Haddington Elim Church

This message is by Ikhide Ehimiyein and speaks about overcoming the world. Listen today to be encouraged by this week's message.

Jesus spoke to farmers about sowing, reaping, seedtime, harvest, planting, wheat, tares, fields etc. We call starting a new church, ‘planting a church.’ No one would expect immediate harvest from a newly planted shoot or seeds. Any farmer knows that farming is really hard work and it takes time. They are up before the sun and usually still out long after the sun has set. Whatever they’ve planted will take time to grow, mature, ripen and produce fruit.

This year I feel that our theme and word for the church is overcome. It is a great relief to finally overcome an obstacle, especially one that has held you back or prevented your victory. Currently the Olympics are happening. They often tell heartwarming stories of people who have overcome great difficulties to be able to compete. Often we celebrate with them on achieving victory, or we share their heartbreak as they fall short. Everyone loves an underdog story where the deck is stacked against them but they fight through it all and win. We have God for us so who can be against us?In life, there are many obstacles and hindrances. We can come up against a thing again and again. We can believe that we can never defeat it. The truth is, with God’s help, nothing is impossible! Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?We explored Freedom in Christ and with God’s help, we can finally be set free. We no longer have to carry those things year after year. We heard testimonies during the course from people who did experience Freedom in Christ. Today I want to look at how Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith.

This week we are looking at the Vision for the church for this year.

Today I want us to look at a man from the Bible who overcame tremendous adversity. He was despised and rejected by his own family. He was sold into slavery and put into prison. He overcame some of the most terrible setbacks we can imagine and flourished. What can we learn from his life? Can we see anything that can help us overcome our current struggles and difficulties? Joseph was only a teenager when the adversity came. Maybe you were young when God’s plan for your life started. Maybe the enemy has been trying to snuff God’s plan out. You have taken bumps, bruises and have the scars to prove it. We have to trust, like Joseph did, in God’s plan. Nothing the enemy does can stop God’s plan.

When we are first saved, we are fearless. We tell everyone and anyone that will listen to the amazing transformation that God did in us. We are running to win, but then over time the fire fades, the zeal dies down, we are challenged and beaten back in our excitement. We begin to play not to lose. We are very leary to share our faith, after all, what will they think of me? We get very conservative in our approach and never once again want to try. This is so sad for many Christians today. To not lose means to play it safe. Stay comfortable and not rock the boat.  How we approach life makes a huge difference!Many Christians run the race to not lose, but Paul instructs us to run the race to win. What does the Bible say? 

Has anyone had a car that is out of alignment? It pulls hard to one side or the other. If so, it needs an alignment to straighten everything out. If your car pulls hard one way or the other, you need to get it fixed! You may not have known what the issue was. I had a car one time that was so out of alignment that if I went faster than 55 it shook like crazy. Chiropractors may give you an adjustment if your spine or posture is out of alignment. They feel like they’re beating you up as they give you the adjustment, but it helps to realign your bones and muscles.  Many times in life, we find ourselves out of the proper alignment spiritually as well as physically. We have to give attention to this because just like a car that is not corrected, it will become quite dangerous to drive. Life can pull us in various directions but if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, we will have our correct direction. He is the Good Shepherd and He leads us (if we let Him). To define alignment: The process of adjusting parts so that they are in proper relative position; a position of agreement or alliance; Common synonyms for alignment include arrangement, adjustment, calibration, positioning, orientation, order, and lining up,

What is God saying to us as a church? Are we on the right track? It is important to ask these questions. It does us good to periodically check our ‘maps’ and listen to the Holy Spirit to ensure we are keeping close to Jesus. Today I want to put forth our vision for the church for this year. It is from John 15. Jesus is telling His disciples that He is the vine. For us as a church in 2025, we must be and stay connected to the Vine. Our theme for the year is Abiding in Him. Jesus gives us a lot of information here in these passages. He gives encouragement along with some warnings. If we do this, here will be the results. If we fail to do this, we are at risk of catastrophe. John 15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. We must be rooted in Him if we will bear fruit for God. Be encouraged today!

We looked at the confrontation between Elijah and the false prophets of baal. Ahab was the king in Israel and God had warned Israel many times about worshipping the pagan gods of the nations around them; he married a woman who killed many of the true prophets of God. There are many things we can learn from this terrible mistake. This woman was not a follower of God. She was bent on destroying the nation’s devotion to Him. The king went right along with it all. We need discernment!! We need those who are willing to warn us. We need those who are willing to take a stand for God even though the majority are going in a different direction. We need those willing to speak the truth in a world filled with lies. 

A few weeks ago we came upon someone's bonfire burning in their back garden. A fire is hard to conceal. Taking this as a spiritual lesson, if we have the fire of God burning within us, it should not be able to be hidden. Listen to this message and be encouraged today!

This week Alex Hart shares on the age old question, 'Why Jesus?' This is a foundational question that has been asked by multitudes over many centuries. Why Jesus? Listen today to be encouraged by this message.

In this week's message, Sheri beautifully explains what Christ has done as our redeemer. Listen now to be encouraged as she explains how redemption works in the lives of believers. Our prayer is that you are strengthened and blessed by this timely message.

Our walk should change upon coming to faith in Christ. Our goals and desires should change. Who we’re living for should change. We are no longer the lord of our lives but God is. Many of us used to walk like the world walks but once we’ve come to Christ, there should be a difference. The sinful man is deceived and their understanding darkened in their hearts.  Even after we come to faith, if we’re not careful, our hearts can become hardened. A contrite heart fixes this. When you do an activity repeatedly, you get blisters at first and then callouses. Our heart after repeated sin and chasing after the world can get calloused in like manner. Our hearts may feel the effects at first, like the blisters but then becomes hardened to it. We are told to lay aside the old self,  because it is easily corrupted. We can be deceived and the enemy is a trickster. He’s slick and can fool us all. Listen today to hear how we can prevent these things!

David Walkingshaw brings this message encouraging us to bear witness for Christ. Each of us are Ambassadors for Christ.

I have been reading and re-reading the Prophet Habakkuk. Some brief background. Israel had fallen once again into idolatry. In God’s great mercy, He would send Prophets to warn the people to stop the pagan worship and to return to God. We know that at Jonah’s preaching in Nineveh, the entire place repented. They fasted and prayed that God would relent from His judgment and anger. God did relent and the people were spared. Israel and Judah continually repeated this pattern of disobeying God, finding themselves in trouble, calling out to God for help, God helping them and then rinse and repeat. There were times where the people refused to listen to God or His Holy Prophets. In this case, God has let Habakkuk know that the Chaldeans will be coming and will destroy Israel. It is like watching something in slow motion for Habakkuk. He knows God’s judgment is right. God has given them warnings, red flags and tried to get their attention. The people are not responding to the prophet’s rebukes. Babylon was going to decimate Judah. They are a merciless and exceptionally cruel nation. They were coming to bring God’s judgment against His people.

As I mentioned last week we all have times that make no sense. Real head-scratchers where we don’t understand what is happening. We are tempted to walk away. The thought or idea of carrying on seems almost impossible. Left to ourselves, we couldn’t. But He carries us. He will be faithful even if we are faithless. Our God will see us through to the end. Jesus warned us that in this world, as long as we breathe, as long as we take each day, we will have trouble, tribulation and difficulties. We are never promised immunity to the ills of life. Instead, He says, I will be WITH YOU! When you go through the flood and the fire, there I will accompany you. I will stand by your side and see you through. I AM an ever present help in time of need. Our God is able!Many find Christ in their worst moments. He is a friend and a loving Saviour, but then the crisis ends and they go on as before. They find in Him the peace they so desperately need, but then they decide that the former was better and go back that way. We come to the end of ourselves and find our souls saved and the joy that comes with that. But then we leave as something else comes along or something brighter and shiny. We can be like children always wanting something new. He is the fairest of all, no better Lord and Captain to serve under than Jesus. Would another have our affections? We pledge allegiance to Him but may go on to serve other Masters. He alone is worthy of our full hearts. He gave His all for us. He withheld nothing. How can we withhold our affections, trust and worship? There is no other Name given by which man can be saved. There is no other way to have peace with God. There is no other way to be reconciled to our Heavenly Father, than by Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the Life. Our very breath and heartbeat are gifts from Him. He is Life itself. He holds the universe together and spoke everything into existence.

There are many times in life where things happen and they don’t make any sense. We have had experiences where something has happened that we weren’t expecting or planning for, and we can ask God “Why?” We can get stuck in the why. It can keep us from trusting God, it can keep us from moving forward, and even make us angry at God, our precious loving Father. Many people that once walked with God have fallen away because of the why. It seems like an innocent little word but has big ramifications. Have you ever had a conversation with a child and their question to everything that you say is ‘why?’ It can become challenging. “You need to clean your room and do your homework.” “Why?” “I need you to come downstairs and set the table.” “Why?”“You can’t put paint on the carpet.” “Why?”As children, we have to trust our parents are doing the best for us. It is the same with our Heavenly Father.

A few months ago, we had been contacted by some friends from the States that were going to be visiting Edinburgh for a day. They asked if we could grab lunch and a catch up. The man, called Jack, is retired from the US military. He served in the Army. He used a term that I had never heard, called a Sapper. Have any of you heard of this job in the army? A sapper, (It comes from the French word sapeur, the verb saper (to undermine, to dig under a wall or building to cause its collapse). It is from the French word for spade. They are also called a combat engineer, a combatant or soldier who performs a variety of military engineering duties, such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing field defenses, and road and airfield construction and repair. Sappers are also trained and equipped to serve secondarily as provisional infantry. Sappers facilitate and support the movement, defence, and survival of superordinate and allied forces, and impede those of enemies.

The only weapon listed in the full armour of God is the Sword of the Spirit. Jesus teaches us how to use it in Mathew chapter 4. It is written...Listen today and be encouraged!

This message asks the question we must all answer. In Daniel chapter 6, we read about the cost Daniel was willing to pay to continue his daily prayer. Alex Hart shares this timely message.