Reflections
A Deeper Prayer……..
Prayer is simply and profoundly a conversation with God. The Great, Mighty and Powerful God, three in one, who created the Universe is also our Heavenly Father who, along with the Holy Spirit and the Son know us intimately. They, who counts the hairs on our head, something even we cannot do, seek our company. Together the Trinity as three in one represent a level of communion that is part of who they are, and they graciously ask us to join them.
As Christians we all pray. Sometimes we have a set prayer rule and at others we speak to Father God more informally. Most often we ask for things from our Heavenly Father – for the world, for our nation, for our family and for ourselves. It is good to bring our troubles, concerns, thanksgiving and praise to our Heavenly Father as Jesus taught us to in the Lord’s Prayer.
Beyond prayers that echo from our own life experiences, good and bad, the Holy Father calls us to be like Moses and the Prophets who time and again reasoned with God and actively participated in His plans. In Exodus 33 Moses interceded and changed God’s mind. Moses truly partnered with the Lord in leading a stiff-necked people to the edge of the promised land.
This was impressive but there is a type of prayer that is deeper still. As Christians we have the Holy Spirit within us who can help us to pray. Not just in tongues but with conscious intent. This is the prayer at the heart of the cross. We can make time to stand in thankfulness and solidarity with Jesus and focus our attention on His hours of suffering on the cross. We can be present for Him in His suffering. What a privilege.
Here we come in solidarity, simply, lovers of Him, focusing on Him, who willing gave Himself to purchase us as His Bride. Here we hear the prophetic call to become His Bride and to respond to His sacrifice for us. Here we meet Him in love and thanks and in an intimate communion. Here we stand with Him, while waiting for Him to return, for a body of Christ who is committed to become His Bride. Here we find a deep communion with the Trinity. This is a mature prayer for a church growing into its prophetic role as Bride of the King of Kings.
Together we say: Thank-you. We love you.
Blessings for 2024!
Welcome to 2024.
Dear All,
Just a brief update to let you know what we are doing behind the scenes here for GF:24.
We are starting to make contact with those who have expressed an interest in being one of 22 churches who will stream an hour of their service for the GF:24 event. While we are endeavoring to have the vast majority of the event live streamed some churches may need to prerecord their service for the day. Our tech guru will be able to assist you if this is the case.
We are still seeking several churches who would be willing to stream either a traditional Good Friday service for an hour or to prepare a special service. We already have Pentecostal, Baptist and others involved. We love all churches great and small – If you have a phone and your church would like to participate we would love you to contact us via our email address. We only ask that the themes of GF:24 are represented in some way in the service.
The tech team will be releasing several creative items for GF:24 on the ‘Resources’ page over the next few weeks. PLEASE NOTE: All items on our site are free of charge to use as you like. We will notify you of these on the Facebook page (gf24heartofthecross) so please sign up there too.
Please ask you family and friends to sign up on our Facebook site and/or the newsletter or the pledge page – it is not just for the 22 churches but for anyone who wants to join us too – we need to get more people on the site so that we can reach more people over the next couple of months in the lead up to the event.
We will be sharing some of our creative ideas for GF:24 as we move forward. Please get the children involved in this as there will be several projects that they can be involved in.
Please know this is not just a one off event. We hope to create links across the world with believers from every tongue, tribe and nation who love Jesus. Now more than ever we need to realise that the church is not just local or national but international, or I would even say heavenly!
Please pray for us as we undertake this administration of the event as we seek to honour Him and to have wisdom in knowing how to put all this together.
Blessings of abundance on you all as we seek to raise a mighty banner to glorify our Wondrous Saviour.
Sharron
Heart of the Cross Administrator
Reflections – What the world needs now: Unity
Unity at the Cross…..
At the Cross there is unity. All creeds, all denominations, all peoples are confronted with the powerful statement from the cross. Who can argue with the cross of Jesus? Who is the cross for? The cross is a reminder of our need for God. Only Christ could make a way and He did it for all who would receive this most precious gift.
How often do we quote John 3:16 but fail to add John 3:17? This is not a universalist theology but a cry from the heart of our loving Father God:
‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.’
When we stand at the foot of the cross and consider the suffering of our Saviour who are we to divide up salvation like the soldiers who divided His clothing into lots? Who are we to add our own expectations about who can be saved, and how, when or why to this beautiful and powerful gift of love from the cross?
But we do add our own doctrines to salvation. We do make distinctions that divide us. Lord have mercy on us for we do not know what we are doing. Let us repent of our pride and look to the cross as the only source for the salvation of the cosmos. That’s the word John used. Broad and inclusive. God SO loved the world, not his church, not certain cultures, not certain denominations, or worship styles, God so loved the COSMOS! Let us be like our heavenly Holy Father.
Who was the cross for?
One in the Spirit… all one body…
It is said that John Wesley once, in the visions of the night found himself, as he thought, at the gates of hell. He knocked, and asked who were within. “Are there any Roman Catholics here?” he asked. “Yes,” was the answer, “a great many.” “Any Church of England men?” “Yes, a great many.” “Any Presbyterians?” “Yes, a great many.” “Any Wesleyans?” “Yes, a great many.” Disappointed and dismayed, especially at the last reply, he turned his steps upwards, and found himself at the gates of Paradise, and here he repeated the same questions. “Any Wesleyans here?” “No.” “Any Presbyterians?” “No.” “Any Church of England men?” “No” “Any Roman Catholics?” “No” “Whom have you, then, here?” he asked in astonishment. “We know nothing here,” was the reply, “of any of those names that you have mentioned. The only name of which we know anything here is ‘Christian’; we are all Christians here, and of these we have a great multitude which no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues.” https://wesleygospel.com/2013/01/08/no-denominations-in-heaven-the-british-friend/
What a wonderful dream. We all meet at the Cross of our Lord. It’s where our faith journey begins believing that He died for our sins. It is also a reminder that we are One Body in Him, yes of many parts. The dream that John Wesley had is a reminder to us all that we are all God’s people. Our denominational labels will not matter in Heaven but rather our acceptance of Jesus’ amazing gift of His love via His cross.
Thank-you. We Love you.
What a powerful witness: Unity @ GF:24
Unity at the Cross……
Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.
Our prayer here in the Parish of Westernport is that churches will join us in focusing on Jesus’ sacrifice on Good Friday. That a mighty host of others will join us from around the world from all denominations and creeds and societies who will take the opportunity to show the world that the cross has the power to unite us Christians as nothing else can. In an age of fragmentation when it seems so easy to criticise and not bless let us bless our Beautiful Saviour by gathering in thanks for His amazing sacrifice.
In 1 Corinthians 2:2 Paul gives us the solution to division. In summary: Get back to basics. He was dealing with a church that was full of groupies: ‘I am of Paul’ and ‘I am of Apollos’. Paul was horrified but he didn’t give them a theological exegesis, although he was a scholar. He said to them, (the Amplified version is fantastic here:
for I made the decision to know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection].
That’s it folks. That’s the answer for unity. Back to the Cross. Please join us!
Welcome to GF:24 Please pray and continue to share our prayer with others.
Greetings and blessing to all in the name of Christ our Saviour,
Just a quick note to thank-you for supporting us in our prayer.
While there are some early preparations on-going for our 24 hour prayer on Good Friday 2024 (which we will share as these begin to take shape) we ask for the following support:
1. That you pray with us that the Lord will bless us as we seek to honour Him.
2. That you will share our message with others as we seek to draw all our brothers and sisters in Christ back to the cross which is the center, unity and hope for those of who believe.
Welcome to GF:24
In the name of Christ, welcome.
GF24, was born in prayer and started as a gift to the body of Christ and those seeking-exploring faith. Our aim is to share together our worship on Good Friday with our brothers and sisters around the world, and those seeking. There are reflections as we go through the Easter season and our hope is to share and engage with each other to broaden our connections with those in which we share the hope of eternity with Christ.
As the planet revolves on Good Friday 2024, we would love to see continuous prayer services around the time zones, as each time zone comes to Good Friday. We will be hosting a 24-hour prayer event with partners from across the globe and from a variety of denominations. This is our church pledge for GF:24. Please watch for further details as this event comes together in 2024. A corporate prayer vigil and reflections for Easter.
Around the world, people will be able to join in worship with all walks of the Christian family. They will hear voices raised in prayer and praise, in ways they may miss or not have heard before.
We are bound by love and truth, in Jesus and His word.
We hope you will join us, and our prayer is for your church and community. May Christ’s love and sacrifice be transformative in your community and your lives, to God’s glory.
Heart of the Cross symbol for GF:24
The Heart of the Cross – the symbol explained
His cross reminds us of His great sacrifice.
His cross should be ever-present in our hearts. What mighty gift of love from our God of Love. From the foundation of the world He was slain. (Revelation 13:8) A powerful supernatural event captured within space and time and yet the plan was in place always. Extraordinary. We were bought with a terrible price. The cross is a reminder of that sacrifice and cost.
Our hearts remember His sacrifice and respond in obedience to Him.
It is our purple heart as He is our King of Kings and Lord of Lord. We wear His livery. It is a banner for our tribe. Let it be emblazoned on our churches, our homes, our souls, hearts and minds. He is our Head, our Hope and our future. He is our center. He is our past and present and future for without Him we can do nothing. He is our all in all, our Wondrous Saviour. Give Him your heart and serve your glorious King.
Thank-you. We love You.