so these past few weeks ive been back in the UK, attempting to prepare myself in so many ways for next year.
for something like leading, can we ever be prepared though? surely it is a job that you can only learn the basics of, and then reaarange the lessons to suit the people you are leading. untill you get to know them, surely there is only so much you can do?
life can suddenly take a turn. one minute you are in control of your journey, job and heart, and then the next minute, God moves in a deeper level and everything is thrown into confusion.
for example, my life has taken a huge turn all of a sudden. one second i was quite happily preparing for another year in canada, after some incredible training in manchester and a fab week with some friends from pais in leiceseter.
then my heart is overcome by a new friend. new feelings and new ideas wash around in my head. new feelings that i wasn't prepared for and was ready not to even feel.
but doesnt God work like that? In love, He comes in when we least expect it to rearrange our lives because He ultimately knows better. a whole lot better.
after all He is the creator right?
and that is such a mirror to His return. He is coming when we least expect it, but at the same time there are so many hints. Matthew and Luke have chapters dedicated to the return of Jesus, and the signs that we look out for. and the Jesus Himself says that He doesnt know the time or day He will return, only the Father knows. the Father who speaks time itself into creation. the Father who breathes soul and spirit into every beating heart and spirit. the Father who continues to love His children dispite everything they ever do to Him
including nailing Him to a tree
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Thursday, July 14, 2005
in the last days....
just lately ive noticed a lot of really awful stuff coming out of the woodwork and finding itself tucked most comfortably on the front page of our broadsheets. things like 'child of 10 murdered in manchester'. when did this come about so boldly? is there some sort of watershed in the realms of darkness that have suddenly been opened?
the bible does talk of horrendous godlessness in the last days.
so surely that calls for Christians worldwide to wake up and make a point of their faith?
recently i was told of an atheist writing an article in the paper about a church who purpousfully took down their stone crucifix in their graveyard in case of it offending people.
now this atheist turned around and said that the church is becoming weak with their opinions. have you noticed the greatest leaders, christian or non christian, and how their opionions are always strong and never wavered?
if nelson mandella never fought for his beliefs then who knows how the aparthide and politics surrounding that would look today
same with martin luther king. his famous speech would no longer be 'i have a dream', but 'i have a small idea that im not sure if you will like, if you dont like it then you dont have to listen'
if Jesus never stuck to his guns then so many people would never heard the gospel. people would not be living with the joy that so many people in a relationship with Jesus Christ have.
what would the church look like if it truely took hold of its faith and decided to run wholly after God? what would Christians look like if they truely gave their lives to the Lord? whole heartedly.....not just on sundays, or even weeknights and weekends, but wholly 100% not wavering, totally devoted to Jesus.
how would it look?
the answer??
phenominal
the passion that would come from that would spread throughout the world, it would spread from old to young and young to old, it would spread through schools, offices, towns and cities, through religions, people would take notice of what Jesus is doing!! people would be truly affected by the infectious love of Christ. they would be touched, healed spiritually, mentally and physically, they would be convicted by the Holy Spirit just by being the in the same room as another Christian.
if we truly truly went all out for God, our front pages wouldn't be tradegy and murder, theft and brutal attacks
it would glorify God Almighty. it would have pictures of churches over filled with people pouring out onto the streets
it would have people raised from the dead
it would have miraculous healings
it would have pictures of Christians truely embodying Christ.
Jesus will not return untill the gospel is preached throughout the whole world. He will never come untill every nation has heard His name.
we have a major job to do and we cannot afford to do it half heartedly!!
the bible does talk of horrendous godlessness in the last days.
so surely that calls for Christians worldwide to wake up and make a point of their faith?
recently i was told of an atheist writing an article in the paper about a church who purpousfully took down their stone crucifix in their graveyard in case of it offending people.
now this atheist turned around and said that the church is becoming weak with their opinions. have you noticed the greatest leaders, christian or non christian, and how their opionions are always strong and never wavered?
if nelson mandella never fought for his beliefs then who knows how the aparthide and politics surrounding that would look today
same with martin luther king. his famous speech would no longer be 'i have a dream', but 'i have a small idea that im not sure if you will like, if you dont like it then you dont have to listen'
if Jesus never stuck to his guns then so many people would never heard the gospel. people would not be living with the joy that so many people in a relationship with Jesus Christ have.
what would the church look like if it truely took hold of its faith and decided to run wholly after God? what would Christians look like if they truely gave their lives to the Lord? whole heartedly.....not just on sundays, or even weeknights and weekends, but wholly 100% not wavering, totally devoted to Jesus.
how would it look?
the answer??
phenominal
the passion that would come from that would spread throughout the world, it would spread from old to young and young to old, it would spread through schools, offices, towns and cities, through religions, people would take notice of what Jesus is doing!! people would be truly affected by the infectious love of Christ. they would be touched, healed spiritually, mentally and physically, they would be convicted by the Holy Spirit just by being the in the same room as another Christian.
if we truly truly went all out for God, our front pages wouldn't be tradegy and murder, theft and brutal attacks
it would glorify God Almighty. it would have pictures of churches over filled with people pouring out onto the streets
it would have people raised from the dead
it would have miraculous healings
it would have pictures of Christians truely embodying Christ.
Jesus will not return untill the gospel is preached throughout the whole world. He will never come untill every nation has heard His name.
we have a major job to do and we cannot afford to do it half heartedly!!
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
its not about us......
This morning i drove past a Salvation Army building on the Bus and saw a poster of a girl with the quote underneath
And it got me thinking.
Sometimes it seems like all i hear is talk like we've lost the battle. One of my pastors calls is a Prisoner of War attitude and for so many, it seems to consume us!
"its so hard"
"i cant do it"
"im not good enough"
"i wouldnt be able to do it"
notice-each sentence begins with 'I'
since when did everything revolve around us?
those of us who have people around us who dont know Christ (and that is most of us) have got to start to heed the call of God to "Go and preach the good news to the corners of the earth" .
of course we cant do it, and obviously its hard. we will never be good enough and if we go on our own strength we will never be able to do it.
but we can do everything "through Christ who gives us strength"
and we need to get out there and make the gospel known.
"She is only lost if those around her give up totally"
And it got me thinking.
Sometimes it seems like all i hear is talk like we've lost the battle. One of my pastors calls is a Prisoner of War attitude and for so many, it seems to consume us!
"its so hard"
"i cant do it"
"im not good enough"
"i wouldnt be able to do it"
notice-each sentence begins with 'I'
since when did everything revolve around us?
those of us who have people around us who dont know Christ (and that is most of us) have got to start to heed the call of God to "Go and preach the good news to the corners of the earth" .
of course we cant do it, and obviously its hard. we will never be good enough and if we go on our own strength we will never be able to do it.
but we can do everything "through Christ who gives us strength"
and we need to get out there and make the gospel known.
"Preach the gospel always....if necessary use words"
St Francis Assisi
Paul, in his letters, freely admits that he is not an accomplished speaker. He was so poor infact, that it says in the Bible that a young guy fell out of the window asleep whilst listening to Paul speak! Yet, his words come deep from within a passionate heart and make up a large portion of the New Testament.
So we cant really use the excuse of not being good enough.
Last summer i learnt something new. well...infact....i learnt a few new things, but this was one of them that really touched my heart.
God does not choose the equipped
He equips the chosen.
God doesnt choose people who can do something already! He doesnt call someone who thinks they are well accomplished, too accomplished to do a task that He has in store....
He looks for the willing of heart.
He looks for those who want to be used.
Not those who think they are too good to do anything.
In some cases this is obviously different-we cannot put God in a box.
Look at Joseph for instance, although that story illustrates more of the point that it takes time for God to grow us and move us into the authoritative positions that He wants us in.
we need to be willing.
we need to be driven to rise up and call the world into the place that they should be
to break the lies of the enemy
and to call out to God for Him to bring His kingdom
(we cannot do it ourselves)
the giftings and callings on our lives are each seperate and unique to us. some are called to the secular world and its diverse occupations, and some are called to missions, to give up their lives, to move, even just one town. whatever it is that God has speficiaflly and uniquiely designed for our lives, its all part of His great work, and we have no place to say no.
does a clay pot look at its maker and criticize the work of His hands?
does a pencil look at its owner and tell it how to be used?
does a son of God look at the amazing universe and then proceed to tell God how it should be run?
highly doubful if we were ever to see God face to face.
yet everytime we deny His plans for our lives aren't we saying that subversivly?
God has given us these gifts and talents for the use of His kingdom to come.
surely not?!
i thought that they were for my own personal gain?
sure! you can use them here for your own fame and wealth.
but didnt Jesus say that the Pharisees and Saducees got their reward on earth already by doing that?
there is a much greater reward in heaven for using our lives and its gifts for the advancing of the Kingdom.
so going back to my original point....
we are called to the lost. period. no arguing, however much id like to!
and its only when we give up by turning our own way that the lost really have no hope.
see, its not really all about us at all.....
we have a great hope and good news to the poor and downhearted, which is really all those who dont know Christ.
and we have a divine calling, spoken by Jesus Himself-to go and tell the good news.
so we should really go.
because their eternities depend on it.
Saturday, April 30, 2005
8 weeks..
i returned from new york on monday morning, only to discover that id lost all sense of time, and it was now almost may. somehow there must a vast catecism with all my lost minutes and hours laying there with no sense of worth. i tend to loose quite a lot of time, of course, to my dismay.
so i only have 1 month and 25 days left of pais work in canada. thats 56 working days left. well. minus the sundays or the days off. so roughly 50 days left.
50 days left to make an impact on my youth
50 days left to continue to invest and build relationships
50 days left to be an example of Jesus to people-if i have ever done it previously....
50 days left to experience Vancouver before i return home for 2 months
50 days left to serve my church as well as i can
50 days left with 4 amazing guys on my team
Q: whats 50 days to 80 years?
A: thats up to you...
so i only have 1 month and 25 days left of pais work in canada. thats 56 working days left. well. minus the sundays or the days off. so roughly 50 days left.
50 days left to make an impact on my youth
50 days left to continue to invest and build relationships
50 days left to be an example of Jesus to people-if i have ever done it previously....
50 days left to experience Vancouver before i return home for 2 months
50 days left to serve my church as well as i can
50 days left with 4 amazing guys on my team
Q: whats 50 days to 80 years?
A: thats up to you...
***
new york was amazing. it was a week ministering to kids in one of the roughest areas of new york- brooklyn. we lived in the ghetto, we worked with metro minsitries as if on work shadowing-no training, no warning. just hard work and hard fun! of course...its all about the kids....
metro ministries is an example of good foundation, the Love of God, the generosity of the heart and the hard work of Jesus. they heal, love, inspire, challenge, resource and build with kids.
and these kids are not your average westerners.
they don't have a lot.
seeing broken homes and broken lives reminded me of the sheltered life i have so far lived. coming from a village to vancouver was a change, but vancouver to brooklyn was a leap. it opened my eyes to how blind we so often are to other people's troubles, pains and realities.
so often we get caught up in the black hole of ourselves that the people around us become obsolete and uninteresting. they become mere playthings for our benefit and the motives of our heart blacken our souls. it is at that point that we need to cry out to God for forgiveness, healing and open eyes.
open eyes to the world are not only important, but integral to a Christian's ministry.
after all, how can you minister to the blind when you're struggling to see yourself?
Sunday, April 17, 2005
new york
well tomorrow i fly to new york. however, i have yet to actually believe it.
do you ever find that big life changing times just dont become a reality untill you actually return?
i wonder if that is a result of a self centered life style...
why is it that humans just dont have the natural instinct to be selfless instead of selfish? so many times ive cauught myself adrift to far off worlds when other people are trying to talk to me. i dont know if its because im insecure when its a one on one, or is it because im so preoccupied with myself and my own gain that i cannot even begin to think about another person's needs? or even, have i made some sort of subconcious decision that their point of view is not worthy of my time?
what is my drive when i ask another person how they are? am i truely concerned for their state or am i asking with another intention-to be vouyeristic and poke at other people's problems, compare them to my own in order to make myself feel better.
with east side vineyard, we've been looking at being emotionally healthy as a church. challenging issues such as 'being broken and vulnerable' , and today we looked at how we love others by listening. sounds pretty easy huh?!
i never realised just how important it truely is to just listen to someone. that person infront of me who is pouring out their heart is acutally real! their problems do actually exist and are totally genuine. why is it that ive never encountered this before?
listening to someone takes time. time is something that we will never get back, so our greatest gift to another is our time. the time that ive taken to write this ill never get back. there is no second chance. there is no other life. this is it. God has given us howver long in our lives and we only have one shot at it. so surely we should invest our time wisely into others, giving them what God has given to us-our experiences that have grown us, our struggles that have made us stronger, our joys that have spurred us on and our lessons that are changing and challenging us all the time.
these things are not for us! they are not for our benefit. they are for the growth of the church. they are for the growth and benefit of those that God has placed around us.
to love others is to give these things.
to give our time that we will never get back is the greatest gift and one of the biggest sacrafices that we can make.
it also shows us that we are not the centre of the universe.
its not all about us......
do you ever find that big life changing times just dont become a reality untill you actually return?
i wonder if that is a result of a self centered life style...
why is it that humans just dont have the natural instinct to be selfless instead of selfish? so many times ive cauught myself adrift to far off worlds when other people are trying to talk to me. i dont know if its because im insecure when its a one on one, or is it because im so preoccupied with myself and my own gain that i cannot even begin to think about another person's needs? or even, have i made some sort of subconcious decision that their point of view is not worthy of my time?
what is my drive when i ask another person how they are? am i truely concerned for their state or am i asking with another intention-to be vouyeristic and poke at other people's problems, compare them to my own in order to make myself feel better.
with east side vineyard, we've been looking at being emotionally healthy as a church. challenging issues such as 'being broken and vulnerable' , and today we looked at how we love others by listening. sounds pretty easy huh?!
i never realised just how important it truely is to just listen to someone. that person infront of me who is pouring out their heart is acutally real! their problems do actually exist and are totally genuine. why is it that ive never encountered this before?
listening to someone takes time. time is something that we will never get back, so our greatest gift to another is our time. the time that ive taken to write this ill never get back. there is no second chance. there is no other life. this is it. God has given us howver long in our lives and we only have one shot at it. so surely we should invest our time wisely into others, giving them what God has given to us-our experiences that have grown us, our struggles that have made us stronger, our joys that have spurred us on and our lessons that are changing and challenging us all the time.
these things are not for us! they are not for our benefit. they are for the growth of the church. they are for the growth and benefit of those that God has placed around us.
to love others is to give these things.
to give our time that we will never get back is the greatest gift and one of the biggest sacrafices that we can make.
it also shows us that we are not the centre of the universe.
its not all about us......
Friday, March 25, 2005
spring break
so this week is spring break in canada. and most of the plans that id made havent really come to anything, as per usual. i think my best gift is procrastination......
so apart from moving around beds, checkin out downtown vancouver and watching pointless yet somewhat seemingly romantic movies, ive done jack crap.
what is it with making plans then suddenly deciding to do them tomorrow? (which, by the way, is a day that never seems to arrive.) i imagined myself last week going to seattle and spending a day there, finishing up some reading, taking many photographs, spending time at the cinema, carrying on with my scrapbooking (big craze here...cant beat them?-join them.....) but nothing seems to have come to fruit. ive slept a lot. which you cant help but do in a bed the size of mine....
hopefully next week though, ill do something productive....
so apart from moving around beds, checkin out downtown vancouver and watching pointless yet somewhat seemingly romantic movies, ive done jack crap.
what is it with making plans then suddenly deciding to do them tomorrow? (which, by the way, is a day that never seems to arrive.) i imagined myself last week going to seattle and spending a day there, finishing up some reading, taking many photographs, spending time at the cinema, carrying on with my scrapbooking (big craze here...cant beat them?-join them.....) but nothing seems to have come to fruit. ive slept a lot. which you cant help but do in a bed the size of mine....
hopefully next week though, ill do something productive....
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
the lurgy
so today i get the day off...woo!
thanks to the excess amounts of lactose in various foods that i eat, my stomach is now at war with the milk dudes and i get to watch films all day....mwahahaha.
i rang england too, only to discover that 3 of my friends also have the lurgy, despite them being 444000 miles away. how strange.
how bizzarre it is too that i can have a conversation with someone in england, even though they are 8 hours ahead and 440, 000 miles away. theres no time delay and no wierd wiring. just normal conversation. i almost felt as if i could walk out and down the road to see these people.
i guess i suddenly felt very far away..........
thanks to the excess amounts of lactose in various foods that i eat, my stomach is now at war with the milk dudes and i get to watch films all day....mwahahaha.
i rang england too, only to discover that 3 of my friends also have the lurgy, despite them being 444000 miles away. how strange.
how bizzarre it is too that i can have a conversation with someone in england, even though they are 8 hours ahead and 440, 000 miles away. theres no time delay and no wierd wiring. just normal conversation. i almost felt as if i could walk out and down the road to see these people.
i guess i suddenly felt very far away..........
Friday, March 04, 2005
worship in spirit and truth
WORSHIP in the Bible means ‘an act of service’.Worship in Spirit and Truth
-Boda - Hebrew
-Latria – Greek
-"Service" signified the labour of slaves or hired servants.
-An example of this is Joseph.
Worship in Spirit and Truth
-What does it mean to worship in Spirit and truth?
-1 Corinthians 2v12
-Worship with not only our mouths, but with our minds and hearts.
-1 Corinthians 14v14-17
-1 Corinthians 12, 13 and 14.
-You cannot read chapter 13 on its own without reading the other two chapters with it, we need a full overview.
Truth:
-Daniel 3- King Nebuchadnezzar made an idol of gold. His worship was not truth, but the three men, Shadrach, Meshac and Abednigo denied the false worship of other gods, and were true to their God.
-Leviticus 10- Nadab and Abihu falsely lit fire in the temple in order to look good. This wasn’t truth in any respect.
-Mark 7v6b-7- The Pharisees were false in order to keep their reputation up.
-Zechariah 4v6- By My Spirit
-John 4v23-24
-Worshipping in Spirit and truth is something we have to develop. To manifest spiritual gifts and a relationship with the Holy Spirit, we have to be born again of the Spirit.
-Mark 8v27-29
-1 Corinthians 11v2- Propriety in worship
-1 Corinthians 14v26- Orderly worship
-Worship in Corinth- the women were ordered to cover their men would not get distracted. Hair down in that culture would have only happened between husband and wife.
-Paul wanted this from the women, not only because it was appropriate and respectful, but also so that worship to God could be the best.
-Worship in Spirit and truth is not disorderly, it does not cause confusion or loss of control.
-1 Corinthians 14v32
-This passage does not major on musical worship, but on gifts.
-Gifts are from God Himself.
-Worship is not always music.
-Worship is the use of what God has given us for His glory.
-Music is a reaction to God’s greatness.
Authentic worship!!!
-‘Spirit’ is not the Holy Spirit, but our spirits.
-Worship is our spirit responding to God’s spirit.
-Worship in Spirit and Truth is accurate worship.
-People often say ‘I like to think of God as…..’ and then worship that. That’s idolatry!
-Worship must be based on the truth of scripture.
-John 4v23
-To worship in ‘truth’ means to worship God as He is truly revealed in the Bible.
Worship with all of our lives
-Jesus said ‘Love God with all your heart’. He meant that worship must be genuine and heartfelt.
-It is not a matter of saying the right words!
Would you rather receive one or two specific comments that praised what you did or 10 minutes of unheartfelt praise?
-Ephesians 5v10- Find out what pleases God, and do it!
-The heart of worship is surrender. You don’t have to be musical to worship God!
-True worship is surrender and trust.
-Surrender to God is a natural response to a true revelation of who God is.
-Mark 1v 16-17- The fishermen left all they owned to follow Christ.
-We don’t worship out of fear or duty, but love, because He first loved us.
-Everything we do can be in worship.
-We are ambassadors of Christ Jesus. We represent Him and when people know who you know, they will watch your every move.
Place of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in Worship
Old Testament.
-People could only worship in the temple and even then, it could only be done by particular people, priests, levites etc.
-The Father was not to be approached boldly as we can do now, the approach was regulated.
-Hebrews 12v18-21
-John 4v21-23- from regulated to free.
-Hebrews 12v22-24
New Testament
-The tabernacle separated the Holy Place from the rest of the temple, but Jesus fulfilled the law and allows us to now enter into the Holy Place.
-There are no restrictions upon us in worship. We can approach the Father, Son and Holy Spirit freely.
Holy Spirit in Worship
-Ezekiel 37
- The Bones were made into the form of man, but it wasn’t untill the breath was commanded into them that they came into life.
-Genesis 2v7-Breath of life.
-The Spirit gives life
-1 Corinthians 2v10-16
-1 Corinthians 3v16-The Spirit is in us! We don’t have to call Him down from heaven, He is within us.
Personal Submission
James 4v7- Instructions in submission
It is only when we fully submit ourselves to God that He can work through us fully.
David fully submitted himself to God, and in return, God called him "A man after my own heart".
We cannot run with God and be filled with Him when our lives are already filled.
How can an empty soul know it’s hungry when the stomach is groaning because it is filled?
We cannot worship two things, otherwise we will love one and hate the other.
Matthew 6
"You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other."
(The Message)
vancouver
So this is where i live.
humble i know, but ive come to terms with it.
infact, i couldnt quite believe it this morning on the bus, when i overlooked the mountains and the city all in one.
can you imagine coming from a small village like mine to a massive city like this. its surreal. i walk out my house in the mornings to be greeted by huge mountains, which are ever changing. some mornings its so foggy that they completley dissappear. other mornings they just appear green, with white snowy caps.
makes a change from the neighbours gardens.......
humble i know, but ive come to terms with it.
infact, i couldnt quite believe it this morning on the bus, when i overlooked the mountains and the city all in one.
can you imagine coming from a small village like mine to a massive city like this. its surreal. i walk out my house in the mornings to be greeted by huge mountains, which are ever changing. some mornings its so foggy that they completley dissappear. other mornings they just appear green, with white snowy caps.
makes a change from the neighbours gardens.......
Thursday, March 03, 2005
thoughts...
i guess i underestimated the importance of recording events and how you feel about issues in life. i first realised it today when i wrote a letter home to my church and it took me an hour. first of all that says a lot about how much often useless information my head seems to store, and second of all it shows how inept i am at keeping regular contact with others....
the past 6 months have been the quickest, hardest, most surreal and most free of my entire life. ive experienced extreme joy, dissapointment, fear, pain, healing and confusion, mostly at different points i might add, but often these are all mixed in together and come out in random thoughts and other defining, or in most cases, comical moments in the office. which by the way has moved, so if you want to send me amazing gifts, ill give you the new address.
i want this blog to be as real as i am learning to be. somewhere in the bible it talks about being the same in your private times with God and in public, so this is a first step.
life has taken a big leap lately and its taking me a while to catch up with recent events. if this is how quick everything goes outside of education then goodness knows how fast the next 10 years are going to go. im looking forward to coming home, and seeing everyone, but also, looking forward to the things that my amazing God has got planned. if this is just the start then the future is looking incredible.
well its late and i guess i have to make a start at attempting to go to bed. this time two hours ago i didnt think i would have discovered this site.....goes to show how yet again, inept i am at being more assertive.
*sigh*
the past 6 months have been the quickest, hardest, most surreal and most free of my entire life. ive experienced extreme joy, dissapointment, fear, pain, healing and confusion, mostly at different points i might add, but often these are all mixed in together and come out in random thoughts and other defining, or in most cases, comical moments in the office. which by the way has moved, so if you want to send me amazing gifts, ill give you the new address.
i want this blog to be as real as i am learning to be. somewhere in the bible it talks about being the same in your private times with God and in public, so this is a first step.
life has taken a big leap lately and its taking me a while to catch up with recent events. if this is how quick everything goes outside of education then goodness knows how fast the next 10 years are going to go. im looking forward to coming home, and seeing everyone, but also, looking forward to the things that my amazing God has got planned. if this is just the start then the future is looking incredible.
well its late and i guess i have to make a start at attempting to go to bed. this time two hours ago i didnt think i would have discovered this site.....goes to show how yet again, inept i am at being more assertive.
*sigh*
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