 
Frank

By Connie Barrett

Copyright 2013 Connie Barrett

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Frank

Before you can be honest with God you have to be honest with yourself.

Arms wide open

"I am with you to protect and rescue you. I, the Lord, have spoken!" (Jeremiah 15:20 NLT)

God stoops. He bends down, listening to every word we whisper. He picks us up when we fall down. God on High gets down in the dirt, alongside us in our suffering and shame. He's not deaf to our despair; He's never out of ear-shot. Our God is not blind to our needs, "The Lord himself watches over you!" (Psalm 121:5 NLT). He never takes His eyes off His people, His prize. He sees our every struggle and flies across the skies to comfort us, He "rides the ancient skies above" (Psalm 68:33 NIV) watching over us. Our God comes to our aid whenever we need Him the most, "I am with you. I will rescue you and save you," says the Lord" (Jeremiah 15:20 NCV). Our Lord God is responsive, He hears our every cry. He's here for us before we know it.

Our God never relaxes His hold on us, "your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast" (Psalm 139:10 NIV). He never turns His back on His beloved, "The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him" (Deuteronomy 33:12 Amplified). He stands with arms wide open when we run to Him. When we come to our Father empty-handed He beckons us to come close, open-handed. "You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing with favour" (Psalm 145:16 Amplified); He doesn't reserve anything from those He loves. He gives, and He gives generously, "we all live off His generous bounty, gift after gift after gift" (John 1:16 MSG). We're laden down with His love!

God gives, when we don't deserve. If I slaved away my whole life long I still couldn't earn any of it. We all know what we really deserve. We deserve to be His slaves. But God chooses to call us His kids, "so now you are not a slave; you are God's child, and God will give you the blessing he promised, because you are his child" (Galatians 4:7 NCV). We deserve to die, but God gives us abundant life, "I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)" (John 10:10 Amplified). We deserve to be left out in the cold, but God gathers us close. We deserve to go to hell, but God promises us a place in Heaven. We deserve little more than crumbs, but God throws us a party and we feast at His table.

When we think of the words "unworthy" or "worthless" quite often someone comes to mind. Very rarely is that someone ourselves. Luke 7:36-50 tells a story about a harlot. Read the passage to refresh your memory. A Pharisee invited Jesus around for food when the town harlot turned up uninvited. She "came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume" (Luke 7:38-39 MSG). Jesus withdrew her debt and forgave her freely. Simon the Pharisee was disgusted; he knew that this woman was unworthy. The thing that set her apart was that she knew it, whereas Simon didn't. We should see our sin for what it really is. We shouldn't try and mask the ugliness of our sin; we should see ourselves for who we really are. There's no doubt about it; we are unworthy. We just have to admit it. It's then that God welcomes us with arms wide open.

Think upon these things...

Just think how He redeems the unworthy! I've scribbled down some of my thoughts. I suggest you do the same. To get you started why don't you have a wee read again, underlining everything that He's done for us. Then why don't you carry it on... what has God done for you? Write a list, just like I've done below...

God on High

Gets down in the dirt,

He gets alongside us in our suffering.

Our God sees us in our struggle

And shares in our shame.

God on high

Bends His ear to hear our every cry,

He's not hard of hearing

Or blind to our needs,

He's responsive and willing.

Willing to redeem.

God on High

Redeems the unworthy.

He stoops, and He saves.

Tuning in

"A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn't in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper." (1 Kings 19:11-12 MSG)

The story of the Lord appearing to Elijah has got to be one of my all-time favourites. Read it for yourself. It's found in 1 Kings 19:9-13. I love the way God communicates with us. You would expect God to thunder wouldn't you? The last thing you'd expect God to do would be to whisper. When in fact, this is exactly what He does! This is how He grabs our attention. He speaks into the silence, as softly as He can.

Unfortunately God's still small voice can be drowned out these days. Pray that you would become sensitive to His whisperings. You have to train your ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. In today's reading you can see that God gave Elijah a word, but it wasn't in the wind. It wasn't in the earthquake either. God wasn't found in the fire, but in "a gentle whisper" (1 Kings 19:12 NIV). It's so easy to drown Him out. I'm often guilty of this. Once I was sitting watching the telly and God spoke to me in a whisper. I didn't recognise His voice and I didn't respond. It was several weeks later that I realised He had been talking to me!

Here's a story to illustrate my point. My dog, Peggy-Sue, has a stubborn streak in her. She's as blind as a bat but she's in denial of the fact. One day when I was walking Peggy across our fields she wouldn't come when I called. I had had enough and wanted to go home, but Peggy decided to run the other way (probably on purpose, seeing that she's so stubborn). I was yelling at her like crazy, "Peggy! You may be blind but you're NOT deaf!" That's when the Spirit gave me a nudge; nothing more, just a nudge. My outburst really spoke to me. We too may be blind to the invisible but we're not deaf to the inaudible, believe it or not. We may not be able to see God in all His glory, but we can hear His voice speaking to us softly in the silence.

I used to hear God so much more in days gone by, but not so much now. Why, you wonder? Because I hate silence, I can't stand it. I won't sit in it any longer that I have to. I get really fidgety and awkward, even in God's Presence. I always feel that I have to pray out loud, which is so wrong. Even at a prayer-room recently I could barely stand being alone. My prayers flowed so much more when one or two where with me. The reason I struggle so much to pray into myself is because I can't stand the stillness. Back in the olden-days, before I had an I-pod, I could pick up on His whisperings so much easier. Now, well, He has my music to compete with. Even in the car there's a war within me. Do I turn on Radio One or do I sit in the silence and invite God in? Unfortunately it can go either way.

A word from the not-so-wise- don't try to fill every void. Leave some silence for God to speak into. I've started to switch off my I-pod when I go for a stroll, put down my book every once in a while, and turn down the TV. It's my way of trying to tell God that I'm open. I'm tuning in to His music instead of mine. I suggest you do the same. When you tune in to what God has to say you're getting the message out loud and clear that you're choosing Him above all else. Don't put a silencer on what God has to say. Give God back His voice.

Think upon these things...

If we have our own music blaring how do we expect to hear God's song over it? Turn off that telly, switch off your phone, and don't you dare pick up that I-pod! Limit your use, and listen up!

Heart-cry...

Dear Jesus, I'm praying that Your Spirit would speak volumes. I'm open to your leading, I'm listening out for You...

The unseen is eternal

"Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)--[which will bring you] unto life eternal." (Jude 1:21 Amplified)

If you take Heaven out of the Bible, the rest of its message is without meaning. If you think about it, what else would we be working towards? If Heaven is a land of make-believe, a tall tale Jesus told to keep us quiet, then there's nothing left to live for. But thank God that Jesus was a man of His word, one day everyone who is found to be in Him will walk through Heaven's gateway and be able to call it Home. Thank God that the grave leads to a new beginning, life outlasts the grave. Take confidence in the fact that God has prepared a Home for all who love Him. That's a promise, there's no question about it.

Now, we know that God will bring everything that is unseen into existence, what God has chosen to conceal will one day be revealed! 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) says it straight, "so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." It's fair to say that our "invisible" works will one day be plain to see. This is why we have to live with infinity in the forefront of our minds. Whether we like it or not each and every one of us leaves a living legacy behind.

One day we will have to give an account to the all-seeing and all-knowing God. Before the Judgement Seat of Christ we will have to give an account of every secret sin, be it in word or in works. You can't ignore the fact that you can't run from your past. If you didn't confess Christ or serve Him with your time, attention and talents you'll have some explaining to do on that day! Here's a frightening thought, "nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13 NIV).

Ask yourself?

Are you living with infinity in the forefront of your mind? What have you done for Jesus today? Have you been giving Him your time, attention and talents?

You can go through life trying to ignore it, but we're all held accountable to the Almighty. Every secret sin will be out there for all to see. We won't be able to justify our actions anymore. When we try to turn a blind eye, never forget that nothing has escaped the attention of the all-seeing God. This is what God has to say. "I am watching them closely, and I see every sin. They cannot hope to hide from me" (Jeremiah 16:17 NLT). I will echo it, you can't hope to hide from Him, so it looks like you'll have to face up to the fact.

Now I'm not saying all this stuff so as to depress you. Rather I hope and pray it spurs you on to do greater things for God! Why does it matter so much to me? When I stand before God I want to be able to stand tall, knowing that I ran this race without holding back an inch of myself. I want to give Jesus my all instead of some lame attempt at this life. Your popularity and pay-packet won't get you through those Gates. Knowing and loving Jesus is the only thing that comes into the equation. I've said it before and I'll say it again. The unseen is eternal. Everything else will come to nothing. Everything that is short-term will be short-lived. So why don't you leave a legacy of love behind? After all, it's the only thing that will outlast this life-time.

Ask yourself?

We're to leave a legacy of love behind. Jesus did, and we all know that we're to live by His example! Always remember that the unseen is eternal. Every day we have here on earth should count for the Kingdom. Ask yourself this- if you were to die today and look back over your life could you honestly say that you spent it well? Is it time to make a change?

Heart-cry...

Eternal Father, help me to never forget that the unseen is eternal. It's all that truly matters both now and for all of eternity. A half-hearted attempt at this life is not enough, You demand my all, and with Your help I intend to give it...

Stone-cold Christians

Are you a stone-cold Christian? Have you a cold and callused heart? Sometimes we have to take a long hard look at ourselves to see ourselves for who we really are. Take some time today to search your soul and see if you've left your first Love, Jesus. I don't know about you but I believe that our Church is full of stone-cold Christians who've left their love long ago. And, even worse, they're unaware of it. They think they're following in Jesus footsteps when they obviously aren't. But because they've been blinded to their spiritual state they can't see the truth; they need to change. Ask yourself this, are you one of them?

Think upon these things...

When our school's Scripture Union committee was doing some training Rick Hill encouraged us to put ourselves through a spiritual MOT. I suggest you do the same! Put yourself under the microscope so to speak. Right now use the Word to weigh yourself up... Read Matthew 23:1-31 and see if you can spot where the religious leaders went wrong? Are you guilty of the same mistakes?

Take this test to see if you've lost your love for the Lord. Are you into habitual rituals? All too often lukewarm lovers replace their relationship with Jesus with rigorous religion. You would think that when a Christian goes cold they leave the Church, but this isn't always the case. Some carrying on 'serving' in spite of it, because they want to maintain their reputation. Do you go with the flow? Stone-cold Christians are people-pleasers first and foremost; they care far more about what others think instead of God's decree.

Ask yourself?

Have you replaced your relationship with Jesus with nothing more than religion? Do you serve out of love, or nothing more than a sense of loyalty?

Keep on questioning yourself... Do you share your Saviour with those around you? Stone-cold Christians are both careful and cautious. They aren't "risky" in their religion. Do you compare yourself to Christ? Lukewarm Christians compare themselves to anyone and everyone except Jesus because they know they don't imitate Him. Or, if you really want you could learn the hard way and hear God say, "I hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love" (Revelation 2:4 NIV). It's your choice. You can either own up to it now or end up paying for it for all of eternity.

Are you a gluttonous giver? Do you give out of your greed, expecting a pay-back for your pay-packet? Read Mark 12:41-44 before you go any further. It tells the story of the widows offering. The rich gave out of their wealth and Jesus found it less than impressive. Why? Because they gave out of their gluttony. Something that bugs the life out of me is that we give God strict boundaries to work within. When God told us to tithe a tenth He didn't mean that was tops! And when you give, give for His glory; don't expect to reap a reward on this earth. Getting back on track, here's another question. Do your sins upset you? Sin doesn't bother stone-cold Christians one bit because they're flexible in their faith, they allow themselves leeway. Our sins grieve God so we should take them seriously. If you're wondering why just think about it. Our sins sent His Son to carry our cross. Sin is serious business that must be dealt with.

Here's another one for you. Do you limit your love? Some lukewarm lovers give God strict boundaries to work within. An inch over it is unreasonable of God to ask, in their eyes. Do you love yourself more than your Lord? If Jesus takes second place you've got a problem. In Deuteronomy 6:5 we're given the commandment to love God heart and soul. If you've been honest in answering the questions I threw at you and you've owned up to being cold, here's what you have to do. Say sorry, and make a change. God will get to work, "the LORD your God will circumcise your hearts... so that you may love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live" (Deuteronomy 30:6 NIV). When you hand over your cold and callused heart God will "give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you... take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV).

Heart-cry...

Heavenly Father, after examining myself I can see that my heart isn't always wholly after You. I can see that sometimes I'm cold and uncaring. Help me to take my sin seriously and make a change. Take this cold and callused heart from me and give me a heart wholly devoted to You in place of it...

Role-reversal

"The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day" (Isaiah 2:17 NIV)

The Sovereign comes before the servant. We're all well aware of it, so why can't we accept it? Why can't we get on with our job and let God do His? I'm awful at this. I try and take control, taking over the Throne. Being lord of my life is never as fun as I think it is though, because when you shove God off to the side things don't go quite so smoothly. Lesson learnt? We should stop playing role-reversal!

Ask yourself?

Are you ever tempted to take control? Pride is the root cause of this. In what ways can you be made more humble?

Role-reversal isn't uncommon. Summing it up, it's basically where we try and climb, competing with God. We try and step into His shoes and weasel our way into His role. Sometimes I catch myself at this. I think I'm so superior. There I am thinking to myself how great I am and what a great job I've done, when I realise I've stepped up a rung. There I go again, going up in my own eyes. God always brings me down with a bump. Here's what He warns, "no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him" (John 13:16 NIV). It hurts at the time but it's what I know I need to hear.

Think upon these things...

Even though role-reversal appears to be a small sin it can do serious damage. Guard yourself against it.

Luke 18 should set off an alarm bell in your head even though it subtly talks about God's Sovereignty. Jesus narrates the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, "two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!" (Luke 18:10-13 NKJV).

It's quite a contrast isn't it?! One worshipped self while the other worshipped the Sovereign. My first thought was what an idiot the Pharisee is. Then I realised that I share his story, I too praise myself instead of giving all the glory to God. Jesus justified the tax collector, saying that he who humbled himself will be exalted. Let it be a lesson to us.

Bible-bones:

Read over Luke 18:9-14. Pay attention to verse 9, "He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves and were confident that they were righteous [that they were upright and in right standing with God] and scorned and made nothing of all the rest of men." Jesus was talking to the religious who thought they were righteous. As you read over the passage answer these questions:

In what attitude did the Pharisee come before God?

Compare this to how the tax collector approached the Most High.

Which man was justified, and why?

This one takes a bit of thought. What are the differences between being religious and being righteous?

Here's one that will put you in your place. Whose shoes do you stand in? The Pharisees, or the tax collectors?

Here's what this all adds up to; there's only room enough for one on the Throne. Don't let self stand in the way of God. When you're so full of yourself you aren't leaving any room for God to work in your life. We have to shift from self-centredness! If we don't, God will bring us down. "The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of man humbled" (Isaiah 2:17 NIV). Listen to what comes next: - "The Lord alone will be exalted in that day" (Isaiah 2:17 NIV). We'll be humbled on Judgment day so we should accept it now and apply it to our lives. Only one can rule, so who's it going to be? The Sovereign or the servant?

Ask yourself?

Are you guilty of the same sin? Be careful not to set yourself up on a man-made platform. God is our foundation so He'll be forced to bring you down if you've raised yourself up.

Heart-cry...

God on High, I admit that sometimes I try to take control. Right here, right now, I'm accepting that You're Sovereign and I'm Your servant. Help me to accept Your rule, whatever that may be...

Defining the Divinity

Bible-bones:

As an opening, turn to Psalm 145 and read it from start to finish. Read and re-read it. Make a note of all the characteristics of God. Use the free space to write away...

You can't define the Divinity. You can't put God in a box because He will only break free from it. God pushes back the boundaries. Something my eyes were opened to when we were doing our devotions at a Scripture Union mission was that I try to "pack and parcel" God. We were reading through Psalm 145 and I realised that I try to understand Him when He's too much to take in. He's indefinite and unknown at times so why can't I just accept that my praise is never enough?

I hope you've done your homework! Here's my list... He's worthy of our praise, "I WILL extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever [with grateful, affectionate praise]. (Psalm 145:1 Amplified). Our God is Great, we can never praise Him enough, "His greatness is [so vast and deep as to be] unsearchable." (Psalm 145:3 Amplified).

Our God is Good, "God is good to one and all; everything he does is suffused with grace" (Psalm 145:9 MSG). And again, "You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation" (Psalm 145:9 CEV). Our God nurtures nature. All you have to do is look out the window and see how our Creator has hand-crafted creation.

Praise Him; for He satisfies and sustains us, "You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing" (Psalm 145:16 NKJV). "The eyes of all wait for You [looking, watching, and expecting] and You give them their food in due season" (Psalm 145:15 Amplified). Our God, who birthed us and gave us our very first breath, will continue to provide for us and protect us for all of eternity.

Here's another thing, "The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love" (Psalm 145:8 NIV). God is all about grace. He's more than generous when it comes to this gift, He pours it upon us. The God of the second-chance, that's my Father! There's no-one as forgiving as Him! "They shall pour forth [like a fountain] the fame of Your great and abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of Your rightness and justice" (Psalm 145:7 Amplified). Sing it out!

I love this. "The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down" (Psalm 145: 14 NIV). When I trip up and fall flat on my face, God picks me up, dusts me off and sets me on my feet once again. "When someone stumbles or falls, you give a helping hand" (Psalm 145:14 CEV). Beautiful, isn't it? God stoops when we stumble. And when it all gets too much, He carries us.

His Kingdom is everlasting, it's eternal, "Your dominion endures through all generations" (Psalm 145:13 NIV). The Message rewords it, "You never get voted out of office" (Psalm 145:13 TM). Our King of kings and Lord of lords will never abdicate His throne. He will never stand down and it will never be taken from Him because no-one else is up for the job. No-one is big enough to fill His boots! God has, and always will, rule us as Sovereign. He is Lord of all and Lord over all.

"The Lord is faithful" (Psalm 145:6 NIV). He keeps His promises. When He says He will do something, it's as good as done. When He says He will answer, you had better listen up! When He says He will see you through your troubles, look up! And when He says that He will give you the strength to endure you had better live up to it! "The Lord will keep all his promises; he is loyal to all he has made" (Psalm 145:13 NCV).

He is our Answer. "He listens when they cry, and he saves them" (Psalm 145:19 NCV). When He hears of our trouble He responds and rescues us. "The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth" (Psalm 145:18 NLT). He is active, and attentive to our every need. He is watchful and waiting. When He sees us reaching out to Him He gathers us in His arms and holds us close. He is our Answer in Himself.

Don't try and squeeze God into a mould; it can't contain Him. You can't define the Divinity, it's an impossibility...

Heart-cry...

Father, I thank You that even though we may not be able to understand everything about You we know this much: You are all we need...

Fat-heads

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16 CEV)

Ask yourself?

What is the purpose of light? What does light bring? Jot down everything you can think of, think it through. Also, what imagery comes to mind?

Being blunt, Christians are such fat-heads. What do I mean by that? I'd better explain myself. We know so much about the Good News but we keep it to ourselves. We store it up without acting it out. Imagine this. A cartoon character with an abnormally large head on a scrawny body. That's what a fat-head looks like- their heads are exploding with the Gospel of Jesus yet they keep it in; they keep it to themselves. And because fat-heads don't exercise it they don't develop. There's no muscle to their message.

Ask yourself?

Is there any muscle to your message? Do you exercise your faith? If you don't exercise it then there's no evidence of it. So, I'll ask it again- is there any muscle to your message?

Our heads should not outsize our hearts; they should be in proportion. There has to be a balance. The more we know, the more we should show it. As we become built up in our faith we should grow by exercising our strengths in service. Our heads are exploding with the Message yet we're holding it in. And we have no reason to. We have no excuse to not share it and shout it from the rooftops! Luke 11:33 (NIV) sheds a little light; "no one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light." This is what we have to do- spread a little light; if you don't you will only end up snuffing it out. If you don't exercise your faith it will be the end of it.

I can't over-emphasise this. We can't keep the Message to ourselves. God has called us to spread the Message, not store it up for ourselves. Squirreling it away isn't going to do much good; there is more than enough to go around. The Gospel is food enough for all. If we don't share our Salvation we will have God to answer to on Judgement Day. We can't keep our Saviour silent; we have to allow Him to speak through us. So, why don't we work our faith out? If we say we know Jesus but we don't share Him it's a complete contradiction. Knowing is not enough. It's our Salvation that saves us, and our service that shows it.

Bible-bones:

I love what The Message brings out in Matthew 5:14-16... Attack it with ink. If anything jumps out at you, highlight it! "Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

Think upon these things...

Write down a few ways in which you can 'preach' through reaching out... always remember to "Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world" (Mark 16:15 CEV), whether it be in word or in works. This is our commission, go and answer your call!

One-on-One

Bible-bones:

What can you learn from Matthew 26:36-39? Can you see the strength that can be found in seclusion? It was Jesus' private prayers that spurred Him on, these prayers empowered Him to endure the cross.

Let's take a look at Jesus' prayer-life. Where did most of His prayers take place? I honestly don't think that most of Jesus' prayers were in public even though we have some greats such as The Lord's Prayer recorded for us. I'd say that most of His praying was in private. I can imagine Jesus' disciples trying to track Him down and ending up climbing the countryside looking for Him. Jesus took every opportunity to get alone with God. We should do likewise.

Just think, before and after so many of the miracles that are recorded in the Gospels you can clearly see that Jesus had withdrawn to a secluded place in which to pray. In John 6 it records the feeding of the five thousand, and immediately after it He withdrew to a mountain to be by Himself. In Luke 6 it tells us that the day before Jesus chose His disciples He climbed a mountain and spent the night in prayer. Just before Peter confessed Christ, the disciples found Jesus praying alone, and just after the crowds were about to take Jesus by force and crown Him King He left for the mountainside to be alone with God. As Jesus' climbed physical peaks He also conquered spiritual battles.

I know that we can pray to God anytime, anywhere and any place but I can see the sense in finding a prayer-pod, or a prayer hot-spot if you'd rather call it that. I love prayer-pods. Everyone should have one. They come in different shapes and sizes but in a way they're all the same. You don't have a clue what I'm on about, do you? A prayer-pod is a place where you go to meet God. It allows you the privacy to pray. And the best thing is that there's only room enough for two, you and God alone. Even though it may be a new name it's an old idea, just think of Jesus. He used to go to Gethsemane to talk to His Father. Same goes for us; if we ever want a word with our Father-God we should accept the invitation and make an appointment for some one-on-One.

I'd say you're wondering where mine is? I have a portable prayer-pod; it's on the road, in my car. I find it's the easiest place to pray when it's just me and Jesus. I very rarely run out of things to say because I have the space to express myself. Maybe you're a bit like me, you find it much easier to pray out loud but at the same time you get a bit paranoid. If I don't feel save I spend half my prayer time looking round me to see if anyone is eavesdropping into our private conversation. It doesn't exactly help focus my attention on Jesus, does it? This is why I love my car so much. Knowing that no-one else is within earshot helps me open up.

Oh, I nearly forgot! Prayer-POD stands for something. It explains why we should pray in private. A simple way to sum it up would be: Presence, Obedience and Discipline. I have to say that God's Presence is powerful. Some of the most intimate times I've ever had in prayer have been when I've been in a pod. As you act in obedience and practice discipline, praying becomes second-nature. Sometimes you may even end up in fellowship with your Father without even realising it at first! But bear in mind that it's hard going when you start off, sometimes I still get stuck in a rut and have to struggle out of it. You may be thinking that discipline sounds too much of a bother but it's what God demands of us. Jesus' disciples are meant to be disciplined, are you?

Think upon these things...

I suggest you find yourself a prayer-pod, where will it be? Find somewhere that suits you. Right now, why don't you go along and spend some quality time with God? Bring your Bible, devotional and journal along with you, and pray away...

In and out of character

"Do not be conformed...but be transformed" (Romans 12:2 NKJV)

I LOVE Sir Alan Sugar! I have to ask, am I the only one? Whether you like him or not you have to admit that he's a bit of a legend! Here are some of the wise words he's come out with, "Don't worry about reputation, if you look after your character, your reputation will look after itself." You can't argue with that, can you? Well I don't quite agree. I think that a person's character and reputation can be poles apart. Here's my spin on things. Someone can ruin your reputation but they can never ruin your character; only you can. So true?

Before we go any further I think I should clear some things up incase you're confused. Your character is your core being. It's who you are and how God sees you. On the other hand, your reputation is what you do and how others perceive you to be. These two can conflict at times so make sure they match up! Who are you behind closed doors? Who are you when no-one else is watching? This may be hard hearing but that's who you are.

You can't keep on going in and out of character as a Christian. It will not only ruin your reputation but it will corrupt your character as well. When you act up or put masks on to try and impress other people they won't fall for it. Sooner or later they'll see right through it. They'll see that you aren't who you're making yourself out to be. More importantly God won't fall for it. He handcrafted your character, so if you aren't living up to it and living it out, He knows.

Ask yourself?

Who are you behind closed doors? Who are you when no-one is watching? This, my friend, is who you are. Maybe it's not who you want to be but thank God you don't have to stay that way! Ask God to help you make a change. Ask yourself this; in what ways can you change so that your character mirrors Jesus?

Years ago I was not content to be Connie. I would go as far as saying that I tried to change my character, my core being. When I was in high school I was pretty uncool, whereas my brother and sister hung around with the cool crowd. I hated it; I hated the way it was. I wanted to fit in desperately but I never did, so I tried to be someone I wasn't. Where did I go wrong? What was my problem? My problem was that I was a people-pleaser. I cared far more about what the girls and guys in my class thought of me, instead of what God thought. Don't do it; you'll regret it.

Galatians 1:10 (NIV) puts it plainly, "Am I trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I was still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." At the end of the day God's opinion of you is the only one that matters. Just think about it, on Judgement Day God won't be asking anyone else to approve you.

Bible-bones:

Write out Galatians 1:10 in whatever version you want. Stick it in your Bible or wherever. Make sure it sinks in. Memorise it if you can. Remember that your main aim is to please God, not people.

I have a wee scribble book that I jot down my prayers in. Ages ago I wrote "God, help me to be the best me I can be, for You!" He has helped, I've embraced my identity. I don't care so much about my reputation. I care so much more about my character. I can't stress this enough. Don't let the world squeeze you into its mould. "Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude]" (Romans 12:2 Amplified). As Christians we're called to be of constant character, concrete character.

Think upon these things...

You can't keep on going in and out of character as a Christian. You have to make an end of it. Your identity has to be of integrity. Live up to your character as a Christian; live it out!

Wait until God says go

"Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry." (Habakkuk 2:2-3 NKJV)

I know I'm not just speaking for myself when I say that waiting on the Lord is quite possibly the last thing we want to do. We're raring to go, but the problem with this is that we often either end up running on empty, or running down the wrong road. I don't know which is worse. But what I do know is that I definitely don't want to go on ahead without God taking the lead.

Something God taught me ages ago is that we have to wait until we're ready. If we're honest with ourselves we don't wait until we're all set. He prepares us and then when we're ready He says "go!" When God pauses He isn't trying to set us back, He's trying to prepare us. We're meant to be a prepared people. We have to be equipped to carry out our calling. Unfortunately at the minute we're far from it. I promised God that I wouldn't give Him anything less than my best, and if that means waiting until I'm ready I'm all for it. I can't emphasise this enough- give God your best- anything less than this is just not good enough. There have been times when I've been tempted to run on ahead but thankfully God has stopped me in my tracks, tapping me on my shoulder and turning me around, reminding me to wait on Him.

Ask yourself?

Do you wait on God? Or do you run on ahead of Him? Patience is a gift from God; I suggest you ask it of Him.

Becoming prepared requires patience. I can be quite an impatient person at times. I also tend not to think before I speak. One day when I was in school I did just that when I told my friend, Ruth Elliott, "I think God gave me you to test my patience!" We had a giggle about it but I still regret saying it- a thousand apologies Ruth! I need some reminding from time to time about the book of Habakkuk. It talks about the Lord giving the Prophet a vision which seemed slow in coming, when in fact it wasn't. God made it clear that "the vision is for an appointed time" (Habakkuk 2:3 NJKV). That is, in God's perfect timing, not our own. It goes on, "though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry." When we leave things to God it all goes like clockwork, not a second too soon or a moment too late.

Bible-bones:

Pen and paper at the ready? Write out Habakkuk 2:2-3 (in the translation of your choice) and stick it somewhere as a reminder to wait until God gives the go-ahead. You could bookmark your Bible, frame it or do whatever you wish with it! WARNING: make sure you don't use it as an excuse to sit back and relax while others get on with it!

Think upon these things...

How long are we to wait? As long as it takes. We're to hang tight and wait until He reveals His Will.

I really truly believe that God sometimes asks His people to step it up a notch by slowing it down. Maybe this is what God is asking of us? To slow it down so He can step in and take over. There's no point us running with a vision if we don't let God have complete control. When we do this the vision will become that bit brighter and clearer as time goes by. I'm well aware that we don't have a second to spare, so it makes sense to prepare ourselves rather than rushing on ahead without God's guidance. We have to wait until God says go. We have to wait until God gives the green light.

Bible-bones

I want you to do a character study for yourself. Don't rush it, read Genesis 16 and 17 to remind yourself of Gods covenant to Abraham. Just to refresh your memory Abraham wanted an heir and as he decided he couldn't wait on God's timing he got busy. What do we learn from the life of Abraham? What happens when we take things into our own hands?

Modern-day Idolatry

Bible-bones:

Read 1 Kings 11:1-13 for yourself. It's the story of King Solomon committing idolatry. As you read over it jot down a few things. Where did Solomon go wrong? What happened to him when God caught him in the act of idolatry?

What exactly is an idol? In my opinion, it can be just about anything. An idol is anything that takes the place that God alone deserves and demands. I used to think that it was a thing of the past until God reminded me one day that modern-day idolatry is in our midst. It has got to the stage where we can't even recognise idol-worship because this rite has become our religion. We have a want to worship built inside of us; this is why we worship our idols religiously. This fascination shifts our focus off our Maker and on to the man-made.

Ask yourself?

What idols do you worship? Do you choose to follow the world rather than the Word? Maybe it'd help if you made a list of your idol-worship before you bring them before the Throne.

Here's how you can tell whether or not you're guilty of idol-worship, be honest in answering these questions. Does a fascination fill your thoughts? Can you never seem to switch it off and forget about it? Are you excessively devoted to something? Even good things can get in the way of God. Adoration in excess is idolatry. For example, I LOVE writing. Some days I roll out of bed and find myself sitting in front of the computer before I know it, typing away frantically. I know it pleases God but what doesn't please Him is my work getting in the way of spending some quality time with Him. Sometimes the day is nearly out when I realise that although I wrote a few devotions I haven't taken the time to do my own devotions!

So, what about you? Is there anything that needs confessing? Would you rather follow the world than the Word? If you turn to the world quicker than the Word sort yourself out! Is there anything in your life that is competing with Christ? Do you have to fight to find time to spend alone with God? Also, if you said "no" to almost every one of the above the chances are you're kidding yourself. From time to time we all commit idolatry against our God and it's got to stop.

"Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's gods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father" (1 John 2:15 MSG). I have to agree, when we become caught up in modern-day idolatry we end up loving God a little less as each day goes by. He alone is worthy of our worship, offering our time and attention to idols is a serious sin. God deserves our undivided devotion; don't give it to another god.

Take Solomon for example. Earlier on in his reign he was wise in worshipping God alone. But, time tells that things changed. Here's how the Message puts it, "King Solomon was obsessed with women... He took them from the surrounding pagan nations of which God had clearly warned Israel, "You must not marry them; they'll seduce you into infatuations with their gods." Solomon fell in love with them anyway, refusing to give them up" (1 Kings 11:1-2 MSG). Little by little, Solomon became more and more obsessed. He ended up with seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, which totalled one thousand women! When you worship idols whatever you have is never enough, and it soon amounts to much!

The story doesn't stop there. Solomon's idols enticed him. He left his first Love. "As Solomon grew older, his wives beguiled him with their alien gods and he became unfaithful—he didn't stay true to his God" (1 Kings 11:4 MSG). In the end he built shrines and openly sacrificed to Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the god of the Ammonites. From then on things didn't go too good for Solomon; his kingdom was taken from him. Be careful not to fall into the same trap. Before you know it your idol will ensnare you. You don't have to stray too far to slip away from your God. Stick close to God; don't let Him out of your sight.

Think upon these things...

Don't allow idols to entice you. At the start you may think it's just fun and games but in the end you'll realise it's a battle for your soul and spiritual life.

Heart-cry...

Almighty God You're the only One who's worthy of my worship! Help me to be wise, I don't want to fall for a trap that'll entice me. Guard me God...

The famine before the flood

"Remember how the Lord your God has led you in the desert for these forty years, taking away your pride and testing you, because He wanted to know what was in your heart. He wanted to know if you would obey His commands." (Deuteronomy 8:2 NCV)

I don't know about you but I love listening to the rain. Even more, I love watching the rain from my bedroom window. It may sound stupid but I always feel that bit closer to God when it's raining. I bet you're wondering why? Rain reminds me of revival. So when I see raindrops on my window I find it much easier to pray...

Revival, oh how we need it! We need it now more than ever. Our age is in desperate need of God; I can't help but feel that revival is the only answer. Just think, "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD" (Amos 8:11 NIV). God is going to place a hunger inside each of us for more of Him and His Word.

We don't thirst enough after Him, do we? If you ask me what brings about revival my answer would be a spiritual famine. It makes perfect sense when you think about it. Following a famine the ground is so dry and dehydrated, when the flood comes it soaks it all in. The ground becomes so saturated it can't contain it. Following a flood hearts that were once hungry are now satisfied!

For months and months, more than I can remember, I've been going through a dry spell. I kept on thinking to myself that I couldn't possibly feel any more starved spiritually, but God always brought me to a new all-time low. I was so hungry for God but I felt so unfulfilled at the same time. It just didn't make any sense. Things just did not add up. I kept on feeling more and more unfulfilled. Nothing seemed to satisfy. I had this unquenchable thirst for the things of God. And I just didn't understand why I felt this way. That was before God spoke up; He seemed to be saying something to me over the months. He seemed to be saying that this was the famine before the flood. That explained it.

So, what if you're in the same boat? You seem to be drifting along, going nowhere? Keep on carrying on. Don't slack off or else you could end up giving up altogether. Pray like you've never prayed before; push the boundaries. Read and reread the Word. Meditate on it while you're at it. Throw yourself into service. Don't throw in the towel; hang on in there that little bit longer. Hear this, "those who suffer as God wants should trust their souls to the faithful Creator as they continue to do what is right" (1 Peter 4:19 NCV).

Did you hear that? Keep on keeping on. Don't slow-up or stop altogether. Keep a steady pace. Do what is right and you'll realise that God is faithful even in the famine. If you're struggling to get to grips with God's Word all I can say is read on. God sees you in your struggle; He sees that you're serious about Him. If you're finding it difficult to pray tell Him. If you feel like pulling out of service give it 110%

Bible-bones:

Read Deuteronomy 8:1-5 in The Message. If you don't have your own copy stick it into www.biblegateway.com. Have confidence that God will keep you through the famine, you have nothing to fear. I believe that we're going through a famine, a famine for the Word of God. Just take a look around you, and inside of you, how many Christians read their Bible every day? Not enough. How many apply it to their everyday? No way near enough. Believe that a spiritual flood will follow this famine. I believe it's on its way and that nothing, no nothing, can stand in its way. When we're hungering and thirsting after the eternal it's then that God sends the rain, His reign!

Heart-cry...

I want to walk the road to revival, and I'm sure you do too. I suggest we get started and PRAY that God would open the heavens and rain down. PRAY that a spiritual tsunami would sweep around this world and take it by storm. I can't emphasise this enough! When we cry out for God's mercy it brings tears to His eyes to see us in our anguish. It is then that God can't keep back the floods of tears!

He cares, and He cries

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings..." (Luke 13:34 NLT)

Think upon these things...

What have you cried over? Maybe you've never thought of this before but Jesus was filled with sorrow over Jerusalem. As you read through the Gospels you can clearly see Jesus' compassion. Scribble down a couple of examples of Jesus being moved with compassion. Maybe it's just me but when I read through some of the stories it's as if I can almost see tears in His eyes.

Summer 09 brought with it Enniskillen 360. It's a local mission run by Scripture Union that I've been involved in. Enniskillen 360 had been birthed the year before and even though it was still taking baby-steps I could see it striding at the same time. I have to say that I was absolutely over the moon when Rick Hill, our team leader, threw around some thoughts on setting up a prayer room. So we went for it. It went well. God was Present, and it was powerful. God was not silent. His Presence seemed to speak louder than words... Just remember, even if you don't hear from God it doesn't mean that He doesn't answer. I hope this speaks to you...

Prayers that have the power to change the Church amazed me. Some scrawls begged God to not stop moving in Enniskillen, which He will keep to. Prayers that overflowed with thankfulness spoke of hearts filled with love for the kids gathered downstairs. One of the things I took away with me that week and have carried in my heart since is that we can pray and pray and pray, but at the end of the day all we can do is leave our loved ones in the care of God. We have to unburden ourselves in the Throne Room. We cried out to God for those kids and that's all we can do. We don't have a right to hold anything back; it's our God who holds everything in His hands. We have to leave our cares with Him, "casting all your care upon Him" (1 Peter 5:17 NKJV), kids included.

Ask yourself?

Do you ever have trouble unburdening yourself? Bring this before the Lord.

Never forget that our loved ones are under God's watchful eye. God cares for the kid who hasn't any time for Him. He cares for the young mum who isn't quite convinced that He's out there; He cares for the alcoholic who turned his back on Him. He cares. "The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows" (Psalm 146:9 NLT). He cares for your sister who has gone wayward. He cares for your mother who's breaking her heart and He cares for your granddad who's all alone. He cries over them; He longs to hold them to Himself. Sometimes I worry myself sick, pouring my heart out before God to save souls, but I shouldn't hold onto it. I should just accept that God's in control, believing He will draw them to Himself someday.

Think upon these things...

Who do you want to leave in the care of God today? Go grab paper and pen and start writing! Tell God everything that's on your heart... open up; don't hold back! As you do pray over those you hold dearly, have the confidence that God holds them even more dearly! You can leave them in His care.

Heart-cry...

Heavenly Father, I'm leaving my loved ones under Your watchful eye. I thank You that You're more than capable of caring for them. I pray that I wouldn't hold onto my baggage. You hold everyone in Your hands; help me to accept it...

Modern-day Martha

"The Master said, "Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it's the main course, and won't be taken from her." (Luke 10:41-42 MSG)

Are there any modern-day Martha's among us? I'd say so. Take time out to answer this honestly before you read on. I'll answer it as well. I have to watch myself with this one. If I'm not too careful I can quickly become wrapped up in the service and forget Who I'm serving. I end up serving myself. I can easily sit for several hours a day writing and typing before I realise that I haven't sat at His feet awhile. I'm sure I'm not the only one?

Ask yourself?

Do you ever find that you're serving yourself instead of God? Do you ever get so wrapped up in the service that you forget the reason why? Why should we serve?

I'll re-jog your memory for you. Martha opened her home to Jesus and welcomed Him in with open arms as He passed by the way. She busied herself in the kitchen while her sister, Mary, simply "sat at the Lord's feet listening to what He said" (Luke 10:39 NIV). Mary never moved a muscle; she was so absorbed in Jesus. I can just imagine Martha throwing her a look of disgust as she's slaving away at the stove, banging pots and pans about in the kitchen. In a way you can understand why. Can you see it from Martha's point of view? She had a good heart. She just side-tracked somewhere along the way. From first glance you must admit that it looks like Mary is pure lazy. However when you take a closer look you can see that Mary isn't lazy; she's in love. She can't get enough of God.

Bible-bones:

Take a closer look, read Luke 10:38-42. Do a bit of a character study on both sisters. Use the space to scribble down your thoughts. Where did Martha go wrong and where did Mary get it right?

In the end Martha cracked. She couldn't stand it any longer so she exploded, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" (Luke 10:40 NIV). Jesus answered, "Martha, Martha... you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41-42 NIV). Isn't it gorgeous? I love this passage. It makes everything so simple anyone can grasp it. It wasn't that Jesus didn't care about Martha; the opposite was in fact true. He wanted her to sit at His feet and soak in His Presence. Martha was far too busy rushing around to focus in on what truly mattered.

We too can do the same. We can be consumed with the service and forget about Who we're serving. God doesn't dish out brownie points for being 'a busy-bee' so we should stop fussing and fretting so much. I do this all the time. I absolutely adore serving God; I get such a buzz out of it. I love leading Bible studies, reading and writing, and preaching to name but a few things. However I have to stop and ask myself my motive? I suggest you do the same. When you realise that your focus has shifted off your Sovereign and onto the service make it right. Take time out in His Presence and gaze upon God once again, or otherwise you could make the same slip-up as Martha did. She made Jesus feel at home in her house, but not in her heart. Open your heart; don't just offer your hands.

Think upon these things...

Are you a Mary, or a Martha? Sit at His feet and soak in His Presence awhile. Go grab your Bible and steal a few minutes away with Jesus, just the two of you. Sit still; stop rushing around!

Heart-cry...

Heavenly Father I admit that I allow my focus to shift sometimes. Sometimes I serve myself instead of You. I'm sorry for being preoccupied. I want You to be my focus once more!

The price He paid

"In that death, by God's grace, He fully experienced death in every person's place" (Hebrews 2:9 MSG)

The price that Jesus paid is too much to take in. The sacrifice that He suffered was, is and always will be indescribable. The weight of the world's sin on His shoulders is indefinable. The agony that He felt is inexpressible. Death demanded His life. He surrendered Himself, "He suffered death for us... Jesus tasted death for everyone" (Hebrews 2:9 NLT). Jesus died, for one and all. That includes you. The cost of the cross didn't come cheap. It's invaluable, incomparable and incalculable. Every drop of blood He shed for us was precious; His love for us is without measure. He bought our freedom with His blood, sweat, and tears.

Jesus gave up everything. "He endured the cross" (Hebrews 12:2 NIV). He left Heaven for little more than nothing. "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (Luke 9:58 NKJV). He left His Throne for a footstool. He could have had so much more but He chose to be a pauper instead of a prince. Not only that; our King gave up His crown for a cross. He could have been the ruler of the world if He had wanted. He knew that "the people planned to come and take Him by force and make Him their king, so He left and went into the hills alone" (John 6:15 NCV). When all eyes were on Him, expectant, His eyes were firmly fixed on the cross.

So often we only ever think that our sin cost Him His life, far from it. It asked a lot more of Him. Jesus didn't just give up His last breath; He gave up every ounce of Himself. Every day that He ever lived spoke of suffering. The destiny of the Divinity was to carry the cross. He not only carried our cross but He carried our sin and shame as well. He not only bore the burdens of the world but our sin sat on His shoulders. It wasn't the cross that weighed Him down; it was our sin. The blood that should have been on our heads was on His hands. Our sinless Saviour was shamed with our sin.

Just listen to this, Hebrews 7:24-28 (NIV) "because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens... he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day... He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever."

Bible-bones:

Read Hebrews 7:11-28, focus on what our Great High Priest has done for us.

Thank the Lord that the cross speaks of a covenant, a covenant with the King. It reminds us that the cross doesn't speak of death but it speaks of new life in Christ. If only we will accept it. It's written in Jesus' blood, and promises that we don't have to bear the burden of our sin. He's a man of His word. When He promises that Jesus' death has covered the cost He means it. Jesus has already been there and done that so there's no need for anyone else to suffer. But there is a need to repent and get right with God. Right now, why don't you come before the cross and confess? Praise Him for the price He paid! Thank God that He lived and breathed to intercede for us. Until His dying breath Jesus held Himself to that promise, and to this very day it still stands.

Heart-cry...

He took our place and He paid our price. Our freedom was bought by His blood...

Thank Him for the cost of the cross...

Thank the Lord that the cross has brought us close.

Thank Him that His love for us is 'OTT'. It's not only over the top but it's over our heads. We can't possibly take it all in.

Thank Him that His love for us is never lacking, always abounding...

Finally, thank Jesus that He stands to intercede for us...

Driven by doubt

"O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still." (Psalm 83:1 NIV)

Sometimes God feels so close it's as if He's standing over me. At other times He feels so far away, He might as well be on the moon. Sometimes He feels so close at hand, I walk into His throne room without even realising. My prayers are all jumbled because my words come tumbling out. I can't even wait to finish my first sentence before I've started my second! At other times I can't feel His presence at all. Praying is painful and I can't help but feel that my prayers are rebounding, bouncing off the ceiling. I spend my quite times sitting in silence, almost incapable of stringing two words together in prayer. These two extremes are intertwined at times.

Ask yourself?

Have you ever felt that your prayers are rebounding, bouncing off the ceiling? How does this make you feel? What sort of effect does this struggle have on your faith?

Sometimes reading my Bible is a breeze. I'm so wrapped up in the Word I lose all track of time. Although, every now and then I go through a dry spell where not much seems to make sense and nothing sinks in. Sometimes serving is a pleasure. At other times it's a chore, and a bore. Sometimes I can't wait to get to Church, although at other times I can't wait to get out of it. You get the picture? Sometimes my relationship with God isn't quite right. Everyone goes through dry spells sooner or later. Maybe I just go through them more than most! If you ever find yourself going through a dry spell don't beat yourself up about it, it happens to us all.

Ask yourself?

Do you too feel a distance between you and your God sometimes? Use the space to fill in your thoughts. Take as much time as you need.

Bible-bones:

Maybe it would help if you read Psalm 22; it's a Psalm of David. This story begins with David doubting, and ends in his God bringing deliverance. Find encouragement in this.

Here's an example of one when I took a day-trip up to Summer Madness 2008. At the end of the service I could see so many people engaging with God, I wanted that too. I missed the way it was. I really wanted things to get back on track. I felt like I was in such a rut. I remember telling God that I wasn't going to budge one bit till He spoke to me in some way. I waited, but there was no response. I sat for goodness knows how long, getting myself all worked up about it. By then time had ran away and the crowd with it. I was left wondering why God wasn't talking to me?! We've all been there and done that, right?

Then it hit me. When I was sitting there feeling sorry for myself God did answer in a way. You see, God speaks in the silence. He seemed to be saying that everything has to be in His time and on His terms. Learn from my mistakes, don't do it! God is not accountable to anyone so don't demand that He explain His actions. If you're struggling in your quiet times keep on striving. If you're finding prayer to be a pain, pray on anyway, tell God how much it pains you while you're at it. If you don't feel like worshipping remind yourself that He is worthy. I really do believe that there's something powerful about worshipping Him when you really don't want to. There's been times where I've had to force myself to praise Him but He's blessed my obedience.

I wrote this in my scribble book a few months ago; pray it with me why don't you...

"Even if I can't feel Your Presence

I will follow You all the days of my life.

Even if I can't hear Your still small voice

I will listen and obey Your every command.

Even if I can't see any sign of the Sovereign working His wonders

I will lay down my life before You Lord."

Allow your fears to drive you deeper into your relationship with God. But don't use it against God to get your own way.

Think upon these things...

God is answerable to no-one. We're accountable to the Almighty, not the other way around! Don't expect God to explain His actions.

Heart-cry...

I'd encourage you to voice your pain. Put it into your own words. If you're struggling use my prayer to get you going and then pray away...

Spiritual CVs

Bible-bones:

Read Revelation 3:14-21, the letter to the luke-warm Church. I know reading Revelation is hard-going but stick with it. I've said it before and I'll say it again; if you don't read the Word for yourself you will stunt your spiritual growth.

Luke-warm love makes God gag. The Church of Laodicea is a perfect example of this. Here's the jist of it, "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16 NKJV). Just incase it hasn't sunk in here it is in the Message, "I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking... You're not cold; you're not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit" (Revelation 3:15-17). Here's how to get yourself out of this pickle. Pick the winning side and stick with it. Love for God should be absolute; it was never intended to be anything less.

Ask yourself?

Is your love luke-warm? Open your Bible and allow it to open your eyes if you've turned cold. Write down what God expects of us as Christians. When you've done that, write down what you are as a Christian. Do you measure up? In what ways are you lacking? I know it hurts but it has to be done. We should be on fire for God, the words stone-cold and Christian shouldn't go together!

Listen up, if you 'love' God with half a heart, don't be surprised if He doesn't own up to knowing you on Judgement Day. It may be hard hearing but it may be what you have to repent of. In Matthew 7 Jesus spells out salvation, before going on to talk about fruitless false prophets. Here's what comes next, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21 NKJV). Did you catch that? If there isn't any fruit to your faith and your love is luke-warm you have some serious confessing to do. Jesus doesn't stop there. This is what He has to say to the lukewarm, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (Matthew 7:23 NKJV). These are the last words I could wish on anyone. When you meet Jesus face-to-face, will these be the last words you ever hear?

The thing is, these people who Jesus was targeting looked like they loved God. On the outside they appeared to be faultless; on the inside they were flawed. On the outside they acted like they were on fire for God, but on the inside they were anything but. Their problem was that they had 'spiritual CVs' that appeared to be perfect. I have to be careful with this; I have the most Christian CV I have ever come across. Even though I can rhyme off a crazy amount of service that I've been involved in, I have to make sure it isn't a substitute. I have to take care that my inner-self matches up with my service. Can you relate to this?

Let's have another look at Matthew 7:22 (NKJV) and see if we can spot any 'accomplishments', "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" Casting out evil spirits, praying for miracles and prophesying all have their place, but if you're without God you're really going against Him. Be warned, although obeying His commands, fasting, and praying in public are a follow-on from a real relationship with Jesus, they aren't a substitute.

Think upon these things...

If there isn't any fruit to your faith you've got some serious confessing to do. Why don't you spend some time in prayer confessing your sins? Or if you'd rather write God a letter of apology go for it.

Heart-cry...

Lord, if my love is ever luke-warm wake me up to it, I want to be on fire for You! Show me my sins, show me if my service isn't what it should be...

Signpost your Saviour

"I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord" (John 1:23 ESV)

The legacy of John the Baptist lives on to this very day. Let's take a look at his mountain-top ministry, when he was at his spiritual summit, to see what makes him stand out from the crowd. Turn with me to John 3:22-36. Before you read on reflect on the passage. Now, it's obvious that John the Baptist's Kingdom-ministry was at its peak. In verse 23 (NIV) it reads that "people were constantly coming to be baptised." Things were looking good for John. His ministry was really getting off the ground. But then things took a turn and there was a switch-over between John and Jesus. The focus started to shift off John and onto Jesus as He began to baptise.

Bible-bones:

Read over this passage and write around it. What can you learn from John the Baptist? And how can you apply it to your life?

"Jesus and his followers went into the area of Judea, where he stayed with his followers and baptized people. John was also baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were going there to be baptized. (This was before John was put into prison.) Some of John's followers had an argument with a Jew about religious washing. So they came to John and said, "Teacher, remember the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you spoke about so much? He is baptizing, and everyone is going to him." John answered, "A man can get only what God gives him. You yourselves heard me say, 'I am not the Christ, but I am the one sent to prepare the way for him. 'The bride belongs only to the bridegroom. But the friend who helps the bridegroom stands by and listens to him. He is thrilled that he gets to hear the bridegroom's voice. In the same way, I am really happy. He must become greater, and I must become less important." (John 3:22-30 NCV)

If I was John the Baptist my self-esteem would have taken a serious nose-dive as his ministry began to wane in light of Jesus'. John's response was not what I would have expected. I could have understood if he threw a fit, but he didn't. Instead John the Baptist acknowledged that "I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of Him" (John 3:28 NIV). He happily stood back to let Jesus take centre-stage. Can we say the same? When we stand off-side do we mind that the attention isn't on us anymore? Or do we become bitter because of it?

This is what John the Baptist had to say about his ministry dying out to Jesus', "that joy is mine, and it is now complete" (John 3:29 NIV). John was more than happy to live in His Saviour's shadow, unlike some. If you read on in John 3 you probably aren't surprised to see that John's disciples got jealous of Jesus. The same thing happens today. We have our eyes on ourselves when we should really have our eyes glued to God. It's so easy to do; we have to watch ourselves with this one. Make sure that your focus stays on Jesus. We can't argue with John 3:31 (NCV), "The One who comes from above is greater than all" so why can't we accept this truth too? "He must become greater, and I must become less important" (John 3:30 NCV). If we accept that He is above all, we must apply this practice.

This is where John got it spot on. He realised that he couldn't steal centre-stage; it wasn't his place. We have to come to the place of acceptance as we let Jesus pull into pole position. He has to be at the centre of our lives or else we'll become unbalanced. Earlier on in the gospel of John the Jews in Jerusalem asked him if he was the Messiah. Listen closely, "He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely" that he was a servant rather than the Sovereign (John 1:20 NIV). He went on to sum up himself, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord' " (John 1:23 NIV). I too want to be a signpost. I want to signpost the Second Coming! There's only One Way- Jesus, and we have to signpost Him whenever we can so that others can see their Salvation.

Ask yourself?

Do you have your eyes on yourself? Or are your eyes glued to God? Just like John we too have been sent on ahead of Him, we've been sent ahead of the Second Coming. It's time we signposted our Saviour for all to see!

Heart-cry...

Lord Jesus, when my friends and family look at me, may they see You!

Called to be rebels

"Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6: 10-12 NKJV)

What does God want us to do? What are we called to do? We're to be rebels. Yes, you heard me right. We're called to be rebels, against satan and all that he stands for. (We're not only to stand up for what's right, we're to stand against what's wrong). I don't mean to scare you but you need to know, satan's mission is to bring us down. Sometimes he appears to be subtle, at other times you can't deny that the devil is at work. The devil leads his dark angels in a rebellion against God. Every Christian who stands in his way becomes a target. If you're on fire for God he will come at you with full force. And if you're thinking to yourself that it would be best to stay offside you're wrong. If you aren't fighting for God, you're against Him. The question must be asked, on whose side do you stand?

Stand strong Christian. Stand in the strength of the Lord and stay alert. "Be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour" (1 Peter 5:8 Amplified). He roams the world with no mercy. He will attack any child of God that he comes across without warning. But there's something that he's blind to. Esme Hazard and I were having a rather deep discussion about spiritual warfare one day when my friend said something rather interesting, "the lion is on a leash!" He's so short-sighted he can't see it! Praise God that He has him bound. He can only do as much damage as the Lord permits. One day he'll be thrown into the lake of fire, forever! He doesn't even realise that he's fighting a losing battle! Thank the Lord that we're on the winning side, our victory is in Christ!

Think upon these things...

When you're reading the verses below why don't you underline the armour that we're to wear in this spiritual battle?

Jesus leads the revolution. We're called upon to rebel. He calls us to rise up and take up our arms. Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV) urges us to "stand strong in the Lord and in His mighty power". We are to "put on the full armour of God" (Ephesians 6:11 NIV). Ready yourself for the war that rages all around us. "Take your stand against the devil's schemes" (Ephesians 6:11 NIV). Take note, this is what we need to wear, "the belt of truth buckled around your waist... the breastplate of righteousness... with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace... take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one... take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6: 14-17 NIV). You don't stand alone. You stand alongside your brothers and sisters in Christ. Keep your eyes open; we have to look out for each other.

Ask yourself?

After reading over Ephesians 6 can you tell whether or not you're fighting fit? Are you up to it? Be honest, you're not doing yourself any favours by kidding yourself.

Don't be discouraged! Don't let yourself be dragged down- "do not give the devil a foothold" (Ephesians 4:27 NIV). Here's what we have to do, "resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you" (James 4:7 Amplified). When you rebel against him he will run the other way! Stand your ground and you will witness God protecting you from the attacks of the enemy. Not only that, He will set you free from the snares of satan. He will help you to endure. If you fight in His strength nothing that the devil throws at you will faze you. Even though the devil hopes to crush Christianity it will never happen in a million years. Why? Because He's our Strength. The devil doesn't stand a chance!

Bible-bones:

Read through Ephesians 6:10-20 and reflect upon it. Try to memorise it if you can. Pray it every morning before you begin your day. Never forget that we're in the firing line. We have to protect ourselves in prayer.

Heart-cry...

Use Ephesians 6:10-20 as a prayer...

Fix your focus

"Now, therefore," says the LORD, "Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." (Joel 2:12 NKJV)

Do you know what dawned on me a while ago? Fasting is not about food! It's nothing to do with food and it's all about fellowship. It's all about fellowshipping with our Father. For years I just didn't get the reason why Jesus asked us to fast. That would explain why my one and only attempt to fast went so wrong. I skipped a meal and within a couple of hours my grumbling tummy had me complaining. I didn't resist temptation for much longer, and was soon stuffing my face. Oh dear! I should give it another shot instead of giving up on it altogether!

"What's fasting all about?" I hear you ask! The answer: our focus. Fasting fixes our focus on God. It calls us to turn away from good things (food) and turn to greater things (God). Just look at Daniel 9:3 (NIV). "I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes." Daniel repented and prayed for forgiveness over his people as he understood that the ruin of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So what did Daniel do? He turned to God. Do likewise; keep your eyes upward instead of on yourself.

If you too thought that fasting was little more than a crash-diet, I'll fill you in on what it's not. Fasting is not a fad. It may seem strange to some but it's just as much for the present as it was for the past. Jesus commanded that prayer and fasting be a part of our Christian walk. It's not a throw-away; it's here to stay. It's most definitely not out of fashion. We can't pick and choose bits of the Bible; we can't choose to ignore practices we'd rather forget. We have to accept all of it. We have to accept its relevance and apply it today. As Christians in this day and generation we should be following in the footsteps of disciples throughout the ages who turned to God through fasting. When they turned to God He delivered. As it says in 2 Chronicles 20:3 (NKJV), set yourself to seek the Lord, turn to Him.

But be careful. Fasting isn't a fix. It's not the answer to every question. Sometimes when we pray and fast we treat God like a mend-it-man. He's far more than that. Don't use fasting as a weapon. Don't try and use it to bend His arm, making Him submit to His servants. When we pray and fast we're seeking after God's own heart, His Will above our own. In Luke 18 Jesus tells the tale of a Pharisee who tried to use fasting to force God's hand to move where he wanted. He proudly prayed "God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get" (Luke 18:11-12 NIV). I hate to burst his bubble, but he got it wrong. Fasting is not to be used as leverage.

So, why am I telling you all this? As Christians I think we should set ourselves challenges. Don't worry; I'm not saying to start off with a forty day fast. Start slowly and add to it over time. Bite-size is the way to go; otherwise you'll end up getting discouraged and not having another try at it. As you set yourself challenges remember the reason why: prayer and fasting were created to bring you into communion with your Father-God. Why don't you take Him up on the offer and get to know God that little bit better?

Think upon these things...

Spend some time in fellowship with your Father. Seriously considering fasting. Set yourself to seek the Lord! I'd encourage you to start off with something small; you don't have to fast from all foods on your first attempt. You could turn off the TV for an hour or two. Spend this time praying and reading the Word. Or you could stop snacking for the day, switch off your iPod, or limit your time on the computer. The time you've saved you could spend wisely, why don't you go along to your Church's prayer meeting?

Ask yourself?

Just for one day set yourself a bite-size challenge. What will it be?

One-man-band

Bible-bones:

Begin by reading the first chapter of the book of Jonah. You'll see that Jonah was a one-man-band. You'll also see that even though Jonah went against God he was only to be brought back!

I have a way of getting myself into sticky situations that I can never seem to get out of. Countless times I've got myself into deep water. Before I know it I'm in over my head. No prizes for guessing who has to fish me out all the time- God. Here's where I go wrong, I swim out in my own strength. In other words I strive in my own strength. I'm ashamed to say but I don't always rely on God. If I'm being honest I'm a bit of a one-(wo)man-band sometimes. I try to go it alone and do my own thing, in my own time and on my own terms. Sometimes I'm totally unaware that I've left God behind, until He comes to my rescue that is. Then I barely take a breather before I jump straight back in the deep end!

Ask yourself?

Are you in the same boat? Do you ever try to go it alone and find yourself going against God? Reluctance to go God's way or do His thing is really resistance.

Time after time I've made a right old mess of my faith. You'd think that I'd have learned by now but it's obvious that I haven't. I have to get it out of my head that God is much more of a help than a hindrance. Sometimes when God and I are sailing along and things are going swimmingly I do something really stupid. Before I know it I've pushed Him overboard and grabbed the oars. Before too long I find myself struggling against the tide and wondering why? The reason why is pretty obvious, one-man-bands aren't in His plan, God never meant us to go it alone.

Just think of Jonah. He ran as far from God as he possibly could. God said "go!" and Jonah's response was "no!" God clearly said "Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh" (Jonah 1:2 NLT) but Jonah's response was to run the other way. "Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord" (Jonah 1:3 NLT). Jonah set sail for Tarshish, not only that, he set sail by himself. There was no sign of God. He wasn't in on this voyage. Jonah decided to do things his way, forgetting about God. So God decided to do something about it. God decided to bring him back, "The Lord hurled a powerful wind across the sea, causing a violent storm" (Jonah 1:4 NLT).

Before too long the crew cast lots to see who had offended the gods, causing the sea to rage and the wind to roar. Jonah was singled out, so he was thrown into the sea. As soon as Jonah was thrown overboard the storm stopped. The sea stilled and the wind stopped screaming. Jonah was given some time to think things through (in the belly of a whale), and he came to the conclusion that being a one-man-band wasn't what God wanted him to be.

The same goes for us. God doesn't want us to try to make it on our own because He knows it always ends in failure. That's why we should admit when we're wrong. Jonah did, "throw me into the sea... and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault" (Jonah 1:12 NLT). Before you can be honest with God you have to be honest with yourself. Admit your shortcomings. You can't walk on with God as if everything's alright until you see for yourself that you need God's help. You have to see for yourself that you're in desperate need of God before you'll get anywhere. Do exactly what the sailors did in verse 15, offer Him a sacrifice and serve Him well.

Ask yourself?

In what way can you offer Him a sacrifice? How can you better serve Him?

Heart-cry...

Almighty God, I'm sorry for being so resistant to Your ways. I admit that I don't always get it right and sometimes I go against You. But I'm coming back to You now. Bring me round to Your ways. Help me to rely upon you instead of being so reluctant. Thanks Father for Your mercy, and Your grace...

Without words

Have you ever tried to worship God without words? I've been finding out how much harder this is than it sounds. Maybe it's just me; maybe you find it to be a breeze? I love to worship God in writing. I have one-hundred-and-one journals on the go at the minute. Almost every inch of my daily readings are scribbled over in my spidery writing. And if you were to walk through my house you would come across post-it-note, after post-it note, with worship scrawled over them. If I see a piece of paper I attack it with ink; I can't help it. If I have a prayer of praise in my heart I have to write it down incase it escapes me. If I was asked to put my pen and paper down, I wouldn't last long. I'd give it a day, or two, at the most.

It's oh so important to be able to worship without words. Just think about it; what about when words aren't enough? What about when you can't pen your praises? What about when you're almost unaware that you've even wandered into His Throne Room until you're before Him? All you can do is smile up at Him, in awe. This reminds me of John 19. Something that most people pass over catches my attention. Jesus is hanging on the cross and Mary His mother is looking up at her Lord. Here's what happened. "When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home" (John 19:25-27 NIV).

The thing that stands out to me is Mary's silence. You may think that she was passive in this story but in fact she's active. If you look close enough you can see that she was worshipping, when words weren't enough. She still played her part even though her worship wasn't recorded.

I love those moments, where you're worshipping from within, yet you aren't quite sure what you're saying. This is why we should try to train ourselves to not rely solely on wording our prayers. This is where prayer-living comes into play. Prayer-living is a way of worship. You should try it out sometime?! Instead of telling God that you love Him, why don't you show it? Go to the prayer meeting even if it's the last thing you want to do, volunteer to set-up for your youth service or sign-up to bag-pack to raise money for your Church missionary. Do something that you don't want to do! It works! Sometimes I have to force myself to serve, I find street evangelism to be terrifying and administration to be frustrating at times but I find myself doing them because there's no point me saying I love Jesus if I don't do anything for Him. Remember that if there isn't any weight to your worship it isn't reverence.

Ask yourself?

In what way can you practice prayer-living today? Don't write anything down if you don't intend to do it. Never forget that He wants so much more than a song, service can be a way of worship. In what way can you worship Him today?

Think upon these things...

I love it when God's Presence is so overwhelming you're in awe. Read through John 19- the crucifixion. Fix your eyes on Jesus and worship Him without words. Now, here's the next step, don't just say you love Him, show Him! Add some weight to your worship! To help you along your way why don't you read Romans 12:1-2? It reminds us to place our lives before God and worship Him in works as well as in word.

Heart-cry...

Prayer-living is a way of worship, so if you've promised to do something for God be active about it! Use the space to talk to God, just think of all He's done for you. Write down what you intend to do for Him as an act of worship and reverence...

Comeback-King!

"stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive" (Matthew 25:13 MSG)

Here's a question that's bound to get your brain in gear: are you living in expectation? Jesus could come back any day now. It could be today, tomorrow, or next week for all we know! He'll come riding through the skies on His white horse, coming to claim His own. Here's what's to come, "they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven" (Mark 13:26-27 NKJV). When that day dawns on us our time has run out. We won't be able to turn back time.

Here's something to think about. When Jesus comes back for His own, do you count yourself included? Will you be one of that number? If you aren't, your future is frightening. The day Jesus comes back will be your 'pay-day'. If you didn't accept His gift to you on Calvary you'll have to pay that debt for all of eternity. Even more so, you'll have to pay the price for living a life of disobedience. Hell is not for a holiday. If you end up there you're there to stay. As Mark 9:45 (NKJV) puts it, Hell is "the fire that shall never be quenched." There will be no escaping it. Listen to me. There's still time. You have today to make a change! If you admit that you've rebelled and repent, God will restore you! I thank the Lord that there's certainty with our Saviour. You can be secure in your Salvation!

Think upon these things...

This is a dead cert: the Coming of the King is just around the corner. He's coming back for His own. It's time to get right with God and get ready for His return.

If you're saved and serving you're probably breathing a sigh of relief. But you probably don't realise your responsibility? Are you warning your family and friends of the wrath? Are you putting it plainly? Spell it out: if you live without God you will spend eternity dying to know Him. It's so easy to side-step talking about Heaven and Hell, but we shouldn't dodge it, we can't afford to. We have to warn our loved ones that there are only two destinations to choose from. It's their choice; they have to live with it for all of eternity.

Ask yourself?

When was the last time you told a loved one about their need to turn to God? If you haven't been witnessing, why not? What's your reason for staying silent? We have to take our responsibility seriously.

Back to the Coming of our King, we've to ready ourselves for that day! We haven't got a second to spare; we've work to busy ourselves with. The Bible makes it clear that we've to live each day as if it was our last; we're to live as if Jesus was on His way today! The coming of the Kingdom is just around the corner. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Corinthians 15:52 NKJV). Before we know it He could be before us. I don't know about you but I'm not ready to meet Jesus face-to-face just yet. There's so much work to do and so little time. I want to be ready. God's counting down the days until He sends His Son to bring us Home. I pray that each and every day I live will count for His Kingdom. I want to make the most of every opportunity; I want to take every chance. I may not know the day He'll come to take me Home but I do know my decision. What's yours?

Ask yourself?

Are you making the most of every opportunity that passes your way? Or are you allowing them to pass you by? Taking chances may appear to be a bit risky at times but it's what God asks of us, we're meant to take every opportunity to speak of Him.

Bible-bones:

Turn to Matthew 25:1-13 and read the story about the coming of the Kingdom. There are two sides in this story, on one side there are those who were ready for the Bridegrooms return, and on the other there are those who were far from it. Pay attention to verse 13 (NCV), "So always be ready, because you don't know the day or the hour the Son of Man will come." My good friend, Alex Atwell, reminded me that Jesus won't come smiling down the street on a donkey once again. When He returns He'll be riding a white horse through the clouds, coming to judge us. Will you be ready for His return?

Birthright

Bible-bones:

Look up Colossians 2:11-15 for yourself. Focus your thoughts on where you once where and where you're now in Christ. Just think how far He's brought you!

I love flicking through my Bible and trying to find some 'spiritual snapshots' every once in a while. We need to remind ourselves of our past spiritual state compared to our present so that we remain thankful. It's all too easy to forget what God's saved us from and what He's got in store for us. So I suggest you go and grab your Bible this very minute! Why don't you read the Word before you go any further? Write down verses that describe where you were before God grabbed a hold of you, as well as where He's bringing you.

Think upon these things...

And as you read through my notes why don't you circle your favourite verses or key words, underline words that describe who you are in Christ, and box words that describe His character.

Here's my homework... before I became a Christian my sin ensnared me. I was a prisoner of the war between good and evil. But Christ paid the price, He sacrificed Himself. God gave Himself up to buy my freedom. "Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2 NKJV). I used to be a slave to sin, now I'm a servant of the Most High God!

Before I came to know Christ as my own, I was in fact dead. I thank the Lord I didn't stay that way, "you were dead because of your sins... Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins" (Colossians 2:13 NLT). Now that I know Him, I'm ALIVE! God breathed new life into me. Now I live to proclaim a full and free life in Christ!

In the days before I met Jesus I was stumbling along in darkness, although I didn't realise it. That was until I came face-to-face with the Messiah one day, and I've never looked back since. I let His Light flood into my life, now I try my best to shine bright for Jesus. I was blind, but now I see, "you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord" (Ephesians 5:8 NIV).

I was lost. Yes, I found Jesus when I was a wee girl but I was still lost nonetheless. I may not have strayed as far from the Way as some but there's no denying that I was still far from my Father. I was a prodigal before He drew me to Himself, "given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!" (Luke 15:24 MSG). He's the Way through the wilderness! I was lost, but now I'm trying to lead others to Him.

I was as poor as a pauper. I had nothing to my name, because I wasn't under His. Now that I have Christ I can't count my priceless possessions, they're too many to take in. My inheritance is in Him, and that's pretty-much immeasurable! "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19 NKJV). Once I was born-again, He became my birthright!

Have you ever thought what it cost Christ? He bought our freedom with His blood. He gave us new life when He laid down His rights. He paid our price when He gave up His life. What did God give? Ever thought about that? God gave His all- His One and Only Son. "For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son" (John 3:16 Amplified). "Christ loved us and gave himself up for us" (Ephesians 5:2 NIV). Your birthright was bought with His blood, thank the Lord for it.

Think upon these things...

God gave His Begotten to buy your freedom. Thank Him for it! Write a list of all the things you're thankful for...

Practice your prayers

Bible-bones:

Have a read at Matthew 9:35-38. Pay particular attention to verse 38. Don't just read it once, read it another time.

For too long we've been 'parroting' our prayers. For far too long we've been sitting comfortably, keeping the Message to ourselves. Well, we have to make an end of it! God commissioned us to tell the world that Jesus lives; we can't ignore it. We're meant to 'preach' our prayers. Instead we shy away from it. We aren't living up to it because we've been holding back. Wouldn't it be great to get the Word on the street rather than leaving it sitting on our shelves? We have to speak it out!

When was the last time you practised your prayers? Be honest! I'm not going to be blunt with you without being honest with myself; this is not my strong point. I pray expecting God to do all the work, through someone else. I would rather sit in a prayer room than take to the streets. However I know that's not what God wants, God wants us to pray on the go. Pray as you go about your life, in your school corridor, over a coffee, on the bus, anywhere you want.

Ask yourself?

This one will get you thinking. How can you apply your prayers to the everyday?

Expect God to call you to action when you call upon Him. When you pray for a friend to meet Jesus, why don't you introduce him/her to Him? When you pray that someone would step up to serve in the worship team, why don't you put yourself forward? When you pray that someone would help orphans in Africa, why don't you pocket out yourself? Going back to the Bible passage I opened with, there's a point behind it. I made myself, and God, a promise that I would never pray those words in verse 38 unless I truly meant them. Here's why; if I'm not prepared to put them into practice they're just empty words. I don't think Jesus was simply saying we should pray a wee prayer and that's the end of it. When we get on our knees and pray for harvesters if we aren't prepared to get up and go ourselves I'm not entirely convinced there was any point in praying! Maybe you disagree, but one thing is for sure, if you don't apply your prayers it isn't going to do anyone any good.

Ask yourself?

Are your prayers nothing more than empty words? Or are they promising?

Prayer is so much more than mere words; it's a way of life. Think about it. If our prayers only ever bounce off the prayer room's walls, then what good are they to us? What good are they to anyone else for that matter? We desperately need to practise our prayers! When you think about it, prayer is an action word, so why don't we act it out? No excuse is enough. None of us are exempt. There are no exceptions to the rule. You must admit that if our prayers come to nothing they're pointless. It's time we made prayer a priority.

Think upon these things...

Do you practice your prayers? Write down a few ways you can act them out. Stop promising and start practising!

Heart-cry...

Father God it's so much harder to answer my own prayers. When I call on You I want to be ready and waiting to be called to action! Help me to put my prayers into practice. Give me Holy Ghost boldness...

Use the space to write a prayer. Take it seriously. We should all practise our prayers so maybe it's about time you made a promise to God?

God honours obedience

"Those who honour me I will honour" (1 Samuel 2:30 NIV)

There's no denying that we're meant to be of constant character in Christ, but what exactly does that look like in human form? Daniel was a man of constant character. Read over Daniel 6 for the full story. Bypassing the Bible readings doesn't do you any good by the way. Here's how it was. King Darius was pleased to appoint Daniel as an administrator over the kingdom; he was one of three. Darius even considered giving Daniel charge over the whole country because his character was such a credit to him. The other administrators and satraps were far from happy about this. Jealousy got the better of them, so they tried to find fault with Daniel. But, as Daniel 6:4 (NKJV) puts it, "they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him". How many of us can say the same? If we're being honest most Christians tend to be constantly inconsistent.

Ask yourself?

Is your character a credit to you? More importantly, is your character a credit to God?

The story continues; a degree was issued with the hope of tripping Daniel up. Under the new law for the next month no-one was allowed to pray to anyone but king Darius, that included the King of kings. If anyone dared disobey and pray to anyone other than the king they would be thrown into the den of lions. These men were incredibly cunning. They knew that Daniel would continue to pray to his God three times a day despite the degree, so they tried twisting it to bring him down. You can clearly see that this really did call for Daniel's character to remain constant.

Things aren't so different today. People still try and trip us up. If you try and live all out for Jesus, don't be surprised when someone tries to bring you down. What's the first thing you do when someone targets you? Do what Daniel did. "Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before" (Daniel 6:10 NKJV). Go about your business as usual. Don't do anything any different. Keep a constant character.

Think upon these things...

Just like Daniel, don't act any different when life gets hard! Don't change your conduct or your character.

I could tell you one story after another about God's people trying to bring me down because of back-biting and jealousy, but I'm not even going to start. The point is that when you're attacked you have to stand firm. Make them wonder why you aren't retaliating. Let's continue with the story. When the satraps found Daniel in prayer, asking God for help, they brought the case to the king. To cut a long story short Daniel was thrown into the lion's den, but he lived! Little did they know that he was safe in the care of the King. God honoured his obedience. He will do the same for you, if you offer it to Him. Keep your side of the bargain and God will keep His. As His character is ever constant He will always come to your rescue.

Ask yourself?

Will you offer Him your obedience? If you do He'll honour it. In what ways can you honour God today? Be specific!

Heart-cry...

Father I thank You that I'm safe in your loving care. When I live for You You promise never to let me down. Remind me when I'm struggling to keep my character Christian that You'll honour my obedience.

Nightmare

"Keep awake and watch and pray" (Mark 14:38 Amplified)

Try to imagine Jesus' return. Try to imagine Him coming to bring His people Home to Heaven. If you read through Revelation you can see that it's going to be some day! Our King of kings and Lord of lords rides on horseback, with His angel-army following close. An angel, standing in the sun, heralds Him in. As soon as He stands on the horizon God's children gather together, singing His praises. They have been watching and waiting for this day year after year, day in and day out and they're ready. They're a prepared people. They've done their duty, and they're all set to be whisked away.

Now, imagine this. Jesus arrives on earth, but something is not quite right. No crowds come to meet Him; no-one leaves their house to greet Him. Jesus' disciples should be dancing before their Lord, unable to contain their joy, but they're nowhere to be seen. Singing should fill the silence. Instead Jesus is left alone with His thoughts. "Where are My people?" He wonders. "I warned them of My return!" Jesus goes to investigate, but He doesn't have to go far to find out what's wrong. Everyone is sound asleep! Nightmare.

Think upon these things...

Rewind! Read over the first couple of paragraphs again. As you do stop after every sentence and try to imagine it. Try to imagine what Jesus' response would be firstly when He finds His people are ready and waiting, and secondly when He finds His Church sound asleep.

This has to be my worst nightmare. I don't want to be caught sleeping on the job when Jesus returns; I want to be doing my duty. That's what we're called to do, day in and day out, until He returns to take us Home. I must admit that I'm not ready to go Home just yet; God has a work for me to do. You too, so we'd better get on with it! We need a wake-up call; we have to realise that this is serious. Jesus is going to return when we least expect it so we should watch out. If we don't we could be caught out.

Ask yourself?

What has God called you to do? Are you going about it? If not, why not?!

Read through Mark 14:32-42 before you read any further. Jesus and His disciples went to Gethsemane, one of Jesus' prayer hotspots. Jesus decided to leave Peter, James and John to watch and wait while He went on alone to pray in private. On His return He found the three sound asleep. Jesus said to Simon Peter, "are you asleep? Have you not the strength to keep awake and watch [with Me for] one hour?" (Mark 14:37 Amplified). Jesus asks the same of us, His command still stands. We too are meant to watch and wait. You can see from the story that this happened three times. Jesus would return and find His disciples sleeping. His warning was to "Keep awake and watch and pray" (Mark 14:38 Amplified). This warning should serve as a wake-up call. Will He find you sleeping, or serving? It's up to you.

We're called to be watchmen; we shouldn't be silent. "But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Saviour" (Micah 7:7 NIV). Can we say the same? We should be heralding Him in, praying His Kingdom come! Jesus Himself said "Behold, I am coming soon!" (Revelation 22:7 NIV). He's coming quickly; we had better quicken our pace. We have to speed it up a bit as there's so much work to do and we're running out of time. Jesus may not have dated the day He comes through the clouds, but one thing we can be sure of is that we have a work to do before then, so we shouldn't slack off it. Whatever God has called you to do, don't put it off for another day but go at it with full force. Tomorrow may be just around the corner but that doesn't make it a dead cert. Time is ticking, make sure it doesn't run out on you. Make the most of it!

Think upon these things...

Watch out. Don't be caught out.

The Way through the wilderness

"Come back, wandering children! I can heal your wanderlust!" (Jeremiah 3:22 MSG)

Bible-bones:

Home in on Jeremiah 2:1-13 to find out where Israel went wrong. How do you think this made God feel?

Israel once walked with God. They followed God, their Guide, obeying His every command. In Jeremiah 2 God took a trip down memory lane. He remembered how His people "followed Me through the desert" (Jeremiah 2:2 NIV). When God said "come follow", they set off as soon as they could. They didn't stray, they stuck with it. They paid attention to Divine Direction. Everything seemed to be going swimmingly...

But things took a turn for the worst. Israel abandoned their God, "this is what the LORD says: "What fault did your fathers find in Me, that they strayed so far from Me?" (Jeremiah 2:5 NIV). The nation who once walked with God wavered and wandered from the Way. They took their eyes off their Guide and set off on their own. They followed worthless idols, and lost their True Worth. "They did not ask, 'Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and rifts, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?'" (Jeremiah 2:6 NIV).They set off by themselves, choosing to go down a different road.

God goes on, "has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols" (Jeremiah 2:11 NIV). Israel did a deal. They swapped their God, their Glory, for gold. God revealed the source of the sin. His people "have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water" (Jeremiah 2:13 NIV). They brought it on themselves; they forsook their Way and walked another road. "Why do My people say, 'We are free to roam; we will come to You no more'?" (Jeremiah 2:31 NIV).They not only forsook the Way but they forgot it as well. They couldn't remember how to get back to Him.

We can't say we're all that different, we too rebel. We ignore His direction and set off on our own. We're too stubborn to ask for assistance. We lose our direction and go back to our old ways. It's either His Way or the byway, and we choose the second choice. We walk where we want to, and do what we want to do, but then we hit a wall running. When we reach a dead-end we're forced to think. It's then that we realise we've made a mistake. We've wandered far from the Way. We've backslidden and bypassed His plan. We don't know where to turn, but then we realise that there's only one Way. Thank the Lord that when we repent He meets us where we're at. He's the Way through the wilderness. No matter where you are He'll come to your rescue!

Ask yourself?

Have you wandered from the Way? Have you followed in the footsteps of Israel? If so, get back to Him. When you repent He comes running, He'll meet you where you're at.

A while ago I worked out that I'm prone to walking in my own ways. Thankfully for me when I lose my way He brings me back on track. I can't get away from Him. Everywhere I go He's there to meet me. He's around every corner I turn. He goes before me. He's behind me and beside me at the same time. He sees me through. Even when I've ran away He's watching over me, walking alongside me. When I slip up He helps me to stand. He's willing me to return to Him, "return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding" (Jeremiah 3:22 NIV). This is what we have to do when we realise we've left the Way: get off the beaten-track and go back to God.

Heart-cry...

Father I understand that it's Your Way or the byway, and I'm choosing the path you've mapped out for me. I want to walk with You all the days of my life! Thank-you Father for never abandoning me even when I turn my back on You...

Beyond my belief

"Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?" (Job 11:7 NKJV)

God goes beyond our belief. He's too much to take in; when we think we've got Him figured out we discover another miracle to marvel over. Our God is too good to us. Too great to fully comprehend, "He does great things which we cannot comprehend" (Job 37:5 Amplified). Think upon these things, "can you find out the deep things of God, or can you by searching find out the limits of the Almighty [explore His depths, ascend to His heights, extend to His breadths, and comprehend His infinite perfection]?" (Job 11:7 Amplified). We know the answer is not at all, no way!

Our God is both mind-blowing and beautifully breath-taking. He's not only worthy of our worship, He's worthy of our wonder as well. No one can compare, no one comes close, "many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which You have done... no one can compare with You!" (Psalm 40:5 Amplified). And again, "who compares with you among gods, O God? Who compares with you in power, in holy majesty, in awesome praises, wonder-working God?" (Exodus 15:10 MSG).When you try and answer it you realise you can't possibly! That's because there's no-one like our God, He's in a league of His own!

Our God is the Answer in Himself. Every answer to every question is found in Him. He's all you'll ever need. If everyone was to abandon you you would still have Everything. He's Hope to the helpless. Eternal rest for the weary. Healer of the broken-hearted. And Light to the lost. He's all encompassing; everything we ever have need of is hidden in Him. Just think about it- He meets our every need. He's not only the Provider, He's the Provision. "He does not exploit the poor, but instead is fair to debtors and does not rob them. He gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for the needy" (Ezekiel 18:16 NLT). He meets our every need, He is our need.

Bible-bones:

Why don't you go grab your Bible and open it at Psalm 18 (in my opinion it's one of those long-forgotten passages that we need to familiarise ourselves with). As you read through it scribble down words that describe God. Write down all that He's done for us. By the end of it you'll have quite a list!

When we're down its then that He lifts us up. When we can't find happiness He gives us real and lasting joy. When we're pursuing peace but we can't get a hold of it, He assures us of His Presence, our Peace. When we've lost our way somewhere along the lines He brings us back, safe and sound. Before we're even aware that we have a need God has already fulfilled it. I think you'll agree with me- our God is an awesome God!

When we desperately need comforted He fills the room with His Presence. He assures us that it will be alright because He's by our side. His being there makes it better, "we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Corinthians 1:4 NKJV). He's the "God of all comfort" (2 Corinthians 1:3 NKJV), who sticks by our side, closer than a brother. When we lose faith in ourselves He whispers that He believes in us, He urges us on. When we need rescuing He's by our side like lightning. Before we even blink He's already with us. "The Rescuer is strong: God-of-the-Angel-Armies. Yes, I will take their side, I'll come to their rescue" (Jeremiah 50:33 MSG). Even better, God isn't one for breaking His promises! He's always the Promise-maker, never the promise-breaker. I could go on forever, but I'll leave it at this... even though God goes beyond our belief He's to be trusted.

Think upon these things...

He's worthy of our worship, and worthy of our wonder. Why don't you take some time to worship Him? Thank Him that even though He goes beyond our belief He's to be trusted. Stick on some worship songs as you do this, or how about covering a wall with paper and plastering it with your thoughts and thankfulness. Give it a go!

Heart-cry...

Thank God for who He is. Thank Him for being your Strong Tower, Provider, Guiding Light and Rescuer. You'll find that focusing on His character makes your prayer-life so much easier sometimes...

Don't quit until you've caught up with God

"I will not let You go unless You bless me!" (Genesis 32:26 NKJV)

I can honestly say that as long as I can remember I've never doubted that God was alive and well. I've never gone through notions as to whether or not God was out there somewhere; I've always been secure in my Salvation. But, that doesn't mean that I haven't had my fair share of fears. Every now and then my head's been full of fears as to whether or not God remembers me. I've never been one for asking "is there a God?" Instead, on occasion, I ask "where are You God?" Being honest, I would describe my faith as being fearful.

Ask yourself?

What are your fears? Write down absolutely everything you can think of. Now, bring them before God. He wants you to share your struggles with Him.

About three years ago I felt a little lost; I felt like God had walked off and left me. There's only one way to describe it- there was a "shift" in our relationship. I can still remember the day I sensed God pulling back. I was far from happy. Here's how it is. Jesus is my best friend but sometimes it feels like someone else came along and got in the way. I thought that Jesus loved another kid more than me so He left to spend some quality time with them. I was heart-broken and helpless. Now I know that's not the way it works but it sure felt like it at the time. It honestly did feel that one day Jesus took the notion to get up and go. It was then that I decided that I wouldn't quit until I'd caught up with God.

Ask yourself?

Have you gone through a similar experience? Have you ever been left wondering "why?" It's alright to ask questions, God understands. Ask yourself this one- when you feel distance growing between you and God, what are you going to do about it?

This reminds me of Genesis 32:22-31, the story of Jacob wrestling with God. Read the story for yourself before you listen to my ramblings. The story starts during the night. When Jacob was alone a man came and wrestled with him until morning. When you're feeling like God's left you alone, fight to regain your relationship. When you're in the darkness may it dawn on you that God's light shines ever bright, even if you can't see God's working don't be dismayed. He's still there. As always. He will never let you go. What happened next was that when the man saw Jacob's determination it dawned on him that he couldn't defeat Jacob, so he struck him on the hip, putting it out of joint. Yes, wrestling with God isn't easy. Prayer can be painful, but stick in there.

The story continues, Jacob refused to let the man go until he blessed him, "I will let you go if you will bless me" (Genesis 32:26 NCV). That's the only option Jacob gave his opponent. We too should stick to it. Don't give in and give up all too easily, if you push through the pain God will bless you abundantly. Never loosen your grip on God; show Him that you're serious about Him and He will reward you. Just like Jacob you will receive a reward for allowing yourself to be driven by your doubts. Jacob walked with a limp for the rest of his life, but he was blessed. Your fears may never go away; mine never have. I still wrestle with God, but I've learnt to fight my fears. I would go as far as saying that I'm thankful that I've fears because they make me keep on coming back for more. I have this obsessive obedience that drives me on. When I can't feel His Presence I won't quit until I've come close. I suggest you do likewise.

Think upon these things...

Don't quit until you've caught up with God. Don't give up the chase until you've come close. If you have a fearful faith, allow yourself to be driven by your doubts.

Heart-cry...

God, sometimes I let my fears get the better of me. Help me to allow myself to be driven by my doubts. I want to be driven deeper in my faith. When I'm struggling I pray that I won't pack it in...

Trademark

"Live out your God-created identity" (Matthew 5:48 MSG)

Ask yourself?

What's your identity? Answer it...

Our identity is what defines us. It's who we are, it's our core being. It's unique. Your identity is as individual as you are. God has given each and every one of us our own identity, inbuilt inside of us. Jools Hamilton once told me that God is far more interested in who I am that what I do; it's so true. God is far more interested in His kids being of integrity, having an understanding of their own identity. I suppose what I'm trying to say is "Live out your God-created identity" (Matthew 5:48 MSG). Whatever makes you you, use it for the glory of God.

Here's a question; are you an identity fraud? Do you try to copy other Christians? Do you try to walk this world in someone else's shoes? If so, grow up and grow out of it! I've said it before and I'll say it again; be who you were born to be! We're meant to live up to God's expectations, not live like those around us. It doesn't matter how christian they are, only ever compare yourself to Christ. Or else you could end up turning into a clone. Never forget it. The one thing in the world that you can do better than everyone else is be yourself. So why don't you do it?

Ask yourself?

Are you an identity fraud? Or are you of integrity? I'd encourage you to embrace your identity.

I was day-dreaming a while ago and I woke up to a few things. Firstly, I'm a work in progress; my identity is always evolving. I thank the Lord that He hasn't finished with me yet, in fact He's barely begun! The same goes for you; you may not have a good grasp of your identity but with God's help one day you will. Another thing I figured was that I have to live up to my identity in Christ. Do you know what it means to be a Christian? In some countries Christian can be translated as being a follower of the Messiah, a disciple of Jesus, or one who is of Christ. I have to ask; do you live up to your name? Being a Christian is so much more than a label; its trademark is a life of service and sacrifice. If you call yourself a Christian, act like it and embrace your identity in Christ.

I've got yet another question for you; what about your individual identity? Do you live up to it? Let's do something a little different today and try to trademark our identity. I'll start off. I try my best to live up to my name. My full name is Constance-Anne. I used to hate it until I came to know what it stood for. Constance means to be constant. I try and stand to it, steadfast. My pet name, Connie, means to be firm of purpose; it has become interwoven into my identity over the years.

Don't worry if you haven't a clue what your name means or if it means nothing to you; it's just an example. Your individual identity could be defined by your love of sport, creative arts, or music. It could be your eagerness to share the gospel with down-and-outs, your servant-heartedness in your workplace, or your patience when teaching Sunday school. Your individual identity could be made up of your passion to pray, your joy at seeing salvation, or your faithfulness to your Scripture Union.

Whatever it is, try your best to stick to your trademark, live out your God-created identity. Even though our identities are all unique, we share one thing in common; we are to be people of integrity.

Think upon these things...

When your integrity comes into question remind yourself of what's expected of you as a Christian. Get this into your head, whatever your identity is, the most important thing is that you live it out.

Bible-bones:

Why don't you try and trademark your identity? Here's an idea, track down a Bible passage that speaks of your character as a Christian and hold yourself to it. Seeing that my name means steadfast, mine could be "stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV). Or pick a characteristic you want to improve upon, for example gentleness, humility, or generosity and find a verse that best describes who you want to be in Christ. Got it? Go for it!

We ask- God answers

"Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you." (Luke 11:9 Amplified)

One rainy day I decided to flick through my journal and reflect on my thoughts. This jumped off the page at me, "Father, there You are... reminding me that my problems only appear to be overwhelming because I don't bring them to You lay them down at Your feet and see how small they are in comparison to Your greatness!" That day I realised that our problems fade away when we come into the Throne Room and gaze upon God's greatness! It's so true, even though it's so hard to do sometimes. I don't know about you but if I have a problem I sometimes see it as being a silly wee request so I don't want to bother God with it. I think to myself that I can handle it alone. But bringing our problems to God is a must, how else can we expect answers if we don't ask?

Ask yourself?

Do you ever stop short of bringing a prayer request to God because you think to yourself that it's too small for God to take seriously? God wants to listen to your every request, write down some of the things you've been too afraid to ask God for? Now, here's the real test, step on into the Throne Room and bring Him your requests. He wants to hear from you!

What I journalled reminds me of Enniskillen 360. We had a few hiccups, thankfully no majors. It would have been so easy to try and tackle them alone without bringing God into it. But we didn't, one morning when we split into our teams we prayed for provision. We prayed for silly little things that were niggling away at us. We asked God for the sort of things that most of us take for granted most of the time. We prayed for food, art supplies and a freezer of all things! I have to admit that I felt that we were pestering God in prayer, but it worked! We were over the moon when we realised that every problem that we can prayed over God had said "yes" to! It just goes to show that God has an answer for everything! Don't hesitate to ask just because you think it's so small it's not worth bothering God about. He's willing and waiting for you to ask. It pleases the Father to see His children seek after what's on their hearts.

Bible-bones:

I know I've covered this story before but bear with me, read Luke 11:5-9 once again... Just because you've read something once doesn't mean that you should leave it at that.

Jesus told a story about a neighbour who turned up on his friend's door-step at midnight. Back then it was way past everyone's bedtime and it must have been the height-of-all-rudeness awaking someone from their sleep! The story continues, the neighbour pestered on, "friend, loan me three loaves of bread. A friend of mine has come into town to visit me, but I have nothing for him to eat" (Luke 11:5-6 NCV). The answer doesn't surprise me, "don't bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything" (Luke 11:7 NCV). In the end he gets up and gives his neighbour what he asked for. Why is this? Jesus explains, "if friendship is not enough to make him get up to give you the bread, your boldness will make him get up and give you whatever you need. So I tell you, ask, and God will give to you" (Luke 11:8-9 NCV). It doesn't matter how petty your prayer may seem, ask for it!

Read on in Luke 11, "search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened" (Luke 11:9-10 NVC). Here's how prayer works, I'll put it as plainly as possible: we ask- God answers. It's as easy as that! As long as it is according to His Will that is. I'm encouraging you to take possession in prayer. We don't need to persuade God to give us a gift. We just have to take what's already ours.

Heart-cry...

When you're bringing your requests before the Lord be careful that it doesn't turn into a wish-list! Pray over it again and again, keep seeking and striving day in and day out. Don't give up. Sometimes God's reply may seem slow in coming but it always comes right on time!

Shrink yourself down to size

He must increase, but I must decrease. [He must grow more prominent; I must grow less so.] (John 3:30 Amplified)

John 3:30 has got to be the verse I try my best to live by. "He must increase, but I must decrease" (NKJV). He must become GREATER and GREATER. I must become less and less. If God doesn't increase in my life I'll end up elbowing Him out. There isn't room for the two of us. Just look at how the Message puts it, "this is the assigned moment for Him to move into the centre, while I slip off to the side-lines" (John 3:30). Our lives should scream "it's all about You, never mind about me!" We have to allow God centre-stage. We have to humble ourselves, bowing down to bring glory to God. When we become nothing He becomes our everything! For the story in full read John 3:22-36, John the Baptist exalts Jesus as he bows down before Him. It's beautiful.

Shrink yourself down to size. The problem is that pride puffs us up; when our eyes are on ourselves we can't see past ourselves. We must become the lowest of the low. We must become humble-hearted rather than haughty; "humble yourself before your God" (Daniel 10:12 NIV). I'm sad to say that so many Christians believe themselves to be high and mighty in their own eyes. Be careful not to think of yourself more highly than you should, or else it'll be your downfall. Take up the posture of prayer and praise and follow in Jesus' footsteps, "the most humble Highness".

Paul the apostle knew what self-sacrifice was. He understood that in order for Jesus to be lifted up he had to be brought low. Just think, Paul suffered greatly for Christ's sake, "I have been in prison more often. I have been hurt more in beatings. I have been near death many times. Five times the Jews have given me their punishment of thirty-nine lashes with a whip. Three different times I was beaten with rods. One time I was almost stoned to death. Three times I was in ships that wrecked, and one of those times I spent a night and a day in the sea" (2 Corinthians 11:23-25 NCV). The list goes on and on, speaking of selflessness and self-denial. Paul knew all too well that glorifying God meant suffering loss for His sake. Even though Paul's case is extreme we can still learn a lot from his example, we can see that bowing down brings glory to God.

You may be asking what do I have to do to shrink myself down to size? What does God want of me? He wants your all, every ounce of your being. We have to give Him our all, not what we're prepared to give. Don't hold back, hold onto God's promise that He will raise you up in His time, "humble yourselves... that He may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:6 21st Century KJV). It may sound a little topsy-turvy, but to live fully and freely we have to sacrifice ourselves, dying daily. In Luke 9:23 Jesus makes the commission of the cross clear, "if any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (21st Century KJV). This goes for each and every one of us, there are no exceptions, self-sacrifice is essential. Let your littleness magnify God's largeness.

Bible-bones:

Look up Luke 9:23 in your favourite version and write it down for you to remember. Try to keep it in mind as you go about day to day. This is the commission of the cross. This is your call; never forget it.

Ask yourself?

Self-sacrifice is essential. How can you serve selflessly today? You could lend a hand looking after your neighbour's kids while she takes a well-deserved rest, get a few groceries for your granny, help your classmate with their maths homework, or take time to talk to the kid in the class who everyone ignores. For the third year when I've helped with kids clubs I've volunteered to be the toilet-scrubber as we tidied up. Why? Because I believe that service should be sacrificial. Every once in a while we should do something we don't want to (I even cleaned the boys toilets!). So, what will it be?

Watching and waiting

"So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him" (Luke 15:20 NLT)

A prodigal is someone who is wasteful, reckless and rebellious. A prodigal is 'out for his own'. The only person he cares about is himself. He is unrepentant of his actions. He couldn't care less what others think. He spends money carelessly, without a care in the world. He's so self-centred he doesn't know what the word selfless stands for. Refresh your memory by reading Luke 15:11-32.

One thing is for sure- he didn't think about his father's feelings. When he asked his father for his inheritance it can basically be translated as "I wish you were dead and buried." Back then a father's son had to wait until his father died before he could get his hands on his inheritance. That's the way it was. He should have waited but he went right on ahead. His father must have been grief-stricken to see his son leave with no notion of returning. In a way, part of the father died that day as he broke his heart. The father must have been inconsolable when he lost his son. Why do I think this? Why else would he have watched and waited for him to come over the horizon? Every day after his son disappeared into the distance the father remained on the lookout. He must have loved him dearly.

Luke 15:13 (Amplified) shows us just how far the son fled from the father. "He wasted his fortune in reckless and loose living." He spend every penny he had, he was 'bank-broke' before he knew it. Unlucky for him "when he had spent all he had, a mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want" (Luke 15:14 Amplified). Things weren't looking too good for the prodigal. "He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs" (Luke 15:15 NLT). In the Jewish tradition pigs are seen as being unclean, so the prodigal son really lowered himself to serving slops!

Thankfully for him the prodigal came to his senses. "How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and [even food] to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger!" (Luke 15:17 Amplified). So he decided to "get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants" (Luke 15:8-19 Amplified). Talk about a change of heart! So he set off homeward-bound. The best bit is coming up! "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [fervently]" (Luke 15:20 Amplified). I can almost see the father standing there scanning the skyline, hoping to sight his son. When he climbed over the horizon the Father recognised him in a split-second, and he didn't hesitate. He ran for him!

This story speaks of our Father. When we rebelled God reacted in the same way as the earthly father. He too let him go in love, willing for him to find his way home one day. Our Father watches and waits for the day it dawns on us that we have wronged Him. And He comes running when we repent! What amazes me the most is that God gave His inheritance, His Treasure, up for us. When we ran God sent His Son to bridge the gap and bring us back.

Heart-cry...

Father I thank You that You brought this prodigal home. I'm overwhelmed that You ran to meet me! I thank You for sending Your Son to bring me back...

Bible-bones:

Give Luke 15:11-32 another read, and ask yourself these questions:

Can you see yourself in the prodigal? If so, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to keep on running or are you going to return home?

You can clearly see our Father. What does He look like? Try to describe His character.

Also, take a minute or two to look at the older son. He normally gets left out of the picture but I think it's important to study his character too. Are you like him in any way? What are your attitudes towards prodigals?

When God calls He equips

"Don't say, 'I'm too young,' for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don't be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!" (Jeremiah 1:7-8 NLT)

I think it's fair to say that Jeremiah had an intimidating task ahead of him. If I was standing in his shoes I'd have been scared stiff. God would have been encouraging me to get a move on and I'd have been shaking in my boots. I wouldn't have been able to move a muscle! Speaking on behalf of God in a world overflowing with idolatry was a frightening assignment. The people didn't want to hear a word of it. What probably frightened the life out of Jeremiah the most was that he was but a boy, a kid prophet. When God commissioned Jeremiah he was probably still a teen at the time.

Here's a bit of background. When God called Jeremiah to the office of a prophet he was a messenger of the king of Judah. Nobody took much notice of him; he didn't have much age or experience behind him. But what he did have was a real relationship with God, and that's all that matters. When God called him to bring His Message to the people, He made it clear that Jeremiah wasn't to leave anything left unsaid. He was to bring God's Word in all its fullness. Jeremiah couldn't pick and choose his message. When he stood before kings, princes and priests he was to proclaim divine revelation and make it plain to the people.

Bible-bones:

Read through Jeremiah 1:4-8. It's fast becoming one of my favourite Bible passages. As you read, put yourself in Jeremiah's shoes. Pretend that God is talking directly to you. Just like Jeremiah you too have a calling; rise to it!

Is it just me or was Jeremiah given a mammoth task? I have to be honest. I can completely understand why Jeremiah felt the way that he did when he said "I can't speak for you! I'm too young!" (Jeremiah 1:6 NLT). Most of the missions God has fired at me I've been overwhelmed at, just at the thought! When I started preaching I felt far too young, I thought I'd better leave it for a few years. When God told me to start up Girls' Bible Study from scratch I told Him I had no experience. I'd never even attended a small-group! When He kept on bringing up the subject of 24-7 Prayer, I kept on ignoring it; I didn't feel I could offer anything. Just like Jeremiah I too protested, I pleaded my youth as an excuse. But God has never taken "no" for an answer, He's always insisted that He knows best. Looking back, I can see that He knew what He was doing all along. God loves to use the youth for His glory! I'll say it again, God loves to use the youth!

Ask yourself?

Do you bring excuses before God? Why don't you try this- bring your fears before Him and ask that He would help you overcome them. Don't let your fears have a hold of you. God is willing to use you regardless of your age or experience. Don't use your youth as an excuse.

Getting back to Jeremiah, God still chose to call and commission him despite his protests. Why was this? You would think that God would have known better because He knew Jeremiah inside-out. He knew he was a youth. He knew everything that there was to know. He knew Jeremiah didn't have any status to stand on. God knew his faults and failures. He was well aware of Jeremiah's weaknesses. He knew Jeremiah's fears that had a hold of him. God knew that he was unqualified. Jeremiah wasn't exactly a high-flying scholar. He knew that Jeremiah wasn't up to it. He didn't need Jeremiah to remind Him of it. Here's what it boils down to. The thing that sets someone apart for God's work is that they don't amount to much on their own. But with God by their side, now that's a different story! You see, when God calls, it's then that He equips.

Ask yourself?

God loves to use the youth. Will you allow Him to use you?

Heart-cry...

Heavenly Father I've been unwilling, even resistant, to Your ways, and I want it to change today. I know that You have a plan for my life; I want to put it into action. Thanks Father for helping me along the way, encourage me on...

Luke-warm lover?

"if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)

Ask yourself?

Here's a question to start you off. Are you a luke-warm lover? Do you have a lazy love when it comes to Christ? If you aren't fully devoted to Jesus it's the height of all insults, and here's why...

It's impossible to meet Jesus and remain unchanged. When someone hands over their heart to Jesus He leaves His mark. Turn to 2 Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified), we know it well so why don't we act it out? "Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!" When Jesus gets a hold of your heart you can't hide it. It's written all over your face and it's evident in your actions. You can't help see it and smile.

Think upon these things...

After you've read over 2 Corinthians 5:17 try and imagine it. The old passing away. The new coming into existence. Engage with God as you do so.

A thought that's been floating around in my head recently is to do with our devotion. I've been asking myself over and over if it's possible to be a half-hearted Christian? Can someone know our God but still sit on the side-lines and refuse to get stuck in? This is the thing. God demands our total attention, our undivided devotion and our whole-hearted obedience. Anything less than this doesn't meet the mark. We should be heart-hungering after God. I know that King David didn't always get it right but one thing we can't deny is that he was hungry for God. Just listen to this, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God" (Psalm 42:1-2 NKJV). I love the way the Message puts a spin on David's heart-cry, "A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; I want to drink God, deep draughts of God. I'm thirsty for God-alive" (Psalm 42:1-2). Make this Psalm your prayer today.

Every once in a while I pray something that some people would consider to be a 'stupid' prayer. A wee while ago I did just that when I asked God to "never quite satisfy me" and He answered it. I'm not satisfied with what I have. I'm hungering for more of God. Think about it. We should never be content with what we have when it comes to the things of God. Let me make myself clear. My relationship with Jesus is nowhere near where I want to be. I want my prayers to be more passionate and persistent. I want to delve deeper into the Word. I want to be driven deeper into my devotions. I want to spend more time serving others and less time serving myself. You see, an unsatisfied soul strives for more... and more... and more...

Bible-bones:

"I spread forth my hands to You; my soul thirsts after You like a thirsty land [for water]. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!" (Psalm 143:6 Amplified)

Reflect on some of the Psalms. Turn to Psalm 143 for a start. You can really see David's heart as he hungers after God, can't you? After every verse take a pause to pray.

Heart-cry...

Father God I'm sorry for being half-hearted. You can have my whole heart! I'm surrendering to you now, have Your way in me...

Anything is imaginable

"you- up on your feet and get dressed for work! Stand up and say your piece. Say exactly what I tell you to say" (Jeremiah 1:17 MSG)

Bible-bones:

Read the first chapter of the book of Jeremiah to find out a bit more about his calling.

Why did Jeremiah kick up such a fuss? Why did he make such a scene? Why didn't he just go along with God? The answer is that Jeremiah just didn't believe in himself. Jeremiah didn't trust that God could use him for His glory. Sometimes we should try to see ourselves through God's eyes. When we don't have any faith in ourselves, God still believes in us. When we write ourselves off, God looks past it, at our potential. Just like Jeremiah, you too may feel that you aren't up to the task. Well, you're right. I'll say it again, you're spot on. You aren't up to it, not on your own anyway! But with God by your side, the inconceivable is imaginable and the unbelievable is attainable.

I'll explain myself. I used to be painfully quiet but at the age of fourteen I found myself standing in front of a roomful of my peers preaching. Some people found it unbelievable, but what they didn't realise was that I wasn't speaking for myself; God was speaking through me. One weekend I sat down in front of a blank word document with my Bible, having set my heart on writing a book. Some may say it's an incredible achievement, almost unimaginable at my age. But what they don't understand is that I wasn't writing, I own up to it... God's the Author. You see, with God by our side anything, absolutely anything, is possible! The impossible is made possible, the unbelievable is brought into being and everything that was once unattainable is within reach.

Ask yourself?

If you allow Him to work in you He's sure to work through you! What will you allow God in on today, what will it be? If you put your heart in it, and if God's behind it, what was once out of the question can be in fact achievable.

"Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you" (Jeremiah 1:17 NIV). Do exactly what He tells you to do. Even if it seems impossible. Jeremiah couldn't get his head around what God had asked of him. He didn't see how the God of Heaven and Earth could have handpicked him with a mission in mind. Jeremiah was unwilling, but he went anyway.

Sometimes I'm unwilling, and down-right rude, when God asks something of me. If I think a task is too big for me to take on I refuse to even attempt it when I really should be faithfully carrying out His commands. Sometimes when God tells me to bring a message, I don't want to deliver it. Once when I was asked to speak in a Scripture Union I knew God wanted me to talk about the two destinies we can choose from but I tried to back out of it and prepared a "fluffier" sermon. In the end He won me round and I brought His message. I'd guess it wasn't what they were expecting but it was what He asked of me.

The same goes for you. You're meant to carry out His commands. This may surprise you but we share the same calling as Jeremiah. We too are called to be errand-runners, messengers of the King. God has given us the same mission, to bring the Message, the Good News of the Gospel, to everyone around us. It may appear to be impossible but it's all in our imagination. The reality is that with God on our side there's no stopping us!

Ready yourself. God has you in mind for something special. You've got to believe it and embrace it, don't you dare doubt! God is ready and willing to use you, if only you'll let Him. If only... Just like Jeremiah you too have to stand up. Even if you don't feel like it. Even if you don't feel up to it. Even if you're unwilling. You have to stand up and step out in faith. Go and answer your call!

Think upon these things...

If you ever feel like a failure remind yourself that with God by your side anything is imaginable...

Materialism matters?

"They served their idols, which became a snare to them." (Psalm 106:36 ESV)

Does materialism matter? We know that the answer is "no", but when we look at our lives they seem to be screaming "give me more!" We need a reminder that "those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs" (Jonah 2:8 NIV). If you're clinging on to an idol you're missing out on what God has to offer- grace. If you're holding on to an idol God isn't about to hand over His grace, you have to drop everything else first. Can you think of any idols that we make out of materialism? Some boys are glued to their Xbox while you can never seem to drag some girls out of the shops. Some of us are like magpies, always after the latest bling, while others are stuck to their iPhone and never have their iPod too far away.

Ask yourself?

Does materialism matter, to you? Are you holding anything in your hands instead of holding God in your heart?

Idols rival God. Take a look at Exodus 32, the story of the golden calf. Study the story for yourself. You can either highlight bits of the Bible passage that stand out to you or take notes. If you want to grow closer to God it's time you took His Word seriously. Here's the story. God's people became impatient while waiting for Moses to come down the mountain, so they made a god of gold. They said to Aaron "Come on... make for us some gods who can lead us" (Exodus 32:1 NLT).

For some reason I don't think that it had dawned on them that idol-worship leads to destruction. Everyone knows what was to come. The people built an altar before the golden calf. "The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings" (Exodus 32:6 NLT). They were soon in the festival mood, indulging in pagan rituals. God had had enough. Moses basically had to beg Him to have mercy upon His chosen people. If Moses had not spoken up, the people would have gone up in smoke along with the burnt offerings.

When Moses made it down the mountain he "saw that Aaron had let the people get completely out of control" (Exodus 32:25 NLT). You may think that you can control your idol, but the truth is that it has a hold over you. You lose control the second you indulge in your idol. For now let's stick with the story; Moses gave the people a choice. They had to pick a side and stick with it. They could either come back to God or they could go against Him in choosing His rival, the idol. The Levites chose the Lord, and obeyed His command to kill everyone else. Three thousand died that day. We do the same today, although we serve rivals in more subtle ways. The test is to resist your temptation. Flee from it; don't flirt with it.

Having a hunger for more material possessions may not sound so bad to us, but to God its betrayal. We too deserve death for abandoning our post, but I'm thankful that God grants His forgiveness when we turn from our sin and run back to Him. Here's what Jesus has to say about whether or not materialism matters, "guard yourselves and keep free from all covetousness (the immoderate desire for wealth, the greedy longing to have more); for a man's life does not consist in and is not derived from possessing overflowing abundance or that which is over and above his needs" (Luke 12:15 Amplified). What's your idol-worship? Rid yourself of it.

Think upon these things...

What idols are you clinging on to or craving after? Write them down and repent of them. Use the space to say sorry...

Heart-cry...

Heavenly Father, sometimes I'm caught up in materialism without even being aware of it. May I focus on You instead of on my material possessions. May I only ever seek after more of You, forgetting about the latest fad that's here today and outdated tomorrow...

Weapons in warfare

"Then if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT)

So, I've been going on and on, and on, about fasting bringing with it freedom. Why should you bother listening to a word I say? Here's why, because it's Bible-based. Jesus expects it of us. You can't argue with that can you? Esther, Anna, Daniel, Ezra and David all found freedom in fasting, to name but a few. We should follow in their footsteps. They understood that fasting brings with it liberty, launching them right into the Father's lap. There's no waiting in line.

Just in case the thought of fasting is still making you 'freak out', I'll throw out a few reasons why we should. Firstly, fasting can be used as a weapon in warfare. When you lay face down in a fast this is perhaps the most powerful position to be in. Something God has been speaking into my life recently is that my weakness is His weapon. Powerful isn't it? God can use us in our weakened state because He's our strength; He will sustain us. I have to say that there's something about worshipping Him in weakness! When you approach God and He can see that you've been praying and fasting it tugs at His heart-strings to see that you've come to Him in weakness. Use your weakness as a weapon. God will strengthen you as you do.

Think upon these things...

Your weakness is His weapon. When you're in a weakened state God can use you greatly!

Ask yourself?

What are your fears when it comes to fasting? Bring them before God.

Fasting, when coupled with prayer are, in my opinion, the most powerful Christian practice. Never forget that prayer and fasting go hand in hand. If you fast without spending quality time with God you're wasting your time. Have you ever thought that prayer and fasting help to free prisoners of war? We're fighting a holy war, satan and his armies waged war against Christians long ago, and he's not going to give up without putting up a fight. When you fast pray for protection, so as to shield yourself from satan. I can't emphasise this enough. If this scares you don't shy away from it. Jesus stands by your side, so lean on Him when you feel faint because of the fight.

Bible-bones:

Open your Bible at Isaiah 58 and read the chapter in full. Focus in on verses 6-9. It tells us what true fasting is, and what's false.

Here's another thing to think about. We not only have to defend ourselves, but those who can't defend themselves. We have to take action and act on behalf of those who are so hopeless they can't help themselves. Act it out:

"loose the chains of injustice...

untie the cords of the yoke...

set the oppressed free...

break every yoke" Isaiah 58:6 (NIV).

Fast for your friends who haven't met Jesus yet. Pray that God would reveal Himself to them. I'm sure you'll agree that you too would love to see God gathering His children into His arms. Pray and fast that your friends would be amongst them. If we take this practice seriously God will be pleased to reward us, with our loved ones coming to faith.

I could continue. Fasting forces you to humble yourself before our Almighty God. Did you catch that? You're to humble yourself. Asking God to humble you doesn't make sense. It's up to you to bow down. God will never force you to do anything you don't want to. Repent of any wickedness, and God will restore you to Himself and revive your soul. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (Amplified) is a witness to this, "If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land." Try and imagine what God's answer would look like if we prayed with power and fasted with faith. Hard to get your head around, isn't it?

Think upon these things...

If you're up to the challenge why don't you fast? Here's a word of warning though. Don't take on too much at a time! Even just skip a meal or stop snacking for the day. With time you can stretch yourself that little bit more. Don't forget to set time aside for prayer and Bible-study, or else you could end up relying on your own strength.

Perseverance pays off

"Keep on asking... Keep on seeking... Keep on knocking" (Luke 11:9 NLT)

We all know that prayer is priceless. It's precious and it's a privilege that we don't deserve. Having said all that, why is it that we struggle to string two words together in prayer? Sometimes our prayers are so fragmented. We hum and haw. We trip over our tongues. We can't seem to get the words out so we leave it at that. Our prayers are little more than stammerings. Why is that? And why don't we care enough? You know what I mean. When we can't word it right, that's as far as it goes; we forget it.

Ask yourself?

What's your prayer-life like at the minute? What are your struggles?

Why are we so laid-back when it goes to our prayer lives? We take our social lives seriously. We always make time for our friends. Family gatherings aren't to be missed. We work our schedule around our education or employment but when it comes to our spiritual lives we couldn't care. When our prayer-lives are dying we do little to revive them. We need to breathe life into them once again! I know its hard going; I find it a chore to be a prayer warrior. The phrase "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV) is so far-out from my practice sometimes it seems too far away to chase. However if we're honest with ourselves, we know that's not the way to act. We can't give up the chase. We should be struggling on.

Luke 11:5-10 encourages us to persevere when it comes to our prayer-lives. Read it for yourself. Jesus told a story of a man going to a friend's house in the middle of the night asking to borrow bread. The man's reason was "A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat" (Luke 11:6 NLT). The response was "Don't bother me" (Luke 11:7 NLT). It looked like he wasn't going to give in but as the man persisted, things took a change. Jesus explained, "though he won't do it for friendship's sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need" (Luke 11:8 NLT). Why? Because of your "shameless persistence" (Luke 11:8 NLT). Keep asking, seeking and knocking. When God sees that you're serious He'll do something about it.

Think upon these things...

Be steadfast, be stubborn in prayer!

If I was to translate the word perseverance I would say that it stands for being stubborn in prayer. Do you know what's guaranteed by God? He promised that persevering prayer brings with it power! Here's proof, when we were younger our family moved back to Northern Ireland. All of us except our Dad. He couldn't get a job so he had to stay in Scotland. It was awful, we missed him so much. So we prayed and prayed and prayed that God would bring him home, day after day and it worked! Our prayers were the driving force that brought Dad home to us. We had to wait for nearly three years but our persistence paid off. I can't stress how hard those years were, we were only kids and we were without our Dad. However it taught us that God rewards those who wait.

Think upon these things...

Pray with persistence and your perseverance will pay off. Right now, spend some time with God. It may sound strange but ask your Father to teach you how to pray. Pray for your prayer-life! Even if you're struggling to string two words together stick with it.

Heart-cry...

Here's the real test. I'm going to leave you on your own this time. I can teach you all I know about prayer but until you apply it for yourself it won't do you much good. I suggest you start praying. If your prayers seem to run dry, stick on some worship music or read your Bible and it'll help you get it kick-started again...

The Invisible God

"We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen" (Colossians 1:15 MSG)

Like Father, like Son. Jesus is the exact image of the invisible God. Beautiful, isn't it? Colossians 1:15 (Amplified) reads "He is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible]". Hebrews 1:3 reads, "the Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being" (NIV). When we read the Bible, it's a breeze to see the God-Son because He's stepped into skin. But when it comes to Father-God, He's a whole lot harder to track down at times! And when we do manage to catch a glimpse of God in our mind's eye, He appears to be an old grump who sits high in the sky throwing thunderbolts. This couldn't be further from the truth; God and His Son are one and the same!

Ask yourself?

How do you imagine God to be? Be honest, there's no wrong answer here, just give me a real one...

God reveals Himself through His Son. Even though God is unseen to the naked eye we can clearly see Him when we look at His Son. I'll try and paint a picture of what God appears to be, to me... Let's look at Luke 7:36-50, the story of a sinful woman who was forgiven. If you read it for yourself you'll be able to follow my train of thought far better. A Pharisee invited Jesus round for some food and as He was eating a sinful woman entered the scene. Luke 7:37-38 (MSG) puts it like this "the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at His feet, weeping, raining tears on His feet. Letting down her hair, she dried His feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume".

Some would expect Jesus to throw a hissy-fit and storm out, but not so. He stayed right where He was. He looked her in the eye and spoke directly to her, "I forgive your sins". God alone has the authority to forgive; Jesus forgives in His Father's Name. We can see that God freely forgives, and loves lavishly...

Read and reflect on John 8:2-11, try and see if you can catch a glimpse of God for yourself. It's another story that speaks of forgiveness, allowing God's beauty to shine through. The Pharisees caught a woman in adultery and brought her to Jesus, trying to trip Him up so that they could accuse Him. But Jesus dodged the question by daring them "he who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first" (John 8:7 NKJV). The accusers were convicted by their conscience, so no-one threw a stone.

Has it ever crossed your mind that there was One who could have condemned her, but He didn't? He was the One who had the right to punish her, but He chose to pour out His blessing instead. Instead, Jesus stooped down to write on the ground, and when He straightened He only found the woman before Him. He asks her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" (John 8:10 NKJV). She answered, "No one, Lord" (John 8:11 NKJV). Jesus looked on her with eyes full of love and spoke words of comfort, telling her that He too has chosen not to condemn her. Even when He could have. Jesus follows in His Father's footsteps, offering forgiveness in place of punishment.

Ask yourself?

I hope you can see our Father with open eyes now. What does He look like? Look at His Son and you'll see His character clearly...

You see, God the Father and God the Son are identical. They're in agreement. They're One. Jesus not only demonstrates God's love; He is the demonstration of God's love. This explains how God makes Himself known through His Son; we know that God is ablaze in beauty because we only have to look at His Son to see it. Just look at our Love and you can't help but fall in love with Him. Just think about it. When we see Jesus for the very first time we will see God's glory, unmasked and exposed.

Think upon these things...

Flick through the gospels. Whenever you see a story about Jesus stop. Read and reflect on it. Close your eyes and try to imagine God. As you focus in on Jesus our invisible God will make Himself known.

Heart-cry...

Talk to God. Tell Him how beautiful He is. Ask Him to show you more of Himself...

Answerable to the Almighty

"They've rejected me as their King. From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they've been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods.... So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they're in for." (1 Samuel 8:7-9 MSG)

Samuel was the last of the judges. He was a mighty man of God. But his sons didn't walk in the Way. In fact you could go as far as saying that they turned 180° and went the opposite way. Today is no different. There are still stone-cold Christians posing and pretending to be on fire for God when they're far from it. Why does God let them get away with it? Hang on a minute. Does He let them get away with it? I think not. Everyone is answerable to the Almighty. No-one can dodge His questioning on the Day of Judgment.

Bible-bones:

Read over 1 Samuel 8 from start to finish. Have you walked in their ways? Have you too rejected God's rule in your life? If the answer is "yes", you've got to get things right. Confess, and crown Him Lord of your life.

1 Samuel 8 fills us in on a few things. Firstly, Samuel appointed his two sons, Joel and Abijah, as judges over Israel. God didn't approve as they didn't keep His commands, "they turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice" (1 Samuel 8:3 NIV). They did this behind their father's back, in the temple, in front of their Heavenly Father's face. You may be thinking that God mustn't have been all that clued-in, but I'm sure He had His eye on things.

Things seemed to be going from bad to worse as the elders of Israel ganged up on Samuel and asked for a king. This is what they said to Samuel "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us" (1 Samuel 8:5 NIV). Why did they want a king? Because their neighbouring nations had one. It looks like the nation was just as stone-cold as Samuel's sons. They went against God when they knew He was to be their one and only King. Here's what God had to say to Samuel, "listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king" (1 Samuel 8:7 NIV). Samuel wasn't the reject. In actual fact Israel rejected their God.

The nation of Israel received a warning. Samuel spelt out exactly what their chosen King would do, "you yourselves will become his slaves" (1 Samuel 8:17 NIV). Samuel went on to say that "when that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day" (1 Samuel 8:18 NIV). But the warning went in one ear and out the other. Their answer was that they wanted a king and that was that. They wanted to "be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles" (1 Samuel 8:19 NIV). They must have forgotten that their God fought for them; they needed none other. God gave them what they wanted, a king was crowned.

There was no need for a king. God was the government. God ruled over all and everyone was under Him. No one needed to share His role or steal His reign. God was more than capable of leading the kingdom by Himself. In His eyes two was a crowd. When we reject God we're trying to force Him from His throne. God will never abdicate His throne, so we should stop trying to steal His sovereignty. Each of us has rejected Him and went after our own will. But what we forget is that we're accountable to the Almighty. We won't get away with it forever; God will pull us up on it on Judgment Day if we don't own up to it and sort it out now. We've been warned.

Ask yourself?

Are you a stone-cold Christian? Have you gone against God? You don't have to go out of the way to reject God. You just have to go after other things.

Heart-cry...

Almighty God I can see that sometimes I go against You. Sometimes I go my own way and do my own thing. It has to stop. Today I'm crowning You as King of my life once again...

Suffering in solitude?

"Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you..." (1 Chronicles 28:20 NIV)

Have you ever been so down in the dumps that you've convinced yourself you're suffering in solitude? Have you ever been so down in the deeps that you've doubted God's existence? Listen here; even if you feel lonely you're never alone. God is there, right by your side. Even when you feel that believing in the unseen is believing in the impossible take heart that He's still there, and He's going nowhere. God will never, no never, walk away. He's here to stay, always.

Bible-bones:

Turn to Genesis 39 and read the chapter in full. As you read through the story study Joseph's character. Imagine you were in exactly the same position, how would you feel? Ask yourself this: what can I learn from Joseph?

Don't panic! You aren't the only one who's ever felt abandoned. We all face rejection. Just look at Joseph. His brothers not only turned their back on him but they turned him over to be sold as a slave. I don't think things could have looked any worse for the lad. Hang on, I spoke too soon. Things were about to take a turn for the worse! Joseph had it hard. He was accused of trying to sleep with his master's wife when the opposite was in fact true. Here's how it happened "after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he refused.... "How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:7-8 NIV). To cut a long story short Joseph was falsely accused of trying to rape Potiphar's wife, before being thrown into prison.

Goodness knows how long he spent in that cell. The one thing I'm sure of is that he felt forgotten. What did he do to deserve that?! He faithfully served his Master, when we do the same we can't help but feel hard-done-by when we suffer. True? But, even when Joseph was down in the dumps, down in a dungeon to be exact, he remembered to look up. Follow his lead. If you feel rejected remember that you're accepted by Jesus. Even if you aren't aware of it here and now, you're loved forever and always. I find this verse to be of comfort, Genesis 39:21 (NIV) "the LORD was with him" while he was in prison. God didn't abandon His child. He never has and He never will. Thank Him for it!

When I was going through a rough patch a couple of years ago I put pen to paper, my pain was written right across my journal. I felt so alone, so low. I'd go as far as saying that I felt abandoned by God. I felt like God had had enough of me and that was that. I thought He was never coming back. Looking back, I can see that He had never gone and given up on me, He was just testing me. When you're faced with the same situation, when you feel that you're suffering alone remember that everyone goes through seasons of the soul, but with God you'll come out on the other side.

Think upon these things...

Even when you feel that God has deserted you He hasn't. He's no notion of leaving you. He will never walk away. He will never run out on you. He's here to stay. Be encouraged!

Heart-cry...

Father I thank You that You always have been and always will be here for me... help me to pray through the pain, I really do want a closer walk with You. May I trust in the promise that I will never walk alone, You are here with me right here, right now. When I feel like I'm all alone may I be reminded that I have You both now and always...

If you're ever going through a rough patch and feel all alone here's some advice for you...

Contact an old friend.

Get yourself along to your youth group

Fellowship at your local Church.

If you're still in school make an extra effort to attend Scripture Union.

Most importantly talk to God and tell Him how you feel.

Unquestionable obedience

Bible-bones:

Genesis 12:1-6 speaks of God calling Abram to leave the known and enter the unknown. I wonder, if you were standing in his shoes would you have responded in the same way?

Abram wasn't afraid of his future, why was this? He knew that it was safe in God's hands. He knew that if he gave everything to God he would never lose anything. The story starts with God speaking to Abram, saying "leave your country, your relatives, and your father's family and go to the land I will show you" (Genesis 12:1 NCV). Abram obeyed His command without so much as a question; he left not knowing where he was headed! God didn't give him any directions or tell him his destination and Abram still followed faithfully. He didn't delay. His answer was immediate.

Abram was sure of something, even though he didn't know where the road led he had faith that God did. Even though he didn't know where he'd end up he believed that God had it all mapped out. Even though he didn't know where to turn next he trusted that God had done His homework. He knew exactly where He was headed. We should adopt the same mind-set. Even though we don't know what lies ahead we should have faith in Him, we should follow hard after Him regardless. Abram couldn't surrender his all and abandon everything with his fists up; the same goes for you. Don't put up a fight, have faith. Have faith that He knows what He's doing. You don't need to know every turn you're going to take. You just need to know that He's by your side every step of the way.

Ask yourself?

When God asks something of you how do you react? When God asks you to follow Him into unfamiliar territory how do you respond?

When I think of a time God asked me to leave my comfort zone and venture into the unknown I think of 'faith undiluted'. I had never attempted such a task, but when God asked it of me I answered as quickly as I could. I'm not going to pretend that the journey has been easy. Some days I've ended up wishing that I'd never set out in the first place. He's brought me completely out of my comfort zone; I would be lying if I said being an author is all fun and games. What I'm sure of is that God has gone before me. He's prepared the way before me. Even though He has asked me to leave behind the familiar, He has been with me each and every day since we began this venture together.

It may sound stupid but sometimes we shouldn't let ourselves think, because it's then that we question. If I had stopped to think about all the draw-backs of writing a book I would never have got started and I would have missed out on the blessing. Be sure of it; blessings always follow obedience. Sometimes it doesn't always follow right behind your obedience so stick with it and see it through. By faith we should obey. God asks for unquestionable obedience. We should have faith in Him instead of cross-examining and double-checking everything.

Ask yourself?

Can you call your obedience unquestionable? Or do you probe and ponder at every opportunity? Take Him at His Word; He will look after you wherever He leads you.

There's a promise that comes with the command, "I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others" (Genesis 12:2 NCV). Never forget this; His promises are just as sure as He is. When He promises a blessing it will come, it's on its way. Abram remembered God's promise to him, and he also realised that he had to submit, he had to accept His sovereignty for all things to work out. Just think of how his faith brought him fame. Abram is the father of the nations because he believed in His promise. Abram believed in His blessing.

Heart-cry...

Father-God, be my guide. I want to follow You out of my comfort-zone into the unknown. I want to obey You without question. Help me to abandon my all and follow You, for You are my everything...

Slow-grow

'Busy as a bee', that's me! And I'm not proud of it. I've been on countless committees, served on several local mission teams, been involved in organising loads of youth events, set-up prayer-rooms, shepherded kids in Bible studies and so much more. Not forgetting juggling a diploma, "part-time" job, voluntary work and a social life. Being busy is not all its cranked up to be. Why is this? Because we can't grow on the go. That's a fact. It's impossible to rush around and find time to still yourself before God.

Here's what happens when we find ourselves being too busy. We end up snatching a few measly minutes with God. We race through 'grace' before we grab a bite, and then we're off again. We squeeze Him in at the end of the day because the rest of it is full to overflowing. We say a quick bedtime prayer before we turn off the lights. We hurriedly snatch a moment here and there to read the Bible when we're on the run. We don't take the time to enjoy His company or sit still and soak Him in. It's not good enough. We need to slow ourselves down!

Ask yourself?

Are you too busy at times? Do you ever accidentally elbow God out? Do you ever shove your devotions off to the side or choose to do one of the one-hundred and one things on your to-do list instead of go to Church? Yes, at least some of us aren't lazy but being too busy can be just as bad!

Sometimes my day looks something like this: I jump out of bed and throw on me before I go to tech. If I have time to I'll steal a few minutes of the bumpy bus ride to read a Christian book. I pop into the prayer meeting before I go to classes, and grab lunch before another lecture. Some days I speak at a Bible study before I catch the bus. If not I head home to get stuck into assignments, prepare a sermon outline, or write some more devotions. All these things are good in themselves, but they can stunt my spiritual growth if I'm not careful. Some days it seems like I have everything scheduled in, apart from time spent with God that is. I fit in some quiet time with God around other things when I know it should be my priority. Even when I manage to make time to still myself before Him my head is still buzzing, I can't seem to switch off.

Think upon these things...

Just because you lead a busy life doesn't mean that you're living life to the full.

One day it hit me. Did I spend time with Jesus today? You may be thinking the answers "yes" but I don't see it that way. Just because I spoke about Him doesn't mean I spoke to Him. Just because I prayed in public doesn't mean that I spent much time praying in private. All too often it's too late and I'm too tired. So I end up reading a chapter or two of my Bible before bed, when I'm barely able to keep my eyes open. Sometimes the words are jumping about the page my eyes are that tired. I know it's not good enough and something has to be done about it. Slow-grow is the only way we can really flourish in our faith. It takes time to mature as a Christian. You can't expect to grow when you barely spend time in His presence. Taking time each and every day to read the Word and pray in private is so essential. Otherwise your roots won't go deep and your faith will wither away.

Ask yourself?

Think as practically as you can... how can you make sure you spend time in His presence? What steps can you take to make sure that you grow and mature as a Christian instead of simply going through the motions? Sometimes we need a bit of structure. Here's the sad truth. Sometimes we need to go as far as scheduling Him in just to make sure we don't forget about Him.

Bible-bones:

I'm leaving you on your own for this one. Look up these Bible passages for yourself, Hebrews 5:12 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-2. What can you learn from them? Where are you in your faith? Are you growing and developing as a disciple of Jesus or are you trying to do without it?

Living-proof that He lives

"we are Christ's ambassadors... Christ's personal representatives" (2 Corinthians 5:20 Amplified)

Has it ever occurred to you that we're to be living-proof that Jesus lives? That's what we're called to as Christians. Our lives have to support the claim that Christ lives within us. We're meant to be new creations in Christ. When those around us look at us they should be able to see that Jesus lives within us. Our family and friends should come to faith in Jesus because of the evidence in us. We should do the same as the disciples, "validating the Message with indisputable evidence" (Mark 16:19 MSG). Our actions should be evidence that we believe our Lord lives!

Bible-bones:

Read through Acts 18:1-17 to find out what Paul endured for Jesus, and what his response was.

The Apostle Paul journeyed from Athens to Corinth, and every Sabbath he preached in the synagogue, trying his best to persuade both Jews and Greek to consider Christ. "Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ" (Acts 18:5 NIV). Did you catch that? Paul testified that Jesus was Christ. He was His witness. Even when the Jews opposed and abused Paul he carried on because he knew what he was to do. He knew what was expected of him. He was to be a sign that his Saviour lived. No matter what was thrown at him he was a testimony to the New Testament Church.

Things didn't always go so well for the apostle Paul. Before too long he found himself going through a bit of a rough patch. The Jews plotted against Paul. Their reason being that he was a traitor. Paul used to persecute the disciples of Jesus and he had a change of heart. The Jews wanted to do away with him, and they were prepared to do just about anything to bring it about. But God spoke words of encouragement to Paul in a vision, "do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you" (Acts 18:9-10 NIV). If we were in Paul's position we may have denied our love for the Lord so that we could have had an easy life. Paul could have taken the easy way out and denied he knew Jesus, but he didn't.

Paul knew that he couldn't let his faith die. If he did how else were people going to hear that Jesus was alive? Do you know how far it went? Paul was dragged along to court for being a Christian! The Jews brought him before the judge's seat, their case being, "this fellow is advising and inducing and inciting people to worship God in violation of the Law [of Rome and of Moses]" (Acts 18:13 Amplified). Imagine that. It still happens to this day. In some countries Christians find themselves in a courtroom with the question before them, "will you deny Christ, or will you cling to Him?" One day you won't be able to dodge questions before the Judgement Seat. One day Jesus will ask you, "why did you deny Me on that day?" Or "why did you not witness for Me when I told you to?"

Ask yourself?

If you were dragged along to court and the case was for being a Christian what would the verdict be? Would you be found guilty or innocent? What's the evidence? Is it plain to see?

I love this, "we are Christ's ambassadors" (2 Corinthians 5:20 Amplified). Each and every day we're to represent Christ. Everywhere we go we're to stand for and speak for Him. Everyone we ever meet should be able to see that Jesus lives in us. We should be a testimony to our Lord. When we speak up and speak out for Him, God is "making His appeal as it were through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20 Amplified). Our testimony should stay true to Him, because we are "Christ's personal representatives" (2 Corinthians 5:20 Amplified). The Apostle Paul got it spot on. When we bear His name we're expected to suffer for His sake. "If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name" (1 Peter 4:16 NIV). Because we bear His name we should live up to it, enduring all things.

Ask yourself?

When others look at you can they see that you're a Christian? Can they see that you're a new creation? If you call yourself a Christian there has to be evidence to support your testimony. Test your testimony. Is it evident that you bear His name? If not you have to get right with God and testify that Jesus is Christ!

Bring them Home

"Jesus said, "I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me." (John 14:6 MSG)

What a thought- 'God the builder' got to work and made you a mansion! John 14:2-3 (NKJV) talks about there being many mansions. "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." Try and get your head around that one, God has prepared a place for each and every one of His kids. When it's ready He'll call us Home.

When I count up how many houses I've lived in I very nearly run out of fingers! But I've got to say that none of them will come anywhere near the Home I call Heaven. Second-place won't even compare to the glories that awaits. Just think, He's been taking His time at it, for the past two thousand years He's been preparing a place for you. Try and imagine what it's going to be like!

Bible-bones:

Why don't you flick to the back of your Bible and look up Heaven, our Homeland, in the concordance? Read through as many as you can and try to imagine what it will be like. One day we will be there to see it for ourselves!

I hope that this verse, 2 Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV), finds a home in your heart. It makes me smile every time I read it as it reminds me of how great God's love is. "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him." It's almost impossible to imagine, isn't it? Isaiah 64:4 (MSG) echoes it, "since before time began no one has ever imagined, no ear heard, no eye seen, a God like you who works for those who wait for him." While we work for God on earth God is making us a home in Heaven! Good deal? I think so!

Try and imagine the God of the universe rolling up His sleeves and getting His hands dirty as He does a bit of building. You'd think He has better things to be doing than making us mansions in the sky, wouldn't you? His handiwork is out of this world. Nothing will come close to our Heavenly Home.

Turn with me back to John 14:6 (Amplified), "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me." We know this verse inside-out; we've had it quoted to us from when we were kids. But have you ever realised the responsibility that comes with it? When we see Jesus for ourselves and build a real relationship with Him we're headed for Heaven. But what about those around us? What way are they walking in? You know what I'm talking about so I might as well say it. Our nearest and dearest may be walking in the wrong direction, the opposite way (and we all know where that ends up). If they don't turn around and turn to God they will be lost for all of eternity.

Ask yourself?

Can you put a price-tag on a soul? I think not. So who are you going to introduce to Jesus today? And in what way can you show them the Way?

If our family and friends die without Jesus they'll have to spend all eternity without Him as well. Take heart, we can do something NOW. As long as we're still on this earth we can do something, we can introduce our friends and family to Jesus. Bring them Home... before it's too late. John 14:2 (NLT) makes it clear that there's always room for one more, "there is more than enough room in my Father's home". The thing is, if we don't introduce them to Jesus they will spend all of eternity dying to know Him.

Heart-cry...

Dear Jesus, I know You're the one and only Way. Give me the courage to show people who You are and what You've done for them. I don't want to let a day escape me without doing something for You, please give me the strength to share...

Stop promising and start practicing

"He was moved with pity and sympathy for them, because they were bewildered (harassed and distressed and dejected and helpless), like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the labourers are few. So pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust labourers into His harvest" (Matthew 9:36-38 Amplified).

Reading over some people's prayers in a local prayer-room really spoke volumes. It opened my eyes to how a couple of Christians with a pen in their hand and a prayer on their heart can really make a difference when they put their mind to it and move into action. The power of the pen is incredible! I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was overwhelmed. I'd say God was smiling down on us, trying to hold back the tears as He not only read penned petitions but prayers engraved upon hearts. You see, prayer-rooms aren't about filling wall space or time. They're about filling hearts to overflowing...

When we make promises in prayer we should hold ourselves to them. When I journal my prayers I make sure that I mean it, because God is watching on. If I call upon Him I expect to be called to action. I never ever pray for harvest-hands unless I'm willing to answer the call myself. This should be a ground rule for Christians all around the globe! When we pray we should be moved with compassion. Just look at Jesus. His heart was overflowing when He thought of His people. More than that, He was MOVED with compassion.

The feeding of the five thousand, found in Matthew 14:13-21, shows us the heart of Jesus. Take time out to read it before you read on. The story goes like this. Jesus and His disciples went to rest a while in a deserted place. As soon as the multitudes heard where Jesus was to be found they set off on foot. When Jesus stepped out of the boat on the other side crowds were waiting to welcome Him. Pay attention to what happened next, "when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick" (Matthew 14:14 NJKV). In His compassion He cared. He not only healed the sick. He gave the thousands a good feed before they journeyed home. In Mark 6:34 (NKJV) it states the cause behind His compassion, "they were like sheep not having a shepherd." Instead of sitting on or praying for the people, He decided to do something about it. He decided to shepherd them.

Get your Bible at the ready once again. Turn to Mark 1:40-45. There are countless stories which speak of Jesus being moved with compassion. The story of the cleansed leper is one. A leper kneeled before his Lord and asked to be made clean. His response: "Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed" (Mark 1:41 NKJV). As soon as He said it, the leper lost his label. He was made whole. Jesus was so burdened He decided to do something about it, He healed. Jesus was a man of His word. If He said He would meet someone's need it was as good as done. When He said He would heal the sinner left made whole. When He said He would forgive He fulfilled His promise. When He foretold His death He saw it through. Jesus was a man who was moved with compassion. He wasn't passive. He was active.

Here's another story, found in Matthew 9:35-38. I know there's a lot of reading today but it's worth it in the long-run! As Jesus was journeying He spoke in synagogues and preached to the people as He passed by. Jesus didn't hold back on healing. He "healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives" (Matthew 9:35 MSG). Once again, when He saw the multitudes, "His heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd" (Matthew 9:36 MSG). What did Jesus do? He challenged His disciples to ask their Heavenly Father for harvest-hands. I believe Jesus meant it more as a question. Were they willing to answer the call? Thinking back to the prayer-room I can see that the power of prayer is far greater than the power of the pen. Living-prayers carry so much more weight than words. When we pen our prayers we shouldn't just promise, we should practice.

Ask yourself?

If you accept the challenge write God a promise. How can you better serve Him? What are you going to do for Jesus today? Be prepared to stick to it. If you make a promise you should be prepared to practice it.

My weakness is His weapon

"You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel's troops... This very day God is handing you over to me... And everyone gathered here will learn that God doesn't save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to God—He's handing you to us on a platter!" (1 Samuel 17:45-47 MSG)

Bible-bones:

Everybody knows the story of David and Goliath; it's one of the greats. But not everyone knows what David's weapon in warfare was. Any wild guesses? What was it that won the war? (The title kind of gives it away!) Before you go any further flick to 1 Samuel 17 and read the chapter in full and try to find out what's the weapon.

The story starts with the Philistines preparing themselves to battle against King Saul and the men of Israel. Goliath of Gath, a champion of the Philistines, threw insults at Israel. He went a step too far and slagged off God to their face. The giant dared the army of Israel to do battle, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other" (1 Samuel 17:10 NIV). When Saul and his men heard these words they lost heart. The winners reward would be to take the enemy captive and it looked like Israel didn't stand a chance. Then along came David. This shepherd-boy was a weed, he wasn't even asked to fight. But he chose to stand in the firing line. All he was asked to do was bring his brothers bread and cheese, but he ended up bringing victory as well.

To cut a long story short David heard Goliath defying the armies of the Living God and he decided to do something about it. He wasn't about to let Goliath get away with disrespecting his God. David was told he was no match, and to leave it at that. King Saul's very words were "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth." (1 Samuel 17:33 NIV) But here's what David had to say about that, "the LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine" (1 Samuel 17:37 ESV). Saul couldn't argue with that so he sent David out to do battle. This shepherd-boy was sent out in God's strength. He went out under God's protection. God holds that promise to this day. He promised that He would protect us and He always provides for that promise!

David marched out to meet his opponent, "and when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth" (1 Samuel 17:42 ESV). Have you picked up on what his weapon was? His weapon was his weakness. People always put young ones down as being inexperienced. We're always told to wait until we're older, we're always told to wait until we have a few years behind us. But I don't buy it; I don't think it's Biblical! I'm sick and tired of hearing how weak-willed young ones are. But in a way the opponent is right, we are weak. But here's where they're wrong, young Christians can use their weaknesses in warfare when they realise that God is their strength. He fights for us. As you grow older be careful not to become reliant upon yourself or your 'strength' will be your downfall.

Back to the story, David declared to Goliath that "you come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts... This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand" (1 Samuel 17:45-46 ESV). David was well aware that he had no strength in himself. Just look at what he says next, "the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hand" (1 Samuel 17:47 ESV). David slung a stone straight at Goliath and it knocked him dead. You may be thinking that with a sling and a stone David brought Israel's enemies down to the ground? Not so, David's strength was found in his God. It wasn't David who saved the day; it was God who won the victory!

Think upon these things...

When we're weak it's then that God steps in and saves the day. God fights for us when we don't have the strength to stand.

Close enough to carry us

"[that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure" (1 Corinthians 10:13 Amplified)

When God distances Himself what do you do? How do you react when He takes a step back and gives you some space? Firstly, don't panic! It's not as uncommon as you would think. And secondly, don't turn your back on God and walk the other way. If you do it'll only ever add to the distance and detachment. Just because God's brought you to a trial doesn't mean that He won't bring you through it. He won't abandon you so don't abandon Hope.

Sometimes God watches on at a distance, so as to test you. It's a bit like a trial run, where God puts you through the paces. When you feel like things are almost unbearable remind yourself of this, "blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him" (James 1:12 NIV). God prizes perseverance.

Ask yourself?

How do you respond when God tests you through taking a step back? Do you create even more distance between the two of you or do you strive to come as close as you can? Do you persevere under the trial or do you disengage with God?

King David knew something about being tested by God. He went through it time after time. Read through Psalm 13 before you go on any further. You can tell that David is on a downer. "How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?" (Psalm 13:1 NKJV). David once fellowshipped with his Father but now he feels forgotten. He cries out to God, "consider and hear me, O LORD my God" (Psalm 13:3 NKJV). He begs God to listen to his petitions. Here's how the Message puts it, "long enough, God— you've ignored me long enough. I've looked at the back of your head long enough" (Psalm 13:1-2 MSG). You can see that David is despairing. He's at his 'wits end'. He doesn't know how to deal with the distance.

Think upon these things...

When you feel forgotten remember that He hasn't forsaken you. He's watching over you.

We know what's to come. God delivers David from his despair. He comes to his rescue! Here's the thing, even though God had distanced Himself He still looked on in love. He hadn't left him, He was still watching over His loved one. Home in on what David had to say next, "I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me" (Psalm 13:5-6 NKJV). Just listen to the way the Message words it, "I've thrown myself headlong into Your arms— I'm celebrating Your rescue. I'm singing at the top of my lungs, I'm so full of answered prayers" (Psalm 13:5-6 MSG).

We can learn from David what to do when God distances Himself, change your perspective. If you look close enough you can see that nothing has changed, the circumstances stayed the same. But the difference was that David made an effort to stop looking inward, quit looking around, and start looking upward. When you look inside yourself for the answers or around at others, you won't find what you're looking for. David understood that God knew what He was doing even if he didn't! David knew that God wouldn't force him into anything he couldn't cope with. Never forget this. God never asks us to carry a burden we can't bear. Even when He distances Himself He's still close enough to carry us.

Think upon these things...

Turn from your despair to your Deliverance. Call upon Him and He will spur you on in His strength.

Heart-cry...

This is what I want you to do. Write your very own Psalm. Read over Psalm 13 once again for some inspiration, as it reminds us that it's important to voice our pain as well as our praises. So why don't you open with some of your struggles, and end thanking God that the distance can't keep Him apart. Even if there's a void between you, He's still close enough to carry you...

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About the author:

Connie Barrett (23) is from Fermanagh (Northern Ireland) and has just completed a degree in Youth and Community Work with Practical Theology through Centre for Youth Ministry. Her three loves are reading, running, and writing. To find out more about Connie visit www.faithundiluted.com

Discover other titles by Connie Barrett at Smashwords.com:

Faith Undiluted

Parables from a Prodigal

Caffeine Fuelled Reflections

Connect with Connie Online:

You can contact Connie through www.faithundiluted.com

Extract from Parables from a Prodigal:

Worry Robs you of Today- Matthew 6:25-34

We can't escape from worry; it comes to all of us. It's universal; we all share in it. It comes in many different shapes and sizes; we have to understand this in order to overcome it. 'Worry' in Greek means anxiety that divides the mind and distracts a person, drawing them in different directions. If you focus on your worries they'll eat away at the peace you should be holding onto. Worry can be translated as a lack of trust in God as you fail to believe that He'll care for your needs.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus wasn't just speaking to the poor and the hungry who were in need of food and clothing. He was also talking to the rich who worried about money just as much, if not more. Jesus was speaking to men and women who struggled to exist, living hand to mouth, as well as to those who had money under the mattress and in the bank, who worried all the same. He understood that no matter how much we have we will all be plagued with worry at some time. What Jesus had to say was for everyone's ears, including yours...

"Do not worry" resounds (Matthew 6:25). It may be easy to say, but Jesus knows it's harder to live out. Jesus' teaching about anxieties was born out of His own life experiences. He had no home, no bed, no paid work, no steady stream of support, yet He wasn't paralysed or immobilised by worry. Why? He chose not to. It's a choice that each of us has to make. Jesus was confident that his Father could, and would, meet His every need. Jesus knew that He could leave His worries in His Father's care. He didn't allow His worries to rob Him of the joys of that day, choosing not to lose that day in the worries and cares of the next. Just think, in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus was anxious and fearful, even to the point of sweating drops of blood. But He refused to allow Himself to be robbed of that day, sharing in a last meal with His disciples.

Jesus reminds us that we can't afford to waste time. We can't afford to get caught up in the material, as it makes us forget what's eternally important. Verse 25 makes it clear that life outlasts earthly 'treasures'. There's more to life than the material. Substituting the eternal with the temporal is a move you'll regret. Worry is a contagious disease. When it takes hold it can overpower you. Don't allow worry to get a foothold; don't let stress dominate your life.

Jesus' message was to stop bringing tomorrow's worries forward into today as we can face them with Jesus. Tomorrow is in the future and the future belongs to Jesus, we don't need to worry about something that's in His hands. Today isn't made to carry tomorrow's worries. Strength to cope is appointed day by day. When we take our eyes off today it runs away on us and we worry our life away. When Jesus promised us that with Him we could live life to the full, I imagine this is full of joy and free from worry. Being alive in the moment and trusting God for today, allows us to hold onto each day's joy. When we don't become wrapped up in worries, that may or may not materialise, we don't lose sight in the joys of today or become burdened with the worries of tomorrow.

The ABC of becoming a Christian...

A each and every one of us has sinned, admit it. Be honest with yourself, God doesn't accept excuses. Acknowledge your shortcomings, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23 NIV). Ask God for His forgiveness and say sorry for your sins. Own up to the fact that your sins sent Jesus to the cross.

B you've got to believe that Jesus died to bring you new life. Jesus sacrificed Himself; He went willingly to the cross to take your punishment. God sent His Son to pay our penalty, "The payment for sin is death. But God gives us the free gift of life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23 NCV). Jesus' sacrifice bought your salvation.

C it's time to change your ways, "anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old is gone; a new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). Repentance, in other words, means living a changed life. If you say you love Jesus you'd better live like it! Make a change, live your life wholly for Him.

