Wk 42 Be Strong

Wk 42

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” Ephesians 6 v 10

Pride kills. It says, “I don’t need God or anyone else’s help, I can handle this.” But we can’t, we not only need God but we need each other. Paul says don’t put confidence in ourselves but to trust in God. Our bodies are weak, our emotions are frail and we often deceive ourselves as to our own abilities.

Time and time again we are warned in the Bible to lean on God. There was a time after a long illness that I had to learn to walk again – I was sure I could do it, after all its just like riding a bike – once learned never forgotten! That’s not true. Not only did I need God’s power but I also needed His power through the love and patience of His people. Maybe if I am honest I needed people more than God.

We all have God’s power within us but He sends his people to do the holding on bit. We all need to be encouraged by friends walking alongside us, to talk over our problems with, maybe help us to see where or what we are doing wrong. The “power bit” comes from within when we read His word. The “doing bit” will often come from good friends as they try to guide us.

Our biggest problem comes from a lack of humility when we fail to accept or take on board their guidance.

How often do we do our own thing?

Ask yourself if you are really ready to accept Gods power no matter what you are asked to do?

Romans 12 - an awesome passage

Living Sacrifices

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Love

9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Finding God

“Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountain apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19v11-12

Sometimes I think I expect to find God in something big. After all he is everywhere and the Creator of the whole universe so I often expect Him to move in big ways, or in dramatic circumstances. And he does from time to time do just that. But something I am discovering at the moment in my own life is that God often looks to speak to us in more subtle or gentle ways.

Instead of looking for God in the big things of this world, take time to search for him in small things. A conversation with a friend, a prompting of your consciousness, the quiet of a silent room, the flickering of a single flame. Take at LEAST five minutes to just sit and be at peace with God and open to his gentle whisper.

Wk 38 Fed by Ravens!

“Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: ‘Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.’ So he did what the Lord had told him.” 1 Kings 17v2-5

Ok, this is a bit of a strange thing to be told….”you will be fed by the ravens”! But the challenge here is what follows. Elijah did as the Lord had told him. There was no arguing or discussing, or trying to get a compromise, Elijah was a man of God and he knew that all he could do was to obey the word of the Lord.

Have you ever felt that God was saying something to you, maybe in a passage you were reading, or through something someone was saying to you? If you have, how willing were you to obey it. Or have you read any of the teachings of Jesus? There are so many challenges and commands there that you can understand why he was seen as a radical. But having read a parable or the Beatitudes how willing have you been to do as the Lord is telling you?

God bless

Wk 32 "The Renewal of all things"

Sorry to miss last week, was on holiday!

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matthew 19v28

With so many of the things that Jesus said, much can be said about them, and when he spoke he always spoke so powerfully. Today I am just focusing on one small phrase within this verse, “at the renewal of all things”.

In a book I have read recently the author used this phrase to remind us that ultimately God will destroy evil and everything, yes everything will be remade or renewed. (Michael Lloyd, Café Theology, 2005).

Whilst life can be tough sometimes and bad things do happen, and God does often work good things out of bad, its important not to see God as the author of evil, nor to diminish the suffering that others or yourself might go through. What we do have is hope.

Hope isn’t a very big word, but it has massive consequences. As a Christian I believe at some point in the future God is going to renew all creation into the perfect creation he intended. That is what I hope for, that is what keeps me going when life is tough. Pray that God will bring hope into every corner of your life.


God bless.

Wk 30 What do you trust in?

Hey guys

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20v7

What is it that we trust in? Is it our friends, our finances, our future? I think what this verse is really challenging us on is what is our life based upon. Is it God, or is it something else?

When we trust in the things of this world we WILL be disappointed and let down. We live in a fallen world and even our best friends or family do fail us from time to time.

But this whole Psalm shows that those who trust in God and place all their hope in Him, those people will succeed. I don’t think this passage is saying that if you believe in God all will go well with you, but it means that ultimately God will take care of you according to HIS plan. That’s the tough bit, trusting that God’s plan and purposes are the best ones.

Pray today that you will be able to trust God more, let go of worldly things and believe that God’s plan for your life is the right one.

God bless

Wk 29 Do you Reflect God?

“When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.” 1 Kings 10v1

“”Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel.” 1 Kings 10v9

At this point in Solomon’s life he is really walking with God. He had done everything God had commanded, followed every decree. Solomon was so close to God that the Lord himself appeared twice to him! Unfortunately this doesn’t last, but that’s another story.

What I noticed today is that because Solomon was following God and was fully committed to him, people – important people were noticing not only Solomon, but God as well. Because of the way Solomon had dedicated his life to God people not only saw how God was blessing Solomon (and he was certainly blessed) but they noticed that it was a higher power at work.

Solomon’s witness in the way he governed and lived his life up to this point shows us that how we live our lives is really important. Not because people will notice how great or wonderful or loving we are but, in the words of Jesus”

“In the same way, let you light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5v16


Do people notice God because of what you do and say? Do your deeds reflect God and draw people into a relationship with God?