Thursday, 25 December 2008
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
The scandal of Christmas
Read this today by John Fischer that I thought was beautiful and well worth the read.
You've got to just come apart over this. This is the most unbelievable thing God has done. It has to be God because no one would ever have thought of this. No religion could propose it. No government could command it. No human being could ever think of it, and even when we try to think about it now, we don't get it, or we get so little of it that we wonder if it's really true.
If you thought up a god, would you have him take on the form of his own creation, go to them to save them, and have them reject him and kill him? And then would you raise him from the dead and have his resurrected being witnessed by over a hundred people, yet unconfirmed by science, so it would be disputed for the rest of human history. And then would you have his church begun by a rag tag team of followers with little credibility and no social clout? See what I mean? It's preposterous. It's unthinkable.
It's enough to prove its true. Besides, on top of everything, who would make forgiveness of sins and the eternal life Christ brings something he hands out free? No one, because I know enough about human nature to know that if we had anything to do with this, we would make people have to work to get into heaven, and we would manipulate the requirements so we could control who gets in and who we doesn't. (We shake our heads over the indictment Jesus gave the Pharisees as those who hold the keys to the kingdom and use them to keep people out, without realizing we do this every single day in our minds.)
Imagine someone arranging religion, to put himself on the outside of it, and then bringing a savior for him and his other outsider friends, and then carry them right on into the lap of the living God? I don't think any human being would in his or her wildest imagination come up with this. But this is exactly what God has done. He let Religion condemn us so He could send His Son to join the human caravan in order to save us.
There's really only one thing you can do when you finally get this… "Rejoice!"
You've got to just come apart over this. This is the most unbelievable thing God has done. It has to be God because no one would ever have thought of this. No religion could propose it. No government could command it. No human being could ever think of it, and even when we try to think about it now, we don't get it, or we get so little of it that we wonder if it's really true.
If you thought up a god, would you have him take on the form of his own creation, go to them to save them, and have them reject him and kill him? And then would you raise him from the dead and have his resurrected being witnessed by over a hundred people, yet unconfirmed by science, so it would be disputed for the rest of human history. And then would you have his church begun by a rag tag team of followers with little credibility and no social clout? See what I mean? It's preposterous. It's unthinkable.
It's enough to prove its true. Besides, on top of everything, who would make forgiveness of sins and the eternal life Christ brings something he hands out free? No one, because I know enough about human nature to know that if we had anything to do with this, we would make people have to work to get into heaven, and we would manipulate the requirements so we could control who gets in and who we doesn't. (We shake our heads over the indictment Jesus gave the Pharisees as those who hold the keys to the kingdom and use them to keep people out, without realizing we do this every single day in our minds.)
Imagine someone arranging religion, to put himself on the outside of it, and then bringing a savior for him and his other outsider friends, and then carry them right on into the lap of the living God? I don't think any human being would in his or her wildest imagination come up with this. But this is exactly what God has done. He let Religion condemn us so He could send His Son to join the human caravan in order to save us.
There's really only one thing you can do when you finally get this… "Rejoice!"
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
Sunday thoughts
I would like to say a huge thank you to all our team who made Sunday a special day. You guys are awesome! We ran 4 services on Sunday which saw just over a 1,000 people in attendance. It is always a joy to see many new people coming along year by year to our Christmas events.
In all three morning services, the challenge of Love coming to town as the offer of undeserved favour to all rang out. I believe that many were impacted by the performances, videos, songs and message.
The evening service was our traditional 'Carols by Candlelight service' with MK Brass, it was brilliant. George Ridley (LFI Director) spoke with a great challenge for us to 'wake up' this year and put our trust in God especially in these difficult times. At the end of this service as we sang, 'we wish you a merry Christmas' to one another, it was good to see a few people dancing around as the Brass band speeded up the song. Excellent stuff!
I went home tired but felt we had made a significant impact as a church, it was a good day. Well done everyone!
In all three morning services, the challenge of Love coming to town as the offer of undeserved favour to all rang out. I believe that many were impacted by the performances, videos, songs and message.
The evening service was our traditional 'Carols by Candlelight service' with MK Brass, it was brilliant. George Ridley (LFI Director) spoke with a great challenge for us to 'wake up' this year and put our trust in God especially in these difficult times. At the end of this service as we sang, 'we wish you a merry Christmas' to one another, it was good to see a few people dancing around as the Brass band speeded up the song. Excellent stuff!
I went home tired but felt we had made a significant impact as a church, it was a good day. Well done everyone!
The offer of undeserved favour to ALL
Who would have ever have thought that a little baby called Jesus would impact so many lives throughout history. Jesus, God’s Son, our savior, prince of peace, Emmanuel ‘God with us’, the love of God came to Town…. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[f] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3: 16 NIV) … in grace God flings wide his circle of love and invites all to come to him and to eat at his table.
"God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love." Psalm 145:8. God loves to be gracious to you and me. God loves to bless people who don't deserve it. That's His nature. This year he offers Grace is God offering to us all his undeserved favour.
G - GOD'S GIFT TO ME: "All of us need to be made right with God by His grace, which is a free gift through Jesus Christ." Romans 3:24 (NCV). You can't work for it, earn it or buy it – it is completely free – it’s a gift. It’s not based on what I do; it’s based solely on what has already been done for me by Jesus Christ. ‘It is finished!’
R - RECEIVE BY FAITH: "For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves. It is the gift of God. Not of works so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) Just believe it, say thank you and accept it.
A - AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE: Regardless of your background, status, religion or sin. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13 (NIV) No-one has ever breathed that God doesn't love and he wants us to know him, love him and serve him. All are accepted.
I read this today that just blew me away, “Jesus was the first world leader to inaugurate a kingdom with a heroic role for losers.” - Philip Yancey,
C - GRACE COMES THROUGH CHRIST: "The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:17 (NCV). Why through Jesus Christ and not someone else? Because only Jesus paid the price of admission. On the cross, He paid for your sins. Nobody else has done that. Grace is free, no doubt about it, but it is not cheap; it cost Jesus Christ His life. The law tells me when I do wrong. It says, "You blew it!" But Grace says, "Here's how to get back on track. You're forgiven. Let's get going in the right direction."
E - IT IS EXTENDED THROUGHOUT ETERNITY: "The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 (NLT) Eternal life is one of the benefits of grace. A place of: Reunion, Reward, Reassigned work, Release from all pain & all suffering.
Realize that Jesus Christ makes this grace gift available to everybody but it is also customized specifically for your life, because God knows exactly what you need.
We all need God's Amazing Grace today so open up your heart right now, say thank you and simply receive it. YOU ARE LOVED!
"God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love." Psalm 145:8. God loves to be gracious to you and me. God loves to bless people who don't deserve it. That's His nature. This year he offers Grace is God offering to us all his undeserved favour.
G - GOD'S GIFT TO ME: "All of us need to be made right with God by His grace, which is a free gift through Jesus Christ." Romans 3:24 (NCV). You can't work for it, earn it or buy it – it is completely free – it’s a gift. It’s not based on what I do; it’s based solely on what has already been done for me by Jesus Christ. ‘It is finished!’
R - RECEIVE BY FAITH: "For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves. It is the gift of God. Not of works so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) Just believe it, say thank you and accept it.
A - AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE: Regardless of your background, status, religion or sin. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13 (NIV) No-one has ever breathed that God doesn't love and he wants us to know him, love him and serve him. All are accepted.
I read this today that just blew me away, “Jesus was the first world leader to inaugurate a kingdom with a heroic role for losers.” - Philip Yancey,
C - GRACE COMES THROUGH CHRIST: "The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:17 (NCV). Why through Jesus Christ and not someone else? Because only Jesus paid the price of admission. On the cross, He paid for your sins. Nobody else has done that. Grace is free, no doubt about it, but it is not cheap; it cost Jesus Christ His life. The law tells me when I do wrong. It says, "You blew it!" But Grace says, "Here's how to get back on track. You're forgiven. Let's get going in the right direction."
E - IT IS EXTENDED THROUGHOUT ETERNITY: "The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 (NLT) Eternal life is one of the benefits of grace. A place of: Reunion, Reward, Reassigned work, Release from all pain & all suffering.
Realize that Jesus Christ makes this grace gift available to everybody but it is also customized specifically for your life, because God knows exactly what you need.
We all need God's Amazing Grace today so open up your heart right now, say thank you and simply receive it. YOU ARE LOVED!
Friday, 19 December 2008
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Seeking God is essential for followers of Jesus
'The More I Seek You' - a fabulous worship song by worship leader Kari Jobe.
Tuesday, 16 December 2008
Practical steps to personal growth (part 5)
Wow, it's been busy over the last couple of days, life seems to move fast sometimes hey. Maybe just my age!
I think we can seek to be a little more proactive regarding planning our personal growth as I have talked about over the last few entries. Here's a challenge, what about making a plan and trying to stick to it throughout 2009.
Seriously, think about it and do it! Using the plan in my first entry look at what you could achieve next year:
1. Read 12 books
2. Listen to 52 CD/Podcast
3. Developed your own resources bank
4. Will have definitely grown personally
5. Have inspired others around you and added value to their lives
I think these are excellent goals for us all to embrace in 2009.
Earl Nightingale said, 'If you want to become an expert in a subject, spend an hour a day for five years focusing on that subject'. What subject are you passionate about? Well - go after it!
Think about this simple programme and build it into your life as a New Years resolution. Make sure you write it all out in your diary so you see it there everyday!
I think we can seek to be a little more proactive regarding planning our personal growth as I have talked about over the last few entries. Here's a challenge, what about making a plan and trying to stick to it throughout 2009.
Seriously, think about it and do it! Using the plan in my first entry look at what you could achieve next year:
1. Read 12 books
2. Listen to 52 CD/Podcast
3. Developed your own resources bank
4. Will have definitely grown personally
5. Have inspired others around you and added value to their lives
I think these are excellent goals for us all to embrace in 2009.
Earl Nightingale said, 'If you want to become an expert in a subject, spend an hour a day for five years focusing on that subject'. What subject are you passionate about? Well - go after it!
Think about this simple programme and build it into your life as a New Years resolution. Make sure you write it all out in your diary so you see it there everyday!
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