thoughts & encouragements about life & faith
We’ve all had times in our lives when we’ve felt, or been, unjustly treated or unfairly judged. Your motives have been misrepresented or people have just lied about you. It’s really tough, and if we’re not careful it make us bitter and cynical, hitting back in the same spirit that has been meted out to us.
The wonderful thing about grace is that it’s nothing about our ability and what we can do in ourselves, but everything about God and what He has done, and continues to do in and through us.
Throughout our lives we are measured, assessed, judged and evaluated. From our earliest days we are assessed by the midwife and the health visitor to see if we’re making our developmental milestones; by our teachers to ensure w
At this time of year most of us are thinking about holidays – a change of scene – the need for a real rest. Children are tired after exams and the school year, as adults we start to wind down mentally and stare longingly out of our office windows at blue skies and sunshine (hopefully) and imagine barbecues and beaches.
Yesterday we talked about how God has given us His authority - the power to control & determine. The Holy Spirit empowers you in the same way that He empowered Jesus. If that is true then why do many of us struggle to see people & circumstances change?
Yesterday we talked about how the power of God in your life is rooted in His love. God wants us to develop our understanding of what His power means for us. Power gives you authority to bring about changes in your life & circumstances. Powerless people cannot change anything.
How are you going to live today? Do you want to simply replay the same old scenes or do you want to see change & transformation? We have a choice to make. We try to live today using our own ability or we rely on the power of God. Yesterday in Church we were talking about how one of God's names refers to His power. In Romans Paul starts of by saying something profound - that is that the Gospel (GOOD NEWS) is the POWER (word dynamis in Greek meaning the ability to perform) to see Salvation (Soteria in Greek meaning welfare, prosperity, deliverance, preservation, salvation, safety) in your life.
Every day we should remind ourselves about the nature & character of God. He never changes - His love never fails. In a world where things change rapidly, God is constant. In the absence of reminding our hearts of this truth we are left with creating a view of God that is moulded and formed by opinion, experience and circumstance. That is surely a road to insecurity and failure.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
The old adage that the only two things you can be sure of in life are death and taxes is not exactly true. The greatest thing that we can be sure of is the love of God. In this verse Jesus also reminds us that we can be sure that in this world we will have trouble.
"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.” Phil. 4:6-7
Worry and anxiety can be crippling. Circumstances can easily limit the horizon of your view preventing you from moving forward and limiting possibilities and freedom in your life. Like a thick fog closing in around a ship and causing it to drop anchor, anxiety can envelop our lives and prevent us from seeing any way forward.
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace” Numbers 6:24-26
This blessing, which God instructed the Levite priests to speak over the Children of Israel paints the picture of God turning His face to look at His people and bless them. The idea of a personal God not some distant deity was central to their identity as the chosen people of God.
"Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of The Lord forever" Psalm 23:6
Psalm 23 comes to a wonderful and liberating conclusion. David knows that The Lord is Hus Shepherd and is utterly convinced of God's love and provision for him forever.
A number of striking points are seen when we consider the original Hebrew meanings of the words used.
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows" Psalm 23:5
The rhythm of the Psalm moves back again from a place of danger to one of God's blessing and provision. The green pastures and still waters, a picture if rest are now replaced with one of feasting and celebration. The valley of the shadow of death is now behind and we see a scene of joy and abundance.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4
What a contrast to the green pastures and quiet waters of verse 2! The traditional rendering of the King James Version of "the valley of the shadow of death" articulates the ominous nature of this journey.
"He makes me it lie down in green pastures; He leads me besides the still waters. he restores my soul" Psalm 23:2-3
Are there ever times when you find yourself stopping and saying, 'My soul needs to be restored'?
Everyday life has a habit of chipping away at the soul. the light and life of Gid visible in all we do and have gets occluded in the barrage of constant messages to 'get rich or die trying', 'work harder', 'do more'.
"The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing" Psalm 23:1
The 23rd Psalm is one of the most familiar passages in the bible and sometimes it's familiarity can mask the profound nature of what it is saying.
When David wrote these words, he made a direct link between his identity as one of God's sheep and God's care for him.
There is something about the order here that strikes me. Whenever the 12 went out from Jesus they brought a demonstration of the Kingdom with them. They preached the gospel first. They brought good news to the people. They brought a new message that God loved them. They brought a message of hope, a message of life, a message that was so much different than anything that they had heard before.
This is a great encouragement. Whenever God sent His word it brought about healing & deliverance. That is what it says in Is 55;11
"so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
Nothing that is going on today is bigger than God. Just take a moment to let that sink in. Nothing is bigger than Him. Many times I have found myself in situations that seemed like they would overwhelm me & my family. Our journey is one of the amazing faithfulness of God and seeing that through some of the most difficult & dark circumstances, some of which I never thought that I would have to live through.
t never ceases to amaze me in my own life how often I try to carry things that I really do not have to. It seems ingrained in us that we must take full responsibility for everything even though there are things that we have no power to alter or change. Often when I have exhausted every other avenue I come back to Jesus and ask Him to help. Or maybe I say the odd prayer as I desperately try to work it all out
The names of God reveal His character. They tell us what He is like and the amazing truth about that is that He does not change. The Hebrew word Shammah means that God is there - He is present.
I love that truth. You may feel like God has forgotten you. Many of us if we were asked might not want to admit that we sometimes do feel like God has forgotten about a bit of our lives where we really need to see something shift or change
