NEWSLETTER - JULY 2007

VERSE OF THE MONTH:
“Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him.” Phil 3:8-9 (The Message)

IN THIS EDITION:
Knowing Him
Events

KNOWING HIM
We often use the saying "it's not what you know but who you know" .

I spent four years studying to be an accountant and it was hard work. I had to sacrifice many evenings and weekends to study and to acquire the knowledge to enable me to pass the exams. In the end it was all worthwhile and I got there! When it came to finding a job it was not my qualifications or experience that got me it . It was who I knew! I had a friend who had his own practice and he offered me a job. The time I spent there gave me valuable experience which would have been hard to gain elsewhere. When it was time for a change, again it was to another practice where I knew the people well.

Knowledge can be a good thing. But knowledge counts for very little in our pursuit of the Father's heart.

Paul considered his vast knowledge as rubbish when compared to the incomparable joy of knowing Christ. In some translations ‘rubbish’ is a watered down version of the literal word 'dung'.

Our Father is relational. Everything He does is because of His relationship with us. It is all out of His love for us, a complete gift of grace, undeserved and free.

Recently , I have been with two groups of people where there has been a great sense of family. We have been brothers and sisters together, simply because we are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father.

At the end of the day it is not what we know but it is WHO we know. He wants to know us. He wants us to know Him. It is not enough just to know about Him. That sort of knowledge is like 'dung'; He wants to be really known. He longs for a heart to heart relationship where we let Him into the depths of our heart and where we begin to discover His heart of love for us.

For many, this can be scary as we are not used to opening our hearts to anyone. But it is a risk worth taking. He will not abuse your trust; He is gentle, kind and compassionate.

EVENTS
The Events page has been updated for the Autumn. Please visit regularly as this is updated fairly often.

NEXT NEWSLETTER
The next newsletter will come out in September. Have a good summer break……

In His Love

Mark Gyde