Life is always odd and when one hands things over to God then things don't quite go as one would like.
There are loads of places in the world I would love to go to, and actually have been blessed with going to. And yet I had one lovely friend last year (07) invite us to her wedding and it was in Oregon, USA. Now it was great to go there and lovely to meet their families and be made to feel so welcome, but really the West coast of America isn't one of those places I would've ever chosen to go. Interestingly the only 2 times I have been to USA have been to the West coast, once for the wedding and once on a conference.
Then on Saturday I had a lovely friend and her lovely new man come to visit with our family and on our walk she ask me if I would be willing and able to come to Australia next December as they are planning to get married then. Again this isn't a part of the world I have ever wanted to visit, even though over the holidays Ian got offered the chance of a job there and nearly went there for work a couple of years ago.
I am totally flattered to have been asked and will very much see if God will let me go, but still do wonder why He wants me there.
Wednesday 31 December 2008
Wednesday 17 December 2008
Being bold on following what God says
I have been totally amazed at reading Martin and Gayle Scott's newsletter. I quote:
"We have been in Palma for the past 4 days looking for property. We were able to see 5 in total. One stunning place and excellent value but about 800 yards / metres too far away from the area where we have believed we should be located.
It was a good feel to walk away from it."
How many of us I wonder would be that accurate with the message God had given us? How many of us would've thought that it fitted almost and really 800yds is about a 10 minute walk so that is good enough?
It really has taken me back to God and I have been talking to Him again about what He has given me to do and how often I do the almost, or do things because I like them and well ..... they are good things.
And you know it has been really interesting since getting back to the place of checking things out with Him on where I am going and what I am doing that He has given me not a fresh revelation but a confirmed old revelation of what He has for me to do and I am going to have to go back and say No to a few people. And also make sure I don't do things just because they pleased others but to remember the call He gave me - which bottom line is "to equip the saints through discipleship".
Also I have noticed that when we take what God gives us to other people they will all answer differently because they all come from where they are, and we must make sure that we are not tossed like the waves with every new person we speak with but stick to that exact area that God has asked us to walk in.
Thanks Martin for showing us the way
"We have been in Palma for the past 4 days looking for property. We were able to see 5 in total. One stunning place and excellent value but about 800 yards / metres too far away from the area where we have believed we should be located.
It was a good feel to walk away from it."
How many of us I wonder would be that accurate with the message God had given us? How many of us would've thought that it fitted almost and really 800yds is about a 10 minute walk so that is good enough?
It really has taken me back to God and I have been talking to Him again about what He has given me to do and how often I do the almost, or do things because I like them and well ..... they are good things.
And you know it has been really interesting since getting back to the place of checking things out with Him on where I am going and what I am doing that He has given me not a fresh revelation but a confirmed old revelation of what He has for me to do and I am going to have to go back and say No to a few people. And also make sure I don't do things just because they pleased others but to remember the call He gave me - which bottom line is "to equip the saints through discipleship".
Also I have noticed that when we take what God gives us to other people they will all answer differently because they all come from where they are, and we must make sure that we are not tossed like the waves with every new person we speak with but stick to that exact area that God has asked us to walk in.
Thanks Martin for showing us the way
Monday 15 December 2008
Stars
This is a mix of the wise men and light pollution.
When Jesus was born the wise men were astrologers and astronomers and knew the signs of the times. They noticed a bright star appear in the constellation of Judah and so knew a new king was going to be born, which is why the rushed off to Herod. These guys weren't being dense and saw a star over a stable in Bethlehem, like we see on the cards. No it has been proven that it was a real star in a real night sky.
In the latest National Geographical they were discussing light pollution and how there is very few places now where we can see the sky clearly enough to make out much. Also we aren't really that interested in what goes on up there. Ok so they send loads of money to check we don't get hit by asteroids and also individuals spent money on horoscopes but we don't really gaze up at the night sky too much and if we did we do it so rarely we wouldn't remember stuff.
In fact it stuck me on Friday with that huge shiny moon and the papers saying this was the brightest moon for 50 years and there would be a meteoroid storm how little interested it raised.
Jesus told us to look to the signs and in it we would be able to read when He is coming back, but how many of us take that time out to know what the signs are now and to then know when they change.
We need to get back to being more observant, stop waiting for someone else to tell us, and start looking at what is normal then we can see what is different.
When Jesus was born the wise men were astrologers and astronomers and knew the signs of the times. They noticed a bright star appear in the constellation of Judah and so knew a new king was going to be born, which is why the rushed off to Herod. These guys weren't being dense and saw a star over a stable in Bethlehem, like we see on the cards. No it has been proven that it was a real star in a real night sky.
In the latest National Geographical they were discussing light pollution and how there is very few places now where we can see the sky clearly enough to make out much. Also we aren't really that interested in what goes on up there. Ok so they send loads of money to check we don't get hit by asteroids and also individuals spent money on horoscopes but we don't really gaze up at the night sky too much and if we did we do it so rarely we wouldn't remember stuff.
In fact it stuck me on Friday with that huge shiny moon and the papers saying this was the brightest moon for 50 years and there would be a meteoroid storm how little interested it raised.
Jesus told us to look to the signs and in it we would be able to read when He is coming back, but how many of us take that time out to know what the signs are now and to then know when they change.
We need to get back to being more observant, stop waiting for someone else to tell us, and start looking at what is normal then we can see what is different.
Wednesday 10 December 2008
In Difference Circumstances
It has amazed me how different I can be in different circumstances.
On Monday someone ran into my little red car whilst Ian had it parked outside where he works and has left a big dent in the back and the boot won't shut. The driver was drunk, has refused to take a breath test and was going too fast at lunchtime. Now I am very cross about it, grateful that no one got hurt, but also cross that he was drunk at lunchtime and also that he has made no effort to get in touch and even give his insurance details.
Ian was teasing me this morning that I obviously hadn't forgiven him, the driver, as I was still cross and wasn't saying nice things about him. And as I was in the shower I realised how I had changed.
Back when Ben, Tabi and I were in YWAM Scotland my car got stolen from the driveway of the house I was staying in by an underage driver who took it for a joy ride and then smashed all the windows with huge rocks writing the car off. Then I was very quick to forgive even making the Police think I was crazy when I want his address so I could let him know I had forgiven him.
So I got to thinking why was I so different now, when in a lot of other ways I have grown up more as a Christian? And what came to me then was that back in Scotland I was living in a Christian community and in fact when I told people about what had happened people were praying with me to forgive, the whole culture we were living in was much more about going into forgive others, not living with offenses, etc and also there was that accountability and discipling thing. As in my fellow Christians I was living and working with wouldn't have let me get away with not forgiving.
Yet now back in just regular church apart from Ian I don't have any group there just to encourage me to walk the walk and talk the talk. Yes we do see people regularly but because we aren't living in that same closeness, that closeness that involved all of us sharing our hearts with each other, I can keep a part of me back and not have that accountability.
And I am not saying this is the fault of "the church" whatever that may be, but I do think it is the nuclear structures we put ourselves in and the fact that we then only come out to do meeting type things because we are all too busy to really have relationships, whereas the key for what we were doing in YWAM Scotland was all about relationship.
So I will forgive this guy, not for any reason than actually because I have now made myself open on here I sort of have to, esp as I wrote on forgiveness a few days back.
In fact I also have to forgive a friend too who I have taken offense to, which may or may not have been meant to hurt, but that isn't the point. Forgiveness doesn't come with conditions and shouldn't only happen when we have others standing with us.
On Monday someone ran into my little red car whilst Ian had it parked outside where he works and has left a big dent in the back and the boot won't shut. The driver was drunk, has refused to take a breath test and was going too fast at lunchtime. Now I am very cross about it, grateful that no one got hurt, but also cross that he was drunk at lunchtime and also that he has made no effort to get in touch and even give his insurance details.
Ian was teasing me this morning that I obviously hadn't forgiven him, the driver, as I was still cross and wasn't saying nice things about him. And as I was in the shower I realised how I had changed.
Back when Ben, Tabi and I were in YWAM Scotland my car got stolen from the driveway of the house I was staying in by an underage driver who took it for a joy ride and then smashed all the windows with huge rocks writing the car off. Then I was very quick to forgive even making the Police think I was crazy when I want his address so I could let him know I had forgiven him.
So I got to thinking why was I so different now, when in a lot of other ways I have grown up more as a Christian? And what came to me then was that back in Scotland I was living in a Christian community and in fact when I told people about what had happened people were praying with me to forgive, the whole culture we were living in was much more about going into forgive others, not living with offenses, etc and also there was that accountability and discipling thing. As in my fellow Christians I was living and working with wouldn't have let me get away with not forgiving.
Yet now back in just regular church apart from Ian I don't have any group there just to encourage me to walk the walk and talk the talk. Yes we do see people regularly but because we aren't living in that same closeness, that closeness that involved all of us sharing our hearts with each other, I can keep a part of me back and not have that accountability.
And I am not saying this is the fault of "the church" whatever that may be, but I do think it is the nuclear structures we put ourselves in and the fact that we then only come out to do meeting type things because we are all too busy to really have relationships, whereas the key for what we were doing in YWAM Scotland was all about relationship.
So I will forgive this guy, not for any reason than actually because I have now made myself open on here I sort of have to, esp as I wrote on forgiveness a few days back.
In fact I also have to forgive a friend too who I have taken offense to, which may or may not have been meant to hurt, but that isn't the point. Forgiveness doesn't come with conditions and shouldn't only happen when we have others standing with us.
Tuesday 9 December 2008
Believe in what you teach
I have been getting so many revelations every time I rehear the Christmas story that I am just so pleased we get to hear it once a year. In fact it must be the only part of the Bible we get to hear year in and year out. Though I know it depends on which congregations we are at which bit we rehear, or for that matter what we choose to reread.
What I love too about the Bible is because it is a living book, and if we read it and let His Holy Spirit guide us He can keep showing us more and more in it.
Last year it was that Elizabeth let Zechariah sleep with her after he was deaf and also that they were both old people.
This year it is that Zechariah himself didn't believe the stories he taught. Remember he was a priest in the temple and one of his duties would've been to teach the young boys the stories of thier forefathers. They took seriously the command to tell their children the stories of old. But one of those stories would've been about Abraham and Sarah and how God gave them a child when they were old. Now an angel comes along and tells Zechariah that the same thing will happen to him and he can't believe it. So can't believe it that he is struck dumb!!!
How often do we tell others things about God that if it came down to it we wouldn't believe He could do for us???
I think this comes with helping us to dream bigger and to trust God more.
For me it has helped loads because I have heard lots of things, esp recently that God has been saying to me, but I cannot see quite how He can pull it off, but then all these things are things He has done for others, and things I would expect Him to do.
So now I need to believe what I have been teaching to others and wait and be willing like Mary was for God to do what He is going to do His way. And remember with Mary she was willing to let God do something that wasn't recorded in scripture as ever having happened to anyone else.
Now I need to prepare myself to be willing to let Him do that!!
What I love too about the Bible is because it is a living book, and if we read it and let His Holy Spirit guide us He can keep showing us more and more in it.
Last year it was that Elizabeth let Zechariah sleep with her after he was deaf and also that they were both old people.
This year it is that Zechariah himself didn't believe the stories he taught. Remember he was a priest in the temple and one of his duties would've been to teach the young boys the stories of thier forefathers. They took seriously the command to tell their children the stories of old. But one of those stories would've been about Abraham and Sarah and how God gave them a child when they were old. Now an angel comes along and tells Zechariah that the same thing will happen to him and he can't believe it. So can't believe it that he is struck dumb!!!
How often do we tell others things about God that if it came down to it we wouldn't believe He could do for us???
I think this comes with helping us to dream bigger and to trust God more.
For me it has helped loads because I have heard lots of things, esp recently that God has been saying to me, but I cannot see quite how He can pull it off, but then all these things are things He has done for others, and things I would expect Him to do.
So now I need to believe what I have been teaching to others and wait and be willing like Mary was for God to do what He is going to do His way. And remember with Mary she was willing to let God do something that wasn't recorded in scripture as ever having happened to anyone else.
Now I need to prepare myself to be willing to let Him do that!!
Sunday 7 December 2008
Forgiveness
This word "forgiveness" has been buzzing round me with a lot at the moment. Tabi and I watched Heroes in iplayer and in that Slayer and El come to peace with each other when he forgive her and gets her to forgive herself. Then on Dr Who, a rerun on iplayer, The Doctor says to The Master "I forgive you" and that has so much power. On both these occasions forgiveness changed things.
Do we do enough of it as Christians? There has been an incident recently that I almost got caught up in between Christians and really it all came down to not wanting to forgive that things hadn't gone their way.
Also I don't often see us as Christians repenting. In fact I will quote from my dear friend David Mitchell which he posted on Facebook -
"If I will humble myself...
I hear so much about grace and so little about repentance these days. It seems that, at all costs, we are encouraged to seek other remedies besides calling sin, “Sin”, therefore, we never really repent and opportunities to do so in a church setting are neglected."
Why are we so afraid to repent? and to forgive - others, ourselves and God?
Does it mean admitting we have done something wrong? And admitting we have been hurt?
Do we talk too much about Grace that we do forget that we so sin and we do get hurt?
We have the amazingness of being able to be totally honest with God, and if we fear God and not man and can be honest with God then we can be honest with others. And if we do it God's way then that honesty, repentance, forgiveness will all be done with Grace.
Another quote from another dear friend across the "pond" Chickie Taylor:
"There is a struggle going on in my heart at the moment. It's like nothing is satisfying my soul these days except for the very basic christian things. I can't seem to get excited about anything but the message of God's love."
Hey now if that was all we were really excited about we would change the world.
Bring it on!!!
Do we do enough of it as Christians? There has been an incident recently that I almost got caught up in between Christians and really it all came down to not wanting to forgive that things hadn't gone their way.
Also I don't often see us as Christians repenting. In fact I will quote from my dear friend David Mitchell which he posted on Facebook -
"If I will humble myself...
I hear so much about grace and so little about repentance these days. It seems that, at all costs, we are encouraged to seek other remedies besides calling sin, “Sin”, therefore, we never really repent and opportunities to do so in a church setting are neglected."
Why are we so afraid to repent? and to forgive - others, ourselves and God?
Does it mean admitting we have done something wrong? And admitting we have been hurt?
Do we talk too much about Grace that we do forget that we so sin and we do get hurt?
We have the amazingness of being able to be totally honest with God, and if we fear God and not man and can be honest with God then we can be honest with others. And if we do it God's way then that honesty, repentance, forgiveness will all be done with Grace.
Another quote from another dear friend across the "pond" Chickie Taylor:
"There is a struggle going on in my heart at the moment. It's like nothing is satisfying my soul these days except for the very basic christian things. I can't seem to get excited about anything but the message of God's love."
Hey now if that was all we were really excited about we would change the world.
Bring it on!!!
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