2013 in a nutshell

2013 in no particular order.

• Turned 50 and celebrated with an amazing family holiday in Florida and partied in my favourite restaurant Seasons 52. Also had Ben Cantelon sing happy birthday to me at MKCC. See the pic below. lol
• Celebrated being married to the wonderful Nicola Ritchie for 25 years
• Abbie came of age - 21. Wow where did those years go.
• Liam finished college to his delight and started his first job as a Facilities Apprentice.
• Saw the end of an era with Sir Alex retiring. Sure he did good for Man U but will never be forgotten for what he did at Aberdeen FC. 30 years since Gothenberg wow!
• Witnessed a Scotsman win Wimbledon!
• Saw many years of prayer come to fruition with 1000 people gathering each week at MKCC. Now for 2000!
• Said goodbye to my old mate from college days. William Dillon. Proud to have been give the privilege of saying a few words at his funeral and to carry him down the Shankill Road.
• Said a goodbye to a new friend of the last couple of years. Loved my chats with Juergen Brinner downloading his wisdom. My regret? there were not more of them!
• Got to see my friend Roger Blackmore's new church building taking shape before its opening this month. Great times ahead for - Genesis Church! 
• Spent time with the love of my life at home and in York, Spain, France, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida & Long Island.
• Benefited from the ministry of Roger Blackmore, Carlos Whittaker, Lee McDerment & Dave Kraft at MKCC. Amazing!
• Lost a stone in weight and been pretty good at keeping it off!

And whatever 2014 brings this is my song:

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Saviour;

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call
Resting in my Saviour as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

(For anyone reading this from Cairnbulg AOG, I can always here old Obie singing out loud when see that song)

Glory to the new born king

Some Rend Collective Love.

Click here if you can't see the video

I shall be satisfied

When I shall see Thy glory face to face,
When in Thine arms Thou wilt Thy child embrace,
When Thou shalt open all Thy stores of grace,
I shall be satisfied.

When I shall gaze upon the face of Him
Who for me died, with eye no longer dim,
And praise Him with the everlasting hymn,
I shall be satisfied.

- Horatius Bonar

Grace so Glorious

Beneath the cross of Jesus Christ
No shadow remains for shame to hide
Redemption shone for all to see
Perfection bore our penalty
With a grace so glorious...

Immortal day the veil was torn
When mercy donned a crown of thorns
As law gave way to liberty
And freedom for humanity
With a grace so glorious.

Oh the glory of the Saviour's love
Surrounding our surrender
To know forever we are welcomed home

Crowned in glory to glory
Worthy is the Lord of all
The glory forever Holy is the Lord

Triumphant praises without end
All hailing the King of righteousness
And every eye beholds the One
Our hearts were undeserving of
With a grace so glorious

O wondrous day when I will see
The face of Him who ransomed me
I'll fall in worship at His feet
And rise to reign eternally
In a grace so glorious
In a grace so glorious

Grace is one-way love

Grace is love that seeks you out when you have nothing to give in return. Grace is love coming at you that has nothing to do with you. Grace is being loved when you are unlovable…. The cliché definition of grace is “unconditional love.” It is a true cliché, for it is a good description of the thing. Let’s go a little further, though. Grace is a love that has nothing to do with you, the beloved. It has everything and only to do with the lover. Grace is irrational in the sense that it has nothing to do with weights and measures. It has nothing to do with my intrinsic qualities or so-called “gifts”. It reflects a decision on the part of the giver, the one who loves, in relation to the receiver, the one who is loved, that negates any qualifications the receiver may personally hold…. Grace is one-way love. - Paul Zahl

(HT Pastor Tullian)

The Risk Love Takes

Thanks to Anne Marie Miller for sharing this great poem by Madeleine L’Engle.

The Risk of Birth

This is no time for a child to be born,
With the earth betrayed by war & hate
And a comet slashing the sky to warn
That time runs out & the sun burns late.

That was no time for a child to be born,
In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;
Honour & truth were trampled by scorn
Yet here did the Saviour make his home.

When is the time for love to be born?
The inn is full on the planet earth,
And by a comet the sky is torn
Yet Love still takes the risk of birth.

The Gospel is not meant to make us happy....

Pure Gold - a new video just released by the MLJ Trust of an interview with Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones.

The Gospel is not meant to make us happy....it is meant to reconcile us to God

Click here if you cant see the video

Thank you and where now for MKCC?

Over the last few Sundays we have seen the fulfilment of many years of prayer as we have seen over 1000 people join with us each Sunday at MKCC.

This past Sunday Pastor Mark Sherratt shared our core values at MKCC and cast the vision for our church to grow to see 2000 people join with us each weekend.

To facilitate this MKCC will be moving to 3 services each Sunday - 9 am, 10:45 am & 12 noon.



Click here if you can't see the video

Milton Keynes Christian Centre exists to bring people to Jesus, equipping them to be fully devoted followers of Christ.

As fully devoted followers of Christ... :

WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT PEOPLE 
Lost people matter to God, so they must matter to us.

WE'RE COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY 
We do life together - building a loving community.

WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS MATURITY 
We have made an intentional commitment to grow up in Christ.
WE'RE SAVED TO SERVE 
We are simply God's servants doing what he equipped us to do and watching him make the difference.

WE'RE FORGIVEN TO FORGIVE 
We will share radical grace with others in the same uncompromising way we received it from Christ.

WE'RE GIVEN TO GENEROSITY
We will lead the way with irrational generosity - we truly believe it is more blessed to give than receive.

WE'RE BRINGING OUR BEST 
We want to excel in all that we do so that we inspire others, honour God and bring a smile to His face.

A 10,000 year perspective of suffering

An amazing discussion in the goodness of God in suffering by John Piper, Matt Chandler & David Platt.

"I set out to prepare my people for suffering... I don't know how you rejoice in suffering without a sense of the size and magnificence of God" - Matt Chandler

"The fact that He (God) is sovereign over all is the rock for praise, for confidence in the middle of pain." - David Platt

"Sorrowful yet always rejoicing" - John Piper

"God uses sorrowful tragedy to set the stage for surprising triumph whether in this life or the life to come. - David Platt

Final whisper.... GAIN!

The Calvinist by John Piper

See him nearing death,
Listen to his breath,
Through the ebbing pain,
Final whisper.... GAIN!


The Calvinist from Desiring God on Vimeo.

Click here if you can't see the video

All About Jesus

God is known to us most profoundly in the mediatorship of Jesus Christ, and it is through the economic relationship of Father-Son and Son-Spirit that we can glimpse into the Trinity.

In creation, God makes the universe in, through, and for Jesus Christ.

In revelation, Jesus Christ unveils the mystery of God, executing the divine covenant for redemption, hidden in ages past but unveiled in these last days.

In eschatology, the end of all things involves every man and woman appearing before the judgment seat of Christ and Christ himself consummating the Father’s purposes of the new creation.

On the Holy Spirit, Jesus is the bearer of the Spirit and the dispenser of the Spirit; only through him is the Spirit given.

The church is a community called and commissioned by Jesus to represent him before the world.

Ethics is the practical discipline of learning to walk in Christ’s steps behind him and showing our likeness to him in our behaviour….

If theology were a maze, every corner and every turn would lead us to Jesus (343-344).

Evangelical Theology - Mike Bird

For yours is the KINGDOM

I had the total honour of closing out our series, "When you pray say...." at Milton Keynes Christian Centre this past Sunday. For yours is the kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever amen!

Click here if you cant see the video


When You Pray Say - Yours is the Kingdom from MKCCpreaching on Vimeo.

When you pray say: Give us....

I had the opportunity to share the latest message in our series at Milton Keynes Christian Centre - When You Pray Say...

(click here if you can't see the video)


When You Pray Say - Give us our daily bread from MKCCpreaching on Vimeo.

• Give us each day our daily bread. - Luke 11:3
• Today's TRUST for today's NEEDS unlocks today's PROVISION. 
• When they were hungry the Children of Israel grumbled against their leaders. When in need there is a huge difference between grumbling and praying. 
• Our growth is more important to God than our comfort.
• Comfort is not Christ's primary objective for his followers. It is displacement of self so he can take his rightful place. 
• God wants to build your trust on him and he will use EVERYTHING to do it. 
• The more we trust God the more he is glorified. 
• When continually asking, seeking and knocking in prayer don't forget to listen for the answer. 
• Paul came to a place of maturity in prayer with his "thorn in the flesh" that he knew God wasn't going to take it away but give him something as well - Grace to live with it. 
• The Children of Israel had to trust God at ZERO each day before the mana came. We have problems trusting him at 90% after giving a tithe. 
• There is a vast difference between wants and needs. 
• Often our prayers are filled with an abundance of talking and a scarcity of listening. 
• We need to learn contentment. Too many of us are buying stuff we don't need with money we don't have. 
• When Paul told the believers at Philippi that God would supply "all their needs" it is important to remember that these guys were sacrificially giving to support Paul's missionary journeys and church planting programme. 
• Paul "could do all things through Christ who strengthened him" including plenty, hunger, abundance and need. In fact in EVERY circumstance. 
• Paul knew and believed that God had his back. Paul knew and believed that God loved him & Paul believed that God was enough.

God created me to worship him

Suddenly these words mean just that little bit more to me:

Jesus means everything to me...... life is not worth doing without Jesus. Hard things happen every day because the Gospel has changed my life in a great way that I will never fully ultimately know. Worship is my life. God has created me to worship. Jesus paid the ultimate price and if I don't totally worship him its like I don't appreciate him dying for me.

Click here if you cant see the video


Living With Cerebral Palsy from The Austin Stone on Vimeo.

I have decided

This video just brought a whole new perspective to my understanding of an old song I used to sing in Sunday School.


Elevation Creative: I Have Decided from Elevation Media on Vimeo.

Click here if you can't see the video

I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

Not Been Forsaken

Click here if you cant see the video

I know that you think you’ve grown, can do it all alone
But don’t throw away the memories of the past
Remember the love I’ve shown to you all along
And my door is open for you, for you to come back home, prodigal…

I know that you may think you’ll make it on your own
The truth is I can see the path that you have chose
So one thing you should know,
wherever you go, and no matter where life may take you
There’s one thing you should remember,
I don’t want you to forget it
That no matter what you have not been forsaken
I need you to know that you have not been forsaken

Choose to Struggle not Criticise

It would seem that too many people who are part of the called out people of God - His Church seem to rejoice it taking a swipe at the Church be it the global or local expression.

Paul gave us such a different example. He chose to struggle for the Church rather than criticise the church. In fact his struggle for the church meant suffering for the church.

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church..... 28 Him (Jesus) we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. 1.For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you. - Col 1:24,28 & 3:1

It is even easy for a local church pastor to criticise some of the people God has entrusted to him and equipped him for, to complain about a lack of maturity in them.

Paul chose to use his voice to PROCLAIM, WARN & TEACH EVERYONE rather than CRITICISE & COMPLAIN about EVERYONE.

He chose to STRUGGLE with all GOD'S energy that had been given to him for the CHURCH.

It's just to easy to choose to CRITICISE but to STRUGGLE we would rather not.

Those who have no grace in their hearts despise the church of God. Those who have only a little grace have but slight sympathy with her condition. Those who have great grace and are conscious of having received much mercy from God have great sympathy with the church of God, and a deep regard for her. - Charles H Spurgeon

To love is to be vulnerable

"Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” - C S Lewis

Image via Church Mag

Unleashing Discipleship

Unleash - Discipleship from MKCCpreaching on Vimeo.

I had the honour of continuing our latest teaching series at MKCC this past Sunday. The core message of Unleash is to get the followers of Jesus to stop just "coming to church" but to be the church. Outside of the box.

My task this week Unleashing Discipleship. Where I shared a little of my journey of growth, shaping and change in following Jesus.

Thanks to Andy Stanley for helping through his book "Deep & Wide" for giving me 5 points that all start with the letter P.

1. Practical Teaching
2. Personal Disciplines
3. Personal Ministry
4. Providential Relationships
5. Pivotal Circumstances

If you can't see the video above click here

You don't know the cost...

"Alabaster Box"

The room grew still
As she made her way to Jesus
She stumbles through the tears that made her blind
She felt such pain
Some spoke in anger
Heard folks whisper
There's no place here for her kind
Still on she came
Through the shame that flushed her face
Until at last, she knelt before his feet
And though she spoke no words
Everything she said was heard
As she poured her love for the Master
From her box of alabaster

And I've come to pour
My praise on Him
Like oil from Mary's alabaster box
Don't be angry if I wash his feet with my tears
And I dry them with my hair
You weren't there the night He found me
You did not feel what I felt
When he wrapped his love all around me and
You don't know the cost of the oil
In my alabaster box

I can't forget the way life used to be
I was a prisoner to the sin that had me bound
And I spent my days
Poured my life without measure
Into a little treasure box
I'd thought I'd found
Until the day when Jesus came to me
And healed my soul
With the wonder of His touch
So now I'm giving back to Him
All the praise He's worthy of
I've been forgiven
And that's why
I love Him so much

And I've come to pour
My praise on Him
Like oil from Mary's alabaster box
Don't be angry if I wash his feet with my tears
And dry them with my hair
You weren't there the night Jesus found me
You did not feel what I felt
When He wrapped his loving arms around me and
You don't know the cost of the oil
Oh, you don't know the cost of my praise
You don't know the cost of the oil
In my alabaster box

Relationships: 7 golden nuggets for us men

1. Winning an argument may harm your relationship.
   
2. What you do for her is never more important than who you are to her.
    
3. A date isn’t a marriage proposal.
   
4. Digital communication should always be leading to face-to-face communication, not taking away from it.
   
5. Words can be everything.
   
6. Listening, not fixing, is often the best remedy to her problem.
   
7. You are worthy of respect. But don’t demand it.

Via relevant magazine

Mega: It doesn't need to be a dirty word when it comes to church

Below is part of an infographic that is doing the rounds at the moment. I have no way of knowing of all the facts and figures mentioned in it are correct. Certainly it doesn't show some Pastors in the most favourable light.

But I think I will choose to focus on some great examples that seem to handle the "fame" and "fortune" in a great way.

Not only does LifeChurch.TV give their resources away for free but they invest big time in youversion and the Bible App and give it away free.

The joy of it.....

Thank you Jesus that you have given me a ring side seat at this adventure where you continue to change lives.


Baptisms and Testimonies - 8th September 2013 from MKCCVIDS on Vimeo.

Servant Leadership

Our Senior Pastor Mark Sherratt recently shared this at a MKCC staff meeting. This priceless truth keeps on challenging me:

John 13 - Now I have done this as your leader, YOU DO IT and you will be blessed.

Building an enlarging culture / environment in our teams

• Believe in others before they believe in you. 
• Ask what is unique, special or wonderful about a team member. 
• Share your observations with them and others.
• If you believe in others and give them a positive reputation to uphold, you can help them to become better than they think they are.

• Serve others before they serve you.
• Helping others to reach their potential is the greatest thing you can do 
• Make serving others a priority because of who you are and who's you are. (Reflects who you are (attitude), it Represents who's you are (Jesus) to Realign or Refocus us on how we act - style)

• Add value to others before they add value to you.
• People tend to move towards anyone who increases them and further away from people who devalue them. 
• In all our dealings with team members, volunteers etc. point out their strengths encourage them and help to improvement. (How: further conversations/ reg meetings / Book recommendations, training events, learn from another leader etc) 
• when you help people succeed and grow to another level, you go to another level yourself.

Meekness

“Blessed are the meek, for they WILL inherit the earth” — Matthew 5:5

“The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather he may be in his moral life as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson; but he has stopped being fooled about himself. He has accepted God’s estimate of his own life. He knows he is as weak and helpless as God declared him to be, but paradoxically, he knows at the same time that he is in the sight of God of more importance than angels. In himself, nothing; in God, everything. That is his motto.” - A W Tozer

Image via theresurgence

Holding out for Grace

At the centre of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics - in physical laws - every action is met by an equal or an opposite one.

Its clear to me that Karma is at the very hear of the universe. I'm absolutely sure of it. And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that "As you reap, so you will sow"stuff.

Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I've done a lot of stupid stuff... I'd be in trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge..... It doesn't excuse my mistakes, but I'm holding out for Grace.

I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity.

Bono, U2 - 2005 interview with Michka Assayas

Something missing?

"You have made us of yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you". - Augustine

"When is it then...which man in vain tries to fill from all his surroundings, seeking from things absent the help he does not obtain in things present? But these are all inadequate, because the infinite abyss can only be filled by an infinite and immutable Object, that is to say, only by God Himself." - Blaise Pascal

"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world" - C S Lewis

The answer never changes throughout the centuries - Jesus

Scandal of Grace

Grace, what have you done?
Murdered for me on that cross
Accused in absence of wrong
My sin washed away in your blood

Too much to make sense of it all
I know that your love breaks my fall
The scandal of grace,
you died in my place
So my soul will live

Oh to be like you
(To) Give all I have just to know you
Jesus, there's no one besides you
Forever the hope in my heart

Death, where is your sting?
Your power is as dead as my sin
The cross has taught me to live
In mercy, my heart now to sing

The day and it's trouble shall come
I know that your strength is enough
The scandal of grace, you died in my place
So my soul will live

Oh to be like you
(To) Give all I have just to know you
Jesus, there's no one besides you
Forever the hope in my heart

And it's all because of you,
Jesus It's all because of you,
Jesus It's all because of your love
And my soul will live Chorus

Oh to be like you
(To) Give all I have just to know you
Jesus, there's no one besides you

Hillsong

How to live a clean life?

I'm no longer a young man by any stretch of imagination but I think this is good advice NO matter what are you are!

Thanks Garry Patterson for posting

Psalm 119:9-16…

"How can a young person live a clean life?
By carefully reading the map of your Word.
I’m single-minded in pursuit of you;
don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.
I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart
so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.
Be blessed,
God; train me in your ways of wise living.
I’ll transfer to my lips
all the counsel that comes from your mouth;
I delight far more in what you tell me about living
than in gathering a pile of riches.
I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you,
I attentively watch how you’ve done it.
I relish everything you’ve told me of life,
I won’t forget a word of it.”

How can a young (or any) person live a clean life?… That’s How.

Anne Jackson - Permission to Speak Freely

My Story: The Preacher’s Daughter & The Youth Pastor – My Introduction to Sexual Abuse and Pornography

A title to a blog post by Anne Marie Miller (Previously Anne Jackson) which jolts against your sensitivities. But I have read much of Anne's story in 2 of her previous books: "Mad Church Disease" & "Permission to Speak Freely".

Thankfully Anne is one of the few people I have come across who are willing to talk openly about some of the raw difficulties she has faced and is facing in her life. I am sure her openess will give hope to so many others as it has done in my life.

Watch Anne share her story first hand by clicking on the pic below.

Jesus: Version 346.5?

Almost two years ago I heard Judah Smith say:

There is no mystery, no secret or software update that can supplement JESUS.

It is no secret to those who know me that I love gadgets and in particular gadgets with an APPLE on them. But not long after you have made the huge investment for the latest item, the new technology soon becomes old hat. The upgrade eventually makes the previous obsolete.

The Bible makes it clear that with Jesus there is no upgrade.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever - Heb 13:8

There is no need for an upgrade on the PERFECT COMPLETE work of Jesus. When he said it was finished he didn't mean version 1.0 or even 2.0. His version can not be upgraded or bettered in any way.

I often wonder if I really know what I have in - JESUS - since when was Jesus not enough - Judah Smith

Image from StevenFurtick.com

I want to yearn for you.....

“Yearn” (Shane & Shane) from Desiring God on Vimeo.

Holy design
This place in time
That I might seek and find my God
My God

Lord, I want to yearn for You
I want to burn with passion
And over You
And only You
Lord, I want to yearn for You
I want to burn with passion
Over You
And only You
Lord, I want to yearn

Your joy is mine
Yet why am I fine?
With all my singing and bringing grain
In light of Him

Oh, You give life and breath
And in You we live and move
That's why I sing

Lord, I want to yearn for You
I want to burn with passion
And over You
And only You
Lord, I want to yearn for You
I want to burn with passion
And over You And only You
Lord, I want to yearn

You have permission to _______________

Love this from Elevation Church. Click here if you can's see the video.


You Have Permission To _______ from Elevation Church on Vimeo.

Missing God

You live in terms of what you see and touch. I’m living on other terms. I told you that YOU WERE MISSING GOD IN ALL OF THIS. - John 8:23 (Message)

Maybe the most surprising thing about Jesus statement is not that fact that people miss God, but it is where and to whom he said it.

He didn't say it in a brothel or crack house he said it in the TEMPLE.

He didn't say it to the so called reprobates of society he said it to RELIGIOUS LEADERS of the day.

They spent their days reading God's Word, busy in service, surrounded by reminders of God but were missing God in it all.

Even when God turned up in their midst they MISSED him.

The proof is in the opening verses of this chapter where everything they thought about God meant that their job was to pronounce judgement on a woman who was caught in sin. They had become God's policemen rather than His guides to point people to his grace.

They missed God big time.

God help me not to miss God in all of this.

In all our music, teaching, campaigns, campuses, plants, conferences, podcasts, books, blogs, strategies, programmes and all, God don't let me miss you!

My Lighthouse

We had the great honour of hosting Rend Collective Experiment at MKCC on Sunday. As well as doing a great job at leading our church in worship of Jesus they are just great humble people.

They taught us one of their amazing new songs which was full of gut wrenching honesty but a sure hope that we have in Jesus - My Lighthouse


Check out the video here if you cant see it.

In my wresting and in my doubts
In my failures You won't walk out
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

In the silence You won't let go
In my questions Your truth will hold
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

My lighthouse, My lighthouse
Shining in the darkness,
I will follow You
My lighthouse, My lighthouse
I will trust the promise,
You will carry me
Safe to shore

Fire before us You're the brightest

Trusting HIM to keep us

Andrew Murray - Abide in Me (Ch 3)

MORE than one admits that it is a sacred duty and a blessed privilege to abide in Christ, but shrinks back continually before the question: Is it possible, a life of unbroken fellowship with the Saviour?

Eminent Christians, to whom special opportunities of cultivating this grace have been granted, may attain to it; for the large majority of disciples, whose life, by a divine appointment, is so fully occupied with the affairs of this life, it can scarce be expected. The more they hear of this life, the deeper their sense of its glory and blessedness, and there is nothing they would not sacrifice to be made partakers of it. But they are too weak, too unfaithful--they never can attain to it.

Dear souls! how little they know that the abiding in Christ is just meant for the weak, and so beautifully suited to their feebleness. It is not the doing of some great thing, and does not demand that we first lead a very holy and devoted life. No, it is simply weakness entrusting itself to a Mighty One to be kept--the unfaithful one casting self on One who is altogether trustworthy and true.

Abiding in Him is not a work that we have to do as the condition for enjoying His salvation, but a consenting to let Him do all for us, and in us, and through us. It is a work He does for us--the fruit and the power of His redeeming love. Our part is simply to yield, to trust, and to wait for what He has engaged to perform.

Stop performing and let God perform

Move into the neighbourhood

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. - John 1:14

If Jesus.....?

David Platt - Silence Is Arrogance from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

Privatised faith and a resurrected King is practically inconceivable - David Platt

Watch the full message here

Worship is more than a song

Click here if you cant see the video

Jimmy Needham

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure you must take to crush the idols
Jerk the pews & all the decorations, too
Until the congregations few, then have revival
Tell your friends that this is where the party ends
Until you're broken for your sins, you can't be social
Then seek the Lord & wait for what He has in store
And know that great is your reward so just be hopeful

'Cause you can sing all you want to
Yes, you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
And still get it wrong; worship is more than a song

Take a break from all the plans that you have made
And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper
Beg Him please to open up His mouth and speak
And pray for real upon your knees until they blister
Shine the light on every corner of your life
Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open
Then read the Word and put to test the things you've heard
Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken

'Cause you can sing all you want to
Yes, you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
And still get it wrong; worship is more than a song

We must not worship something that's not even worth it
Clear the stage, make some space for the One who deserves it
Any thing I put, before my God, is an idol
Any thing I want, with all my heart, is an idol
Any thing I can't, stop thinking of, is an idol
Any thing that I, give all my love, is an idol

Cause I can sing all I want to
Yes I can, sing all I want to
And we can, sing all we want to
We can, sing all we want to
We can sing all we want to
And still get it wrong
Worship is more than a song

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure you must take to crush the idols

Surprising Faith

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. - Hab 3:17 & 18

The small book of Habakkuk is tucked into the books of the prophets of the Old Testament but this prophet doesn't seem to fit the mould. Instead of talking to people on God's behalf the book is a conversation between him and God.

It is one of those profound conversations where the created is questioning the creator with the age old question: Why?

Although Habakkuk does get some answers in the middle of these answers God introduces the concept that is picked up and quoted by New Testament writers.

"the righteous shall live by his faith" 2:4

For Habakkuk the light comes on and he composes the song that we have read above. A song that crystallises the very essence of faith. Not predominately a tool to prise something from an unwilling deity. But as an anchor of trust buried deep in the eternal plan of an almighty God no matter what is going on within our envelope of time.

William Cowper quoted Habakkuk in his hymn Sometimes a light surprises:

Sometimes a light surprises the Christian while he sings;
It is the Lord, who rises with healing in His wings:
When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining, to cheer it after rain.

In holy contemplation we sweetly then pursue
The theme of God’s salvation, and find it ever new.
Set free from present sorrow, we cheerfully can say,
Let the unknown tomorrow bring with it what it may.

It can bring with it nothing but He will bear us through;
Who gives the lilies clothing will clothe His people, too; Beneath the spreading heavens, no creature but is fed;
And He Who feeds the ravens will give His children bread.

Though vine nor fig tree neither their wonted fruit should bear, Though all the field should wither, nor flocks nor herds be there;
Yet God the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice,
For while in Him confiding, I cannot but rejoice.