His will on earth

Matthew 6:10

“your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”

I work in the world of computers and digital technology which is really all about simple logic. And the logic here is undisputable – when we pray we should pray for his good and perfect will to be done on “earth” - in our lives, our family's lives and even our country. The implication is that just because something happens on earth doesn’t necessarily mean that it was God’s will. We all know that heaven is a place free from sickness, free from pain, free from loss. So, let’s be crystal clear, the will of God for us on earth right now is no sickness, no pain, no loss. Wow!

And Jesus is asking us to agree with him that His kingdom, where the good and perfect will of God prevails, advances and it starts with us – “your will be done, Lord”. So then we can remain and rest in Him safe in the knowledge that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. The most amazing good news is that we can relax, He’s got it all covered!

Our starting point

Matthew 6:9

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name’”

Growing up in a very religious society like Northern Ireland can mean that we become inoculated to the most fundamental truths because everything seems just so familiar. But I just love the plain speaking in this verse. Jesus is basically saying that, before anything else, we should recognise our abba father relationship with God. It’s fantastic that Jesus told us to connect with God by first acknowledging who we are - we are indeed the precious sons of God! Through Jesus we are intimately connected to Papa God. How amazing is that!

And there’s more…

It’s from that starting point of being a son of God that praise and worship naturally flows. We just cannot help it! Like Paul and Silas in the prison praying and singing praises to God at the midnight hour, this is a recipe that will see the Lord move in a mighty way in any circumstance that you find yourself in! Try it and see.

That sinking feeling

“But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me". “And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him

Matthew 14:31

The story of Jesus walking on the water is one I remember being taught at a young age. Jesus demonstrates that he is God and does not conform to the laws of nature but is Lord over all situations. When Jesus calls Peter to do the same, he initially trusts Jesus completely and follows Him onto the water. It's a remarkable act of faith to get out of the boat, but Peter at that moment has his eyes on Jesus.

Yet it's when Peter takes his eyes off Jesus and looks around at the danger in his situation, he begins to sink. Jesus calls us at times to take a step out of the boat and trust Him. It could be in the areas of healing, praying for others, financial giving or something else that He puts on our heart. If our eyes drift to the potential problems or worries that our actions might bring, we can start sinking.

But if we keep our eyes on Him, "all things are possible". He won't let you fall, his hand is there immediately to hold you up and keep you protected.

Today don't rely on your own ability when you are faced with your "walking on water" situation, just fix your eyes on Jesus and trust completely on Him.

Look up!

“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Colossians 3:2

It's easy to get discouraged by the world around us. Our eyes and ears are constantly bombarded with news stories and images from around the world and most of them are negative. What we constantly see and hear and allow into our minds can affect our peace and shape our thinking. I've found the more I listen to politicians arguing, read newspaper articles, and view internet blogs, the more it can actually affect my mood that day!

It is important to know what's going on in the world around us, but Paul tell us we should not be putting all our attention and focus on these things. God is ultimately in control. When we see confusion on Earth, look to Heaven for clarity. When we feel cynical about life or people, turn our eyes upwards to the one who we can trust completely. When the media is filled with bad news, Jesus is the good news for the world.

Are you fed up reading negative stories and feeling discouraged and cynical about the world around you? Put the paper down, switch off the TV and close the laptop. Lift up your Bible, spend time with your Father, and feel refreshed and encouraged again.

Why worry?

“It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?”

Psalm 127: 1-2

Rest has been a word for our church this year. We've been encouraged to trust God in all areas of our life and receive His promises while we cast our burdens and problems on Him. This is something I am learning to do, but still at times I find myself getting stressed over business and home life instead of leaving it with the Lord.

This verse reminds me that "it is useless" to worry and stress over these things and believe that working night and day is how we will find peace. There is nothing we can add to our situation by creating anxious thoughts in our mind during trying times.

Our Father loves us and doesn't want to see us in this state. He enjoys and takes delight in taking the worries off our heart and seeing His children stress free.

If there is anything troubling you today, transfer it to the Lord. It is no burden to Him. Walk in the rest that He longs for you to experience.

Wait for the harvest

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Gal 6-9

I really don't enjoy gardening. Cutting grass and pulling weeds is about the limit of my ability and patience. Occasionally I plant a few potatoes with our son to show him where vegetables come from and to see if I can ignite some interest for him in the garden. My cunning plan is to pass the gardening duties to him, as he gets older!

But patience is required to reap the harvest, we all understand that. Patience is one of the fruits of walking in the spirit. It is a sign of spiritual maturity when we trust God in situations of life and know that He is in control even if we haven't seen the harvest yet. Paul tells the Galatians not to grow tired or frustrated when doing good in life and for the Lord. Maybe you are praying for someone who isn't saved to come to Christ, or you're waiting on that breakthrough at work. It can be frustrating if we don't immediately see the rewards of our labor.

Be patient; God is working for you behind the scenes and His timing is perfect. A Farmer is confident that if he has planted carrots he will harvest carrots, despite the fact that he can't see them growing underground. We too should be confident in Gods promises for us irrespective of our circumstances today.

He holds it together

 "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Colossians 1: 16-17

I used to be the champion of multitasking. And I would have prided myself on the many different things that I could juggle at one time. However I feel that the Lord has been showing me there is a better way to live. The problem with juggling is inevitably a ball will drop and then often everything gets unsteady and you feel like it's all crashing in on you!

Having so many things to deal with can make our heads spin and our eyes are not sure where to focus. Jesus wants our only focus to be on him. Why is this? It's not that he doesn't care about all the things you have going on but rather when you put him in the centre he supernaturally can keep everything in its right place. He also helps you to focus your time so that what you invest in is truly profitable and you can learn to let go of what is only temporal.

He has a holy order and rhythm of grace that will defy the demands of the world. I challenge you to look at the demands on your time. Ask the Lord what he is calling you to do and allow his grace  to lead you as you journey each day..

A new season

 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" Ecclesiastes 3:1

I love the seasons. I feel each one brings something new to celebrate about God's incredible creation. I love the colours of autumn and walking through leaves that carpet the roads and paths.

Seasons also remind me of how our lives have so many different phases. In each season of our life we can look at what God is doing, how he's revealing himself in new & deeper ways. Friendships, opportunities, times with families. There is so much to celebrate when we take time to meditate on the seasons the Lord has brought us through.

Even more importantly, just as in the natural a season turns from one to another, we can have complete confidence in the Lord that he is leading us into new, fresh, exciting times. But unlike our natural seasons where we can predict what's coming, the Lord delights to conceal things in order to reveal his glory, splendour and majesty. All that we can be certain of is that he will take us from glory to glory!

His grand design

 "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

Ephesians 2:20-21

I love the programme Grand designs. There's something about the drive and the ambition of the soon to be home owners who take themselves through an often painstaking process of planning, preparation and hundreds of hours of commitment and hard work to see their dream homes fulfilled. I'm sure many of us would love to have such beautiful or bespoke homes but when we consider the financial cost and the investment of our time and energy we leave it for the dedicated few.

When I read this verse about Christ being the cornerstone, I am struck by the fact that in building our life he's the central part. He holds it all together. He has the grand design for us and he will put us in exactly the right place where we will flourish and where we can be everything we're called to be. All the planning and preparation is done. The hours of agonising toil have already been spent. He has made the sacrifice on our behalf. We just have to take up our rightful place seated with him and we get to enjoy the finished work.

Wherever you put your time and energy, place Jesus in the centre. Allow him to guide your day. Don't build in your own strength and know that his plan will not disappoint. He is the master craftsman and is the most perfectly skilled to find the perfect design for your life.

Be who you are!

When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."

Judges 6:12

In our Northern Irish culture it's not popular to talk yourself up. In fact people would find it very irritating and would think you are arrogant. Therefore when it comes to how we see ourselves, we allow our conditioning and flesh to rob us from believing in our calling and the destiny spoken over our lives.

Gideon was no different; he struggled to understand why he, the weakest of the weak, could possibly be chosen to lead an army in battle! What was God thinking!

What we need to understand is that when we live up to what God says it's not about inflating our egos, it's about glorifying His Son. Without receiving salvation from the Lord we are nothing but when we move from darkness into light we have become a new creation. The old has passed away. We are made new in Jesus. This new person reflects the beauty, the majesty and the glory of Jesus.

We may not feel or look different but we have been transformed and our work is to take hold of this promise and acccept by faith who Jesus had made us to be.

We may feel inadequate but he says we're significant. We may feel under qualified but he calls us fully equipped. We may feel inferior but he calls us more than conquerors. We may feel like a victim but he has made us victorious.

Don't listen to any other voice than the voice of the Lord and take time to meditate on who He says you are.

Fight the good fight

 "Fight the good fight of faith" I Timothy 6:12

So many of us can feel like we're in a battle at work, in family life, with our finances, our health. Many times it can feel like the odds are stacked against us and we lose sight of our dreams. Often the very thing that we held in our hearts, our deepest desire and our strongest sense of calling can be the one thing we feel the most removed from.

Did you always desire to be a great Mum and now you find you're infertile. Did you dream of leading your own business and you find yourself in debt? Do you dream of writing songs that will impact the world and yet everything so far seems to have been left unnoticed?

The enemy will not attack those who are no threat to him. He doesn't have the limitless resources of the Father. He only goes after the people of potential, the people of destiny. They are the ones who threaten his world. But take heart today; the battle is already won. Your job is not to fight. Jesus has the victory. Your battle is the fight of faith. To believe the promises God has declared over your life, the gifting he has placed in you and the destiny and calling he has proclaimed over you.

Stand today knowing that as you remain true to your calling and don't give up you will see your enemies defeated and you will inherit all that the Lord has promised.

To know full well

 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I think that we often miss the mark in using language that is easily understood by non Christians. So often I feel that Christians, in general, leave non believers feeling forever excluded. I want them to know how wonderful they are and how much more wonderful they were created to be and to "know that full well."

Last Saturday we went to a fundraising formal for Christians Against Poverty. They do such great work with people in the depth of depression caused by financial debt. Hearing stories of how people have experienced freedom by handing over the paperwork, the burden and the stress, and simply telling the banks etc to take it up with CAP was such an amazing picture of grace in action!

God gave us His Son, so that in the face of life's burdens we can say "take it up with Him." 

My heart is for us to be able to capture this beauty of salvation in a language that can be easily understood by non-Christians, that they are introduced to Jesus from the start, that they don't discount themselves because of their "stuff," that they have a freedom not to be sin conscious or sin defined. To understand that God always chose them, that they too were 'fearfully and wonderfully made,' before they ever chose or choose God. That salvation is an opportunity for them to return to God's original plan for their lives, as an adopted Son of God. Oh to capture such beauty?!

Plans to prosper

 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We know this verse by heart. But do we really KNOW it? Do we believe this about God? With two young kids, we are in a season of building our life and future. Pursuing business, balance and God's plan for our lives.

We are in the process of buying our first home, and it's been a lengthy process at that! At this stage, we had hoped to be moved in and all-but it hasn't happened! We are surrounded by boxes and the end of the month is coming closer, when we will have to leave our current home.

Yet through it al we have felt at rest, we haven't felt burdened or stressed. It's in these situations that your foundations are exposed, what are we going to choose as our focus. Our plans or His?

We have a confidence that God has the plans...plans to prosper our family and give us a hope and a future. So we hand it over to Him and we feel safe and protected. Knowing He wants only the best for us. And He knows the timing!

Meet with Him

"In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.””

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I've been reading a book lately called 'Searching for Sunday' by Rachel Held Evans. Whilst there have been parts I have related to and others I have not, it has gotten me thinking a lot more about the beauty of the sacraments of Christianity. Especially communion.

I think it's been something I haven't thought about enough, taking part habitually instead of seeing it as a somewhere that I meet with Jesus.

Sharing in Rachel's story she reminded me that Jesus is at the table with us. When He asked us to do this in Remembrance of Him, He was inspiring us to meet with Him in the ordinary. To meet with him in fellowship. That there is something sacred in simply coming together to a place that reminds us of how accessible Jesus is in our everyday. From there anything can happen.

As we approach the table, He offers us all the same thing, and it's in that meeting that we realise we are equal and we are supernaturally made whole.