I would like to tackle the question of looking for a church in Alicante. Looking for a church in the modern western sense of the word, is to look for one that one would perceive to be relevant to their needs, and that appeals to their temperament and has the facilities that one would consider necessary - "the priority being, not God, but me"!We should seek God in prayer that he may lead us to the local church of his choice which might not be the one that we would have chosen ourselves. We should certainly expect that he will lead us to a church where the gospel is preached, the Bible believed and the theology conservative. But even these requirements should not be written in stone: God is sovereign we are his servants and we should be ready to obey him. I realize that there are many things to be taken into consideration - distance, transport. children etc.. Nevertheless, we should keep this principle in view: the choice is God's not ours.
Love is the great eternal principle on which God's new heaven and new earth will be based. As the apostle Paul writes - "These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" - 1 Corinthians 13: 13
Earlier in the same chapter he describes the characteristics of love - "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
The Bible tells that "God is love" and because of that God is not easily angered, but I have to tell you that he is angered at sin and rebellion and they will be judged. If you want to experienced his love and not his judgement come to Jesus Christ God's Son and ask his forgiveness for wrong doing, and let him take over your life and experience the wonder of God's love.
This is what we here at the Church of the good shepherd in Alicante preach anyway, so if you feel that you seek the Love that I have spoken of, and an eternal future under the umbrella of God, then you are more than welcome to come and join us here in San Juan de Alicante on Sundays at 17:00.
