because in due time we will receive the full reward.

JESSICA SMITH

Primary Discipleship Cell Leader

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

PICTURES: pixabay.com

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2018

s I enter the New Year and look back over the previous year on all that the Lord has done through this ministry, I stand in awe of what He has accomplished. To God be the glory! My confidence in 2018 is that God would do more than whatever I imagine or think, anchored in His eternal concrete promises. ‘“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope”’ (Jeremiah 29:11). A few weeks ago, we had just celebrated Christmas and were reflecting on the name “Immanuel”, meaning ‘God with us’. This is what He promised to do among us: “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). When we wait on Him, His promise is “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). Surely, in one time or another, there will be challenges and difficulties, but His promise is sure when it comes: ‘for this light momentary

I encourage you to claim God’s promises, remember God’s sovereignty, and trust that God will bless 2018

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen’ (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). Why is that? Because God’s Word says: “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). As we look forward to 2018, I encourage you to claim God’s promises, remember God’s sovereignty, and trust that God will bless 2018. Let us, therefore, as the Apostle Paul encouraged us, “rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12) even as we wait, “... for our blessed Hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ…” (Titus 2:13). “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).

ANN VORKEL

Children’s Ministry Coordinator

YOUTH MINISTRY

COUNT IT ALL I

JOY

’ve recently been meditating on what it looks like to ‘glory in my suffering’. If you’ve been in church for more than two years, you’ve probably heard someone talk about ‘counting it all joy’, or read about the gift of being able to be content despite the circumstances, and having the ability to glory in suffering. But what does that actually mean?

Romans 5 breaks down why pain and suffering can be a positive thing, when met with an attitude of perseverance and a heart unwavering in its desire to glorify God. The notion of gladly going through pain and suffering may seem alien and raise more questions than it answers, such as: ‘How do you remain content and delight amidst the reality of pain and brokenness, like Romans instructs?’ If I’m completely honest with you, I still haven’t figured that out, but what I have learnt is that Abba Father is relentlessly faithful - through all seasons. Just as the stars shine brighter against the backdrop of complete darkness, His patience, love and devotion only become clearer during the storm. So, when your heart feels as if it’s one string-pull away from collapsing inwards, Abba Father patiently waits on the sidelines for us to run into His arms, like a child who’s just fallen over and wants nothing more than to be held by the One who she knows will never leave, forsake or let her down. And, when the fear of failure and shame wraps itself around your neck, and tries to squeeze all your dreams and God-given promises out of you, remind yourself that you are loved and accepted just as you are. You are not obligated to achieve in order to belong; you have no quota to fill, and you are far more than your gifts and talents. You are a child of GOD! A chosen one, set apart and deeply deeply adored by the Creator of the universe.

Just as the stars shine brighter against the backdrop of complete darkness, His patience, love and devotion only become clearer during the storm

When we allow ourselves to not only absorb this truth, but wear it like well-tailored armour, what can separate us from the love of God? Who has the power to crush and destroy the things destined for us? Delighting in pain isn’t necessarily an emotion we feel when we’re lost in a forest of pain and confusion, nor is it

always being pleased when something doesn’t go to plan because, let’s face it, that’d be false and, frankly, a little weird. We’re humans, and no matter our threshold, pain is pain, and it’ll never be anything but unpleasant.

You are not obligated to achieve in order to belong; you have no quota to fill, and you are far more than your gifts and talents

I think delighting is an attitude; it’s a state of mind and an unshakeable assurance that there are far better things to come than that which we leave behind. Regardless of the pain and torment we may be facing, there’ll come a time when it’ll be nothing but a distant memory, serving as a reminder that we truly are more than conquerors through Christ who strengthens us.

Delighting is a choice. It is choosing to praise, when you feel as if you’re drowning in a sea of pain. It is choosing to get up and try again, when failure shackles itself around your legs and vows to be your captor forever. It is choosing Jesus Christ - especially when you don’t understand the circumstances - because of your confidence in this very thing: that He, who began a good work in you, will see it to completion (Philippians 1:6). And, just as those words serve as an umbrella when the skies are uncertain, I pray that you’ll not only be reminded that this umbrella covers you just as much as it does me, but also be bold in consistently choosing to look upwards, regardless of the weather. I pray that you’ll be grounded in the irrefutable knowledge that His promises are neither empty, nor are they void. He loves you. He’s for you, and He’s a sure foundation that’s both unbreakable and immovable.

VANESSA KARERA

Assistant Youth Worker

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 90 • February / March 2018

Photos supplied by Roy McEwen & Priscilla Olivia Mesaque

2017 NEW YEARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EVE CELEBRATIONS @ ECC - One family of many nations CALL FOR PRAYER ON 020 8799 2199

* PRAYER CENTRE OPEN 24 HOURS/DAY 7 DAYS/WEEK