Grapevine Magazine by FIONA ECC

rapevine G Ealing Christian Centre

magazine

One family of many nations proclaiming one Gospel through many disciples

Issue 95 DEC 18/JAN 19

www.ecc.org.uk

An Elim Church

GOD IN OUR MIDST

n this edition, you will see many exciting ways that God’s presence is very clearly moving amongst us as a church. New and exciting things are happening in people’s lives, with many testimonies coming in of answered prayer, often born out of trials they had been going through. Out of a test comes a testimony.

When the apostle John, towards the end of his life, had a vision of the resurrected Christ, which John wrote down in the book of Revelation, Jesus chose to appear to him walking amongst His churches, represented by seven golden candlesticks: seven, the biblical number that represents completeness, so therefore the whole church; golden, because His churches are precious, and candlesticks, because they are to bear and portray the light of Christ within them to a darkened world. The vision conveyed the reality that Jesus knows each church individually, and is watching its progress - or lack of it. Each of the seven historical, individual churches He writes His letters to are warned and encouraged that, whatever their local trials and conditions, they must overcome to the end. Even though, geographically, the seven churches were not too far from each other, each local church had its own unique set of circumstances, and was fighting different kinds of spiritual battles - whether it was poverty, heresy, sexual immorality, witchcraft, apathy, complacency or facing persecution leading to death. He charges each church to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to them with the words: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7). The same John, who had the vision recorded in the Book of Revelation several decades earlier, was the disciple who was perhaps closest to Jesus. He opens his Gospel of John with the marvellous experience he recalls having as a young man, of seeing the One who ‘was with God at the beginning’ and ‘through Him all things were made’. The One who was the living Word of God, who had come from the presence of the Father in Heaven, and who ‘… became flesh and made His dwelling among us’. In his first letter, John remains staggered by the memory that he was physically able to touch the Son of God, who was living right there among them.

Secondly, there are many coming forward to offer themselves in different forms of service to the Lord. Four have gone out from the church as long-term missionaries overseas. Others have shown a passion to serve the Lord locally, as local ambassadors for Jesus.

In the same way today, Jesus has a distinct purpose for each local church, and manifests His presence in a very real and equally staggering way by the power of the Holy Spirit among us. In ECC, as an international church of many nations, we have always felt our particular calling as an individual church includes focusing on the Great Commission to preach the Gospel to all nations, and to plant churches, baptise, make disciples, move in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, seeing the sick healed and deliverance take place, in Jesus’ Name.

Thirdly, we are always actively looking at how to plant more local churches, including reaching the many different ethnic groups, who make up our local community. The blessing of being situated in Ealing is that we can also fulfil the Great Commission to reach the nations, by going to the nations who live in our area. This happens as individuals from the church come to us with a passion to reach a particular people group, which is usually their own, and we can look to see how we can help them do so, with a church plant in mind when the time is right.

Jesus knows each church individually, and is watching its progress - or lack of it

Fourthly, many signs, wonders and miracles have been taking place through the year, in all kinds of circumstances - some being provision, others being healing. These range from terminal cancer being healed, to the healing of eyes and limbs. And, as other churches are hearing of what we do, with everything underpinned by our strong emphasis on prayer, it is inspiring them to seek to do likewise.

“

As we look back over the past year, the evidence of the presence of God amongst us as a church is manifold, and some of those experiences are featured in this edition. First, and most importantly, every week we have been seeing people respond to the gospel appeal, with over 120 such responses for salvation or rededication in the last six months alone. Many were baptised recently, and more are waiting to become baptised.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

Contents INTERVIEW WITH KAI PLUMMER-WALROND

Jesus has a distinct purpose for each local church, and manifests His presence in a very real way

“

Fifthly, the worship ministry of ECC, together with Elim Sound, headed up by our Worship Director, Pastor Sam Blake, has been used by God to minister in everincreasing significant ways and events, both at home and abroad. As in the seven churches in the Book of Revelation, Jesus still walks amongst His churches. He still says to each one: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” He still encourages each local church - and the members in them - to overcome, whatever the local trials or challenging experiences may be unique to them, or shared with other local churches. Above all, we want to fulfil God’s purpose for us collectively as an individual church, individually as members of it, and also as part of the whole Church of Jesus Christ worldwide, comprising all born-again believers who seek to advance the Kingdom of Christ wherever they can. God’s presence amongst us is here to enable us to fulfil the words of Jesus: “You are the light of the world - a city on a hill. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

Richard Buxton Senior Minister

ELIM SOUND AROUND THE WORLD JESUS HEALED A HOLE IN MY EYE by Barrington King HEALED OF HAIR LOSS DESPAIR by Marianna Barbetta PRACTICAL TRUTHS by Roy McEwen

WEEKLY MEETINGS WHAT WE BELIEVE FELLOWSHIP & CONGRATS compiled by Sharon Grant EXPERIENCING GOD’S GRACE by Mercy Ibidapo FAITHFUL by Vanessa Karera BAPTISMAL SPECIAL

ASIAN EVENING Editor-in-Chief: Senior Pastor Richard Buxton Editor : Berean Services UK Email: bereanservicesuk@gmail.com Photography: Roy McEwen plus various contributors from ECC Cover photo: Walter Chávez on Unsplash 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.

IN PICTURES

10 11 12 13

Talking about his role as Young Simba, The Lion King

by Pastor Sam Blake GOD’S MIRACULOUS HEALING by Beatrice Brian MY THORN IN THE FLESH by Marisa Testa 8pp PRAYER DIARY PULL-OUT

20 21

EVANGELISM & PRAYER

22 23

SUNDAY SERVICES

24 25

CLASSIFIEDS

26 27

NO VICTORY WITHOUT

28 29

A PRIVILEGE TO BE CALLED

30 31

compiled

CALENDAR

WHAT’S ON @ ECC

BATTLE by Pastor Alex

by Fiona Abraham

by Pastor Rajinder Buxton

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 FEB/MAR edition is no later than FRIDAY 4th JANUARY 2019.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

SPECIAL FEATURE

Kai PlummerWalrond plays lead role in West End’s ‘The Lion King’

ne of Ealing Christian Centre’s young people, Kai, performs several times a week in the long-running hit musical, The Lion King, at the Lyceum Theatre in London’s West End. We asked him to tell us more about this demanding role for a schoolboy, and about his faith in Jesus. Ealing Christian Centre (ECC): Kai, describe your role in The Lion King and all that is involved in your performance. Kai Plummer-Walrond (KPW): I play Young Simba in The Lion King. I’m very energetic and curious in the show, and get into lots of trouble! I’m on stage for the whole of the first half, and it’s exciting because every show is different. You may be asking how? But that is dependent on the audience’s reaction to anything that happens on stage. Some of you may have seen the movie or the show, so you will know I end up being tricked by my Uncle Scar, and then I run away from Pride Rock. After that, the story is based on Simba’s journey in the wilderness, and how I overcome my inner struggle to assume my rightful position as King of Pride Rock. I hope I have not spoilt it for those of you who have yet to see it! ECC: When did you first start playing this role, and can you describe what you had to do to be given the part?

Photos used by kind permission of ©The Walt Disney Company

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

KPW: I have been playing Young Simba for a year now, and it’s a lot of fun! Disney asked me to stay on, and now I am into my third contract - another six months - which is a testimony to the power of God. The cast, crew and everyone behind the scenes are like family, and the Disney Chaperones really do look after us. I got the part after auditioning with other boys. I remember acting out two scenes: ‘A Day Out With Dad’ and also ‘The Stampede’, and I also had to sing ‘I Just Can’t Wait To Be King’ and ‘Hakuna

SPECIAL FEATURE Matata’. When I was told I got the part, my Mum, Grandma, Grandad and I were so happy. ECC: What do you enjoy most about your performance, and what do you find is the most challenging aspect of it? KPW: My favourite part of The Lion King is the Elephant Graveyard scene. It’s a lot of fun to run about with the hyenas. It’s amazing how the hyenas’ costumes are made, and how they look. They’re awesome! The most challenging part of The Lion King is when I sing ‘I Just Can’t Wait to be King’, because you have to use so much breath, and you have to make sure you can hit those high notes and low notes, and I have to be moving around while I’m singing. So that’s pretty hard. ECC: How old are you, and how do you manage your schoolwork when you’re acting? KPW: I am 11 years old, and I manage my schoolwork by doing my homework at the theatre. When I am not performing on stage, I am covering, so I get a chance to sit down at Lion King and do the work I received on that day. However, if I have the day off, I will stay behind at school and do my work during Homework Club, or I will complete it at home. I stay on top of everything by writing it down in my school planner, and I complete the homework straight away and then tick it off!

“

The Lord has opened up so many doors of opportunities for me, and He can and will do the same for you...

ECC: What do you hope to do in the future? KPW: In the future, I really want to be a ‘triple threat’. For those of you who don’t know what that means, I want to act, sing and dance. Also, if I have the time, I would like to be a doctor or a scientist, because both of these professions actually interest me in different ways. Being a doctor, you get to save lives and that’s amazing. In addition to that, I just love science, because you can do different things, like biology and chemistry. So when I grow up, God willing, I’m going to do movies and films, but being a doctor or scientist would also be great! ECC: You were baptised in water during one of our Sunday services just under a year ago. What made you decide to do that, and how long have you been coming to ECC? KPW: I decided to get baptised when God spoke to me when I was trying to go to sleep. I was saying my prayers and then I heard a noise. I actually heard a noise and then I started having a chat with the Lord, and He was telling me about different things that happened in my life and how my life has turned out, and He told me I need to get baptised. At that point, I was crying and I ran downstairs to tell my Mum, and she said she would talk with the Pastors. I’ve been at ECC for eight years now, and during that time I’ve learnt so much about God through my family and Sunday School lessons. ECC: What does following Jesus mean to you? KPW: I know the Lord means everything for good, and I know if I follow Him He will be my rock that I can stand on. He provides me with the food I eat and my home to enjoy. Being with the Lord has given me the strength to do many things. He has blessed me with my gifts, talents and abilities, and it’s all for the honour and glory of His heavenly Name. When Jesus says “Yes”, nobody can say “No”. He has opened up so many doors of opportunities for me, and He can and will do the same for you - just be willing to share your testimonies. ECC: What impact do you think Christians can make in the

performing arts? KPW: I think Christians can make a big impact in the performing arts, through being an ambassador for God. Our life, the way we act, alongside the things we say and the way we carry ourselves is a way to represent the Lord. We have been blessed to have a platform, and this is sometimes the closest that people will come to seeing what life is like as a Christian. Therefore, God can use performers mightily through their careers to touch lives and make a difference in society. At first, people may only be interested in the performer as a role model, but as they come to know they are Christian, I believe that changes over time, and then they will really want to get to know Jesus and to have a relationship with Him. I am so pleased to say I am a Christian, and will always give God all the honour, glory, majesty and the splendour that He deserves. ECC: Do you have any other final comments you would like to make? KPW: If you’re with Christ the Lord, and you believe in Jesus, He can get you through anything, but you have to surrender to Him. A lot of people doubt the Lord, but He keeps His promises. He always gives you what you need rather than what you want! You need to make sure that you are doing things that please the Lord, like obeying your parents; helping your neighbours, and treating people how you would like to be treated. God works in mysterious ways, but if you trust in Him and learn from your mistakes, He is just, and His unconditional love means He will never forsake you.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

SPECIAL FEATURE

FROM WEST LON AFRICA ...

The sound of Elim and

he past few months have been a journey and a half! Starting a stone’s throw from ECC, at TBN in Willesden, the adventure of saying “Yes” to God has opened up a multitude of opportunities to lead God’s people and see God at work in a number of different nations and settings. Sometimes we are called to go, other times we are called to stay, but wherever we find ourselves we are called to serve God and His people.

TBN Praise from London Recording, Willesden Just before the summer started, I was invited to take a team to record a worship session that would be broadcast around the world on the TBN network. With the TBN studios being so close, it was an obvious choice to take some of the ECC Worship team to help me.

Watoto Church, Uganda

After an exciting conversation with Pastor Richard, about how my involvement with Elim Sound as the National Director was growing, I said to God that I would accept my next invitation to go on missions. Within a matter of weeks, an unexpected opportunity arose, to go to Uganda to teach, lead worship and minister on the Watoto Worship Camp. Watoto is a church of over 30,000 members in Kampala, Uganda. It also runs a touring choir, community outreach programmes, and looks after thousands of orphans. Watoto has well over 3,000 children in their care, who live in three Watoto villages. Each child receives spiritual, pastoral and practical love and care through Watoto. The Watoto choirs (made up of the children) travel the world telling others of God’s love, and how they have been rescued by grace. These travels give them the incredible opportunity of seeing the wonderful world that God has created! Through the worship school, over 1,000 children have received music training. As a skilled musician, worship leader and educator, I had the privilege to share, grow and resource future worship leaders and musicians, and contribute towards raising a generation of worship leaders to serve in the local church that will impact the nation and nations. In the Songwriting session, we wrote six songs, one of which was recorded and played in the main church on Sunday morning!

Spring Harvest, France

Spring Harvest is a worship and teaching event for the whole family, and exists to ‘equip the Church for action’. The main event is held over Easter in the UK, and sees around 30,000 Christians gather to celebrate Jesus and strengthen their faith through worship, biblical teaching and the ministry of Holy Spirit and prayer. The French Connection is their summer expression of the Easter event, and is non-denominational and evangelical.

RiverCamp, Evesham

ECC and Elim Sound have been long-standing partners with RiverCamp - Elim’s largest family camp in the UK. I can remember first going, expecting the site to be next to a river, so when I found it on the top of a hill, I then realised that the river was referring to the river of God’s Holy Spirit. Encountering God is very much at the heart of the event, and knowing the Father’s love and our identity as children of God. This emphasis really makes the camp a perfect place to hear God in a safe environment, allowing you to appreciate the strength and beauty of family. God reminded us of His promises with an incredible rainbow appearing over the tent where we were meeting, and over the campsite!

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

One of the families that attend Watoto Church

The Team - UK & Uganda

UK and Beyond Conference, Birmingham Partnering with a church in New Zealand called ‘Church Unlimited’, I was asked to lead the worship for their first ever UK conference. Church Unlimited is the home church of David and Greta Peters, who are regular visitors to ECC, and their Senior Pastor, Tak Bhana, has a real heart for leadership, prayer and evangelism. J.John and Mike Pilavachi were also speakers at the conference. 27 members of the church paid their own way to come (from New Zealand!) and serve at the conference!

NDON TO CENTRAL EAST . AND BACK AGAIN

SPECIAL FEATURE

d ECC is echoing around the world Worship Team Retreat, Ashburnham Place, Sussex

Our Worship team work very hard throughout the year: personal practice, regular rehearsals, along with often being the first to the meeting to set up and sound check. We thought we would like to take them away to rest, recoup and spend time together and with God. The worship retreat at Ashburnham was perfect! With some powerful teaching, worship session and even worship around the campfire on Saturday night, there was something for everyone!

“

“Early morning prayer walk was awesome. Meditating on His Word, worshipping Him, admiring His beautiful creation…then my God spoke.” Chris Adjah “Ashburnham Retreat was the place of rest, and it was amazing, basking in the presence of the Lord.” Grace Nartey

Spring Harvest Local Tour

‘Unlimited: When You Pray!’ is the theme for a three-week local tour. I was invited to lead the third week, which went to Coventry, Woking and Canterbury. It was lovely to have our very own Rebecca Scott on the team, as we went from place to place, meeting new people and leading them into a full expression of corporate worship. On Saturday morning, we worked with the Saltmine Theatre Company to put on a child-friendly production that taught them about prayer and encouraged them to pray. It was set in a classroom, the worship band were the school band, and it gave us some great photos!

Dominion Centre, Wood Green

Bringing it almost full circle, the team and I found ourselves in North London. We have had a good connection with Pastor Sam OheneApraku, his wife Betty and the church family at Dominion Centre. So when I was asked to bring a team to lead worship, we took a good number of our worship leaders from ECC, along with Caleb Blake, Daniel Scott and Joel Hampton (our new intern) as the band. Pastor Sam was celebrating his 60th birthday that same weekend, and it was a testimony to see and hear of God’s faithfulness.

“

“It was an outstanding display of God-given talent, and a fine example of how to honour a man (Pastor Sam Ohene-Apraku) who has devoted his life to serving others.” Joel Hampton

“

“It was a great opportunity to go out as a team and serve in another church. It reminded me that we are not just part of the ECC Worship team, but also part of the Kingdom’s worship team.” Cluny Wiecki

Elim Sound National Worship Conference, Birmingham

Elim Sound has a number of firsts on the horizon. Our first National Worship Conference took place on 2nd-3rd November at Birmingham City Church. This has been a dream of ours for the past eight years, believing we were to create a national space for uninterrupted worship and training. We had over 25 ECC team members join with over 450 worshippers from all over the UK to raise a voice of worship and prayer that lasted from 8pm Friday until 1am Saturday morning. Saturday started with worship and a keynote address from Pastor Chris Cartwright, Elim’s General Superintendent, and then most part of the day was spent in break-out training sessions.

“

“It was amazing to be surrounded by people with a heart for worship!” Jade Owusu-Yianomah “The first Elim Sound Worship Conference was incredible! It was an authentic and beautiful time spent worshipping Go as one family, whilst also learning and having the space to develop our gifts and to gain insight from our leaders.” Priscilla Mesaque

What’s next for 2019?

As we look out at the need within Elim Global, we see a need to train and equip our worship teams in the prophetic, their musicianship, songwriting and leadership. There are a number of places where we believe that God is taking Elim Sound. I will not be going to all of them, but sometimes sending some of my core team. The first missions trip is to India, which both Rachel and I will be going to for 11 days, in February, to minister alongside our National Leadership Team in three regions. Both Rachel and I would value your support and prayers, as we are leaving our children and have a full itinerary! Other places Elim Sound will be going to include the Philippines, France, Brazil and Kenya, and possibly back to Uganda. As I reflect on the beginning of 2018, I remember the seven international worship leaders, whom we invited to the UK for the Global School of Worship. An invitation to equip and train each of them has grown into these opportunities for us to go and see many encounter God’s love, forgiveness, healing and freedom, through powerful worship moments as we join in unity.

Pastor Sam Blake

Music & Worship Director

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

TESTIMONY REVIVAL & HEALING MEETING

Jesus healed a hole inside my eye A

s I was writing this testimony, I wanted to shout “Hallelujah!” because of the miracle the Lord Jesus has done in my life.

It all started when I went for my eye check-up through work. The majority of my time is spent in the office on the computer and, every two years, as part of departmental guidance, I have to have a Display Screen Equipment (DSE) check-up. So I went for my eye test on 26th April this year, and was told by the eye specialist (in Boots Opticians) that there was a small dot, a hole, at the back of my left eye, and I was referred to see my GP. I went to my GP on 16th May, and was given a letter to see the Eye Community Ophthalmology Service in Oakland Medical Centre on 6th July, which also confirmed there was a small hole at the back of my left eye. This was serious, as in the long term it could cause blindness. On the Sunday, 8th July, I came to the Revival and Healing meeting, and Pastor asked for anyone with eye problems to raise their hands, to be prayed for there and then in their seats. I claimed my healing. People were also asked to come forward

My encouragement to you is: take a leap of faith ... Believe in the Lord Jesus for your miracle - whatever it is.

for prayer and, initially, I was going to ask for prayers for myself but, because I am part of the Ministry team, I was praying for other people with eye problems instead. While praying for others, the Lord had healed my left eye, but it was a test of my faith to then believe the work had been completed instantly. On Saturday 4th August, I had a follow-up appointment with the Ophthalmology team at Hillingdon Hospital. After several examinations, the eye consultant appeared confused, so I asked him whether everything was OK. He confirmed: “I can’t see anything. You’re discharged.” I began to worship and give the Lord thanks for healing me. I didn’t care that people were watching me outside in the streets, because the Lord deserved to be praised. Glory to God! My encouragement to you is: take a leap of faith. Hebrews 11:1 says ‘Now faith is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not seen.’ Believe in the Lord Jesus for your miracle - whatever it is. The Lord healed me and wants me to share this testimony. Jesus is real and never fails. When Jesus heals, you’re 100% healed. Hallelujah! To God be the glory!

Barrington King

CHRISTMAS HOURS

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

The ECC office will be closed from 25th December to 1st January inclusive, and reopen on 2nd January.

TESTIMONY REVIVAL & HEALING MEETING

God’s miraculous healing saved me from blindness

woke up one morning and realised that everything I was seeing through my right eye was brown. The paper was brown. Everything was brown. Even white paper looked brown. I was so surprised and very concerned about my eye, so I went at once to the GP to have my eye checked. They referred me to St Mary’s Hospital and said I must go straightaway. I did, and arrived there at midday. There were six doctors I saw that day, everyone testing my eye. I went from room to room. Then they asked me to go to the Imaging department to get an x-ray done. I was even given an injection before I had a blood test which made me feel very unwell. A diagnosis was made, and after these tests the doctor made a call to a specialist in Manchester, who said I had a leakage in the brain! The fluid from the brain had been seeping into my eye and that was why everything I saw through that eye looked brown.

regarding your condition, with the leakage of fluid from your brain into your eye.” She examined my eye, then looked very surprised. “From my examination, I can see there is no leakage in your brain at all. The leakage from your brain has stopped. I have never before seen anything like this happen, where a leakage has stopped on its own. We shall send you the result in two weeks’ time. As for the fluid still floating around in your eye, we shall call you in to pump it out.” Praise God. I didn’t need any pumping out of the fluid, as the fluid dispersed all by itself after two weeks. Whenever I looked at anything, the brownness wasn’t there anymore. White paper now looked white, and there was no more brownness. Jesus has miraculously healed me of this leakage.

Beatrice Brian

The doctor then told me: “Nothing can be done at present. You will need to come back in six weeks, and we shall let you know what the next move will be.” I was disappointed, because I had gone through so many tests already, and I was starting to even get blind in my left eye as well. I requested some ointment or eye drops to help me see, but the doctor refused and said to come back after six weeks. During those six weeks I continued going to the prayer meetings, but going out of the house was a great struggle as I could only see brown in my left eye. I decided to attend the Revival and Healing meeting that month for prayer - exactly six weeks before my appointment with the doctors. The appointment took place at the Chelsea Hospital. I was there for four hours, and once again I was tested with different machines and examined by six doctors. The final doctor told me: “I am going to examine you and my results will be the conclusive results

Aanu mugs and bookmarks are available to buy from the ECC Office. ALL proceeds go to the Aanu Foundation. GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

TESTIMONY TRUE LIFE STORY

HEALED OF HAIR LOSS DESPAIR

Marianna Barbetta

shares her testimony of being healed of alopecia areata

“A

few months ago, as I was brushing my hair, I suddenly noticed clumps of hair were missing from my head. I was shocked. I had three patches of bald scalp: two on the back of my head and one on the front right-hand side. One was a little bigger than a cherry and the others a little bigger than an apricot. The skin where the hair was missing appeared white, as if burnt. There were no more follicles for regrowth! And I was missing some eyelashes as well.

Christ can heal me. Tomorrow evening, God willing, I will go to church and ask for anointing oil, and God will heal me.”

I rushed to the hospital. The doctor who examined me said: “Hum... Alopecia areata...” Full of worry I asked him: “What does that really mean? Can I have a cure, please?” He said firmly: “Unfortunately, there is no cure for this kind of baldness. In a very short time, you will lose all your hair and it will never grow back!” I replied: “But that’s impossible! It’s 2018, there has to be a cure for this alopecia!” The doctor replied: “No, we have none! We can help, but we don’t know what causes it.” He recommended a shampoo, and gave me a dermatologist to contact (who would cost £500) and added, “I cannot guarantee results.”

On Sunday 18th February, I went to church, quickly showed my bald scalp, and asked for prayer and anointing with oil. During the service, the preaching confirmed the same verse I had read. Afterwards I went forward for prayer. As oil was put on my head, the pastor said: “In Jesus’ Name, I break the curse that is on your life! Your curse has turned into blessing, and your mourning into joy!”

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system, for unknown reasons, starts to wrongly attack your own body’s hair follicles. You can lose all the hair on your head (alopecia totalis) or entire body (alopecia universalis). I bought the shampoo the doctor prescribed, and put the dermatologist’s details in my bag, but I never used that shampoo, nor phoned that dermatologist. I came home very sad. Relatives and friends suggested I wear a wig(!). Once home, I locked myself in my room and prayed: “My Lord, You are God. You are the Maker of the heavens, the earth and all living things. You are the Maker of my body as well. Do a miracle for me in such a way that on Sunday, my director at work will give me permission to go to church, so I can ask for anointing oil, and may Your favour be upon me. Heal me, in Jesus Christ’s Name, I pray.” That was Friday 16th February 2018. I took a photo of my scalp, and sent it to my director. He said: “Oh dear, how terrible for you. Do rest and do all you can, and you will be better.” I answered: “There is no solution for alopecia areata, but I believe that Jesus

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

Before I went to church, I opened my Bible and read Jeremiah 31:13 - “Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together, for I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and give them joy for the sorrow.” God was talking to my heart.

In that moment I felt the touch of Jesus on my head, the Holy Spirit was there. I was on my knees crying and asking for God’s forgiveness for anything I’d done that could have displeased Him. I recommitted my life to Him, with tears were streaming down my face. I returned home with great peace in my heart. I knew Jesus had touched and healed me. From that moment, my hair stopped falling out. My bald patches remained the same size, but no other strands fell out. A few days later, I was brushing my hair, searching with my fingers for the bald patches at the back of my head, but I could only feel my hair. So, on the Tuesday, I decided to share my testimony at church that my scalp was now full of hair, except for just one bald patch that was still on the right hand side. I thought maybe God decided to leave it there as a reminder for me to testify about it, and to remind me about what Jesus has done for me. So every morning I was brushing my hair and looking at that patch. But one day I woke up, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. In one night, the hair on the remaining bald patch had grown more than 1½ centimetres! And the day after, those strands were all the same length as the rest of my long hair! Praise the Lord! The Holy Spirit is working in my life! Once again I have experienced how great our God is!

TESTIMONY TRUE LIFE STORY

“My ‘thorn in the flesh’ lasted 20 years” Marisa Testa shares

how she was healed after 20 years

“B

ack home in Brazil, in 1998, I developed a severe allergy, with hay fever-like symptoms, but 100 times worse. Since then, I had been suffering crisis after crisis, taking antihistamines on a daily basis, as this wasn’t a seasonal condition. The symptoms were very disturbing: running nose, sneezing, itchy eyes, leading to accelerating heartbeat, anxiety and emotional disturbances. I’d lost count of how many times I had been to the doctors, how many injections, how much money had been spent on medication, and how much prayer I’d received. Over the past 20 years, I had moved to different countries, but the condition - “the thorn in my flesh” - always followed me. Five months earlier, I became pregnant and, for the sake of my twins, I had to stop taking the medication that had been helping to control the crises and ease the symptoms. Unfortunately, the symptoms worsened because of the pregnancy, which the doctor said was a normal occurrence for some women. I started to beg Jesus to heal me. I always referred to the passage where He healed the bleeding woman (or ‘the woman with an issue of blood’), found in the Gospels (Matthew 9:20–22, Mark 5:25–34, Luke 8:43–48). That woman suffered her condition for twelve years, and I’d had mine for 20. My situation was getting so desperate –the pregnancy combined with the severe allergy crises - I even asked Jesus to take me. I just didn’t know what to do any more, as I couldn’t take the very strong prescribed medicine to help ease my symptoms. On Friday 22nd June, I finally reached rock bottom. The crises had started the moment I woke up at 5.00am to go to work, and remained until 10:00pm. I even had to leave work early that day, as I was feeling so bad. The crises returned the following day, and also on the Sunday, when I woke up in the middle of the night, around 3.00am with another crisis. My husband was away on an emergency trip to Brazil and, as I sat down on my bed, alone, I started to cry. Then I thought: ‘I will ask Pastor Rajinder to pray for me this morning. I believe God can use her

to heal me.’ And so I did. She prayed for me and gave me a prayer cloth anointed with oil (see Acts 19:11-12), which I put under my pillow. It is Jesus who has the power to heal - not a person or a piece of cloth. However, God chooses to use people, and used different elements to heal and perform miracles, for example, the mud Jesus applied on the blind man’s eyes. Since that Sunday, 24th June, I haven’t had another allergy crisis. Praise Jesus, who heard my crying, delivered me, and set me free. I still have a few sneezes in the morning, but there’s no more waking up in the middle of the night, or waking up in the morning with crises. No more anxiety. God is good and there is a time for everything. When I look back, 20 years is not the same as 20 days, and I am not sure why it took so long for God to heal me. The only thing I know for sure is that God is sovereign, and I never stopped trusting or having faith that one day He would set me free. The day has come, praise the Name of the Jesus. To Him be all honour and glory forever. Praise the Lord for His love and mercy!

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

PRACTICAL TRUTHS

How to Understand Authority

he Holy Spirit, when doing God’s bidding, doesn’t enquire of the Pope at the Vatican, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the general superintendents, nor church or Cell leaders. The Holy Spirit doesn’t ask them what to do, whom to commission to do the work, or whom to send. In every age including ours -the people making up the status quo are always shocked by the people God chooses. Be encouraged. Cain clearly didn’t think too much of Abel, and neither were Mr (Jacob) Israel’s 11 other sons OK with learning that Joseph was going to rule over them... They summarily packed him off into slavery. However, we see the opposite in Prince Jonathan, son of Saul the king and heir to the throne of Israel. At some point during their friendship, it was revealed to Jonathan that David was going to be king. Jonathan even said as much: “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this” (1 Samuel 23:17). Jonathan proved, without a shadow of doubt, that he was a man of God. Imagine, you are the legitimate heir, the throne is yours, and God reveals it’s actually going to bypass you... and go to your best mate. A ruffian at that, and your dad hates him. Come on, take the mask off for one moment. In Jonathan’s shoes, you would, at the very minimum, cry out to God asking “WHY?”, wouldn’t you? But, like Jonathan, once you’d got used to the idea, you’d probably start planning your place in the court of the new, because surely if God doesn’t want me to be king, and my best mate’s the king, I’ll still be in the mix… Yes, I’m OK with that! This is spiritual authority in practice. Could you accept an assignment that may be different from your default projection? Could you spiritually discern whether it was a God-assignment, and not the enemy trying to divert you from your path? It’s important to remind ourselves of this fact in the midst of doing church-life: it’s our God who gives us assignments. It’s God’s authority we are under.

“

Imagine, you are the legitimate heir, the throne is yours, and God reveals it’s actually going to bypass you... and go to your best mate. 12

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

Also, remember there’s a massive difference between your ‘assignment’ and ‘being commissioned’. They are not the same thing. Our pastor will commission us, but the assignment comes from God. Samuel anointed (commissioned) David to be king, long before he actually became king. Joshua was commissioned by Moses, then was given the assignment to cross over into the Promised Land. In all the above experiences, God didn’t seek permission from or consult with the prophets or great holy men who were living on earth at the time, and there’s a good reason why God doesn’t consult holy men and church leaders today either. God looks at the heart, but all men, including great men of God, cannot help but look at the outward. Take Samuel, for instance. He was one of the greatest prophets, yet if the decision had been his, he would have anointed the wrong son...! ‘When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought: “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”’ (1 Samuel 16:6-7). And that was Samuel! Remember, this was the boy promised to God before he was born, and his mother fulfilled that promise to God. Remember, this is same Samuel who literally heard God call him by name. ‘The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and He let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground’ (1 Samuel 3:19). Our God doesn’t consult our very great and honourable leaders - no matter how spiritual they are - on whom He selects. So when God selects you and gives you an assignment, you have to get on with it. Share it with your church leaders, so you can be commissioned to “go”. Then GO. Be encouraged.

ROY McEWEN

www.Praying.Works

January 2019

PRAYER DIARY

n this most personal of Paul’s letters, he reveals that following Jesus is not a choice that leads to a life of ease and comfort in this world. We need to get this life in perspective, understanding it is a very brief time when compared to the eternity that awaits us. Any troubles or difficulties we experience in this lifetime pale into total insignificance compared with the glory that is to come for those who are in Christ Jesus. There is nothing more important than pursuing our relationship with Jesus and allowing the Holy Spirit to help us grow spiritually. Now is the day when we can find, experience and grow in, God’s salvation and his divine favour, if we make the right choices. In a world where we do not have to go looking for troubles, as they will come to us, there are ways that followers of Jesus can avoid bringing hardships on themselves. So, Paul tells us, do not choose to yoke yourselves together with unbelievers who will pull you down spiritually. Instead separate yourselves from the activities of ungodliness. Do be generous with your earthy possessions and money and ‘... excel in the grace of giving’ out of a willing, generous heart, for this will bring its own rewards and be a blessing to others and to ourselves. We will reap in accordance with the generosity that we sow. Avoid dissensions, quarrelling and sexual immorality and all other activity that is self-defeating and destructive. We live in a spiritual battle and are surrounded by falsehood, even within the church where false apostles and teachers may appear. Paul had more than his share of problems with such people both in and outside the church in Corinth. He even tells us of his ‘thorn in the flesh’ which he realised was from ‘a messenger of Satan.’ This we need to be aware of, ‘… for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.’ 2 Corinthians 11:14-15. So, he says, we must be aware of and use effectively the spiritual weapons we have. ‘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. So as we use our spiritual weapon of prayer to pray through these passages this month, we remember that though living in a difficult world, God has placed at our disposal the spiritual resources we need, not only to stand our ground but to advance and overcome, during this present time which is God’s day of salvation and of his favour, to those willing to avail themselves of it.

1 2 Corinthians 6:1-2

Now is the day of salvation 1. Send a new sense of urgency in your church to be obedient to the Great Commission to reach the lost 2. Pour out your divine favour on every aspect of evangelism as we seek to win non-christians to Christ, we pray 3. Holy Spirit, pour out your divine favour on every occasion we each seek to individually lead people to salvation in Christ 4. We pray your favour would bring much fruitfulness in all the evangelism through the discipleship cells, O God 5. Move in power, Holy Spirit, on all those who witness and pray for people on the streets, bringing them to salvation in Christ and healing the sick 2 Corinthians 6:3-13 Overcoming adversity 1. Lord, help us to see adversity as an the opportunity to grow and to hear you speaking to us, rather than as an obstacle that demoralises us and causes us to be defeated 2. Cause us to remember that Christ who is in us is greater than the devil who is in the world and as a

consequence to stand up to and overcome every attack of the enemy 3. For all those in the church who are suffering trials at this time for whatever reason, keep them strong and experiencing your joy and peace in the midst of their difficulties 4. For all those non-christians we know who are experiencing severe trials at this time, help us to come alongside them and show them the Saviour they need 5. We pray you would sustain and help rise above their trials all believers around the world who are suffering at this time for their faith in Christ 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 No ungodly yokes 1. Give us wisdom and discernment in our dealings with non-believers, so we are the ones who lead and not the ones who are led by those who have totally different values 2. For all those in the church who are seeking a husband or a wife, give them the wisdom, grace and patience to wait for the person you send 3. For all those believers who are married to an unbeliever, help them in their spiritual lives and

give them favour and grace in their relationship 4. We pray for wisdom in our dealings in our workplace so that we may be led by our Spirit-anointed consciences and not by what may seem expedient at the time 5. Help us to live lives that are holy, whether in our homes, church, our workplace or in our neighbourhoods and communities 2 Corinthians 7:1-7 Encouraging one another 1. Help us always to see first the good in others before seeing their weaknesses and help us to encourage them to develop their strengths 2. We pray that you would enable us to be glad at the good fortune of others and not be resentful 3. Give us the mind that desires to see others built up, even if it is hard work on our part in encouraging them in that way 4. Teach us O Lord, to be givers first in all we do, rather than merely receivers 5. Help us to realise the spiritual benefit to ourselves in seeking to build up others, namely that it

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

Now is the time of God’s favour and now is the Day of Salvation 2 Corinthians - Chapters 6 to 13

PRAYER DIARY

causes us to grow also as we seek to help others to grow 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 Godly sorrow leads to repentance 1. Lord, help us to continually examine our own lives to see what may need to be changed so that we can grow in Christ and not remain stuck in spiritual immaturity 2. Holy Spirit keep your fire burning within our hearts and forgive us for any times of lukewarmness or apathy in our relationship with you; 3. Lord, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us 4. For any person to whom we may have been harbouring resentment or anger, we pray for your grace to be able to release them right now and bless them 5. Bring, O Lord, all the unbelievers we know and are praying for, to the place of godly sorrow, that will lead them to repentance and faith in Christ 2 Corinthians 7:11-16 Maintaining a good testimony 1. O Lord, if there is anything in your church that needs changing because it is not pleasing to you, reveal it, bring conviction and cause there to be a change 2. Let the fire of the Holy Spirit burn ever more brightly amongst us, O God, causing there to be a refining as all ungodliness is burned up 3. Cause such a high level of integrity to be in your church, Holy Spirit that you feel free to move in power within us as individuals and amongst us as a body 4. Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer 5. Light a fire of revival in our midst, O Lord, that will burn so brightly that many will be turned to Christ and be radically changed by the power of the Holy Spirit 2 Corinthians 8:1-4 Giving motivated by love 1. Lord, help us to have the priorities of the Kingdom of Heaven rather than the priorities of the world 2. Lord, teach us to give 3. We pray that we may not be afraid to give to you and your work, O Lord, being motivated by trust and faith and not by anxiety and fear 4. Lord, help us to live out the truth that

January 2019 8

if we seek first your kingdom and righteousness you will provide all we need, no matter how generous we are in our giving 5. Remembering you gave us your all when you gave us Jesus, heavenly Father, move our hearts to generously return something back to you as we give to your work 2 Corinthians 8:5-7 Giving to God first 1. Lord, like the poor widow who gave you all she had, help us to be people who measure what we give by how much we retain after we have given 2. Give us the grace to bring you a tithe of all we have, O Lord and to enjoy the blessings that accompany our giving 3. Teach us how to excel in giving just like the Macedonian churches blessed the apostle Paul by excelling in giving 4. Give us minds that understand the reality of eternity and the temporary nature of the present life, so we can give in a way that leads to eternal consequences 5. Lord, may we have no other gods before you, including Mammon 2 Corinthians 8:8-12 Willingness to give 1. Give us willing hearts to give financially to you, O Lord 2. Give us willing hearts to give of our time to you and your kingdom, O Lord 3. Give us willing hearts, O God, to give ourselves in service for others as examples of Christ 4. Give us willing hearts to give you our best, O Lord, and not our second, third or fourth best or whatever is left over after our own interests have been satisfied 5. Cause us to wait on you to discover our God-given abilities and then give us willing hearts to use those talents for your glory, O Lord 2 Corinthians 8:13-15 Mutual blessing 1. Lord, for those who attend Sunday services but maintain no other form of fellowship with other believers, help them see the mutual benefit of fellowship with others 2. Bless all our discipleship cells and cause there to be a mutual edification for all those who attend 3. As our discipleship cells reach out to the lost cause them to be blessed by seeing unbelievers saved, who in

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

turn will be blessed by salvation 4. As all the men, women and youth discipleship cell leaders sow into the lives of those they lead cause them to be blessed by those they meet together with 5. Lord, as you bless us in so many ways, may we be a people who continually bring a blessing to you also 2 Corinthians 8:16-24 Honour 1. Lord, may we be people of such integrity that we bring honour to the gospel and to our Lord 2. Cause us to be people who are always trustworthy and who can always be relied upon 3. Give us wisdom always in our dealings with and handling of money, so that our testimony is never compromised or tarnished 4. May we be able to say with Paul, “Follow my example as I follow Christ” 5. Let us be a trustworthy people whose “yes” is “yes and whose “no” is “no 2 Corinthians 9:1-5 A heart prepared 1. O God, may we not be people who just talk about what should be done, but rather people who do it 2. May we not be a people, O Lord, who only pray about what should be done, but also a people who will act as well as pray 3. Heavenly Father, let our hearts be like the good soil in the parable of the sower, so our lives produce a harvest of righteousness 4. Help us to make the time daily to spend in your presence, O Lord, so that our hearts are always prepared by all you have to say to us each day 5. Prepare us, O Lord, for whatever work you have for us and give us willing hearts to do all you desire for us 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 Sowing and reaping 1. As we sow in intercessory prayer, may we see the reaping of souls saved, lives changed, the sick healed, and families and communities transformed 2. Cause us to be a people who generously sow financially into your Kingdom and who see a great spiritual harvest as a result 3. Lord, as your people sow financially into you Kingdom, cause them to be blessed financially also as well as spiritually 4. Lord, as we sow into our communities with witnessing and evangelism, bring a great harvest and growth in the church 5. As we sow love to fellow believers, unbelievers and even to those who oppose us, cause us to reap a harvest of love that blesses us both as individuals and as a church

PRAYER DIARY

December 2018 T

he church at Corinth was made up of people from all kinds of backgrounds and nationalities. It was a large city that had a reputation at the time of being a centre of all manner of immorality and ungodly practices. ‘To live like a Corinthian’ was a saying to describe someone with the worst kind of lifestyle. A seaport frequented by sailors and with a huge temple dedicated to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, with its 1,000 priestess prostitutes, it was a challenging place for Paul to establish a church but one that was very strategic because of its size and location for establishing a strong church, Because Paul was working here mainly, not among Jews who would have had a knowledge and moral ethic of the Old Testament, but rather among gentiles who would have known nothing of Biblical knowledge and morality, Paul stayed for an unusually long time by his standards. It was hard work trying to teach them how to live in a way that reflected the ways of God and his glory in such a sinful environment. But God was good and despite their many failings the Holy Spirit was working among them in the use of the gifts of the Spirit. Paul reminds them of the great responsibility followers of Jesus have: ‘For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and to those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?’ 2 Corinthians 2:15-16. We have the ability and commission, to bring people to the place where they can accept and receive eternal life through accepting Christ as Saviour through our witness. Equally when they reject our witness of Jesus, that puts them on the pathway to eternal death. This is a great responsibility. As Paul writes this letter he reveals many personal hardships he has encountered as a follower of Jesus and an apostle. We too will face difficulties. But we should all remember that ‘… we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is Spirit.’ 2 Corinthians 3:18. As we pray this month we are asking to be the effective ambassadors for Jesus he has called us to be, not copying the world’s ways but reflecting God’s ways in an ungodly society Corinthians 1:1-2 1 2Saints in the church

1. Lord as you have called us, in Christ to be saints, convict us of anything in our lives that comes short of your standards for us and cause us to change accordingly 2. When we fail, convict our hearts Holy Spirit, so that when we confess our sin, you faithful and just and will forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness 3. Since you have made us to be saints through our faith in Christ, cause us to live out daily a life as the saints of God, as fruitful witnesses for Jesus 4. Give us hearts that appreciate all you have done for us, Lord Jesus, in clothing us with the righteousness that we receive through the cross 5. May the life and love of Jesus be seen shining out of us at all times whether or not we are using words to do so 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Growing through trials 1. Help us to understand that trials can help us grow spiritually and help us to learn the lessons you teach us through them, without becoming demoralised

2. Give us all the strength we need in times of trial, O God, and help us come out the other side much stronger 3. Since our times of personal suffering can teach us how to empathise with others in their time of need, develop within us that compassion for others 4. Teach us the practical reality of the truth of the words, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” 5. As we pray for all those we know who are suffering for one reason or another, sustain them during this time 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 Relying on God 1. Teach us to put you first in all our ways, O Lord, so that your will and not our personal comfort, is our priority 2. Keep our eyes firmly fixed on our eternal joys beyond this present life, so that we will be able to always rise above every difficulty, no matter how severe 3. Lord deliver us from evil and lead us not into temptation, we pray 4. As we remember your Word that says the sufferings of this present world

are not worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed, give us true sense of perspective and a renewed zeal 5. As we give you grateful thanks for every occasion you have delivered us out of times of trial, may we never forget to be thankful and grateful 2 Corinthians 1:12-14 Holiness in our conduct 1. Enable us to conduct ourselves, not according to the wisdom of this world but at all times in accordance with the wisdom of God 2. Since you have said to us, “Be holy for I am holy”, may your Holy Spirit enable us to continually walk in your ways of holiness in this ungodly world 3. O God, help us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling each day 4. Since you do not want us to withdraw from the world, but to be salt and light in the world, may we not lose our saltiness or hide our light 5. Search us O God, and know my heart; test us, see if there is any offensive way in us and lead us in the way everlasting

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

Reflecting God’s glory in an ungodly society 2 Corinthians - Chapters 1 to 5

PRAYER DIARY

December 2018

Corinthians 1:15-20 5 2Keeping our word

1. Let us be a people who are always so truthful and trustworthy that our “yes” always means “yes” and our “no” always means “no” 2. Since you always keeps your word and hate promise-breaking, O God, cause us always to keep our promises even when it causes pain or discomfort to do so 3. For all those we know who are struggling in their marriages, cause them to remember their marriage vows and covenant and to be obedient to you in seeking to resolve their differences 4. In all the duties we have committed ourselves to in your service within the church, cause us to always to carry them out with faithfulness, diligence and sincerity 5. Help us always to act with complete integrity in our places of work, O Lord 2 Corinthians 1:21-24 Standing firm 1. At all times and in all situations, help us to stand firm in you, O Lord, putting on the full armour of God so that we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes 2. Since we have the deposit of the Holy Spirit within us, help us not to forget or neglect the measureless power within us but rather to live in the strength of the Lord 3. Since your Spirit within us is the seal of your ownership of each believer, may we conduct ourselves continually in a manner that befits belonging to a holy God 4. When we feel weak, help us to remember that by totally relying on you we can see our greatest strength released into situations that would otherwise seem impossible 5. Help us to learn to use that spiritual power within us to change us, change others and change the world in which we live 2 Corinthians 2:1-4 The tears of intercession 1. Give us a heart for the lost that will move us to tears as we pray for them and cause our intercessors and Prayer Centre to become increasingly powerful in spiritual warfare 2. Move our hearts to have compassion on the lost, prosper every act of evangelism and make us fruitful soul-winners 3. Cause all our discipleship cells members to be fruitful as they each

seek to win people they meet with to Christ and bring great growth 4. May our church be a place where many people can find a radical new start and a new life in Christ 5. Have mercy as we cry out for our nation being overtaken by sin and turn our nation back to God 2 Corinthians 2:5-8 Forgiveness 1. Lord, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us 2. If there are any people against whom we are holding grudges, convict us, Holy Spirit and help us to forgive them no matter what they have done 3. For any who are spiritually crippled by harbouring resentment against or blaming you, O God, open their eyes, bring them to the place of repentance and peace of heart 4. If there are any with resentment or unforgiveness against your church, cause them to be a released, with the joy of the Lord, in place of a troubled spirit 5. For any unforgiveness within the families of the church, bring a conviction, Holy Spirit, so that peace and harmony can replace strife and disunity 2 Corinthians 2:9 Obedience 1. As we always remember that “obedience is better than sacrifice”, may we be obedient and live sacrificial lives 2. May we always honour your Word and your ways, O Lord, and not just when it suits us 3. Cause us to be a people who obeys you in deed and not just in word 4. Strengthen us so that we may follow the example of Christ, who, though God, humbled himself to become a man and was obedient even to death on a cross 5. Not our will but your will be done, O God 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 Being aware of Satan’s schemes 1. Give us discerning spirits so that we know in advance those situations that we need to be aware of so that we do not fall into the trap of the devil 2. May our personal time with you, O God, not be taken over by the busyness of life, but may we always find the time and wisdom that comes from prayer and your Word 3. Help us to use our commonsense and not to walk into situations

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

where we will be tempted or which may compromise our christian testimony 4. When we feel under assault from the devil, may we always remember that greater is he who is within us than he who is the world and therefore to overcome every attack 5. Rise up O God and let all your enemies be scattered! 2 Corinthians 2:12-14 Victory in Christ 1. Help us daily to live in your victory over sin, death, the devil and every power of darkness by the cross and resurrection 2. Help us to use the power within us to have victory over every sin in our lives 3. Cause us to use the power within us to be able to overcome every temptation that comes our way daily 4. Enable us to have victory over our old nature and to put it to death every time it seeks to rise up 5. Help us to rise above our circumstances at all times, not letting them weigh us down but instead remembering who were are in Christ and what our glorious destiny will be 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 The Christian as the aroma of Christ 1. By the way we live daily for Christ, may our lives be a sweet-smelling aroma of praise to you, O God, that is acceptable and pleasing in your sight 2. As we carry the presence of Christ in our daily tasks, may we be a beacon of hope to those we meet who do not yet know Christ 3. Help us to be people towards whom unbelievers are attracted because we display the qualities of the Saviour who lives within us 4. Since it is an awesome task to be carriers of the gospel that brings life or death, help us to be equal to the responsibilities you have entrusted us with, O Lord 5. Use us to save the lost so that we may bring them to know the eternal life that comes through receiving Christ as Saviour 2 Corinthians 2:17 Sincerity of heart 1. While the world likes to portray the church as being full of hypocrites, help us to prove them wrong 2. Holy Spirit continue to work within us helping us to become more and more like Christ, giving us pure hearts and pure motives

PRAYER DIARY

December 2018 14

belong to the kingdom of heaven, namely meekness and being poor in spirit 2. May we reflect your glory by hungering and thirsting after righteousness 3. May we reflect your glory by showing mercy and being pure in heart 4. May we reflect your glory by being peacemakers, as the sons of God 5. May we reflect your glory by not giving way under persecution but rather rejoicing that our names are written in heaven 2 Corinthians 3:12-17 Freedom in the Spirit 1. If we are still carrying any sin that is a bondage in our lives cause us now to reject it, repent and to live instead in the freedom of the sons and daughters of God 2. We bring to you all the christians we know who are still feel bound in some way or another and pray for their release, using us to help them if we are able 3. Open the eyes of all non-christians we know who are bound to an ungodly lifestyle that keeps them from coming to Christ and use us to help them find freedom in Christ 4. Free all those in our families bound by drugs, pornography, alcohol, cigarettes or any other habit that is destructive and cause them to have an encounter with you 5. Give a divine encounter to all those we know who are living a morally good life but whose selfrighteousness keeps them from seeking and knowing Christ 2 Corinthians 3:18 Transformed into the likeness of Christ 1. Holy Spirit, make us more like Christ 2. Holy Spirit, by the end of this day make us a step further towards being like Christ than we were at the beginning 3. Holy Spirit renew and transform our minds so that we can fully grasp the utmost importance of becoming more and more like Christ as time goes on 4. Holy Spirit, transform our attitudes, tempers, prejudices, aspects of selfishness and anything else that needs still to change and make us more like Christ 5. Holy Spirit, turn us inside out, upside down, round and round and any other way that will achieve everything you desire us to be

Corinthians 4:1-3 192Renouncing secret and shameful ways

1. We bring before you now in confession, any sins in our lives that are secret to others though not to you, O Lord, and ask your forgiveness 2. We renounce right now every way of the world that is contrary to your ways and we will not be pressured by the world to conform to its ways 3. For any in the church who still have not broken every tie with the occult, bring a conviction, a repentance and a cleansing 4. For any in the church who have still not broken every tie with sexual sins, bring conviction, a repentance and a cleansing 5. Lord come to your church as a refining and cleansing fire that burns up all impurities and allows you to move in the power of your holiness

202 Corinthians 4:4-6

Blind to the gospel by the god of this age 1. We pray for all those we know who are kept from turning to Christ because of their love of the materialism of this world and ask that you open their eyes 2. Save all those we know who are blinded by the god of this age and prefer the pleasures of sin, not understanding the unhappiness to which it will lead them 3. Open the eyes to the truth of those we know who are blinded by the god of this world to trust in evolution and the self-sufficiency of man without the need of God 4. Move us to constantly to intercede and so break down the influence of Satan so we see his kingdom of darkness defeated and many spiritually blind eyes being opened 5. Send a revival to our nation that transforms churches up and down our land that sees the influence of the god of this age be totally loosened on our society 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 Treasures in jars of clay 1. Since you have made us temples of the Holy Spirit, cause us to excel in allowing the Spirit of God to work through us in any way he chooses 2. Cause us to overflow with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control 3. Cause us for your glory to fully exercise the gifts of tongues,

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

3. May our service for you, O Lord, be motivated only by our love for you and for no other fleshly motive 4. May we be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves in this fallen world, O God 5. If we still have one foot in the world and one in your kingdom may we now deal decisively with that situation and be firmly and fully rooted in your kingdom 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 Living letters for Christ 1. As followers of Christ may we lead such openly transparent and sincere lives that anyone looking at us can read the signs that belong to Jesus 2. As a letter can be signed, “Yours faithfully”, may our lives send the same message, that we are faithful followers of Christ 3. As a letter can be signed, “Your obedient servant”, may our lives be openly seen as ones who are obedient servants of the King of all kings 4. As a letter can be signed, “Yours sincerely”, may we be seen by believers and unbelievers alike as genuine and trustworthy followers of Jesus 5. As a letter can be signed, “Yours faithfully”, cause us to be known by all as ones who are constantly faithful in our dealings with people and with God 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 Life in the Spirit 1. Holy Spirit, come and fill us afresh this day to overflowing and out of that overflow may others be blessed by and through us 2. Teach us to walk not in our own strength but in the power of the Holy Spirit so that we will be fruitful and successful in all we do 3. Holy Spirit, develop more and more fully within us the fruit of the Spirit, so we can manifestly demonstrate the character of Christ in all areas of our daily lives 4. Holy Spirit, teach us to ask you for your gifts and the faith to exercise them through us in a way that is a blessing to others and a joy to our Heavenly Father 5. Holy Spirit, guide us this day and every day so that we may accomplish everything you would desire us to accomplish 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 Reflecting the glory of God 1. May we reflect your glory, by showing the Christlike attitudes of those who

PRAYER DIARY

interpretation, prophecy, words of knowledge, and wisdom, discerning of spirits, miracles, healings and faith 4. Help us to know how to get out of your way so that your power may be seen strongly in our weakness, we pray 5. Fill us a fresh with your Spirit today and help us live and move in the power of the Holy Spirit 2 Corinthians 4:13-15 Speaking with the spirit of faith 1. Lord, give us the faith to believe you can turn our nation back to you once more and give us the determination not to cease interceding until we see it happen 2. Quicken our faith to believe that each of us will lead many to Christ as we witness to them as we seek a harvest of souls to be saved in the church 3. Quicken our faith to believe that we will see the sick healed and the bound set free as we speak healing and miracles into the church right now 4. Quicken our faith to believe that you have called each one of us to be ministers for Christ, who can each do significant things for you beyond what we could imagine 5. By faith we speak revival in the church that will change us, our neighbourhood, our city and our nation 2 Corinthians 4:16—18 Fixing our eyes on that which is eternal 1. Lord keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus at all times and in all circumstances 2. Help us not to be so focussed on the here-and-now that we forget we have eternal life and are destined to spend eternity in the presence of our God 3. As we grow physically older, help us to be growing spiritually stronger, wiser and more powerful and effective in our living for you and service for you 4. Cause us to keep things in perspective and not to faint, knowing all our troubles in this life are light and momentary when compared to our everlasting life in your presence, O God 5. Help us to encourage ourselves and one another in the Lord to press on so that we may fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith to the end Luke 1:26-38 The Lord’s servant 1. On this Christmas Eve we thank you for your servant Mary’s willingness to suffer disgrace in her service for God and may we be likewise willing 2. As we thank you, heavenly Father, that in Christ, we also are highly favoured of the Lord, may we not forget our privileged position but rather live up to our high calling 3. Regarding our own lives, may we echo the words of Mary: “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said” 4. As we thank you that you are a God of miracles and of the impossible, may we continue to see your miracles at work in our lives and in your church

December 2018 25

5. Thank you Lord Jesus that you have been given a kingdom that will never end and that you call us to reign with you Luke 2:1-20 Treasuring the things of God in our hearts 1. As we remember, Lord Jesus, that you willingly left heaven’s glory to be born as a man in a humble stable to a poor family for our sakes, we worship you 2. We thank you Jesus that though you were rich, you became poor so that we who are poor may be made rich by all you have done for us 3. As the shepherds were excited at all they saw and heard, may we never lose our excitement with all that we have learnt about our wonderful salvation in Christ 4. Bless all those in the family of God, who are today spending time with their families, but especially those who are unable to meet with their families 5. We pray for the unsaved who today are celebrating Christmas without knowing its significance and may unsaved people visit church today, hear the gospel and believe Luke 2:21-40 A blessed family 1. Thank you Lord for your prophetic Scriptures, which reveal the future and confirm the authenticity of your Word 2. Cause all the children in the church may grow up with a thorough understanding of your Word that will be a solid foundation for the rest of their lives 3. Cause our children also to grow up with wisdom and the grace of the Lord upon them 4. Help us help us to reach the children we know who do not get the privilege of hearing your Word either in their homes or in church and their parents for the Lord 5. Help all our teachers to be role models to the children and give wisdom and grace to all the R.E. teachers to reveal your Word to their students 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 Making our goal to please the Lord 1. Put into our minds and lead us, in what you desire for every aspect of our lives, our careers our jobs, what marriage partner, if any, and what areas of service for you 2. Help us to love you with every part of our being: heart, mind, body and soul 3. Cause us to learn how to live by faith and not only by sight 4. May we truly make it our goal to please you, Lord Jesus, at all times and in all circumstances 5. We thank you Lord that we will not be condemned for sin but, on the day we stand before you, may we not be ashamed of any lack of faithfulness in this life

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

5:11-15 282NoCorinthians longer living for ourselves

1. Help us to put to death all desires, plans and ambitions that are not of you, but help us to be led of the Spirit in all these areas 2. Raise up from amongst us and lead men and women into every profession, trade and walk of life to reach all communities for the kingdom of God 3. Raise up from amongst us gifted leaders who can work in all places of influence in the workplace and bring a spirit of godliness there 4. Raise up amongst us gifted men and women who will be led into places of influence in government, both local and national, where they can bring a godly influence 5. As we lay our ambitions on your altar, O Lord, guide us into all the choices we must make with our lives so we are always in the right place at the right time 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 New creations in Christ 1. Since you have saved us from our sin, as new creations in Christ, may we never desire to look back to what we have left behind 2. For all those we know who have looked back and as a consequence have backslidden, convict them and restore them to yourself and the fellowship of your people, O Lord 3. Now that we are new creations in Christ, give us new visions, ambitions and desires that will put us in places where we can be of great influence for godliness 4. Help us to see every situation through your eyes, O Lord, so that we can believe for the impossible 5. As new creations in Christ, we have been given delegated power from Jesus so help us to use it fearlessly, fully, wisely and effectively 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 The ministry of reconciliation 1. For any attending our church who are not yet reconciled to you, as they sit in your presence Holy Spirit and hear your Word cause many to be saved week by week 2. Bring reconciliation to any family members in the church whose relationships may be strained 3. If there are any of your people in the church who are out of fellowship with one another, convict them and let them take the steps to be reconciled 4. Give us a love for the lost that desires to see them saved and reconciled to God 5. May we see an ever-increasing measure of fruitfulness as we seek to reconcile people to God through our witnessing, evangelism and preaching 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 Ambassadors for Jesus 1. As we remember that we are your ambassadors here on earth, help us to live as worthy representatives of the King of kings 2. You have delegated your authority to us to exercise on your behalf, so may we use it wisely and fully as we carry out the Great Commission to preach the gospel to all 3. Just like an ambassador is sent to speak on behalf of the ruler who sent him, enable us at all times to act like ambassadors for Jesus, speaking the words of the Lord 4. Holy Spirit, help us to be like Jesus

5. Here I am Lord, send me!

January 2019 14 2 Corinthians 9:10-15

172 Corinthians 10:7-12

Measuring ourselves 1. Lord, cause us to measure ourselves not against one another but against your standards, and where we fall short to seek to grow more like you 2. Holy Spirit, help us to be honest with our shortcomings and to work together with you to put them right 3. Keep us, O God, from looking down on others but enable us always to see the best in others 4. Let us be a people who always seek to build others up and not tear them down, we pray 5. Cause us to be a faithful people, O Lord, whose only concern is to please you in every way 2 Corinthians 10:13-17 Boasting only in the Lord 1. O Lord, give us the insight to see ourselves as you see us and not as we would like to see ourselves 2. As we live out the life of Christ give us testimonies which we can share with others, to your glory 3. May the chief goal of our lives be to bring glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ 4. May we always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks us to give a reason for the hope we have 5. May the joy of the Lord not only be our strength but also a testimony to many around us of the goodness and greatness of the Lord we love to serve 2 Corinthians 11:1-6 Not being deceived 1. As we pray for all Hindus we know, let them come to a personal knowledge of Christ 2. As pray for all the Muslims we know, let them discover Jesus as their Saviour and God 3. As we pray for all the Sikhs we know, give them a saving knowledge and experience with Christ, O God 4. As we pray for all the Buddhist we know, reveal yourself to them as the one true way of salvation, O Lord 5. As we pray for the atheists and agnostics we know, show them the folly of rejecting you and save them, O Lord 2 Corinthians 11:7-15 Satan masquerading as an angel of light 1. We pray for the salvation of all those we know who are deceived into believing they can make themselves right with God by following religions

2. We pray for the salvation of all those we know who are deceived into following cults 3. Open the eyes to the truth of the gospel of all those we know who are following any aspect of New Age teachings, O God 4. O Lord, cause all those we know who are involved with spiritualism or seeking to contact the dead, to see they are being deceived by the demonic 5. As we pray for all those we know who deal with witchcraft and the occult, open their eyes to who their master really is, before it is too late for them, O God 2 Corinthians 11:16-22 No foolish talk 1. May we be people who use their tongues to edify others and not to talk foolishly, we pray 2. When we lack wisdom, give us the wisdom we need in our conversations, O Lord 3. If we should succumb to coarse talking, convict us, Holy Spirit, so that we may change 4. Deliver us from using any vulgar talk, Holy Spirit, so that we may not grieve you 5. May our tongues be constantly in prayer to you, O Lord and give us the words that you want us to speak to you in prayer 2 Corinthians 11:23-29 Suffering gladly for Christ 1. As we remember that the sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be compared to the glory to be revealed, cause us to always rise above our circumstances 2. Help us to learn whatever lessons you are teaching us through times of suffering, O Lord, so that we may grow stronger through them 3. Lord Jesus, since you suffered greatly for us, keep us from complaining when we suffer but a little 4. Help and strengthen through their trials those we know who are suffering in different ways now, O God 5. Give grace and power in their trials to the suffering church around the world, O Lord 2 Corinthians 11:30-33 Telling the truth 1. Guard our lips from lies, O God 2. Guard our lips from half-truths and any other ways of concealing dishonesty, O Lord

GRAPEVINE magazine â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 95 â&#x20AC;˘ December 2018 / January 2019

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

A harvest of righteousness 1. Lord, cause us always to be a people who seek to bless others 2. Lord, cause us not to be trouble makers but peacemakers, who in turn, experience your peace even in times of trial 3. Lord, as we hunger and thirst after righteousness, cause us to be filled to an overflowing that will also enable us to bless others 4. As we seek to draw closer to you, cause us to excel in living out the fruit of the Spirit, O Lord 5. As we seek to draw closer to you, may we produce a harvest of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that we can use for your Kingdom to grow and to be a blessing to others 2 Corinthians 10:1-4 Demolishing spiritual strongholds 1. Help us, O Lord, to continually use the spiritual weapons you have given to us, namely the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness and the belt of truth 2. Help us, O Lord, to use effectively the shield of faith, the sword of your Spirit and shoes ready to run to spread the gospel 3. Give us insights into the spirit world, O God, that will enable us to foresee demonic plans ahead of time and demolish them through intercession and the weapon of prayer 4. Help us, O Lord, not to be ignorant and unaware of the devices of Satan 5. We ask that all our prayer meetings will continue to grow in spiritual power and overcome all spiritual opposition so there is an open heaven over the church 2 Corinthians 10:5-6 Demolishing arguments 1. Give us wisdom whenever we are witnessing to unbelievers causing us to remember the relevant parts of your Word to lovingly demolish arguments 2. Give us a desire to regularly read your Word so that you, Holy Spirit, can bring to our remembrance the words we need at the right time 3. Give us the grace, O Lord, to be able to talk with all reason about the gospel without being objectionable to those we are speaking to 4. Give us a heart, O God, which loves the person more than wanting to merely win an argument with them 5. Help us all to guard your flock, O God, so that none may be convinced by false arguments and so wander off into error

PRAYER DIARY

3. May we be people of integrity in all that we say, O Lord 4. Cause us to be a people, O God, who can always be trusted to do what we say we will do and refrain from doing what we say will not do 5. In speaking the truth may it always be spoken in love, we pray 2 Corinthians 12:1-6 Revelations from heaven 1. Knowing that we are just passing through this world and will one day be with you in heaven, may we constantly draw encouragement from such knowledge 2. Since you are pouring out your Spirit on all flesh in these last days, pour out your spiritual gifts on your church that they may be used for your glory 3. Send dreams and visions to your people, we pray and also the wisdom to correctly interpret them 4. Speak to us as individuals and as a church, we pray, and cause us to be obedient to every heavenly vision 5. Cause us to be a people who are constantly ‘in the Spirit’ and whose ears are open to all you have to say to us, O Lord 2 Corinthians 12:7-8 A thorn in the flesh 1. For any of us who are experiencing a ‘thorn in the flesh’ give us the same discernment, faith and grace that the apostle Paul exhibited 2. Just as some flowers need to be crushed to release the fullness of their fragrance, help us to realise sometimes the severest trials can allow us to produce the fragrance of Christ to those around us 3. Give us the wisdom to be able to discern a ‘thorn in the flesh’ that is to our benefit, rather than the suffering that is from the devil that requires our act of faith to rebuke it 4. For all those we know whose faith is under great trial because of their current circumstances, give them the grace to see it through, O Lord 5. Teach us how to rest in your grace, O God, without us becoming fretful, anxious or angry 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 God’s power made perfect in weakness 1. Help us not to focus on our weaknesses, O Lord, but on the many possibilities we can achieve through Christ

January 2019

2. Help us to learn how to depend on your strength, Lord, and not on our own abilities no matter how competent we believe we are 3. Since whatever we are able to do, we can do so only because you have given us the ability, O God, teach us to be humble 4. Cause us to be people of such integrity, O Lord, that you can trust us with your power 5. Help us to get out of your way when you want to do something through us, O Lord, so you can accomplish all that you want to do without us our hindering you 2 Corinthians 12:11-13 Signs, wonders and miracles 1. We pray that you would work among us with every sign, wonder and miracle that can be used to bring glory to Christ and be a blessing to others 2. We pray for a greater expression amongst us of the gifts of words of knowledge, words of wisdom and discerning of spirits 3. We pray you would enable us to exercise the gifts of healings, faith and miracles, for your glory and the extension of your kingdom, O Lord 4. We pray for the greater use of the gifts of speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy to build up your church, O Lord 5. Move amongst us with every sign that will cause our church, our borough, our city and our nation to be touched by the Holy Spirit in a move of revival, we pray 2 Corinthians 12:14-18 Not exploiting others 1. May we always be people who seek to give into the lives of others and not merely seek to get from them, we pray 2. May we be a giving people who are always quick to give to those who are less fortunate than ourselves 3. Cause us to be people who have no hesitation to give in order to help others in need whether we deem they are deserving or not 4. May we be a people who when it comes to helping others our left hand does not know what our right hand is giving 5. Cause us to be people who are not a burden to others but rather ones who can bear other people’s burdens

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

2 Corinthians 12:19-21 29 1 Right living

30 1

31 1

1. Keep us from things that would grieve you, Holy Spirit, and should we do so, help us to quickly repent 2. Guard us from quarrelling, jealousy and outbursts of anger, we pray 3. Keep us from factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder, we pray 4. Help us to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace, O Lord 5. Cause our new spiritual nature to always overcome our old fallen nature, we pray 2 Corinthians 13:1-6 Examining ourselves 1. Help us to be careful each day to ensure that we are continuing to walk uprightly in the ways of God 2. Guard us from backsliding, O Lord, and should we do so, give us the grace to acknowledge our position and receive your help to be restored 3. For all those we know who are backsliding, restore them and help us be an encouragement to them, O God 4. Search our hearts this day, Holy Spirit and show us all those areas in our lives you desire to change 5. Forgive us for all those things we have thought, said and done that have not been pleasing in your sight and enable us to move forward in your grace to greater things 2 Corinthians 13:7-14 Aim for perfection 1. Lord, enable us to forget what is behind and to strain forward towards what is ahead of us in Christ 2. Lord, help us to press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenwards in Christ Jesus 3. Help us, O God, to live in accordance with the pattern you have revealed for us in your Word 4. Help us, Lord, to seek to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him 5. Enable us, O God, to stand firm in all situations and to allow you to transform our natures to become more and more like that of Jesus

Evangelism & Prayer @ ECC LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE

EVANGELISM ALL WELCOME

Takes place the Saturday before Sunday Revival & Healing meetings

11am to 1pm

Saturday 8th December

Saturday 12th January

Acton Brentford Chiswick Greenford Hammersmith Hanwell Northfields Northolt Shepherd’s Bush South Ealing Twickenham Uxbridge Wembley West Drayton West Ealing

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

ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THE TEAM

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

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 NO MEETINGS MONDAY 24th DECEMBER TO TUESDAY 1ST JANUARY INCLUSIVE MEETINGS RESUME WEDNESDAY 2ND JANUARY Monday to Friday Morning meetings 10.00am to 12.00pm Annexe Rm 2* EVENing meetings 6.00pm to 7.00pm - Foyer (*accessible from Northfields Avenue)

WEEKLY TUESDAY NIGHT PRAYER MEETING 7.30pm to 9.15pm - Foyer NO MEETING CHRISTMAS DAY OR NEW YEAR’S DAY

MONTHLY REVIVAL & HEALING MEETINGS Bring your family, friends & neighbours Second Sunday evening of every month at 6.30pm Sunday 9th December Sunday 12th January

DELIVERANCE MEETINGS

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 NO MEETING IN DECEMBER Saturday 19th January 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 NO ALL-NIGHT MEETING IN DECEMBER Friday 25th January 2019

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

Note from the Treasurer

Be a good steward

ou can make your donation go further with Gift Aid. Your donation can have an even bigger impact of an additional 25p for every £1 you give to the church - at no extra cost to you. Gift Aid is tax relief on money donated to UK charities. As the Elim Pentecostal Church is a registered charity, it is exempt from income tax on its income, so making donations using Gift Aid will enable us as a charity to reclaim the basic rate tax on the gift. The benefits of Gift Aid to ECC is that every £1 given via Gift Aid is worth £1.25 to ECC – an increase of just over 25%. For example, if you give £100 as your monthly tithe, this increases to £125.00 per month and, over a one year period, your £1,200 of giving increases by £300 to £1,500.00. This significant increase greatly impacts the local church finances. Should you be interested in the Gift Aid scheme, please kindly collect a Gift Aid form from the Finance Desk at the back of the church auditorium, and drop the completed form into the offering bucket on Sunday. Our heavenly Father is a good and generous God, and He calls us to reflect this generosity in our own lives. Our generosity in financial giving is therefore an important aspect of a life of worship. Have a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year in advance.

Sandra Dawodu

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 SEP 2018 OCT 2018 Tithes & Offerings £74,104.28 £40,506.34 Building Fund £3,240.35 £1,601.68 Standing Orders £16,223.85 £34,224.93

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

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

December 2018

January 2019

& COMMUNION am PRAISE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton 2nd SPIRIT EVENING pm HOLY Speaker: Pastor Mark King

am 6th pm

FAMILY SERVICE Guest Speaker: Avi Snyder am CHRISTMAS for Jesus) 9th pm (Jews REVIVAL & HEALING MEETING Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton

am 13th pm

am Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton 16th CAROL SERVICE pm CHRISTMAS Speaker: Pastor Sam Blake

am 20th pm

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Mark King

SERVICE am CELEBRATION Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton 23rd pm SPECIAL CHRISTMAS EVENING SERVICE with Pastor Sam Blake & Worship Team

am 27th pm

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton

CELEBRATION SERVICE

am 30th pm

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan

PLEASE NOTE: NO EVENING SERVICE

PRAISE & COMMUNION Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton REVIVAL & HEALING MEETING Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton

HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan

BAPTISMAL SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton

Monday 31st December NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton Programme starts 8.30pm

Spotlight on Forthcoming Events AVI SNYDER will be speaking at our CHRISTMAS FAMILY SERVICE on Sunday 9th December at 9am and 11.15am

vi Snyder is the European Director of Jews for Jesus. He was raised in a conservative Jewish home in New York City, and came to a saving faith in Jesus in 1977, with the help of a Jews for Jesus tract and the forthright witness of Christian friends. He joined Jews for Jesus in 1978 after graduating from Fuller Theological Seminary, and has provided leadership for branch offices in the US, UK, Germany, Hungary and former USSR. He is the author of Jews Don’t Need Jesus – and Other Misconceptions and currently lives with his wife Ruth in Budapest.

NEW YEAR’S EVE @ ECC Big International Celebration starts 8.30pm til late EACH ONE BRING ONE

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

Please xxx xxxemail your

Fellowship

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

HERE FOR

YOU

& CONGRATULATIONS

THANK YOU

Following the painful, sudden home-call of their beloved son and brother, the ITOJE family write:

We just want to express our and our wider family’s gratitude for the love, prayers and support the church has shown us in this most difficult of times. The hurt is great, but your support has helped us in a big way. We appreciate every single one of you, especially those who rushed to give their time and effort to help us. Even though it was a haze, we saw what you did. Please know we are more than grateful. Thank you all once again.

EVERGREENS TUESDAY 11th December 1pm to 4pm

TOBY CARVERY FESTIVE LUNCH

Two courses for £10.99 / Three courses for £14.40 plus Transport cost £8.50 Places are limited so please book asap Meet at ECC for 1pm

Love Steve, Bisi & Olivia

Monday 14th January 1.30pm to 4pm

‘LET’S GET TOGETHER’ LUNCH

Cost £4.00 at Ealing Christian Centre

CONGRATULATIONS to Pastor Bob and Chris Seare (pictured left), who celebrated their 47th Wedding Anniversary on the North Norfolk Steam train

W 24

Evadney and Barbara at the seaside in Sheringham, Norfolk, during the recent Evergreen week away

EDNESDAY

Afternoon Fellowship

DECEMBER 2018

5th Lola Vassell with Pastor Bob 12th Christmas Carol Service 19th CHRISTMAS BREAK 26th CHRISTMAS BREAK

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

JANUARY 2019

2nd CHRISTMAS BREAK 9th Lola Vassell with Pastor Bob 16th Pastor Bob with Sis Dale 23rd Lola Vassell with Pastor Bob 30th Pastor Bob

CLASSIFIEDS

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

WOMEN’S DISCIPLESHIP

Experiencing God’s grace through life’s trials by Mercy Ibidapo

was born into a Baptist family in Nigeria, was married into Methodist, and gave my life completely to Christ on 13th July 1995, in my mid-30s. Soon after this, I experienced a major storm in my marriage and in my home.

My husband had married another wife in a traditional wedding, and had brought her into the matrimonial home! My home. My domestic assistant had to cook for her. My children and I at that time were financially dependant on my husband. During this storm, I would often find comfort in the quietness of my room, all alone with my God. I would pray to Him: “I will stay with You and not look anywhere else, and I will see where You will take me.” At other times, I’d pray: “Father, I will go with You on this journey. In future, when I look back, do not let me have any regrets.” Eventually I got a job as a Consultant in a teaching hospital and as a lecturer, through which God provided me with more money than I would normally have. This enabled me to become financially independent. Prayerfully, in the autumn of 2000, I moved out of the matrimonial home with my (then) four children, aged between two and 14. I paid my first rent with my last penny, unsure of where the money for the next rent would come from! The events that followed convinced the children and me that ‘God is God’, ‘God is good’ and ‘God is true to His promises’. One night, God woke me up, and told me to forgive everyone who had offended me, which I did. Soon after that I treated, free of charge, the grandson of the woman I had forgiven. She was

“

God has carried us far. Although it has been overwhelming sometimes, I have learnt that the challenges encountered are indeed part of God’s design to fulfil His plans. 26

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

absolutely shocked. She then realised how badly she and my husband had treated me over the years, and regretted her actions. Three years afterwards, I secured a work permit and moved to England with my four children. Although I was apprehensive of what would happen, God was already here ahead of us, and ordered our steps. Though the future seemed uncertain, God met us at the point of our needs. My former ‘enemy’ had now become my friend, and her daughter offered us accommodation for our first six weeks in London. It hasn’t been easy but, through very hard work, a busy schedule and a walk with God, He has carried us far. Although it has been overwhelming sometimes, I have learnt that the challenges encountered are indeed part of God’s design to fulfil His plans. The children and I have a lot of testimonies of the goodness of the Lord. Eighteen years after from moving out of the matrimonial home, ‘I am glad I belong to Jesus, I belong to my Lord’. It has been a great delight to follow God and ‘looking back, I have no regrets’. Faith continues to be my watchword. Now, as a Consultant, I work more than 50 hours per week, Monday to Friday. I also work one or two weekends in a month. However, no matter how busy my schedule is, I wake up and read a Bible passage, asking God to speak to me daily. As soon as I step onto the work premises, I pray, asking the Lord to take absolute control. I commit the care I will give to my patients to God, asking for wisdom in the decisions I make, as I am holding other people’s lives in my hands. I ask God to heal any patient I touch. During the day, I also teach junior doctors in my speciality, and I share Scriptures with patients who are willing. I continually commit my children (all adults now) and my grandchild to Christ, so that they will continue to know the Lord even deeper than I do. Amen. I also pray for my ex-husband, that he will meet with Christ. Amen. I thank God for who He was, who He is and who He will continue to be. Amen.

MEN’S DISCIPLESHIP

NO VICTORY WITHOUT BATTLE

‘But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.’ Exodus 17:12

have often been told that in life we are always in one of three phases: 1) We are about to enter into a battle; 2) We are going through a battle, or 3) We are leaving a battle. The question I often ask myself is: What do we do when we are in the midst of a battle? I often wonder why we have to go through battles in life. Why can’t life be smooth sailing? ‘There is no victory without a battle.’ These were the words a good friend of mine uttered as he shared with his church a battle he was in the midst of. Revelation 2:17 promises that those who are victorious will be given a new name and, in 3:21, that the victorious will be given a throne to sit on. A few months ago, Pastor Mark told us that you can only be victorious if you defeat something. So how do we go about preparing ourselves for battle, and what effect does it have on us? We read in Ephesians that we don’t fight against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, so therefore we should put on the full armour of God. As we prepare for what the world throws at us, we should remember to put into practice the tools God has given us and, when we go through a time of battle, we should realise it often pulls us closer to God. As we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:7).

“

When we go through battles in life, it also takes us into a new

Who are the people in your life that you can turn to, who will intercede on your behalf during those moments when you can’t cry out in prayer anymore?

place; in order to take new ground in our spiritual lives, we sometimes have to fight for it. Our prayer lives become the place where we go to war with the enemy, and begin to petition God to resolve the issue. However, as we go into battle, we have to realise we don’t go alone. As men, we often try and fix things by ourselves. My wife often tells me: “I want you to listen right now, not fix.” We are so sure that we are even manlier if we can get though any issue on our own. In Exodus 17, the Israelites were going into battle against the Amalekites. As long as Moses had his arms raised, the Israelites would start winning but, as soon as he dropped them, the Amalekites began to win. As Moses’ arms grew tired, two men, Aaron and Hur, stood beside him and raised his hands, so that the Israelites could have the victory. As I read this story, I am often challenged about who are the men in my life, who are going to stand with me in battle, and lift my hands when I can’t anymore. Who are the people in your life that you can turn to, who will intercede on your behalf during those moments when you can’t cry out in prayer anymore? I am often challenged when I ask myself who am I standing beside, whose arms am I lifting when they don’t have the strength to do so anymore. Will we be men who, when others are entering into battle, will stand alongside them and go into battle with and for them? There is no victory without a battle, but through God we are a victorious people.

Pastor Alex Morgan

Men’s Ministry

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

YOUTH MINISTRY

FAITHFUL faithful

s Christmas draws nearer and brings with it the end of the year, I find myself reflecting on the goodness of God, and how faithful He is, despite how things may appear at the time. When we’ve grown up in church or have been a part of the community for a number of years, it is so easy to lose focus on the fundamentals of our faith and the indescribable awe that comes with professing Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. The words ‘The Lord is faithful’ may sound hollow if you’re in a season where your world has been flipped upside down, and it feels as if your prayers are hitting the ceiling, but something that has been cemented in me this year is how crucial it is to hold on to His promises with all our might - even when letting go seems like the better option. Promises often rest on the person who makes them; their value is solely dependent on whether or not the person who has promised is reliable and faithful or not, regardless of good intentions. The fact we are alive and breathing is proof enough that the best is yet to come, and when we feel as though all hope is fading, and we can no longer see the light at the end of the tunnel, let us not only be reminded of all the things Jesus has done for us in the past, but also who He is now, in the present.

barely holding on, rest assured that He who has promised is faithful. As we enter into the Christmas season, my prayer is that our focus would shift from the promises that are yet to come, and that Jesus would be our sole focal point. As we celebrate His birth as a family, let us once again be reminded of the incredible story of how God sacrificed His beloved Son, so that we may once again have the freedom to enter into His presence and have a personal relationship with Him. When we really allow ourselves to meditate on this truth, we realise how everything else pales in comparison. If God would make such a huge sacrifice for us, there is nothing He wouldn’t do for us, for the sake of His glory. And that alone is enough to reassure us of the never-changing truth that Jesus Christ, our beloved Lord and Saviour, is and will always be faithful to us, for the sake of His glory, that the world may see His goodness through our lives, and come to know Him for themselves.

He cannot act outside of His character, nor can He speak in vain, so if you find yourself

VANESSA KARERA Youth Pastor

“

Promises often rest on the person who makes them; their value is solely dependent on whether or not the person who has promised is reliable and faithful or not, regardless of good intentions.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

A Privilege to be

CALLED

“Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren, especially concerning the day you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children’.” Deuteronomy 4: 9-10

e are all children of the Lord and have to learn to walk daily in His ways according to His Word, to His commands. He also instructs us to teach this to our children and grandchildren. Yes, how important it is for us to instruct them in His Ways.

classes during the 9.00am service and four during the 11.15am service. This means we generally require 14 teachers to volunteer every Sunday.

Training for reigning Proverbs 22:6 tells us: ‘Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.’ So we see that the Lord emphasises teaching the children, and Luke 18: 16 -17 tells us: ‘Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”’ He encourages us to be childlike in our faith, but He also instructs us to teach and encourage the children in their faith. What a privilege to do His bidding.

ECC CHILDREN’S STORE Children earn tokens for Sunday attendance; participation in different programmes; bringing a new friend to church, etc, and then they can spend their tokens at the Children’s Store, which is open three or four times per year.

We encourage each and every one of you to pray and seek the Lord to see whether this is something you would like to consider doing, as we do require more hands on board.

Get involved Please contact me if you are interested in joining this ministry, either by meeting me personally, filling out a volunteer form and leaving it in our tray, or by emailing me at fa@ecc.org.uk.

More hands on deck! We have approximately 75-100 children who attend Sunday School during the 9.00am and 11.15am services on Sundays. Due to the varying ages, we have three

FIONA ABRAHAM

Children’s Coordinator

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

BAPTISMAL SERVICE

NEW LIFE in Christ W ater Baptism is symbolic act for a believer in Jesus Christ - their personal identification with His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). Baptism in water doesn’t save you, however, as salvation comes by faith alone in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9), but it is your personal testimony to show what has happened on the inside, namely: we have turned away from the old life of sin to a new life in Jesus Christ, and are publicly identifying with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. We are openly saying we belong to the family of God. We had a great service recently, with many family and friends coming to support the baptismal candidates. Below are powerful shortened testimonies of those who got baptised in water, testifying of God’s goodness and mercy to them. Pastor RAJINDER BUXTON

Ann DROZDZ God is so real to me, watching over me. I have been sick and I feel His power and strength in my life. I have given my life to Jesus.

Reshae GRANT Today I want to get baptised, because I want to show everyone I love Jesus and want to follow Him.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

Deborah ALABI-ARAOYE I want to make a declaration that I love Jesus and have accepted Him into my life.

Emmanuel ALABI-ARAOYE I want everyone to know that I am a fully-fledged Christian, and I have given my life to Jesus

Alan HENDEN Jesus has taken away all the sins I have committed, and has made me a better person. I have more patience with people now, and feel closer to my daughters, and they too have come to know Jesus.

Anna HENDEN I am able to forgive people and feel peace and love for people. Jesus has healed me of an unforgiveness issue, and He has forgiven me of all my sins.

BAPTISMAL SERVICE

Freddie HUTCHINSON A friend witnessed to me about Jesus, and I gave my life to Him. Now I want to get closer to Him.

Soraya JAMAL I was very disobedient before I met Jesus, doing things that were ungodly. I came to know of Jesus’ unconditional love for me, and He has changed my life in many ways.

Katarzya KUTA I invited Jesus into my life and He forgave my sins and changed my life. I was sick and Jesus healed me, and I was able to come off medication. He is real in my life.

Noemi LASZLO Jesus died for me and washed away all my sins. A friend brought me to church and Jesus is helping me overcome lots of anxiety and worries.

Janae REID-MACKAY I want to get baptised, because I really want to get closer to Jesus and be more like Him.

Dhrupesh BANA I am a former Hindu. With Jesus, I saw the light and life made sense. There is power in Jesus. I now have peace and God’s Holy Spirit in me, as He died to save me from my sins.

Sola ODEYEMI Jesus offered Himself for me for my sins, and I have become close to Him as He gives me strength and has made my faith in Him stronger.

Joshua OLOSINMO Jesus has cleansed my sins, and I want to be a good example for Him.

Olivia PREMPEH I was invited to church by an Evangelism team member. Painfully shy and having experienced many bad things, I gave my life to Jesus. He saved me and brought me closer to Himself

Daniel RYSZKA I gave my life to Jesus, and wanted to be baptised.

Benjamin SINNARAJAH I was living in darkness, but Jesus brought me into His light and changed many things in my life. He died for my sins and gave me peace with God.

Daniele TEDESCO A lot of miracles have happened, and I want to follow Him.

Isaiah ULASI (Petra) I was brought up in church in a Christian home, but I personally gave my life to Jesus and wanted to get baptised in water.

Ioannes WILLIAMS Jesus came into my heart and set me free from sin. I love Him as He made me better and shows me His kindness.

“I want everyone to know that I am a fully-fledged Christian...”

Micha WILLIAMS On the cross Jesus laid down His life for my sins, and I am thankful to Jesus.

Samuela WILLIAMS Jesus has helped me in my many needs, and He sacrificed His life to forgive my sins.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 95 • December 2018 / January 2019

Asian Evening in pictures

23.09.2018

CALL FOR PRAYER ON 020 8799 2199 * PRAYER CENTRE OPEN 24 HOURS/DAY 7 DAYS/WEEK