MOVED TO NEW HOST

I have now moved my blog to a new host at www.andyrobinson.org.uk

Bible Commentaries

I am often asked about bible commentaries or bible study notes. So I have decided to create a page of the commentaries that I use or have used. I will update it as an ongoing project as and when I come across others.

Purpose, Power & Proclamation

This What is our MAIN THING?

God gave Pharaoh a simple summary of His purpose and his main objective in Exodus 9:16 “for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth“

I look at the purpose of the church and us as individuals in light of this verse. What is it ultimately that we have been called to? What is the thing above all else that we have to fix our eyes on. We should then be measuring all our individual and corporate activities, plans, hopes and dreams against that vision. Knowing our purpose and vision helps us determine where we should be putting out time and resources, how we should be redistributing resources in order that we might better serve the purpose of God.

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Radical Discipleship

What is RADICAL DISCIPLESHIP?

What is to be a RADICAL DISCIPLE OF JESUS?

In this sermon I look at, and compare, the life an experience of Jesus disciples whilst they were with Jesus to after he had ascended and the Holy Spirit had come. What a difference the Holy Spirit makes! An unfocused rabble become organized, purposeful miracle workers and world missionaries. I poses the question who are we? Are we like the pre-Pentecost disciples or Radical, empowered, Holy Spirit filled people demonstrating the kingdom or just “Normal” !

You can LISTEN for FREE here, or download for your iPod or MP3 Player, again free, here

Gossip! The staple diet of the UK public

As I prepare to go on holiday I am amazed by the amount of trash on sale in the magazine rack at the airport!

Rows and rows of gossip and speculation based on gossip! I can’t believe the millions that must be spent by the UK public, and I’m sure Brits are not unique, on what is just trash!

Maybe I am arrogant but I can’t imagine how dull my life would need to be before I found any enjoyment in living a secondhand life through the pages of a gossip mag!

As a Christian I must ask myself too what is the facination? Let me pose an answer and say “is it not a facination with these peoples lives, but a facination with sin?” We may not take part in such actions ourselves, we are far to pious for that, but do we somehow participate in our indulgence in gossip publications (and some Tv shows too).

I am not saying that everything these people do is wrong, but it seems to me that it is only the bad stuff that people wants to k ow about and so it is only the bad stuff that gets printed!

Next time you look to buy one of these magazines ask yourself the question “why this magazine? Why these stories? What is it that I hope to learn? Am I feeding a thirst for knowledge or a thirst for gossip or some inner desire to feed my inner man on the sinful exploits of others”

Just a thought !

And So It Begins … Incitement to Racial Hatred used to Prevent Preaching on the Street!

A street preacher is at the centre of a row over freedom of speech after police threatened to arrest him for reading the Bible in public.

And so it begins … on Saturday the Telegraph News Paper reported that whilst preaching and reading the bible on the streets of Manchester a man was told by plain clothes and uniformed police officers to stop or face arrest.

Andrea Minichiello Williams, a friend of mine and the the director of the Christian Legal Centre, has written to Peter Fahy, the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester, over the incident …. Go Andrea!

The Telegrapth reported “The centre and Mr Diamond believe that the police abused their powers during the dispute on Saturday, July 25. It is against the law to use offensive, threatening or abusive words or behaviour. It is also an offence to incite hatred on grounds of race, religion or sexual orientation. However, in its letter to the police, the Christian Legal Centre said: ‘Freedom of religious and freedom of religious speech is specifically protected by the European Convention on Human Rights.’ The letter added: ‘This means that any restriction on the ‘right’ to evangelise will have to be justified by the Police by a ‘pressing social need’. ‘In a free society, this is very difficult to do; and a few complaints by irate individuals will not suffice.’

This is, I beleive, the begining of the systematic errosion of the christian foundation of this nation! I think we should take a long close look at what principles and political foundations have made this country great. I would suggest that it is the foundational chrsitian principles our laws are founded on. I am not saying that everyone should be a chrsitian, or anything like that. But lets not throw the baby out with the bath water!

What Does a Radical Disciple Look Like ?

This download looks at, and compares, the life an experience of Jesus disciples whilst with Jesus to after he had ascended and the Holy Spirit had come. What a difference the Holy Spirit makes! Unfocused observing rabble to organized, purposeful miracle workers and world missionaries. I poses the question who are we? Are we like the pre-Pentecost disciples who love Jesus, the follow Jesus, who love the Gospels, who have received forgiveness, salvation and everlasting life BUT are not operating like the disciples in the book of acts with boldness and with demonstrations of the kingdom!

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Life, the Universe and Everything … An Accident! You Think?

This video says it all …. watch, consider and enjoy!

Newday

Newday is an event for over 7,000 young people. Held in Norwich it as a fantastic opportunity for young people to gather together to worship God, receive top quality teaching and put their faith into action as the hit the streets of Norwich and the surrounding towns in social action and evangalism.

Visit www.Newday.xtn.org for more info

Moving from Holy Spirit Experience to Holy Spirit Power!

Unlocking the POWER of GOD

So what happened from Jesus receiving the Holy Spirit, from him having a visible manifestation if the Holy Spirit (For him it was a dove landing on him, could have been gold dust, feathers, shaking, falling over, but for Him is was a Dove) and moving on from that EXPERIANCE of the HOLY SPIRIT to moving and operating IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

What can we learn? What happened between the experience and the PURPOSE & POWER?

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Anointing for Purpose

First of all let me say that the Holy Spirit came on him for purpose.

Affirmation

It was for affirmation “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased[1]”, although this was not the primary reason because we know that Jesus already knew who he was at the tender age of 12 when he said to his parents when he went missing and was found in the temple “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house[2]”.

Guidance

The account says that Jesus was “Led by the Spirit[3]” suggesting that as the Holy Spirit came on him that God spoke to him, gave him council, moved him into something new, or into the next season of his life and ministry.

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Readiness for Temptation and Hardship

This I would suggest is the penultimate key here. As we pray for the presence of God to come, to presence himself with us by the Holy Spirit, as we ask him to come in power we better be ready for what comes next.

For Jesus it was 40 days in the wilderness being tempted by the Devil himself.

When the Manifest Presence of God comes by the Holy Spirit demons will flee just as they did after when Jesus pitched up. When we call for the power of God to come we need to be prepared for a testing to come, for temptation to come. When it does we need to be ready! We need to be as Jesus was well fed, not physically, but spiritually. We need to be immersed in the word of God so as temptation comes we can stand firm of the truth of Scripture as Jesus did as he stood firm against the Devil. We need to be continually repentant, quickly confessing sin and humbly receiving correction from those in authority over us.

Let us receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit, not for experience in that moment sake, but in readiness for the times to come.

Anointed Me Too …..

Jesus himself explained why he received the baptism of the Spirit. He clearly explained that when the manifest presence of God came on him, when he visibly experienced the anointing of the Holy Spirit that is was for a clear reason.

Let us read the reason together from Scripture.

(Luke 4:18-19 ESV)

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

The Spirit of the Lord is upon be because he has anointed me to …

There it is right here he is going to tell us why the was anointed, what what the purpose of experiencing the manifest presence of God.

It was to:

• Proclaim the Good News
• Set Captives Free
• Heal the Sick
• Cast out Demons
• Preach Gods Promises

That was the reason for the baptism of the spirit, that was the purpose of the manifestation of the Spirit upon him … and the same is true for us

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

(John 20:21 ESV)

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Moving from Experiences to Power

Folks we need to get hold of this. Sure there is an element of receiving the Holy Spirit manifestations for personal affirmation, but that is a by product of the Holy Spirit coming upon us. His purpose is to anoint us to fulfil Gods mission for his church. That through us his manifold wisdom may be made known[4]. That through us the sick will be healed, that people set free, demons cast out and declaring that now it the day of salvation!

Gold dust, feathers, gems, falling about and all this great stuff that happens when the Holy Spirit is present is an empowering for us to do the things that Jesus did, greater things, in the places he did them. Jesus was anointed to preach to the poor, not in churches, but on the streets[5]. Jesus was preaching the good news, not in synagogues but in the work place[6]. He was healing the sick not at meetings but in people homes[7] and places were the sick gathered[8].

Let us not fall into seeking these signs and wonders for simply self affirmation. I have heard conversations like “Have you had gold dust yet?” whilst I understand the excitement, especially when it happens to you, we must be very careful that we don’t end up seeking signs for the sake of the signs but for the empowerment.

Jesus asked “Why does this generation seek a sign?[9]” and warned us that “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given[10]” We must ensure that we are pursuing God and his glory not our own affirmation.

So for some of you/us there are not signs, no gold dust, no shaking, no obvious manifestations and that is just fine … it is Christ in you that is the hope of glory[11] … not manifestations of the Spirit! It is the fruit that is important, not how the tree is planted!

The Holy Spirit has anointed me to …    FOR PURPOSE !

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[1] Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22

[2] Luke 2 49

[3] Luke 4:1

[4] Eph 3:10

[5] Mat 22:9

[6] Mat 4:18-19

[7] Mat 9:23

[8] John 5:2-9

[9] Mark 8:12

[10] Mat 12:38-39, Mat 16:4

[11] Col 1:27