RE-THINK YOUR THINK

So just for a moment stop what you are doing and just think about your day or maybe even your week so far.

Ask yourself (as I asked the same of myself) this question:

“ How many times today, or this week, have you questioned God with why your life is where it is, why things go on around you that you really do not like, why is it that you have things so tough?”

It may be that you have to go back further than this week. The question is still valid and I ask you just to think what was going on when you challenged God with that type of question.

Now it is clearly possible that I am the only one who has ever raised the question of “Why me?” to our Father God. However, I suspect that anyone reading this can probably relate to a time when they have almost cried out “Why me?” and can relate to what I am referring to.

So as I am the one writing this piece no one will be that surprised when I say that I did not have to cast my mind back too far to find myself asking God why it was that I was so hard done by. I have asked Father God why my circumstances (call it “life” if you will) are the way they are for me.

My thoughts around this have really been triggered by my wife coming into our bedroom (where I have my office area and I work when I am not travelling around one place or another) and sat down and just said “Why is life so hard for us right now?” Now when she asked that she wasn’t really aiming at challenging God but more it was borne out of frustration for certain situations we are involved in as a family.

But as I thought of what she said I knew that I had internally asked the same question not that long ago as a bit of a challenge to God, and I have for some time now considered the way I asked that question and the circumstances around it and decided actually I needed to Re-Think My Think (re-think the way I was thinking).

I am not sure that I have completed adjusting the way I think but I certainly have made a start and will continue it on. So I do not write now from a position of suddenly having everything sorted out and in a knowledge that I will never raise that question before God again, but I do think I may begin to answer the question for myself in a different way.

Those of you that know us will know that as a family 2011 has been quite a difficult year. My youngest daughter (not yet 14) spent 8 weeks at the start of the year in a residential clinic for a serious eating disorder. My mother passed away just before my daughter came out of that clinic, and shortly afterwards while I was working in the USA my wife experienced a breakdown. Right now my daughter is continuing to struggle with image, the eating disorder has returned and as a consequence she cannot cope with mainstream schooling and my wife continues to fight her breakdown and is under a number of medical treatments for it.

Have I prayed for God’s intervention in all this? You bet your life I have!! Have I seen breakthrough. Occasional glimpses yes, full breakthrough no. Do I continue to pray – yes I do!! P.U.S.H. Pray Until Something Happens is the saying and I will continue to do that and hold on to that.

So as I have pondered my “lot” and cried out “woe is me” I have looked around at the circumstances of others and had cause to say “Thank You God, there but by Your grace would go I”

I look at a friend with a daughter just 16 years old fighting a very aggressive cancer and going through extreme chemotherapy, stem cell surgery, being constantly sick, not knowing what the future may hold, but being two of the strongest and bravest people I have ever met. I and many people from varying churches around Norfolk continue to lift them up in prayer (they do not attend any church at this time and I do not know their spiritual standing) as we know Jesus can, and does, heal all independent of their faith. There is somewhere that I can truly say “There but for the grace of God………………….”

I have friends who have recently experienced a horrendous situation within their family involving a vicious attack on one of their family members, resulting in hospitalisation. Again somewhere where I can say “There but for the grace of God………………….”

Just a couple of weeks ago we had a Suffering Church Sunday where we set aside time to consider those people in this world that are persecuted simply because they are Christians. People who know that, just by standing up for Daddy God, means they could be put to death. We may all think the country we live in is marginalising and attacking Christians but very few who read this are facing the risk of death for their faith. Could I do that? I honestly don’t know, as much as I would like to think I could say “yes”. Again somewhere where I can say “There but for the grace of God………………….”

And I am not using that phrase glibly or in disrespect for the circumstances those people are in, I am just genuinely expressing that it is by Gods grace that I am not facing those hardships.

So even though when I look at what is happening in my family it is hard, at the end of the day these are the people I love the most, but actually I can see how God continues to protect us and pour out blessings on me.

Think about that for yourself when you ask God why things are so hard. I have said before in another blog that we are told we will be “overcomers” and that God has overcome the issues of this world:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

         

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith”.

1 John 5:4

“Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that  Jesus is the Son of God”.

1 John 5:5

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, (evil spirits) because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world”.

1 John 4:4

John 16 actually tells us that we will face trouble, hardships and problems. It’s fairly simple. We cannot be overcomers if there is nothing to overcome.

So I have seriously taken this on board, and whilst I am not stupid enough to say that I welcome hardships or want to see my family or friends hurt or suffering in any way, I do want to be an “overcomer”. I do want to know what it is to defeat the problems faced and I do want to receive victory through Jesus Christ and therefore I am learning that these tough times are ways in which I can be taught these things.

Let me just share something else.

2011 has been personally hard. But it has also been a time of spiritual growth of deeper and greater understanding of who daddy God is and the things He has in store for me and the things He has anointed me in and anointed me to do, and I have learnt to find the confidence to be willing to step out boldly, to take a chance on looking silly or maybe that is other people seeing me as silly when they perceive I have something wrong. It has been about learning more and more to listen to what He is saying to me and reacting to it and not just saying “Oh that’s nice”! Let me just put some specifics behind that, not to boast or anything like that but to do what this blog site was set up for – to encourage:

Every week I am entering into deeper places of Worship and I have an absolute assurance that that is the anointing He has given me and that has been made clearer than ever before in 2011. God has now opened the opportunity with the help of the Leadership Team at my church to drop “activities” I have been involved with, all good and all serving the church, but not what I have been anointed to do, something my brother made even clearer to me today and now focus on my area of anointing.

A network of Christians has been revealed to me at the company I work for and we now join for a weekly prayer meeting every Wednesday morning. We cannot all always be there, either in person or on the conference call, but the time is set in our diaries and we are collectively praying for our colleagues and situations at the same time wherever we are. It has been a real blessing and there has been a bond created that was previously not there. I have been blessed this year to find a new brother in Christ as a result of this who has prayed for me and my family and just become a great blessing on me – thank you God and thank you Peter – you know who you are!!

I have been blessed with now “hearing” Daddy’s prompting and stepping out and acting upon that. The truth is He was always prompting me but I just didn’t listen. And some of the circumstances have not been within my normal “comfort zone” but I have been so encouraged when receiving confirmation that my response to a prompting of the Spirit has been absolutely on the mark for the recipient of the action I then take. It is so very exciting and I eagerly look forward to hearing more of His prompting.

Finally I have travelled through time!! Or time stood still for me. YES REALLY. I will blog this in full separately but many people have heard about this already and know the story. I know some have "pinched" it and used it in something they are speaking about. It’s amazing. It’s impossible. It happened. It was ALL God!!

All of these things have happened during a year when, as I started by saying, circumstances have been tough. But whereas previously I have called out “Why Me” I have changed my view, and am learning, even when it is so very hard, to say “thank You my Father”.

So be encouraged that even in your toughest times father God does not stop wanting to bless you and encourage you and to strengthen you.

So will you start to “Re-Think Your Think”?

God Bless

Our True Identity In Christ

I was reading something in Ephesians last night and was very briefly considering my identity before Father God and the things of my earthly life that may have affected the way I see God and how I see myself before Him.

I have been greatly blessed to have had an earthly father who has taught and guided me well, and lived and lived out the Christian faith for most of my life. He has taught me so much about being faithful to God, to God’s calling, of how to honour those around us set apart in leadership, and also how to lead the people of God and to love those we would rather just walk away from. He has also taught me how to recognise within myself where I may be wandering away from the correct path and how when I have made mistakes to get myself back on the road God calls me to travel on.

And I was (she has passed away now) as equally privileged to have a mum that taught me and demonstrated to me heavenly values, and a strength and depth in our faith and our daily walk with God. She showed how to love, how to forgive and how to honour another persons ministry and support and be part of that.

And I have a younger brother, Chris, who leads the Christian life by example, stepping out in faith to follow the calling of Daddy God and who now lives as a full time ministry doing amazing miracles and not least changing lives by brining many people to salvation n Christ. This from a guy who if you had looked on the outside you would see a non academic builder and carpenter and not a teacher of ministers and church leaders, an apostle, (well the writing was on the wall with the carpentry, wasn’t another famous teacher a carpenter too? J) a leader himself within his church fellowship, and now a very real inspiration to his older brother (that’s me by the way) and those around him and those he comes in contact with.

I thank God that He “Does not choose the equipped but equips those that He chooses”!!!!

Anyway back to my ponderings on identity.

As I was reading through Ephesians I came across a piece in my bible (it is a “study bible” with lots of additional notes and commentary) that talked about “Our True Identity In Christ” and I want to share that here by writing out exactly what it had:

We are justified (declared righteous)                                   Romans 3:24

No condemnation awaits us                                               Romans 8:1

We are set free from the power of sin that leads to death      Romans 8:2

We are sanctified (made holy) in Jesus Christ                       1 Corinthians 1:2

We are pure and holy in Christ                                           1 Corinthians 1:30

We will be given new life in the resurrection                        1 Corinthians 15:22

We are new people                                                           2 Corinthians 5:17

We are made right with God                                              2 Corinthians 5:21

We are one in Christ with all other believers                         Galatians 3:28

We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ             Ephesians 1:3

We are holy and without fault                                             Ephesians 1:4

We are adopted as Gods children                                        Ephesians 1:5, 6

Our sins are taken away, and we are forgiven                      Ephesians 1:7

We will be brought under Gods authority                                      Ephesians 1:10, 11

We are identified as belonging to Christ by the Holy Spirit     Ephesians 1:13

We have been raised up to sit with Christ in heaven              Ephesians 2:6

We are Gods masterpiece                                                   Ephesians 2:10

We have been brought near to God                                     Ephesians 2:13

We share in the promise of blessings through Christ             Ephesians 3:6

We can come boldly and confidently into Gods presence       Ephesians 3:12

We are members of Christ’s body, the church                       Ephesians 5:29, 30

We are made complete in Christ                                         Colossians 2:10

We are set free from our sinful nature                                 Colossians 2:11

We will have eternal glory                                                  2 Timothy 2:10

I am sure there are many other references that could have been used for this and other areas not included but WOW…………………

I have highlighted a few that when I contemplate them they start to make my brain spin.

I so often look at my faults, about what I do wrong and allow them to be a barrier to the potential that I could be if I will let God work through me. If I then look at the fact that “I am His masterpiece” and “I am holy and without fault” then oh my word who am I to block Gods path.

So I wanted to share this, and I am going to continue to consider these things, and I know one thing above all else………..

I AM A FRIEND OF GOD!!!

If I have nothing else being God’s friend is more than anyone could ever dare to hope for but through Jesus Christ that is exactly who I am.

God Bless

THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

As I have quietly sought God’s guidance on a letter of encouragement that I want to write to two people going through some of the most difficult times imaginable, I have not been able to find the right words to say, and so I have continued to wait upon Daddy for clarity of thought and word. (If you can just ask Father God to provide me that clarity when you pray I would really value those prayers right now).

However, He is good, and always wants to reveal and teach me/us more and He has set my mind to thinking in other areas this weekend and once more I share the thoughts I have had here.

This weekend has seen so many towns, villages, cities and private households gathering together to celebrate November 5^th, Bonfire Night. And of course the night would not be complete without the lighting and release of several thousands (if not millions) of fireworks.

And for just that split second they light up the night sky with different shapes and patterns, different noises and different colours. But all of that is just for the briefest moment in time………….whoosh and it’s all gone for another year till we buy some more.

The firework exists for one thing and one thing alone. To be lit, launched, and to explode, in fantastic colours and patterns, nothing else, just that.

A firework that is brought from the shop and remains in what I am sure is very bright and colourful packaging, is absolutely and totally useless, and will never fulfil the potential it was designed for.

You can place it on the shelf in your room and you can look at it every now and then and think “Yes, that is a fine looking firework, and it is meant to provide a wonderful burst of colour when we let it off”, but you just leave it there on the shelf.

Until the day you remove it from the packet, light the fuse carefully, stand back and let it “go” it will never achieve the purpose and potential that was planned for it.

As I pondered the firework quite a number of thoughts came to me regarding the subject of “light” and how my observations of the firework may have something to do with living and walking the Christian path.

Are we not sometimes like that firework?

Light To The World

We all look great in our “church”, our exterior is just perfect, but when we are inside those four walls (or however many walls you have) we are fairly well “hidden”. The church is a “safe” place, dare I even say our “comfort zone”.

Jesus never said to us believe and be baptised and organise meetings inside buildings you can call churches.

Do not misunderstand me. A corporate place of worship is absolutely fine and should be an integral part of our Christian walk. Somewhere where we meet together for fellowship with other believers setting aside some time corporately to praise and worship our Father and receive teaching and encouragement and refreshing. All good!

But the call Jesus placed on us was so much more. Let me just share a few examples all related to “light”:

          Ephesians Ch 5 vs. 8 & 9 “For once you were full of darkness, but now

you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true”.

Luke Ch 11 vs. 33 – 36 “No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house”.

John Ch 3 vs. 21 “But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see God at work in what he is doing”

Matthew Ch 5 vs. 14 – 16 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father”.

John Ch 8 vs. 12 “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life”.

So once we have discovered the light of God’s mercy in our own lives we are called to be a light to the world. A dark place that has turned it’s back on the true light that faith in Jesus provides.

I am sure you all know that when a match is lit in a darkened room for the time the match is lit the darkness goes and is replaced by light. Where light is darkness simply cannot be.

So we really need to decide what we are going to do with the light that is inside each one of us.

We can stay in our comfort zone, and remain safely protected by the walls we build up around us to keep “the world” out. We may be lit (we may have accepted Christ as our Lord and Saviour) but that light remains hidden form the people who need to see it, those people who do not yet know of the love of God for each and everyone of them. In fact it is just like the firework, in this fantastic packaging but never going to do anything because we leave it safely tucked up inside that packaging.

We must step out and take what we have been given to those outside our protective walls. And whilst for those called to do exactly that in lands outside of our own, for most of us that actually starts in our own homes with our own families, then onto our own neighbours, villages, towns and counties. It’s so close to home that we rarely see it.

Recently our minister put a notice up over the doors that lead out of our church building, a message for each and every one of us “Now you are entering the mission field” – How True!!

If we still remain in our comfort zones, behind those four walls we will be even more like that firework and we will never reach the potential we have and we will never achieve the plans that God has for us.

How many times have you been encouraged by a fellow brother or sister when they tell you they think you have a real potential for worship leading, prayer ministry, teaching, preaching anything……but we do nothing about it, just continue along as we have done every single day, not changing anything we do, and therefore never reaching our full potential, never really grasping all God has for us, like the firework, we look great and the potential is there we need to get out of the packet though!!

          Jeremiah Ch 29 vs. 11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the

Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future

and a hope”.

John Ch 14 vs. 12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father”.

If we are ever to grasp the plans He has for us and achieve “even greater” (WOW if that doesn’t blow your mind I am not sure what will – “even greater” than Jesus did WOW!!) than our Saviour achieved then we have to break out of the package we have built up around us.

We need to let the Holy Spirit light the fuse and release us into the darkness and allow the light that He has placed within us to shine forth. we need to allow the Holy Spirit (unless we allow Him he cannot do a work in our lives) to fill us and keep refreshing us. The lighting of the fuse is just the first step. We ned to continually be refiled with power and energy that comes from Him and keep that fuse/flame lit in our hearts so that we can seek after His calling and chase after and receive the plans He has for us and truly reach the potential person we were originally designed to be in Him.

And finally here is where we can be (and are) so different to the firework. The firework has a few seconds where its colours shine out and it makes beautiful patterns.

The light of Christ does not burn out and does not fade. It remains strong and firm at all times. And it remains with us at all times. We must simply step out, get unwrapped, light the fuse paper and go out into our families and neighbourhoods and just let Gods light shine through us.

Foe me, in the words of the chorus:

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

Let shine, let it shine, let it shine!!

What about you??

God Bless