In the search for a slightly lighter topic today, let me share with you a little of what happened yesterday.
I woke up a bit late so only had about fifteen minutes to spare before I had to go out to meet someone for breakfast. Naturally, once I had completed my morning ablutions, I went to check my emails as I do every morning. My computer was already switched on so I opened up Outlook ready to receive the daily stream of 20 or so emails (probably 18 of which will be deleted without being read).
Here was where I found my first problem - no email! Instead of beginning to receive mail Outlook advised me that I had an error. A quick bit of investigation found that I also had no Internet, phone or TV - apparently the rain overnight had broken my connection to the outside world.
I had no choice at that point but to go to my breakfast meeting, logging a quick call to my Internet provider, who advised that service would be restored asap. Through the day I accessed the Internet on my phone at a restaurant using their wifi connection and made use of both my parents and sister's computers and Internet connections.
My services where restored by mid afternoon and I was once again connected to the world of technology and received my daily emails, visited my regular websites and could again make phone calls from home. That was all fine and apart from a little inconvenience my day was not affected too much, but it got me thinking "how did we ever cope without all this tech"? Even though having no Internet at home didn't stop me driving my car, talking to my family and doing my job, I felt a bit lost, like I was out of touch or was somehow missing out.
I rely 100% for a large part of my livelihood, communication and lifestyle on computers and mobile phones and their connectivity to the Internet. Many of us feel lost without a stable broadband connection, disconnected without email and alone without access to Facebook or Twitter.
Computers and technology in general annoy and irritate most of us at least once every day but how would we ever cope and hope to live our lives without them? We communicate with our friends via email and Social media, gain information through the net, play games, listen to the radio and buy goods through these plastic boxes of technology.
We don't gossip - we tweet, we don't laugh - we LOL, we don't talk - we email or chat, instead of openning a book - we open Google. There is no doubt or way of living in denial, we rely on all this tech and cannot really function without it.
I have no clever points or moral guidance to share today - I could have said that we need to be as connected to God and learn to rely on Him as closely as we do our laptops. I could say that we can call on God 24/7 as easily as we use Facebook or that many of us have become disconnected from God and we need to log a call to His tech support and get our lives re-connected. But I'm not going to, you can make those links for yourself.
Right now I'm going to catch up on my emails and see what I've missed on Twitter yesterday.
Have a great day
God bless
Chris
Friday 28 October 2011
Wednesday 12 October 2011
God doesn't want to be your number one priority!
I'm feeling a little brave today, so I've gone for what I hope is an eye catching or thought provoking title to this blog post. The thoughts that I want to share today are not new and have been shared in many different ways, but were bought home to me anew reading a book recently.
Anyone who has spent any amount of time sat listening to people preach in church will have some time been challenged about where God falls in their priorities. And if we are put on the spot to answer I am sure most Christians would state that God is their number one priority, followed by family, then friends, church life, hobbies, work etc. This all sounds great with two fairly massive problems.
1. The reality of this priority idea, the ugly truth, is that in real life our number one priority often is not God. Take a second to think about what area of life you commit the most time, money, energy too. I almost guarantee that work or a hobby or running a family home consumes so much more of your life than God ever stands of chance of claiming.
2. The second and most important problem with this priority idea is that God doesn't want to be a priority in the first place. Putting God on a list, even if He occupies the number one slot, suggests that we can commit a finite amount of time, energy or focus to Him and then move on the next task. Anyone who knows Debbie and I will tell you we love a good list; maybe of jobs or things to do, that can be crossed off as they are achieved. In life we almost always fall into the same mindset of praying in a morning, or reading your Bible, or going to church then cross God off the list for today and then moving to the next task.
God's desire is not be at the top of a list but rather to be at the centre of our lives; the sun in our solar system that everything else revolves around. Only when we allow God to be at the centre of our families, our homes, work, church and whole life will we find balance. Only when we let God out of His compartment, take Him with us into every area of life and ask Him to fill us. To fill our homes, offices, churches and streets can we begin to realise true communion with Him.
When I plan my week I don't try and create appointments to meet with my wife, rather we are in a relationship whilst at work, whilst watching TV and eating dinner. My prayer today is that we can all realise a relationship with God that allows Him and me, God and you to be together with Him at the centre of all areas of life.
Have a great day
God bless
Chris
Anyone who has spent any amount of time sat listening to people preach in church will have some time been challenged about where God falls in their priorities. And if we are put on the spot to answer I am sure most Christians would state that God is their number one priority, followed by family, then friends, church life, hobbies, work etc. This all sounds great with two fairly massive problems.
1. The reality of this priority idea, the ugly truth, is that in real life our number one priority often is not God. Take a second to think about what area of life you commit the most time, money, energy too. I almost guarantee that work or a hobby or running a family home consumes so much more of your life than God ever stands of chance of claiming.
2. The second and most important problem with this priority idea is that God doesn't want to be a priority in the first place. Putting God on a list, even if He occupies the number one slot, suggests that we can commit a finite amount of time, energy or focus to Him and then move on the next task. Anyone who knows Debbie and I will tell you we love a good list; maybe of jobs or things to do, that can be crossed off as they are achieved. In life we almost always fall into the same mindset of praying in a morning, or reading your Bible, or going to church then cross God off the list for today and then moving to the next task.
God's desire is not be at the top of a list but rather to be at the centre of our lives; the sun in our solar system that everything else revolves around. Only when we allow God to be at the centre of our families, our homes, work, church and whole life will we find balance. Only when we let God out of His compartment, take Him with us into every area of life and ask Him to fill us. To fill our homes, offices, churches and streets can we begin to realise true communion with Him.
When I plan my week I don't try and create appointments to meet with my wife, rather we are in a relationship whilst at work, whilst watching TV and eating dinner. My prayer today is that we can all realise a relationship with God that allows Him and me, God and you to be together with Him at the centre of all areas of life.
Have a great day
God bless
Chris
Friday 30 September 2011
Things I've learned
Hi - Any of you more regular readers may have noted a somewhat reflective feel to my last few posts; at times these may have been a little deep. For this I apologise and promise I will try to remain shallow from now on. Before September concludes, however, I would like to complete my look back on my first year attempting to lead a local church.
There have been a few things that I have learnt (only a few) that I did not know just twelve months ago. For example I did not know the number of meetings, committees and discussions involved in making decisions, some of which at times seem like very small simple ones.
I also did not know how a piece of information that I thought fairly simple could become so complicated and so hard to effectively communicate to any number of people.
Or that no matter how you communicate some information; by handing out written information, putting it on a website, notice board, projector screen, texting and emailing it as well as actually telling them face to face - some people still claim to know nothing about said events!!!
So that's my moan out of the way!
The most important things I have learned are that people never cease to amaze me with their generosity, compassion, love and energy. That the same people throw themselves whole heartedly into action at the drop of a hat, time and time again, seemingly putting the rest of their life on hold to help.
Most of all I've learned afresh that God's idea of people meeting together to regularly support, encourage and equip each other that we call 'church' is a uniquely fantastic idea. When it’s done well 'church' in any format is fantastic. That may be a service on a Sunday morning, or over coffee at Starbucks (other coffee chains are available), or at the pub, on a farm, round a table, on a bus trip, in the Royal Albert Hall or amazingly even in a little place called Selston. All of these times when people gather together to help each other or someone in need or to focus their attention on God and try to centre him in their lives - suddenly 'church' happens.
And whilst one year on, everything doesn't happen (thankfully) exactly how I would choose, the whole world (thankfully) doesn't think exactly the same way as me and everyone (again most thankfully) doesn't live their lives the same way as mine., I would not have it any other way. Church works and is fantastic and as perfect as its ever going to be in this world, because we try to keep Jesus at the very heart of all that we do.
So moaning over and reflection over (for now). I'm simply happy today that God has given me the beautiful opportunity to be involved in any way in his plan, in his church, to help his world.
Really do have a great day
God bless
Chris
There have been a few things that I have learnt (only a few) that I did not know just twelve months ago. For example I did not know the number of meetings, committees and discussions involved in making decisions, some of which at times seem like very small simple ones.
I also did not know how a piece of information that I thought fairly simple could become so complicated and so hard to effectively communicate to any number of people.
Or that no matter how you communicate some information; by handing out written information, putting it on a website, notice board, projector screen, texting and emailing it as well as actually telling them face to face - some people still claim to know nothing about said events!!!
So that's my moan out of the way!
The most important things I have learned are that people never cease to amaze me with their generosity, compassion, love and energy. That the same people throw themselves whole heartedly into action at the drop of a hat, time and time again, seemingly putting the rest of their life on hold to help.
Most of all I've learned afresh that God's idea of people meeting together to regularly support, encourage and equip each other that we call 'church' is a uniquely fantastic idea. When it’s done well 'church' in any format is fantastic. That may be a service on a Sunday morning, or over coffee at Starbucks (other coffee chains are available), or at the pub, on a farm, round a table, on a bus trip, in the Royal Albert Hall or amazingly even in a little place called Selston. All of these times when people gather together to help each other or someone in need or to focus their attention on God and try to centre him in their lives - suddenly 'church' happens.
And whilst one year on, everything doesn't happen (thankfully) exactly how I would choose, the whole world (thankfully) doesn't think exactly the same way as me and everyone (again most thankfully) doesn't live their lives the same way as mine., I would not have it any other way. Church works and is fantastic and as perfect as its ever going to be in this world, because we try to keep Jesus at the very heart of all that we do.
So moaning over and reflection over (for now). I'm simply happy today that God has given me the beautiful opportunity to be involved in any way in his plan, in his church, to help his world.
Really do have a great day
God bless
Chris
Saturday 3 September 2011
The best laid plans of mice and men - part two
I thoroughly enjoyed writing part one of this post remembering some of the great times of the last twelve months. But when reflecting on a year there are of course some very sad times that this same group of people have experienced together.
We have grieved together as two dear members of the church family passed away and where been united in glory with God in Heaven. Like any good family we remembered these friends with tears of both joy and sadness, celebrated their lives and still feel sorrow over the hole they have left in our own lives.
There have been two more funerals that have touched me dearly this year; one being the first funeral I had the privilege of leading. I had prepared myself beforehand to meet the grieving family, read up on the words that had to be used and felt comfortable about the service itself. What stood out at the time and still stands out today is that it really was a privilege - to be able to comfort, in I'm sure a very small way, a family who had lost a loved one. Then to lead them through part of that grief and tell them that there is a hope of a better tomorrow, really was a great honour.
The second funeral that I led this year was for a family member and many things still live with me from that day. Not least the battle of emotion - of staying in balance between comforting my wife and family in their grief and facilitating a service with respect and honour. It was a tough responsibility but one I would not have chosen to ever step away from.
During the last year there have been heartaches, painful and emotional times; we've seen loss and worry and felt people suffer. But we've been able to do all this together.
I don't know as you read this if you're looking back on a year, month or week filled with joy and happiness or sorrow and sadness. I do know that even our best laid plans don't always work out and life often throws us a curve ball when we least expect one.
What I am most thankful for is that throughout both extremes of lifes ups and downs God holds the plans and cares for, loves and wants to carry everyone of us, every step of the way.
He doesn't promise to remove every pain but He doesn promise to wipe away every tear.
Why not have a chat with Him about how your feeling (happy or sad) today?
Have the greatest day you can
And may God really bless you
Chris
We have grieved together as two dear members of the church family passed away and where been united in glory with God in Heaven. Like any good family we remembered these friends with tears of both joy and sadness, celebrated their lives and still feel sorrow over the hole they have left in our own lives.
There have been two more funerals that have touched me dearly this year; one being the first funeral I had the privilege of leading. I had prepared myself beforehand to meet the grieving family, read up on the words that had to be used and felt comfortable about the service itself. What stood out at the time and still stands out today is that it really was a privilege - to be able to comfort, in I'm sure a very small way, a family who had lost a loved one. Then to lead them through part of that grief and tell them that there is a hope of a better tomorrow, really was a great honour.
The second funeral that I led this year was for a family member and many things still live with me from that day. Not least the battle of emotion - of staying in balance between comforting my wife and family in their grief and facilitating a service with respect and honour. It was a tough responsibility but one I would not have chosen to ever step away from.
During the last year there have been heartaches, painful and emotional times; we've seen loss and worry and felt people suffer. But we've been able to do all this together.
I don't know as you read this if you're looking back on a year, month or week filled with joy and happiness or sorrow and sadness. I do know that even our best laid plans don't always work out and life often throws us a curve ball when we least expect one.
What I am most thankful for is that throughout both extremes of lifes ups and downs God holds the plans and cares for, loves and wants to carry everyone of us, every step of the way.
He doesn't promise to remove every pain but He doesn promise to wipe away every tear.
Why not have a chat with Him about how your feeling (happy or sad) today?
Have the greatest day you can
And may God really bless you
Chris
The best laid plans of mice and men - part one
Continuing with my reflective mood from yesterday I was pondering this morning about some of the things that have happened over the last year. At church we have had some great experiences; enjoyed some unique, amazing, Spirit filled times where I can honestly say I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else in the world.
We have made steps into our community, visiting the local residential care home twice a month after our main church service to share communion with the residents. This comprises of a short and simple service, singing a couple of old hymns and taking the opportunity to remind the people there that God loves them too. Maybe the most enjoyable and important moments in these visits is chatting with the people in the home and starting to make some real connections.
We had a great Christmas at church which included a candle lit Carol Service with hardly an empty seat in the building, followed by a Christmas eve crib service where another forty people laughed together, sang the twelve days of Christmas and played games. Add on to these an intimate Christmas day morning communion and we see that the true message of Christmas was presented in three very different but equally effective ways to three groups of people. I loved each one of those services and spoke to many people who were touched individually and uniquely at each event.
Easter was a similarly varied and special time - on Maundy Thursday we met in the evening and were led through the steps from Jesus praying with His Disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane to His death on the cross. This was a powerful, moving and emotional time that honestly left several people drained from the experience. On Good Friday we met in the afternoon and recreated the 'stations of the cross' in, around and outside the church building. A church full of people criss-crossed their way around the premises reading, praying and looking at symbols of Jesus journey, the same one we had experienced in a different format the day before. Both of these occasions reminded us of Jesus amazing sacrifice in very different but equally meaningful ways. Easter Sunday we again met, but this time with a spirit of celebration, as we partied together praising God that Jesus didn't just die but rose again in majesty.
Again all three of these times were varied as they could have been but completely in tune, complimenting each other and together making whole greater the sum of the parts.
Easily some of the most enjoyable and memorable moments of this last twelve months, where spent with a group of people in Selston united by just one thing. This group of 40-50 people in normal circumstances probably may not have even met and may have very little in common share one thing. We are joined by the love of God and the knowledge that we are adopted into His family and that one bond has made those experiences together so very special.
It's been a truly great year, with many many highs and also some lows, but I wouldn't have wanted to spend it anywhere or with anyone else - more to come in part two.
Have a great day
God bless
Chris
We have made steps into our community, visiting the local residential care home twice a month after our main church service to share communion with the residents. This comprises of a short and simple service, singing a couple of old hymns and taking the opportunity to remind the people there that God loves them too. Maybe the most enjoyable and important moments in these visits is chatting with the people in the home and starting to make some real connections.
We had a great Christmas at church which included a candle lit Carol Service with hardly an empty seat in the building, followed by a Christmas eve crib service where another forty people laughed together, sang the twelve days of Christmas and played games. Add on to these an intimate Christmas day morning communion and we see that the true message of Christmas was presented in three very different but equally effective ways to three groups of people. I loved each one of those services and spoke to many people who were touched individually and uniquely at each event.
Easter was a similarly varied and special time - on Maundy Thursday we met in the evening and were led through the steps from Jesus praying with His Disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane to His death on the cross. This was a powerful, moving and emotional time that honestly left several people drained from the experience. On Good Friday we met in the afternoon and recreated the 'stations of the cross' in, around and outside the church building. A church full of people criss-crossed their way around the premises reading, praying and looking at symbols of Jesus journey, the same one we had experienced in a different format the day before. Both of these occasions reminded us of Jesus amazing sacrifice in very different but equally meaningful ways. Easter Sunday we again met, but this time with a spirit of celebration, as we partied together praising God that Jesus didn't just die but rose again in majesty.
Again all three of these times were varied as they could have been but completely in tune, complimenting each other and together making whole greater the sum of the parts.
Easily some of the most enjoyable and memorable moments of this last twelve months, where spent with a group of people in Selston united by just one thing. This group of 40-50 people in normal circumstances probably may not have even met and may have very little in common share one thing. We are joined by the love of God and the knowledge that we are adopted into His family and that one bond has made those experiences together so very special.
It's been a truly great year, with many many highs and also some lows, but I wouldn't have wanted to spend it anywhere or with anyone else - more to come in part two.
Have a great day
God bless
Chris
Friday 2 September 2011
What a difference a year makes
This Sunday, the 4th September, marks one year since I took the full position of leading our church and started writing these blog posts a couple of weeks later. This Sunday is also our churches anniversary and we will mark the fact that people have met in the same building for 112 years with a celebration and then enjoy lunch together. Both of these facts put me in a mood of reflection today as I look back on a year and wonder what the next one may hold.
For me this last year has been one of learning many lessons, not least that things wont always happen in the ways or to the timescale that I have planned. I remember clearly standing in the pulpit at church and sitting in a number of meetings talking about a vision for the year ahead and honestly believing that everything was suddenly about to change. A year on, things have definitely changed, but not necessarily to my plans or ideas. Things are certainly moving and progressing very well but I have realised very quickly that God's plans are much better than mine and things work much better when He is in control.
This is a lesson that I am starting to learn in so many areas of my life and one which could ring true for us all. As we go though our busy lives, rushing from one problem to the next, it often seems like everything that possibly can go wrong, does. But when we stop and take a look at how we get into these problems I suspect, if you're anything like me, that in the majority of cases we've been the cause of the problem in the first place.
When I lean on my own understanding, trust in my own abilities and try to function in my own way too much things generally get more than a little messy. When I realise that I need God, my loving Father, to guide, direct and steer my life and trust in Him over myself, then things tend to work out much more sucessfully.
I hope and pray that this time next year I can look back and say that God was in control more often than Chris was and thank Him for showing me much greater success than I ever could have imagined on my own.
I pray that you all will look on life in the same way.
Have a great day
God bless
Chris
For me this last year has been one of learning many lessons, not least that things wont always happen in the ways or to the timescale that I have planned. I remember clearly standing in the pulpit at church and sitting in a number of meetings talking about a vision for the year ahead and honestly believing that everything was suddenly about to change. A year on, things have definitely changed, but not necessarily to my plans or ideas. Things are certainly moving and progressing very well but I have realised very quickly that God's plans are much better than mine and things work much better when He is in control.
This is a lesson that I am starting to learn in so many areas of my life and one which could ring true for us all. As we go though our busy lives, rushing from one problem to the next, it often seems like everything that possibly can go wrong, does. But when we stop and take a look at how we get into these problems I suspect, if you're anything like me, that in the majority of cases we've been the cause of the problem in the first place.
When I lean on my own understanding, trust in my own abilities and try to function in my own way too much things generally get more than a little messy. When I realise that I need God, my loving Father, to guide, direct and steer my life and trust in Him over myself, then things tend to work out much more sucessfully.
I hope and pray that this time next year I can look back and say that God was in control more often than Chris was and thank Him for showing me much greater success than I ever could have imagined on my own.
I pray that you all will look on life in the same way.
Have a great day
God bless
Chris
Friday 1 July 2011
Do you "plus it"?
As anyone who knows me will tell you, I am a bit of a fan of a certain Mr Walter Elias Disney, his life, films and most of all theme parks. Amongst other things he was a visionary and a creative genius but what made his attractions and cartoons stand out was his commitment to challenging his team to "plus it".
What this meant put simply was that in every project and on every job he challenged people to ask themselves if they were putting in every possible effort or could anything be done better. Was it being "plussed"?
The Disney team, known as imagineers, would not rest until they had examined every aspect of their project and attempted to stretch every detail to the very highest level. Because of this approach they pushed boundaries, invented new methods and technologies and created things thought impossible beforehand. Much of this approach to "plussing" probably explains why so much of their work is still so popular today.
At church we are beginning a time of studying the Sermon on the Mount, which is a series of short lessons that Jesus taught. The majority of these messages seek to "plus" teachings that people had already received and understood. For example several messages within this series take one of the Ten Commandments and then raise it to a new level. The first of which takes the law "do not murder" and goes onto explain that killing a friendship is, in Jesus view, just as serious.
This all got me to thinking how I approach life and if I seek to raise levels and "plus" situations throughout my world and contact groups. Do the people I come into contact with feel "plussed" when I walk away from a conversation with them? Does my life have a positive affect on the people I love, bring them joy and ultimately show them Jesus' love?
When I go to work am I giving my all to "plus" my job? When a friend calls for a favour or a shoulder to cry on, do I give them all of my attention and "plus" that friendship? Does my wife and family and church get "plussed" by my energy, attention and attitude?
Most of all does my life "plus" my relationship with God?
None of us are perfect and none of us will ever get all of this right every day - far from it! God knows and understands this and still loves us all just the same, thankfully. But when we choose to have the attitude of "plussing" our lives and give Him the very best we can surely He will help us every step of the way.
Have a great day.
God bless
Chris
What this meant put simply was that in every project and on every job he challenged people to ask themselves if they were putting in every possible effort or could anything be done better. Was it being "plussed"?
The Disney team, known as imagineers, would not rest until they had examined every aspect of their project and attempted to stretch every detail to the very highest level. Because of this approach they pushed boundaries, invented new methods and technologies and created things thought impossible beforehand. Much of this approach to "plussing" probably explains why so much of their work is still so popular today.
At church we are beginning a time of studying the Sermon on the Mount, which is a series of short lessons that Jesus taught. The majority of these messages seek to "plus" teachings that people had already received and understood. For example several messages within this series take one of the Ten Commandments and then raise it to a new level. The first of which takes the law "do not murder" and goes onto explain that killing a friendship is, in Jesus view, just as serious.
This all got me to thinking how I approach life and if I seek to raise levels and "plus" situations throughout my world and contact groups. Do the people I come into contact with feel "plussed" when I walk away from a conversation with them? Does my life have a positive affect on the people I love, bring them joy and ultimately show them Jesus' love?
When I go to work am I giving my all to "plus" my job? When a friend calls for a favour or a shoulder to cry on, do I give them all of my attention and "plus" that friendship? Does my wife and family and church get "plussed" by my energy, attention and attitude?
Most of all does my life "plus" my relationship with God?
None of us are perfect and none of us will ever get all of this right every day - far from it! God knows and understands this and still loves us all just the same, thankfully. But when we choose to have the attitude of "plussing" our lives and give Him the very best we can surely He will help us every step of the way.
Have a great day.
God bless
Chris
Tuesday 14 June 2011
Two poems for someone who may need them
These are two poems; one of which many of you will know almost off heart, the other I read for the first time today.
Footprints
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only. This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints.
So I said to the Lord, “You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?” The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”
Mary Stevenson, 1936
This too shall pass
If I can endure for this minute whatever is happening to me,
No matter how heavy my heart is or how dark the moment may be-
If I can remain calm and quiet with all the world crashing about me,
Secure in the knowledge God loves me wWhen everyone else seems to doubt me-
If I can but keep on believing what I know in my heart to be true,
That darkness will fade with the morning and that this will pass away, too-
Then nothing in life can defeat me for as long as this knowledge remains
I can suffer whatever is happening for I know God will break all of the chains
That are binding me tight in the darkness and trying to fill me with fear-
For there is no night without dawning and I know that my morning is near.
...Helen Steiner Rice
No matter how heavy my heart is or how dark the moment may be-
If I can remain calm and quiet with all the world crashing about me,
Secure in the knowledge God loves me wWhen everyone else seems to doubt me-
If I can but keep on believing what I know in my heart to be true,
That darkness will fade with the morning and that this will pass away, too-
Then nothing in life can defeat me for as long as this knowledge remains
I can suffer whatever is happening for I know God will break all of the chains
That are binding me tight in the darkness and trying to fill me with fear-
For there is no night without dawning and I know that my morning is near.
...Helen Steiner Rice
Have a great day
God bless
Chris
Nothing clever to say about these - just read, enjoy and relax
Do not worry! That's easy for you to say!
Matthew 6 tell us not to worry about anything in regard to our natural requirements and Philippians 4 instructs the reader not to be anxious about anything. You can read these two passages here and here.
If you are anything like me you may have read these passages many times in life and at that moment thought to your self "OK I am not going to worry and instead trust in God". And this works very well sometimes for up to several minutes until life next big problem swings into focus and quite naturally worry and anxiousness arrives with it. How can we then hope to live our lives obedient to God's teaching not to worry when life throws so much at us which knocks us off our feet time and time again?
There is very little that we can do to prevent anxiety from entering our minds, thing happen which are completely out of our control that have an effect on us and those close to our hearts. What we do have a choice over how much control of our lives we allow these worries to have. When we allow these problem to grow in our minds and take over our thoughts then we very soon begin to feel the repercussions. Sleepless nights, upset stomachs, headaches and many over stress related complaints can have serious effect on our health over long periods of time.
Psalms 55:22 does give us the solution when it says "cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you". Note that this verse does not say He will remove your cares or make them smaller, but that he will sustain you. When you ask God to help in your times of most worry, anxiousness or when the world seems to deal an unfair hand God will sustain you and give you the strength to walk through the troubled days.
That act of casting our cares on the Lord is really not a complicated process simply chatting to God is enough, just ask God to help you and He will. Someone very dear once said that we can talk to God like the Martini advert - anytime, anyplace, anywhere - and those words have never been trues.
If simply talking doesn't seem enough; why not write God a letter telling Him everything that is on your mind, put it in an envelope addressed and sealed for God's attention. Then burn it, rip it up, post it to your church or give it away to a friend you can trust - what ever you do get rid of that letter and don't re-open it yourself. There is no point to handing your worries over to God only to pick them back up again on the way out.
This is not my normal cheerful encouraging post and for that I am not sorry - I just really feel that sometimes people need to know that God is there when we're in the valley as well as on the mountain top.
God bless
Chris
If you are anything like me you may have read these passages many times in life and at that moment thought to your self "OK I am not going to worry and instead trust in God". And this works very well sometimes for up to several minutes until life next big problem swings into focus and quite naturally worry and anxiousness arrives with it. How can we then hope to live our lives obedient to God's teaching not to worry when life throws so much at us which knocks us off our feet time and time again?
There is very little that we can do to prevent anxiety from entering our minds, thing happen which are completely out of our control that have an effect on us and those close to our hearts. What we do have a choice over how much control of our lives we allow these worries to have. When we allow these problem to grow in our minds and take over our thoughts then we very soon begin to feel the repercussions. Sleepless nights, upset stomachs, headaches and many over stress related complaints can have serious effect on our health over long periods of time.
Psalms 55:22 does give us the solution when it says "cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you". Note that this verse does not say He will remove your cares or make them smaller, but that he will sustain you. When you ask God to help in your times of most worry, anxiousness or when the world seems to deal an unfair hand God will sustain you and give you the strength to walk through the troubled days.
That act of casting our cares on the Lord is really not a complicated process simply chatting to God is enough, just ask God to help you and He will. Someone very dear once said that we can talk to God like the Martini advert - anytime, anyplace, anywhere - and those words have never been trues.
If simply talking doesn't seem enough; why not write God a letter telling Him everything that is on your mind, put it in an envelope addressed and sealed for God's attention. Then burn it, rip it up, post it to your church or give it away to a friend you can trust - what ever you do get rid of that letter and don't re-open it yourself. There is no point to handing your worries over to God only to pick them back up again on the way out.
This is not my normal cheerful encouraging post and for that I am not sorry - I just really feel that sometimes people need to know that God is there when we're in the valley as well as on the mountain top.
God bless
Chris
Saturday 4 June 2011
What is my polariod or even my QR?
If you 'read' one of these QR images (which stands for quick response) with the bar code scanner of your smart phone you are presented with a selection of the advertisers information. This could be a website, contact details, a video or song or in the case of this QR, a map showing the location of our church in Selston. They are kind of like taking a Polaroid picture showing in an instance a representation of that company or individual.
I understand that QR images as part of another phenomenon known as augmented reality are very much going to be the next if not already the, big thing! They have been around in Japan for several years and are slowly making an impact on the USA and London plus on many up and coming advertising bods.
This all got me thinking, as it does - As I understand it, if you place one of these images on your business card, website or poster someone with the correct bar code scanning app (think mobile phone gadget for the not so tech savvy of us) can get a snap shot in an instant of your business or organisation. I've dropped a couple into our church website - take a look http://www.selstonchurchofchrist.org.uk/ (shameless plug alert!). I was thinking - How would life be, therefore, if anyone could get a Polaroid snap shot of your or my life in an instant by giving us a quick scan?
I would like to think that I am a pretty rounded kind of guy who can get on with most people and that my Christian values, on the whole, live out pretty well in my day to day life. But in any instance, at any one moment of the day, if someone could get a completely honest snapshot (maybe when my guard was down and someone had cut me up at a set of traffic lights that then turned red before I had time to respond) I'm not so sure if it would be so perfect.
Of course God's grace is, as the old hymn says, "amazing!" And this amazing grace in sufficient to oversee all of my many imperfections when I come back to Him in repentance seeking forgiveness. That said this is not an excuse or a get out of jail free card.
If God, my neighbour, my wife, a church member, the chap at work or my friend down at the pub was to take an honest snapshot of my life today or tomorrow I would hope to, at the very least, be consistent in giving a decent representation of the kind of bloke that God would want me to be.
True - I definitely don't get it right every time, far from it! None of us do; but the important thing is that we attempt to live with a desire to be ready - to live every moment conscious that if that snapshot was taken right now or this time tomorrow or two weeks on Thursday, that we would be living as the person we would want to be represented as. And even more importantly we should never become too proud to admit that we so often get it wrong and return to our Father in Heaven in humble apology knowing that He is ready to not only forgive us but help us be better prepared for tomorrow.
Have a great day
God bless
Chris
Thursday 2 June 2011
Anticipation; anticlimax or opportunity?
Debbie and I went to the cinema this last weekend with some of our family to see the long awaited and much anticipated fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. We knew that the cast had changed quite dramatically and that things would be different but the build up and hype suggested a film worthy of the wait.
We walked out of the cinema with mixed feelings; In my opinion Pirates 4 is a good film, it's better than OK but it isn't great! Johnny Depp is really good, the story works, the big screen magic stands up and overall it is a very decent film. But it missed the other characters like Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann. In our eyes the build up and anticipation ended in a bit of an anticlimax - Sorry Captain Jack!
Today marks Ascension Day in the church calender which many of us will mark this Sunday; remembering the day that Jesus returned to his Father in Heaven. This was an event that Jesus foretold several times and His Disciples would have known was coming up. As Jesus ascended to Heaven to be restored to glory I wonder if the Disciples may have felt a little empty, like Jesus had gone away and left them behind.
They always knew that Jesus was heading towards the cross and He told them that He would rise again, but I wonder if they thought this moment would be the time to look forward to as a triumphant moment of victory. Instead they simply watched as Jesus rose into the sky and then was hidden from their view then they had to somehow find a way of carrying on, seemingly in their own strength,
I believe that Jesus, although gone from their view, had left them with so much - conversations, parables, teachings and demonstrations of His love, peace and majesty. Lessons that I think would have lived with them for the rest of their lives.
There are so many things that can have an effect on our lives; the people around us, day to day experiences, the media, our friends and families. All of these things can have an impact on us as we anticipate what lies ahead in our lives. But we get to choose how we use these experiences and how we learn from them and use these lessons in our own futures.
I know this is going to sound really cliche but the truth is - We get to choose today how we use the lessons of yesterday; as an anticlimax of disappointment or an opportunity tomorrow to grow and build!
Have a great day, God bless you
Chris
We walked out of the cinema with mixed feelings; In my opinion Pirates 4 is a good film, it's better than OK but it isn't great! Johnny Depp is really good, the story works, the big screen magic stands up and overall it is a very decent film. But it missed the other characters like Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann. In our eyes the build up and anticipation ended in a bit of an anticlimax - Sorry Captain Jack!
Today marks Ascension Day in the church calender which many of us will mark this Sunday; remembering the day that Jesus returned to his Father in Heaven. This was an event that Jesus foretold several times and His Disciples would have known was coming up. As Jesus ascended to Heaven to be restored to glory I wonder if the Disciples may have felt a little empty, like Jesus had gone away and left them behind.
They always knew that Jesus was heading towards the cross and He told them that He would rise again, but I wonder if they thought this moment would be the time to look forward to as a triumphant moment of victory. Instead they simply watched as Jesus rose into the sky and then was hidden from their view then they had to somehow find a way of carrying on, seemingly in their own strength,
I believe that Jesus, although gone from their view, had left them with so much - conversations, parables, teachings and demonstrations of His love, peace and majesty. Lessons that I think would have lived with them for the rest of their lives.
There are so many things that can have an effect on our lives; the people around us, day to day experiences, the media, our friends and families. All of these things can have an impact on us as we anticipate what lies ahead in our lives. But we get to choose how we use these experiences and how we learn from them and use these lessons in our own futures.
I know this is going to sound really cliche but the truth is - We get to choose today how we use the lessons of yesterday; as an anticlimax of disappointment or an opportunity tomorrow to grow and build!
Have a great day, God bless you
Chris
Tuesday 5 April 2011
What will be your legacy?
What about you?
If death is a certainty, sorry to start on a sober note but it is certain, then how will you be remembered when you're gone? People usually want to leave their mark on the world; many people have in the past. Elvis Presley is remembered as changing the world of music, Roger Bannister for changing the world of sport and Martin Luther King Jr for changing the world of politics forever. But what about you?
For some there are records to be re-written, for others business empires to be built, maybe fortunes to be made or awards to be won and new discoveries to be made. But again what about you?
Records will be broken, empires and wealth will fall, fortunes can be won or lost and newer and more exciting discoveries will be made - so what about you?
A legacy is purely something that is handed down, usually from generation to generation, so the question is what can we hand down? Or maybe put in a better phrase, "how can we be significant to another?"
Today's blog thought doesn't have a clever twist or message and isn't a short preach or bible study and I am not even going to try and answer my own question but to simply ask it one more time.
How will you be remembered? What will you pass on? How can you be significant to another?
What about you?
If death is a certainty, sorry to start on a sober note but it is certain, then how will you be remembered when you're gone? People usually want to leave their mark on the world; many people have in the past. Elvis Presley is remembered as changing the world of music, Roger Bannister for changing the world of sport and Martin Luther King Jr for changing the world of politics forever. But what about you?
For some there are records to be re-written, for others business empires to be built, maybe fortunes to be made or awards to be won and new discoveries to be made. But again what about you?
Records will be broken, empires and wealth will fall, fortunes can be won or lost and newer and more exciting discoveries will be made - so what about you?
A legacy is purely something that is handed down, usually from generation to generation, so the question is what can we hand down? Or maybe put in a better phrase, "how can we be significant to another?"
Today's blog thought doesn't have a clever twist or message and isn't a short preach or bible study and I am not even going to try and answer my own question but to simply ask it one more time.
How will you be remembered? What will you pass on? How can you be significant to another?
What about you?
Friday 4 March 2011
Unless you become like little children
Something very simple yet truly amazing happened at church a couple of weeks ago, its a very simple short story but one that I think holds a very clear message.
During our morning service message the kids are taken into the back room of the church for 'Junior church' where they learn the same lessons as the adults but in their own simpler ways.
Two Sunday's ago for the second week running one little boy, Jacob, tripped and cut his head on the corner of a book shelf. This was a normal child's accident that happens around homes and schools every day of the week. Whilst this kind of thing happens everyday with no damage at all on this occasion Jacob's head began to bleed.
There where two adults teaching the kids that morning, firstly his mum who held Jacob close and wondered what to do first and also Sarah who is a nurse. Sarah's training kicked in and she immediately ran to the first aid box whilst Jacob's mum started looking for some tissues.
Then the greatest, simplest, most natural thing in the world happened - both women turned back to Jacob, one clutching tissues and the other complaining that the first aid kit was out of date. They where greeted with the perfect view of about ten children, all of infant or primary school age, standing around Jacob praying for Jesus to heal his head. Wow! They hadn't been prompted or needed leading in prayers, this simply came naturally to them.
When life throws us a curve ball every now and again what do we do naturally? Panic, look for the solution, worry, get angry or seek help?
When Jesus said that we must become like children in order to get to Heaven I believe part of what he was saying was that we should act as naturally and trust as naturally as these ten kids did. Their natural response was to pray to the Jesus that we had all told them can answer their prayers.
Maybe we should do less tell and teaching the kids and instead let them teach us.
Have a great day.
God Bless
Chris
During our morning service message the kids are taken into the back room of the church for 'Junior church' where they learn the same lessons as the adults but in their own simpler ways.
Two Sunday's ago for the second week running one little boy, Jacob, tripped and cut his head on the corner of a book shelf. This was a normal child's accident that happens around homes and schools every day of the week. Whilst this kind of thing happens everyday with no damage at all on this occasion Jacob's head began to bleed.
There where two adults teaching the kids that morning, firstly his mum who held Jacob close and wondered what to do first and also Sarah who is a nurse. Sarah's training kicked in and she immediately ran to the first aid box whilst Jacob's mum started looking for some tissues.
Then the greatest, simplest, most natural thing in the world happened - both women turned back to Jacob, one clutching tissues and the other complaining that the first aid kit was out of date. They where greeted with the perfect view of about ten children, all of infant or primary school age, standing around Jacob praying for Jesus to heal his head. Wow! They hadn't been prompted or needed leading in prayers, this simply came naturally to them.
When life throws us a curve ball every now and again what do we do naturally? Panic, look for the solution, worry, get angry or seek help?
When Jesus said that we must become like children in order to get to Heaven I believe part of what he was saying was that we should act as naturally and trust as naturally as these ten kids did. Their natural response was to pray to the Jesus that we had all told them can answer their prayers.
Maybe we should do less tell and teaching the kids and instead let them teach us.
Have a great day.
God Bless
Chris
Thursday 10 February 2011
Generation Y?
I meet up with two guys from church most Friday nights for a drink and a chat about the week, life and what God is doing around us and also to have a laugh. The conversation usually meanders from anywhere between work, family issues, money and church life to the finer points of Nottingham Forest promotion chances. On our last meet up together we found ourselves talking about our children and their generation; what their lives would be like, what challenges they will face and the world they will grow up in.
Having been doing a little reading around this next generation, this was a really interesting and thought provoking conversation. Looking back over the last 60 years or so of history there have been several clearly marked generations - The first that springs to mind were the baby-boomer's who lived with a fresh hope after the end of the war and raised children born in the fifties and sixties with a sense of true optimism. The baby-boomer's grew and had families of their own bearing a generation born around the seventies and early eighties known as Generation X. These GenX kids who are now in their mid to late thirties have seen the world change and move away from Christian morals and undeerstandings.
We are now seeing their children sometimes labeled as Generation Y starting to have an impact of their own on the world in which we live. Children of the late nineties and 2000s are growing up as teenagers ready to step out into the world in many cases with no basic knowledge at all of Jesus, the Bible, the churches beliefs or any of the Gospel's truths.
It would be so easy to simply write off this generation, as some people do, as a lost cause and a waste of energy. But I would urge you please to pray for these kids and young adults as they are not only our future but also God's. Look at your children today, their friends and the kids you pass in the street - they are part of God's future. Who is going to lead our churches in ten, twenty or thirty years? Who is going to lead our Country, make our laws, lead companies and set policies in place?
Generation Y is going to need God in such a strong way; to stand strong against changing attitudes in a changing world. And they will only get to know God if we share His love with them now! Pray for God to make this generation into His Generation!!
Have a great day
God Bless
Chris
Thursday 20 January 2011
If the kids are united
This week is the churches together week of prayer for unity and is a week when we are supposed to be focused on unity in our churches throughout the country. As a church recently we have been focusing on community and how we can seek to serve those around us by trying to reach out and help where we can. It strikes me that the main thing missing from our community is in fact unity and the same could be said for so many other areas of life.
Our families, workplaces, communities, country and sadly also many of our churches often lack the unity that is so important and central to what they are supposed to be about. Human nature unfortunately has a tendency to put number one first before thinking about those around us.
The lyrics to the Sham 69 song which lends its title to my post for today say that if the kids are united then we'll never be divided. Now whilst this may not be the greatest song ever written its lyrics do in fact hold a great message. Any type of division that appears in our lives can almost always be traced back to a time when unity was broken in that situation.
When we are making decisions and having discussions that have the potential to upset unity I am always reminded of something I read a few years ago and have pinned on the notice board in my office. It reads something like "unless you are voting on the construction of nuclear bombs in your church cellar there are few decisions that could bring the end of the world but they could bring the end of presious friendships."
Whatever you are doing today try and keep a spirit of unity so that whatever we may fix or break today we don't mess up our relationships with each other.
Have a great day
God bless
Chris
Our families, workplaces, communities, country and sadly also many of our churches often lack the unity that is so important and central to what they are supposed to be about. Human nature unfortunately has a tendency to put number one first before thinking about those around us.
The lyrics to the Sham 69 song which lends its title to my post for today say that if the kids are united then we'll never be divided. Now whilst this may not be the greatest song ever written its lyrics do in fact hold a great message. Any type of division that appears in our lives can almost always be traced back to a time when unity was broken in that situation.
When we are making decisions and having discussions that have the potential to upset unity I am always reminded of something I read a few years ago and have pinned on the notice board in my office. It reads something like "unless you are voting on the construction of nuclear bombs in your church cellar there are few decisions that could bring the end of the world but they could bring the end of presious friendships."
Whatever you are doing today try and keep a spirit of unity so that whatever we may fix or break today we don't mess up our relationships with each other.
Have a great day
God bless
Chris
Friday 14 January 2011
What am I worth?
Continuing on from my thoughts a few days ago about giving I was in a meeting recently when someone asked the question "what are you worth"?
As I sit here right now at a rough calculation if I sold up everything: our house, car, computer, TV and all our stuff, paid off the mortgage then took the balance in cash I would not be worth that much. I found a website earlier that claims to value me as a person in monitory terms if I was to be put up for sale. This somehow values me as a person at about $1.6 million. So the next time someone says "you look like a million dollars" I can tell them not to under value me!
But in reality when we think about what we actually have and what we can use or give to other people, the talents and skills that we have are worth so much more than our possessions. The time we spend with people, the love we share with them - open ears, open hearts, open arms and even open doors are worth so much more than any things that we could ever give.
We are designed in God's image so we are worth and loved eternally more than we could ever hope to comprehend and therefore we have so much that we can give.
In answering what am I worth, maybe it could be measured not by what I have but by how much I am willing to share with others.
Have a great day.
God bless
Chris
As I sit here right now at a rough calculation if I sold up everything: our house, car, computer, TV and all our stuff, paid off the mortgage then took the balance in cash I would not be worth that much. I found a website earlier that claims to value me as a person in monitory terms if I was to be put up for sale. This somehow values me as a person at about $1.6 million. So the next time someone says "you look like a million dollars" I can tell them not to under value me!
But in reality when we think about what we actually have and what we can use or give to other people, the talents and skills that we have are worth so much more than our possessions. The time we spend with people, the love we share with them - open ears, open hearts, open arms and even open doors are worth so much more than any things that we could ever give.
We are designed in God's image so we are worth and loved eternally more than we could ever hope to comprehend and therefore we have so much that we can give.
In answering what am I worth, maybe it could be measured not by what I have but by how much I am willing to share with others.
Have a great day.
God bless
Chris
Monday 10 January 2011
Even a cup of cold water?
So as I start to prepare for the coming weekend my mind turns to this verse in Matthew (Matt 10:42) which talks about how we give. It follows a series of verses that explain some of God's kingdom values and talks about the reward that His followers can hope to receive in heaven. Then Jesus makes this whole thought process so very simple, saying if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of his followers; just a cup of water, just that - they will receive their own reward.
This would have been such a huge revelation to the people listening who lived under such strict rules about how they could earn their way into heaven. Jesus told them to forget about the laws, forget about earning their way to heaven, forget about buying their salvation. Simply give what they can and more than giving stuff to simply give their lives to Him and the rest wouldn't matter - the rules and money and duties.
Today God is saying again loud and clear that all He is asking for from us is to give ourselves to Him - to use as He sees fit. It doesn't matter how much we can give financially - God doesn't want your money, He wants you! He looks for the giver not the gift.
What He does want however is all of you - even down to your cup of cold water.
Have a great day.
God bless
Chris
This would have been such a huge revelation to the people listening who lived under such strict rules about how they could earn their way into heaven. Jesus told them to forget about the laws, forget about earning their way to heaven, forget about buying their salvation. Simply give what they can and more than giving stuff to simply give their lives to Him and the rest wouldn't matter - the rules and money and duties.
Today God is saying again loud and clear that all He is asking for from us is to give ourselves to Him - to use as He sees fit. It doesn't matter how much we can give financially - God doesn't want your money, He wants you! He looks for the giver not the gift.
What He does want however is all of you - even down to your cup of cold water.
Have a great day.
God bless
Chris
Thursday 6 January 2011
Epiphany
This week on Thursday the day that we mark as Epiphany passed by quite quietly without much few or any kind of fan fare. I don't remember hearing it mentioned on the radio and it certainly didn't make the evening news or daily papers in any major way. I am sure that in a select number of churches it was marked, mainly by our Anglican friends, but on the whole Epiphany simply passed us by.
I think in a way this is quiet sad as Epiphany could be such a great time but other than to mark the day that your Christmas tree should come down it means very little to most. As I understand as well as marking the twelfth day of Christmas it is also celebrated as the day that the wise men, or Magi, visited the baby Jesus.
But it speaks of so much more, an epiphany is a realisation or a time when something is revealed, and when the magi visited the baby Jesus they revealed something very special. They bought along with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh the greatest of gifts - the revelation that this little baby was Christ the Son of God who had come to save the world.
They first had that amazing epiphany over 2000 years ago but the great news is that the gift God gave in his Son is still available to everyone of us today. Why not start 2011 with looking into an epiphany of your own - don't take my word for it but maybe do a little research. Open up a bible and read about this Jesus for yourself or pop along to your local church and check out what they have to say about this very special baby given as a bonus extra gift uniquely for you.
Have a great day.
May God truly bless you
Chris
If you want any further information about this special gift to you please get in touch.
I think in a way this is quiet sad as Epiphany could be such a great time but other than to mark the day that your Christmas tree should come down it means very little to most. As I understand as well as marking the twelfth day of Christmas it is also celebrated as the day that the wise men, or Magi, visited the baby Jesus.
But it speaks of so much more, an epiphany is a realisation or a time when something is revealed, and when the magi visited the baby Jesus they revealed something very special. They bought along with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh the greatest of gifts - the revelation that this little baby was Christ the Son of God who had come to save the world.
They first had that amazing epiphany over 2000 years ago but the great news is that the gift God gave in his Son is still available to everyone of us today. Why not start 2011 with looking into an epiphany of your own - don't take my word for it but maybe do a little research. Open up a bible and read about this Jesus for yourself or pop along to your local church and check out what they have to say about this very special baby given as a bonus extra gift uniquely for you.
Have a great day.
May God truly bless you
Chris
If you want any further information about this special gift to you please get in touch.
Bi-Directional Communication
When installing a printer or scanner to a computer it is often necessary to tick an option labeled enable bi-directional communication. Once ticked this allows information not just to be sent to the printer or scanner but also for the device to send information back to the computer.
I was in a very interesting meeting Wednesday night discussing in part how some of our church meetings are structured and how we approach prayer during these times. One of the main ideas that came out of that meeting is that we don't often give opportunities for our communication with God to be bi-directional. We often approach prayer as spending time talking to God and rarely give time for God to respond and talk back to us.
This is something which as a leadership team and a church body we are trying to address and take a fresh look at how we approach our prayer times. We hope to build in much greater opportunities for reflection and to give over time to God when we simply listen. God is able to speak to us in many ways; through his word in the bible, through preaching, through each other, through song words and many other form of media. But it is when God speaks to us in that still small voice, in the quiet whisper to our souls that we so often miss because there is simply too much else going on or we are too busy talking to hear.
Have a great day.
May God truly bless you today.
Chris
I was in a very interesting meeting Wednesday night discussing in part how some of our church meetings are structured and how we approach prayer during these times. One of the main ideas that came out of that meeting is that we don't often give opportunities for our communication with God to be bi-directional. We often approach prayer as spending time talking to God and rarely give time for God to respond and talk back to us.
This is something which as a leadership team and a church body we are trying to address and take a fresh look at how we approach our prayer times. We hope to build in much greater opportunities for reflection and to give over time to God when we simply listen. God is able to speak to us in many ways; through his word in the bible, through preaching, through each other, through song words and many other form of media. But it is when God speaks to us in that still small voice, in the quiet whisper to our souls that we so often miss because there is simply too much else going on or we are too busy talking to hear.
Have a great day.
May God truly bless you today.
Chris
Happy new year
As you may have noticed, this blog hasn't been updated to often and I could make a new year's resolution to try harder to do better in the future. But the sad truth is that most (some say as many as 88%) of new year's resolutions fail before the end of January.
The top ten resolutions has been compiled with the usual suspects of getting fit, loosing wait, quiting smoking
or drinking all being high on the list. It appears that every January a large number of us make an attempt to change our lives in some way for the better but most people fail to follow this through.
As a church at the moment we are focusing on the early church described in Acts 2 and trying to get to grips with ideas as to why they where so successful as a church. One of the first points that we have recognised is that they devoted themselves to prayer, the word, communion and fellowship. The key word there I think is devoted - they didn't just try something for a bit and give it a go - they devoted themselves.
As we stand looking a new year in the face whatever we want to change in life, we need to share that same sense of devotion. To simply give something a shot is never going to be good enough without we are devoted to truly seeing that change through.
As a church we are focusing on our prayer life and asking 'how we can become more devoted'? At times we all need to make changes in life, but these will never see success unless we are devoted to that change.
I pray that we will all trust in God enough to be devoted to seeing through the necessary changes in our lives.
The top ten resolutions has been compiled with the usual suspects of getting fit, loosing wait, quiting smoking
or drinking all being high on the list. It appears that every January a large number of us make an attempt to change our lives in some way for the better but most people fail to follow this through.
As a church at the moment we are focusing on the early church described in Acts 2 and trying to get to grips with ideas as to why they where so successful as a church. One of the first points that we have recognised is that they devoted themselves to prayer, the word, communion and fellowship. The key word there I think is devoted - they didn't just try something for a bit and give it a go - they devoted themselves.
As we stand looking a new year in the face whatever we want to change in life, we need to share that same sense of devotion. To simply give something a shot is never going to be good enough without we are devoted to truly seeing that change through.
As a church we are focusing on our prayer life and asking 'how we can become more devoted'? At times we all need to make changes in life, but these will never see success unless we are devoted to that change.
I pray that we will all trust in God enough to be devoted to seeing through the necessary changes in our lives.
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