3. It's Not About You

and finally...

3. It's Not About You! (1 Corinthians 12:19-24)

So many of us strive for the 'top position', doing all we can to get to that coveted place where everyone will then know us, love us, adore us and appreciate us. We'd be inundated with emails telling us how fantastic that preach was, how the way we led worship was awe inspiring, that the book we wrote was the best book they had ever read. Once we make it to that 'ministry leader' position, we feel we have "made it", we feel we are now worth something, because "people know me".

Lets get over ourselves shall we?

Pride and selfishness is a real 'bug-bear' of mine (is that how you spell it?!). It seeps into so many areas of our lives, in so many ways, any cracks it can see, it seeps through them. It is so easy to see in others, yet often so difficult to see in ourselves (mainly because of the pride!). We have a shallow concern for the needs of others, but ultimately we are thinking of our own interests, our own problems, our own status.

Lets lift our gaze off ourselves, and face up, towards Jesus. As we do that, we'll see so much more, and be such a blessing to those around us, those who are part of this 'body', and those that aren't yet in on it. On his way to preach, Jesus was so focussed on others, he'd stop for others, the children, the ill, the hurting, the needy. Sometimes our eyes are so set on our plans for ourselves, that we either ignore or miss out on the opportunities that are sitting right infront of us.

Be part of the body, realise that God has planted you there for a great purpose. You are MORE significant in the body, not less. And don't be a lone ranger, you won't get far. As we look to the one who created us, He will help us see those around us, the opportunities that are waiting for us to do something with, the people we can bless and honour, the lives we can help in so many ways.

This is part of the vision of the exp Young Adult Community at Kerith Community Church, but it should also be all of our visions for our lives, so lets break the selfish mould and get going.

2. In the body we are MORE significant, not less.

continuing from my previous post...

2. In the body we are MORE significant, not less. (1 Corinthians 12:14-18)

With celebrity culture, we are very concerned in making sure people know us. We like to think that as in individual we can draw a crowd because of who we are, that our name is known to as many as possible, and hopefully we can make a name for ourselves. We want to be considered significant because of who WE are as an individual. Often when we are in groups of people, we feel we blend into the background, and lose some of our importance and validity.

We all have many people we like to aspire to be like. Maybe its the globally known worship leader, or the million-copy-selling author, or the preacher who preaches and the hundred and thousands in the congregation go 'wibbly-wobbly-shabba-dabba-doing' in the Holy spirit (yes, that's a Bible term). We see their status as an individual, call them significant and then feel that the only way WE will be signifcant is through some individual effort.

There is nothing wrong with role models, but realise that "God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it." I love that. We are significant because of the place we have IN THE BODY. Not because we are seperate from it, not because we are a lone-success. It is through our place and how we function in the body. Jesus considers us all significant. We are children of God, that is our identity, not what we do, not what our role is, not our social status, our job status, our financial status. Our individual identity comes from the fact that we are sons and daughters of a living, loving and powerful God.

1. We are ONE body

Last Saturday night 'exp' had our first ever 'Vision'. This is a night for us as Young Adults to gather, have a laugh, worship, stir each other up, have some teaching, encourage each other and then be filled with vision and purpose for the next season. I thought I'd use a few blog entries to mention the points I made in my message from the night, as really it applies to everyone, not just our group.

1. We are ONE body. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)

In our culture today, we often isolate ourselves.

We sit in different homes, alone, and watch the same programmes on TV as everyone else at the same time as everyone else. Also, have you noticed that it's not until we have snow disrupting our days that we actually begin to open up and talk with others in our street? The sense of community is being lost, and as individuals we are becoming more isolated around the globe. The world is getting smaller, but the world is also becoming more lonely. But God has not called us to this. He has called us to be in community, part of the body of Christ.

We are called to interaction, to communication, to mutual support, to mutual encouragement, to help. We don't need to do it alone. As son's and daughters of Christ, we are brought into His family, and we are automatically part of the big adventure. This is a global, planet transforming body. God is using the local church to represent this body in our area, lets step up to the responsibility and the excitement! If we can truly enter into this community, and truly realise what it is to be part of the body of Christ, what an exciting life we have ahead of us! Let's live out what it is to be part of His body, part of the greatest community in the world, where everyone is invited.

In Conclusion... 2009

We’ve all seen them, that ‘Christmas Newsletter’ from relatives, friends, random people you don’t really know, all filling you in on their year just gone. I’ve never written one of these (partly because I have a paragraph in the Pocock newsletter written about me), but I thought I’d take this blog entry to do one of my own, part of me feels slightly self-centred doing this, but hey, might be interesting to try it out nonetheless!

So, 2009 started for me at the Abundant Life Church Leadership Academy in Bradford. Up till the end of June I lived, worked and studied up there, in what ended up being the most life changing, transforming and encouraging years of my life so far. I feel a lot more confident, determined and strong than previously. During the year God redirected me, I no longer want to work in radio which had been a dream of mine, but I felt that God has directed me to a different direction. A direction that seeks to help, bless, encourage and teach people, a direction that uses my giftings, my talents, my abilities and my passions to full potential. It’s not that I now hate radio, who knows, maybe at some point I will have an opportunity to do that again, but not for now. It’s been so exciting stepping into something so different, yet so thrilling! The Leadership Academy was amazing, I met so many wonderful new lifelong friends, grew and developed in so many areas (still growing btw!), and will always hold the church and people up there close to my heart. I was really happy to receive the Study Application award at the end of the year, which I will always treasure and brag about, hence this sentence of my blog!

Since returning to Bracknell (oh how I missed it so!) in July, I’ve been volunteering at my local church, Kerith Community Church. I have a passion for young adults, and have started a ministry called ‘exp’, for 16-30ish adults. I absolutely love it, and even though it’s still new and developing, I enjoy it, and know that if I stay close to Him, God will bless it. I am also being given all sorts of opportunities in church to lead, host, plan, help and teach which I am enjoying so much, it’s not like work at all! I have been given the privilege of helping in the organisation of the Sunday evening meetings, taking the lead of the volunteers on a Sunday night. They are a great bunch of people, and I love seeing people step into the adventure of serving at church, it’s awesome to see .

From July to November, despite the volunteering at church, I was considered ‘officially’ unemployed, which naturally financially was tough, and I felt prepared after a year in Bradford living on minimum income. Also, I have been supported by an amazing family and friends, and now I have an awesome job working as a Youth Support Worker in Hampshire, teaching young people about alcohol, drugs and all that, so rewarding and so fulfilling for me. This is for half my week, and the 2nd half is at church still, so life is generally busy, but wonderful!

From September until 10 days ago, Heather (my lovely lady), has been living and studying in Finland for her uni course. Obviously, its pretty rubbish having your best friend living in a different country, and having the annoying frustrating delay of Skype as your communication, but it was a quality adventure for her, and I’m so proud of her. She is back now, ready for the rest of her 2nd year. Together, we had a trip North in Finland to Lapland at the beginning of December, which was a once in a lifetime, fantastic holiday, and of course we met the REAL Father Christmas, what a man.

I’m in the danger of making this entry far too log (too late), so I’ll stop there. As for 2010? There’s all sorts of things that I’m hoping and praying for, but I’m not going to share them on this at the moment I’m afraid, still wary about ‘baring-all’ on this kind of public gallery!

Finally, merry Christmas, have an amazing year and lets be purposeful with 2010, step forward and take hold of what God has in store for you.

'Rules Rules Rules. Oh, and by the way, have a good life'

“Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial”.

This is such a difficult concept to grasp as a (spiritually) ‘older’ Christian. Ask most people their thoughts on Christians and one of the first words that will come out of their mouth will be something to do with ‘rules’ or something they are ‘not allowed to do’.

How has God’s awesome story of His love for His creation become a book of rules and regulations? Too many Christians read the Bible as a whole set of rules and laws that need to be obeyed otherwise they are not ‘good Christians’. Sure, the Bible gives the greatest help and guidance to us, how we can get the most out of our lives, how we can truly ‘live life to the full’ and come into a real relationship with God. But, I feel the Bible is being used and distorted by so many in order to condemn others and elevate the self. The Bible is entirely inerrant, but unfortunately we are not! Too many of us use the Bible as a way to belittle others or a way to justify our judgemental attitudes towards others.

I don’t discount myself from this. I know in the past I have read the Bible as a ‘don’t do this, or that, or that or that. Oh and by the way, have a great life’ (yeah, sounds great). From this way of reading the Bible I have then found myself judging others because of their lifestyles because according to me they are 'below par' in comparison to my life. This is not helpful to myself, or them. However, daily I’m changing this attitude.

So in conclusion, a little message to us ‘older’ Christians. Let’s get off our high horses about everyone else, lets stop judging others, throwing Bible verses at people which makes them feel condemned, guilty and totally alienated from any possibility of ‘living life to the full’. Instead, let’s love people in the way Christ loved them, meet them where they are at. Our obedience to God needs to come from a love for him.

Thoughts on a postcard (or a comment to save 26p on a postage stamp).

A Taster of the Future

I've been reading about Moses today, and noticed something I haven't seen before (forgive me if this is obvious!)...

Exodus 3:1 is the pre-story before Moses has his famous encounter with God through the 'burning bush'. God speaks to him about his future, about the plans He has for Moses to free the Israelites from the Egyptians, and to lead them to the Promised Land He has for them. If you don't know the story, read all about it in Exodus, or if you are a true child of the era, watch The Prince of Egypt (I guess that will do for now!).

In verse 1 of Exodus 3, it says how Moses was tending after some sheep, and led them to 'Horeb'. I read this today and wondered why? Why was it recorded that the burning bush was in Horeb specifically? Why did Moses lead the sheep there? Did he know where he was going? All we know from the passage is that he led the sheep there.

The name 'Horeb' means 'desert' and 'desolation'. As my study notes say, it is around the Sinai peninsula, and is likely to be an alternative name to Sinai. Mount Sinai was where God gave the 10 Commandments to the Israelites years later. Isn't it interesting that Moses was commissioned by God near the same place he would find himself in the future, when he would be in the middle of his mission! (well, its interesting to me anyway!). I don't think this is a coincidence. I think that God intended to reveal Himself to Moses at this place, showing it as a 'taster' of Moses' future. As he previously was a shepherd of sheep leading them to Sinai, he would later be a shepherd of the people leading them to the same place.

Currently, I feel as if I am in a place of being shown a 'taster' of my future. I have a fantastic opportunity to lead some volunteers at my church, and have recently started a Young Adults ministry. I love every bit of this, it is fun, satisfying, fulfilling, and so much more. However, I refuse to believe that this is the final place for my future role in God's Kingdom. Infact, in all humility, and through the grace of God, I know its not the final place for me. God is showing me a small part about what He has for me in the future, and I am determined to make the most of it. Jesus said that "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much" and I feel that this is relevant for the things I am involved with at the moment. God is showing me and providing me with this taster as he reveals my future step by step. Not only do I need to make the most of today, but enjoy the glimpses and possibilities that may lay ahead for me.

I encourage everybody to do the same. Look for the times when God may be giving you a 'taster' of the future. We may feel that we are walking to a random area of no consequence or doing something of no purpose or meaning, but at this place, God may want to reveal to you so much more than you can imagine. It may not look as obvious as a burning bush, so lets be alert and aware and astute to God's voice. The taster we may be getting now may be different to what we ultimately want, but be content where you are now, and make sure you are trustworthy, so that you will be able to be trusted with much more in the future.

Not many children called Judas...!

Sorry it has been so long since I've blogged. Started a whole load of new things recently. And although I'm still in the thick of these new things (new ministries/roles/responsibilities starting, trying still to get into a new routine of life down South etc.), but I thought it's about time I blogged again anyway, before blogger cuts me off (I don't know, can they even do that?! Who knows!). Anyway...

So, recently my reading has brought me through the gospels (it's so worth continually going back to them, its what the whole Bible points to), and I re-read the tragedy of Judas Iscariot's suicide. It's a shame really that Judas is known for this. I'm not surprised though, as this is a major aspect of the story of Jesus, being betrayed by one of his own followers, who then could not deal with the guilt and committed suicide.

I guess because of Judas' reputation, in this time of a revival of biblical baby's names being used (all the Jacobs, Joshuas, Esthers, Noahs, Elijahs etc.), Judas never seems a popular one! That's not really surprising either!

There is something we all need to grasp from Judas' life though as followers of Christ also. Think about how Jesus felt for him. As we know from the last supper, He knew that Judas was going to betray him (Matthew 26:20-25), in fact Jesus knew from before Judas was born that he was going to betray Jesus. Remember that Jesus was fully man, and fully God, therefore Jesus knew what was going to happen to him, including the fact that Judas would betray Him. Jesus even knew this when he selected Judas Iscariot as one of His disciples.

This is an awesome truth. Despite knowing Judas' flaws, knowing the decisions Judas would make, He still chose him. Judas was still given the power to drive out demons and heal the sick along with the other 11 disciples, despite Jesus knowing his future failings.

Today, we often reject ourselves from God's plans, saying that we are not good enough, thinking that as we stumble, as we 'mess up', when we fail God, that we have had our chance and that's it over. Lets remember that God has chosen us, remember God has chosen you. He has called us for a specific purpose that we have been made for. Who are we to reject ourselves from this? God knew from the start the decisions we would make and the paths we would take in life. Remember that He still chose us anyway. As a society today, the name 'Judas' may have a rough reputation, but God still chose him as one of the people closest to Him, regardless of what He knew Judas would do.

Lets be thankful of that, that despite our failings, God still loves and selects us. And, lets be determined to continue on the path God has set for us, as He knows us better than we'll ever know ourselves!