I love Christmas! I love all the tacky decorations, the cheesy songs on the radio and in the shops and the various degrees of bad to good adverts on the tv. I love the Christmassy food that gets put out on the shelves just once a year, such as brussel sprouts and Christmas pudding. I also love the corny Christmas films that come out every year without fail. Christmas is that occasion you look forward to in the middle of a dark, cold winter where if you are like me, can't wait for springtime. But this year, I am so excited about Jesus! I know you are now shocked and can't believe you just read that. But Neil, you should be excited about Jesus all the time! Well yes that is true. But recently I have been more and more blown away by the incredible revelation of who Jesus is and what He did in order to make our adoption secure.
I preached recently about the shepherds. What a story. Here are a bunch of nomads who were seen as the lowest of the low in society. They were the outcasts of their community. Their life was their sheep. If anything happened to their sheep then they were as good as dead! And then out of all the people that Father God could have revealed the good news to, He chose these smelly hill dwellers who everyone else had rejected. He didn't choose the religious leaders, members of the ruling party or the king. He chose the poorest on the earth. It was the moment in history where everything changed. It was the moment where the angel announced that a Saviour had been born, the Messiah of God. This is the moment where the Kingdom of heaven invaded earth in the form of a baby boy. The curtain of heaven was torn open and thousands upon thousands of angels couldn't help themselves but burst upon the shepherds with jubilant singing to God Most High. So what was the response of the shepherds? We are in danger of creating a church culture where we are more excited about angels, glory dust and other signs than the most important thing. Now I am excited when God reveals his glory with various manifestations. But join with me and the shepherds and the right response to these signs. The shepherds didn't go back to their homes to tell everyone about the angels and the glory! They left their precious sheep and ran to see Jesus!!! As I mentioned earlier, the sheep were their life. No sheep, no income. No income, no food. No food, no life! But they didn't care about their earthly stuff because they were about to meet the Saviour of the world who could offer heavenly stuff that would last for eternity. Their priority was worship. And when they had seen Jesus they told everyone and everything that had breath the good news. They returned to their sheep glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard. Wowwwww!!! This is the grace of our Daddy. That He should ever let us in on this amazing story and give us the chance to know Him personally because his Son stepped into our world. Our response has to be to leave all we have and run into the presence of the King. Whatever you have in your hands right now, drop it and run into His throne-room and worship Him. Glory to God in highest heaven and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased. Have an amazing Christmas.
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Decisions, decisions!
I realise that I haven't written a blog for a while and I know you must be missing them. Life has been a little crazy recently. Trying to juggle our house build, our church growing and everything else that needs to happen is proving interesting.
I have never realised that major building work can be so stressful! Well actually it isn't the building work and the complete chaos that ensues that is the problem, but it is all the decisions. Which kitchen to have, what lights to have and how many, which bathroom, which toilet, which taps, which shower head, what type of flooring in what room and the list goes on and on and on. As my daughter often asks - "What was it like in the olden days Daddy?" Well in the olden days you chose one hanging light in each room, you chose a white toilet, a white sink and a white bath. You chose lino or tiles for the kitchen and carpet for the rest of the house. Decision making was so much easier. I can't travel anywhere nowadays without looking at people's front doors and what colour they are and what they look like. I go into people's houses and check out the brightness of lights and what type of floor covering they have. It's hard to relax when you know you have to make important choices. After our house is complete I really don't want to make another decision about anything where there is so much choice. (Unless someone invites me out to a nice restaurant!)
But today, when I have been thinking about decisions, I remember a decision that was made that impacted the world like no other decision. It was at a time that mankind was in a desperate condition. When you and I were helpless to get out of our pit of sin and rebellion and facing eternal suffering apart from God, a decision had to be made in heaven. A Father and Son looked down from their amazing thrones and saw the situation that we were in and made a decision. They didn't deliberate about it. They didn't discuss it for hours on end. Actually, they had already agreed on the decision before all of creation came into existence. The decision was more about the timing. And then suddenly, heaven was torn open and God stepped into the world in the form of a helpless baby. This decision would change everything. Think about it... God came down and clothed himself in flesh so that he could be tempted in every way to prove that he was the perfect sacrifice for our sin and rebellion. This choice, this amazing decision, sent Jesus to the cross. Dad in heaven saw you before the creation of everything and said to the Son, "I want that little one to be my own child. But the only way that is going to happen is for a perfect sacrifice to die so that their sin will be removed once and for all." And that my friend is exactly what happened. If you don't know that there is a Father in heaven who loves you and wants you to know Him intimately then you have the most important decision to make in your life. It is a decision that will affect you for the rest of eternity. If you want to know more then you can leave a comment here. If you have already made that decision and received His amazing gift then praise God. You are now assured eternal life in a mansion that is especially designed for you. It will be a place where you won't have to decide what flooring to have or what colour the walls need to be, because your Dad knows exactly what you like and is now preparing it for you. How cool is that? Many, many blessings on you...
I have never realised that major building work can be so stressful! Well actually it isn't the building work and the complete chaos that ensues that is the problem, but it is all the decisions. Which kitchen to have, what lights to have and how many, which bathroom, which toilet, which taps, which shower head, what type of flooring in what room and the list goes on and on and on. As my daughter often asks - "What was it like in the olden days Daddy?" Well in the olden days you chose one hanging light in each room, you chose a white toilet, a white sink and a white bath. You chose lino or tiles for the kitchen and carpet for the rest of the house. Decision making was so much easier. I can't travel anywhere nowadays without looking at people's front doors and what colour they are and what they look like. I go into people's houses and check out the brightness of lights and what type of floor covering they have. It's hard to relax when you know you have to make important choices. After our house is complete I really don't want to make another decision about anything where there is so much choice. (Unless someone invites me out to a nice restaurant!)
But today, when I have been thinking about decisions, I remember a decision that was made that impacted the world like no other decision. It was at a time that mankind was in a desperate condition. When you and I were helpless to get out of our pit of sin and rebellion and facing eternal suffering apart from God, a decision had to be made in heaven. A Father and Son looked down from their amazing thrones and saw the situation that we were in and made a decision. They didn't deliberate about it. They didn't discuss it for hours on end. Actually, they had already agreed on the decision before all of creation came into existence. The decision was more about the timing. And then suddenly, heaven was torn open and God stepped into the world in the form of a helpless baby. This decision would change everything. Think about it... God came down and clothed himself in flesh so that he could be tempted in every way to prove that he was the perfect sacrifice for our sin and rebellion. This choice, this amazing decision, sent Jesus to the cross. Dad in heaven saw you before the creation of everything and said to the Son, "I want that little one to be my own child. But the only way that is going to happen is for a perfect sacrifice to die so that their sin will be removed once and for all." And that my friend is exactly what happened. If you don't know that there is a Father in heaven who loves you and wants you to know Him intimately then you have the most important decision to make in your life. It is a decision that will affect you for the rest of eternity. If you want to know more then you can leave a comment here. If you have already made that decision and received His amazing gift then praise God. You are now assured eternal life in a mansion that is especially designed for you. It will be a place where you won't have to decide what flooring to have or what colour the walls need to be, because your Dad knows exactly what you like and is now preparing it for you. How cool is that? Many, many blessings on you...
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
The builders have descended!
On Monday morning of this week our family were greeted with the sight of three happy builders arriving to our house to start some long awaited work. We are now bracing ourselves for a few months of chaos, rubble, maybe a few tears and a new extension! As I was thinking about what has just begun I am aware that it all started about three years ago. It would be crazy to decide on building something, phone up some builders and say to them: "We want it there, just get on with it!" What we had to do was decide what we wanted. We had a vision in our heads of what the building would look like. We then told our architect to draw and design it. It then had to go to the planning department at the council. Then it got turned down so we had to redesign the plan and resubmit it. Then we received planning consent. Then we had to get a structural engineers design drawn, which gives the builders a detailed plan of what they need to build. Then they had to be submitted to the buildings regulations department to be passed. Then we had about five different building companies come to give us quotes. We then had to go through each quote and decide on who we wanted to employ. Now, hallelujah, we have lift off. What started off as a desire and a dream is now becoming a reality. But there has been a lot of preparation and planning in the interim period. We have had to be very patient and at times considered giving up with the idea. We still have a way to go, but it is happening!
God spoke to me years and years ago about leading a church. It would have been foolish at that point to suddenly drop everything and start leading a church. I would have been too young and far too immature (I sometimes feel that now). There had to be a lot of planning and preparation and years of waiting for this prophetic vision to be fulfilled. God had to remove a lot of rubbish and unhelpful roots from my life before He could start on the foundations. It is great to know that our Architect and Builder is God. His design and His workmanship are perfect. He is never early and never late. I think about all the great bible heroes and the promises they received. Many received them at a young age and yet had to go through a preparation period before they saw their dreams come true. David was anointed to be king as a young boy but had to wait years before God could entrust the throne to him. Joseph was promised leadership when he was a youngster and had to be taken through a series of very difficult circumstance before he got to rule Egypt and save the known world from starvation. Abraham had to wait twenty-five years before Isaac popped out. Abraham at one point tried to fulfil the promise by himself and ended up with Ishmael.
I don't know what promises are over your lives at the moment. But don't try and make fulfil the promise in you own strength or apart from God. You will just end up with a dodgy building that will be dangerous for you and for anyone else who comes close to it. You wouldn't want a bunch of cowboys building your house. You would want the best builder that money could buy. And yet our Father is the Architect and Builder. Not only does He make the plans but He does the building! How can we not submit to His ways and allow Him total freedom to be in control of our lives and trust Him to prepare us for the work ahead. Allow him to clear our whatever needs to go in your lives, so that he can lay the strongest foundation for the building ahead. God is on the move and He is constructing something monumental in our generation.
I am excited to see what our builders will produce, but I have to wait a few months for the final result. It will be painful at times and frustrating. But I only need to endure this for a little while before the joy of the new extension is finished.
For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross! What was the joy set before Him. Well, go and look in the mirror and there is the answer!!!
Whatever promise you are waiting for, be patient and submit yourself to Him and then enjoy the outcome. It is so much fun...eventually! God bless you as you read this. He is good!!!
God spoke to me years and years ago about leading a church. It would have been foolish at that point to suddenly drop everything and start leading a church. I would have been too young and far too immature (I sometimes feel that now). There had to be a lot of planning and preparation and years of waiting for this prophetic vision to be fulfilled. God had to remove a lot of rubbish and unhelpful roots from my life before He could start on the foundations. It is great to know that our Architect and Builder is God. His design and His workmanship are perfect. He is never early and never late. I think about all the great bible heroes and the promises they received. Many received them at a young age and yet had to go through a preparation period before they saw their dreams come true. David was anointed to be king as a young boy but had to wait years before God could entrust the throne to him. Joseph was promised leadership when he was a youngster and had to be taken through a series of very difficult circumstance before he got to rule Egypt and save the known world from starvation. Abraham had to wait twenty-five years before Isaac popped out. Abraham at one point tried to fulfil the promise by himself and ended up with Ishmael.
I don't know what promises are over your lives at the moment. But don't try and make fulfil the promise in you own strength or apart from God. You will just end up with a dodgy building that will be dangerous for you and for anyone else who comes close to it. You wouldn't want a bunch of cowboys building your house. You would want the best builder that money could buy. And yet our Father is the Architect and Builder. Not only does He make the plans but He does the building! How can we not submit to His ways and allow Him total freedom to be in control of our lives and trust Him to prepare us for the work ahead. Allow him to clear our whatever needs to go in your lives, so that he can lay the strongest foundation for the building ahead. God is on the move and He is constructing something monumental in our generation.
I am excited to see what our builders will produce, but I have to wait a few months for the final result. It will be painful at times and frustrating. But I only need to endure this for a little while before the joy of the new extension is finished.
For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross! What was the joy set before Him. Well, go and look in the mirror and there is the answer!!!
Whatever promise you are waiting for, be patient and submit yourself to Him and then enjoy the outcome. It is so much fun...eventually! God bless you as you read this. He is good!!!
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Dad's day is coming!
I love Father's Day. It is that time of year when you get gifts from your kids that are just so precious. My kids are great at choosing me presents. I have had a Best Dad mug, a My Heart belongs to Daddy mug, men's moisturiser and some Batman pants amongst other things! Father's Day is great day to celebrate Fatherhood. We are living in a society where the role of the Father is being continuously eroded and undermined. More and more I hear and read about the fact that children and adults have never had a father present in their lives. I am reading a book on Winston Churchill at the moment. He wrote that he remembers only three significant conversations that he had with his dad in his lifetime. His dad died of a sexual disease at the age of forty five. Churchill said that as soon as his dad died he felt free from having to perform and prove himself to his Dad. Tragic. We can never underestimate the massive importance that fathers play in our lives. I sometimes watch World's Strictest Parents. It is about wild teenagers, who have turned completely rebellious and are then taken to a family in a different country for a week to sort them out. The parents of that family are very strict and lay down firm boundaries. Nearly every teenager who has been on that programme mark the moment that they became really rebellious when their parents split up and the dad left home. Now I know you can't blame everything on the father, but it is very significant. But when you think about it, satan has had a field day. Think about it: The main calling on Jesus was to reveal the Father to a people He wanted to include in His family. Now if the only way that you can relate to God as Father is through the relationship you have had with your own father, then satan will do all he can to give you a bad experience of that relationship! Most people I meet have no problems relating to Jesus and they can relate to God as being the Creator and the Almighty. But God as Father! That's when it becomes a bit more tricky. More and more people that I look after and pray with can identify their root problems being wrong identity, rejection, self worth, self-hating and many others and these often stem from a wrong view of who God is and who they are. I am passionate about my kids. No matter what they do I am proud of them and love them deeply. Now they haven't done anything to earn my love. If they were to do absolutely nothing for me, I would still love them the same. I love them because they are mine! It is the same with our Dad in heaven. But His love is far more powerful and pure and selfless than mine could ever be. If you are reading this as a believer or unbeliever then you need to get this - my Dad in Heaven loves you far beyond anything that you can possibly grasp or get your little head around. He loves you not based on what you do or don't do but based on the fact that He is Love and that's what He does. He is passionate about you. How passionate is He for you? So passionate that He sacrificed His own, very precious Son on the cross so that you could be adopted by Him and included into His awesome family. He wants to bring freedom to you. He wants to deal with stuff in your life that stops you seeing Him in all His Fatherliness. (Don't know if fatherliness is a proper word but hey-ho!). If you are reading this and you struggle with your identity as a son or daughter of our amazing Father in heaven then contact me at info@bethanycc.org.uk . To all you Dad's out there - You're GRRRREAT!
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
What is reality?
We are living in the age of 'Reality T.V.' What is the real life of Peter Andre, Katie Price, Kerry Katona and umpteen other so-called celebs? How do these people really live their lives? How do they really interact with their children? What is their favourite breakfast cereal in the morning? And do we really care? Television channels are showing us hours and hours of T.V. shows depicting what life is 'really like' in the lives of all sorts of people. So you can find out who kills rats and cleans overflowing drains, you can find out what goes on in Essex, you can find out what hairdressers use to cut hair...and the list goes on and on and on. I am sure we will see a show about which paint dries the fastest on your walls and they will call it 'Paint Drying on a Wall-watch.' It will probably be more exciting and more intelligent than most of the celebrity shows on at the moment!
But if they were to make a reality t.v. show about your life or my life what would it look like? I happen to love my life. I have a great wife and great kids. I love my job of leading Bethany Community Church, Harpenden. I love being part of a wider family who are stoked up about our glorious Dad in heaven. Life is pretty cool and I can't wait to see what happens next. But in the last week I have been challenged about what is reality! Now that sounds a bit weird coming from a church leader who should be convinced about what reality is. I'll try and explain.
The question I have to ask myself is this: "What is more real: what is in heaven or what is here on earth around me?" Well that is obvious - what is in heaven is by far more real than what is here. So when we look at Jesus we see a man who lived a life doing things that for us seemed unreal but they happened! He then teaches us a pattern for prayer. It wasn't a prayer that we are to recite at special occasions in a monotonous tone, but a teaching tool that reveals the heart of God. Part of the prayer is: "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it IS in heaven." He is teaching us to pray for the reality of what is in heaven to invade and permeate our seen reality and change things dramatically. So what is in heaven?
Life. Jesus raised the dead!
Health. Jesus healed the sick!
Abundant provision. Jesus turned hundreds of gallons of water into wine and fed thousands of people with five bread rolls and a couple of fish!
He found two coins in a fish's mouth.
Purity and holiness. Jesus freed the lepers from being unclean by healing them. He made the unclean woman with an issue of blood clean be healing her. He forgave the paralytic man, the man on the cross, the woman caught in adultery, Zaccheus... and the list goes on.
No demons. Jesus cast out thousands of demons from people's lives.
Jesus also walked on water, stopped a storm by his word, was transfigured and spoke to Abraham and Elijah on a mountain.
Can all this be a reality to us? Absolutely. So why aren't I seeing the reality of heaven invading every area of my life and the life of the church and its members? It is because I live seeing things with my earthly mind and not the mind of Christ.
1 Cor 2:9 - 12 is staggering. Look:
9 However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
And in verse 16b it says "But we have the mind of Christ."
In order for me to start seeing the reality of heaven invade everything area of my life I need to allow the Holy Spirit to change the way I think to the way Jesus thinks. If I have his mind I should start thinking his way and his way was his Father's way and his Father's way was all the things I mentioned earlier that Jesus did. The Father's will is to bring heaven to earth because it demonstrates His absolute love for us. Do you want a huge taste of heaven? Then ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and you will be transformed to understand the will of our Father in heaven.
Soul II Soul once sang - "Back to life, back to reality." True life is pulling down the reality of heaven in prayer and seeing it invade all we do. There are exciting days ahead as we pursue the will of God in our lifetime.
But if they were to make a reality t.v. show about your life or my life what would it look like? I happen to love my life. I have a great wife and great kids. I love my job of leading Bethany Community Church, Harpenden. I love being part of a wider family who are stoked up about our glorious Dad in heaven. Life is pretty cool and I can't wait to see what happens next. But in the last week I have been challenged about what is reality! Now that sounds a bit weird coming from a church leader who should be convinced about what reality is. I'll try and explain.
The question I have to ask myself is this: "What is more real: what is in heaven or what is here on earth around me?" Well that is obvious - what is in heaven is by far more real than what is here. So when we look at Jesus we see a man who lived a life doing things that for us seemed unreal but they happened! He then teaches us a pattern for prayer. It wasn't a prayer that we are to recite at special occasions in a monotonous tone, but a teaching tool that reveals the heart of God. Part of the prayer is: "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it IS in heaven." He is teaching us to pray for the reality of what is in heaven to invade and permeate our seen reality and change things dramatically. So what is in heaven?
Life. Jesus raised the dead!
Health. Jesus healed the sick!
Abundant provision. Jesus turned hundreds of gallons of water into wine and fed thousands of people with five bread rolls and a couple of fish!
He found two coins in a fish's mouth.
Purity and holiness. Jesus freed the lepers from being unclean by healing them. He made the unclean woman with an issue of blood clean be healing her. He forgave the paralytic man, the man on the cross, the woman caught in adultery, Zaccheus... and the list goes on.
No demons. Jesus cast out thousands of demons from people's lives.
Jesus also walked on water, stopped a storm by his word, was transfigured and spoke to Abraham and Elijah on a mountain.
Can all this be a reality to us? Absolutely. So why aren't I seeing the reality of heaven invading every area of my life and the life of the church and its members? It is because I live seeing things with my earthly mind and not the mind of Christ.
1 Cor 2:9 - 12 is staggering. Look:
9 However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
And in verse 16b it says "But we have the mind of Christ."
In order for me to start seeing the reality of heaven invade everything area of my life I need to allow the Holy Spirit to change the way I think to the way Jesus thinks. If I have his mind I should start thinking his way and his way was his Father's way and his Father's way was all the things I mentioned earlier that Jesus did. The Father's will is to bring heaven to earth because it demonstrates His absolute love for us. Do you want a huge taste of heaven? Then ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and you will be transformed to understand the will of our Father in heaven.
Soul II Soul once sang - "Back to life, back to reality." True life is pulling down the reality of heaven in prayer and seeing it invade all we do. There are exciting days ahead as we pursue the will of God in our lifetime.
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
A tiny seed shouts out "Some-one designed me!"
I was talking to someone recently who isn't a Christian and has shown little interest in anything to do with God. He was explaining that he was watching a programme on evolution and could understand how animals might evolve as their brain tells them how they must adapt. But he then went on to say that the other day he was out in his garden wearing his dresing gown. He brushed past a particular plant that had seeds with hooks on. One of these seeds hooked onto his dressing gown. It got him thinking that this plant had the ability to reproduce itself by having seeds that hook onto passing animals and eventually fall off somewhere else to grow a new plant. He then spoke about the sycamore tree and how it's seeds can't be planted near the tree as there wouldn't be the space or light. But the seed is designed to be carried by the wind well away from the tree it comes from. From one tiny seed this person had started the process of thinking that maybe there might be a Grand Designer behind everything. He didn't fall to his knees and exclaim, "I believe, I believe!" But it started him on a journey.
We have no idea what a small seed might do in the heart of an unbeliever!
Jesus told this parable in Mark 4:
26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain — first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
Our job as God's children is simply to sow seed. We are not called to grow the seed and produce the plant. We can not do that and we never will. That is God's job! One word of life from our lips is a seed that is planted into someone's heart. What happens after that is not our problem. You just have to step back and allow the miracle of new life to occur. God is very clever. He is very powerful. He is very resourceful. By ourselves we are none of these things, so let's stop acting as if we are and think that someone's salvation is dependent on us!
"Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how." I love this because it helps me to realise that God is in complete control of those I have sown seed in! Wow, that's amazing! You see, we may never see anybody become a Christian through our witness. But you never know what is going on in their hearts and where they may end up. God will never hold us responsible for people's eternal destination because we have absolutely no power to save anybody. Every individual is responsible for their own eternal destiny. However, I believe that we are going to be very surprised when we get to heaven. I reckon there will be many there who we have shared the good news with and never knew they had responded at a later point of their lives. Let me share this amazing link about Mr Genor and it WILL inspire you.
God bless you amazingly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH4F49HFZeE
We have no idea what a small seed might do in the heart of an unbeliever!
Jesus told this parable in Mark 4:
26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain — first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
Our job as God's children is simply to sow seed. We are not called to grow the seed and produce the plant. We can not do that and we never will. That is God's job! One word of life from our lips is a seed that is planted into someone's heart. What happens after that is not our problem. You just have to step back and allow the miracle of new life to occur. God is very clever. He is very powerful. He is very resourceful. By ourselves we are none of these things, so let's stop acting as if we are and think that someone's salvation is dependent on us!
"Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how." I love this because it helps me to realise that God is in complete control of those I have sown seed in! Wow, that's amazing! You see, we may never see anybody become a Christian through our witness. But you never know what is going on in their hearts and where they may end up. God will never hold us responsible for people's eternal destination because we have absolutely no power to save anybody. Every individual is responsible for their own eternal destiny. However, I believe that we are going to be very surprised when we get to heaven. I reckon there will be many there who we have shared the good news with and never knew they had responded at a later point of their lives. Let me share this amazing link about Mr Genor and it WILL inspire you.
God bless you amazingly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH4F49HFZeE
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Making a Splash!
Well, I have been off the scene for a couple of weeks and all for a very good reason. As a family we have just been to Disneyworld and enjoyed the company of Mickey and friends. I have to say that I love the parks and had great fun taking the kids on all the big rides. I discovered that my kids are fearless when it comes to these scary adventures. My five year old daughter came off the Tower of Terror with a huge smile on her face pleading for us to go a second time. However, we had an appointment with Beauty and the Beast and time didn't permit. In hindsight I wished we had done the ride again instead of enduring the horror of singing clocks, teapots and candlesticks!
We went to Disneyworld a while back and the ride that scared me the most then was the same ride that scared me the most this time. That was Splash Mountain. You go into the ride knowing what to expect because you go past the fifty foot log flume drop with screaming people travelling at forty miles an hour in a plastic log. The ride lasts about ten minutes and for nine and a half minutes all I am thinking about is the fifty foot drop that is approaching. All is well until you go into a pitch black area and you climb slowly up the mountain, inside. Then you are lured into a false sense of security as you suddenly go down a smaller drop in the pitch black. And then you know there is no turning back as you approach - the drop. I can't remember if I screamed, shouted or anything! I do know that my eyes were closed because we have the photo to prove it. It was exhilerating, but scary enough that when we came back to the park a few days later I chose to opt out of the ride when everyone else decided to go again. I know my limits!
Are you a thrill-seeker? Do you like to take risks or step out of your comfort zone? To me faith is a bit like a theme park. Most of the rides I know I can do without fear. They are clearly tame and safe. You do them and it is just nice. But there is no buzz afterwards. You don't talk about it in depth and you don't tend to describe your emotions about how you felt before, during and after the ride. There is a lot of things that I do as a child of God that is very safe and tame. I can very easily go through the motions. I can do many things that requires no fear, no risk and no emotional battle. And afterwards I can say: "That was nice!", but then feel like I haven't really grown much through the experience. It is when I am confronted with challenges that require an emotional battle that takes me into a different realm. It is those moments where I have to engage more trust in God to get me through the situation. Everytime I have gone to do a Treasure Hunt have I had to overcome fear, discomfort and other emotions. Even when I am out on the street having to approach people that I have words of knowledge for, does more fear and nausea kick in. It is the same kind of emotions I have before a scary ride. I don't want to do this. But I know it will be fine. But what if it all goes wrong? But hey what is the worst that could happen? And it will all be over quickly! And then you step out and go for it and actually it is okay. The person was actually really friendly. He actually wanted to be prayed for. Okay let's do the next ride! And afterwards you just want to tell everyone what happened and you feel like you have grown in your faith.
How will I grow as a Christian if I stick to just the 'nursery' rides? I need to take more risks in my faith if I am going to grow as his son. If David hadn't killed the bear and the lion to protect his sheep, he wouldn't have been able to fight Goliath to protect Israel! He had to grow in his understanding that God was on his side and would work with him in every area. How much do you want to see happen in the kingdom of God by you being used by Him in ever increasing exploits? It is time to get off the Winnie the Pooh and Dumbo rides that just go round and round and get onto some Splash Mountains and Tower of Terrors. (This is figuratively speaking!) Religious activity is dull and predictable and gets you nowhere. Taking risks for God is often scary and tense but when you look back are exciting, exhilerating and unpredictable. So who wants to make a SPLASH!!?
We went to Disneyworld a while back and the ride that scared me the most then was the same ride that scared me the most this time. That was Splash Mountain. You go into the ride knowing what to expect because you go past the fifty foot log flume drop with screaming people travelling at forty miles an hour in a plastic log. The ride lasts about ten minutes and for nine and a half minutes all I am thinking about is the fifty foot drop that is approaching. All is well until you go into a pitch black area and you climb slowly up the mountain, inside. Then you are lured into a false sense of security as you suddenly go down a smaller drop in the pitch black. And then you know there is no turning back as you approach - the drop. I can't remember if I screamed, shouted or anything! I do know that my eyes were closed because we have the photo to prove it. It was exhilerating, but scary enough that when we came back to the park a few days later I chose to opt out of the ride when everyone else decided to go again. I know my limits!
Are you a thrill-seeker? Do you like to take risks or step out of your comfort zone? To me faith is a bit like a theme park. Most of the rides I know I can do without fear. They are clearly tame and safe. You do them and it is just nice. But there is no buzz afterwards. You don't talk about it in depth and you don't tend to describe your emotions about how you felt before, during and after the ride. There is a lot of things that I do as a child of God that is very safe and tame. I can very easily go through the motions. I can do many things that requires no fear, no risk and no emotional battle. And afterwards I can say: "That was nice!", but then feel like I haven't really grown much through the experience. It is when I am confronted with challenges that require an emotional battle that takes me into a different realm. It is those moments where I have to engage more trust in God to get me through the situation. Everytime I have gone to do a Treasure Hunt have I had to overcome fear, discomfort and other emotions. Even when I am out on the street having to approach people that I have words of knowledge for, does more fear and nausea kick in. It is the same kind of emotions I have before a scary ride. I don't want to do this. But I know it will be fine. But what if it all goes wrong? But hey what is the worst that could happen? And it will all be over quickly! And then you step out and go for it and actually it is okay. The person was actually really friendly. He actually wanted to be prayed for. Okay let's do the next ride! And afterwards you just want to tell everyone what happened and you feel like you have grown in your faith.
How will I grow as a Christian if I stick to just the 'nursery' rides? I need to take more risks in my faith if I am going to grow as his son. If David hadn't killed the bear and the lion to protect his sheep, he wouldn't have been able to fight Goliath to protect Israel! He had to grow in his understanding that God was on his side and would work with him in every area. How much do you want to see happen in the kingdom of God by you being used by Him in ever increasing exploits? It is time to get off the Winnie the Pooh and Dumbo rides that just go round and round and get onto some Splash Mountains and Tower of Terrors. (This is figuratively speaking!) Religious activity is dull and predictable and gets you nowhere. Taking risks for God is often scary and tense but when you look back are exciting, exhilerating and unpredictable. So who wants to make a SPLASH!!?
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