I thought this image from the Shawshank Redemtion movie was rather appropriate..

I was was reading Luke 18 today and it struck me how the Blind man was so willing to cry out and he really didn’t care what people think. I think we need to learn a lesson from the blind man and that is to not give up and to be bold in our faith.

The blind man cried out twice and did not just let Jesus pass by him. Even though he was told to be quiet he kept going….

We have little because we ask little…

We need to have faith; BOLD and RADICAL faith…

Faith that can move mountains and change situation. I am confident that the Lord wants to help everyone who is in need and with issues, illnesses and general struggles. But Im sure the Lord is waiting for us to cry out.

Are you willing to cry out to receive change in your life! I am and want to stand with you in this also..

Have faith – Cry out!

A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight

35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

youtu.be/EgH2ewQJlCg click here to view the video of the escape in shaw shank redemption…

This blog post is taken from our church weekly bulletin!

It has helped me so much. Thank you Lord for using Peter and Victoria Jones to bless so many!

Read these verses… And hold tight to them. Hold them close to your heart!

Deuteronomy 1:21
See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Joshua 10:25
Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”

Psalm 56:4
In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me ?

Isaiah 12:2
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”

Jeremiah 42:11
Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the Lord, for I am with you and will save you and deliver you from his hands.

Daniel 10:12
Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.

Zechariah 8:15
“so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid.”

Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Luke 12:32
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”

Revelation 1:17
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.”

Fear robs us of life, and stops us stepping into our destiny. Take a moment to answer this big question…
If I were 10 times bolder, what would my life look like ?
The difference between what our lives look like and what they would look like without fear is the measure of life that fear is robbing us off. Take some time to pray on your own for boldness and greater courage to live without fear.

I then had to stop and consciously say no I’m not going to think about organising that but actually do my quiet time.

This morning whilst reading www.odb.org something jumped out at me. The start of vers 39 says. “Know this well, then. Take it to heart right now: God is in Heaven above; God is on Earth below.” “Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below.” “Know, recognize, and understand therefore this day and turn your [mind and] heart to it that the Lord is God in the heavens above and upon the earth beneath; there is no other.”

My thought to ponder on for the day is how well do we “Acknowledge” “Know this well” “Know, recognize, and understand” That God is in control and that he is above ALL. Does our mind stay fixed on him or on our own busy lives and worries? Mostly the latter if we are honest. I would say we need to get into a habit of Acknowledging that God is so much bigger and better than all that we think is important.

How do we do this? Well read on! It says “Take it to heart right now” I think that we sometimes say ok well thats ok for you but my situation is tough i’ll take heart later. NO take heart now. Understand God wants to heal you now not tomorrow or next week. Then Live by his commands be obedient to him.Keep his decrees. Do you best to live a pure a blameless life as christ has done.

Why Because the reward is great. “so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.” God wants it to Go well with us. Its a lie of the Devil that he doesn’t want us to succeed. Its interesting its not just a short lived promise but something that goes on for generations and generations. God is with us for the long distance the long haul the Marathon not just the trip round the corner or the 100M Sprint.

Deuteronomy 4:32-40

^39-40 Know this well, then. Take it to heart right now: God is in Heaven above; God is on Earth below. He’s the only God there is. Obediently live by his rules and commands which I’m giving you today so that you’ll live well and your children after you—oh, you’ll live a long time in the land that God, your God, is giving you.

The Message

³⁹ Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. ⁴⁰ Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.

The NIV

³⁹Know, recognize, and understand therefore this day and turn your [mind and] heart to it that the Lord is God in the heavens above and upon the earth beneath; there is no other.

⁴⁰Therefore you shall keep His statutes and His commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God gives you forever.

Amplified Bible (AMP)

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Be blessed as you read the scriptures and let me know your thoughts. If you have any questions then please do ask. I want to say that I’m not perfect in doing the above but I do my best. So i encourage you to do your best at remembering his truths and Acknowledging that he is Above ALL.

Wow what can I say – it was a tremendous week in-fact a life-changing week. I can’t begin to tell you how fired up to do missions right at the moment. It is amazing how when the anointing of the Lord is upon preachers they can really motivate you to step out of your comfort zone.

It all kicked off on Wednesday and went right throughout to Sunday with a great “MiChombs” BBQ on the Saturday. Its so great to just be immersed in the word of God and praising him with thousands of others.

Without repeating myself too much I’d like to put in the Links to the NLC Site as they have done a great job at documenting each day of the conference.

PLEASE PLEASE do open one and read/listen to it  and even better all.

Its All about Others – MP3 DOWNLOAD HERE

Why? – MP3 DOWNLOAD HERE

The Journey of a Dreamer – MP3 DOWNLOAD HERE

Catch Something – MP3 DOWNLOAD HERE AND HERE

Stretch Forth Your Right Hand – MP3 DOWNLOAD HERE

We Care – We Share – We Dare – MP3 DOWNLOAD HERE

Here are a few points that really struck home with me.

The 3 points from Pastor Jack Hanes were powerfull

1. We Care
2. We Share
3. We Dare

Those three words really spoke to me as they highlited the importance of caring an sharing with one another and also the importance of stepping out in faith.

Please have a look at my notes on the We Care We Share We Dare sermon with Reference to Acts 17: 1-8

We Care – We Share – We Dare – MP3 DOWNLOAD HERE

General William booth sent a telegram. 1word

The master key to the greatest life on this plannet

OTHERS

We have to focus our life on others.

Pastor Jack Hanes

This tied in so well with the other sermon that was just entitled “Others”. This was such a challenge to me as I find that its so easy to talk about myself to others and not even ask how someone else is. I also was challenged to not be so self orientated when it came to social networking specifically the web side of my life. Its so easy to become almost Narcissistic with the way I update things that are just about me! I also feel to be more out going with things on Facebook; I know this is silly but just asking how someone is and how they are getting on either on their Wall or either by email can make all the difference. One of the videos we watched was really challenging all about our self consumed society. Pastor Jack said you could almost be guaranteed a best seller if you out self on the front of a book! It is a great challenge to society currently as really its so easy to focused on ones self you just have to look at the magazines and shows like Big Brother and you will see how its all about me. I challenge  you if you have read this today to ask every single person, who you encounter, how they are and what is happening in there life. Lets be more outward focused.

Jesus came for others. Sending his Son to die on the Cross for our sins.  Mark 10 –  even the God man came for others.

We must be walking in the same footsteps of Christ and be looking how we can give up our lives for others. Philipians 2.5 who can I die for today.

Here are my notes on the “Others” sermon.

Its All about Others – MP3 DOWNLOAD HERE

There was a great challenge to sacrifice. By this it was referring to the 1 Kings 18  scripture – and how that the way that we received the fire of God was by sacrificing something. What is your Sacrifice?

Catch Something – MP3 DOWNLOAD HERE AND HERE

There were a few other sermons that I took notes on. One was the challenge of Dreaming an having a dream but also even more important how we can make some one else’s dream happen. This was by Paster Alfie.

One of the things that was so amazing about this conference of how it is so important to recognise people and thank them and “love on them”. Pastor Tom Messer was so kind and gave some amazing words on stretching forth our right hand and stepping out. And how by this time tomorrow our lives will be changed – this is a real prophetic word as things must and will change in our lives - whether tomorrow - whether next week – whether next month but we must believe that things will change.

If you always do what you have do you will always be what you have done. Pastor Tom Messar

Stretch Forth Your Right Hand – MP3 DOWNLOAD HERE

All in all it was such a boost and truly life changing.

What Has Challenged you by reading this blog post?

Please do look at some of the Pictures bellow and CLICK on the picture to view the slideshow.

What followed was really interesting. The study we did with the young people on the last Sunday morning was on Ephesians 1. This at first was like yeah cool but then realised that it was quite a coincidence that we were doing that in the group. Then last knight at CU (Christian Union) we had a talk on Ephesians 2 and 3 and that was really interesting again as twice we had been doing Ephesians.

I really feel that God has been on my case to do this and read Ephesians 1 and 2 and i have and the first bit is just amazing.

There is so much packed into this first verse so i am just going to take this first bit and break that down into two chunks

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

The first thing that strikes me is the praising of the lord. Its so so important to do this and to really give God the Glory. The second thing is that we are given every spiritual blessing whilst living here on earth but operating in the spiritual realm. The key thing here being that its every not just one or two but every.

The other aspect is that we are predestined to be “holy and blameless in his sight.” which means that there is hope and we are meant to be striving for this and we don’t have to submit to the old saying that is “oh I’m only human”.

In love 5he^[c] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Again its just puts the focus back to God and takes it away from us and not just our selfish ambition but in fact for his praise.

The wording is beautiful as it summarizes the Gospel so concisely. God has given us his one and only Son Jesus and he has done this freely for every one so that whoever believes in Him would have everlasting life.

Now that’s God

It will only take you a moment to read it so do click on the lilt link below.

Lovely little story

Le me know if you liked it?

Based on this scripture…  Ephesians 3: 18-20

18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

This is taken directly from a bible study that i have been reading by Reinhard Bonnke. Its been really helpfull and just so applicable..

God’s love is not a mere sentiment or emotional attachment. Nor is it a dutiful relationship as when we love a father because he is our father, or our children love us only because they are our children. It is the other way with God. He fathered us because He loved us, before we were born. God’s love is not fondness. When we love anyone we send them gifts, flowers, and write them letters. He does all that! He fills the wide world with gifts and flowers, writes His love with the stars of heaven, and the poetry of everything that is beautiful. But more than that, much more than that, the love of God penetrates our cold hearts, shed abroad by the Holy Spirit. It is the closest and most personal love.

Its not a duty that he has to love us as we are his children but because he wants to… and that is so cool and special…. as even if we think there is no one out there that could possibly love us there is one who is and does… GOD…

Love and charity in English are the same word. Love! It changes its own environment, and creates an atmosphere of greatness, openness, and generosity. Love never has a zipped up purse.

Love is as infinite as God, for God is love.

Do view the whole Study at this url.. us.cfan.org/Bible-Study.aspx?id=10503&page=1

I started watching it and just liked the look and the way it was put together and wasn’t taking much notice of what content was being said as they had some great shots and montages of equations and cityscape’s

and an interesting way of using screens to show parts of the documentary.

I Have only just got back from  and i don’t actually watch much tele?? i know its strange but seems i just don’t as not much of it meets my fancy but this definitely did. It was so nice to watch and see all the uses of clever camera work and shots to make it look so professional and sleek. Below is one of my favorite shots.

The use of blur pull focus and depth of field was excellent and just choosing some great stock footage was also important to the way this moved along.

I didn’t start taking in what was actually being said until they started going into the biology part of this argument and i was shocked to hear what i heard. It was from a particularly biased view point and this was the evolutionist one. I would like to say that I am no scientist and that i don’t know half as much as these clever guys but i do know  one thing and that is that God does exists and that he created this world that we live in as you read this.

I found it very interesting that Evolution was presented by Richard Dawkins as a fact and that, I quote, ” In order not to believe in Evolutions you must be either Ignorant, Stupid or Insane” These are very strong words and rather insulting really as though i don’t have a clear line on this i do know that we were created in the Image of God and that means that we did not derive from shell fish.

Earlier in the Documentary he says that “evolution is the only way to explain the illusion of design that we se in the living world” to me this is completely wrong as he is obviously acknowlaging that ther is design but stating that it is an illusion. This seems to contradictory as he would obviously argue against the fact that there is Intelligent design.

What ever the process i believe that we have a creator and that God has intelligently designed every single one of us and that this world surely can have just come about due to chance and that we cant have just morphed into what we are as incredible beings purely out of what is virtually nothing, single cell organisms.

The other really astonishing statement is that he dismisses that every soul is unique and just fluffs away that idea by saying that because something doesn’t suffer it is ok to kill an unborn baby that could grow up to be the next president of the United States. This is a terrible things as if you based life on this fact then it would mean it would be ok to shoot someone in the head with a sniper. Surely that’s ok as the person would not have suffered as they have not know its pretty instant a shot to the head. Surely not??

Also i think that it is very sad that he is ruling out God by saying that the day Darwin brought out the book on the origin of species 150 years ago on a Thursday… does this mean he existed before that??

You can find the video at this link

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00dlr2j/b00dlqy1/

I am no obscuratist but i do feel that things need to be addressed as people are being fed one point of view and not the other side of the argument and the truth is that we are are loved and created by God and that he did send his son Jesus Christ to Die on the Cross for us.

Please do let me know what you think and what your thoughts are on the matters above christian or non christian.

God said everything he wanted to say about ultimate reality in under 2,000 pages.

I was reading one of the Gospels and it was the 40 days of fasting of jesus in the desert, then the 3 specific temptations from the devil.  If you take time to think about all that happened what with him being tempted in the desert. Matthew 4:1-11

“If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[a]“

Then being taking to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.

“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:  ” ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’^[b]” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[c]“

An finally being taken to the highest point in the world??

“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’^[d]”

Its amazing to think how much is said in the bible and how in return is so clear and concise…
Despite all the temptation Jesus decided to take the hard way… and not give in to what could have been so easy…

Jesus could have easily done some incredible things to please man and earn their kingship but instead he decided to take the hard root and go through so much. Ultimately leading up to his death on the cross.

Jesus could have just taken the world as man saw it, but he had greater plans to redeem us and give us an opportunity for eternal life in heaven… he could have been so selfish but he chose to die for our sins so that if we believe in him we would have eternal life…

This is something so amazing if you stop and think about it as in essence Jesus turned down the world and ended up saving it.

Thoughts that I am still trying to get my head round are..

well so what Jesus ended up with the world and did anyway as he was God??

If God knows any way then why did he put Jesus through it if he knew he would make it in the end??

Some thoughts from others would be helpful and interesting.

Ultimately he did sacrifice his life for us and this is an amazing scripture to leave you with..

John 4:14

14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”