faith

Looking after the orphans - John 14.18

We know from the Word of God that as Christians, we should be looking out for the orphans, widows and the needy. We read in James 1.27 that, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." So we are commanded to look after the orphans. How many of us are actually doing this? What does it mean to look after the orphans? Do we have to travel abroad to do this? Maybe, but not necessarily. Looking after orphans may be supporting a project with money, but it may be caring for children and young people who don't have a father or parents around. It may be loving those whose parents are unwilling or unable to care for them. You can do this at school, at church, in your local community and even at work - supporting parents / praying for them / giving money to provide days out for children in need locally. In John 14.18, Jesus promised this to the disciples: "I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you." (Amplifed Bible). We are called to follow the pattern of Jesus - he cares for the orphans and doesn't want to leave them alone. So, how do we care for the orphans? By comforting, by being pro-active and finding things to help, to love those who are lonely or suffering, to look out for the needy, to defend the helpless and to be there for them, as God leads. Now that is religion that is pure and faultless. And it carried God's heart and blessing.

Step by Step - 2 Corinthians 3.18

The Amplified Bible says this - And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.

We often find that we want things to change in our lives, or in the situations / people around us. You may be praying for something at the moment - a relationship, a friend, a parent, a difficult situation that someone is in. We often get frustrated, wondering what is going on and why things aren't changing faster. We often cry out to God and ask why. Of course, God sits outside of time and has everything in hand. The Bible says that God is perfect and that his ways are higher (better) than our ways. His timing is perfect and he knows what he's doing. But it is hard for us to understand.

The Bible verse above lets us know that we are being changed into the image of Jesus 'from one degree of glory to another'. This reminds us that growth and change usually takes place slowly. When you plant a seed into the ground, you don't expect it to become a tree overnight. Of course, God can change things in an instant because nothing is impossible for God and it's OK to ask God for this. But he may be building something in you, in those around you, doing things step by step..

In Proverbs 16.9 it says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." This Bible verse means many things. But we do learn that the Lord determines our steps. A step involves lifting our foot off the floor, putting it forward and putting it down again. It's not always a huge movement (depending on the size of your legs, and of God's knowledge of what he's trying to achieve!!) But even if it seems like things are changing slowly, or even not at all, GOD IS WORKING. God is at work, just as a seed is growing under the soil. (though you don't see it). Whatever your situation, keep praying and believing God because one day there will be a change, one day the seed will push up from under the soil and become an amazing plant - and all the care (prayer) and watering (encouragement) and good soil (Bible) that you've put in will be reaped. Galatians 6.9 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Amen :)

Thankful Faith - Luke 17.11-19

Jesus was always in demand. He still is - just imagine the prayer requests that go up to heaven each day. No wonder Bruce Almighty couldn't cope..! Thankfully, God is more than able! As Jesus was entering a village, 10 lepers cried out to him saying 'Jesus, Master, have pity on us!' When Jesus saw them he simply told them to do one thing, something that was quite an act of faith. He told them to go and present themselves to the priests. This was something that was unthinkable, as lepers had to stay away from people in case others caught the leprosy. But I'm sure these men were desperate (wouldn't you be?) so they went. Sometimes, you need to shout out to God - and sometimes obey God in what may seem like a strange direction! On the way, they were healed. It was in the walking, in the motion that these men were healed. They listened, trusted and obeyed. And they were healed from leprosy. Very often it's in the forward motion and obedience to God that he leads us - as we obey him in faith, trusting him - he does the very thing that we are asking him to do. But our part is to hear, trust, obey and step in faith. However, only one of the men came back to Jesus. His gratitude matched his desperation to be healed. He threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The Amplified says "recognising and thanking and praising God with a loud voice" !! He wasn't ashamed, or full of pride. He was just full-on and so grateful to Jesus - what about us - in all the stuff Jesus has done for us? What did Jesus say to the man? "Rise and go, your faith has made you well." The Amplified says, "Your faith (your trust and confidence that spring from your belief in God) has restored you to health." Nine of the lepers were healed of leprosy. Only one was restored to full health - the one who was thankful. Today, thank God for what he has done, what he is about to do. Trust him, receive his answer and then thank him some more in passionate praise!! Be grateful, daily :)

Mordecai and Esther - Esther 10.1-2

The whole book of Esther is about God's perfect and incredible timing. God's people were obedient, faithful, committed and God had them in place at the right time. There is a famous phrase in Esther when Mordecai speaks to her being appointed to the Royal Court of King Xerxes "for such a time as this" (Esther 4.14). And she was - as she helped to save the Jewish people. She was in the King's court because of her beauty and character. Ladies, if you are looking for favour in different ways, then develop your Godly character - that means the fruit of the Spirit that's in Galatians 5.22-23. Esther gained favour because of her obedience and character and so will you, in every area of life. But we mustn't forget about Mordecai. There are 2 classic Bible characters often mentioned when we think about being raised up to positions of responsibility - Daniel and Joseph. But we have to add Mordecai in too. He was loyal, faithful and obedient to both God and Esther - just as a good husband / boyfriend / friend / father should be to the women in their life. So lads, develop your character, too. Galatians 5.22-23 is for you also. Mordecai ultimately gained great favour, being second only to the King himself. He was also in place for such a time as this and also played a major part in rescuing the Jews. But this was built on a foundation of faith, faithfulness and obedience to God. Throughout the Bible we find these characteristics essential in the ways of God. So build them now and God will be faithful to you and what you do, both in this life and most definitely in heaven with God.

Faith - Genesis 8.6-10

We already know that Noah had incredible faith. I mean, who'd build a massive great ark in the middle of the desert, having heard a voice telling them the whole earth was about to be flooded..? Oh, and by the way Noah, you have to be able to fit in and look after 2 of every unclean animal, and 7 of every clean animal in the earth. How's that for faith! But God can also teach us other lessons from this Bible story. Here, I'm going to focus on birds. No, sorry not the female kind, the feathered kind - the ones that strange people spend hours watching in fields. But Noah was no birdwatcher for sport. He sent out a raven from the ark in verse 7 to see if it would land anywhere so he could check whether there was any dry ground. Cunning plan! However, nothing happened as the raven kept flying around. So then Noah sent out a dove, which again returned to the ark. However, we find a phrase in verse 9: "(Noah) reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark." Hmm.. Let's take another look at this 'ark'. This was something that came from God, that drew Godly people in, to save them from destruction of a very evil world (where we learn that "every inclination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil all the time"). Now that is real evil. But the ark came along and those in the ark were saved. Sound familiar? Yes, it's another symbolic (and yet physically true) part of the Bible. The ark and the flood happened, no doubt. They have even found evidence of a great flood. But, this is also a picture of Jesus. Jesus, the Son of God, sent by God, to draw men to him so that through him, they are saved. So what's going on with this verse about Noah reaching out to the dove? Well, just as Noah reached out his hand, so Jesus is reaching out his hand to us today. You may be like the prodigal son who has left the Father (God) and gone his own way. God is waiting to welcome you back, to reach out you. Or maybe you just need a touch from Jesus today, to restore and encourage you. If so, see the hand of God reaching out to you, drawing you back into the safety of his ark. Maybe you need to pray to God right now, to ask him to reach out to you, as you reach out to him.

The faith of young men - Daniel 1.8-17

Picture the situation: Daniel and his 3 friends had been taken by the Babylonian King and ordered to work in the Royal Court. The King had asked for "young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace." Daniel and his friends showed tremendous courage, refusing to be defiled (dirtied, made unclean and unholy before God) by accepting the King's food.

There are 2 things we can learn here. First of all, God uses any of his people, no matter what their situation, no matter where they are, whoever they are. In this instance, we find that God used 4 young men. These guys may well have been teenagers, just like teenagers today. These 4 young lads showed incredible boldness and courage. I have found in my years working with students that often they are the most passionate, open and bold for God, and have learnt much from many of them. God wants to use you - children, young people, students. He used Daniel and he will use you. Your choice is will you obey God and be used by him? Your rewards will be great, the struggles sometimes tough, but God will use you beyond what you can imagine and extend his Kingdom powerfully.

Secondly, God is interested in every little thing. He was interested in what Daniel and the other 3 ate, especially where it would have made them impure and unholy. The same is true today. God is interested in every little detail. Isn't that incredible? What's more.. today, this week, in your life.. you can make a difference through your actions. In the case of Daniel, we find that through his obedience to God not to defile himself through bad food, he influenced the whole Royal court. Verses 15 and 16 say, "At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead." Just as a little yeast makes bread rise, so your seemingly small actions will affect many for God's Kingdom. Take action today.

Checking with God. 1 Chronicles 14.8-17

You know, we should always consult with God about the things we do. God may well allow us to go ahead if in line with his general Biblical guidelines, but we need to keep checking in with God to make sure what we're doing is what he wants. In 1 Chronicles 14, we find David fighting 2 battles with the Philistines (the tribe that Goliath came from). In the first battle, we find that David asked God what to do. "Shall I go and attack the Philistines?" God replied, "Go, I will hand them over to you." God was true to his word. But then came another battle. Did David charge into battle yet again? No. He asked God about it again. "So David enquired of the Lord again and the Lord answered him, 'Do not go straight up, but circle round them and attack them..' " We find that David obeyed God and struck down the Philistines. The orders from God for the second battle were different. If David hadn't asked God, he would not have won that battle. What a lesson for us. David asked the Lord each time he did something, he didn't presume that he should do things the same way as before. David inflicted 2 major defeats over the Philistines. But let's rewind back to David the shepherd boy, his slingshot and defeat of Goliath. David's early victory over the Philistine, Goliath, paved the way for these 2 major defeats of the Philistines. God will move you from one thing to another, upwards and onwards - if we keep close, keep faithful, obey him and put him first. The Living Bible says, "We should make plans - counting on God to direct us." To direct us, we must talk to him and listen!

Your Sacrifice - John 6.8-11

Another of Jesus' disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

This is an awesome true story of one of Jesus' miracles. It talks to us on many different levels. Today we're going to look at one person, the boy. I've never heard a sermon about this boy and yet he's so key. We don't know this boy's name. But here he is, in our Bible's forever. One day just a boy, the next day he was THE boy with the bread and fishes. One Bible commentator has said that we know the boy was fairly poor as barley bread was often bought by the poorer people. But what he lacked in money, he made up for in giving. How often do we see this? Poorer people generous in their giving and rich people with tight purses and miserly living. But this boy offered all his food. He didn't set any aside that we know of, he offered it to the disciples and Jesus. What if this boy did not volunteer his food, what if he hadn't stepped up to the plate, gave his all, given what he had (in fact what he could hardly afford to give away). This story may never have happened, the people may not have been fed, the power and glory of Jesus may not have been so visibly shown that day..

Let's apply this to you and to me.. First, what have we got to give God? Second, are we prepared to volunteer it for the King? Third, what are we prepared to give up for God that he's calling us to? Fourth, are we ready to give (in whatever way) so that the hungry are fed, so that miracles happen, so that the fame of Jesus spreads that little bit further and faster? Pray and act today.

Being Thankful - Psalm 69.30

In The Message Bible, it says, "Let me shout God's name with a praising song. Let me tell his greatness in a prayer of thanks." In the old fashioned King James version of the Bible it reads, "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving."

Did you know that by praising God, by thanking God, you magnify God? What do I mean? Well, put it this way. On your desk, you find a small spider. You can't see the spider very well, so what do you do? You get a magnifying glass and magnify the spider, so you could observe it more closely. If it was in a lab, you may even put it under a microscope. Or, another example. You're into star gazing and look into the sky. You can't see the stars that well, so you buy a telescope. When you look down the telescope, you see the star more clearly, as it magnifies what you can see.

The same is true with God. Your praise is like the magnifying glass that makes you and other people see God so clearly. Praise releases something of God like nothing else. Many people testify to how God has released them from sin, healed them, delivered them, changed them, done things for them - simply by them praising God. God is magnified through the praise and thanks of his people. It's like accepting a gift by saying 'thank you' - it gives significance to the other person. This is even more true of God. When we thank God and praise him, it's as if we're saying: "Thank you God , I testify that you are a God who loves, who gives, who helps me. I recognise that it is you alone, God, that makes me what I am and does great things in my life.' It reveals how we are, who we are, on the inside of us.

In Revelation 5, we find a picture of multitudes of angels praising God saying 'to the Lamb be praise and glory and honour for ever'. This shows us another thing - the power of people praising God together. When I was once at Spring Harvest, I saw a very real vision around the edges of the big top, of loads of angels in the tent praising God, during one time of musical worship. God's people, together, praising God is a picture of heaven. It is also a picture of earth.

I'm so grateful to God because I know what he has delivered me from. Let's all continue to thank, praise and magnify God.

Fishing - Matthew 4.18-20

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.
The ministries of the church are wide and incredibly varied. The call that God has put on your life is unique and amazing. Across the globe and through time, God has used his people in diverse ways. We can see this today from Matthew 4 where Jesus calls some of his disciples and promises to make them fishers of men. Yes, Jesus used this language because Peter and Andrew were fishermen, but can we learn anything else from this?
1. There are different kinds of fishermen - your call is unique, though others may do something similar. But there are many ways to help people escape the kingdom of darkness into God's Kingdom.
2. Fishermen catch different kinds of fish - the 'fish' (people) that God calls you to will be different to others, though there will likely be some overlap.
3. Fishermen will fish in different places according to the kinds of fish - there's no point standing on the shore to catch deep sea fish, you need to go out into the ocean. Some people will go to a local river to go fishing, others will have a longer rod and cast it out from the pier into the sea. Different calls.
4. Fishermen use different kinds of bait to attract fish - unlike fishermen, we're not out to kill and eat the fish (!) but there are many different ways God will use his people to shine their light and attract others to that light of Christ.
5. Fishermen are prepared - so should we be. Many have a separate net to place the fish that they've caught. Be ready to help people, support people, disciple people, get them into a school with other fish - church!

Hannah's Faith - Samuel 1.1-20 (it's not that much to read, honest!)

There was a man called Elkanah. He had 2 wives called Peninnah and Hannah. Unfortunately we read that the Lord had kept Hannah from having any children (the Bible often refers to women not being able to have children as 'being barren'). Guys - not being able to have children is something really serious for any lady and it really hurts them. So, of course, Hannah felt a lot of pain. Not helped by Peninnah who used to give her grief about it as Peninnah had 2 children fathered by Elkanah. Peninnah used to hassle Hannah about it so much she'd make her cry and not eat her food. Evil woman!
Anyways, one year, we read that Hannah was so sad that she cried out to and prayed to the Lord. Before God she told him how sad she was, how much pain she had and made a vow that if the Lord would allow her to have a son, she would give him back to the Lord and the Lord's work for all his life. This was a big thing. So much pain and yet the son she would give birth to would be taken away from her and given to the Lord. Many families have experienced this kind of pain with sons and daughters going abroad as missionaries or even being killed in the Lord's work.
We find that Hannah kept praying (serious prayer time) so much that Elkanah thought she was drunk. When she explained she was praying and telling God all her problems (something we all need to do), Elkanah understood. Elkanah then said, 'Go, I wish you well, may the Lord give you what you asked him for.' Hannah said, 'may I always please you' had some food and found her sadness had gone away. Later she slept with Elkanah and the Bible says, 'the Lord remembered her' and she became pregnant. Faithful to her word, when Samuel could eat solid food, he was given to the Lord under the tutorship of Eli.

1. We see a parallel with 2 or more people agreeing in prayer - Elkanah effectively agreeing with what Hannah wanted. There's power where 2 people meet in the Lord's name. (Matthew 18.20)
2. There's a parallel with 1 Peter 5.6-7 where we are told to cast our cares onto the Lord, and with Philippians 4.6.
3. The Lord remembered Hannah, her fervent prayers were heard. Don't bang on in prayer for the sake of it. But if your prayer is passionate and genuine, sometimes we need to hold on and pursue God in prayer day and night, just like the persistent widow (Luke 18.1-8). Remember, sometimes day and night.
4. Hannah acted on her faith. She prayed to God, then slept with her husband. She could have just said, 'I'll never have children, stuff it..' But she continued to love God and love her husband and have faith.
5. God hears. God remembered Hannah. God hasn't forgotten about you today. Believe me, he hasn't.

Luke 5.1-11

This little quiet time was inspired by watching the inauguration of the latest Pope. I'm not a Catholic but watched with interest and learned as he spoke from the Bible. The Bible reading here followed a similar pattern. Simon (not yet called Peter) had been fishing overnight and had caught nothing. Then Jesus got in the boat the next day, spoke to the people and then told Simon to cast the net into the deep water. Simon's response is a challenge to us all. He said, 'we've fished all night and caught nothing, but you said put the nets down so we will.' His response was one of faith, listening and obeying someone who he hardly knew who wasn't even a fisherman (Jesus was a carpenter, craftsman by trade). Yes, Simon realised that Jesus was someone special, someone unique, though he did not yet quite understand everything about Jesus. But he obeyed.
What happened as a result of Simon's obedience, acting on the word of Jesus with faith? The fishermen caught so many fish, the nets almost broke and they had to use other nets to gather in all the fish. (How like the parable of the mustard seed this is, a little causing a great harvest). Simon's response was one of worship, of awareness of his own sin. Jesus simply responded by using the scene as an advert for how he would use Simon and the disciples, saying, 'from now on, you'll fish for people..' This is the gospel message. That me and you (seemingly insignificant), can see major things happen for God if we listen, hear, obey by acting in faith on the word of God. We may also see miraculous things happen to testify to the word of God and the gospel message. So be encouraged today. God has a plan for you. This plan is not simply dependent on me and you, but on who God is and who we are through Jesus.

Vision - Proverbs 29.18

What is your idea of the characteristics of someone with vision? What do you think? Someone who can see something of what might be and with God's help wants to make it happen? Yep. Any other aspects to a visionary person? Let's look at this verse from Proverbs in a couple of translations.
"Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law." (NKJV)
"Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law." (NIV)
"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." (KJV)
Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]--blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he." (Amplified)
What do we learn? Many things but one thing is that where there is no vision, people cast off restraint / discipline. So, one of the characteristics of a visionary is that they have not cast off restraint, they are disciplined. This is no legalistic discipline like an old schoolmaster in some old black and white movie. No, this is a person who is committed to vision and work that God has inspired in them, they are passionately and actively disciplined in making it happen. A visionary is someone disciplined enough to know what and what not to do. If you want to be a man or woman of God with vision that sees the vision happen (and you know the vision is from and for God!) then build self-discipline into your life. This means spending time with God and the Bible. This means doing what you need to and not wasting time doing what is pointless. What is pointless? Those things that do not help realise the vision. Be flexible and don't get tunnel vision (!) but focus..

Seeking Out The Lost - Matthew 18.10-14 - Part 1

Take a peek through this passage. This is covered in a different way in one of the small group sessions (click here) but for this one we're going to take a look at the life of faith and about flipping the lid on what too many of us are doing in our churches..
You see in this bit of the Bible we see Jesus telling us that there are 100 sheep. The sheep represent people. The shepherd that goes out looking for the sheep is a representation of the true Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
1 of these sheep goes off for a run, maybe it's being inquisitive, maybe it got stuck, felt like a bit of 'freedom' but is now out there, lost, in trouble. Let's forget the symbolism and get real here. There are people around you (maybe even you!) who were tight with Jesus and had a passion for him. But they wandered off, felt like doing their own thing, tried out a different route but got lost, got stuck in patterns of unhelpful behaviour and need someone to come seek them out to help them.
Now the real answer is Jesus but Jesus said that you, me are his witnesses on earth. So many times Jesus uses us to do his work. My challenge to you is - are you out there seeking out the mates that used to come to church but fell away? Are you there for those struggling with their faith? Sometimes you have to leave behind what is the safer large group and head out into the rocks, the darkness, the harsh terrain - in order to go find the lost.
The encouragement is that God, Jesus, the Spirit and you will find great delight in returning folks back to Jesus.

The wrong way round - Matthew 18.10-14 - Part 2

Where I live there are many, many worship events, prayer events and similar style things. These are great as the place of prayer is the starting point for God to work, the place where Christ inspires new passions, changes hearts and releases people. Prayer is the backbone of the ministry, one way of release of God's power in your life. We look at Jesus and he prayed, encouraged us to pray, was in constant communication with his Father. There is no doubt that God works and ministers in the place of prayer and praise. But it's one way, not the only way, that God works.
But let's look a little deeper. The work of Jesus was a balanced life of faith, prayer and action. Sometimes in our churches we have used these things as an excuse not to get out there and reach the lost. Prayer without action is not the complete picture. Let prayer and worship meetings inspire your action and be part of your action (if that's your thing - it may not be for all people), but don't have one without the other.
Why not? Well, because our example is Jesus. We find the ministry of Jesus a lot about teaching, knowing and releasing the word of God, acts of healing, deliverance and action, rebuke. In Matthew 18 we have the famous picture of the lost sheep..
Jesus went out to find the 1 sheep and left the 99 sheep behind. The 1 lost sheep held more importance, more delight. Jesus is saying the same to you and to me. Church is a place for the lost, not just for God's people. Too many churches stay inside with the 99 and forget the 1. Too many times we forget that church contains the 1 and the world around us contains the 99 who have not been saved. Remember that we need to stay close to the shepherd but maybe it's time to open up the doors of our churches and meetings more to the lost. Maybe we have the wrong balance right now. Too much for Christians and not enough for those who don't know the shepherd.

Without faith it is impossible to please God - Hebrews 11.6-10 - Noah

How did God water the earth in Noah's day? Rain? A light covering of snow? Flooding? Nope. We know there was no mass flooding as the flood was the first big flood, snow wasn't too common in Israel and besides we know the answer from Genesis 2.5-6 which says, '..and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth.. but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.' Funny huh? The rain that God sent that caused the great flood was the first time it had rained.
This is no history lesson though. In Hebrews 11 the Bible says this, 'By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country..'
So Noah's faith was amazing because of many things - the fact that he built a huge great boat (had to be huge to fit in all those animals!), he built a boat in the middle of land, he built a boat never having seen rain, and despite all the abuse people gave him.
Many times God will call us to do things that may seem strange. But we need to remember that God knows best and that God commands obedience. Noah saw his inheritance on earth. That isn't that important. Faith means doing what God says, however small or big, regardless of how it may seem or whether you see the results in this lifetime.

Don't Just Stand There - Do Something! James 2.14-26

James is a practical action man. What really winds him up is people who claim to be Christians but sit on their butts all week. They sit on their butts on Sunday while the preacher drones on and bores the pants off everyone. Then they go home and sit on their butts the rest of the week. I expect you know people like it.
If James was in your church, he'd walk up to these guys and say, 'OY! YOU! How can you claim to be a follower of this radical action-packed, world changing Jesus and yet do nothing to show your faith? Change or get out! This is church, not a club where you come and drink tea out of scabby green cups.'
Be funny wouldn't it? But that's what James is on about in these verses.
And before you judge other people like that, what about you? What about me? When we hear about people's needs, see need, feel the Holy Spirit say something to us, do we take action? If you feel strongly about something do you do something about it? One day in a job I was in, someone was moaning about the boss. I got fed up and stood up, inviting her to come speak to the boss with me or shut up. She shut up. Don't be like this woman.
James is harsh. 'Faith without action is worth nothing.. can a faith like this save someone?' There's no middle ground, as ever! You don't go to a football match and watch an empty pitch with no players on for 90 minutes. I know some teams would do better that way but it would stupid. Same with Jesus. If you're a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit in you changing your heart so you want to do stuff for God and other people. So do it. Ask, seek, make the most of opportunities.

Galatians 4.21-31 - Don't be a religious freak!

You may have read about the Pharisees who loved to parade about being religious. It gave them status and identity and they got to wear stupid hats and robes, eat and drink loads and have all the 'best' things. Really they were a bunch of arrogant lumps that irritated Jesus and other people. As 2 Timothy 3.5 says, these people act as if they serve God but do not have his power. Stay away from these people. We can probably see these kinds of people in leadership in certain churches - pretending to serve God - but denying his Word and God's Spirit. Actually they're not real believers (or there are but have become too puffed up with themselves) so are fronting - it makes me sick! (What about you and me though??)
In this passage in Galatians, Paul talks about Hagar and Sarah, the 2 women Abraham had sons with. Paul compares Hagar to living the religious life and Sarah to living with the freedom that comes through living for and obeying Jesus. If you want real freedom, real life then get on your knees and give your life to Jesus. We don't want religion in our churches, we want the power and love and self control / discipline that comes from Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 1.7). Only then can we truly be church bringing Jesus to a hurting and needy world. Nail religion to the cross today. Forever. Verse 30 in Galatians 4 says 'the son of the slave woman should not inherit anything. The son of the free woman should receive it all.' As Matrix would say, 'Free Your Mind'. As I say, 'Free Your Mind - Accept Jesus'

Revelation 21.5 - God is making everything new

When you become a Christian, God does a new work in you. When you get a job and first start, you don't know what to do exactly. Over time, you get used to the system and how to do things, learning and changing to work in the job, maybe having to wear a uniform and say certain things on the phone.
But God doesn't do this in your life. He doesn't take the old you and start to change you. What God does is to put a new person in you, the Holy Spirit. God makes you into a new person. This is what Jesus means when he talks about 'you must be born again' in John 3.7. He means that a new person is birthed inside you.
This isn't some weird freaky thing but a change in your spiritual being. God comes in by the power of his Spirit and if you allow God to work, the Spirit (the new person) will push out the old self (your human and sinful self). One day, at the end of time, if you belong to God, he will make all things new. You, the earth, the heavens so that all evil, death, suffering, crying, sin and decay will be gone for ever. Sounds like time to get on God's crew.

Fix Your Eyes On Jesus - Hebrews 12.1-3

The Christian life can be hard at times, we all know that. We get tired. We struggle. We question things. We sometimes can't see a way through or hear from God, right?
In these verses, the Bible talks about looking up to Jesus but what does this mean? Does it mean putting your head up and gazing at the sky when you're struggling or what?
Hebrews gives us a solution to life's ups and downs. It says let us look at the example of Jesus. He suffered death, shame and abuse but he considered it was worth it cos he knew the ultimate rewards and the joy it would eventually bring, with us alongside him in heaven. Jesus was human and struggled as we do but he did not sin as he was perfect, unlike us.
So in practical terms it means, don't look at the problems, look at Jesus. If you are worried, don't think about what you're worried about, but pray, think about heaven, think about what you can do for others to be Jesus in your world. It also reminds us that Jesus was prepared to suffer and die just for you, even if you were the only person ever born. So. Big up God. Big up yourself.

MAKING THE CHOICE

I was reading through Colossians 3 the other day in the Youth Bible. The chapter is subtitled, 'Your New Life In Christ'. The whole chapter is about doing and not doing things, inspired by the new life of Christ that is in you (unlike the Old Testament where doing and not doing things was inspired by a set of rules). I came across verses 15 and 16.
These verses both begin with the word, 'Let..' So we find that in both cases, doing something is by choice. In verse 15, it's about letting Christ's peace rule in your hearts. In verse 16 it's about letting the teaching of Christ live in you richly.
There are times where Jesus will do things in our lives because they need to happen. If we want to grow in our life of faith, however, we have to make a choice. What do we have to make a choice about? Basically, every aspect of our lives. If we read the Bible, how we read the Bible, if we pray, how we pray.. if we want to change, if we want to turn away from doing some wrong.. Sometimes it's real hard but Jesus said he was the way the truth and the life. If we want that life, true life, then we have to get to know Jesus deeper. The way we do that is by choosing to.

GOD WON'T BREAK WEAK FAITH

In Matthew 12.18-21, we read that Jesus healed many people who were sick and warned people not to tell others who he was. The Bible says that Jesus did this to fulfill a prophecy made by Isaiah many years before.
So what relevance does this have for you and me? In verse 20 of Matthew (or Isaiah 42.3) we read that Jesus will not break a crushed blade of grass or put out even a weak flame.
We get a real picture here of Jesus in his mercy and kindness. He knows what you're going through, he knows when times are hard, when the tears fill your eyes and have real difficulties in life. We have an amazing promise from Jesus that when your faith feels weak and knocked back, Jesus won't let you be broken, he won't break you. We know that whatever life holds, Jesus is by your side, carrying you in his arms, standing alongside you, his arm around you - so that when your faith is low, it won't be broken and that 'crying may endure for a night but laughter will come in the morning.' (Psalm 30.5)

THE LIFE OF FAITH

Through the Gospels we see that Jesus revealed himself more and more to his disciples and to the people around him. It wasn't always a flashing blinding light that came and hit people into realising who Jesus was. Often it was a gradual process. For example in Matthew 8.27 the disciples saw Jesus calm the storm and wondered who this man was who could calm the storm. By Matthew 16.16, after Jesus asked Peter who Peter though Jesus was, Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus replied, 'You are blessed Peter because you don't know this by yourself, this was revealed to you by my Father in heaven.'
You see, sometimes coming to faith is a gradual process, like with the disciples. It wasn't until the coming of the Spirit that we read about in Acts that the disciples truly understood some of the things Jesus had said. It may be the same with you, it may be the same for you praying for members of your family or friends. Keep praying, keep believing.

HOW BIG IS YOUR FAITH?

Listen to what Jesus said about faith in Luke 17.5-6. The disciples ask Jesus for more faith. He doesn't say 'OK then, here you are'. He offers an example instead. He points to a mulberry bush and tells the disciples that if their faith were even the size of a tiny little mustard seed, they could tell the bush to dig itself up and plant itself in the sea!
Slightly confused? I expect the disciples were. Our faith here in the UK seems to be so small compared to what we read in the Bible doesn't it? I mean, how often do we see people healed and raised from the dead? Not an everyday thing at church is it?
Jesus is talking to you today. He is pointing out that your small faith can achieve so much, if only you would believe and trust him. Whatever your need or your problem, ask Jesus for his help and watch him amaze you! Believe!

TIME FOR AN ATTITUDE CHECK!

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, 'We should go up and take possession of the land for we can certainly do it' (Numbers 13.30, NIV). Read this bit and more, now, in Numbers 13.27-33.
Have you met those people who put a downer on what you say? I really hope I'm not one of them! You have a great idea and instead of saying, 'great!' or 'well done, but have you thought about' they say, 'Oh, I don't think that's a good idea' or 'I see'
Here's the miracle cure as written down by Moses in Numbers: It's called seeing through God's eyes. Someone said to me recently, 'Don't worry about money, after all God owns the planet, I'm sure he'll sort it out'
God is saying the same to you this week. Things are hard and you can't see the end, but with God's help you will get through. Philippians 4.13 says, 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.' (NIV)

'So let us run the race that is before us and never give up.' (Hebrews 12.1, YB)

Read Hebrews 12.1-3. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you before you read.
These are what this bit of the Bible says to me maybe you can get something else from it
1. Look at other Christians. Very often they can encourage us and help us as they set an example for us. Learn from them as they have learned from other people before.
2. Run the Christian race and never give up. Keep on pressing ahead. When I used to go cycling, I hardly ever let a hill defeat me. Have that attitude.
3. Focus on Jesus. When stuff is hard or uncertain, think about Jesus and his life - his example.
4. Get rid of sins that trip you up. Whatever that thing is that trips you up, start to overcome it today. Do something else, use the name of Jesus, refuse to give in, ask God for help.
5. Jesus is the reason for your faith and the one who makes it perfect so today, like every day, you can ask Jesus to help you, change you and make you more like him!

BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE BIBLE

Read Esther 2.17-18 & 7.1-4. Esther was an amazing woman. She was chosen to be a Queen (after she'd had 12 months (yes, 12 months!) of beauty and cosmetic treatments - for free! See 2.12). She then had the bottle to ask the King to save her people - the Jews - from death. Because of her bravery, Israel was saved and corrupt official in the King's court was disposed of. God put her there for this reason but she still had to have the guts to stand up and be counted. Girls, ladies - what is God calling you to do for him?
Nehemiah 2.1-6. A bloke with bottle this time. Nehemiah was the King's wine man - he tasted it and served it to his majesty. This wasn't just a position for some an alcoholic, this was a very important position. One day, Nehemiah heard that Jerusalem had been destroyed. He was sad in front of the King (something that could have meant instant death) and then asked the King if he could go and restore Jerusalem. The King not only said yes but helped him! Lads - God wants you to be strong and courageous too. Trust God.

PUT ON YOUR BATTLE GEAR - Read Ephesians 6.10-18

Use every weapon and defence that God gives you - you'll need it as we're fighting evil powers and not humans. Be prepared. Take hold of the full protection of God each day like you were getting ready for battle.
You'll need excellent spiritual health. Always speak the truth, be filled with God's truth. Stand up for justice and the oppressed. Always be ready to tell people about the saving power of Jesus Christ. Your faith in Jesus must be strong and firm - constantly fed through your prayer life and Bible readings. The Bible is a very important part of God's protection. God's Spirit speaks to us through the Bible because it is the Word of God. So the more you know and read the Bible, the better prepared you'll be. Finally make sure you have a strong belief in Christ. Through his saving power and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have further protection. Put on all this protection daily and thank God for it.