A FATHERS' LOVE

 The Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and self control.

                           galatians 5:22,23

 

As Peters’ daughter, I was privileged to have had such a loving and devoted Father, but more importantly, I was honoured to witness first hand his joy and love of Christ in this pilgrimage called life. 

Christ meant everything to him and nothing could hide it, whether it was in his morning prayer time with God, writing his blog, preparing a sermon or meeting with those God connected him to. He loved life because Jesus was in it. He would excitedly seize everyday and he lived life abundantly, with his greatest joy being that of walking with Jesus, and I mean this literally (He would do an 8km prayer walk through the house if it was raining – something I really miss).

I know that in my own life, he showed me that there is a real love, joy and peace that can only come from loving  Christ. 

 

As inspirational as he was in life, I found that his journey with cancer to be even more inspiring. Even though he was faced with the prospect of dying  for over 3 years, he never showed fear, but found comfort in Christ in whatever way he was physically able. That was his peace. 

The more he deteriorated physically, the more I saw  the Spirit shine through him. 

Whilst the cancer took away his ability to co-ordinate (thus the blogs stopped) and his ability to read and write, he faithfully continued giving sermons from memory until that was also taken from him. When speech was ultimately taken from him, it was his smile that spoke a thousand words.his whole face would light up. I was blown away by his example of long-suffering. I am sure that if it had been me, I would have been in a permanent temper tantrum, however  dad would resign himself to his circumstances, with only an occasional eye roll of frustration. As for self control, that was a gift. In the age of instant self gratification, I will always respect and admire my dads’ self control.

Peter was faithful until the end and I hope that in his testimony we may be inspired and comforted to know that though we walk through the valley of death, Christ is with us.

 

My dad wasn’t a superhero. He didn’t get through this in his own strength. He got through it because of his love and yearning for Christ. And we know that we can only love Christ because he loved us first.

TRIBUTE FROM GREG. (EMMAUS)

 As you know Peter Francis recently changed his address (heaven), but in saying that, we know Peter was certainly a man of faith, humility, compassion, prayer, love for others and most of all, commitment. 

For me personally, I'm thankful to God for the opportunity to have met Peter through the Emmaus community of Western Sydney. you've heard the saying Practise what you preach..... Peter was one brother in Christ who reached out in Christs' love to all those who crossed paths with him.

Peter made time precious with people. He didn't just enjoy praying for people, He loved praying WITH people.... all who knew him will have precious memories of our beloved brother in Christ. Those who spent time visiting him will treasure the moments they had with him. Deep in my heart I am both sad and happy.

sad he has been taken home.

 yet happy that he is set free.

  Can you imagine Peter facing Jesus in heaven??? 

   what a reception he has received.....

 Peter was a man who, like all of us, faced many things while he was here.....

  The other thing about Peter is his love for God's word, the Bible...

When preaching or sharing a word of encouragement, Peter would open the scriptures and talk about and explain simply what God is saying in that scripture.....  For me, I'm thankful for his time helping me put sermons together and how to preach.....  I have preached a number of times, every time I would take time to think of what Peter told me and spend time in communion with God our Father about what I am going to talk about....

Today is not goodbye to Peter

it is till we meet again......

Father God in heaven,

we come before you in prayer, we don't just want to enjoy praying to you but to have a time to share from our hearts.

we are so thankful to you Father for bringing Peter into our lives, he has been a real blessing in how he loved us, cared for us, prayed with us and encouraged us.

Loving Father, we pray for his family and those who were part of their lives, that they will feel your deep love and comfort.

May they feel your comfort and peace.

Together we know you will wipe away every tear from our eyes.

We know Jesus went to prepare a place for all of us.

Peter has gone home to heaven.

Thank you Father for the things you had Peter do while he was here.

In Jesus name,

Amen.

The Final Journey

 

Dear friends, 

 

As you may be aware, after 3 years of waiting, Peter finally went to be with his Lord at the end of June – just as this long Sydney lockdown began. We have been waiting for restrictions to lift to fulfil his wish to have a celebratory service that you could all attend. 

 

Since the lockdown is continuing longer than any of us anticipated, we thought in the mean time we'd use Peter’s own blog to express our love of the man. Friend, mentor, brother in Christ, he touched so many people’s lives so positively and was loved by all.

 

We’re opening this post for tributes. If you would like to express a memory or share a photo of Peter on this page, send an email to peterfrancistributes@gmail.com and we’ll post it here.

And we look forward to gathering together for the thanksgiving service once restrictions are lifted. 

We’ll announce it here when it happens.

A Holy Temple

In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit   Eph. 2. 21, 22

I see two aspects, and two results/ happenings/achievements in these words. Firstly, it is in Jesus that mankind becomes the “holy temple of God.” Secondly, it is in Jesus that I become a dwelling place in which God lives by His Spirit.

I could possibly become a temple if I gave myself to create such a thing. But I could never become a holy temple by my own doing. My sin would mar the whole structure, making it tarnished and shoddy. But Jesus, by His perfect and divine sacrifice, makes possible for me what is impossible in myself. I have a conviction that, when God looks down on me from heaven, He sees Jesus. Hallelujah! Surely one of the greatest blessings.

When I join with others whom Jesus has cleansed and brought into the building of His holy temple, a God force is created, a force that is empowered to show the world the mighty, almost unbelievable love of the Father.

I open myself to God’s Holy Spirit, for it is by the Spirit that God lives in the dwelling He has made in me. I give myself to join together with other believers to become a living temple of our most holy God. May this temple be strong, united, loving, focused, and quipping to step out, to share the message of God with compassion, grace and blessing.  

Wonderful Saviour,

By the sacrifice of Your body You have made it possible for me to become part of Your holy temple of love. I give myself willingly into Your hands. I ask You to form me, release me, and do with me whatever You choose, I pray for   Your church, the Body of Christ. I ask You, humbly to bring revival. I pray and ask You to remove, any apathy. Strengthen us please. Bring forth Your power in the miracle of love. Let us show people the way to You. Grow the Body of Christ. I ask in the name of Your precious Son.         Amen.

.

Obediencce

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

                                                                                 Eph. 2.19, 20

God’s family is one! Paul declares this truth clearly in this letter. This places the truth for a long time. It has been declared for centuries past. Why, O why, then, do we not live in compliance with God’s truth? This is a question I would put to Jews and Christians alike, to the many proliferations and practices within the Christian world. 

We are in positive disobedience and blatant disregard of God’s will. And do we care? Seemingly not! We remain steadfast in our pathetic cliques and exclusivities, and the work of God is hindered and grossly abused. The Body of Christ has been weakened and the egos and ambitions of mankind elevated.                  

Ehen will we learn? The world desperately needs reformation. Society is fast disintegrating. People do just as they please. Authority is corrupt, and regularly ignored by many. Respect and courtesy are attributes that are disappearing, together with manners, responsibility and consequences.

Does the world need God? You bet it does! But it does not seem to know. The thought of changing and complying to decent standards is alien to much of today’s society. Yet, I believe God is still in charge. I know the moral fabric and behaviour do not attest to this, but God’s ways are not our ways. However sooner or later the change will come. I pray for a new world, a place of harmony, peace and Godly living.  

Lord God,

I see this world in an abysmal state in many places. I cry out to You for help. O Most Mighty One, I intercede for Your fallen people. We have ignored You; we have left Your ways for us, and we are have mostly lost what is tight. Help us I pray. Reach out to us and draw us back into Your will. Lead us in Your way, in Jesus’ name I ask.  Amen.

.

Peace and joy

He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through time we both have access to the Father by the Spirit.                                 Eph.  2. 17, 18

Jesus brings peace. Jesus is peace. The peace of Jesus is there for any who will receive it. He is there for those who come near and those who are far away. I note that the apstle refers first to those who were far away. 

Those who are furthest from the Father are surely the ones who are most in need of the saving grace of Jesus. The love of God reaches out to touch everyone with no exception (2 Peter 3.9). However far away people may seem from the love of the Father and peace of the Son, they are never out of God’s reach. His hands embrace the whole earth. His love can cover all.

The peace of Jesus is also poured gout on those who are near to Him. This might be a physical closeness, a spiritual closeness, or both. Wherever we stand in relation to Jesus, He is always close to us. He will draw us even closer to Himself if we will allow Him. I want to get as close to Jesus as I possibly can. I want to be able to look into the depths of His wonderful eyes. I look to know the breath of His Holy Spirit exuding from Him and touching me with His presence. I want to feel His embrace and the liberty and strength that comes with it. In short, I want to be filled to overflowing with Him. He is my all, my everything. 

Most Precious Jesus,

I come to You in the fullness of love, the love You have for me, and the sweet love You allow me to offer to You.

I thank You for the wonderful journey you have led me on. I look forward to more. May Your guiding hand lead me in paths of wonderment and joy. May I know your Your presence with me in sweetness of deep relationship and intimacy. You have drawn me to You. How blessed I am. You take me on the most wonderful adventures, and I know Your presence ever with me. You enjoy me, and I cannot understand it. But I accept it and give myself fully into it. I thank You, O I thank You.             Amen.

.

No barrier

For he himself is our peace, he has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to one God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.                         Eph. 2. 14-16

Jesus is peace. He also brings peace to all who look to Him. The reference here to two becoming one, I take to refer to the Jew and the Christian. Christ was a Jew. He was also the Christ. He destroyed the barrier that was between the two groups of people. He removed the dividing wall. He also overcame the regulations that caused separation between the two peoples and God. He brought them together as one, the united body of Christ. Through Christ and the cross, the two separate entities were reconciled and united. In God there is no separation. How sad it is that separation still exists in reality.

I move now from the separate entities of the Jewish and Christian peoples to the divisions that exist within the community of Christian denominations. The differences and barriers are, surely, the most ungodly manifestations of religious practices. Where is the unity of which the psalmist spoke (psalm 133)? where is the peace that Jesus made available to all who would receive it? Paul reminds us of our true identity. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ( 1 Cor. 12.27) There are many parts, but only one body. If only the church, in its various guises, would come together as the one, true body of Christ! Christ’s mission fails through the divisions of humanity. One day we will be called to account. I pray I can answer in the affirmative, and the positive, and with integrity and truth.

Most Loving God,

I feel for the ways in which Your body dishonours You. I repent on behalf of all who profess to be Christian believers, yet who do not follow Your ways and do not live and practice as You would have us do.

I pray that You will rise us up in a revived body. Let us know, and become, true Christians obedient to all Your ways, and giving ourselves fully into Your will. Amen.