LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH “MESSENGER” JULY 2022
VERNON ST / CHURCH ST . LEIGH. WN7 1BH
Website : www.leighbaptistchurch.org.uk Contact: admin@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk
Pastoral Leader – Val Hulme ( Day Off Fridays)
email : pastoral.leader@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk TEL 07817142192
Check LBC website for updates and info also LBC FACEBOOK page
Wisdom
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it is by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” James 3:13 (NIV)
James 3:13-17 is about two kinds of wisdom; 1) “That which is from Heaven and is pure, peace- loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
2) That which is not from Heaven, but is “earthly, unspiritual and of the devil.” (NIV) It “harbours bitter envy and selfish ambition in the heart.”
The first leads to peace, but the second one to ‘disorder and every evil practice.
Wisdom is mentioned many times in the Bible. Perhaps the best known references to it are in Proverbs where we can read of the Wisdom of Solomon. The Good News Bible tells us that “Proverbs is a collection of moral and religious teachings in the form of sayings and proverbs.” These were probably compiled by King Solomon from the wise sayings of different Nations. Emphasis is on wisdom as a way of life, not aiming at material success, but at a ‘Godly, righteous and a sober life.’ Proverbs 1:7 tells us that “to have knowledge you must first have reverence for the Lord.”
This can be said of Daniel and his three friends. When the Israelites were captives in Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar asked his court officials to choose some young men from amongst them who were from the royal family or nobility and to train them for three years for entry into the King’s service. They were to have food from the King’s table. Among them were Daniel and three others from Judah, known as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Daniel asked if they could have vegetables and water instead of the royal food. This was allowed for ten days. At the end of that time they ‘looked healthier and better nourished than any of the other young men who ate the royal food.’ Daniel 1:17 says that to those four young men “God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning, and Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.” In chapter 2 we read of a dream that the King had. He sent for his wise men to tell him what it meant, but they told him that not a man on earth could do what the king asked. When Daniel heard about it he went to the King and said he would be able to tell him the meaning of the dream if he was given a little more time. He urged his three friends to pray about it and during the night God revealed it to Daniel in a dream. He praised the God of Heaven for giving him wisdom and power, then went to the King and told him what his dream meant. As a result the King said “Your God is the God of gods and the Lord of Kings.” He made Daniel ruler of the entire province of Babylon and put him in charge of all the wise men. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were made Administrators over the province and Daniel remained at the royal court.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a burning fiery furnace because, when Nebuchadnezzar commanded everyone to bow down to a huge golden statue he had ordered to be made, they refused, saying they would not bow to any god but the God of Heaven, The King had the furnace made seven times hotter and had the three young men thrown into the fire. The King could not believe it when he looked into the blazing furnace and saw four people walking about in it, one looking like the ‘son of a god.’ He called to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to come out, calling them servants of the Most High God. The fire hadn’t harmed them in any way. Once again Nebuchadnezzar praised God then ordered that anyone who said anything against the God who had saved those three men should be killed.
In chapter 4 Nebuchadnezzar let everybody in his kingdom know “about the signs and wonders the Most High God has worked for me.” He told everyone that he had had another dream which Daniel interpreted. It told how Nebuchadnezzar would be driven away from people and live with the wild animals. His kingdom would be restored to him when he acknowledged that the God of Heaven was indeed Lord of all the Earth. Everything happened as Daniel said. When the king repented his sanity was restored to him. He acknowledged with praise and thanksgiving that God’s Kingdom would last for ever, so once again his throne was restored to him.
A chorus we used to sing is ‘Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone ---‘ It was because God gave Daniel wisdom from Him that Daniel was able to help Nebuchadnezzar, whose heart God was able to change, to acknowledge that He was the one, true and only God.
Throughout the reign of Darius Daniel continued to pray to his God at his open window three times a day and survived being thrown into the lions’ den when God took care of him and shut the mouths of the lions. Darius then commanded everyone in his empire to respect Daniel’s God who saves and rescues , performs wonders and miracles in Heaven and Earth’, and saved Daniel from being killed by the lions. All this was because of the wisdom God had given to him.
Since Jesus lived on this earth and ascended into Heaven men have still known the wisdom from God in their lives, for He sent the Holy Spirit to enable people to understand the will of God and to walk in his ways. We need to pray for that wisdom for all leaders in our world today, as well as for our Church and ourselves “-- the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” James 3:17 KW
Dates for your diary
Sunday 3rd July 10:45 am All - age worship
Sunday 10th July 10:45 am Deacons
Sunday 17th July 10:45 am Val Hulme
Sunday 24th July 10:45 am Communion Val Hulme then Church & Congregation meeting
Sunday 31st July 10:45 am Val Hulme
Tuesdays 5th, 12th and 19th July Toddlers 9:30 - 11:30am £1.50 per child, includes refreshments (siblings 50p) NB 1pm Memorable Melodies will restart in September
Wednesdays 6th, 13th and 20th July Prayer Meeting 10:00 - 11:00 am. Meet for tea/coffee/chat at 9:45am.
Saturday 9th July Coffee+ 10:30 am - 12:30 pm.
Wednesday 13th July Deacons' meeting; JM and DW reporting re: CIO.
Friday 15th July 11:00 am - 3:00pm Free Sale Admission 50p to include refreshments
Thursday 28th July Coffee+ 1:00 - 3:00pm
Wednesdays 6th and 20th July Support Group using our premises 12:15 - 2:00pm
FREE SALE on Friday 15th July. Hopefully, you have been able to put some items to one side for this. We would be grateful if you could bring these in on Sunday 10th July at the earliest, or on Thursday 14th between 1:00pm and 3:00pm.
We need volunteers to help set up for the sale on Thursday 14th July from 1:00 pm; to serve refreshments during the sale on Friday 15th July and to tidy away afterwards, which may include Saturday 16th if we don't finish on the Friday. Please let Jean, Angie or Val know if you can help Whilst it is a Free Sale, there will be a 50p entrance charge to cover refreshments.
Church and Congregation Meeting is on July 24th after Sunday Worship, starting at approximately 12:30pm. John M and David W will be reporting back re: Charitable Incorporated Organisations. Unless something urgent crops up, this will be the only item on the agenda.
LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH “MESSENGER” JULY 2022
VERNON ST / CHURCH ST . LEIGH. WN7 1BH
Website : www.leighbaptistchurch.org.uk Contact: admin@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk
Pastoral Leader – Val Hulme ( Day Off Fridays)
email : pastoral.leader@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk TEL 07817142192
Check LBC website for updates and info also LBC FACEBOOK page
Wisdom
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it is by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” James 3:13 (NIV)
James 3:13-17 is about two kinds of wisdom; 1) “That which is from Heaven and is pure, peace- loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
2) That which is not from Heaven, but is “earthly, unspiritual and of the devil.” (NIV) It “harbours bitter envy and selfish ambition in the heart.”
The first leads to peace, but the second one to ‘disorder and every evil practice.
Wisdom is mentioned many times in the Bible. Perhaps the best known references to it are in Proverbs where we can read of the Wisdom of Solomon. The Good News Bible tells us that “Proverbs is a collection of moral and religious teachings in the form of sayings and proverbs.” These were probably compiled by King Solomon from the wise sayings of different Nations. Emphasis is on wisdom as a way of life, not aiming at material success, but at a ‘Godly, righteous and a sober life.’ Proverbs 1:7 tells us that “to have knowledge you must first have reverence for the Lord.”
This can be said of Daniel and his three friends. When the Israelites were captives in Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar asked his court officials to choose some young men from amongst them who were from the royal family or nobility and to train them for three years for entry into the King’s service. They were to have food from the King’s table. Among them were Daniel and three others from Judah, known as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Daniel asked if they could have vegetables and water instead of the royal food. This was allowed for ten days. At the end of that time they ‘looked healthier and better nourished than any of the other young men who ate the royal food.’ Daniel 1:17 says that to those four young men “God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning, and Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.” In chapter 2 we read of a dream that the King had. He sent for his wise men to tell him what it meant, but they told him that not a man on earth could do what the king asked. When Daniel heard about it he went to the King and said he would be able to tell him the meaning of the dream if he was given a little more time. He urged his three friends to pray about it and during the night God revealed it to Daniel in a dream. He praised the God of Heaven for giving him wisdom and power, then went to the King and told him what his dream meant. As a result the King said “Your God is the God of gods and the Lord of Kings.” He made Daniel ruler of the entire province of Babylon and put him in charge of all the wise men. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were made Administrators over the province and Daniel remained at the royal court.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a burning fiery furnace because, when Nebuchadnezzar commanded everyone to bow down to a huge golden statue he had ordered to be made, they refused, saying they would not bow to any god but the God of Heaven, The King had the furnace made seven times hotter and had the three young men thrown into the fire. The King could not believe it when he looked into the blazing furnace and saw four people walking about in it, one looking like the ‘son of a god.’ He called to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to come out, calling them servants of the Most High God. The fire hadn’t harmed them in any way. Once again Nebuchadnezzar praised God then ordered that anyone who said anything against the God who had saved those three men should be killed.
In chapter 4 Nebuchadnezzar let everybody in his kingdom know “about the signs and wonders the Most High God has worked for me.” He told everyone that he had had another dream which Daniel interpreted. It told how Nebuchadnezzar would be driven away from people and live with the wild animals. His kingdom would be restored to him when he acknowledged that the God of Heaven was indeed Lord of all the Earth. Everything happened as Daniel said. When the king repented his sanity was restored to him. He acknowledged with praise and thanksgiving that God’s Kingdom would last for ever, so once again his throne was restored to him.
A chorus we used to sing is ‘Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone ---‘ It was because God gave Daniel wisdom from Him that Daniel was able to help Nebuchadnezzar, whose heart God was able to change, to acknowledge that He was the one, true and only God.
Throughout the reign of Darius Daniel continued to pray to his God at his open window three times a day and survived being thrown into the lions’ den when God took care of him and shut the mouths of the lions. Darius then commanded everyone in his empire to respect Daniel’s God who saves and rescues , performs wonders and miracles in Heaven and Earth’, and saved Daniel from being killed by the lions. All this was because of the wisdom God had given to him.
Since Jesus lived on this earth and ascended into Heaven men have still known the wisdom from God in their lives, for He sent the Holy Spirit to enable people to understand the will of God and to walk in his ways. We need to pray for that wisdom for all leaders in our world today, as well as for our Church and ourselves “-- the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” James 3:17 KW
Dates for your diary
Sunday 3rd July 10:45 am All - age worship
Sunday 10th July 10:45 am Deacons
Sunday 17th July 10:45 am Val Hulme
Sunday 24th July 10:45 am Communion Val Hulme then Church & Congregation meeting
Sunday 31st July 10:45 am Val Hulme
Tuesdays 5th, 12th and 19th July Toddlers 9:30 - 11:30am £1.50 per child, includes refreshments (siblings 50p) NB 1pm Memorable Melodies will restart in September
Wednesdays 6th, 13th and 20th July Prayer Meeting 10:00 - 11:00 am. Meet for tea/coffee/chat at 9:45am.
Saturday 9th July Coffee+ 10:30 am - 12:30 pm.
Wednesday 13th July Deacons' meeting; JM and DW reporting re: CIO.
Friday 15th July 11:00 am - 3:00pm Free Sale Admission 50p to include refreshments
Thursday 28th July Coffee+ 1:00 - 3:00pm
Wednesdays 6th and 20th July Support Group using our premises 12:15 - 2:00pm
FREE SALE on Friday 15th July. Hopefully, you have been able to put some items to one side for this. We would be grateful if you could bring these in on Sunday 10th July at the earliest, or on Thursday 14th between 1:00pm and 3:00pm.
We need volunteers to help set up for the sale on Thursday 14th July from 1:00 pm; to serve refreshments during the sale on Friday 15th July and to tidy away afterwards, which may include Saturday 16th if we don't finish on the Friday. Please let Jean, Angie or Val know if you can help Whilst it is a Free Sale, there will be a 50p entrance charge to cover refreshments.
Church and Congregation Meeting is on July 24th after Sunday Worship, starting at approximately 12:30pm. John M and David W will be reporting back re: Charitable Incorporated Organisations. Unless something urgent crops up, this will be the only item on the agenda.