City Life Church, Southampton

Rossie shares this morning about finding rest through remembering. Let's remember God's goodness frequently, intentionally, repeatedly. Let's turn back to receive His original best, let's turn away from regrets, let's receive His fresh grace every day and may we all find rest.

'The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry’, a book by John Mark Comer describes a disease of our time, one even greater than Covid 19 – the disease of ‘hurry-sickness!’ Hurry-sickness is characterised by continual rushing and anxiety. Those with the disease always feel short of time, and therefore try to perform every task faster and they become flustered every time there is any kind of interruption or delay: Life becomes a continuous struggle to accomplish more and more tasks, or participate in more and more events, in less and less time. Whether we realise it or not, the pace most of us live at is unsustainable and damaging in the long-term - and for that reason, it’s ungodly! And we know that when we begin to disconnect with God, everything else goes belly up!

Joy explores Biblical meditation as a way of slowing down our bodies and our minds as we 'moan and mutter' in God's presence. Our culture isn't very good at waiting but meditation is a transformative process that takes time. 'Taste and see that the Lord is good'...take time to savour what God is speaking to you about, allowing the Holy Spirit to enlarge and personalise God's truth for you.

Paul has looked at a couple of proverbs and reminds us how important it is to laugh and express the joy of being a Christian. Proverbs 17:22 - 'Laughter is the best medicine' - and it has no side effects! Paul encourages us to be joyful, enjoy life and find some ways to laugh this week! Proverbs 31 talks about how the wife of noble character 'laughs at the days to come' she has a peace about her when it comes to thinking about what tomorrow will bring. Let's make an effort not to worry about the days to come but know that we can have peace - God has given us so much and has our best interests at heart.

Megs comes this morning with a new song and an invitation to corporately spend some time with God. The song is 'I Just Love You' by Upper Room from their album Land of the Living. As you listen, find an intimate connection with God and experience His love and Grace.

Dan shares some thoughts on God's sovereignty this morning. Is everything that happens part of God's will and what He desires? Many troubling things in the world don't stand with what we know of God's heart. His plan is to align earth with heaven - as His followers, we are involved in outworking His sovereign will; to see what the reality of heaven looks like and bring it to bear on earth. Part of our worship is to live according to this - let's align ourselves to God's sovereign will as part of our praise and worship today.

Jim shares that God has recently been calling the Southampton House of Prayer to think small; and that in the smallness, the presence of God will increase around the city. Take a look at John 1:14 God has been calling us out of our meetings and into the world for a long time. He doesn't want to dwell in a temple, He desires to live among scattered servants, bringing life everywhere. So, let's embrace what He's doing in this time and recognise that we carry God's presence to all the places we go!

Rach has a message for the kids and young people among us today: You've dealt with a lot of change recently and you are amazing! God thinks you're amazing! 1 Timothy 4:12 says, 'Don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity.' You are all making a massive difference, taking Jesus wherever you go - you are world changers!

God is with you in your work. He sees it and He values it. Serve wholeheartedly and with love; your work is sacred. As we are scattered at this time we are called to bring life to our families and workplaces. God sends the Church out into the world, not lost people into the Church. This is an opportunity to bring God's healing, hope, love and honour wherever we are and whatever work we do.

This Saturday is the 10th of October (10/10). Inspired by John 10:10, many people across the country are organising a 'Walk of Life' in their local areas this Saturday. John 10:10 'The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.' Paul encourages us to organise our own Walk of Life. You could walk up and down your street or around your local GP, declaring the word of life. Jesus came to bring life and we are salt and light in our communities. With the fear of the virus abounding, it's a good time for us to declare this abundant life over our communities. Join in 10:10 for 10/10!

Exploring the command to be still and know God, Joy focuses on finding God in the quietness; inviting us to pause in His presence and encounter the sense of awe and wonder that causes us to worship

You're resigning yourself to this but it's not my best for you. Resign: - to submit oneself passively, without resistance and accept as inevitable - to give up a position, for example, especially by formal notification - to relinquish a privilege, right or claim Are there situations we have resigned ourselves to? Is this God's best for us? Bev shares some words and scripture which will challenge us to declare and believe what God tells us is His best for us.

Vix shares from the book Cultivate by The Cageless Birds Community. It's a book full of reflections and prompts for cultivating a more intimate relationship with Jesus. What does it look like to give God all the glory in our lives? It looks like love. We are being pulled forwards into a relationship that's created in love, built on love and abides in love. We're created to give God glory, to worship, to act first in love.

Where do you find God and connect with Him most? For many people it's in the sense of awe that comes as we walk through nature. Megs ecourages us to remember that people are part of God's creation and that it's God's heart to see His creations loving one another. We can show God respect and love by showing respect and love to others. Let's make an effort to put away our phones or other distractions and pray with people, love people!

Dan reflects this morning that our worship needs to be a lifestyle and include the actions of submission and surrender as we make ourselves vulnerable to the will of God. Rather than struggling with the issues we face and battling God's will for us, by surrendering we will discover that what God desires for us is a deep seated security and peace which will allow us to operate in an empowered way, with grace and purpose.

This morning Jim encourages us to take environmental justice seriously as an act of worship to God. We are in the midst of an environmental crisis and as God's church, His people need to take responsibility. Can we get creative together and start by taking some small steps as our corporate worship to God? It is the destiny of all creation to be redeemed and God chooses to do this through us. As we take steps to care for and steward what God has made and declared good, caring for, respecting and nurturing creation, it shows reverence to God and we are restored to our vocation.

Rach shares an encouragement to live intentionally today - to make a conscious choice in every moment to act in a way which points us towards Jesus. "Great accomplishments start with actions done intentionally. For example, being successful in any profession involves adhering to the requirements of dedicated labour. Experiencing a loving, fulfilled, and God-glorifying relationship requires each person to do his or her part in being attentive, loyal, and dedicated. This same mentality applies to us as Kingdom citizens in the family of God. We must live intentionally-submitted lives." - Dr. Tonya Lewis, West Angeles Church

Nicky takes us to the ornamental lake to 'reflect on reverence', with an invition to look at the wonders of God's creation and see what He wants us to know.

Bev shares a poem, 'The World Will Weep No More', with us this morning as we are called back to the heart of worship.

Rossie shares on the importance of God's presence being in our every present moment.