Newsletter - July August 1999   IN FOCUS -  Stretford Pageant   (26th June)   The Millennium and You - "Time is running out"  Come along to our activities in Longford Park – Puppet Theatre, Kids games, Audio-visual Presentations, Displays, Quizzes, Flags, Colouring Competition with great prizes and all for FREE …(Look out for us in the procession!).  Christadelphians believe the Bible to be God's inspired word. We believe, for example, that the story of the Flood (the theme of our activities in the park) really happened and that Noah saved himself and his family by building an ark as instructed by God.  The story of the Flood contains lessons which are still relevant today as we approach the Millennium – that there is a limit to how much evil God will allow people to commit and, importantly, the lengths to which he will go to save those, like Noah, who honour God's name.  One of the repeated themes of the Bible is that Jesus will return t set up the kingdom of God on earth. On one occasion Jesus compared the time of his coming to the time of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39 "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." )  Like the people of Noah's day many people today live their lives as if God doesn't exist, completely oblivious to the fact that, very soon, God will again intervene in the world's affairs and provide His solution, the only solution, to the world's problems.  We appeal to you to accept Jesus as your saviour now while there is still time and be ready to welcome him when he comes.  THOUGHT – "Are you receiving me?" What God says to us is not complicated – he just keeps on saying the same simple things in different ways, so that somehow – even though we put obstacles in the way – the message may get through to us.  He wants to tell you something. The Lord God – the one who created you – wants you to know that he loves you – that he cares about you – he cares about what you do with your life – what sort of person you become. He doesn't want you to become twisted and deformed on the inside by such poisons as hate and jealousy, greed and selfishness. He wants the best for you – his best – what he created you for. He wants you to share in what he, the creator of the universe, counts as his own greatness. (John 1:12-13 "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." )  Is God receiving us? Does he hear when we pray? YES! (Psalms 17:6-7 "I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes." )  Prayer isn't always easy though. You may find this helpful in your private prayers…  P raise – Praise is like saying "Hello" – it's being conscious of who we are speaking to – knowing God is there listening and being aware of how great and holy he is. It's also saying thank-you for all God is and all he gives us. R epent – When we stand in God's presence, we realise how rotten we are. Confess it to him. Tell him how you feel and what you have done wrong. He promises to forgive and he never breaks his promise.  A sk – Talk to God about everything that bothers you. As a father he cares about what matters to you – though he may not always agree with you on what is best! Ask things for other people too. Bring their needs to God, knowing that he always answers.  Y our will – Don't just ask God to sort out the details of your life. Ask to be part of his! God has plans for your life, which are much better than your plans. Tell him you choose his way.  Are you receiving me? – I will receive you says the Lord.
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