Hi
Have moved to Word Press now http://andiharper.wordpress.com/
Andy
Saturday 14 May 2011
Thursday 5 May 2011
Worm, Rebel or Weighed Down?
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Have you ever felt like this, "God has lost track of me. He doesn't care what happens to me”? (Isaiah 40:27 The Message) Or felt just like the chapter heading from The Message for Isaiah 41 which reads, “Do you feel like a lowly worm?”
So if we feel like this perhaps we need to first examine our feelings? Let’s have a look at just a few possibilities around how we can feel, then seek some encouragement from Isaiah 40 and 41.
1. We might feel like this because we feel we are good enough for God to take notice?
2. Perhaps we have so many troubles weighing us down, we just can’t take it anymore and we begin to wonder if God really cares?
3. For some of us God is presenting a challenge, ‘Live for me whatever is happening around you, focus only on me’. Instead we grumble about our circumstances, a kind of, ‘God doesn’t care for me, so I am not going to move from here till He sorts it out’. Is there something of this you recognise at the moment?
1. I suppose what we mean by ‘not good enough’ is, ‘not important enough’.
Isaiah 41: 9 says:
‘You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its farthest regions,
And said to you,
‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and have not cast you away’
God has called you (2nd line), that is, He has a purpose for you, a job that only you can do for Him! He proves this by calling you His servant! And He has chosenyou. I just love that, ‘I have chosen you and have not cast you away’ Just think on that for a few minutes and try to hear God saying it to you, repeat it to yourself and let it sink right in . . ‘I have chosen you and not cast you away’ . .
2. The answer to the “many troubles weighing us down” isn’t always, ‘less troubles please Lord’. When I get like this, I find the real problem is; I’m deciding to carry all my burdens for myself! Through fear that I may come to harm if I don’t. Every day I just heft those troubles up onto my shoulders until finally I come exhausted to God to help me out. How can we just let it all go to God?
In Isaiah 41:10 says to us:
“Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand”
3. And one of my favourites over the years, the big ugly one, rebellion! Let’s notice here that in verse 10 God is drawing His people from the ends of the earth. Why? Because that is where rebellion has taken them. Yet He still loves them, He wants to bring them back into His full care and security. If we are in rebellion and we suddenly realise we are far away from God, what are the steps we can take?
Realise There ain’t no help anywhere else! – Isaiah 41:5
Communicate Even if it’s with anger and resentment, start telling God about it
Move on Anger won’t last for ever, to sustain your rebellion you might be tempted to become bitter, recognise this and choose to trust God instead, it’s not God that’s hurt you or let you down in the past, He’s your friend Isaiah 41:8
At the beginning of Isaiah 41 God invites everyone to quiet down and consider a few things together about who He is, it’s worth reading, try The Message versionIsaiah 41 The more we learn about the truth of who God is, the closer we are drawn to Him, the more able we are to trust Him – learn, draw close, trust. I would add to this share. Find someone, a friend, someone on the ministry team, your partner, someone you trust and so they can minister to you, by listening as well as praying with you. Join or form a prayer triplet if you are not already in one! Or join your church's version of small groups, sometimes called, life groups or housegroups. Or just ask your minister, 'I need someone to share with, can you help me?'
Above all remember this, as the song implies, It's God your Father who is chasing you! Whatever state you are in, He's there trying everything He can to bring you to a place where He can lavish His love on you! There's nothing you can do to stop that!
Isaiah 41: 9 says:
‘You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its farthest regions,
And said to you,
‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and have not cast you away’
God has called you (2nd line), that is, He has a purpose for you, a job that only you can do for Him! He proves this by calling you His servant! And He has chosenyou. I just love that, ‘I have chosen you and have not cast you away’ Just think on that for a few minutes and try to hear God saying it to you, repeat it to yourself and let it sink right in . . ‘I have chosen you and not cast you away’ . .
2. The answer to the “many troubles weighing us down” isn’t always, ‘less troubles please Lord’. When I get like this, I find the real problem is; I’m deciding to carry all my burdens for myself! Through fear that I may come to harm if I don’t. Every day I just heft those troubles up onto my shoulders until finally I come exhausted to God to help me out. How can we just let it all go to God?
In Isaiah 41:10 says to us:
“Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand”
3. And one of my favourites over the years, the big ugly one, rebellion! Let’s notice here that in verse 10 God is drawing His people from the ends of the earth. Why? Because that is where rebellion has taken them. Yet He still loves them, He wants to bring them back into His full care and security. If we are in rebellion and we suddenly realise we are far away from God, what are the steps we can take?
Realise There ain’t no help anywhere else! – Isaiah 41:5
Communicate Even if it’s with anger and resentment, start telling God about it
Move on Anger won’t last for ever, to sustain your rebellion you might be tempted to become bitter, recognise this and choose to trust God instead, it’s not God that’s hurt you or let you down in the past, He’s your friend Isaiah 41:8
At the beginning of Isaiah 41 God invites everyone to quiet down and consider a few things together about who He is, it’s worth reading, try The Message versionIsaiah 41 The more we learn about the truth of who God is, the closer we are drawn to Him, the more able we are to trust Him – learn, draw close, trust. I would add to this share. Find someone, a friend, someone on the ministry team, your partner, someone you trust and so they can minister to you, by listening as well as praying with you. Join or form a prayer triplet if you are not already in one! Or join your church's version of small groups, sometimes called, life groups or housegroups. Or just ask your minister, 'I need someone to share with, can you help me?'
Above all remember this, as the song implies, It's God your Father who is chasing you! Whatever state you are in, He's there trying everything He can to bring you to a place where He can lavish His love on you! There's nothing you can do to stop that!
Saturday 30 April 2011
Perfect Beauty
It seems that everyone is striving for perfect beauty! Adverts and multi million pound industries are devoted to promoting and finding it. Well good news! God shows us his idea of perfect beauty in the bible and everyone can be it
“Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God will shine forth.”
Psalm 50 v 2
If we were writing this we would write that God is the perfection of beauty. In the inspired word,
the perfection of beauty, Zion, is prophetic and figurative of the worshipping community. It’s that community, coming into the presence of the Lord, which is the perfection or completion of beauty. Also, completion (of what God designed in the first place) or perfection of beauty is the presence of the Lord resting on the people of God, in romance and in intimacy. The people of God exalting and honouring Jesus and God calls this the perfection of beauty! It wasn’t complete until you started worshipping. You were written into his definition of beauty! You were written into his description! It's not complete or perfect, until people like you, made in God’s image, are worshipping by choice.
So, God’s idea of the perfection of beauty is the people of God worshiping in romance and intimacy. More than that though, it’s personal. There is a unique worship that only you can give, that goes to a place in God’s heart, that only you can fill. That’s how special you are! Inspired by Bill Johnson, Senior Pastor, Bethel Church Redding, California
“Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God will shine forth.”
Psalm 50 v 2
If we were writing this we would write that God is the perfection of beauty. In the inspired word,
the perfection of beauty, Zion, is prophetic and figurative of the worshipping community. It’s that community, coming into the presence of the Lord, which is the perfection or completion of beauty. Also, completion (of what God designed in the first place) or perfection of beauty is the presence of the Lord resting on the people of God, in romance and in intimacy. The people of God exalting and honouring Jesus and God calls this the perfection of beauty! It wasn’t complete until you started worshipping. You were written into his definition of beauty! You were written into his description! It's not complete or perfect, until people like you, made in God’s image, are worshipping by choice.
So, God’s idea of the perfection of beauty is the people of God worshiping in romance and intimacy. More than that though, it’s personal. There is a unique worship that only you can give, that goes to a place in God’s heart, that only you can fill. That’s how special you are! Inspired by Bill Johnson, Senior Pastor, Bethel Church Redding, California
Sunday 6 March 2011
God's Real Nature
Ever wondered about God's nature, His essential character? What kind of a Father He might be toward us? It's a big subject, here are a few thoughts and verses, as well as some amazing Jack Coe footage: here
There are some things that God can’t give us:
Poverty
"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus! Phillipians 4:19
Sickness
He does not have it to give, so he cannot give it! And an extension of this logic must tell us that God does not, indeed cannot, choose to heal some and not others! This does leave us with questions, fair enough, however, there are other (loving) ways of dealing with tradegy that keeps us on a road that refuses to accept sickness as part of God's will. We don't have all the answers for sure, one for another email!
Some Jack Coe videos (Jack Coe ministered via a large tent to mainly farming communities and mixed race crowds, unusual at the time in the US. Commentators note that he could not have been a fake, because people in these communities knew each other intimately) Just think if we had ambulances turning up at our meetings and people being wheeled in on stretchers!
Healed from Cancer of the throat here and more significantly see all the abandoned crutches!
Healed from Cross Eyes here
Healed from Deafness/Muteness here
Healed cancer on the face here
There are some things that God can’t do:
Forsake us or be unfaithful toward us 'If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself' 2Timothy 2:13 In other words God cannot act contrary to His nature
There are some things God must do every time:
He must keep His promises!
23 The Lord makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread. Psalm 37
Guess whose righteous? Me and You. We can’t be forsaken, it’s not an option for God. He can’t do that, it’s not in His nature to give bad things, he hasn’t got them to give!
Jeremiah 17:14 says, ‘Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
Save me, and I shall be saved,
For You are my praise.’
Let's remember to praise Him in, and for all, circumstances. By doing so we sanctify all our circumstances and commit them to God's good purposes. 1 Timothy 4: 5-6
Psalm 12
‘5 Now will I arise, says the Lord, because the poor are oppressed, because of the groans of the needy; I will set him in safety and in the salvation for which he pants’
Amplified Version
‘6 God’s words are pure words,
Pure silver words refined seven times
In the fires of his word-kiln,
Pure on earth as well as in heaven’ The Message
Is it too much of a stretch to say God’s words are what effect salvation (and healing)? Both in heaven and on earth His words are effective, ie they achieve His purpose. A reminder of what it says in the Lord’s prayer, that God’s will is done on earth as it is done in heaven. So if we speak God's words, including from the bible, then we also effect salvation and healing in this world. Truly we can declare that God's kingdom is, 'at hand', (as we are told to do) and we can expect this to be confirmed by regular demonstrations of God's power
There are some things that God can’t give us:
Poverty
"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus! Phillipians 4:19
Sickness
He does not have it to give, so he cannot give it! And an extension of this logic must tell us that God does not, indeed cannot, choose to heal some and not others! This does leave us with questions, fair enough, however, there are other (loving) ways of dealing with tradegy that keeps us on a road that refuses to accept sickness as part of God's will. We don't have all the answers for sure, one for another email!
Some Jack Coe videos (Jack Coe ministered via a large tent to mainly farming communities and mixed race crowds, unusual at the time in the US. Commentators note that he could not have been a fake, because people in these communities knew each other intimately) Just think if we had ambulances turning up at our meetings and people being wheeled in on stretchers!
Healed from Cancer of the throat here and more significantly see all the abandoned crutches!
Healed from Cross Eyes here
Healed from Deafness/Muteness here
Healed cancer on the face here
There are some things that God can’t do:
Forsake us or be unfaithful toward us 'If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself' 2Timothy 2:13 In other words God cannot act contrary to His nature
There are some things God must do every time:
He must keep His promises!
23 The Lord makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread. Psalm 37
Guess whose righteous? Me and You. We can’t be forsaken, it’s not an option for God. He can’t do that, it’s not in His nature to give bad things, he hasn’t got them to give!
Jeremiah 17:14 says, ‘Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
Save me, and I shall be saved,
For You are my praise.’
Let's remember to praise Him in, and for all, circumstances. By doing so we sanctify all our circumstances and commit them to God's good purposes. 1 Timothy 4: 5-6
Psalm 12
‘5 Now will I arise, says the Lord, because the poor are oppressed, because of the groans of the needy; I will set him in safety and in the salvation for which he pants’
Amplified Version
‘6 God’s words are pure words,
Pure silver words refined seven times
In the fires of his word-kiln,
Pure on earth as well as in heaven’ The Message
Is it too much of a stretch to say God’s words are what effect salvation (and healing)? Both in heaven and on earth His words are effective, ie they achieve His purpose. A reminder of what it says in the Lord’s prayer, that God’s will is done on earth as it is done in heaven. So if we speak God's words, including from the bible, then we also effect salvation and healing in this world. Truly we can declare that God's kingdom is, 'at hand', (as we are told to do) and we can expect this to be confirmed by regular demonstrations of God's power
Monday 21 February 2011
The Battle Within, The Battle Without
Healing: The Battle Within
"For every time Satan overcomes a saint, it gives him ferocity for another attack; but when he is subdued, he will come to the place where defeat is written against him" Smith Wigglesworth on the Holy Spirit chapter 11 'Christ In Us' page 252
Now, have you ever found yourself in the same place of defeat? Like history repeating itself? Only this time it feels even more hopeless? And the heat of the battle within feels even more ferocious? James says in chapter 4 verse 5 that the spirit of God fights for our spirit. In other words God won't let up on possessing the whole of you and neither will satan. What stands in between is our rebellious nature. So stop rebelling! Cooperate instead! What does that mean? Submit entirely! SUBMIT, 'get low' as our spiritual fathers called it. Get low and die. We often have difficulty dying to ourselves. This process gets more difficult as time goes on, if we choose rebellion. This is because, when we first come to Christ, He let's His grace cover us for a period. We try to get comfortable. And I am talking about those parts of us that need healing and wholeness too! Eventually though, the battle for that part of you really heats up and you begin to weaken! You just can't stay in that comfy place anymore! Why even though you are totally worn out do you continue to rebel?!?! Just let God have his way!
Maybe we are hurting so bad somewhere that we believe that if we let God touch us there we will be overcome with pain. Maybe somewhere deep inside we have a deep sense of shame that needs His healing touch?
Maybe you are just being plain rebellious and you need to listen to your Christian friends and family and let them help you get straightened out. Submit to your closest Christian friends? Sometimes that's the best sign that we are in rebellion, when we just won't listen to those christians, closest to us, anymore!
If you think you need God's healing touch and no amount of counselling or medical help seems to have helped. Can I encourage to get with gifted Christians who can lovingly minister healing to you through laying on of hands and anointing with oil? Submit yourself to this and God will always, very gently, touch and heal you
Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity" We know who these friends are, so seek their help, either in challenging and correcting you and/or ministering healing to you!
The kingdom of God within us suffers violence Matt 11:12 We, however, have one within us who is greater than the one without, 1 John 4:4. That is, the power of God within us, through His Holy Spirit, is greater than the power of satan outside of us.
If we are to fight in battles with and for God in this world, we must first conquer within! So I pray today that you yield! Yield to Him and let Him do His work within - healing, transformation, joy and peace will be yours. Then you will be ready to fight for Him in battles to defeat the enemy in any situation where healing and salvation is needed ie the battle without!
And I want, more than anything to be in that battle and have done with the 'battle within'! Is that you prayer today? Or is your prayer, 'please make all things comfortable again' ? A soldier in today's army cannot be on leave the whole time, and neither can a soldier in God's army! So let's all resolve to get sorted with God and get out there! And get in the heat of the battle!
"For every time Satan overcomes a saint, it gives him ferocity for another attack; but when he is subdued, he will come to the place where defeat is written against him" Smith Wigglesworth on the Holy Spirit chapter 11 'Christ In Us' page 252
Now, have you ever found yourself in the same place of defeat? Like history repeating itself? Only this time it feels even more hopeless? And the heat of the battle within feels even more ferocious? James says in chapter 4 verse 5 that the spirit of God fights for our spirit. In other words God won't let up on possessing the whole of you and neither will satan. What stands in between is our rebellious nature. So stop rebelling! Cooperate instead! What does that mean? Submit entirely! SUBMIT, 'get low' as our spiritual fathers called it. Get low and die. We often have difficulty dying to ourselves. This process gets more difficult as time goes on, if we choose rebellion. This is because, when we first come to Christ, He let's His grace cover us for a period. We try to get comfortable. And I am talking about those parts of us that need healing and wholeness too! Eventually though, the battle for that part of you really heats up and you begin to weaken! You just can't stay in that comfy place anymore! Why even though you are totally worn out do you continue to rebel?!?! Just let God have his way!
Maybe we are hurting so bad somewhere that we believe that if we let God touch us there we will be overcome with pain. Maybe somewhere deep inside we have a deep sense of shame that needs His healing touch?
Maybe you are just being plain rebellious and you need to listen to your Christian friends and family and let them help you get straightened out. Submit to your closest Christian friends? Sometimes that's the best sign that we are in rebellion, when we just won't listen to those christians, closest to us, anymore!
If you think you need God's healing touch and no amount of counselling or medical help seems to have helped. Can I encourage to get with gifted Christians who can lovingly minister healing to you through laying on of hands and anointing with oil? Submit yourself to this and God will always, very gently, touch and heal you
Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity" We know who these friends are, so seek their help, either in challenging and correcting you and/or ministering healing to you!
The kingdom of God within us suffers violence Matt 11:12 We, however, have one within us who is greater than the one without, 1 John 4:4. That is, the power of God within us, through His Holy Spirit, is greater than the power of satan outside of us.
If we are to fight in battles with and for God in this world, we must first conquer within! So I pray today that you yield! Yield to Him and let Him do His work within - healing, transformation, joy and peace will be yours. Then you will be ready to fight for Him in battles to defeat the enemy in any situation where healing and salvation is needed ie the battle without!
And I want, more than anything to be in that battle and have done with the 'battle within'! Is that you prayer today? Or is your prayer, 'please make all things comfortable again' ? A soldier in today's army cannot be on leave the whole time, and neither can a soldier in God's army! So let's all resolve to get sorted with God and get out there! And get in the heat of the battle!
Friday 4 February 2011
Stop Messin, Get Serious
Let's not mess with God! The 'take it or leave it' attitude ! is no good any more! He has brought us to our knees or circumstances brought us to our knees and God wants us to stay there, facing him, and submitting to the work he wants to do in our lives - eg transform us, heal us emotionally/physically, release us from anxiety and fear. If we submit we will find he is a giver of peace, joy, and fullness of life!
9 Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious.10 Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet. James 4:9-10
James 4:10
When you bow down to the Lord and admit your dependence on Him, He will lift you up and give you honor. <>
So stop messin and get serious!
Andy
Sorry about the hard hitting message - needed sometimes though don't you think?
http://andyharper.blogspot.com/
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/andyharperintheuk
http://www.facebook.com/0andyharper0
Some Thin Bout Jesus Shop
01204 412235
07825 081861
9 Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious.10 Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet. James 4:9-10
James 4:10
When you bow down to the Lord and admit your dependence on Him, He will lift you up and give you honor. <
So stop messin and get serious!
Andy
Sorry about the hard hitting message - needed sometimes though don't you think?
http://andyharper.blogspot.com/
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/andyharperintheuk
http://www.facebook.com/0andyharper0
Some Thin Bout Jesus Shop
01204 412235
07825 081861
Saturday 22 January 2011
Imagine . . .
You wake up, read your bible and pray, then set off for work.
On the train there are several people reading their bibles.
You notice as you work down the aisle a number of people
watching the latest church services and Christian music concerts
on their laptops. You sit with a group of people you have got to
know over the years. As per normal, each of you shares about
your day, what’s happening at home, etc. Then you pray out
loud for each other. At work you have the first meeting of the
week, a planning meeting. Before starting the meeting your
boss leads you all in prayer. At lunch time you pop over to
the local church with a number of colleagues for a lunchtime
worship service. That afternoon a colleague complains of a
headache, so as is the practice in such situations, you gather
a couple of people and lay hands on this person to pray for
their healing . . Hold on a minute! This is not my life!
Lets ask ourselves, is that the life we want? My first instinct
is to say yes! But would we say yes if we really knew what the
journey to that place looked like?
Maybe that journey starts with what we are really desiring
in our lives right now? Or maybe there are some things God
needs to work on in our lives?
"What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that
the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy?"
James 4:5
"If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every
chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way.
5 And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it
that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.”6 And what he gives in love
is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common
knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God
gives grace to the willing humble.”7 So let God work his
will in you." The same passage from The Message
I read that passage and think, " I'm not an enemy of God".
Looking closer though, I think that first verse means if we
flirt with the world, ie, our desires head over toward money
or status or whatever, our actions can start to have the effect of
making us enemies of God (we may still be saved, His grace
still covers us, however, our actions have sometimes become
'enemy' actions). God longs to see the Holy Spirit 'come forth'
in us, the outward expression of what he is doing inside us!
So we have to let God work within us and that's related to our
desire, for which He is jealous. Letting God work His will within
us can sometimes be very difficult. We can sometimes be
deceived into thinking we can be in a neutral place when
God puts His finger on something inside thats going to be
difficult - if we try that our desires will begin to stray the
wrong way. God loves us so much, He only puts His finger
on something when He knows we are ready. Previous to this
His grace often covers things. Once we are ready and God has
everything in place He starts work. It may be hard, we may feel
pain as past hurts are uncovered, for example. We need to
remember at these times that His love is better than anything
else we might find! Once something inside us is transformed we
find new peace, joy and healing.
Often we see a new out working of His Holy Spirit as we are able
to minister to others in that same area to which God has
ministered to us! And because we know what it is like to be set
free we develop a passion to set others free!
Help us to overcome stubbornness and fear so that
you can come deeper and transform those things
which are blocking our passion for you. Help us to
see that some of those things are a poor substitute
for your love working in every part of our lives. Set
us alight, make us desperate for more of you, so
that everything else seems as rubbish compared!
Extend that passion in us to see those around us
transformed, healed, set free, encouraged and filled
with the joy of knowing you more
Amen
On the train there are several people reading their bibles.
You notice as you work down the aisle a number of people
watching the latest church services and Christian music concerts
on their laptops. You sit with a group of people you have got to
know over the years. As per normal, each of you shares about
your day, what’s happening at home, etc. Then you pray out
loud for each other. At work you have the first meeting of the
week, a planning meeting. Before starting the meeting your
boss leads you all in prayer. At lunch time you pop over to
the local church with a number of colleagues for a lunchtime
worship service. That afternoon a colleague complains of a
headache, so as is the practice in such situations, you gather
a couple of people and lay hands on this person to pray for
their healing . . Hold on a minute! This is not my life!
Lets ask ourselves, is that the life we want? My first instinct
is to say yes! But would we say yes if we really knew what the
journey to that place looked like?
Maybe that journey starts with what we are really desiring
in our lives right now? Or maybe there are some things God
needs to work on in our lives?
"What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that
the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy?"
James 4:5
"If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every
chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way.
5 And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it
that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.”6 And what he gives in love
is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common
knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God
gives grace to the willing humble.”7 So let God work his
will in you." The same passage from The Message
I read that passage and think, " I'm not an enemy of God".
Looking closer though, I think that first verse means if we
flirt with the world, ie, our desires head over toward money
or status or whatever, our actions can start to have the effect of
making us enemies of God (we may still be saved, His grace
still covers us, however, our actions have sometimes become
'enemy' actions). God longs to see the Holy Spirit 'come forth'
in us, the outward expression of what he is doing inside us!
So we have to let God work within us and that's related to our
desire, for which He is jealous. Letting God work His will within
us can sometimes be very difficult. We can sometimes be
deceived into thinking we can be in a neutral place when
God puts His finger on something inside thats going to be
difficult - if we try that our desires will begin to stray the
wrong way. God loves us so much, He only puts His finger
on something when He knows we are ready. Previous to this
His grace often covers things. Once we are ready and God has
everything in place He starts work. It may be hard, we may feel
pain as past hurts are uncovered, for example. We need to
remember at these times that His love is better than anything
else we might find! Once something inside us is transformed we
find new peace, joy and healing.
Often we see a new out working of His Holy Spirit as we are able
to minister to others in that same area to which God has
ministered to us! And because we know what it is like to be set
free we develop a passion to set others free!
Prayer
Dear Lord, give us a desire for you and you alone.Help us to overcome stubbornness and fear so that
you can come deeper and transform those things
which are blocking our passion for you. Help us to
see that some of those things are a poor substitute
for your love working in every part of our lives. Set
us alight, make us desperate for more of you, so
that everything else seems as rubbish compared!
Extend that passion in us to see those around us
transformed, healed, set free, encouraged and filled
with the joy of knowing you more
Amen
Saturday 1 January 2011
Happy New Year
It must be a season of amazing true stories at the moment!
This one is about someone I will call Jane, who as far as I know, none of you know, but just in case I have made some details anonymous. I also have permission to tell the story. A relative of mine in another city told me this story over Christmas: Jane has moved to this city only in the last couple of years. She has had some contact with Christians over the years, maybe believes in God and has not made a Christian commitment. One day my relative and Jane were in a public place and a lady came up to Jane and put her hand on her arm and said, ‘I know you don’t I?’ Jane said, ‘no, I doubt it, I’m not from around here’’. Then the lady described seeing Jane sat on a purple couch/settee with red curtains behind in the background, drinking white wine. All these and other details were correct! This was how Jane spent her evenings. It was in this way that the lady felt she, ‘knew’ Jane. I asked if Jane was freaked out by all this, she was at first apparently, until the lady said, ‘I’m not a psychic, I am a Christian and I have been praying for you’. Jane was then reassured and thanked the lady.
So what does this story say to me and you? For me it says God never gives up on us even when we have given up on ourselves! He never gives up on others even when we have given up on them! God often has answers to our prayers we are not capable of working out beforehand. He has ways of breaking in and showing us that He cares that are way beyond our imagination. We should follow God’s lead and never give up! Pick up in prayer again for yourself or for that other person, go on, God can do it, you never know just what He is up to !
Ephesians 3:20-21‘Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen’
Over the Christmas holidays one or two issues close to home have been brought into sharp focus. I sat there listening to a Christmas sermon and the preacher said something like, ‘Christmas can be a time people dread, because, family issues can come to the fore and there may be a lot of pressure’. I remember thinking, ’yer, yer, doesn’t apply to me’. I ended up getting taken by surprise! Why? Well pride is one reason, another is an inability over the years to deal properly with some stuff – both of which I wasn’t really fully aware of. Thank the Lord He knows all about it! After flailing around trying to sort things out in my own mind I finally gave in and prayed. Now I can see God working things out again. Far from resolved or anything, but I see God’s hand in things and have peace once more. (Not that God’s hand has been away from sorting things, just me and handing over and getting Godly peace needed sorting)
Philippians 4: 4-7 ‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’
Prayer
Dear Lord, I pray that in this coming New Year we may be ready for you to act in sometimes surprising ways. Help us to hand over to you more of our lives in 2011 and to learn to trust you in ways we haven’t before. May we open hearts and minds to learn more of you and your ways. Thank you that whatever we do, your loving care for us is always active. Please help us to look to you sooner rather than later in difficult situations. In the good times, help us not to forget you, but, rejoice with you. You are an amazing Father with an amazing plan for each of us in 2011 – Thank you Lord! Amen
This one is about someone I will call Jane, who as far as I know, none of you know, but just in case I have made some details anonymous. I also have permission to tell the story. A relative of mine in another city told me this story over Christmas: Jane has moved to this city only in the last couple of years. She has had some contact with Christians over the years, maybe believes in God and has not made a Christian commitment. One day my relative and Jane were in a public place and a lady came up to Jane and put her hand on her arm and said, ‘I know you don’t I?’ Jane said, ‘no, I doubt it, I’m not from around here’’. Then the lady described seeing Jane sat on a purple couch/settee with red curtains behind in the background, drinking white wine. All these and other details were correct! This was how Jane spent her evenings. It was in this way that the lady felt she, ‘knew’ Jane. I asked if Jane was freaked out by all this, she was at first apparently, until the lady said, ‘I’m not a psychic, I am a Christian and I have been praying for you’. Jane was then reassured and thanked the lady.
So what does this story say to me and you? For me it says God never gives up on us even when we have given up on ourselves! He never gives up on others even when we have given up on them! God often has answers to our prayers we are not capable of working out beforehand. He has ways of breaking in and showing us that He cares that are way beyond our imagination. We should follow God’s lead and never give up! Pick up in prayer again for yourself or for that other person, go on, God can do it, you never know just what He is up to !
Ephesians 3:20-21‘Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen’
Over the Christmas holidays one or two issues close to home have been brought into sharp focus. I sat there listening to a Christmas sermon and the preacher said something like, ‘Christmas can be a time people dread, because, family issues can come to the fore and there may be a lot of pressure’. I remember thinking, ’yer, yer, doesn’t apply to me’. I ended up getting taken by surprise! Why? Well pride is one reason, another is an inability over the years to deal properly with some stuff – both of which I wasn’t really fully aware of. Thank the Lord He knows all about it! After flailing around trying to sort things out in my own mind I finally gave in and prayed. Now I can see God working things out again. Far from resolved or anything, but I see God’s hand in things and have peace once more. (Not that God’s hand has been away from sorting things, just me and handing over and getting Godly peace needed sorting)
Philippians 4: 4-7 ‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’
Prayer
Dear Lord, I pray that in this coming New Year we may be ready for you to act in sometimes surprising ways. Help us to hand over to you more of our lives in 2011 and to learn to trust you in ways we haven’t before. May we open hearts and minds to learn more of you and your ways. Thank you that whatever we do, your loving care for us is always active. Please help us to look to you sooner rather than later in difficult situations. In the good times, help us not to forget you, but, rejoice with you. You are an amazing Father with an amazing plan for each of us in 2011 – Thank you Lord! Amen
Now, This is my Kind of Christmas Story
John1:4-5 “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
Jane’s Story
Jane(not her real name) came and sat next to me on the train at Piccadilly the day before Christmas Eve (yesterday). I was on my way home feeling extremely tired. Normally I would have been on the straight through train; however, I had tried to beat the system and the weather (and failed). However I had done the same in the morning and had a sense there was God’s hand in things that day and that he wanted me to chat to someone. I was reluctant to chat and had my big headphones on. This was the 23rd of December and this date turned out to be significant in Jane’s story as it came out in bits and pieces in our conversation. Now you will have to forgive me not being entirely accurate as I have not been able to piece the story together 100% from our conversation yesterday, which lasted between Manchester Piccadilly and Bolton stations.
We talked about Christmas being a pressurised time financially, relationally for some people. Jane told me her first husband, now deceased, had suffered all his life from various illnesses including spina bifida. One 23rd of December he was in hospital admissions and Jane was told that he was in such a poor state of health they could not even take him up to ICU, he was ‘bagged up’ with assisted breathing, etc. Some time before this Jane had been a Wiccan ( a kind of pagan belief linked to Celtic ancient beliefs? Possibly involving being a witch?) One time next to her husband’s hospital bed in a previous crisis, she had an impression of God’s voice: ‘what will it take for you to pray to me about this?’. So she did pray and her husband became well again. After this she went to a Christian bookshop and asked if they had a book about prayer. Thankfully the lady said, ‘would you like me to tell you about Jesus?’ And she became Christian. Her husband was dead against Christianity, as was her son. Next her son walking along the road with her one day just blurted out, ‘sorry Jesus for not asking your forgiveness’, then just went off skipping down the road because he was so joyful! His dad was disgusted and said his son had gone over to the, ‘dark side’. Ok back to the 23rd. Things got to the point when the doctor and nurse, ‘called it’ and agreed a time of death. They then started taking the tube out of his mouth, etc. Just then he sat up and started singing ‘Amazing Grace’, and afterward said he had seen Jesus and was now evidently saved! He lived for another eighteen months! NOW THAT’S MY KIND OF CHRISTMAS STORY !!
Prayer
Dear Lord
Thank you that this lady shone the light into her husbands life and into the life of her son. Thank you that you hungered to come to earth and rescue us because you love us so. You also came because it pleased your Father and brought you great joy! Help us to seek the joy that comes from shining the light of Jesus into people's lives!
Woooooooohoooooooo! It really is Christmas and you really did come! Thank you Lord
Amen
Jane’s Story
Jane(not her real name) came and sat next to me on the train at Piccadilly the day before Christmas Eve (yesterday). I was on my way home feeling extremely tired. Normally I would have been on the straight through train; however, I had tried to beat the system and the weather (and failed). However I had done the same in the morning and had a sense there was God’s hand in things that day and that he wanted me to chat to someone. I was reluctant to chat and had my big headphones on. This was the 23rd of December and this date turned out to be significant in Jane’s story as it came out in bits and pieces in our conversation. Now you will have to forgive me not being entirely accurate as I have not been able to piece the story together 100% from our conversation yesterday, which lasted between Manchester Piccadilly and Bolton stations.
We talked about Christmas being a pressurised time financially, relationally for some people. Jane told me her first husband, now deceased, had suffered all his life from various illnesses including spina bifida. One 23rd of December he was in hospital admissions and Jane was told that he was in such a poor state of health they could not even take him up to ICU, he was ‘bagged up’ with assisted breathing, etc. Some time before this Jane had been a Wiccan ( a kind of pagan belief linked to Celtic ancient beliefs? Possibly involving being a witch?) One time next to her husband’s hospital bed in a previous crisis, she had an impression of God’s voice: ‘what will it take for you to pray to me about this?’. So she did pray and her husband became well again. After this she went to a Christian bookshop and asked if they had a book about prayer. Thankfully the lady said, ‘would you like me to tell you about Jesus?’ And she became Christian. Her husband was dead against Christianity, as was her son. Next her son walking along the road with her one day just blurted out, ‘sorry Jesus for not asking your forgiveness’, then just went off skipping down the road because he was so joyful! His dad was disgusted and said his son had gone over to the, ‘dark side’. Ok back to the 23rd. Things got to the point when the doctor and nurse, ‘called it’ and agreed a time of death. They then started taking the tube out of his mouth, etc. Just then he sat up and started singing ‘Amazing Grace’, and afterward said he had seen Jesus and was now evidently saved! He lived for another eighteen months! NOW THAT’S MY KIND OF CHRISTMAS STORY !!
Prayer
Dear Lord
Thank you that this lady shone the light into her husbands life and into the life of her son. Thank you that you hungered to come to earth and rescue us because you love us so. You also came because it pleased your Father and brought you great joy! Help us to seek the joy that comes from shining the light of Jesus into people's lives!
Woooooooohoooooooo! It really is Christmas and you really did come! Thank you Lord
Amen
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