Insight is a monthly contribution on remarkable topics dedicated for thoughts, reflection and prayers. Please feel free to contribute to this page what you would like to share with others.

Question: Emma, tell us a little bit about yourself?

Emma: I grew up in Bristol, England with a 'semi-Christian' family, in that my family were in and out of church my whole life while I attended a strong Christian founded Primary school. At the age of ten my life seemed to take a different turn.

Question: What happened at this point?

Emma: I moved to a suburb of London, joined a secular school, and failed to learn anything through church. A mere year after my family moved to London, my dad left home, leaving us with very little money. This became a year of miraculous provisions since my mother didn't have a job, yet we were still provided for, which was an amazing thing for me to observe at such a young age. I was in a church that caused me to wonder why everyone was still faithfully attending year after year because of the lack of enthusiasm and, for me personally, because I never learned anything.

Question: What impression of the Church was in your mind then?

Emma: I can't tell. However, after about two years or so my mum started going to a bible study, in Ashtead, taught by a Calvary Chapel pastor. Although I never went along, there was a change in the home, and after a while we made the decision to attend Calvary Chapel in Twickenham (CC Twickenham). It became a journey of discovery as we found the Bible was more than just a collection of moral stories and fables.

During the following few years I had a few unstable Christian friends who went to church because it was the thing to do. I thought that I was possibly the only one who was absorbing sound biblical teaching and I felt the responsibility to '... set an example for the believers in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith and purity' (1 Tim 4:12)

Question: Emma, at this point in time could you say then that you were a Christian?

Emma: I cannot put my finger on where and when the Lord changed my heart and made it his, but I can remember (hearing a voice coming) for four days in which the voice made it very clear that, my past, present and future sins were forgiven. I was seventeen and I knew that this was for real, real change in my life for the future.

Have you ever had such an experience, heard something in a sermon, read somewhere in the Bible echoing that, your past present and future sins were for given?

Question: Looking back, can you say that the voice you heard was God's ?

Emma: Now, I can say 'Yes'. In the summer of 2005 a team of Christians came form the USA visiting our Church. During this visit, the team spent quite a lot of time simply talking with people of my own age, that I began to see that the team had something in their lifestyle, manors, enthusiasm I did not. It was an understanding and peace that I could actually put my finger on; it was a relationship and a love for Jesus. During that time the Lord Jesus showed me that, my past, present and future sins were forgiven, and I could have a real relationship with Him too, that he wanted to know me, and love for him was sparked in my life.

It was then very clear that the voice which I dimly heard some years ago was the voice from the Lord. Later on in August that year, I realized that I had to be baptised. I knew then, that voice was meant for me and that God loved me so much, I knew I had to make it a public declaration and did so on the 31st July 2005.

It's a long story and I could write a book about this. However, I have to let you know that through the help of my Christian mother and friends, I grew to love to study the Bible. From studying the Bible, the Lord has shown me many things in my life, taught me new things I never knew, and showed me His love and amazing truths.

Question: Emma are you convinced that God still speaks today?

Emma: I can only speak for myself. If there was one memorable hour or day that I had appreciated, was the day that I learnt from my Bible study group about the diference between condemnation and conviction through my study on Romans. The Lord spoke to me throught the words in the bible and showd me how much regret and shame I was living with. Instead of repenting and receiving forgiveness of my past sins, I had just hoped they would disappear. Just because things were in the past, I still needed to deal with them. In this time I was reminded about forgiveness of all my sins: past, present and future sins.

The reminder of what Christ had done for me personally sank in to my thoughts as though I had heard that voice for the first time. From my Bible study group the essential of 'putting on' Christ's forgiveness by His pure blood, seemed to cause a simple and overpowering sigh of relief that it didn't matter what I'd done or in what way I would yet fall short of. I became aware deep in my conscience that I was saved and nothing from my past, present or future could separate me from the love of Christ (Romans 8: 35).

© Emma Rees. Calvary Chapel Ministry issue 7, 2008

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On Sunday 5th October we will celebrate God's wonderful love of creation during the service of our Harvest Thanksgiving and Gift Sunday. It's imperative that we learn to share what God has given to us in life, fellowship, and more especially the opportunity to give thanks to God for all that we have enjoyed from Him and from the hands of those who work so hard to provide for our physical needs.

Harvest Thanksgiving Service reminds us of Genesis 1:11-12;

Then God said, Let the land produce vegetation, seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds. And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seeds according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seeds in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

Whatever you bring for our celebration for Harvest Thanksgiving Service is an illustration to confirm that you acknowledge that everything comes from the Lord. It is also right to bring the fruits of his creation and the money God has given us for the mission of his church.

Please note that during the service you are free to bring items which are non perishable like tinned baked beans; powdered-milk, sugar, tinned-beef, coffee, tea, rice, sugar, cus-cus, biscuits... just to mention a few. Why we give for Harvest Thanksgiving? We give to give thanks to God and to share with other needy people in our community, especially those who come for emergency help when they wait for their Income support. However, every year we give away the main part of our Thanksgiving Harvest gifts to Asphirey - a registered Charity, which supports the homeless in Newham.

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