As a fellowship we are committed to gathering round the fire of His Presence to be real and to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying in these days. He has much to encourage us with which will be in language and imagery that is relevant to us here in the 21st century in Britain. He will not go beyond the Truth as revealed in Scripture, that will always be our safe boundary, but He will open our eyes to things yet unseen, and help us to understand the great Truth that is Jesus and the grace in which we now live.
Smouldering sticks and wilted lettuceThis Sunday He was showing us that we are often like sticks that have been pulled from the fire. They burn for a while then the flame dies and they simply smoulder. Thankfully, He has promised never to break a bruised reed reed or put out a a smouldering wick (or stick). The answer, to allow ourselves to be immersed once again in the fire of His Presence and love. We also had the picture of lettuce leaves gone limp. Normally I’d throw them in the bin, but apparently if you put them in ice cold water they crisp up again! Try soaking (find a comfortable place, put some quiet Christian music on and simply sit or lie in His Presence) if you feel a bit wilted!
Britain’s Got Talent!He was also encouraging us with a picture from ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ of all things! People walk on stage to be judged by three judges. Some are found wanting and get buzzed off, or even booed by the crowd. Others find favour and get to the next level. He was showing us that we only have to walk out onto the stage to receive the applause of audience (angels) and the 3 judges (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). Why? Because we are not being judged on what we can do, or how well we can perform, but on WHO WE ARE – the children of God through faith in Jesus. We have already passed the test. We don’t need to spend our lives and energy trying to gain the approval of the Father or anyone else. I was reminded of the verse in Colossians which says ….“and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[f] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Col 1:12-14
All are past tense – accomplished, finished, done. No sense of ‘maybe’ or ‘will at some point if you do well enough’ !
Heaven’s benefit cultureWe were reminded this week that we are all on Incapacity Benefit and many other heavenly benefits. He was reminding us that we are totally dependant on what someone else has worked hard to achieve. It is difficult for many in society to be dependant on benefits, (though some take to it like a duck to water!) In the same way, we often find it difficult to be totally dependant on heaven’s benefits. Perhaps it’s Pride, or the stigma of being dependant on others that hinders us, but we must overcome this to receive heaven’s benefits. Jesus modelled total dependency on His Father. We need to realise that we are incapable of providing for our own salvation, or healing, or guidance, or peace, or power, or protection, and rely more and more on Kingdom benefits. It rather goes against the grain for many of us, especially those of us brought up in a ‘work work work’ culture, but it is the most freeing thing in the world to realise I CAN’T DO IT. I NEED HELP. At that moment we can begin to receive all the benefits that Jesus paid the price for. Psalm 103 says: 1 Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits--
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Be blessed
Smouldering sticks and wilted lettuceThis Sunday He was showing us that we are often like sticks that have been pulled from the fire. They burn for a while then the flame dies and they simply smoulder. Thankfully, He has promised never to break a bruised reed reed or put out a a smouldering wick (or stick). The answer, to allow ourselves to be immersed once again in the fire of His Presence and love. We also had the picture of lettuce leaves gone limp. Normally I’d throw them in the bin, but apparently if you put them in ice cold water they crisp up again! Try soaking (find a comfortable place, put some quiet Christian music on and simply sit or lie in His Presence) if you feel a bit wilted!
Britain’s Got Talent!He was also encouraging us with a picture from ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ of all things! People walk on stage to be judged by three judges. Some are found wanting and get buzzed off, or even booed by the crowd. Others find favour and get to the next level. He was showing us that we only have to walk out onto the stage to receive the applause of audience (angels) and the 3 judges (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). Why? Because we are not being judged on what we can do, or how well we can perform, but on WHO WE ARE – the children of God through faith in Jesus. We have already passed the test. We don’t need to spend our lives and energy trying to gain the approval of the Father or anyone else. I was reminded of the verse in Colossians which says ….“and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[f] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Col 1:12-14
All are past tense – accomplished, finished, done. No sense of ‘maybe’ or ‘will at some point if you do well enough’ !
Heaven’s benefit cultureWe were reminded this week that we are all on Incapacity Benefit and many other heavenly benefits. He was reminding us that we are totally dependant on what someone else has worked hard to achieve. It is difficult for many in society to be dependant on benefits, (though some take to it like a duck to water!) In the same way, we often find it difficult to be totally dependant on heaven’s benefits. Perhaps it’s Pride, or the stigma of being dependant on others that hinders us, but we must overcome this to receive heaven’s benefits. Jesus modelled total dependency on His Father. We need to realise that we are incapable of providing for our own salvation, or healing, or guidance, or peace, or power, or protection, and rely more and more on Kingdom benefits. It rather goes against the grain for many of us, especially those of us brought up in a ‘work work work’ culture, but it is the most freeing thing in the world to realise I CAN’T DO IT. I NEED HELP. At that moment we can begin to receive all the benefits that Jesus paid the price for. Psalm 103 says: 1 Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits--
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Be blessed