Over the last week as a church we have been seeking God each evening. We have had our annual week of prayer and fasting. As usual this has been an amazing week of blessing and we've met with Almighty God each night as we meet together to seek Him.
I decided to write this today to share something that I believe The Lord has spoken to me about over the last week.
On Wednesday I was travelling to an assembly and The Lord spoke into my heart a scripture. I must admit I didn't know where in the Bible it came from, but nevertheless I knew that it was of The Lord and from Scripture. He also gave me a picture of a field that was white, which was very apt as many of the fields I travelled past that morning were still covered in snow.
On the way back to church, I prayed that God would show me the field in my minds eye so that I could have a photograph to show the church. I returned a different route and came upon the field quite quickly and took the photo safely as I parked in a convenient passing space.
On returning to church I looked up the scripture that God had given me. It wasn't in my version of the Bible and so I was even more convinced that it was God speaking to me. 'Look I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.' John 4:35 ESV
I believe The Lord was telling me that we have to get to work. The harvest is there for the taking but we have to do our part. We cannot wait for it to wither away. The picture I took shows this so clearly. The front of the picture is white with snow, although some of the field is starting to go brown where the snow has melted.
Lets remember the story of Esther in the Bible. She saved the people because she did what needed doing at the exact time she needed to. One of my favourite verses comes from this story, 'For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your Father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this.' Esther 4:14 NIV
Lets be like Esther. We are here for such a time as this. The fields are white for the harvest. Are we ready to get to work and share the good news of Jesus? He is the answer to every situation, the world needs a Saviour, the world needs a hope. We have that hope, let's not miss the opportunity to share that hope with those that don't. Don't leave it until the fields have withered, we have to take every opportunity to show the love of Jesus with the world..
Lord help us to see the world through your eyes. Help us to bless those we meet sharing the gospel with them and showing them the love of Jesus.
I haven't written my blog for quite some time, although after my Bible readings today decided that it might be time to start it back up again.
Today's readings started in Matthew 7. Here we find Jesus, healing a man with leprosy, remotely healing the Centurion's servant and healing Peter's mother-in-law.
In all of these situations, Jesus was meeting the needs of those he met along the way. In the case of the man with leprosy, Jesus was just walking down the mountain and this man came to him with a need. Jesus dealt with that need and then moves on. In the case of the Centurion's servant, he doesn't even see the man he just see's the faith of his employer and deals once again with the situation. Lastly, we read of Jesus visiting his friends home where he sees the need of his mother-in-law and once again Jesus sees a need and fills that need.
How often do we follow the example Jesus gives? Jesus tells us to go and do likewise, however I don't think we always do. I know personally that often I miss the signs of others, and even don't know what to do in a situation. Jesus knows exactly what to do and when to do it.
What about you and I? What do we need? We so often have a list of demands for God, but they are not our needs they are our wants. When we come to God in prayer we offer him up a list of can you do this, and can you do that, when none of it is really what we need. Jesus already knows what we need, so what do you need today? What do you want to share with the Lord today? How can your life be impacted today by God? Why not ask God to give you what he wants you to have today, and see what happens - it will be amazing.
Over the last few days I've been studying what the bible says about hell. I know that this might seem a strange thing for me to do, however, I do believe as Christians we need to know what Christ has saved us from.
I prepared a bible study on the subject of hell, and at the end of the study we all decided that it was worth while doing, as we looked at what we were originally heading for. We were all so thankful and so blessed that the condemnation that we were all heading for - was no longer there!
I know this is really obvious, however, we need to know that we are SAVED! That's not just saved from death - but it's saved from the torment and torture of Hell!
We never ever think of hell because let's face it, it's not a nice thing to think of. However, we need to face facts - it's real and we need to get excited about the fact that as Christians we have eternal life.
There is something else that we need to think about that is really important. Even though we should praise God every day for what He has done for us through the cross, and for the gift of our salvation, there are those that don't know Jesus and so don't have the same assurance that as Christian's we have. They are heading for a lost eternity. This doesn't mean that they are going to spend eternity in a warm place, as so often people joke - but it does mean that they will spend eternity tormented, separated from God, in flames that never burn out. The bible is clear about what happens to those who don't know Jesus as Lord.
If you are reading this blog, and don't know Jesus this is your chance to change your destiny. Jesus died for you and for me, and so I can promise you that once you ask Jesus to be your Saviour, your life will NEVER be the same again. You will be a complete person, a person that is part of God's family, not forgetting the fact that you will be forgiven, and on the road to eternal life with Him.
Hell is real, but praise God so is Heaven. What are you going to choose today? Jesus and life in all it's fullness? The way of the world; the easy option and life with nothing to look forward to but a tormented eternity without God? It's your choice.
Today at holiday club we were thinking about the Great Commission. This passage of scripture is in the last chapter of Matthew. Jesus tells His disciples to go and make disciples of all men, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I told the children that if the disciples had ignored this command then I wouldn't know about God and so probably wouldn't be a Christian.
This got some of the children thinking; if it wasn't for the obedience of these first disciples of Jesus then there would be no Kidzone, no holiday club, no church, no Christians!
What an amazing thought. I know its an obvious thing, but its so often the obvious things that we miss!
I praise God for the obedience of these first disciples as without them sharing the gospel and the good news of Jesus, I would not be the person I am today.
So what about us? This wasn't just a command for them at that time, it's a command that we too go and do the same. When we share our faith we make a difference for the Kingdom, we make a difference in the lives of the people that we tell.
My life was changed the day I was told about Jesus, so who's life am I going to help change by telling about Jesus today? What about you? Are you going to tell and make a difference too? I hope so.
Continuing with the Holiday club theme - today we thought about Peter being forgiven by Jesus at the BBQ on the beach.
This passage is found in John 21, and the part of the story that jumped out at me was at the very start of John 21. In the previous chapter of John, Jesus has appeared to the disciples on more than one occasion, and here we find it about to happen again. Peter has decided to go fishing and after spending the night with no catch, Jesus appears and a miracle catch happens once again.
Why did Peter go back to fishing? He'd spent the last three years of his life with Jesus. He'd seen Jesus do amazing things including healing people as well as raising them from the dead but yet he chose to go back to fishing.
To be honest I've been wondering about this all day. I've tried to put myself in Peter's shoes and the only reason I can come up with is that Peter was feeling awkward because he'd let Jesus down by saying he didn't know Him. Jesus had already appeared to Peter and the others on more than one occasion. Peter was obviously happy to see Jesus as he is the only one in the story that jumps out of the boat to go and meet Jesus on the shore.
When we do something wrong it's so easy to go back to the old ways, it's so easy to fall back into what we are used to. Peter went back to fishing because it was what he was comfortable with, it was the easy option.
The great thing about this story is that Jesus forgives Peter and before we know it Peter is standing up in front of thousands of people telling them the good news that Jesus is Lord! When we have an encounter with the Creator of the Universe, it changes us completely. Let's make sure that when we mess up we don't go back to the old ways, let's make sure that we don't go back to the comfort zone. We need to come to the cross and move on with Him. Jesus forgives us so we need to forgive ourselves and move into all that He has for us.
Let's make sure that we don't go back to fishing, but continue to move on in Faith!
Today we began our Easter holiday club for children and the story today was about Thomas who doubted that Jesus was alive after His crucifixion. It's a famous story and Thomas got the nick name - Doubting Thomas.
Jesus reveals Himself to Thomas and so he believes and then Jesus says these very famous words:
"Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29
Before starting the club today as I was reading through this passage, it really struck me how we are all in a different place even though we are all on the same journey.
Thomas, with the other disciples had seen Jesus do many miracles, had spent three years following His every word, but yet he still couldn't believe that Jesus was back from the grave. He'd seen Jesus raise both Jairus' daughter and Lazarus from the grave, but he couldn't quite get his head around Jesus being back from death.
This made me think about us today. There are many kinds of people all in different places. Some people know Jesus as Lord and Saviour; some people know only of Jesus as a swear word; some people think of Him as a story; some think of Him only as a good man that said good things. However, whoever we are, whatever part of our life journey we are on, Jesus loves us and wants to be part of our lives.
Where are you today? Do you believe that Jesus is Lord? Do you know that even if you don't believe in Him that He loves you anyway? Thomas had to see to believe and I guess most people today are of the same mindset. But let's just think of this for a moment - you can't see wind but you can feel it, you can't see air but you can breath it. Thomas only believed because he'd seen Jesus - what are you going to do today? Ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you and He will. You've got nothing to loose!
Well that's it! Death is defeated, the battle is won. It's Resurrection Sunday and what a great day to celebrate!
Over 2000 years ago, the Saviour of the world conquered death and so bought us all our freedom! He died on the Friday, and by the Sunday morning He was back from the dead.
I love Easter - it always brings back to me how amazing Salvation is. Without the cross there is no Salvation, and so we must never forget what Jesus did on that first Good Friday - but equally, we also need to remember what He accomplished on that first Easter morning.
When Jesus died, he paid the penalty for our sin, when He rose to life, He defeated Satan and death itself.
Through the death and resurrection of Christ, we can live in the assurance that we are saved from sin and that death has lost its sting! We are on the winning team!
What team are you on this Easter? Are you on the winning team? Are you the kind of person that just celebrates time off work at Easter? Do you know Jesus as your Saviour or as a swear word? Jesus wants to be part of our lives, He invites us all this Resurrection Sunday to be part of His family - do it! It's the best Easter gift you will ever get! Ask Jesus into your heart and know what Easter is all about - the joy of knowing that you're on the winning team!
Over the last week as a church we have been seeking God each evening. We have had our annual week of prayer and fasting. As usual this has been an amazing week of blessing and we've met with Almighty God each night as we meet together to seek Him. 
