On the video bar down the side of this blog I have set the song 'You Never Let Go' by Matt Redman. It is a great song and one I find myself singing to myself during the week, it has some basic truths in it that really inspire and comfort me, mainly that whatever I am going through, God has promised to never leave me nor forsake me, never, ever, no matter what hole I find myself in, or put myself in, no matter how much I get caught up in what I am doing and forget Him, He will never forget me.
I love the fact that in the middle of this song, is a battlecry 'And I will fear no evil, for my God is with me, and if my God is with me, who then shall I fear? Speak that into every situation, it is true.
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Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
A good book
One of my favourite books is 'Loving the God who Loves You' by Floyd McClung, a book full of some real truths to really grasp.
The other day at work I quoted him, this was the quote;
'It is Jesus who came to bridge that great chasm. Religion is man's way of searching for God, but Jesus is God's way of searching for man.'
Love it.
The other day at work I quoted him, this was the quote;
'It is Jesus who came to bridge that great chasm. Religion is man's way of searching for God, but Jesus is God's way of searching for man.'
Love it.
Saturday, 23 July 2011
Something to share
Just felt I really wanted to share this, been on my mind, it is the beatitudes, from Matthew 5, this is from the Message paraphrase.
"3'You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
4'You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
5'You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.
6'You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.
7'You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.
8'You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
9'You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.
10'You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.
11-12'Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble."
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"3'You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
4'You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
5'You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.
6'You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.
7'You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.
8'You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
9'You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.
10'You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.
11-12'Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble."
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Sunday, 17 July 2011
Something Older
When speaking last year, I used this analogy,
I was watching a football match about six years ago, between a certain liverpool F.C. and one A.C.Milan. At half time, Liverpool, the team I have followed since a small child were 3-0 down in the final of the European Champions Leaugue Final. It was easy to give up, it was hard to see any way back, any chance of Liverpool being able to contribute, to even be in the game, let alone a chance of them coming back and winning. Some believed, had faith and when the players came out for the second half, it was the Anfield anthem, 'You'll never walk alone' that was being sung. Liverpool went on to win, in the most dramatic fashion, scoring three and taking it past extra time to win on penalties.
In life, we often view things at half time, at the point when we are three nil down. I believe that God is sovereign, knows and rules over all, and he knows the full time score, there is no situation that is too dire or too far gone, redemption is open to all and all those situations can be turned around, every one, don't give up, when all is said and done, before we even get to extra time and penalties. Jesus has already won.
I was watching a football match about six years ago, between a certain liverpool F.C. and one A.C.Milan. At half time, Liverpool, the team I have followed since a small child were 3-0 down in the final of the European Champions Leaugue Final. It was easy to give up, it was hard to see any way back, any chance of Liverpool being able to contribute, to even be in the game, let alone a chance of them coming back and winning. Some believed, had faith and when the players came out for the second half, it was the Anfield anthem, 'You'll never walk alone' that was being sung. Liverpool went on to win, in the most dramatic fashion, scoring three and taking it past extra time to win on penalties.
In life, we often view things at half time, at the point when we are three nil down. I believe that God is sovereign, knows and rules over all, and he knows the full time score, there is no situation that is too dire or too far gone, redemption is open to all and all those situations can be turned around, every one, don't give up, when all is said and done, before we even get to extra time and penalties. Jesus has already won.
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Moods
Time is going so quickly, I am an horrendous blogger. I am also aware that I am constantly saying that I am busy or tired, I have time I probably don't use well enough and I do get tired but it is not an excuse for behaviour or not doing something, I am getting to the point now where if I say I am tired, I feel like I have just swore or something, because the next thing that will come out of my mouth will be an excuse for that, or me saying I'm tired will be the excuse for something else.
I need to eat healthier and exercise more frequently, sorry, let me be honest, I need to start exercising, I have a lot on, but it is all manageable, and it is great to be alive in so much, I have spent so much of my life doing nothing, sat in front of a tv, drunk, every night, dreaming on what ifs. Now I don't mind having a beer and watching a bit of telly, but I do not want that to be my life and for so long it was. I am now busy in other things, which is not the thing that drives me, but I want to be able to do, and yet I have so many bad habits still, that seem to affect my moods and fatigue and these are mainly lifestyle choices that I need to get a grip on.
My lifestyle probably needs a bit of a health check and I could do with a break, which fortunately, this month, we all will have, it will be nice to recharge and a good oppurtunity when we come back to start behaving a bit healthier.
I need to eat healthier and exercise more frequently, sorry, let me be honest, I need to start exercising, I have a lot on, but it is all manageable, and it is great to be alive in so much, I have spent so much of my life doing nothing, sat in front of a tv, drunk, every night, dreaming on what ifs. Now I don't mind having a beer and watching a bit of telly, but I do not want that to be my life and for so long it was. I am now busy in other things, which is not the thing that drives me, but I want to be able to do, and yet I have so many bad habits still, that seem to affect my moods and fatigue and these are mainly lifestyle choices that I need to get a grip on.
My lifestyle probably needs a bit of a health check and I could do with a break, which fortunately, this month, we all will have, it will be nice to recharge and a good oppurtunity when we come back to start behaving a bit healthier.
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Ask, Seek, Knock
I am not keeping up with this blogging very well, oh well. Still getting there, always getting there. Things are good, learning to be contented in the now, and I have a lot to be content about, I suppose it is harder to be content when all is not right in the world.
There is this thing going round in my head right now, it is from mathew chapter 7, verse 7, it keeps on coming up, so I am going to share it here and other places and also look into where it is relevant in my life;
'Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.'
I have chased so much in my life which has led to nothing. I know that the life I lead now, is so much more and I know that I am learning to live in freedom and run in this new life I have, and when I go through things which are hard, which I do, Jesus is with me, and the things I go through are turning me into something new, it is good.
Ask, seek, knock.
There is this thing going round in my head right now, it is from mathew chapter 7, verse 7, it keeps on coming up, so I am going to share it here and other places and also look into where it is relevant in my life;
'Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.'
I have chased so much in my life which has led to nothing. I know that the life I lead now, is so much more and I know that I am learning to live in freedom and run in this new life I have, and when I go through things which are hard, which I do, Jesus is with me, and the things I go through are turning me into something new, it is good.
Ask, seek, knock.
Monday, 21 March 2011
Issues
Everyone seems to have issues, the carrying of baggage, for a lifetime, or just the simple sulk for a little while. It seems so easy to pick things up and not put them down again, I was reading something recently, which really struck at the core of why so many issues, arguments and moods happen.
An awful lot of things are down to expectations and desires and when the expectation or desire is not met, or not met in the way we wanted it, we have can, worms, everywhere.
So many things in my life, so many pieces of pain, arguments and frustrations, have happened due to these reasons, generally, I did not get my own way.
It is so easy to talk about 'my' rights and what 'I' deserve and it happens to often that there is a motive in conversations or arguments, to be justified, to be right, to get what I deserve or what I want.
If I got what I deserved, I would be in serious trouble, in general, there is too much of my desire and what I want, caught up in how I express myself, it is not what I am called to be.
Jesus asked me to deny myself, to lift up the cross daily and follow Him, that means, putting everything down when I pick that cross up.
An awful lot of things are down to expectations and desires and when the expectation or desire is not met, or not met in the way we wanted it, we have can, worms, everywhere.
So many things in my life, so many pieces of pain, arguments and frustrations, have happened due to these reasons, generally, I did not get my own way.
It is so easy to talk about 'my' rights and what 'I' deserve and it happens to often that there is a motive in conversations or arguments, to be justified, to be right, to get what I deserve or what I want.
If I got what I deserved, I would be in serious trouble, in general, there is too much of my desire and what I want, caught up in how I express myself, it is not what I am called to be.
Jesus asked me to deny myself, to lift up the cross daily and follow Him, that means, putting everything down when I pick that cross up.
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