The Holy Spirit - Fruit

My preach from this past weekend at Milton Keynes Christian Centre Church in the series MORE>. The Fruit of the Spirit.


More - The Fruit of the Spirit from MKCCpreaching on Vimeo.

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Lord, let me burn out for You....

In 1806 Henry Martyn sailed to India as a missionary at the age of 24.

On his arrival, “Lord, let me burn out for You!” Seven year later he died at the age of 31. 

But in that 7 years he translated the New Testament into three languages!

His final entry in his journal:

Oh! when shall time give place to eternity? When shall appear that new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness? There, there shall in no wise enter in any thing that defileth: none of that wickedness which has made men worse than wild beasts, none of those corruptions which add still more to the miseries of mortality, shall be seen or heard of any more.

Help me Lord to have the courage to pray and act on that prayer.

What is love?

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Grace Greater than Our Sin

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

Refrain:
Grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin!

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
threaten the soul with infinite loss;
grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
brighter than snow you may be today.

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see his face,
will you this moment his grace receive?

- Julia H. Johnston

Goodbye William....for now!

I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun. - Charles R. Swindoll

Today I got the news that one of my handful of friends had left this world this morning and gone on to take his place in God's heavenly Kingdom.

I first met William Dillon on a September afternoon in 1982. I had just arrived at Bible College at Mattersey Hall, been dropped off by my mum and dad, and feeling alone and a little apprehensive about what was to happen next.

This guy with a broad Irish accent sat down on my bed and started to talk. That was the start of a friendship that would last till today.

I was proud to stand with him as best man on his wedding day and even prouder when he returned the honour in mine.

And man did we have laughs. His turn of phrase brought a smile to my face. I can still here him say with a twinkle in his eye:

"If you can't be good be careful"

"Would you risk it for a biscuit? What would you do for a packet?"

One night while bunking off the Wednesday night college service we visited a night club which was based in an old church that had been converted.

The next morning William was preaching in the students early morning service. He recounted the story about this church that had been turned into a night club without mentioning the fact that we had both been inside it. Then in his Irish brogue said a phrase which was forever associated with him: "Friends the world is creeping into the Churches?"

He was a great preacher and his favourite book from the Bible was always Jonah. He called him The Reluctant Prophet. One of his quotes was:

"Jonah went down to Joppa, he went down into the boat, he went down into the bottom of the boat, He went down into the sea, he went down into the belly of the fish. Friends when you are running from God its a downward path. Only when he looked up and called up did he come up."

There have been huge twists and turns along the journey for both of us but we both had unconditional love and support for each other along the way.

Maybe one of the funniest things is that for two quite opinionated, red blooded argumentative Celts is that we never had a cross word of disagreement between us.

He would rib me continuously for what he thought was my crazy theology. But hey William you have probably now found out I was right all along.

Words really cannot express what you meant to me William. You made a mark in my life that runs very deep and I am forever grateful.

No man is a failure who has friends - Clarence Odbody (Its a wonderful life)

You had many and I am proud to be one. Till we meet again.

Maybe God could rescue me?

I have no words to describe this brave lady's story. Just click on the image below to watch it for your self:

Become a storyteller

Loved this video of The Message author Eugene Peterson being interviewed about his writing. After the rather cheesy intro some great wisdom.

WAITING for the right time?

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. - Gal 6:9

Out TV screens are full with the headlines that the Pope has quit. Maybe the time was right. But so often we quit when the time isn't right.

We quit because we are discouraged, disillusioned, tired & frustrated not because its the right thing to do.

Too often we quit too early. Something else causes us to lose our steam and give up before we can "reap the rewards" of our effort.

Todd Henry from the Accidental Creative Blog calIs it the lag.

"The lag is the gap between cause and effect. It’s the season between planting a seed, and reaping a harvest. It’s the time when all of the work you’ve done seems to have returned little to no visible reward, and there is little on the horizon to indicate that things are going to get better."

Paul in talking to the Galatians realised that our timing and God's timing are sometimes poles a part. It's the continual problem with finite beings trying to grasp the understanding of an eternal being.

But a harvest takes time.

Plough....plant....water....wait....tend....water....tend.....wait....harvest.

Quiting at any stage event at the last step jeopardises the harvest.

So keep on doing good.

This morning.....this afternoon......tomorrow.....next week......next month......next year......next decade......don't stop.

When everything looks hopeless
When everyone walks away
When everyone questions your motives
When no one is watching
When no one says thank you
When it seems like even God has forgotten you
Keep on doing good....

YOU WILL REAP A HARVEST OF BLESSING many just not when you want it but when it certainly is best for you.

Redemption found in the most unexpected place

George Herbert's poem reminds me again that our redemption is designed & found in the most unexpected way & place.

Having been tenant long to a rich lord,
Not thriving, I resolvèd to be bold,
And make a suit unto him, to afford
A new small-rented lease, and cancel th’ old.

In heaven at his manor I him sought;
They told me there that he was lately gone
About some land, which he had dearly bought
Long since on earth, to take possessiòn.

I straight returned, and knowing his great birth,
Sought him accordingly in great resorts;
In cities, theaters, gardens, parks, and courts;
At length I heard a ragged noise and mirth

Of thieves and murderers; there I him espied,
Who straight, Your suit is granted, said, and died

Jesus had a fatal flaw....

Read a quote from Michael Yaconelli yesterday that found an uncomfortable home in my heart:

Jesus has a fatal flaw: He can't stay away from failures. He is a friend of failers, a lover of failers. Everyone else has given up, He seeks them out - the woman who failed at five marriages; the blind man by the pool, who had failed to get his timing down for 38 years in a row...the disciple who failed at following; the thief who failed at keeping the law; the adulterous woman who failed at moral purity; the doubting disciples who failed to believe.  

The church loves stories failures that have suceeded. Stories of conqured sin. We are open to talk about "past" sin and how we with God's help defeated it.

But when someone is struggling of being defeated by their ever so present sin we get a bit queesy. But Jesus continually steps into the mess. Grabs hold of the failure and shows His power in the middle of our weaknesses.

And i'm still thankful he pursues failures as thats the tribe I identify most with....

Not Afraid!

13 Reasons for a disciple of Jesus not to be afraid:

1. We will not die apart from God’s gracious decree for his children. James 4:14-15; Matthew 10:29-30; Deuteronomy 32:39 
2. Curses and divination do not hold sway against God’s people. Numbers 23:23 
3. The plans of terrorists and hostile nations do not succeed apart from our gracious God. Psalm 33:10; Isaiah 8:9-10 
4. Man cannot harm us beyond God’s gracious will for us. Psalm 118:6; Psalm 56:11 
5. God promises to protect his own from all that is not finally good for them. Psalm 91:14 
6. God promises to give us all we need to obey, enjoy, and honor him forever. Matthew 6:31; Philippians 4:19 
7. God is never taken off guard. Psalm 121:4 
8. God will be with us, help us, and uphold us in trouble. Isaiah 41:10,13 
9. Terrors will come, some of us will die, but not a hair of our heads will perish. Luke 21:10–11,18 
10. Nothing befalls God’s own but in its appointed hour. John 7:30 
11. When God Almighty is your helper, none can harm you beyond what he decrees. Hebrews 13:6; Romans 8:31 
12. God’s faithfulness is based on the firm value of his name, not the fickle measure of our obedience. 1 Samuel 12:20–22 
13. The Lord, our protector, is great and awesome. Nehemiah 4:14

Not bad eh?

Originally posted by John Piper

You can't love Jesus....

This is of first importance that Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and raised.


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To catch the rest of this Matt Chandler message go here

Why would you want to live on Crumbs?

The book of Job is set up with a conversation between God and the Devil and the next 40 chapters record the wrestling with the results of that conversation.

But it ends not with what would have been the Hollywood ending of the Devil admitting his failure but with a conversation between Job and his God.

I've got a feeling that this whole book was far more about God's eternal love for one of his servants to discover the ultimate prize in this life and the next - to be FULLY satisfied with God as his greatest treasure.

To stop eating the "crusts of rumour & hearsay" about God and discover the Him for what he is - THE BREAD OF LIFE.

Revelation removes rumours!  

Job answered God: "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?' I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.' I admit I once lived by rumours of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I'm sorry—forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumour." - Job 42:1-6