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Dear Friend,
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Acts 2:1-4
Let us for a moment transport ourselves to that upper room in Jerusalem where 120 of Jesus’ followers waited for the fulfilment of the promise that Jesus had made to them. It was probably a room filled with all types of emotions, from fear to excited expectation. What was going to happen and how was it going to happen? All they knew was that they had to wait. Outside of that room was a city filled with people and authorities that wanted to arrest them and rid the nation of anything to do with Jesus. Inside that room they sang, prayed, and waited!
If I’m honest, I must admit that I do not like waiting. My head gets filled with things I need to be doing, or maybe God needs my help to accomplish something He’s trying to do! The scriptures are filled with examples of God making His servants wait until the time is right. Some of those individuals obediently waited while others, Saul being a good example, moved before God said ‘move’.
Can you imagine if those 120 in the upper room gave up the day before and dispersed back to their homes? But during their wait, struggling with all the emotions and doubts that attacked their minds they got on with the most important thing they could do – they prayed! In Acts 2:1 we are told that everything then happened ‘suddenly’.
We, as a global church, have just remembered Pentecost on Sunday 28th. But what does it really mean to us? Some may celebrate it because it is on the church calendar, others because, along with God’s gift of salvation, the giving of the Holy Spirit connects us to God Himself. Some within today’s church believe in the teaching that the power of God’s Spirit has ceased towards the end of the Apostolic Period (Cessationists). I personally have seen too much to believe this.
Like those early followers in that upper room who had to be ready for the ’suddenly’ to happen, I wait, watch, and pray, and like them, I battle all the emotions and doubts if He will use me again. I am humbled yet rejoice that I can testify that He has and does use me to touch the lives of others. I want to encourage you to ask Him to use you in those ‘unexplainable’ ways, to touch the lives of others that even in 2023 the world can look at our churches and be in awe of what God is doing in and through us.
PLEASE PRAY:
- We have had four schools stay with us so far this month. Please pray that they would not only have fond memories of their time with us, but that the Bible teaching they had would be a seed in their lives that God will water and grow.
- We look forward to welcoming the Boys Brigade, a High School and Primary School in the next few weeks and our prayer is the same as above. We want them to really enjoy themselves, but the most important message they will ever hear will be shared with love and clarity here at the Centre.
- We are still very much in challenging days. Many have been hit hard financially and continue to be so. Please pray that we can put packages together that will enable more and more groups to come and enjoy all that Compass has to offer.
- There are still many large projects that are needing to be done around this old building. Please continue to pray that we are directed to the right funding providers that may help with such projects BUT let us also pray in faith that our God will provide in the most wonderful ways. This is His work, and we are merely the caretakers for a season – what is there that He cannot do?
- Please continue to lift the four of us up in your prayers. At times we can feel slightly overwhelmed with all that is needing to be achieved – we try and juggle as many balls in the air as we can. We are reminded that those who wait upon the Lord shall have their strength renewed – pray that we will be disciplined in the working out of this as we work and live here on site.
- Proverbs 29 reminds us that a people without vision will perish. As we continue to seek God for His way forward, remember the Team and the Board, that all will understand the responsibility of knowing and understanding His vision for the days ahead.
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05 June
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Solas
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Conference day
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09 – 11 June
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St John’s High School
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House half full
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15 June
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Compass Board day at Compass
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19 – 23 June
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Methven PS
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Small school
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19 – 23 June
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Army Chaplain
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Retreat week
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29 June – 07 July
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GUL Outdoors Holiday
(God Unlimited)
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Small group of Americans and English for a retreat holiday
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