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The Emmanuel Bristol Blog has now moved to www.emmanuelbristol.org.uk/blog so do head over there to see all the latest posts.

Jesus is alive!

Did Jesus really rise from the dead?

Digging into Isaiah

If our series in Isaiah over the last 6 weeks has got your wanting to dig further into the treasures of this precious Bible book - here are a couple of resources that you might find help as you do so:

Isaiah by the Day. An unsual and really helpful book - it's a 'devotional translation' of Isaiah by Alec Motyer - who has made the book of Isaiah his life's work.

The message of Isaiah. A surprisingly accessible commentary on the book of Isaiah by Barry Webb.

Thursday's Reflection

Read Isaiah 7:13-16. "Immanuel" is (in the first instance) the faithful remnant of people that Jerusalem gives birth. It is as the Lord promised: there will be a remnant. How does the fact of the remnant help you to trust the Lord this week?

Don't waste your life

"If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all..." Isaiah 7:9

Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty...

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted,seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty, the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King,the Lord Almighty.”

Isaiah chapter 6 verses 1-5

Getting your head round Isaiah

You may find this video helpful as we continue our preaching series in Isaiah 1-12 this week -

Give your Christmas Roots

This Sunday we'll be beginning a new series in the first 12 chapters of Isaiah - here's a little taster of what we've got to look forward to.

Halloween - what would Jesus do?

Halloween is on the way, so now is a great time to start thinking about how you and your house or family are going to respond this year. Here's a handful of resources that will hopefully help you to do that:

Our friends at Dundonald church in London have produced this really helpful video containing some real wisdom about how to think, and especially how to help our children to think about the whole thing.



If you want to get hold of leaflets like the ones Ed mentions in this video 10ofthose and thegoodbookcompany both have good selections. And if you'd like to organise some kind of 'Light Party' - speak to one of your church elders who'd be happy to link you up with others and help to make it happen.

Another helpful look at the subject is this blog post Should Christians celebrate Halloween?

And for a poetic take on the event and some of the history behind trick or treating - check out Glen Scrivener's video below.

A prayer to pray in the wake of Turkey's attempted coup

By Scotty Smith of TGC 

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:7

Lord Jesus, there’s more encouragement in this one passage than water in every ocean, stars in every sky, and atoms in every galaxy combined. We boldly proclaim this hope on a morning when we wake up to the new crisis in Istanbul, and old crises everywhere else.

You are the king we always wanted—the One who fulfills every promise God has made and every longing in our hearts. King David’s throne has become your throne of grace, from which you are extending your kingdom and increasing your peace. Your righteousness is our surety, and your sovereignty is our sanity. The saints in heaven are happier than us, but not one bit more secure.

O holy paradox… your entrance into our world through a stable is leading to the “stable-ization” of the entire universe. Things are not as they appear, in Istanbul or anywhere else. God left nothing to chance, but all things to his Christ—to you! You are already “the ruler of kings on earth” (Rev. 1:5), and of everything else. Nothing can derail, deter, or distract you from bringing to completion your good work of redemption and restoration. Because of you, terror is terrified, evil is whimpering, and fear is panicking. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Jesus, you are neither predictable nor manageable, but you are good and faithful, merciful and mighty, in control and very near. Forgive us when we get impatient with your timing, complain about your providences, and second-guess your ways.

As the gospel of your kingdom continues its transforming work in our lives, may it advance through us—wherever you have placed us and wherever you are pleased to send us. Intensify our longings for the Day you will return to finish making all things new. So very Amen we pray, in your tender and triumphant name.

A prayer for the morning after the attack in Nice

By Scotty Smith of TGC

The Lord laughs at the wicked for he knows their day is coming. Psalm 37:13

Heavenly Father, trucks are meant to carry needed supplies to help families grow and thrive—not be a projectile of terror and death, targeting your precious image bearers. I pray for the shocked, grieving, enraged people of Nice, and all our stunned hearts. 

Father, I so look forward to the Day when we’ll actually get to hear you laugh—a laughter that already fills the counts of heaven, and echoes throughout the chambers of eternity. That will be the Day when every expression of darkness and death, evil and folly, meanness and wickedness will be gone… forever. 

It’s hard to conceive of our world devoid of all sin and brokenness, and filled to overflowing with your goodness, truth, and beauty. But you’ve promised that Day and have secured it, through the finished work of Jesus. Though not as quickly as we’d like, but more certainly than we can imagine, the Day of “all things new” is coming. Perfect peace will prevail. No more war; not even one more argument. 

Father, forgive my fearful fretting, cynical unbelief, and vengeful musings. Vengeance belongs to you, not me. My wicked musings deserve your judgment just as much as they require your grace. Make me a meek man who grieves evil, but one who lives with hope. 

So when wicked plots and gnashing teeth seem to be on the increase and righteousness seems to be on the decrease, please, Father, allow us—your beloved daughters and sons, to hear your unmuted, cosmos-shaking, whole-Being laughter. May your joy be our strength, your promises be our confidence, and your timing be our schedule. 

So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name.

Why read 'Side by Side'?

Here's why Ed Welch wrote it:



If you don't have a copy yet pick one up at your church's gathering this Sunday.

How should Christians respond to Brexit?

Peter wrote to the churches of his day -

"Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honour the emperor." (1 Peter 2:17)

Here's Pastor and Director of Affinity Graham Nicholls' helpful wisdom on what that looks like in practice for us as Christians in the wake of last week's referendum result:

Do not wring your hands in despair or rub them together in glee but lift them up in prayer. 

Practise what you preach and believe that God is in control and trust him for the outcome. He may be judging us as a nation, he may be about to bless us, or both, but always his will always prevails. No-one has won or lost but the Lord of history, who always wins. Do not assume that you have the wisdom to determine if it was the ‘right’ answer or the ‘wrong’ one. 

Love your brothers and sisters in Christ and love your neighbours. Your love is being tested. You may have Christian friends, family members, neighbours or workmates who voted differently to you. Be careful not to attribute blame, wrong motives, inferior intellect or failed morality to them. Work for unity within the church and in our divided country. Re-assure those who feel disturbed or anxious.

Preach the gospel. I think the events of the last few weeks have demonstrated a profound spiritual hunger. Tell people about King Jesus. Union with him is all that matters.

Yours in the secure love of Christ, 

Graham Nicholls

In the wake of the result...

Whichever way you cast your vote today, Andrew Wilson has some really helpful Biblical wisdom here that we'll all need to remember and put into practice in the weeks ahead...

 

The Boy, the Gorilla, and the Outrage: Questions for Reflection

Christian author Joe Carter writes:

Over the past few days the story has become a national phenomenon, inciting thousands of responses on social media, hundreds of news stories, and dozens of journalistic think pieces (like the one you are currently reading).

There is nothing new or noteworthy that could be said about the incident (at least not by me), and yet I believe it provides an opportunity for societal self-reflection. Here are several questions that are worth considering in light of the death of Harambe:

Read his reflections here

Why Hospitality Beats Entertaining

Here's a helpful blog post on the difference between hospitality and entertaining - and why hospitality is so much more 'gospel shaped'. Here's a taster:

Entertaining is always thinking about the next course. Hospitality burns the rolls because it was listening to a story.

Entertaining obsesses over what went wrong. Hospitality savors what was shared.

Entertaining, exhausted, says “It was nothing, really!” Hospitality thinks it was nothing. Really. 

Entertaining seeks to impress. Hospitality seeks to bless.

Read the whole thing here.

The cure for forgetfulness!

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits... 

Psalm 103:5

If David needed to speak to himself and remind his soul to 'forget not all his benefits', chances are we will probably need that kind of a reminder from time to time too.

On Thursday 4th February we have a great chance to be reminded of all the ways in which the Lord is at work in and through us as a family of churches as we all come together for an evening of prayer and praise at the Greenway Centre. Come along and hear about what the Lord is doing in other parts of the city, and seek his direction and guidance for us as churches in the year ahead.

The evening will also be a great opportunity to get together with others, and we'll be eating together from 7.15pm (veg curry, suggested donation £5 a head), before we get down to praying together from 8.00. If you'd like dinner please sign up here so we know numbers.

Emmanuel Bristol February prayer and praise evening

7.15pm - 8.00pm for food

8.00pm - 9.30pm for prayer and praise

@ the Greenway Centre, 119 Doncaster Road, Southmead BS10 5PY 

www.thegreenwaycentre.co.uk/contact-us

Christmas Carols Radio

Christmas Carols Radio is an internet radio station that plays traditional choral Christmas carols, interspersed with evangelistic 'nativity thoughts'.

You can listen or follow online via Tune In internet radio player, via the website, or just by clicking this button.

Let's be making the most of this excellent gospel resource in the run up to Christmas and find ways to share it with others.

Read any good books lately?

If your answer to that question is 'I don't have time to read!' - how about letting someone read to you? ChristianAudio.com have made loads of quality Christian books available as audiobooks - great for listening to while you're doing something you don't need your brain for, like walking to work, showering, or driving the car (OK - so you might need your brain a bit...).

Best of all if you sign up to their regular mailing list - you get a free book every month. So there's an easy way to read at least 12 good Christian books a year.

This month you can get Paul David Tripp's book 'Sex and Money' free. Get it here.