RELAY:3:DAY:3

Again Day 3 started with a glorious morning outside. I always find it so much easier to learn from God in a place such as that as the surroundings just speak who God is so clearly. It was the same when i was in America and doing Bible School in the middle of the Colorado Rockies. How could you not believe that God really existed when all creation cries out!

The Church that works (1 Cor 14:1-19)
Supposedly Maurice was telling us that alot of people were very shocked when he was telling them that he was going to speak on these passages. And looking at this section you wouldn't disagree in a CU context but Maurice tackled it by simply preaching what the passage said. He remarked "We shouldn't come to the passages asking questions which it simply doesnt answer". A challenge to me when im preparing talks and bible studies. But we saw as we looked at this passage is that the biggest principle of all gifts is to pursue love for the building up of the church. So the reason that the passages says prophecy is better than tongues is because it builds up the church. Tongues is only for one person and God whereas Prophecy should edify the whole church. Unless we can hear and understand what is being said whats the good. So when were praying out loud we shouldn't pray in tongues as some cant understand. PURSUE LOVE=BUILD THE CHURCH. Practically this means alot of things - Dont go to 2 churches, one for worship and one for teaching! We must pray intelligebly so that people can say "AMEN" at the end of it! And again we must pursue love which sometimes may mean that we dont use our gifts! More on this tommorow.

On the evening we have a prayer and praise session. It is something which in some ways i dread as i sometimes find them abit funny. Usually because people come to the front and say soemthing like "were going to do a deal with God" Not sure about that. But this prayer and praise was great and encouraging and challenging too. We prayed for our 121's which was cool. We prayed for those on Homestart (Jools, Chris O and Alison going to Chile/Argentina, Japan and Brussels respectively) It was great to do this and see their heart for their countries. Especially encouraging as always was Chris Oldfield as he has such a passion for Gods word that its infectious! He sets a big example to me about being passionate about God. We also prayed for Thailand and the desperate state there and then i think for UCCF. It was a good night this time and people really prayed and cried out to God for his mercy and grace not for a "bargain deal"!