Men's and Women’s Bible Studies
Our church is having Men’s and Women’s Bible studies on 20 September and 27 September
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
Being together over the last two Sundays has been amazing! It has been wonderful to reconnect with everyone and get to know loads of new guests that have come through our doors. Though we wish we could offer all our ministries during this time, we thank all of you for bearing with us as we get through this pandemic together. We will, however, over the next few weeks, be having additional opportunities to meet together. Here are a few of them:
Men’s and Women’s Bible Studies — We are excited to be having a Men’s Bible study in-person at the church and simultaneously on Zoom on 20 September at 6:00pm. The Women’s Bible study will be in-person and on Zoom on 27 September at 6:00pm. This will be a wonderful time to catch up, see one another, and learn from a special guest speaker from Amsterdam. See you then!
Small Groups — It’s here! The time has come! We are thrilled to be kicking off a new small group next week. On 23 September at 7:30pm, we will be offering the same small group study at two different venues. One will be held at the church for all those who can make it in-person and the other small group will be on Zoom for all those who are shielding, have small children, or otherwise can’t meet in-person. During our small group time, we will be taking a deep dive into a study called Cold-Case Christianity. Here is a short description about it:
Christianity could be defined as a "cold case" it makes a claim about an event from the distant past for which there is little forensic evidence. In Cold-Case Christianity, J. Warner Wallace uses his nationally recognized skills as a homicide detective to look at the evidence and eyewitnesses behind Christian beliefs. Including gripping stories from his career and the visual techniques he developed in the courtroom, Wallace uses illustration to examine the powerful evidence that validates the claims of Christianity. A unique apologetic that speaks to readers' intense interest in detective stories, Cold-Case Christianity inspires readers to have confidence in Christ as it prepares them to articulate the case for Christianity.
This will be a great study for anyone interested in learning more about the historicity of the claims of Christianity and how to better share the Gospel with others.
The Elders:
Tarl Reeves, Justin Rhoades & Joshua Bell
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
For the upcoming Men’s and Women’s Bible studies.
For all the new guests coming to our church and those watching our services online.
Sean as his recovery is a long road ahead.
Ministry Opportunity
This week’s ministry opportunity is to invite someone to come with you to either the Men’s Bible study (if you are a dude) or the Women’s Bible study (if you are a dudette). As you may remember, the Bible studies will be both in-person and on Zoom, so please attend either one!
September Evening Bible Studies
Small Groups Coming 23 September
Small Groups Coming 23 September
We have reopened the church for in-person Sunday services and small groups are starting up 23 September.
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
It was wonderful to finally reopen the church building for our Sunday morning services this past weekend. Not only did we have a great turn out, but it was exciting to see so many people come to the building for the first time after watching for months online. The response to our online services during lockdown has been the biggest blessing during this difficult time. It’s lovely to know that God is still at work even in the valleys.
It was also nice this past weekend to have both our kids church and our Adventures club for teens back up and running. One of the biggest things we all missed over lockdown was not being able to have any kids or teen classes in-person. The smiles on all their faces this weekend as they got to spend an hour or so with friends was priceless.
Thank you so much for sticking with us through this tough time. We pray that more and more of our church family will be able to make it back to church in-person very soon. See you all this Sunday either in-person or online!
The Elders:
Tarl Reeves, Justin Rhoades & Joshua Bell
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
All those in our church who are unable to attend in-person yet.
For all the kids and teens in our church who are going back to school.
Sean as he has moved to a new hospital that will provide better physical therapy.
Ministry Opportunity
This week’s ministry opportunity is to invite someone to attend our church in-person with you. If you are unable to attend in-person, invite them to watch the live stream with you from home.
Small Groups Coming 23 September
Do I Have Confidence in Prayer?
A true Christian lives his life in reliance upon God. He prays to God to meet his needs. He has assurance that God will both hear his prayer and answer them in accordance to His will. Confidence in our prayers to God is an indication that we have true saving faith.
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
There is something about September that always feels like a fresh start, and this year, it is needed more than ever. For Welling Church, this week is the beginning of us reopening our church to the public. Sunday services, kids church, and Adventure Clubs are all restarting this week.
Sunday Service
If you will be joining us for service this Sunday, we look forward to hosting you. Be sure to read our COVID page for all the important information to know before you attend. We also ask that you pre-book you and your family group so we can best prepare before you arrive. If you are unable to attend, we will still be live on YouTube and Facebook.
Kids Church
This Sunday will be our first kids church since 15 March! We are so excited to have the back hall filled with kids again. If you have primary age kids, be sure to bring them this Sunday! While we will be having kids church for those in primary, at the moment there currently won’t be any other classes for those in creche, toddler, or secondary.
Adventure Clubs
This Friday, Adventure Clubs returns from summer break. We finished last term online, but this term we will be in-person for all our kids in secondary. We have great plans for Bible lessons, small groups, and games this Friday at 19:30-21:00. Unfortunately, we have had to pause our primary club till the COVID rules are relaxed a bit more.
We look forward to having you all back at church this week to participate in these 3 ministries. We will provide more opportunities as soon as the government allows. Until that time, we will continue to live stream every Sunday morning and upload all our incredible toddler, kids, and teen videos for those who can’t make it to church.
If you have any questions please call Justin 07375 700198.
The Elders:
Tarl Reeves, Justin Rhoades & Joshua Bell
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
As our church reopens to the public, we pray safety and many guests.
Adventures club and all the teens that will be in attendance.
Sean as he is in hospital recovering from surgery and healing to get back to full health.
Ministry Opportunity
A great ministry opportunity this week is to invite someone to attend our church in-person with you. If you are unable to attend, invite them to watch the live stream with you instead.
Weekly Devotional
Vital Signs of Saving Faith
Question 9: Do I have confidence in prayer?
A true Christian lives his life in reliance upon God. He prays to God to meet his needs. He has assurance that God will both hear his prayer and answer them in accordance to His will. Confidence in our prayers to God is an indication that we have true saving faith.
1. It is Possible to Have Assurance of Salvation (v. 13)
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.a.
a. That you may know: John 5:24, 10:27-30; Rom. 8:38-39
2. It is Possible to Pray in Accordance to God’s Will (v. 14)
14 And this is the confidence that we have towards him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
a. Confidence: Ps. 66:18-20; Heb. 4:14-16; 1 John 3:19-22 b.
b. According to His will: Matt. 6:9-13, 26:39-44; John 15:7
c. He hears Us: Psalm 34:15-17
3. It is Possible to Receive An Answer to Your Prayers (v. 15)
15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
a. We have the requests: John 14:12-14
The Believer’s Prayer…
1. Should be for Christ’s purposes and kingdom and not selfish reasons.
2. Should be on the basis of Christ’s merits and not any personal worthiness.
3. Should be in pursuit of Christ’s glory alone.
Vital Sign Questions:
1. Do I walk in holiness?
2. Do I confess my sins?
3. Do I abide in God?
4. Do I love the family of God?
5. Am I at odds with the world?
6. Am I sinning less?
7. Do I desire to keep God’s commands?
8. Do I strive to imitate Christ?
Assurance of Salvation Test
Q: Do you love God perfectly? A: NO
Q: Do you love God as much as you should? A: NO
Q: Do you love Him at all? A: YES!
If you can truly answer the last question with a “Yes,” then rest assured that you are a child of God. No unregenerate person loves God (1 John 2:15). The fact that you truly love God means that you have been born again!
Do I Strive To Imitate Christ?
The true believer continues to grow in Christ and pursue righteous behaviour. The way you know you have been saved is through the process of sanctification (becoming like Jesus). Jesus exemplified the obedient life and Christian’s are to imitate that obedience. A person who says he is a Christian cannot make this claim if he is not seeking to live as Christ lived.
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
It was so exciting to be able to have our church building open this past Sunday! It was even better to have such an amazing turn out for the Davis family goodbye celebration. We had 45 of you come out to support them in their move back to America and together we raised £650 as a gift for them! We wish them the best and pray for safety as they move back to America and discover what God has next for them.
This Sunday we will once again be having another trial Sunday service at 11:00. If you would like to be in attendance to learn about volunteering over the next few weeks, please click the pre-book button below and let us know you are coming. For those of you who are coming, feel free to show up around 10:30 and after service we will have a quick meeting to go over details for volunteering on 6 September.
Kids Ministries
One of the more exciting things about reopening our church building in September to the public is the restarting our some of our kids ministries. Unfortunately, we will not be able to restart all our kids ministries so we thought it would be good to share what will and won’t be restating come September.
Ministries Restarting:
Kids Church (age 5-11) Sundays at 11:00
Secondary Adventure Clubs (age 12-16) Fridays at 19:30
Ministries Staying Paused:
Creche (age 0-2) not currently being offered on Sundays
Toddler Class (age 2-4) not currently being offered on Sundays
Youth Service (age 12-16) not currently being offered on Sundays
Primary Adventures Clubs (age 5-11) not currently being offered on Fridays
We look forward to having all the kids and teens back at church to participate in these 2 ministries. We will provide more opportunities as soon as the government allows. Till that time, we will continue to upload great toddler, kids, and teen videos for those who can’t make it to church.
If you have any questions please call Justin 07375 700198.
The Elders:
Tarl Reeves, Justin Rhoades & Joshua Bell
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
Sean as he is in hospital recovering from surgery and healing to get back to full health.
Ashley is having an out-patient procedure done today. Praying for a good result and quick recovery.
Sarah’s aunt has secondary cancer and will have to have a hip replacement operation done today.
Ministry Opportunity
We would love for you to volunteer to serve at our upcoming Sunday services in September. If you are interested in being apart of this please reach out to Justin (07375700198) or come this Sunday (30 August) to the trial service.
Weekly Devotional
Vital Signs of Saving Faith
Question 8: Do I strive to imitate Christ?
1 John 2:5, 6
5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
The true believer continues to grow in Christ and pursue righteous behaviour. The way you know you have been saved is through the process of sanctification (becoming like Jesus). Jesus exemplified the obedient life and Christian’s are to imitate that obedience. A person who says he is a Christian cannot make this claim if he is not seeking to live as Christ lived. These 3 evidences will be present in one who imitates Christ.
I. He Keeps God’s Word (v. 5a)
but whoever keeps his word,
Psalm 119:105-112
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Jesus’ Example: Matthew 4:4 (Deut. 8:3)
4 But he answered, “It is written,“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
II. His Love is Perfected (v. 5b)
in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:
Ephesians 5:1, 2
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Jesus’ Example: Romans 5:6-8
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
III. His Steps are In Synch with Christ’s (v. 6)
whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
Ephesians 2:1-10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Jesus’ Example: John 6: 38
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
Questions:
Am I reading and keeping God’s Word by living like Christ?
Is my life a reflection of the love of Christ?
Are my steps in sync with the steps of Jesus?
Do I Desire To Keep God’s Commands?
Every true believer has a hunger for God's Word. Jesus says in John 15:7, 8, ‘If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you . . . you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.’ All who have been born of God, long to know and obey His Word.
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
When we made the decision to close the church on 18 March we knew that the day we reopen would be an exciting one. Back in March, we didn’t know that the next time we would get to say “welcome back” would be 23 weeks later! That being said, we are excited to finally reopen our church, even if it is only as a trial Sunday for volunteers only.
This Sunday will be both a great day and a challenging one. As we make the shift from an online only service to a hybrid model, there are bound to be many hiccups and obstacles to overcome. Please know we are doing our best this week to try an eliminate all the bugs and problems. We thank you in advance for all the patience and grace that you will show us.
For those who are coming to church this Sunday as either a volunteer during the 11:00 service or as a guest to the 17:00 Davis Celebration here are some important things to know:
Read the key points for in-person gatherings
Volunteers need to read our risk assessment
Please pre-book you and/or your family group
We are excited to be able to host you all this Sunday at either our Sunday service or the Davis celebration, and we hope that you are able to make it out. We apologise that during the trial Sunday services on the 23 and 30 August, we will not be able to accommodate any toddlers, kids, or teens. However, we will welcome all ages to the Davis celebration.
While we are excited to be able to host people again and even more excited to reopen to the public on 6 September, we are aware that many in our church will still not be able to attend. For those who will have to continue with online church, we will continue to do everything we have been doing over the past 6 months. The Sunday service will continue to be live on our website, YouTube, and Facebook. Our toddler, kids, and teens videos with parent guides and daily devotions will continue to be posted every week. Lastly, we will continue to publish our Wednesday update and hold our Bible study on Zoom.
If you have any questions please call Justin 07375 700198.
The Elders:
Tarl Reeves, Justin Rhoades & Joshua Bell
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
Sean as he is in hospital recovering from surgery and healing to get back to full health.
Diana and her family as they are dealing with difficult situations.
That God will bring us one new visiter each week to our church once we reopen.
Ministry Opportunity
We will be opening the church building for a special goodbye celebration for the Davis family 23 August at 5PM. We pray that you will be able to attend and show your support for this lovely family. We also would like to give them a personal gift as a thank you from our church for all the time they spent ministering in Welling. If you would like to contribute, you can do so by giving online through Welling Church. Please feel free to give any amount, but if possible, would you consider contributing £20 - £50 or more to be a blessing to them?
If you wish to contribute to the Davis family, please give via the church at:
Welling Church (HSBC)
Sort Code: 40-19-04
Account Number: 02171236
Memo: Davis Family
Weekly Devotional
Vital Signs of Saving Faith
Question 7: Do I desire to keep God’s commands?
Every true believer has a hunger for God's Word. Jesus says in John 15:7, 8, ‘If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you . . . you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.’ All who have been born of God, long to know and obey His Word.
I. We Have Help in the War Against Sin (v.1)
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
a. A Child of God will strive to not sin. (Heb. 12:3, 4)
b. When a Child of God sins, Jesus is our advocate. (Heb. 7:25)
II. Christ has Satisfied God’s Requirements for Sin (v.2)
2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
a. Jesus’ sacrifice appeased the wrath of God against our sin. *propitiation - means “appeasement” or “satisfaction”
Hebrews 2:17 “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”
“Christ’s work of propitiation is related to His high-priestly ministry. By His partaking of a human nature, Christ demonstrated His mercy to mankind and His faithfulness to God by satisfying God’s requirement for sin and thus obtaining for his people full forgiveness.” John MacArthur
b. A Child of God specifically partakes in the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice and the world generally reaps the temporary benefit of His sacrifice.
III. If We Know Him, We Will Obey Him (v.3) (Eph. 2:1, 2; 1 Peter 1:14, 15)
3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
a. Faithful obedience to God’s Word is an assurance of our salvation.
John uses the word “know” 40 times and “keep” 10 times in this epistle.
IV. If We Don’t Obey Him, We Don’t Know Him (v.4)
4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him
a. Habitual disobedience to God’s Word is a mark of unbelief.
Questions:
Am I spending time each day in the Word of God?
Am I committed to obeying what God commands me to do in His Word?
Am I praying for the Holy Spirit to both give me assistance in understanding and help in obedience?
Am I Sinning Less?
As Paul says in Romans 6:1-14, the Christian has a new way of life. They are now dead to sin and alive to God. The one who is truly converted begins to hate the things he once loved and to love the things he once hated. 1 John 3 provides evidence that true Christians will not habitually practice sin.
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
It is hard to believe that we are heading into our 22nd Sunday of online only services, but hopefully it will be our last. As a leadership we are so thankful for the faithfulness of this church for staying with us during this difficult time. While we were not able to meet in-person, we were able to provide 21 live services that can still be rewatched on our youtube page.
One of the biggest struggles we have faced while our church building is closed is not being able to offer any kids or teen classes. We have tried our best to put out as much material online as possible for you to use at home with your own families. To date we have uploaded 21 toddler videos, 44 kids videos, and 23 teen videos! We were also able to post 18 Adventures online videos that teach all 18 key principles we want to teach our toddlers, primary, secondary, & College/uni age kids at our church.
In total our church went from having 0 Bible teaching videos online in March to 126 available. Over the next few weeks we will be transitioning to being both in-person and online. While not everything will be “normal,” we are striving to do our best to get our church back to providing all the ministries we did before the lockdown began. Over the next few Wednesday updates, we will be giving more details about what in-person looks like and what will be available for kids and teens. Till then and for the foreseeable future everything that has been online will continue to be that way, we pray it will still continue to be a great way to keep you connect to God and each other.
The Elders:
Tarl Reeves, Justin Rhoades & Joshua Bell
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
Safety as we reopen our church building this month.
Diana and her family as they are dealing with difficult situations.
That God will bring us one new visiter each week to our church once we reopen.
Ministry Opportunity
We will be opening the church building for a special goodbye celebration for the Davis family 23 August at 5PM. We pray that you will be able to attend and show your support for this lovely family. We also would like to give them a personal gift as a thank you from our church for all the time they spent ministering in Welling. If you would like to contribute, you can do so by giving online through Welling Church. Please feel free to give any amount, but if possible, would you consider contributing £20 - £50 or more to be a blessing to them? Please do so by 16 August, so we can collect it in time for the goodbye celebration.
If you wish to contribute to the Davis family, please give via the church at:
Welling Church (HSBC)
Sort Code: 40-19-04
Account Number: 02171236
Memo: Davis Family
Weekly Devotional
Vital Signs of Saving Faith
Question 6: Am I sinning less?
As Paul says in Romans 6:1-14, the Christian has a new way of life. They are now dead to sin and alive to God. The one who is truly converted begins to hate the things he once loved and to love the things he once hated. 1 John 3 provides evidence that true Christians will not habitually practice sin.
I. Sin Contradicts the Law of God (1 John 3:4)
4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practises lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
Romans 6:12, 13; Psalm 119:34, 35
II. Sin in Incompatible with the Work of Christ (1 John 3:5)
5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 5:25-27
III. Habitual Sin Contradicts the Confession of Faith (1 John 3:6)
6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
1 John 3:23, 24
IV. Habitual Sin is Evidence of Unrighteousness (1 John 3:7)
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practises righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
Romans 6:14
V. Practicing Sin Continues the Work of Satan (1 John 3:8)
8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
John 8:44
VI. Sin Contradicts the Work of the Holy Spirit (1 John 3:9)
9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.
John 3:5-8
Questions:
Am I sinning less since professing Christ as my Lord and Saviour?
How do I respond to sin in my life?
Am I relying on the Holy Spirit in the fight against sin?
Am I At Odds With The World?
The Christian in pursuit of personal holiness will run head on into the world. The light of the believer's life exposes the wickedness of the sinful world, which then creates tremendous tension. A Christian will set his eyes on God, ground his deeds in the Word, and his life on the righteous path.
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
As a leadership, we are so excited to be able to reopen our church building once again on 6 September for in-person Sunday services. Please stayed tuned as we will be giving more information on what the service will be like and what will be or won’t be offered for creche, kids, and teens in the coming weeks.
On 23 and 30 August we will host 2 live in-person trial Sundays at the church building at 11:00 which will be comprised of volunteers only. If you would like to be a part of these trail Sundays, please contact Justin to let him know you would like to help (07375 700198). For those unable to come or do not feel comfortable coming to a live service, we will still be providing a livestream option via Facebook and YouTube.
We require that all volunteers read our risk assessment and be kept up to date on the guidance contained within it (click below for updated version). We will also ask that all volunteers wear a mask or appropriate face covering as detailed in the risk assessment and Government guidance.
The Elders:
Tarl Reeves, Justin Rhoades & Joshua Bell
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
Steve has been finding it harder to cope with his COPD during the warmer weather.
Debbie asks for prayer for her friends son Jay, who is suffering in hospital with mental health issues.
Sarah’s brother James is starting a new job this week.
Ministry Opportunity
We will be opening the church building for a special goodbye celebration for the Davis family 23 August at 5PM. We pray that you will be able to attend and show your support for this lovely family. We also would like to give them a personal gift as a thank you from our church for all the time they spent ministering in Welling. If you would like to contribute, you can do so by giving online through Welling Church. Please feel free to give any amount, but if possible, would you consider contributing £20 - £50 or more to be a blessing to them? Please do so by 16 August, so we can collect it in time for the goodbye celebration.
If you wish to contribute to the Davis family, please give via the church at:
Welling Church (HSBC)
Sort Code: 40-19-04
Account Number: 02171236
Memo: Davis Family
Weekly Devotional
Vital Signs of Saving Faith
Question 5: Am I at odds with the world?
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides for ever. 1 John 2: 15-17
The Christian in pursuit of personal holiness will run head on into the world. The light of the believer's life exposes the wickedness of the sinful world, which then creates tremendous tension. A Christian will set his eyes on God, ground his deeds in the Word, and his life on the righteous path.
1. The World Defined
John 15:18-20
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
The Ground - PHYSICAL
Humanity - FLESH
A Sphere of Activity - SPIRITUAL
The invisible spiritual system of evil dominated by Satan
This world only offers opposition to God, His Word, and His People
2. What Do You Love? v.15
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
A Christian’s Loves by Obeying God’s Word (James 4:1-10)
Am Unbeliever Hates by Disobeying God’s Word (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:1-3)
3. The World is Not of God v.16
16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.
The World Desires What it Cannot Have (Gen. 3:6; Josh. 7:20, 21; 2 Sam. 11:2)
The World Thinks to Highly of Itself (Prov. 16:18)
4. Hold Onto What is Eternal v.17
17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides for ever.
The World is Temporary (Rom. 8:13-25)
The Things of God Last Forever (Rom. 8:31-39)
Questions:
Are your priorities proving what you love?
Is the object of your worldly or Godly?
Are you investing in what will last?
Goodbye Davis Family
Over the past year we have been pleased to have Mark, Andrea, Eliana, and Theo as part of our Welling Church family. Since Easter 2019 they have been attending our church, and starting in August of last year, they began faithfully serving at our church. We have appreciated Mark’s help with the day-to-day ministry of Welling Church. Sadly, their time in the UK is coming to an end.
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
Over the past year we have been pleased to have Mark, Andrea, Eliana, and Theo as part of our Welling Church family. Since Easter 2019 they have been attending our church and, starting in August of last year, they began faithfully serving at our church. We have appreciated Mark’s help with the day-to-day ministry of Welling Church. Sadly, their time in the UK is coming to an end.
Mark and Andrea work for GEM (Greater European Missions) and have lived in the UK working alongside various churches for almost 4 years. During this time, they have experienced loads of life change, including the births of both Eliana and Theo. At this time, GEM has decided that it would be helpful for the Davis family to transition back to America for HMA (home ministry assignment). This will be a quite a transition for the family, especially with GEM being uncertain if they will return to the UK.
The Davis family will be returning to America at the beginning of September. Until then, they will be busy sorting out all the details of shipping their furniture and personal items via a container as well as selling their car and any electrical items that can’t convert voltage. Once they are back in America their HMA will begin, and they will have the opportunity to share with family, friends, and financial supporters all that God has done through them during their time of ministry in the UK.
While we always knew our time with the Davis family was limited at Welling Church, we will be sad to see them go. We pray they can come back for a visit and see us again in the future. As a church we are grateful for them and wish to honour all that the Davis family has done, both here at our church and the other ministries they helped.
We will be opening the church building for a special goodbye celebration 23 August at 5PM. We pray that you will be able to attend and show your support for this lovely family. We also would like to give them a personal gift as a thank you from our church for all the time they spent ministering in Welling. If you would like to contribute, you can do so by giving online through Welling Church. Please feel free to give any amount, but if possible, would you consider contributing £20 - £50 or more to be a blessing to them? Please do so by 16 August, so we can collect it in time for the goodbye celebration.
If you wish to contribute to the Davis family, please give via the church at:
Welling Church (HSBC)
Sort Code: 40-19-04
Account Number: 02171236
Memo: Davis Family
If you have any thoughts or questions, please contact any of the elders.
The Elders:
Tarl Reeves, Justin Rhoades & Joshua Bell
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Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
Alice and Martin’s son Joshua has been in hospital under investigation for suspected epilepsy, but doctors are unsure what is going on.
Spark At Home is going on this week and we pray that many will come by the church to play games and participate.
Maureen’s nieces’s husband broke his arm and is suffering some nerve damage.
Ministry Opportunity
Bring your kids by the church to participate in the rest of Spark At Home Wednesday-Friday from noon to 6PM. Be sure to invite some neighbours or friends to come along with you. If you don’t have kids feel free to stop by to say hello.
Weekly Devotional
Vital Signs of Saving Faith
Question 4: Do I love the family of God?
1 John 2:7-11
7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
1 John 3:16-18
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Upon admittance into God's family, a believer has a new-found love for his spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ. A believer will not only have a love for the family of God, but cultivate it as he or she matures in Christ. Let’s examine what John teaches about true love for other believers.
I. Hatred is a Product of Darkness (2:9) (1 John 4:19-21)
9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.
II. Love is a Product of Light (2:10) (Col. 3:11-17)
10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
III. Habitual Hatred Blinds but Love Illuminates (2:11) (John 3:19-21)
11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
IV. Sacrificial Love is Christlike (3:16) (John 3:16-18)
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
V. Compassionate Love is Christlike (3:17) (Luke 10:25-37)
17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?
VI. Practical Love is Christlike (3:18) (1 Cor. 13:1-3)
18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Questions
Is my life characterised by love or hate for those around me?
Am I willing to sacrifice what I have to show love?
Am I concerned for the welfare of other Christians?
Do I walk the walk of Christianity or simply talk the talk?
Do I Abide In God?
As a Christian our sins have been completely forgiven, however we still commit sins. A true believer is greatly aware of his or her sin and will acknowledge that sin to God. Confessing our sins to God allows us to enjoy proper fellowship with Him. Do you confess your sin on a regular basis?
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
Over the past few years our church has been a part of Spark in the Park. Spark is an outreach for families that takes place in Danson Park each summer holiday for one week. This year, Spark in the Park is going to be online and will be providing families lots of fun to be had at home. Spark at Home will have activity sheets, crafts, videos, fun talks, songs, & things to do when you're out and about for your daily exercise! Each day they will post all the daily activities at 11am, for both kids and teens.
One way our church is participating with Spark at Home this year is serving as a treasure map location. This means that if you go to Sparkinthepark.org.uk and download the treasure map, it will guide you to our church building and many other places across Welling and Bexleyheath. At each location there will be an activity or something interesting to see.
Monday 27 July to Friday 31 July from Noon to 6PM, our church will be having 3 activities each day in the front of our building. You can visit WellingChurch.com/Spark to find out all the details. We will have “The Hang Out” where you bring a piece of cardboard, that you have either written or drawn what you would want to do if you could hangout with God. A “Gratitude Graffiti Mirror” where you can write out what you are thankful for. Lastly, we will have a new game everyday (social distancing will be practiced).
Obstacle Course
Don’t Touch The Lave
Scavenger Hunt
Air Cannon
Chalk Maze Quiz
Our church is also participating with Spark at Home this year by providing 2 of the 5 videos for both kids and teens.
We pray that this will not only be a great week of games and lessons for the families of Welling Church but also for many others in the community.
The Elders:
Tarl Reeves, Justin Rhoades, & Joshua Bell
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
DD and his family, as DD’s mums funeral is this Friday.
Praise for Marco’s hand is healing well.
Women’s Bible study this Sunday at 6PM in-person and on Zoom.
Ministry Opportunity
Last Sunday night was a time for the men as we got together in-person for Bible Study. Ladies, we would like to encourage you to invite someone to come with you to the Women’s Bible Study this week.
Women’s - 26 July at 18:00
Both in-person & Zoom
Weekly Devotional
Vital Signs of Saving Faith
Question 3: Do I abide in God?
1 John 3:23, 24
23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
The word “abide” means to remain or continue. “Remaining in God” is evidence that salvation has already taken place and not vice versa. The evidence of salvation is continuing in His service and in His teaching. The abiding believer is the only legitimate believer. Obedience to God’s Word, being led by the Spirit, and loving others are three manifestations of the believer who abides in God.
I. Obey God (1 John 3:24a)
24c Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him.
John 14:21 - We prove our love through obedience.
James 1:22-25 - We are blessed through our perseverance.
II. Led by the Spirt (1 John 3:24b)
24b And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
John 14:15-17 - The Spirit is our Helper.
Romans 8:12-17 - The Spirit bares witness of our adoption.
III. Love Others (1 John 4:12)
12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
John 15:1-11 - Keeping God’s Word is evidence of our love.
Romans 12:9-21 - Caring for others is proof of our love.
Questions
I am abiding in God by trusting in His Word?
I am being led by the Spirit and proving that I am remaining in God.
Does the way I treat others testify to my relationship with God?
Do I Practise Confession of Sin?
As a Christian our sins have been completely forgiven, however we still commit sins. A true believer is greatly aware of his or her sin and will acknowledge that sin to God. Confessing our sins to God allows us to enjoy proper fellowship with Him. Do you confess your sin on a regular basis?
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
Welling Evangelical Free Church desires for our ministries, services, and church building to be a safe place for both members and guests to attend. Our goal is to install as much protection as possible to stay coronavirus free in our facilities and to prevent this virus from being passed from person to person. In order for this to happen, we have included the following risk assessments with appropriate control measures and action steps to provide the safety we desire for the people who attend our church.
These risk assessments and control measures are applicable for all in-person gatherings that take place at the church building. With these measures in place, we can confidently reopen our church building once again and begin having in-person gatherings.
The assessments and control measures detailed below will be kept up to date with any changes in accordance to the Government’s guidance. Our prayer is that over time we will get back to having church the way it was before coronavirus and without fear of passing it from person to person. Until that day, we will continue to follow the guidance to the best of our ability.
The desire for having in-person gatherings and implementing them in a timely manner remains a high priority for the church elders. We are working towards 6 September for the reopening of the church building to the public for in-person Sunday gatherings. As we get closer to this Sunday, we plan to have a few trial Sundays where we will include volunteers for training on how to implement these control measures.
Between now and 6 September, we will begin to host some midweek and Sunday evening in-person gatherings at the church building as well. With these risk assessments and control measures in place, we feel better equipped for reopening the church building and reestablishing in-person gatherings.
The Elders:
Tarl Reeves, Justin Rhoades, & Joshua Bell
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
We are excited for Kaylynn to be back and look forward to seeing what God will do through her.
Diana’s court hearing is today.
Men’s Bible study this Sunday at 6PM in-person and on Zoom.
Ministry Opportunity
Invite someone to come with you to the men’s or women’s Bible study.
Men’s - 19 July at 18:00
Women’s - 26 July at 18:00
Both are in-person & Zoom
Weekly Devotional
Vital Signs of Saving Faith
Question 2: Do I practise confession of sin?
As a Christian our sins have been completely forgiven, however we still commit sins. A true believer is greatly aware of his or her sin and will acknowledge that sin to God. Confessing our sins to God allows us to enjoy proper fellowship with Him. Do you confess your sin on a regular basis?
I. The Need for Confession
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10
a. The Truth is Not in Us (Rom. 3:10-18)
b. God is Faithful to Forgive (Ps. 32:1-5; Pro. 28:13; Col. 2:13)
c. God is Not a Liar (1 John 3:6; 1 John 3:9,10)
II. The Process of Confession
a. Agree (Ps. 51:1-4; 10)
b. Give Thanks (Ps. 32)
c. Repent (2 Cor. 7:4-10)
III. The Benefit of Confession
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes Psalm 119:26
a. God Hears Our Confession (v. 26a)
b. God Responds to Our Confession (v. 26b)
c. God Corrects Our Behaviour (v. 26c)
Do I Walk in Holiness?
An authentic child of God will enjoy fellowship with Christ. Religion is an external activity and outward ritual, but Christianity is intensely personal and internal. The one who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ truly knows Him and will walk in holiness.Part of having authentic faith is choosing to embrace the truth that God is our good and perfect Father.
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
We pray that your July has gotten off to a wonderful start. We hope you are taking the time to enjoy your friends and family especially now some of the lockdown measures have been lifted. Although the last few months have been at times frustrating and uncertain, as believers, we can rejoice in knowing our God has been and remains in control. He is our faithful Father and is at work in our lives, our families, and in our church.
Please continue to stay steadfast and faithful. If all goes well, we have only a few weeks left before we will come back and worship all together in the same place. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again!
We are working hard right now to prepare for re-opening the church building in the next two months. When we do re-open, our service will be for all those that are ready to come back to the church building and worship in-person. If you are not ready to come back because you are either at risk, shielding, or vulnerable, please know that we will continue to livestream our services for the foreseeable future. We are praying for you, love you, and can’t with to see you again!
If there is anything you need, or if there is anything for which you need prayer, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
Have a lovely week!
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
Marco has had his surgery to fix his hand and thumb. Praying that he will regain full feeling and use of it.
DD’s mother has passed away and he and his family need prayer. The funeral will be at the end of the month.
Terry is having terrible pain with a wisdom tooth and needs to have it removed. Praying that the doctor can see him soon.
Ministry Opportunity
From 4 July you can meet in groups of up to two households in any location - public or private, indoors or outdoors. We would love to encourage any who feel safe to do so, to meet up with another family from church to watch the live Sunday service together. This is a great way for our church take a step towards meeting together for Sunday worship.
Weekly Devotional
Vital Signs of Saving Faith
Question 1: Do I walk in holiness?
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practise the truth. 1 John 1: 5, 6
An authentic child of God will enjoy fellowship with Christ. Religion is an external activity and outward ritual, but Christianity is intensely personal and internal. The one who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ truly knows Him and will walk in holiness.
4 Manifestations of God’s Holiness (Ex. 15:11; Hab. 1:13; Rev. 15:4)
His Work (Ps. 145:17)
His Word (Ps. 19:8, 9; Rom. 7:12)
His Atonement (Ps. 22:1-3)
His Hatred of Sin (Prov. 3:32, 15:26)
4 Questions to Evaluate Your Walk
Am I walking in good works? (Jam. 1:22-25)
Am I walking in the Word of God? (Duet. 5:32, 33)
Am I walking in forgiveness? (Col. 1:13. 14)
Am I walking away from sin? (Gal. 5:16-24)
Dealing With Doubt
While we can be confident in our faith there are things that can happen in life that can derail our faith and cause us to doubt if it is real. Sometime when we encounter poor choices, an unexplainable tragedy, or depression the result can bring with it doubts about our faith. When doubts begin to happen in our life we need to know what to do. Thankfully, Jesus gives us the perfect answer about what to do when we begin to doubt: remember what He has done.
Part of having authentic faith is choosing to embrace the truth that God is our good and perfect Father.
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
For many of us, the past few months have been quite taxing and difficult. As a country, we have been navigating the uncertain waters of coronavirus, lockdown, discussions on race, politics, protests, and riots. It can all be a bit polarising. During these times, we want to encourage you stay steadfast and faithful to the Gospel. We have the potential to make a difference in our community. The Gospel is powerful enough to radically transform hearts and minds. It can bring reconciliation between enemies and build relationships between opposing viewpoints.
As we make preparations to come together in person for worship in the next few months, we desire to make sure our church is safe, secure, and on mission. We are delaying the opening of our church building so that we can continue to invest the time and money in a high quality online streaming experience for all those who might not be ready to come back to meet in person. This will help us continue to reach more people digitally while protecting those that maybe still at risk from coronavirus.
We are continuing to follow the guidance from the government and from the FIEC (the fellowship of churches we are a part of). As we get more details, we will make a final decision on when to open. For more information, please click here.
We miss you all and are praying for each of you. If there is anything we can do for you, please let us know!
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
Marco has had his surgery to fix his hand and thumb. Praying that he will regain full feeling and use of it.
DD’s mother has passed away this past week and he and his family need prayer.
Alice has been having some complications that are common with having a baby and it is bringing about a lot of discomfort.
Ministry Opportunity
From 4 July you can meet in groups of up to two households in any location - public or private, indoors or outdoors. We would love to encourage any who feel safe to do so, to meet up with another family from church to watch the live Sunday service together. This is a great way for our church take a step towards meeting together for Sunday worship.
Weekly Devotional
Authentic Faith Part 3: Dealing With Doubt
When it comes to our relationship with God, all of us desire for it to be genuine and authentic. We never want to go through life having to wonder if our faith is real or not. Thankfully, God doesn’t want us to go through life wondering about this as well. When Jesus came to earth He made it possible for us to have a relationship with God a relationship that we can have confidence in.
When Our Confidence Fails
While we can be confident in our faith there are things that can happen in life that can derail our faith and cause us to doubt if it is real. Sometime when we encounter poor choices, an unexplainable tragedy, or depression the result can bring with it doubts about our faith. When doubts begin to happen in our life we need to know what to do. Thankfully, Jesus gives us the perfect answer about what to do when we begin to doubt: remember what He has done. We learn this from Luke 7:18-28 when Jesus tells us about John the Baptist, but before we get there first let's go back and look at who John the Baptist was.
Before John Was Born
John was born to Zechariah and Elizabeth a godly couple and servants of God. Luke 1:6 describes them as both being righteous before God, advanced in year, and unable to have children. Zechariah was a priest and during the time when his division was to serve at the Temple he received the honour to burn incense just in front of the veil that divided the holy place from the most holy place.
Luke 1:11–17
11 And there appeared to him [Zechariah] an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
John Was Miraculously Born
This encounter with the angel would have been an amazing experience, one that would only be topped by Zechariah having a miracle son. John was created, born, and lived with one purpose: to prepare the way for Jesus. John would be the last prophet of the Old Testament. He would bring to an end the era of the Law and get the privilege of announcing the Messiah. When John had grown up he began the ministry he was born to do and became the preacher in the wilderness that proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
John’s Message
John’s ministry was so successful that a whole nation was going out into the wilderness to hear him preach and be baptised by him. He was getting so popular and his sermons were so powerful that even the jewish spiritual leaders came to him to find out who he was. John was quick to say that he was not the Christ and just a man who was doing as Isiah said, “Make straight the way of the Lord.” The very next day after John was asked if he was the Christ, John was given the chance to point everyone to the real Christ. He got to tell the world about the Saviour who had come to take away sin.
John 1:29–34
29 The next day he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptising with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptise with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptises with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
John’s Declaration
John was the first person to publicly announce that Jesus was the Son of God and Saviour of the world. The amazing thing is he did not say this of his own accord, he knew that Jesus was the Messiah because God told him. When John baptised Jesus he not only saw the Holy Spirit come from heaven to rest upon Jesus but he also heard the audible voice of God. John believed in Jesus so much that in John 3 when people are no longer following John because they are now following Jesus, his response was: "He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). John goes on to say in John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. It is clear that John new exactly who Jesus was and that believing in Him was the only was to eternal life.
John In Prison
The story of John after this is not all happy times. Because of John preaching the truth about Jesus, God, and sin he ends up in prison where he will live for the rest of his life. It is here in a prison that John has an encounter with doubt.
Luke 7:18–20
18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’”
John’s Doubt
John’s disciples were keeping him up to date on all that Jesus was doing even while John was sitting in prison. John is struggling with his faith and we can see here in verse 19 that he is doubting if Jesus is the Messiah. What!?! John who was born to tell the world that Jesus is the Messiah is doubting Jesus? John who heard from God that Jesus was his son is doubting? This is some concerning information. If John the Baptist is doubting these things what confidence can we have? The answer to this question from Jesus has never been more important.
Luke 7:21–23
21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Jesus’s Response
Jesus’ first response to this question was to not answer it all, instead He kept on doing the miracles that He was doing before the disciples arrived. Then after doing all these miracles he turned to the disciples of John and gave the answer to help John in his doubt. Jesus said to go and tell John about all the miracles and teachings that Jesus performs. The cure for John’s doubt was to be reminded that only the Messiah could perform these miracles and have the knowledge to preach these messages. John needed help to change his current perspective, he needed to stop focusing on the current circumstance and put his focus back on the facts of who Jesus was.
Luke 7:24–28
24 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
John The Greatest
Once John’s disciples had left, Jesus turned to the crowd and began to talk about John the Baptist. Jesus tells us a very important and very timely truth about John, that he is the greatest man to of been born. Why tell the crowd this, and why tell us here in the Gospel? I think that Jesus was making a very important point for us today: that if John the Baptist (the greatest man to ever live) had doubts about his faith, then we can be confident that we too will have doubts. While the causes may be different for each of us as to why we are having doubts, the solution is the same: we must remember what Jesus has done so that we can be confident about who He is.
Our Response
We talked about in part 1 of this series, that faith is confidence that God is who he says he is and that he will do all he has promised to do. Our faith is based on the Bible and when we have doubts our first response is to go back to the Word of God and remind ourself what Jesus has done. Thankfully we have four Gospels that give detailed eye witness accounts of the miracles that Jesus did which prove who He is. We also have a great example of John and Jesus’ response to John’s doubt, which was to just simply remind him of all the He has done. When we doubt our faith we must remember what Jesus did.
Good Father
A key aspect to having authentic faith is to make sure our faith is based on the correct truth. We have defined faith as "confidence that God is who he says he is and that he will do all he has promised to do,” as followers of Christ we base our faith on the Bible. Using God’s Word as our foundation for our faith is crucial to having authentic faith, we must always approach our faith based on what God says.
Part of having authentic faith is choosing to embrace the truth that God is our good and perfect Father.
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church,
As we think and pray for you all, I can’t help but remember when we were all able to physically meet together. We miss you and praise God for each and everyone of you. We are grateful to be a part of your lives, and we thank you for being a part of the Welling Church family.
Thank you for doing your best in staying connected to the church via Zoom and the livestream. Thank you for seeking Christ in the midst of uncertainty. Thank you for being faithful in your giving both online and in your service. Thank you for your prayers for your church and your community. Thank you for pursuing peace and gentleness during a season of unrest and unknowns.
As we read the news or follow social media, it can be easy to fall into despair or anxiousness over the current climate and direction of our world. As a church, our hope is to run to the God of peace who will give us the peace of God. The Apostle Paul teaches us from Philippians 4:6-7, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
This type of peace surpasses all human understanding! It is divine. It is sure. It is God’s blessing to those who seek Him, and it will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Though the world may spin around us, we can be firmly anchored in Christ and His Word. The Holy Spirit of God that indwells every believer is able to keep you in all that you do.
We have peace! We have hope! We have joy! May we share His blessings and truth with all those around us.
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
Joe has been feeling unwell and has a scan of his remaining kidney today.
Sean has asked for prayer for Charlie and Mel.
Diana’s son Kevin has an important meeting this week.
Ministry Opportunity
Everyone loves getting post, and this week a great way you can encourage someone is to send them a card. If you need help with getting an address please feel free to reach out to the pastors and they can help facilitate that for you.
Weekly Devotional
Authentic Faith Part 2: Good Father
A key aspect to having authentic faith is to make sure our faith is based on the correct truth. We have defined faith as "confidence that God is who he says he is and that he will do all he has promised to do,” as followers of Christ we base our faith on the Bible. Using God’s Word as our foundation for our faith is crucial to having authentic faith, we must always approach our faith based on what God says.
Truth
When Jesus came to this earth He not only provided a way for us to be saved but he also reminded us the importance of where truth comes from. Jesus says in John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. When it comes to having authentic faith we must accept God’s truth and the relationship that He offers. We can’t change what God says to make our own truth and we can’t redefine the relationship that God offers us to fit our own desires.
Good Father
God could have picked any type of relationship to have with us, but the type he chose to offer us through Jesus was the relationship of a Father and child. John 1:11–13 explains that those who have received Jesus become children of God: He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Jesus made it a point to refer to God as Father and spent His whole ministry helping us understand that amazing truth. While this is not a completely new concept before Christ, the Old Testament does refer to God as Father 15 times, Jesus takes this teaching and raises it up a notch. In the Gospels, Jesus refers to God as Father 170 times! 109 of those are found in the book of John with 42 coming from Matthew. When Jesus prays in the Gospels He refers to God as Father every time less one. The only instance that he doesn’t is when Jesus prays on the Cross: Mark 15:34 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? and this is a quote from Psalm 22:1.
It is evident that Jesus wants us to understand that God desires to be our Father. The greatest thing we can do for our faith is to constantly remind ourself that God is a perfect Father. Louie Giglio says that “God is not a reflection of our earthly fathers; he is the perfection of our fathers.” As a perfect father, he would not dare give his children everything they ask for. Furthermore, as a perfect father, he can be trusted even when he seems to act out of character. Whether our earthly fathers were good or bad we can not allow their example to diminish who our Perfect Father is.
Adopted as a Child of God
Paul takes this truth and reinforces it in his letter to followers to Christ. In Galatians 3:26 Paul explains how we become a child of God: for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. He continues in Galatians 4:4–7 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. God at the right time in history sent Jesus to make us His sons and daughters and He our Father. When we have God as our Father, Paul teaches us that we now heirs to everything that is God’s.
When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Saviour we were instantly adopted in to God’s family. Romans 8:14–16 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. We can now call God Abba Father, which is something only a true son or daughter can do. Not only were we adopted into God’s family but we were also given the Spirit of God to bear witness that we are in in fact God’s children.
Gracious and Patient Father
In Luke 15 Jesus tells a parable about two sons, one who takes his fathers inheritance, spends it on frivolous things, then repents for his wrong doings; and one who resents his father for forgiving the other. While there is much to learn about each of these sons the main focus of the parable, much like the two preceding parables in the same chapter, is the gracious and patient father. So as you read this story be sure to focus on the father who represents God.
Luke 15:11–32
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
What is amazing about this parable is the constant shock and awe that it would of brought to the Pharisees listening that day. This whole teaching starts because of what happened in verses 1-3: Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So he told them this parable. Jesus was teaching that the Pharisees don’t get to determine what authentic faith is. They are just like the older brother, more worried about what is visible on the outside than the inside. They had gotten so caught up on outward appearances that they were missing the point that God loves and rejoices over a sin who repents, on the dead coming to life, on the lost being found.
For you and I, we need to make sure we approach God like the younger brother, admitting wrong and in a place where our only means of survival is dependent on God alone. We need to know that it is what’s on the inside that matters more to our Father then what’s on the outside. God desires that we have a heart that is repentant, not a life full of good works. We have a Father who is ready and willing to have relationship with us. We have Father who wants us to grow closer in understanding of Him and His truth. We have a Father who wants us to have Authentic faith.
Part of having authentic faith is choosing to embrace the truth that God is our good and perfect Father.
Saving Faith Vs. Circumstantial Faith
Our faith can never be based on the moment or the circumstances that are happening around us. The foundation we should have instead for our faith is Jesus Christ. If Christ is who he saw he is, then we don’t need to worry when bad things happen. If Jesus really died for the sins of the world, then we have no reason to doubt his love. If he has promised to comeback for us, then we have to know that he has our best interests in mind.
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
We praise God that He is always faithful and at work even though our lives can be filled with such uncertainty. No matter the circumstances, our desire as a church is to continually focus on and follow Christ so that we can bring glory to Him regardless of what’s before us.
As a leadership, we are forever thankful for the continued faith of those who call Welling Church their home. It is a blessing to see the love and generosity from so many in our church during this time.
We are a church with a mission. We strive to live so that others may come to know Jesus Christ. Though we can’t be together physically at the moment, our church still has a desire to serve and make much of Jesus.
God’s love isn’t cancelled.
Prayer isn’t cancelled.
Serving isn’t cancelled.
Worship isn’t cancelled.
Our church isn’t cancelled.
Let’s continue to keep caring, keep serving, and keep showing the hope of Christ to everyone.
We will get through this time together!
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Prayer Points
Lucy, Charlotte, and Caroline have an elderly neighbour Ken who prior to COVID-19, he was waiting cancer treatment which went on pause with hospitals not wanting to take on anymore patients. He has now been told, that given his age/risk value, his cancer is now going to be untreated given the strain COVID-19 has had on hospitals.
Vicky has asked for prayer for Jatinder in India he has the coronavirus and his oxygen levels are very low he is running a high fever and has been in hospital for 5 days now.
Pray for all the kids that are going back to school to have confidence and comfort for being there.
Ministry Opportunity
Getting together for fellowship has been very tough over the past 3 months, and this weeks ministry opportunity is a small step to help that. If it is possible and safe to do so we would love to encourage each family group to meet up with another family group for some much needed fellowship. Wether it is a walk in the park or hanging out in a back garden, it would be great for our church to be fellowshipping with each other all over the city. Please be sure to follow all the governments guidelines on social distancing and meeting up with others outside your family group.
Weekly Devotional
Authentic Faith Part 1: Saving Faith Vs. Circumstantial Faith
There are two main things that shatter a one's faith: poor choices & unexplainable tragedy. When/if these were to happen to you will the faith you have shatter or will it hold strong?
Circumstantial Faith
When our faith is based primarily on the circumstances in our life it will be a weak faith and prone to falling a part. This is because circumstantial faith is supported by our ability (or inability) to interpret events.
It can be so easy to misinterpret events, especially when when we don’t know all the facts or can’t see the full picture of what is happening. (Example: Ask a four-year-old on the way to the GP for a jab if his daddy loves him. He would have doubts. But years later, ask that same child about the GP visit, he will have a completely different perspective. Just as a child cannot correctly judge his parent’s character based on a trip to the GP, we dare not draw conclusions about God’s goodness based on the immediate circumstances of our lives.)
Circumstantial faith also weakened by our inability to see the importance of the events in our life. This is especially true when we think about these events in light of a lifetime of events or the future of unknown possibilities. It is even harder to put them into a proper understanding of eternity.
Joseph spent fifteen years as a slave in Egypt, yet God was using that to do something beautiful behind the scenes. Moses spent forty years in the wilderness before God sent him back to Egypt and introduced some purpose to what seemed purposeless. We need to understand that when God does not answer our prayers by next week that does not mean he does not exist.
The Foundation of Our Faith
The true foundation of our faith must be a person, not what is happening or just happened in our life. Jesus Christ must be the foundation of our faith. As Christians, we must redirect our faith away from current events and fasten it to the One in whom we can securely place our trust.
The first three chapters of Hebrews explain that Jesus is God. The author concludes these three chapters by saying that Jesus is one we should have as the foundation of our faith (or confession).
Hebrews 4:14-16 "14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
If our faith and hope rests on anything other than the person of Jesus Christ, we are building our lives upon fragile foundations.
Matthew 7:24-27 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Our faith needs to be based on what Jesus did not what is happening to us.
Saving Faith
God has promised to forgive our sins, once and for all, if we put our faith in Christ’s death as the payment for our sin, this is saving faith. True saving faith is based on two very important facts that must at the centre of our belief: Jesus is the Son of God, and his death on the cross paid for all our sin, apart from anything we do or intend to do.
John 14:1–7 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Salvation is a gift from God. This is not a reward, anything we can earn, or even something we could buy. God does not offer it because we deserve it. God offers every person salvation because that is his desire. We only get true authentic faith by trusting in Jesus alone, this is our foundation and what we build our fellowship with God upon.
Faith Defined
The Bible very clearly states what faith is. The writer of Hebrews says that “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (11:1). Faith, then, is confidence that God is who he says he is and will do all he has promised to do.
Noah spent years and years building an ark because God promised that it was going to rain. Abraham left his home and set out without a destination in mind because God promised to lead him to a new home. Gideon charged down into an enemy camp totally outnumbered because God promised victory. Moses went back to Egypt after being chased out because God promised to deliver Israel through him. Joshua marched around Jericho because God told him to.
Walking by faith is behaving as if God is who he says he is and will do what he says he will do. It is living as if God is trustworthy. Our faith can never be based on the moment or the circumstances that are happening around us. The foundation we should have for our faith is Jesus Christ. If Christ is who he saw he is, then we don’t need to worry when bad things happen. If Jesus really died for the sins of the world, then we have no reason to doubt his love. If he has promised to comeback for us, then we have to know that he has our best interests in mind.
Achieving Self-Control
Self-control. As a Christian, we still fight against our sin nature and as the famous preacher John Owen once said, “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” The Holy Spirit offers us help in this fight. He provides a supernatural ability to win the daily battle against temptation. Sin does not cause a Believer to loose his salvation, but it will damage the fellowship he has with the Father.
Update From Your Pastors
Dear Welling Church family,
Over the past few weeks the problem of sin and its manifestation through racism, prejudice, bigotry, violence, rebellion, looting, and hatred has caused the church to grieve along with the rest of the world. Many of you may be hurting, anxious, or uncertain about what is happening. Many of you may not know how to feel or what to do. As we begin to contemplate what to do, let the answer always remain the same — Jesus Christ. He is the answer and only solution to all the world’s problems and issues. If that answer seems quaint, trite, or a bit outdated, than let me assure you, you have never come face-to-face with the all-loving and just Saviour of the universe. May we pray that we can be humbly used of God to share his Son with all those hurting and broken around us.
As we begin to think through our next steps as a local fellowship of believers, this has led me to ask the question, “What type of church are we?”
We are a church that is deeply committed to His Word. Our heart’s desire is to grow deeper in love and understanding for Scripture. We are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are steadfast in the knowledge that the Gospel is the power of God for all those who believe. May we be a church that boldly proclaims not only the Bible’s life-giving promises but also its uncompromising truths.
We are a church that recognises that only through Jesus Christ can one come into restoration and relationship with God the Father. Although mankind’s sin has brought separation between people and God, the saving power of Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross of Calvary has made it possible for sinners to be saved through His blood. We are a church that not only believes this truth, but is overwhelmingly thankful for what God has done and cannot with to share this truth with all that we come in contact. May we be a church that rejoices every time a lost soul is saved.
We are a church that lives by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. We are completely and wholly dependent on God in all that we do. We do not see prayer simply as a spiritual discipline, but a way of life. We are a church that seeks to enjoy God’s divine presence and glory every time we gather together (whether online or in a building). May we live lives that are radically transformed by miraculous work of God.
We are a church that seeks to be radically generous in all that we do. The greatest in the kingdom of God is servant to all. We are church that is willing to count the cost and sacrificially give in order to make Christ known to our community and world. May we be a church that continues to share Christ’s love with anyone and everyone by showing such care and kindness that it points others to the Gospel.
We are a church that warmly welcomes people from every ethnicity, every generation, every social or economic status, and every walk of life. We are united in Christ and share His love for one another. As a church, our ultimate identity is found in Christ and not our background. May we be a church where everyone feels at home no matter their circumstance or where they came from and are loved and accepted as they are.
I know by His grace and power, we can continue to be this church. God will do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we could ask or think. I look forward to the days ahead!
Thank you for being a part of our church!
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Prayer Points
Jackie’s friends, Tracey & Tony and their 3 children, Monday was the funeral of their 4 year old daughter Orlagh who passed away with cancer. She is Jackie’s god-daughter and went to class with David who is the son of DD and Abby.
Sally’s mum has come through the fight against COVID, but is still in hospital recovering from being on a ventilator for so long. She is struggling to walk on her own and the isolation from family is still hard to deal with.
Pray that this lockdown can safely come to an end, so that we can meet together as a church once again.
Ministry Opportunity
Chioma has asked for help with cleaning up her back garden. It has become overgrown, and she and her boys need help getting it back into shape. If you would like to help her and the boys, please contact Tarl (07947 751911) to arrange a time to go over.
Weekly Devotional
The Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22, 23
The ninth attribute of the fruit of the Spirit is Self-control. As a Christian, we still fight against our sin nature and as the famous preacher John Owen once said, “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” The Holy Spirit offers us help in this fight. He provides a supernatural ability to win the daily battle against temptation. Sin does not cause a Believer to loose his salvation, but it will damage the fellowship he has with the Father. Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 9 and see how we can maintain spiritual self-control which leads to victory in the war against sin.
1. A Christian Must Be Determined (1 Cor. 9:24)
“24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.”
Paul compares the self-control that is needed to fight sin with that of an athlete determined to win a contest. His first century Greek readers would have had an intimate understanding of athletic competition due to the Olympic and Isthmian games held in the area. Every athlete trains hard and is determined to not only compete, but to win the prize. Paul tells Timothy, “8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” Believers are justified at salvation (Rom. 4:6,11), sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:13), and then glorified upon entering heaven (Gal. 5:5). The prize that awaits every believer is the final, perfected righteousness that is gained upon entering heaven. Only one person can receive the prize in earthly contests, however for the Christian the prize is already won and can be collected when this race is finished. Let’s be determined to run a good race and look forward to the reward that is waiting for us.
2. A Christian Must Be Disciplined (1 Cor. 9:25, 26)
“25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.”
Paul continues his athletic analogy by pointing out the discipline that is needed for an athlete to achieve his goal. Any athlete expecting to win, must be disciplined in his training regime and careful with his diet. So to, every Christian must be disciplined in their daily walk with God. Athletes compete for trophies that will eventually perish, but the Christian is striving for a prize that will never fade away. Peter writes, “4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” Every believer is disciplining himself to be ready to win the fight against sin (1 Tim. 1:18). A boxer hits a heavy bag and practises his footwork so that, when he gets in the ring, he’ll be better prepared for the fight. We do not pray and study the Bible as a practical exercise, nor are we simply going through the motions. We are disciplining and preparing ourselves to meet temptation and sin head-on. If your only time of spiritual discipline is one or two hours of church each week, you can be sure that sin will have victory in your life. We are not alone in this fight. Remember that it is the Holy Spirit that is enabling us to train and to resist sin.
3. A Christian Must Not Be Disqualified (1 Cor. 9:27)
“27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
The world often accuses Christians of being hypocrites. We preach one thing and then our life reveals something else entirely. Paul disciplined both his physical and spiritual body and kept them under control because he never wanted his actions to untie the knots of biblical truth he had tied through his preaching. A foundational requirement that a man must meet before he can be considered as a pastor/elder of a church is that he must be “…above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2). This does not mean that he must be sinless, but there must not be anything charge that could be laid against him. All athletic events have rules and penalties that will be handed out if any of the rules are broken. Some rule breaking can even lead to disqualification. Though no believer can loose his salvation because of sin, Paul knew that leaders can be disqualified from their position. Paul disciplined himself so that he would not be disqualified as a spiritual leader (Heb. 12:1, 2). Sin will damage our fellowship with God and cause Him to be unable to trust us with certain responsibilities. Do not let an undetermined and undisciplined spiritual life lead to sin and to you being disqualified from the tasks God has for you to accomplish.
Questions to Consider
Am I living a life that reflects the prize that awaits me?
Am I disciplining myself for the purpose of holiness?
Am I allowing sin to disqualify me for greater things that God has for me?
Others First
Philippians 2:3–4 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Hello Welling Church family,
The past week has been one of deep turmoil and unrest across the world and in particular, the United States. The death of George Floyd has shaken the U.S. to its core along with many other countries also. It has brought to light many deep-rooted issues, pain, and hurt that some would rather keep in the dark.
In trying to make sense of this situation, I stumbled upon a written response from Tony Dungy — a Christian, father of eleven, author, retired NFL coach, and a black man living in America. His response captures perfectly how I feel at the moment and instead of paraphrasing what he said, let me share his response with you:
America is in a very sad place today. We have seen a man die senselessly, at the hands of the very people who are supposed to be protecting our citizens. We have seen people protest this death by destroying property and dreams of people in their own community, the very people they are protesting for. We have many people pointing fingers of blame, painting the opposite side with a broad brush. We have anger and bitterness winning out over logic and reason. We have distrust and prejudice winning out over love and respect.
What happened to George Floyd was inexcusable and it should never happen. Justice needs to be served, but in seeking justice we can't fall into the trap of prejudging every police officer we see. What started out as peaceful protests have devolved into arson and looting and that should never happen, either. Yes there should be protest. But we do not have license to perform criminal acts because we're angry.
Today we are a divided country. We're divided racially, politically, and socio-economically. And Satan is laughing at us because that is exactly what he wants. Dysfunction, mistrust, and hatred help his kingdom flourish.
Well, what is the answer then? I believe it has to start with those of us who claim to be Christians. We have to come to the forefront and demonstrate the qualities of the One we claim to follow, Jesus Christ. We can't be silent. As Dr. King said many years ago, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere!” But we can’t go forward with judgmental, bitter spirits. We need to be proactive, but do it in the spirit of trying to help make things better. And it can’t be just the African American churches. It has to be ALL churches taking a stand and saying “We are going to be on the forefront of meaningful dialogue and meaningful change.” We have to be willing to speak the truth in love but we have to recognise that we are not fighting against other people. We are fighting against Satan and his kingdom of spiritual darkness.
In the words of the Apostle Paul, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Roman 12:21 NIV
In light of all of this, we must ask ourselves, as followers of Jesus Christ, what would God have us to do? In Micah 6:8, God’s prophet gives us a simple answer: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
We are to do justice.
As Christians, we are to stand up for justice. Racism, bigotry, violence, looting, hatred, and revenge in our communities, nation, and even in our churches must be confronted and addressed.
We are to love kindness.
The Hebrew word for kindness in Micah 6:8 is such a big word — it encapsulates mercy, steadfast love, compassion, and kindness. We are to have hearts of loving mercy and compassion to all, including those who hurt as a result of shameful treatment because of skin-colour or ethnicity.
We are to walk humbly.
As followers of Christ, let us humble ourselves before the Lord and before others. In Philippians 2:3, we are to “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Are we being humble? Is what I am doing in my conversations, thoughts, or social media creating rivalry or conceit, or am I in humility counting others as more significant than myself? Let us be humble enough to listen and learn from those whose life experience is different than our own without sowing the seed of discord.
What can we do as a church?
We can pray.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Pray for all the families affected by this, including George Floyd’s family and the police’s families. Pray for the hearts of those violently rioting and looting. Pray for those being looted. Pray for the police, pray for those in leadership, pray for the U.S., pray for our world as it grapples with sin and evil everywhere.
We can make peace.
In Matthew 5:9 Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” When confronted with injustice, racism, or civil unrest, we can make peace and live peaceably with all people regardless of colour or ethnicity.
We can do good.
Romans 12:21 states, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” As a church, we do not seek revenge. We speak up for righteousness but not by doing evil. We oppose racism just as much as we oppose violent rioting. They are both wrong. It is a sin to return evil for evil. Those advocating violence through looting and retaliation are not walking with Christ.
We can walk in the light to expose darkness.
In Ephesians 5:8-16 it states, “8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” This serves as a fresh reminder for all of us to walk in the light of day and not in the darkness of night. Change will happen, but only good and lasting change with come from the light of Christ. Racism is an act of darkness, but additional acts of darkness does not bring the light of Christ.
Of course, this is just a start. More can and should be done. But as we consider our next steps, we must walk and live as Christ would have us walk and live.
One of the blessings of being at Welling Church is that it is a multicultural family of believers gathered around the truth and hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In heaven, all peoples will gather together to worship Almighty God. In Revelation 7:9-10, it declares, “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”
Please continue to pray for what’s happening in the world today and that the light of Christ will shine upon the darkness.
- The Pastors
Join us tonight at 7:00 on Zoom as we discuss this important subject further.
Taking A Break
We hope you are enjoying your half term break and getting a chance to spend some time with friends and family. Just a reminder, we will not be having any discipleship meetings or Zoom Bible studies this week.
Half Term
We hope you are enjoying your half term break and getting a chance to spend some time with friends and family. Just a reminder, we will not be having any discipleship meetings or Zoom Bible studies this week.
We look forward to see you all on Sunday during our 11:00am service.
If you need anything, please feel free to reach out to the pastors.
Having Gentleness
Gentleness. Individuals who embody gentleness are kind, mild-mannered and tender. A gentle person seeks to be a peacemaker and not a fighter. Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount, tells us, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5).
Update From Your Pastors
Welling Church Family,
For the past few months, we have all been adjusting to a new routine and way of life. Our regular schedule has been different, and as a result, our Sunday’s have looked a bit different. But even though we’re currently doing Sunday’s in a new way, we are always thankful to be able to share God’s Word with you and pray for you throughout the week.
We look forward to our church’s livestream each week and hope you will make every effort to join us every Sunday at 11am. If you have missed any of our previous sermons or videos, you can CLICK HERE to catch up. This month we will be finishing our sermon series on Philippians and how we can always abound in Christ. Don’t miss out on this coming Sunday as we continue our look in Philippians 3.
This past Sunday, Justin shared with us how we can abound in joy through Christ. We are reminded of Paul’s desire in Philippians 3:8-9, “…in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him…” We want to encourage you to let the words of this passage spur your heart to seek out Christ in your life.
To prepare for this Sunday:
• Read Philippians 3
• Spend time praying that God will guide you and your family during this pandemic.
• Invite a friend or neighbour to the livestream! This could be the moment their life is changed for eternity.
• Take time after the message to discuss with your friends or family how the message spoke to you.
If you know someone who is a part of our church and is not receiving our updates, please share the links with them or let us know.
We can’t wait to worship with you this Sunday!
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Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Next Week
Next week is half term and the pastors will be taking the week off to rest and spend time with family. We will not be posting a Wednesday update, having our Wednesday Zoom Bible Study, doing discipleship, or having our Friday Zoom party with the teens. We encourage everyone to take advantage of half term and find a creative way to spend time with family and friends.
Prayer Points
Pray for family friends of Sarah Willy who lost David to COVID-19, the funeral was this week.
Andrea’s Grandmother (lives in America) who went to hospital, has had gall stones removed and feeling much better.
Pray for everyone, especially children, who are struggling with emotional and mental issues due to the lockdown.
Ministry Opportunity
We are so excited for Martin and Alice having their baby Joshua this past week and as a church, we want to be a blessing to them. We had planned before the lockdown to offer a meal train for them, but with the current circumstances that are happening, it would not be wise to do so. Instead, we want to get their family a Tesco voucher so they can buy the food they need and maybe even some ready meals.
You can be a part of this by donating a meal or two to help out the Parsons. Would you consider contributing £10 or £20 or more to be a blessing to them? Please do so by 31 May, so we can be a blessing sooner rather than later.
Donate to them via the church at:
Welling Church (HSBC)
Sort Code: 40-19-04
Account Number: 02171236
Memo: Baby Parson
Weekly Devotional
The Fruit of the Spirit: GENTLENESS
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22, 23
The eighth attribute of the fruit of the Spirit is Gentleness. Individuals who embody gentleness are kind, mild-mannered and tender. A gentle person seeks to be a peacemaker and not a fighter. Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount, tells us, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). Jesus is not calling us to be a pushover, but He is calling us to walk, to defend, and to correct with gentleness. Let’s look at a few passages that will help us learn to embody the spiritually given attribute of gentleness.
1. Walk in Gentleness (Ephesians 4:1, 2)
“1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Gentleness is not always seen in our time as a positive attribute, but it is where God is concerned. In this passage, Paul is encouraging the church at Ephesus to walk in the worthy manner to which God had called them and even to remember that “10 …we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). Our walk is to match that of Christ’s walk. Christians are to be humble and self-controlled and this go on to produce patience. We can easily say we love one another, but that love is only made manifest by our patience. A humble heart produces patience, patience proves our love, and our love then maintains a Spirit of peace within our church.
2. Defend with Gentleness (1 Peter 3:15)
“15 but in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
As Christians, we are called to defend Christ. However, we cannot defend Him if we do not first know and honour Him in our hearts. Every believer must diligently study the Scriptures and endeavour each day to understand the holiness of God through His Word. We get the English word “apologetics” from the Greek form of the word translated “defence.” Apologetics is the discipline of defending biblical doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse. When we know the truths of the Bible, we can then better give a defence of Him to the world. Every believer should understand what and why he believes. He should also be able to articulate those belief’s, but to do so in a gentle manner. Proverbs 15:1 tells us “a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” When we defend our beliefs, the goal is to do so peaceably. We are not to get into arguments and force our beliefs on everyone whether they want to hear or not. Wisdom and gentleness are great companions of the Great Commission. Seek to know God and make Him known with all humility.
3. Correct with Gentleness (2 Timothy 2:25, 26)
“25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
When we defend Christ with gentleness, we might then hope to correct those with whom we come in contact. What do we mean by “correcting?” Anyone living without Christ is living in error. We cannot hope to understand the world around us without truly living in Christ. Correcting an unbeliever is simply pointing them to the truth of Jesus Christ. We do not enact the change, but we point to the One who does. Paul encourages Timothy to correct people, but to do so with gentleness. If believers are kind, humble and gentle in our approach to proclaiming the Gospel, those individuals might come to know Jesus as Saviour. This is the entire point of correcting with gentleness. We desire for people to be saved, but if we are rude, arrogant, combative, or harsh in our presentation of the Gospel, people will not be willing to hear the correcting message of God. We are to stand in the gap and proclaim the good news as Proverbs 24:11 says, “rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.” Let us not be a contributing factor for anyone to turn away from the message of the Gospel.
Questions to Consider
Am I an angry and combative person?
Am I learning all I can about God so that I might give a proper defence?
Am I gently correcting unbelievers so that they might come to know God the Father through Christ?
Ongoing Faithfulness
God the Father has not only saved us, but He has also called us to be faithful to the task He has given. God gives us the opportunity to serve Him and to make use of all the gifts He has granted. We are to be faithful to share the Gospel with the world around us.
Update From Your Pastors
Hey Welling Church Family!
I am sure you have heard by now that our national lockdown will continue for the month of May and will hopefully begin to let up in phases over the summer. We are praying that it maybe possible to start getting back to some form of normalcy this summer.
Having said that, we have no idea how long this season is going to last. While it is in our hearts to meet together in one location, we are planning on continuing to follow the guidelines given by the government into the foreseeable future. When these guidelines are eventually eased, we will begin meeting together again possibly toward the end of the summer.
As we look to the future, it is good to be reminded that the mission of Welling Church hasn’t and will not change. In fact, we believe that this season will sharpen our vision and focus as we step into the future to fulfil the mandate of giving glory to God through making disciples. We are a church that makes disciples.
Thank you for supporting one another during this time.
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
Praise to God for the birth of Joshua Richard Parsons. Alice, Martin, and baby Joshua are all home and doing well.
Andrea’s Grandmother (lives in America) who went to hospital Sunday after being found unconscious.
Armand’s sister Nadia, who is due to give birth this week.
Ministry Opportunity
We are so excited for Martin and Alice having their baby Joshua this past week and as a church, we want to be a blessing to them. We had planned before the lockdown to offer a meal train for them, but with the current circumstances that are happening, it would not be wise to do so. Instead, we want to get their family a Tesco voucher so they can buy the food they need and maybe even some ready meals.
You can be a part of this by donating a meal or two to help out the Parsons. Would you consider contributing £10 or £20 or more to be a blessing to them? Please do so by 31 May, so we can be a blessing sooner rather than later.
Donate to them via the church at:
Welling Church (HSBC)
Sort Code: 40-19-04
Account Number: 02171236
Memo: Baby Parson
Weekly Devotional
The Fruit of the Spirit: FAITHFULNESS
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22, 23
The seventh attribute of the fruit of the Spirit is Faithfulness. God the Father has not only saved us, but He has also called us to be faithful to the task He has given. God gives us the opportunity to serve Him and to make use of all the gifts He has granted. We are to be faithful to share the Gospel with the world around us. This is the mark of faithfulness we will examine in this lesson. Let’s take a look at the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25 which will give us an example of what a faithful servant of God resembles.
1. God Gives Us An Opportunity (Matt. 25:14-17)
“14 ‘For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.”
Paul tells us in Ephesians, “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9). Yes, we cannot earn our salvation by doing good works, however we are created to accomplish the work of God. Paul goes on to say, “10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). What are we to be doing? We are to be faithfully fruitful. Simply put, we are to be increasing in our knowledge of God and making Him known. When we share the free gift of the Gospel to the lost world we are doing God’s work. God has specifically saved us and left on this earth to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. He has given us the greatest opportunity to serve Him. Are we answering the call or wasting the opportunity?
2. The Triumph of Responding to Opportunity (Matt. 25:18-23)
“21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”
One day every Christian will stand before the judgment seat of God and give an account of our lives concerning issues of conscience. Paul writes, “12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12). God gives us tremendous opportunity and responsibility to share the Gospel while we live on this earth. When our life is examined by God, will He be able to say “Well done, good and faithful servant.” What a joy it will be to hear God say this to us. God has graciously included us in the process of bringing people to Christ. We do not save people, but we have been called to proclaim (Matt. 28: 18-20; Rom. 10:14-17). God is still in the business of saving lost souls and we should choose to participate in that process. Do not simply be a spectator. Responding to the opportunity that God has placed before us, will not only be a triumph in our lives, but also serve as proof of our faithfulness in Christ.
3. The Tragedy of Wasted Opportunity (Matt. 25:24-30)
“28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
No matter how competent you feel for the task, you have a responsibility to share the Gospel with the people with whom you daily come in contact. A deeper issue might need to be addressed if your life is continuously characterised by wasting these opportunities. If your life does not bare fruit, then there could be a problem at the foundation. Meaning, you might not truly have a relationship with Christ. One of the most heartbreaking passages in Scripture is found in Matthew 7, 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’ (Matt. 7:21-23). This passage describes a person who did works for the Lord, but never truly knew Him. It mirrors the servant in our text who did not produce “fruit” from the talents his master gave him. Not only is it tragic for a child of God to not live up to their full potential in Him, but it is even more so when people do no recognise their fruitlessness is a sign that they do not know Christ at all. God has lovingly given us the attribute of faithfulness as a gauge to measure our relationship with Him.
Questions to Consider
Do I understand the gift that God has given to me?
Am I being faithful with the opportunities God has given me?
Am I living a life that is unfaithful and without spiritual fruit? How can I make corrections?
Giving Goodness
If the unbelieving world can show kindness, how much more should we who know Christ show the world around us. Let’s show everyone that we are children of God by practicing Spirit-led kindness.
Update From Your Pastors
Hey Welling Church!
We pray that our latest Wednesday Update finds you well and in good spirits. As we continue our quarantine from home, we know that many of you may be finding yourself increasingly isolated or anxious. We don’t know how long this uncertain time will last or what may happen, but we are reminded of what is written in Psalm 46:1-3.
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
God is present with you now. He is with you during this time of trouble. He is the One we run to in our time of need, and because of this timeless truth, we have nothing to fear in the midst of tragedy, despair, or trials. Even though the earth may give way, our refuge is in God.
We understand that many maybe hurting or afraid, and as Christians, our faith is in the Lord who is our rock, defence, and provider. If you are struggling in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
One of the best ways we can help as a church and serve one another during this pandemic is to pray. We are praying for you and ask that you continue to pray for one another. Your prayers are the lifeline we all need to get us through this lockdown. It's our hope that this pandemic will not leave you with a spirit of fear or worry but will rekindle your need for Him and encourage a spirit of prayer and power throughout our church family — both now and in the years to come.
Let’s pray together and share what God is doing in us during this crucial time.
Subscribe to Welling Church’s YouTube Channel: YouTube
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Prayer Points
Praise to God for Sally’s mum coming off the ventilator and breathing on her own.
Charlotte’s friend Grace, who has recently been diagnosed with skin cancer, to find comfort in God.
That those in our church would find comfort in fellowship with each other and combat isolation.
Ministry Opportunity
Post a picture of a prayer request or praise this week to the WhatsApp group! Some examples:
You walk by the church building and post a picture of the building with the prayer request that we would meet together inside again very soon.
Post a picture of a family member with the request that they get well from an illness.
Post a picture of your work with the praise that you are thankful for the job God has given you.
Weekly Devotional
The Fruit of the Spirit: GOODNESS
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22, 23
The fifth attribute of the fruit of the Spirit is Goodness. Our supporting passage tonight is found in the middle of the greatest sermon ever preached. Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” covers a great many things, however the central point of Luke 6:27-26 is simply that we are to love our enemies. It sounds an impossible task to do good to those who hate us, but we are able to accomplish this difficult task through the work of the Spirit. Let’s look deeper at Jesus’ command to good to our enemies.
1. Do Good to Those Who Hate You (Luke 6:27-30)
“27 ‘But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.”
The herculean task of loving those who hate you is the very one Jesus asks of His followers. He does not ask us to do something that He has not already done. The world hated Jesus and yet He died for sins of humanity. Jesus says, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). Christ gives us several ways in which we can show love to our enemies. We are told to do good to those who hate us (v.27), bless those that curse us (v.28a), pray for our abusers (v.28b), and to resist retaliation (v. 29, 30). How can we hope to do good to those who have done such evil to us? It is only an impossible task if we try to accomplish it without the Spirit. It is not that we are to act as though our enemy has not done evil, but we are to choose to forgive them in spite of the evil acts they have committed. True goodness does not begin with us, but is born by the Spirit. We will experience the benefits of that goodness if we let ourselves be the conduit for it. Show them the same grace that Jesus showed you.
2. Do Good Unselfishly (Luke 6:31-35a)
“31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 32 ‘If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great,”
The unbelieving world is full of people who love those that love them, do good to those who do good to them, and lend money to those who are guaranteed to pay it back. These acts require no effort and are essentially selfish acts. If this is all we are known for, then we will never stand out to the lost world as children of God. However, if we love those who hate us, do good to those who mistreat us, and lend money without expectation of repayment, then we will exemplify a life of unselfishness. These acts will cause us to be a great testimony for God in the world. Jesus tells James and John that He “28 …came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). How can we do good if we are always #1 in our life? We should strive, as Jesus did, to put ourselves second. Do good, not for what we get in return, but to honour God.
3. Do Good Because God is Good (Luke 6:35b, 36)
“and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
When we do good, especially to those hate us, we prove that we are children of God. He has been kind to the ungrateful, He has loved those who hate Him, and He has shown mercy to those who are ungrateful. Paul writes, “6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God” (Rom. 5:6-9). God is our example and we should live in such a way that proves we are His sons and daughters. The Father has held back the punishment that we so rightly deserve. How can we not hold back our hate and anger from those who have wronged us? Do good because our heavenly Father is good and has done so much good for us.
Questions to Consider
Am I doing good for the right reasons?
Am I loving those who hate me and doing so without the expectation of reward?
Am I reflecting the goodness of God in my life?