July / August 2010 - Pastor's Message
The Philippians 1:9-11 Journey
The wait is almost over. After 6½ years meeting in the school and 5½ since the demolition of the old Cecil Hall, the construction of the new building in Cecil Road is due to commence over the summer. We give thanks and praise to God for His provision of all our needs and for the way He has guided and directed us through the many twists and turns that have led to this point. (Even as I write there is a further twist which has delayed the exchange of contracts!)
But rather than an end, the gift of a new building is a beginning; the beginning of a new chapter in the life of this local church. The challenge facing us is this: to use the gift God is giving in a way which genuinely brings Him glory and praise. That is why we need to travel together along what may be called the “Philippians 1:9-11 journey”.
That is one way in which we can think of Paul’s prayer for the Philippians, when he writes – “And this is my prayer; that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.”
As we anticipate a new building after these years without one, we will be faced together with many choices and decisions. The question is: how can we discern what is best in the eyes of our Lord Jesus? According to Paul’s prayer we will only be able to do so as our love (for the Lord Jesus, for each other and for a lost world) abounds more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, and that will only happen as we ask God for it.
If you were able to be at our morning meeting on Sunday 4th July you will remember the implications of these verses. If you were not able to be there that day I would encourage you to listen to the recording of the message on Philippians 1:9-11 – available at www.enfieldevangelicalfreechurch.org.uk.
In summary, we saw that unless our love is abounding more and more we will not be able to discern what is best; we will not live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ; we will not be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ; and we will not be living for the glory and praise of God. We also saw that the great challenge is to make Paul’s prayer our prayer – individually and as a church.
Where you start often determines where you end up. Paul’s prayer shows that prayer for an abounding love is the vital starting point for everything in the Christian life. How we pray is also very revealing. To quote Robert Murray McCheyne – “What a man is alone on his knees before God, that he is, and no more.” What is true individually is also true for a local church.
So - will you travel with us on the Philippians 1:9-11 journey? Will you pray Philippians 1:9-11 for yourself and your family and for the other members of EEFC? Will you make praying together a priority? Perhaps you have never been to our fortnightly Tuesday night prayer meeting. Perhaps you used to come but have lost the habit. Why not make it a new standing item in your diary or on your calendar? Why not ask friends on a Sunday if they are coming to the prayer meeting on Tuesday and say you are looking forward to seeing them there? Parents, why not agree to alternate so that you can each come once a month? And if you are unable to make it through ill health, advancing years, or other circumstances, why not switch off the TV and set aside the time when the church will be gathering to pray with us from your own home?
As we embark prayerfully upon the Philippians 1:9-11 journey our humble confidence can be that God will answer our prayers, our love will grow and He will enable us to discern what is best in a way that is all to His glory and praise. May it be so.
Jonathan Prime (Pastor) - July / August 2010 
