God is looking across the face of the Earth for people who will serve Him. He is searching for people who will stop to hear His voice and act on what He says. He is calling out for people who will give their lives to His purposes. God is looking for you. God is calling out your name. Will you respond?
If there is a “YES!” in your spirit to the call of God on your life then Walk on Water is a week for you.
Taking the heroes of the Bible as a starting point we will study how ordinary men and women can do extra-ordinary things when the Spirit of God moves them. We will look at how modern day heroes, like Wesley and Wigglesworth, came to lead lives that were ablaze with the glory and power of God, how they came to walk in the presence of God in a radical way.
As well as in depth and inspirational bible study there will be a chance to receive practical teaching in a range of seminars designed to train and equip you in your pursuit of God. We will look in particular at aspects of our walk with God that require a step of faith, for this is a week where God is calling us to step out of the boat and walk on the water.
There will also be the opportunity to visit some of Cornwall’s most famous and historic sites of Christian heritage. Sites like Gwennap Pit where John Wesley preached to thousands, Billy Bray’s Chapel a place of intensity and passion, Carn Brea and St. Agnes beacon, sites of much intercession with prayers sown deep into the land, and Land’s End the first and last place in the nation.
This week will be characterised by intense worship, passionate intercession, encouraging discipleship, deep friendship and intimacy with our Father God.
God is looking for people to rise up for the sake of His Kingdom, to stand for His purposes and live in His ways. If not you then who? If not now then when?
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Monday, May 23, 2005
The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe
The Raven
by Edgar Allan Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore--While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door."'Tis some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-- Only this and nothing more."
Please read the comments for the full text of this great poem.
by Edgar Allan Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore--While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door."'Tis some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-- Only this and nothing more."
Please read the comments for the full text of this great poem.
Emerging Church
Yesterday Helen and I met with Joff Day and his wife Elaine. I was put in touch with them by Justin Blake. We had a great time with them and some really good conversation. Most of our talk centred around their journey into the emerging church. What they said to us was both challenging and exciting. They also spoke to us prophetically and suggested that we were at the point where we now could take a step of faith into maturity and after that point it would be inapproriate to go back. It reminded me of something Gerald Coates aid to me which at the time was rather random. "Be careful as you are further on than you think." So we are now talking about what all of this will mean for us. Is God calling us out of organised church and int a greater maturity and a very different walk with him? They also suggested that I go down to Land's End to pray and thought that God would reveal himsl;ef to me in a new way. All very exciting and a little daunting!
If by Rudyard Kipling
If
If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or, being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two imposters just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breath a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch; If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run - Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!
If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or, being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two imposters just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breath a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch; If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run - Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
One Thing
This verse has a great deal to say to me about how much I need to devote my time and energy towards an intimate relationship with Father.
"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple."
Lord may I be more like David, who desired you with his whole being, his whole energy.
May this be the one thing that I desire also.
At this point I ask myself the question, looking at my life what would I say the one thing I desire is?
What's yours?
"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple."
Lord may I be more like David, who desired you with his whole being, his whole energy.
May this be the one thing that I desire also.
At this point I ask myself the question, looking at my life what would I say the one thing I desire is?
What's yours?
Monday, May 16, 2005
Blaze Church Men's Weekend
This weekend I have been away on the Blaze Church Men's weekend. It was really great. There were many things that God spoke to me about during the weekend through all that was said and done. Primarliy the weekend was about responsibility.
"The price of greatness is responsibility" Sir Winston Churchill.
I want to record some of the thoughts and resolutions from the weekend here. SO watch this space.
"The price of greatness is responsibility" Sir Winston Churchill.
I want to record some of the thoughts and resolutions from the weekend here. SO watch this space.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
India and the Call of the Lord
Last summer I went to India for a just over 4 weeks. It was a revelation to me, no matter how much I had been expecting it, that the contrast between my culture and Indian culture was so huge. Ever since my visit I have had a special place in my heart for India, I have often prayed for India, began to read up on her history and generally had India in the back of my mind. This became more apparent since my move to Cornwall and settling in down here. Over the last few weeks I have begun to think and pray about going back to India on a missions trip. I even looked up flight costs and started to search for local in country churches to work with.
Yesterday evening during a chat with my friend Andy Frost I ventured to ask him whether he would like to come with me and a small team to India on a missions trip. (Normally it is Andy that does the asking!)
He said he would like to and we talked about his one Indian contact (I have none) a man called Peter Perrera. So we agreed to make some tentative suggestions and see where it went.
Then today Andy sent me an email that he recieved at lunchtime from a pastor in India asking him to come over and preach the gospel!! When I read it I was stunned, but at first assumed he was asking for money, but then I got through it and the pastor was actually asking for... "Dear Friend, If it is possible to you please come to India and share the love of Christ with the needy and spread the word of God as you led by the Lord ". The pastor then explained why he had written to Andy..."Dear Friend I am writing this letter to you by the leading of the Lord for your prayers, encouragements and fellowship for leading this lord’s ministry in Jesus name."
Unbelievable. I was totally shocked and stunned, this sort of thing only happens in great stories! So we have contacted the pastor back and who knows, this could be the start of an amazing adventure with Jesus! Praise God!
Yesterday evening during a chat with my friend Andy Frost I ventured to ask him whether he would like to come with me and a small team to India on a missions trip. (Normally it is Andy that does the asking!)
He said he would like to and we talked about his one Indian contact (I have none) a man called Peter Perrera. So we agreed to make some tentative suggestions and see where it went.
Then today Andy sent me an email that he recieved at lunchtime from a pastor in India asking him to come over and preach the gospel!! When I read it I was stunned, but at first assumed he was asking for money, but then I got through it and the pastor was actually asking for... "Dear Friend, If it is possible to you please come to India and share the love of Christ with the needy and spread the word of God as you led by the Lord ". The pastor then explained why he had written to Andy..."Dear Friend I am writing this letter to you by the leading of the Lord for your prayers, encouragements and fellowship for leading this lord’s ministry in Jesus name."
Unbelievable. I was totally shocked and stunned, this sort of thing only happens in great stories! So we have contacted the pastor back and who knows, this could be the start of an amazing adventure with Jesus! Praise God!
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
What I want to be excellent at.
1. Surfing
2. Rugby
3. Being a Dad
4. Prophecy
5. Preaching/speaking
6. Knowing God
7. Knowing the Word
8. Loving
2. Rugby
3. Being a Dad
4. Prophecy
5. Preaching/speaking
6. Knowing God
7. Knowing the Word
8. Loving
Heroes of the Faith
I have just begun to re-read some of my books about Smith Wigglesworth. I have already been so inspired to live a life ablaze with the power and presence of God. I am so conscious of my mediocrity and compromise and I seem paralysed to do anything about it most of the time. So I want to commit myself to becoming more like those people, more like Jesus! Living a life that is characterised by the presence of God.
RSS
I have just discovered a fantastic new web tool (thanks Dan!). It is called RSS which stands for (so they say) Really Simple Syndication. It is absolutley brilliant and you can find out about it for yourselves it here (the BBC version of events). Also you can use it in these 15 Ways. This site called delicious will help you to create an online list of bookmarks, great fun to search around on!!
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Saturday Night Service
Last night I spoke at a Youth event called The Saturday Night Service in Camborne. I spoke on how much God loves us. You can download the talk from here.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
The Bride of Christ
This is an article that I am working on for the Share Jesus Website.
One of the descriptions that scripture gives to the people of God is "the Bride of Christ". John the Baptist is the first in the New Testament to call Jesus the bridegroom and his people the bride (John 3:29), Jesus refers to himself as the bridegroom (Mat 9:15) and John the Apostle has the great vision of the Bride in the wedding of the lamb (Rev 21:2).
These titles of Bride and Bridegroom relate to particular perspectives of the relationship between Jesus and his people. And it is these perspectives on which I will focus. Much can be said about the whole imagery of husband and wife, bride and bridegroom throughout Scripture but I want to concentrate on those images that refer directly to the relationship of passion and desire that exists between Jesus and His people, His bride.
The first and most important point to recognise is that Jesus is passionately in love with His people. He is truly, madly, deeply in love with us. This is true both at the individual level and at the corporate level. It is vital that we get a hold of this truth! Jesus loves us, Jesus is passionate about us, Jesus longs for us, Jesus is desperate for us. He loves his people so much that he gave his own life for us (Eph 5:25) in order that we might one day be presented before him spotless and blameless and without blemish, a perfect bride for a perfect bridegroom. (Eph 5:26-27, Rev 21:2).
I remember my own wedding day. I was so excited and nervous, looking forward to the day when I would marry the woman that I loved. I remember the hustle and bustle of the morning, the business and the anticipation. And then, all too quickly I was standing at the front of the Church, waiting for my bride. I remember the hush that fell as the congregation realised she had arrived. I remember the music beginning to play as she made her way down the aisle toward me. I remember not turning round to see her, but rather choosing to wait until she stood beside me before looking into her eyes for the first time that day.
I remember that I could not bear it any longer, that I just had to turn and glimpse her, and she arrived next to me as I did. My heart felt as though it stopped, my stomach involuntarily jumped, I gasped with amazement at the beauty of my bride, I was overcome with emotion and wept right there. My bride was here; she was so lovely, so beautiful and standing at my side ready to be married. I was so much in love (and still am) with my bride. That first glimpse of her ravished my heart. Jesus feels like this about us, in fact he feels this even more intensely. "You have ravished my heart with just one glance of your eyes" Song of Songs 4:9.
(Please read the comment for the end of this post)
One of the descriptions that scripture gives to the people of God is "the Bride of Christ". John the Baptist is the first in the New Testament to call Jesus the bridegroom and his people the bride (John 3:29), Jesus refers to himself as the bridegroom (Mat 9:15) and John the Apostle has the great vision of the Bride in the wedding of the lamb (Rev 21:2).
These titles of Bride and Bridegroom relate to particular perspectives of the relationship between Jesus and his people. And it is these perspectives on which I will focus. Much can be said about the whole imagery of husband and wife, bride and bridegroom throughout Scripture but I want to concentrate on those images that refer directly to the relationship of passion and desire that exists between Jesus and His people, His bride.
The first and most important point to recognise is that Jesus is passionately in love with His people. He is truly, madly, deeply in love with us. This is true both at the individual level and at the corporate level. It is vital that we get a hold of this truth! Jesus loves us, Jesus is passionate about us, Jesus longs for us, Jesus is desperate for us. He loves his people so much that he gave his own life for us (Eph 5:25) in order that we might one day be presented before him spotless and blameless and without blemish, a perfect bride for a perfect bridegroom. (Eph 5:26-27, Rev 21:2).
I remember my own wedding day. I was so excited and nervous, looking forward to the day when I would marry the woman that I loved. I remember the hustle and bustle of the morning, the business and the anticipation. And then, all too quickly I was standing at the front of the Church, waiting for my bride. I remember the hush that fell as the congregation realised she had arrived. I remember the music beginning to play as she made her way down the aisle toward me. I remember not turning round to see her, but rather choosing to wait until she stood beside me before looking into her eyes for the first time that day.
I remember that I could not bear it any longer, that I just had to turn and glimpse her, and she arrived next to me as I did. My heart felt as though it stopped, my stomach involuntarily jumped, I gasped with amazement at the beauty of my bride, I was overcome with emotion and wept right there. My bride was here; she was so lovely, so beautiful and standing at my side ready to be married. I was so much in love (and still am) with my bride. That first glimpse of her ravished my heart. Jesus feels like this about us, in fact he feels this even more intensely. "You have ravished my heart with just one glance of your eyes" Song of Songs 4:9.
(Please read the comment for the end of this post)
Election
Today is the day when we will elct the next government. I am praying that whoever gets in will be honest and true to the promises that they have made. I assume that it will be Labour.
Monday, May 02, 2005
Wild Men
I have been away for the last 2 days with Paul Hatecher, Mark Wood and a couple of other guys. We wanted to explore some of the themes in a book called "Wild at Heart" by John Eldredge. We were in the fantastic setting of Snowdonia, at the foot of a mountain called Tryfan. We walked, talked, ate and prayed together and it was so much fun. Very wild.
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