Mark and Helen Smith

New Wineskins for New Wine

There are three accounts in three of the four gospels, where this message from Jesus is recorded. We can assume that when most of the gospel writers cover something, it’s not just important (all of Jesus’ teaching is important), it’s vital. What we are dealing with today is of vital importance, in order for Christians to function as we are called to, and for the Church to be all we are called to be.

See Matthew 9 v 16, Mark 2 v 21-22 and Luke 5 v 36 – 39.

We’re taking Luke’s passage; it says slightly more than the other two.

³⁶He told them this parable: “No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. ³⁷And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. ³⁸No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. ³⁹And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’ “

The context is that Jesus chooses to associate with ‘Tax Collectors and sinners’. Not only that, but he actually visits the home of Levi (later called Matthew), who has called together all his tax collecting and sinning friends. Levi was probably very frowned upon by the Pharisees because, as his name suggests, he must have been of a priestly family – priest turned tax collector was a real indictment. Continue Reading…

Giving is Living!

I have been looking at the generous nature of God – His wonderfully giving heart!……from Genesis onwards we can see how he gives…. life to Adam, authority over the earth, his wife, his land…we go on to see how God gives health, peace, rest, victory, wisdom… and there’s so much more!! God’s Nature is to give. John 3:16 – He gave His only son! When we accept Jesus into our lives… 2 Corinthians 5:17 says we are new creations! We are told in Scripture that we are made in the image and likeness of God!!… so… it seems to me that our redeemed nature is a generous one – a giving nature ! If we squash that in us by being tight fisted, holding onto “my” stuff… money, “rights” etc. then we are fighting against the new nature of God in us! So, in the light of this, there must be a real freedom, an “anointing”, as it were to be generous to others, to build the house of God, to live big lives and see that as Jesus gave everything for us , and because He is the Way,the truth and the LIFE…then as we allow theSpirit of God to rule in us …we LIVE! And we live life to the full!!
Today – live in the opposite spirit of the world… live the life of God … be generous, be a giver !!
Blessings!!

This Church has got it!

We’ve just got back from a superb four days with Dan and Hanna in Stockholm, Sweden. The weather was awesome – really sunny and warm too. So different from how it’s been over there all winter.

While we were there, we got the chance to visit their Church – Hillsong Stockholm. It was totally inspiring – we visited a few months ago and it was good then too, but they’ve grown, matured and moved premises. They now meet in a renowned Stockholm night club – GK, close to the city centre. How cool is that – Church in a night club!

I find it amazing that some Churches manage to find their niche and develop a positive ethos which enables them to go from strength to strength. Hillsong Stockholm is one of those. Some of the key points are that they confidently raise up young people to take responsibility and release people’s creativity. Pastor Andreas has stayed faithful to God’s call through thick and thin – now it’s paying off. Everyone is encouraged to be real with their Christianity – no false ‘spirituality’, but honesty which draws people to the thing which motivates them – relationship with God.

So if you’re ever in Stockholm on a Sunday – look them up – easy to find at hillsong.se.

Our wee nephew, Alex

Last Sunday, Mothers Day, we had a fantastic time with Helen’s brother Ramsay, partner, Catherine and their 17 month boy, Alex. He’s rather cute and at that stage of life where everything is ready to be discovered!

Here’s a link to a ten minute video of Alex:

A hopeful day!

Hope Springs

Today is such a beautiful day – full of the hope of Spring!

Birds singing, the grass is looking greener, the sun is shining, my laundry is washed(!) and I can see some daffodils out at last!!
Such a day … allows you to hope!

I sometimes have thought that we don’t allow ourselves to hope! It’s as if we dare not allow ourselves the luxury of daring to hope that our dreams, our promises from God will ever come to pass in case we are disappointed.

Let me encourage you today – to dare to hope again – hope births faith and God has promised He will never disappoint us — we have that hope!

So get outside on a lovely day like today! – take some deep breaths and say to yourself – God is Good!… and allow your self to hope again.

YET….

A Hymn of Faith
17 Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The LORD God [a] is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.

So many seasons of life ….YET…. I just praise God for His YETs!!!
Tough days, recession times, challenges around us…. YET!!!
This passgae is a real encouragement to worship our faithful God in good times and bad . Put your trust in His goodness and faithfulness to you today! Look up and see His favour!

Be blessed and stirred to press on as you ponder this word. xxxxxxxxx

Live life “full on” … or … Do what you do to the very best of your ability

Ecclesiastes 9: 7-10

⁷ Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favours what you do. ⁸ Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. ⁹ Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun- all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labour under the sun. ¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going; there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

Live life to the full.

Ephesians 6: 5-8

Serve wholeheartedly – not as slaves who have to and get no reward, but as people who honour and love God in all they do.

So much depends on our attitude to life and its challenges … whether we serve “because we have to” or “as unto God”  makes a big difference! Continue Reading…

You’re bigger than you think you are!

Mark talks about the way in which we usually run ourselves down and therby miss out on the opportunityto rise to God’s calling.

To Sweden and back for 2p each (incl taxes etc.).

It’s amazing – Helen was browsing on-line last week, thinking how nice it would be to go an see our son and daughter-in-law in Stockholm. We keep in touch a lot, but they are so far away. Things are really going great for them over there, especially with the Church – have a look at www.hillsong.se. They’re growing at a speed of knots and Andreas, the Pastor is a fantastic leader – pointing everything to God. They meet in one of the most notorious night clubs in Stockholm – hiring the whole venue every Sunday for Church!

Anyway, back to Helen surfing for flights. She came upon a Ryanair flight for 1p each way; 2p return and, if she selected no checked in bags, online check-in, no insurance and used a Visa Electron card, there were no taxes or extras – so all five of us get to fly to Sweden for 10p in April! Three cheers for Ryanair – I just hope they don’t go bust before we fly!

The Car that Nearly Killed Me (Holding on for dear life) – Peter Smith