I have my last ever Woolworth’s Christmas ‘pick and mix’ pot on my desk. It is an icon of my childhood and indeed my adult life of family Christmas times over the last 24 years or so. Now even Woolworth’s is closing. Is nothing certain!
Everything in life can feel very fragile and vulnerable. In reality, if it were not for God it all would be. Our health in all aspects: physical, emotional and mental. Our financial provision and employment, family well being, our houses, cars, laptops, clothes, friendships, churches, travel and abilities. God provides ‘daily bread’ of all kinds. The list of all that could be vulnerable is endless. In Job we are told of God ‘if it were his will and he withdrew his Spirit all mankind would perish together’ Our next breath is not just natural, it is the gracious provision of a sustaining God. Therefore I say ‘thank you Jesus for all your provision over the last year’
I write these things as looking back over 2008 there are many things I wish were different, many things I wish had not happened, many things I wonder why I have had to deal with this. But when put in perspective. I have had health, provision, grace and guidance to deal with everything life has brought my way. As again Scripture says ‘his divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness’.
Have I grown in God? Have we as a church? Have we as a family? Have I done all God required of me, being faithful to his calling? I suppose ‘yes’ and ‘no’ would both be true. I feel I have spent more time reacting to things than initiating things. I rarely meet people who do not feel in some ways like this. Sometimes we realise our personal world has a magnifying glass on it and when we step back and see the vastness of the world and God’s purposes being outworked, whilst we are not insignificant we are smaller than we think when we reflect on ourselves with ‘sober judgement’ as we are advised to do. This brings appropriate humility and a worship of Jesus who is higher than all. I am grateful to have had another year to love and serve him. I am grateful to have had another year of a wonderful family sharing life with me. I am grateful I have not yet finished ‘that for which Christ took hold of me’ as I am still here and ‘pressing on’. And what of 2009? The best is yet to be! And afterwards eternity!
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Fascination with God
I often wonder about what love for God means? What does it mean when I hear someone say, ‘I love Jesus’? I have come to the conclusion that a good way to describe this love in a way that as a man I can more readily relate to and quantify is to say that I am fascinated with God. I find Jesus fascinating. What is he doing? , what is he like in his character and attitude towards this situation of this person? How will he solve this, what does he think about this?
In fact much like a small child awestruck at a superhero or a football player. I find myself constantly engrossed in watching Jesus every move. I am always amazed at how kind, loving, strong, powerful, holy, clear, compassionate, honest, strong or brave he is. How is takes times to talk to those in need of counsel, heals those who are sick, encourages those who are weary, has clear goals and purposes that nothing can dissuade him from achieving.
I am just glad that I get to hang around him. I cannot think of ever wanting not to know him or be around him. It is a bit like finding that you are the object of the bullies’ attention in the playground, then just before the bully lands his first punch. I can turn to him and say pointing behind me ‘I’m with him’ one sight of Jesus on my side will deter any unwanted attention from enemies.
I owe a lot in my early Christian life to ‘the navigators’. This organisation produced many helpful tools to help learn how to meditate on Scripture. I owe a lot to a book by Campbell Mcalpine called ‘how to meditate on Scripture’. These tools helped me access scripture making it to me like reading a super hero comic book or reading rather than watching an adventure about an amazing person who always does the right thing. I would learn to chew over aspects of God’s character until I had got them so into my conception of how he is. My relationship with him was based on truth and not on my previous misconceptions. Just as a young child would then imitate his hero. I found myself wanting to be like my hero.
This fascination with God has never left me. It is the only reason when it all boils down to it that I lead a church and seek to plant other new ones. It is out of engagement with this person who still engrosses me. How he has gone through what he has in order to cleanse and forgive me amazes me, why should he do this, what was he thinking whilst he died for you and me?
We often hear the lament ‘where are the men in church life’. Women seem in the majority. Perhaps some of this in our culture might be addressed by encouraging more men to become fascinated by and with God, initially in some ways stirring their hunger as it would be by some piece of engineering or passing comment on a good football match as they watch skilful players.
This then can lead to intimacy and close relationship with God himself as a personal relationship which actually is just as much a manly trait as a womanly one.
I trust I will always be fascinated with God and close to him. One of the most fascinating things is of course for some strange reason he is fascinated with me and desire to have a close relationship to me – fascinating?
In fact much like a small child awestruck at a superhero or a football player. I find myself constantly engrossed in watching Jesus every move. I am always amazed at how kind, loving, strong, powerful, holy, clear, compassionate, honest, strong or brave he is. How is takes times to talk to those in need of counsel, heals those who are sick, encourages those who are weary, has clear goals and purposes that nothing can dissuade him from achieving.
I am just glad that I get to hang around him. I cannot think of ever wanting not to know him or be around him. It is a bit like finding that you are the object of the bullies’ attention in the playground, then just before the bully lands his first punch. I can turn to him and say pointing behind me ‘I’m with him’ one sight of Jesus on my side will deter any unwanted attention from enemies.
I owe a lot in my early Christian life to ‘the navigators’. This organisation produced many helpful tools to help learn how to meditate on Scripture. I owe a lot to a book by Campbell Mcalpine called ‘how to meditate on Scripture’. These tools helped me access scripture making it to me like reading a super hero comic book or reading rather than watching an adventure about an amazing person who always does the right thing. I would learn to chew over aspects of God’s character until I had got them so into my conception of how he is. My relationship with him was based on truth and not on my previous misconceptions. Just as a young child would then imitate his hero. I found myself wanting to be like my hero.
This fascination with God has never left me. It is the only reason when it all boils down to it that I lead a church and seek to plant other new ones. It is out of engagement with this person who still engrosses me. How he has gone through what he has in order to cleanse and forgive me amazes me, why should he do this, what was he thinking whilst he died for you and me?
We often hear the lament ‘where are the men in church life’. Women seem in the majority. Perhaps some of this in our culture might be addressed by encouraging more men to become fascinated by and with God, initially in some ways stirring their hunger as it would be by some piece of engineering or passing comment on a good football match as they watch skilful players.
This then can lead to intimacy and close relationship with God himself as a personal relationship which actually is just as much a manly trait as a womanly one.
I trust I will always be fascinated with God and close to him. One of the most fascinating things is of course for some strange reason he is fascinated with me and desire to have a close relationship to me – fascinating?
Saturday, 8 November 2008
the door of healing
I cannot help but say it now. My caution in not wanting to speak out to quickly has been overcome. I have to say that over this last little while I am now convinced the 'trickle' of occassional healings is becoming a small stream. It is delicate and would be easily stemmed in its flow, but it is here and it is growing without doubt. It is also accompanied usually with responses to the gospel which is how it should be. It is a sign!
In various recent meetings over the last few weeks I have seen sudden immediate and complete healings of clear and tangible issues not vague but clear. Sometimes these are through the laying on of hands in response to a prophetic word, sometimes they are when folk in the congregation standing near the person in pain or with illness place there hands on them and simply command the pain or sickness to go, whilst the person unwell places their hand on the area of pain or illness. I would also observe that sometimes one or two healings might occur. Then rather than stopping at that and celebrating if we press through and go again for the same thing we get even more.
This new thing we are seeing is not about technique, it seems to be about spending time doing it, growing in expectation God will come and simply the fact we are in a season of increase in healing activity. I long to see more healed as we are not seeing the big stuff yet. Why should we pray for the sick regularly? because we should hate seeing people in pain, unable to enjoy life in some way or another, preoccupied and weighed down, drained by pain, sickness or disability. Jesus hates it, we all must hate it! It is the result of a fallen world not the working of a God of love. He uses it, turning it for good as he is always a redeemer, there is nothing he cannot redeem. 'All things work together for the good of those that love God' - Jesus can do that as he is wise and mighty. It does not mean he wants people to be sick.
There is a mystery with healing and always will be. We live in the tension of the kingdom having come but not yet fully come. Some get healed and rejoice, some leave the meeting having to handle another bout of dissapointment.
We must entrust our questions to God who is always good and always wants people to be well. I have learnt to live in the tension of unanswered questions. Some things are too big for my tiny brain I entrust them to him.
I want to be part of an atmosphere where we love and care for those in pain and pray for them whenever they want to, rejoice when they are healed, weep and help them when they are dissaapointed. I want to kick the healing door open now it has swung open just a jar! Let the stream become a river!
In various recent meetings over the last few weeks I have seen sudden immediate and complete healings of clear and tangible issues not vague but clear. Sometimes these are through the laying on of hands in response to a prophetic word, sometimes they are when folk in the congregation standing near the person in pain or with illness place there hands on them and simply command the pain or sickness to go, whilst the person unwell places their hand on the area of pain or illness. I would also observe that sometimes one or two healings might occur. Then rather than stopping at that and celebrating if we press through and go again for the same thing we get even more.
This new thing we are seeing is not about technique, it seems to be about spending time doing it, growing in expectation God will come and simply the fact we are in a season of increase in healing activity. I long to see more healed as we are not seeing the big stuff yet. Why should we pray for the sick regularly? because we should hate seeing people in pain, unable to enjoy life in some way or another, preoccupied and weighed down, drained by pain, sickness or disability. Jesus hates it, we all must hate it! It is the result of a fallen world not the working of a God of love. He uses it, turning it for good as he is always a redeemer, there is nothing he cannot redeem. 'All things work together for the good of those that love God' - Jesus can do that as he is wise and mighty. It does not mean he wants people to be sick.
There is a mystery with healing and always will be. We live in the tension of the kingdom having come but not yet fully come. Some get healed and rejoice, some leave the meeting having to handle another bout of dissapointment.
We must entrust our questions to God who is always good and always wants people to be well. I have learnt to live in the tension of unanswered questions. Some things are too big for my tiny brain I entrust them to him.
I want to be part of an atmosphere where we love and care for those in pain and pray for them whenever they want to, rejoice when they are healed, weep and help them when they are dissaapointed. I want to kick the healing door open now it has swung open just a jar! Let the stream become a river!
Saturday, 1 November 2008
Recent events
I have been quite busy recently and the blog has been a bit neglected. This is not good as it is a helpful vehicle for news and views. Anyway some recent things for me of great significance were firstly. In October we held our Copenhagen 2008 leadership conference. This is now our fourth I believe and in my view they get better each time. We had around 75 leaders and other folk serving churches from Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, Estonia, Canada, Poland, Germany, Holland, UK, Switzerland, Lapland and Turkey. I am sure there were more I have missed!
Once again the teaching, worship and prophetic ministry were of high quality. The thing however of great note to me is the depth of relationships forming across the nations.
This event links well to the one just after in my home town of Lowestoft as the churches we serve in Europe as a team we are now seeking to bring together into common mission and resource with the churches in the East of England we also serve as a team. In this way we end up with one larger area of influence which we can serve more effectively by supplying ministry to the churches we have, gaining momentum into new plants both in the UK and Europe and even further afield. Also the momentum of more churches and people in common mission helps propel us into the nations with greater impact as we play our part in the new frontiers family of churches.
Last weekend saw our first ‘Together at the East of England’ event. Some 1300+ booked in for this. Amongst the highlights for me
1- Turning on the radio in my car and hearing worship songs being broadcast to my home town from the event. Apparently the numbers listening grew through the weekend.
2- The sense of togetherness across the region
3- Some great healings in a number of the meetings. I was especially encouraged in the session Julian Adams and I did on ‘enjoying the Spirit’ which we did. Several people got healed as folk in the session laid hands on those who indicated they had any pain of illness. This was so encouraging as it was the whole church doing the stuff not just a few on a stage
4- 16 first time responses to the gospel and 21 recommitments in the youth meeting
5- Great worship and prophetic input
6- The great encouragement passed on to us by so many people
In the entire whole thing was great I felt, though no doubt we can improve on some areas as we were trying things out for the first time. I reflected that over 25 years ago now I was in a youth group of three people in a church in the Town. I stood in this large gathering and thought I would never have believed that in my home town we would see such vibrant representation of what God is doing in our little part of his church in New Frontiers in the East of England.
This weekend we have John Ifeanyi with us. John is an evangelist from the Bristol New Frontiers church plant. I am looking forward to his visit
Next weekend I and a small team go to serve the Klippan church in Sweden for their annual church camp. They have around 100 coming this year. This church is growing steadily each year and it is a joy to go back again for the camp and see the progress being made.
I feel we are seeing such advance on all sides. It is steady rather than fast. But in the end this is often easier to consolidate into church growth and advance for the future.
Once again the teaching, worship and prophetic ministry were of high quality. The thing however of great note to me is the depth of relationships forming across the nations.
This event links well to the one just after in my home town of Lowestoft as the churches we serve in Europe as a team we are now seeking to bring together into common mission and resource with the churches in the East of England we also serve as a team. In this way we end up with one larger area of influence which we can serve more effectively by supplying ministry to the churches we have, gaining momentum into new plants both in the UK and Europe and even further afield. Also the momentum of more churches and people in common mission helps propel us into the nations with greater impact as we play our part in the new frontiers family of churches.
Last weekend saw our first ‘Together at the East of England’ event. Some 1300+ booked in for this. Amongst the highlights for me
1- Turning on the radio in my car and hearing worship songs being broadcast to my home town from the event. Apparently the numbers listening grew through the weekend.
2- The sense of togetherness across the region
3- Some great healings in a number of the meetings. I was especially encouraged in the session Julian Adams and I did on ‘enjoying the Spirit’ which we did. Several people got healed as folk in the session laid hands on those who indicated they had any pain of illness. This was so encouraging as it was the whole church doing the stuff not just a few on a stage
4- 16 first time responses to the gospel and 21 recommitments in the youth meeting
5- Great worship and prophetic input
6- The great encouragement passed on to us by so many people
In the entire whole thing was great I felt, though no doubt we can improve on some areas as we were trying things out for the first time. I reflected that over 25 years ago now I was in a youth group of three people in a church in the Town. I stood in this large gathering and thought I would never have believed that in my home town we would see such vibrant representation of what God is doing in our little part of his church in New Frontiers in the East of England.
This weekend we have John Ifeanyi with us. John is an evangelist from the Bristol New Frontiers church plant. I am looking forward to his visit
Next weekend I and a small team go to serve the Klippan church in Sweden for their annual church camp. They have around 100 coming this year. This church is growing steadily each year and it is a joy to go back again for the camp and see the progress being made.
I feel we are seeing such advance on all sides. It is steady rather than fast. But in the end this is often easier to consolidate into church growth and advance for the future.
Sunday, 7 September 2008
Arctic Circle
I have recently got back from the Arctic Circle. A team of us went to investigate some new relationships in the very furthest parts of our inhabited world.
There is mile after mile of forest. Mostly there is nothing but wolves, bears, Reindeers and rivers in between the small towns and villages. Some places such as Gallivare and Kiruna are mining communities of around 20 thousand people in each. With remoteness, long winters, sparse population and harsh working conditions for many. Dare I say it, but due to the harsh living conditions this is a part of the world more suited to Men in my opinion. The winters are long and dark. The snows come in September and melt in May. In the summer the sun does not go down, in the winter it hardly comes up. It is very cold at times. Accounts of minus 50 were relayed to us. There are deposits of Gold, Iron Ore and Copper here in abundance and fresh mines are opening soon due to the discovery of fresh deposits. These mines dig deep.
We met some outstanding people who have not only made life work up here but who also have served the Lord faithfully and effectively for many years. Amongst them was Alf the Reindeer herdsman. Alf’s love for the Lord and knowledge of how nature works was a joy to listen to. Another hero we had the pleasure of meeting is Jorma Lappalainen a man who has planted over 70 churches in Lapland then across Russia and even into Estonia. Almost single handed he serves a circuit of small congregations ‘Wesley style’ (but without the Horse). It was a privilege to meet Jorma and speak in two of the churches he serves. His infectious passion for God deeply touched me. As I observed young people in many of the places he has planted churches in it made me realise a new generation is emerging that requires young men with the same passion he has to rise up and reach their peers and see a fresh wave of church planting. The regions these village churches are located in cover great distances. We did over 1000kms in three days from place to place.
We had a great conference in Gallivare which was our main reason for coming initially and I believe we made some really good friendships and we will see emerging a new fresh expression of New Testament church values across this region. The enthusiasm for the message of grace and fresh insights on building New Testament principles and values into local church life was very encouraging to me. I believe God was in this trip and has plans for new moves of his Spirit here.
Jesus loves all people groups. We met Lapps, Saami, Finns and Swedes. I felt something in the heart of God was touched by us coming here. Jesus told us we would be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. He loves to include all into his family it does not get much nearer the end of the earth than this. Jesus has unique purposes for these places. It was a privilege to meet such dear people. The leaders at the Gallivare church showed us very kind hospitality and hunger for God. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
There is mile after mile of forest. Mostly there is nothing but wolves, bears, Reindeers and rivers in between the small towns and villages. Some places such as Gallivare and Kiruna are mining communities of around 20 thousand people in each. With remoteness, long winters, sparse population and harsh working conditions for many. Dare I say it, but due to the harsh living conditions this is a part of the world more suited to Men in my opinion. The winters are long and dark. The snows come in September and melt in May. In the summer the sun does not go down, in the winter it hardly comes up. It is very cold at times. Accounts of minus 50 were relayed to us. There are deposits of Gold, Iron Ore and Copper here in abundance and fresh mines are opening soon due to the discovery of fresh deposits. These mines dig deep.
We met some outstanding people who have not only made life work up here but who also have served the Lord faithfully and effectively for many years. Amongst them was Alf the Reindeer herdsman. Alf’s love for the Lord and knowledge of how nature works was a joy to listen to. Another hero we had the pleasure of meeting is Jorma Lappalainen a man who has planted over 70 churches in Lapland then across Russia and even into Estonia. Almost single handed he serves a circuit of small congregations ‘Wesley style’ (but without the Horse). It was a privilege to meet Jorma and speak in two of the churches he serves. His infectious passion for God deeply touched me. As I observed young people in many of the places he has planted churches in it made me realise a new generation is emerging that requires young men with the same passion he has to rise up and reach their peers and see a fresh wave of church planting. The regions these village churches are located in cover great distances. We did over 1000kms in three days from place to place.
We had a great conference in Gallivare which was our main reason for coming initially and I believe we made some really good friendships and we will see emerging a new fresh expression of New Testament church values across this region. The enthusiasm for the message of grace and fresh insights on building New Testament principles and values into local church life was very encouraging to me. I believe God was in this trip and has plans for new moves of his Spirit here.
Jesus loves all people groups. We met Lapps, Saami, Finns and Swedes. I felt something in the heart of God was touched by us coming here. Jesus told us we would be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. He loves to include all into his family it does not get much nearer the end of the earth than this. Jesus has unique purposes for these places. It was a privilege to meet such dear people. The leaders at the Gallivare church showed us very kind hospitality and hunger for God. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
Friday, 8 August 2008
Spending time with God
Time with God – there is no substitute
His week I had the pleasure again of two days set aside to pray and fast and seek God on my friends boat. Moored in the Blyth Estuary 30 minutes from my home town it is a place far from anyone except God.
I have found as life gets busier and the things I seek to do for God increase in number and importance. To let such times get squeezed out by business is very foolish and short sighted. To have two days of prayer and study requires good planning and a schedule to stick to. I owe a lot to the Navigators and to authors like Richard Foster and his classic book ‘celebration of discipline’. As a young Christina this book and the disciplines of bible meditation taught by heroes of mine like Warren and Ruth Myers of the Navigators put capacity in me from an early age to get up early and seek God with a bible and journal and meditate over sometimes small portions of scripture like a verse or even a line from the psalms. I learnt to listen to God and hear God and feed on Scripture without the aid of anything else. This is a priceless discipline. In our instant and fast food culture where everything is ready made just assemble easily yourself. To learn to hear God from the scriptures in solitude and silence. To learn to pray in tongues for a prolonged time. To pray in the Spirit with all kinds of prayers and requests these are the anvils upon which God’s purposes in and through us are hammered out.
As I began my time on the Boat I was praying and meditating and worshipping God through Psalm 12 Verse 6 says ‘the words of the Lord ‘the word of the Lord came to me’ to hear God speak to be aware of his counsel and direction and affirmation and promises, cannot possibly be bettered by any other experience. Nothing can give such confidence and certainty or courage. I began my time by thanking God he would speak to me whilst I was on the boat seeking him. I began thanking him for all the ties he had spoken to me. I began by telling him that all I ever need is to hear his voice of command and promise and whatever he says I will do, whatever he promises I cannot but trust him for. Once he has spoken sure pure words that cannot ever be false. Nothing can stand against his promises.
I want to encourage you to learn the disciplines of meditating on Scripture. Let the pure words of the Lord shape and direct your life and character.
With so much to do, the stakes are too high to try to do it without hearing from God.
His week I had the pleasure again of two days set aside to pray and fast and seek God on my friends boat. Moored in the Blyth Estuary 30 minutes from my home town it is a place far from anyone except God.
I have found as life gets busier and the things I seek to do for God increase in number and importance. To let such times get squeezed out by business is very foolish and short sighted. To have two days of prayer and study requires good planning and a schedule to stick to. I owe a lot to the Navigators and to authors like Richard Foster and his classic book ‘celebration of discipline’. As a young Christina this book and the disciplines of bible meditation taught by heroes of mine like Warren and Ruth Myers of the Navigators put capacity in me from an early age to get up early and seek God with a bible and journal and meditate over sometimes small portions of scripture like a verse or even a line from the psalms. I learnt to listen to God and hear God and feed on Scripture without the aid of anything else. This is a priceless discipline. In our instant and fast food culture where everything is ready made just assemble easily yourself. To learn to hear God from the scriptures in solitude and silence. To learn to pray in tongues for a prolonged time. To pray in the Spirit with all kinds of prayers and requests these are the anvils upon which God’s purposes in and through us are hammered out.
As I began my time on the Boat I was praying and meditating and worshipping God through Psalm 12 Verse 6 says ‘the words of the Lord ‘the word of the Lord came to me’ to hear God speak to be aware of his counsel and direction and affirmation and promises, cannot possibly be bettered by any other experience. Nothing can give such confidence and certainty or courage. I began my time by thanking God he would speak to me whilst I was on the boat seeking him. I began thanking him for all the ties he had spoken to me. I began by telling him that all I ever need is to hear his voice of command and promise and whatever he says I will do, whatever he promises I cannot but trust him for. Once he has spoken sure pure words that cannot ever be false. Nothing can stand against his promises.
I want to encourage you to learn the disciplines of meditating on Scripture. Let the pure words of the Lord shape and direct your life and character.
With so much to do, the stakes are too high to try to do it without hearing from God.
Sunday, 6 July 2008
Hose pipe ban!
Amos 3v7-8 says ‘For the Lord does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. The Lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord has spoken who can but prophesy?
When a hosepipe is attached to a tap, the water flows out of the pipe when the tap is turned on. The pipe does not decide itself when the water is coming. It is rather a willing and attached conduit dependant on the initiative of another.
God speaks and he then causes the outflow of his words to come via his people in prophetic utterance.
We must view prophecy not as trying to talk some thing up but rather as preparing and announcing in advance that which has already been established as inevitable through the mouth of the Lord. It is being announced to us.
This should give us great confidence when we live in an abundance of clear prophetic direction both individually and corporately. God has declared a principle of his operation in that he will not do anything unless he having decided and spoken causes his words and decisions to be announced here on earth through the corporate prophetic gifts given to his people.
If we have drought and a ban on hose pipes in announced watering the flowers and the earth to produce becomes a laborious process. Were God not to speak and were those with prophetic words to choose to keep silent the effect would be the same. How we need the prophetic to water the earth and announce and prepare the ground for the acts of God to spring forth
I love the gift of prophecy. I have found over the years to keep my ear near to the prophetic word of God is vital in life and building church. I urge all who know and love the Lord and are baptised in his Spirit to live keeping open to hearing and speaking what God says to you. In doing so you water dry ground and help God’s people get ready and well positioned for the activity of God.
When a hosepipe is attached to a tap, the water flows out of the pipe when the tap is turned on. The pipe does not decide itself when the water is coming. It is rather a willing and attached conduit dependant on the initiative of another.
God speaks and he then causes the outflow of his words to come via his people in prophetic utterance.
We must view prophecy not as trying to talk some thing up but rather as preparing and announcing in advance that which has already been established as inevitable through the mouth of the Lord. It is being announced to us.
This should give us great confidence when we live in an abundance of clear prophetic direction both individually and corporately. God has declared a principle of his operation in that he will not do anything unless he having decided and spoken causes his words and decisions to be announced here on earth through the corporate prophetic gifts given to his people.
If we have drought and a ban on hose pipes in announced watering the flowers and the earth to produce becomes a laborious process. Were God not to speak and were those with prophetic words to choose to keep silent the effect would be the same. How we need the prophetic to water the earth and announce and prepare the ground for the acts of God to spring forth
I love the gift of prophecy. I have found over the years to keep my ear near to the prophetic word of God is vital in life and building church. I urge all who know and love the Lord and are baptised in his Spirit to live keeping open to hearing and speaking what God says to you. In doing so you water dry ground and help God’s people get ready and well positioned for the activity of God.
Saturday, 5 July 2008
From the Baltic's to Banff
From the Baltic’s to Banff
As I write I hear that 1300 people are booked into our New Frontiers weekend in October. See www.togetherateastofengland.com for further details. I think this will be a hugely significant event for us with far reaching implications for apostolic mission and healthy local church life locally, regionally and internationally. There is something special about coming together as churches on a mission. God somehow cements some things, starts some things and often the environment at such events is full of faith and charged with the presence of God. When I think back perhaps 25 years when we first started seeking to build church on New Testament principles and values in my home town of Lowestoft. A gathering of these numbers of people from the region taking place in Lowestoft with a commonly held vision and passion for the local church would have seemed unthinkable. Praise God for all he has done and will do. This is just a beginning phase.
Over recent years God has been expanding the number of nations we are involved in. From 13th -15th June some 70 of us gathered in Smiltene Latvia for our second Baltic Nations conference. David Jones and the New Frontiers church in Smiltene once again did an outstanding job of organising and planning. Folk from Latvia and Estonia came together with a good number of us from the UK. The meetings were notable and I felt God was repeatedly assuring us of his ongoing presence with us as we seek to plant and build local churches across the Baltic nations.
Of the many memories of the this weekend meeting with new people with a commitment and heart to seeing God move in the Baltic’s and being asked to preach for the first time in Valga Estonia on the Sunday stand out. I felt I made good connections with the leadership team in the church there, especially as we talked over lunch. They have purchased a very large redundant hospital and are in the process of converting it to a variety of community and outreach uses. I was impressed by the vision shown by the small but committed church.
After a couple of days back home it was off to Alberta Canada to speak at the ‘Out of the Box’ conference. Keith and Jeremy Hazell from Mosaic church in Lethbridge hosted this conference which was mainly for those in leadership or ministry. The aim being to address key issues related to building on apostolic foundations and New Testament values in local church life and getting to know more of the folk who are hungry for such things in local church life. I felt we had a very significant time and God was with us in power. Many good relationships were made and existing ones strengthened. I was blessed to be able to travel with Jeremy Simpkins from Teesside. It was such a joy to work together for the first time and it reinforced my belief that working and travelling in team is the best way to proceed.
I preached at Mosaic on Saturday night and saw some lovely healings. I was very encouraged also to spend more time with Jeremy Hazell and the team who are heading up this plant. I felt God really connected us in his purposes and that much likes ahead in the future for us. I then took the 3 hour journey to Lethbridge where I was with Harvest Christian Fellowship on the Sunday. This vibrant church has an abundance of musicians and young people amongst a great bunch of people. I felt a great joy in meeting Richard and Margaret Graham/ Richard leads the church. Margaret heads us he very anointed worship team.
After a very busy few days it was a nice end to go up into the mountains before catching the flight home. Lake Louise near Banff is quite impressive to say the least. As I looked at it I thought one day we are promised the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as chief amongst the mountains. It is this promise that motivates me to do anything in ministry. Jesus has promised he will build his Church as a light in the nations.
It is always a joy to be with Keith and Nova Hazell. They were able to come with us into the mountains. Sue and I have the highest respect and love for them and count it a privilege to know them and call them dear friends.
A brief catch up at home with the inevitable assortment of e-mails. Then we moved my Mum and Step Dad into their new home. We praise God for his provision in their later years in providing this new place for them.
We had an excellent Elders team day yesterday. I am so pleased to be working with such a team. We are blessed to be able now to meet in the day time which is a huge help.
Next week we have our New Frontiers ‘together on a mission’ conference in Brighton with around 5000 delegates from over 40 nations. I anticipate another outstanding time. After that the summer holiday in North Norfolk!
As I write I hear that 1300 people are booked into our New Frontiers weekend in October. See www.togetherateastofengland.com for further details. I think this will be a hugely significant event for us with far reaching implications for apostolic mission and healthy local church life locally, regionally and internationally. There is something special about coming together as churches on a mission. God somehow cements some things, starts some things and often the environment at such events is full of faith and charged with the presence of God. When I think back perhaps 25 years when we first started seeking to build church on New Testament principles and values in my home town of Lowestoft. A gathering of these numbers of people from the region taking place in Lowestoft with a commonly held vision and passion for the local church would have seemed unthinkable. Praise God for all he has done and will do. This is just a beginning phase.
Over recent years God has been expanding the number of nations we are involved in. From 13th -15th June some 70 of us gathered in Smiltene Latvia for our second Baltic Nations conference. David Jones and the New Frontiers church in Smiltene once again did an outstanding job of organising and planning. Folk from Latvia and Estonia came together with a good number of us from the UK. The meetings were notable and I felt God was repeatedly assuring us of his ongoing presence with us as we seek to plant and build local churches across the Baltic nations.
Of the many memories of the this weekend meeting with new people with a commitment and heart to seeing God move in the Baltic’s and being asked to preach for the first time in Valga Estonia on the Sunday stand out. I felt I made good connections with the leadership team in the church there, especially as we talked over lunch. They have purchased a very large redundant hospital and are in the process of converting it to a variety of community and outreach uses. I was impressed by the vision shown by the small but committed church.
After a couple of days back home it was off to Alberta Canada to speak at the ‘Out of the Box’ conference. Keith and Jeremy Hazell from Mosaic church in Lethbridge hosted this conference which was mainly for those in leadership or ministry. The aim being to address key issues related to building on apostolic foundations and New Testament values in local church life and getting to know more of the folk who are hungry for such things in local church life. I felt we had a very significant time and God was with us in power. Many good relationships were made and existing ones strengthened. I was blessed to be able to travel with Jeremy Simpkins from Teesside. It was such a joy to work together for the first time and it reinforced my belief that working and travelling in team is the best way to proceed.
I preached at Mosaic on Saturday night and saw some lovely healings. I was very encouraged also to spend more time with Jeremy Hazell and the team who are heading up this plant. I felt God really connected us in his purposes and that much likes ahead in the future for us. I then took the 3 hour journey to Lethbridge where I was with Harvest Christian Fellowship on the Sunday. This vibrant church has an abundance of musicians and young people amongst a great bunch of people. I felt a great joy in meeting Richard and Margaret Graham/ Richard leads the church. Margaret heads us he very anointed worship team.
After a very busy few days it was a nice end to go up into the mountains before catching the flight home. Lake Louise near Banff is quite impressive to say the least. As I looked at it I thought one day we are promised the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as chief amongst the mountains. It is this promise that motivates me to do anything in ministry. Jesus has promised he will build his Church as a light in the nations.
It is always a joy to be with Keith and Nova Hazell. They were able to come with us into the mountains. Sue and I have the highest respect and love for them and count it a privilege to know them and call them dear friends.
A brief catch up at home with the inevitable assortment of e-mails. Then we moved my Mum and Step Dad into their new home. We praise God for his provision in their later years in providing this new place for them.
We had an excellent Elders team day yesterday. I am so pleased to be working with such a team. We are blessed to be able now to meet in the day time which is a huge help.
Next week we have our New Frontiers ‘together on a mission’ conference in Brighton with around 5000 delegates from over 40 nations. I anticipate another outstanding time. After that the summer holiday in North Norfolk!
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
Leadership and the Prophetic
Acts 21:10-11 after we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'
Acts 11:28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)
These occasions in Acts show God using prophetic ministry to shape and prepare individuals and churches for what he intended to do in and through them. The response to prophecy was to shape, direct and prepare in line with what God had said.
1- Agabus was known as a Prophet. This is presumably as his life showed godly character, his ministry was proved to be genuine over a period of time and his doctrine commended him as one approved of God.
2- The Prophetic worked in team. Agabus came to Jerusalem with a team of prophets. He was in Caesarea with Phillip who had four daughters with prophetic ministry. Here was not a man who was aloof and isolated Agabus ministered in corporate contexts
3- Room was made for the prophetic in local church life. When ‘they came down’ to Jerusalem it was not viewed by the leaders of the church as a side show but rather as a significant moment of directional input for the church.
4- They adjusted plans, ministries and programs in response to what God had said. The entire ‘ministry to the poor’ agenda in the Jerusalem church was fashioned and shaped by the prophetic. With so much need around us in our communities how do we know where to target our enegies unless God shows us.
God intends us to be a people who follow the cloud not follow the crowd. I want to ensure genuine prophetic ministry has access to me and the churches I work with. I wonder how anyone leads in a local church without prophetic input. How can we possibly know what God wants us to put our energies into as a local church? What direction do we go in?
John in Revelation said ‘he who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’ each message to the local churches was different. They all had strengths and weaknesses. God said different things to each church. Indeed every genuine planting of the Lord has a unique fingerprint of God upon it. Our role as leaders is to find out and express Jesus desires for the local church we are part of.
In our leadership team and church we make room for prophetic ministry to come in shaping programs and individual ministries in the church. We seek to weigh and discern God’s voice then once we feel we have heard the heart of God we do some practical things
1- Prayer meeting agendas are shaped by the prophetic
2- Leadership goals and objectives are shaped according to the prophetic. For example if God has spoken about us having a new building we need to go and look for one.
3- Staff and budgets are apportioned in line with the things God has said
4- We cast vision in the church to ensure everyone is serving the same vision.
5- We feed back to prophetic ministry to both encourage them and also to keep our ears open to fresh instruction from God.
If apostles and prophets work together, the most powerful and strategically vibrant leadership combination is possible. Prophets to show the way and Apostles to build like wise master builders. That is how in reading the New Testament it seems God intends the local church to function.
Genuine prophecies should not get filed under P in someone’s filing cabinet. They were living working documents to build to.
Acts 11:28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)
These occasions in Acts show God using prophetic ministry to shape and prepare individuals and churches for what he intended to do in and through them. The response to prophecy was to shape, direct and prepare in line with what God had said.
1- Agabus was known as a Prophet. This is presumably as his life showed godly character, his ministry was proved to be genuine over a period of time and his doctrine commended him as one approved of God.
2- The Prophetic worked in team. Agabus came to Jerusalem with a team of prophets. He was in Caesarea with Phillip who had four daughters with prophetic ministry. Here was not a man who was aloof and isolated Agabus ministered in corporate contexts
3- Room was made for the prophetic in local church life. When ‘they came down’ to Jerusalem it was not viewed by the leaders of the church as a side show but rather as a significant moment of directional input for the church.
4- They adjusted plans, ministries and programs in response to what God had said. The entire ‘ministry to the poor’ agenda in the Jerusalem church was fashioned and shaped by the prophetic. With so much need around us in our communities how do we know where to target our enegies unless God shows us.
God intends us to be a people who follow the cloud not follow the crowd. I want to ensure genuine prophetic ministry has access to me and the churches I work with. I wonder how anyone leads in a local church without prophetic input. How can we possibly know what God wants us to put our energies into as a local church? What direction do we go in?
John in Revelation said ‘he who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’ each message to the local churches was different. They all had strengths and weaknesses. God said different things to each church. Indeed every genuine planting of the Lord has a unique fingerprint of God upon it. Our role as leaders is to find out and express Jesus desires for the local church we are part of.
In our leadership team and church we make room for prophetic ministry to come in shaping programs and individual ministries in the church. We seek to weigh and discern God’s voice then once we feel we have heard the heart of God we do some practical things
1- Prayer meeting agendas are shaped by the prophetic
2- Leadership goals and objectives are shaped according to the prophetic. For example if God has spoken about us having a new building we need to go and look for one.
3- Staff and budgets are apportioned in line with the things God has said
4- We cast vision in the church to ensure everyone is serving the same vision.
5- We feed back to prophetic ministry to both encourage them and also to keep our ears open to fresh instruction from God.
If apostles and prophets work together, the most powerful and strategically vibrant leadership combination is possible. Prophets to show the way and Apostles to build like wise master builders. That is how in reading the New Testament it seems God intends the local church to function.
Genuine prophecies should not get filed under P in someone’s filing cabinet. They were living working documents to build to.
Sunday, 25 May 2008
A Full Week
A Full Week
Reflecting on a week in the life of LCC. I am struck by the fact so much goes on; in fact more goes on than is known by any of us.
Reverb unplugged was from all accounts a great night with nearly 50 youth and some new emerging talent.
Showcase Sunday was outstanding. The high quality of the presentation on ‘what is a Christian?’ built around a school audience was notable.
The clubs, the cells, new faces every week, Sunday meetings open to God. People becoming Christians. About 8 at the ‘klub’ weekend away last week alone. More reports of people being healed and set free. Especially notable is the ministry of Greg and Angela Kemm in this regard. They come to us each year for a week or two and equip and help catch us all up in being able to pray for people with illness or bondages and see results. We need to see much more but we are seeing more than we did – we must press in. God has promised.
In the business of life it is often possible not to notice when God is at work. He is at work here. We are seeing increased momentum. His grace is upon us. There are a growing numbers of people willing to serve. Acts of kindness slip by almost daily without any great fanfare.
We live in troubled times. Our nation is desperate. Our Town is in great need. The nations of Europe are like a dessert spiritually.
Within the Christian world waves of thought come and go. The atonement is dismissed as an awful theory akin to ‘cosmic child abuse’. Extra Biblical teaching on all sorts of spiritual mysticism is absorbed without anyone commenting or questioning, or being criticised if they do. How we need Churches of Word and Spirit. How we need to ask God to be merciful to us and use us even though we are weak and frail and not in any position of ourselves to commend ourselves.
I love seeing what God is doing amongst us. I love it that he for some reason wants to bless us – why? I am privileged to be surrounded with many godly people. I am genuinely humbled when I see some folk whom I know who have lived with considerable suffering and trials and yet they a radiant with God and his Spirit. That we might be a community drenched in God is the longing of my heart. That God would catch us up more in prayer has got to be a goal. We need God to act according to his promise. Praise him for all he is doing, but call on him for all he has said.
I spoke to someone this morning; they had experienced just this week considerable healing both physically and spiritually. Bring it on!
Reflecting on a week in the life of LCC. I am struck by the fact so much goes on; in fact more goes on than is known by any of us.
Reverb unplugged was from all accounts a great night with nearly 50 youth and some new emerging talent.
Showcase Sunday was outstanding. The high quality of the presentation on ‘what is a Christian?’ built around a school audience was notable.
The clubs, the cells, new faces every week, Sunday meetings open to God. People becoming Christians. About 8 at the ‘klub’ weekend away last week alone. More reports of people being healed and set free. Especially notable is the ministry of Greg and Angela Kemm in this regard. They come to us each year for a week or two and equip and help catch us all up in being able to pray for people with illness or bondages and see results. We need to see much more but we are seeing more than we did – we must press in. God has promised.
In the business of life it is often possible not to notice when God is at work. He is at work here. We are seeing increased momentum. His grace is upon us. There are a growing numbers of people willing to serve. Acts of kindness slip by almost daily without any great fanfare.
We live in troubled times. Our nation is desperate. Our Town is in great need. The nations of Europe are like a dessert spiritually.
Within the Christian world waves of thought come and go. The atonement is dismissed as an awful theory akin to ‘cosmic child abuse’. Extra Biblical teaching on all sorts of spiritual mysticism is absorbed without anyone commenting or questioning, or being criticised if they do. How we need Churches of Word and Spirit. How we need to ask God to be merciful to us and use us even though we are weak and frail and not in any position of ourselves to commend ourselves.
I love seeing what God is doing amongst us. I love it that he for some reason wants to bless us – why? I am privileged to be surrounded with many godly people. I am genuinely humbled when I see some folk whom I know who have lived with considerable suffering and trials and yet they a radiant with God and his Spirit. That we might be a community drenched in God is the longing of my heart. That God would catch us up more in prayer has got to be a goal. We need God to act according to his promise. Praise him for all he is doing, but call on him for all he has said.
I spoke to someone this morning; they had experienced just this week considerable healing both physically and spiritually. Bring it on!
Sunday, 18 May 2008
What do I make of the Lakeland Florida meetings?
What Do I make of the Lakeland outpouring?
The events unfolding in Lakeland Florida are gaining visibility in the Christian world and increasingly in the secular press. So it seems appropriate to pass on a few thoughts of my own on it as most people will have an opinion.
I was preaching on Romans 11 today where Paul grapples with some of the great themes of election and human responsibility. At the end his cry is ‘O the depth of the wisdom and riches of God’, He also says ‘how unsearchable his paths’. Paul found that theology (study of God) leads to Doxology (Worship of God).
I believe in Word and Spirit. I believe we need theology if we are to handle the moving of the Spirit in a sustainable way that will build the church and keep the fruit of movement of God.
Doxology without theology leads to a wandering from the path of orthodoxy. People may get excited but when asked why they are excited they have no idea!
I have watched some of the meetings from Lakeland and observe a few things from what I have seen and read and heard.
1- I do believe what we are seeing is the power of God in the meetings
2- The people that are getting healed seem to me to be very ordinary people who have been invaded by the wonderful healing power of Jesus Christ. They are almost shocked and surprised they at not ‘crazy people’
3- The platform party do seem to have a genuine love for Jesus and for people
4- The theology of those on the platform seems to me to be very questionable.
5- There does not seem to be any Bible present anywhere on the platform or any reference to Scripture
6- There is a lot of reference of Angles, Open heaven, prophecy and other terms that are quoted without any reference to exposition of the word
7- I believe this might prove to be something that transmits across many nations as we saw with the Toronto outpouring
8- Just because the power of God is being poured out does not mean the theology or message being preached is right. God blesses with power as a gift. We are responsible for what we say publically.
9- My concern is that people will see the power and assume it has come because of the message. This in my view would be a big error
10- We must be open in our churches to the anointing that is breaking out especially in healing
11- We must be even more diligent in our churches to teach accurately the word of God so the outpouring of the Spirit is rightly handled
12- If folk can go or catch from this power of course do so. But do not throw your Brain away or your Bible.
13- If something is not built on the word of God it will end in disaster even if it is God pouring out his Spirit.
14- Paul spent much of his time in his letter correcting error as he saw that if left unattended it would ultimately do a lot of damage
15- We must pray for the outpouring to be brought onto good solid lines of scripture and teach people to be discerning over what they see and hear.
The events unfolding in Lakeland Florida are gaining visibility in the Christian world and increasingly in the secular press. So it seems appropriate to pass on a few thoughts of my own on it as most people will have an opinion.
I was preaching on Romans 11 today where Paul grapples with some of the great themes of election and human responsibility. At the end his cry is ‘O the depth of the wisdom and riches of God’, He also says ‘how unsearchable his paths’. Paul found that theology (study of God) leads to Doxology (Worship of God).
I believe in Word and Spirit. I believe we need theology if we are to handle the moving of the Spirit in a sustainable way that will build the church and keep the fruit of movement of God.
Doxology without theology leads to a wandering from the path of orthodoxy. People may get excited but when asked why they are excited they have no idea!
I have watched some of the meetings from Lakeland and observe a few things from what I have seen and read and heard.
1- I do believe what we are seeing is the power of God in the meetings
2- The people that are getting healed seem to me to be very ordinary people who have been invaded by the wonderful healing power of Jesus Christ. They are almost shocked and surprised they at not ‘crazy people’
3- The platform party do seem to have a genuine love for Jesus and for people
4- The theology of those on the platform seems to me to be very questionable.
5- There does not seem to be any Bible present anywhere on the platform or any reference to Scripture
6- There is a lot of reference of Angles, Open heaven, prophecy and other terms that are quoted without any reference to exposition of the word
7- I believe this might prove to be something that transmits across many nations as we saw with the Toronto outpouring
8- Just because the power of God is being poured out does not mean the theology or message being preached is right. God blesses with power as a gift. We are responsible for what we say publically.
9- My concern is that people will see the power and assume it has come because of the message. This in my view would be a big error
10- We must be open in our churches to the anointing that is breaking out especially in healing
11- We must be even more diligent in our churches to teach accurately the word of God so the outpouring of the Spirit is rightly handled
12- If folk can go or catch from this power of course do so. But do not throw your Brain away or your Bible.
13- If something is not built on the word of God it will end in disaster even if it is God pouring out his Spirit.
14- Paul spent much of his time in his letter correcting error as he saw that if left unattended it would ultimately do a lot of damage
15- We must pray for the outpouring to be brought onto good solid lines of scripture and teach people to be discerning over what they see and hear.
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Faith and Patience
Faith and Patience a life long journey
Hebrews 6 says ‘imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised’
I used to think faith and patience were things to be used in emergencies when personal life got tough or when a particular breakthrough in church life was required. Once the crisis is over it is back to just normal life ‘faith and patience’ can go back in the box.
I now see that these attributes are part of the normal daily walk in the life of the Christian and indeed any local church. Abraham lived like this, I must live like this.
For me personally and for the church I am part of, it is a season where we need to exercise great faith and patience as we’ve yet to see the full reality of the vision God has given us. As yet I have not seen the full reality of what God has promised me. I get hints of it, glimpses like the sun through some clouds. But it is not the noon day sun as yet.
I expect more people to find Christ as their Saviour, some just through encountering the presence of God in our meetings. God has also told us as a church to expect demonstrations of His healing authority including those bound with great inner trouble to be wonderfully set free. 5 times God has spoken to me about seeing signs and wonders and healing power breaking through as I go to places and reach out further and further. I see increase but not as yet an avalanche.
Abraham was commended as a man who lived daily in ‘faith and patience’ he took bold steps to inherit God’s promises. He also took a stand and waited for God to move, positioning himself in life for this.
I want to know and encounter Jesus in a deeper way. I want His presence because we want Him – I am hungry for more.
Am I ready to move further into the supernatural activity of God?
Am I excited and stimulated at the prospect that God will presence himself amongst us in greater measure?
Am I prepared for a roller coaster ride of ‘edge of the seat’ meetings?
You bet! When Jesus cursed the fig tree. It took time for his command to become a visible reality. It came almost as a surprise to the disciples. ‘Lord what you said actually happened’! I can be like that. Almost surprised when Jesus does what he has told me he is going to do.
Faith and patience – a good prescription, taken once a day! A day at a time
Hebrews 6 says ‘imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised’
I used to think faith and patience were things to be used in emergencies when personal life got tough or when a particular breakthrough in church life was required. Once the crisis is over it is back to just normal life ‘faith and patience’ can go back in the box.
I now see that these attributes are part of the normal daily walk in the life of the Christian and indeed any local church. Abraham lived like this, I must live like this.
For me personally and for the church I am part of, it is a season where we need to exercise great faith and patience as we’ve yet to see the full reality of the vision God has given us. As yet I have not seen the full reality of what God has promised me. I get hints of it, glimpses like the sun through some clouds. But it is not the noon day sun as yet.
I expect more people to find Christ as their Saviour, some just through encountering the presence of God in our meetings. God has also told us as a church to expect demonstrations of His healing authority including those bound with great inner trouble to be wonderfully set free. 5 times God has spoken to me about seeing signs and wonders and healing power breaking through as I go to places and reach out further and further. I see increase but not as yet an avalanche.
Abraham was commended as a man who lived daily in ‘faith and patience’ he took bold steps to inherit God’s promises. He also took a stand and waited for God to move, positioning himself in life for this.
I want to know and encounter Jesus in a deeper way. I want His presence because we want Him – I am hungry for more.
Am I ready to move further into the supernatural activity of God?
Am I excited and stimulated at the prospect that God will presence himself amongst us in greater measure?
Am I prepared for a roller coaster ride of ‘edge of the seat’ meetings?
You bet! When Jesus cursed the fig tree. It took time for his command to become a visible reality. It came almost as a surprise to the disciples. ‘Lord what you said actually happened’! I can be like that. Almost surprised when Jesus does what he has told me he is going to do.
Faith and patience – a good prescription, taken once a day! A day at a time
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
The voice of the Lord
This Easter it snowed, hard! Enough to enable folks to build a ‘snow bunny’ in the Garden and for the cat to skate about in several inches of the white stuff.
As I have a few days off this week, most mornings I have walked on the beach. To walk in the snow on the beach is a very nice if unusual experience. The crunch of the snow underfoot and the lap of the waves on the shore, make a strange combination.
Whilst on my way back from one such walk. Everything was very quite then suddenly, a songbird started singing loudly. The beauty of this song was quite remarkable. No other noise, no other distraction. It made me think when we hear the voice of the Lord it is also beautiful and above every other sound. Nothing else quite matches it.
One of the first times I heard the voice of the Lord in my heart was at the age of 17 when I heard Malcolm Pears preach the gospel at the Bethel. I knew it was God even though it was convicting and arresting to me. I knew I had to bow the knee to Jesus and give my life to him, begin to follow him as my saviour. It was beautiful then, it is beautiful now.
Anytime the voice of the Lord pierces into my world like the songbirds captivating notes it is as welcome. The voice of the Lord will always amplify and draw attention to who he is as faithfully portrayed in Scripture. It is a clear and distinct voice.
The voice of the Lord will always say things to us I our immediate circumstances in keeping with the principles written in Scripture. However the day to day reality of God’s voice breaking into the ordinary world of an ordinary bloke in particular circumstances is even more beautiful than the songbird that God created anyway to display something of his awesome majesty.
I thank God he speaks. I thank God his voice is always beautiful and releasing never condemning or imprisoning. His voice is wisdom, strength guidance, provision, encouragement. His voice is like the sound of many waters. Nothing other sound compares to it.
Some for one reason or another do not expect God to speak to them. How odd it would be to have a God with such wonderful things to say but with no desire to say them. The Holy Spirit does speak today. ‘Today if you hear his voice do not harden your heart’ is the encouragement Hebrews gives to us. ‘Speak Lord for your servant is listening’ was Samuels life position. And you?
As I have a few days off this week, most mornings I have walked on the beach. To walk in the snow on the beach is a very nice if unusual experience. The crunch of the snow underfoot and the lap of the waves on the shore, make a strange combination.
Whilst on my way back from one such walk. Everything was very quite then suddenly, a songbird started singing loudly. The beauty of this song was quite remarkable. No other noise, no other distraction. It made me think when we hear the voice of the Lord it is also beautiful and above every other sound. Nothing else quite matches it.
One of the first times I heard the voice of the Lord in my heart was at the age of 17 when I heard Malcolm Pears preach the gospel at the Bethel. I knew it was God even though it was convicting and arresting to me. I knew I had to bow the knee to Jesus and give my life to him, begin to follow him as my saviour. It was beautiful then, it is beautiful now.
Anytime the voice of the Lord pierces into my world like the songbirds captivating notes it is as welcome. The voice of the Lord will always amplify and draw attention to who he is as faithfully portrayed in Scripture. It is a clear and distinct voice.
The voice of the Lord will always say things to us I our immediate circumstances in keeping with the principles written in Scripture. However the day to day reality of God’s voice breaking into the ordinary world of an ordinary bloke in particular circumstances is even more beautiful than the songbird that God created anyway to display something of his awesome majesty.
I thank God he speaks. I thank God his voice is always beautiful and releasing never condemning or imprisoning. His voice is wisdom, strength guidance, provision, encouragement. His voice is like the sound of many waters. Nothing other sound compares to it.
Some for one reason or another do not expect God to speak to them. How odd it would be to have a God with such wonderful things to say but with no desire to say them. The Holy Spirit does speak today. ‘Today if you hear his voice do not harden your heart’ is the encouragement Hebrews gives to us. ‘Speak Lord for your servant is listening’ was Samuels life position. And you?
Monday, 17 March 2008
How to grow in God
Over the years I have known many Christians and seen some grow in God and others seemingly get stuck at certain points in their growth in God. Sadly also I have seen some doing really well for many years and then seem to lose their way. I have been thinking over the last few days, probably because issues of succession and the next generation are never far from my thoughts. We are only here for a short while. There seems so much to do, so little time to do it. I have been thinking about how people grow in God? What creates a personal internal environment so people develop?
I think people need basically two things. A bit of time with someone who can father them in God. Not always someone old enough to be their Father. But someone who is a bit further on than them but who they respect and feel faith and stimulation to hang around with. Just meeting together to pray and chat once a month is a great start it's not rocket science. Then they just need to be given some responsibility. I grow more convinced that it does not matter in the early years of our Christian lives what we do by way of serving. What matters is that we are faithful with a little and can be relied upon to do what we have said they will do. This is the stuff of growth. This leads on to be faithful with more. If someone wants to lead a big church or have some mega ministry (not always a wrong ambition) then they need to start by being faithful with going on the chair rota month by month. There is no short cut. Absolutely none! I even look for people who will volunteer to go on the rota rather than wait to be asked.
By the time Joseph came out of serving others and in prison at that he found it had all been training for the day when he would feed a nation and have great authority. Often the bigger the calling the more care and preparation God will put into a person. Think about it God has to trust us with things he asks us to do. He needs to know we are a safe pair of hands.
People also need to be teachable and willing to be changed by the Lord and by those who lead them. Training we used to say in my FYP oversight days was a matter of developing knowledge, character and skills. This I still believe to be true, but in all of this teachability underpins it all. When the chips are down it is often a case of can an individual submit to doing something the way another over them in the Lord wants it done, simply because that person is over them in that area of service. None of us can have authority until we have learned to be under it. This is massive test faithfulness, responsibility, being teachable. No wonder we have few leaders of calibre. Most miss it and go for the glitz trying to bypass being a servant or get fed up being directed by others and go off and create their own ministry. Such a waste!
I love to see people grow in God. I love spending time with people hungry to grow in God. I really do, it feeds my soul. My concern in our fast food age is that many might get impatient with the process God takes them through and impatience for arrival at their destiny might make them miss out on some key things they could have seen and been a part of. I have seen too many wrecks over the years. It breaks the heart.
Perhaps next time some musings on what issues tend to shipwreck lives? Any comments?
I think people need basically two things. A bit of time with someone who can father them in God. Not always someone old enough to be their Father. But someone who is a bit further on than them but who they respect and feel faith and stimulation to hang around with. Just meeting together to pray and chat once a month is a great start it's not rocket science. Then they just need to be given some responsibility. I grow more convinced that it does not matter in the early years of our Christian lives what we do by way of serving. What matters is that we are faithful with a little and can be relied upon to do what we have said they will do. This is the stuff of growth. This leads on to be faithful with more. If someone wants to lead a big church or have some mega ministry (not always a wrong ambition) then they need to start by being faithful with going on the chair rota month by month. There is no short cut. Absolutely none! I even look for people who will volunteer to go on the rota rather than wait to be asked.
By the time Joseph came out of serving others and in prison at that he found it had all been training for the day when he would feed a nation and have great authority. Often the bigger the calling the more care and preparation God will put into a person. Think about it God has to trust us with things he asks us to do. He needs to know we are a safe pair of hands.
People also need to be teachable and willing to be changed by the Lord and by those who lead them. Training we used to say in my FYP oversight days was a matter of developing knowledge, character and skills. This I still believe to be true, but in all of this teachability underpins it all. When the chips are down it is often a case of can an individual submit to doing something the way another over them in the Lord wants it done, simply because that person is over them in that area of service. None of us can have authority until we have learned to be under it. This is massive test faithfulness, responsibility, being teachable. No wonder we have few leaders of calibre. Most miss it and go for the glitz trying to bypass being a servant or get fed up being directed by others and go off and create their own ministry. Such a waste!
I love to see people grow in God. I love spending time with people hungry to grow in God. I really do, it feeds my soul. My concern in our fast food age is that many might get impatient with the process God takes them through and impatience for arrival at their destiny might make them miss out on some key things they could have seen and been a part of. I have seen too many wrecks over the years. It breaks the heart.
Perhaps next time some musings on what issues tend to shipwreck lives? Any comments?
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