Talks

Joe Gisbey (CEO Link International) shares with us, with real insight what God wanted to speak to us as we look ahead
1) The name Ashwood contains ASH and WOOD. Ash is the wood that grows in Ashfield, it is a strong and flexible wood. Joe says that it is significant that we are planted in Kirkby (Kirkby means Church). We are strong in the community but are to be flexible and stretch out over the whole area.
2) 50 years in the bible was a year of “Jubilee” which is significant for us. Isaiah 61: The Spirit is on me, he’s anointed me to proclaim the year of God’s favour! God says: I’m about to open things up that you have been praying for. Because you have honoured what has gone before, God will release something! And finally,
3) Joe talks to us about doors. Numbers are significant, last Sunday was also the 5784th new Jewish year. 4 in Hebrew means dullet (door). Joe prophesies that God will open doors for Ashwood and some will be closed, but whatever God says can’t be stopped. “So build the babyroom before the baby arrives”! Get ready, stretch our your tent!

We had the priviledge to hear some of Sam Walker’s personal story on Sunday (including some “embarrassing” and “honouring” pictures!). He reminded us that his and our story links in with the family story, the church story and ultimately into God’s big picture of building His Kingdom. Just as God is one (Ehhad), we are called to be one.
Based on Ecclesiastes 4, verses 7-12, Sam encouraged us with four benefits of being “ONE”:
1) Productivity and Purpose:
“Lovers are normally face to face, absorbed in each other; friends, side by side, absorbed in some common interest” - C.S. Lewis
2) Help and Healing:
“Shared joy is a double joy, shared sorrow is half a sorrow” - Swedish Proverb
3) Comfort and Companionship:
“A home is not where you live, a home is where you belong” - Somalian Proverb
4) Solidarity and Strength:
“While they fight in detached parties, they sacrifice the general cause” - Rome of Britannia

But we need to remember not to just be linked with each other, but also with our God:
“A threefold cord is not quickly broken!” - Ecclesiastees 4.12

Today we have the great opportunity of meeting 3 current day “Heroes of Faith” from Malawi: Pastors Francis and Annie with their daughter Tama.

Annie and Tama talk to us about all the great projects Hope Mission is running in Malawi. It seems never ending! God surely is doing some marvellous things through them in a most wonderful holistic way.  It is particularly wonderful to hear about how our giving and investment has made such a difference over the last 10 years!  Praise God!
Francis put the heroes of faith we have been hearing about from Hebrews 11 into context: The writer intended to encourage the readers to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus in chapters 1-10. We are so easily distracted by our surroundings and it is important to centre our hearts, minds and spirits on Jesus again and again. Jesus is the ultimate hero of faith, but we are also encouraged by others who have walked through trials on this earth before us in Hebrews 11.
Chapter 12 centres our attention on running this race (our life on earth), being equipped with the encouragement given in the previous chapters.

Have you ever wondered what drove the apostle Paul to persecute Christians? Jack answers this question: Paul was afraid for God and felt that he needed to defend God! (As if God couldn’t take care of himself!)
Jack makes a clear distinction between the fear for God (a destructive fear) and the fear of God (an essential fear that leads to vision and mission). Because God is exalted above all gods, we should be in awe of Him and not worry that anything can diminish Him. What are the gods in our lives that we feel we need to defend?
Paul felt helpless, became blind lying on the ground - when Jesus met him on his road to Damascus. Jesus did not leave him there: “Get up and stand on your feet, I have stuff for you to do”. Jesus says the same for us today!

Joy Blundell shares with us her prophetic word to call the churches in our country to wake up and shout (cockledoodledoo) the message that a new dawn is coming. The church needs to rise up and pray!.
“Shalom” is more than just “Peace”.
Cornelious Plantinga described it as “The webbing together of God, humans and all creation in justice, fulfilment and delight.”
It is a word packed with hope for a broken world.
In Jeremiah 29.11 we read that God has plans to prosper us, to give us a hope and a future. In Hebrew culture that wasn’t understood as a promise for individuals (even though that can be true as well) but as a promise for the corporate church.
“Plans” in Hebrew can be translated as “Weaving together”, “Hope” as “bound together” and “Future” as “an expected end, God knows where He’s taking us”.
Joy encourages us to weave our part in this beautiful tapestry while letting God be the master weaver.