I Am With You

I AM WITH YOU BLOG

2010-07-04T11:45:00.001+01:00

Has movedd......

Check it out
http://-iamwithyou.tumblr.com/

Cell group 18th May

2010-07-03T23:16:00.000+01:00

Spiritual Battle - between God and the devil.
Choosing which way to live

Evil
-ignore? - easier - conditioned by society
-drinking -ignoring that its bad - not drinking, ignoring its there, not helping - greatest evil is the one you do not know exist

colossians 2:13-15
when jesus died, he disarmed the power of evil
test will power - temptation

evil is only as powerful as your own self doubt

we are forgiven! yey!
enemy is defeated but yet the battle goes on
christ lives in us, we live in christ - we have god's power

popstar
-newspaper/paparazzi - want dirt to ruin you + devil

anger - allows devil to influence us

becoming a christian = forgiven, nothing between you and God - close door to devil
John 8:44

he can never take us away from God

We can loose hope, makes us think we're not good enough
battle in the mind

find the moderation (alcolhol?) where you can still witness for God
smoking?

living for God
-distinctive! - set apart
-bible
-praying
-witness for God
-stronger than a lie - decieved

'God doesn't love me'
devil!! - doubt, decieved, lied to

gunk

2010-07-03T22:30:00.000+01:00

Unfortunately, i have a bad period of hayfever around may and june

and when my eyes get itchy,i get gunk in my eyes

today, my friend sean happened to be witness me pulling a piece of this gross gunk out of my eye.

i was embarresed because i personally think its vile, but he said it was cool!

later he attempted to create a religious meaning out of my gunky eyes

and he succeeded

the gunk is our sin. we need to take it away all the sin and gross stuff in our life, because we can't see properly with it all there!

so shall we try it? getting rid of the gunk, all the sin and the icky stuff!

Stars Sermon

2010-07-03T22:16:00.000+01:00

In the beginning, there was darkness. A nothingness that was formless and empty.
The only thing that was there was the life, the truth, the love and the light. God.

Out of choas, he created order and out of nothing, God created beauty. Most people would tell the story of creation by reading it in the chronological order, as written in the bible. I’m going to tell it a little differently.

God created Charlotte. Charlotte is a human being, in the bible it says god created humans on the sixth day. Charlotte is one of the 6000 people who live in Staplehurst.
Staplehurst is the village where we are right now, and in which most of us live in. it is one of the 600 places in Kent.
Kent is the county in which we also live and is one of the 86 counties in England.
God created England. England is one of around 195 countries on the Earth.
Most of the creation story explains how God created earth, the skies, the oceans and all the animals and living things that inhabit our earth. The earth is a part of the solar system. The solar system is made up of 8 planets and the sun. The earth is pretty huge by itself but its estimated that about 1000 Earths would fit inside Jupiter and about 1000 jupiters could fit in the sun. That makes the solar system alone pretty big!
But, going even bigger, our solar system is part of the galaxy called the milky way. Not the chocolate bar kind, this kind! If you could travel at the speed of light, 186000 miles per second, it would take 100000 years to cross the milky way! The sun travels at a speed of of 155 miles per second, but it still takes 230 million years for it to complete a single revolution of the galaxy.
In the universe, there are hundreds of billions of galaxies, so many that technology isn’t good enough to see them all yet.
As you can probably tell, I am quite interested in astronomy, and this is mainly because I have been going to after school astronomy lessons after school since the start of this year. I think its really interesting to learn about because it has made me realise how big our universe is and how beautiful it is.
Whilst learning about the life of a star and how it is formed, we learned of a wonderful event called a Nebula, a few examples on the screen now. This is when gases, dust and other materials clump together and then atrract other matter. This eventually is big enough to form stars. The remaining materials form planets. These images are computer enhanced because our technology isn’t good enough to capture the real beauty of God’s creation. I love the striking colours formed by just a simply wonderful explosion of gases.
Not only is our universe wonderful visually, but the world is so finely tuned, so well designed in terms of physics. The ratio of the sun and moon’s distance from the Earth and their sizes is so level that they appear the exact same size in the sky. This means, when there a a solar eclipse, the moon completely covers the sun.
This book, called The Book of Y by peter meadows and joseph steinberg explains this much better than I think I could, so I’m going to read a section to you now.
(page 11)
God made our bodies amazing too!
The eye of a human can distinguish 500 shades of grey. The human brain has about 100,000,000,000 (one hundred thousand million) neurons. There are approximately 9,000 taste buds on the tongue. As the book said, life works like a clock, fitting together so precisely,

it couldn’t have been an accident could it? There has to be a designer for such an intricate design.

A belief in God mainly relies on faith and that is because God is not visible to us. A paramore lyrics reads, ‘its not faith if you’re using your eyes’. This is true but if you want some visible evidence of God existing, look at creation, look at these nebula pictures, look at our bodies and everything around us. There are so many pieces of evidence to show god’s presence in our world. God is creative, innovative and surprising and these characteristics are reflected in creation. The world is wonderful because God is wonderful.
The many different species God created, with all different shapes, sizes, textures, colours and abilities show how vast god is and how amazing his mind is.
Just the simple fact of life is amazing, birth and the growth of a foetus to a child to a teenager to an adult and also the presence of emotion, a mix of chemicals that make us have feelings towards people, actions and concepts.
Again from the book of Y (page 12 – start from think it through)
Emotion leads to having links with other people. Friendships and relationships with the people we connect with on a daily basis. Having people care and love you.
So, god has given us life, a beautiful universe, amazing friendships and relationships, the immense presence of emotion and amazing bodies. Do we stand here on earth, thinking we are tiny insignificant humans that no one cares for? If we did, we would be wrong to think that.
Some people say that the bible is just some stories that someone has made up, but we have evidence that some of the things written about in the bible are true. Surely, its better to live for something you have a passionate belief and faith in rather than a life that has no purpose and no hope for something after our lives have ended. I believe the bible is true, in my opinion, not word for word, but I think that god used metaphors and stories to convey his wonder to us. The bible says that God loves us, no matter what we do, god loves us.
In return, what should we do? We love him back, yes, but also we should praise him for the wonders he has given us! A quote from the mettle bible reading books says ‘The world God created is amazing and when we see that, all we can do is praise God for what he’s made’.
Nehemiah 9:6
6 “You alone are the LORD. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.
Psalm 100
1 Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth!
2 Worship the LORD with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
3 Acknowledge that the LORD is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good.

His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

The God spoken about in these verse, is huge.
At home we used to have a solar system model that we could hold in our hands and press at button, and all the planets would rotate around the sun. That is what it is like for god, he is holding the universe, all the planets, the sun, all the galaxies and time and space in his hand, caring for it and watching over it.
This god, who made the heavens and the earth, is here now, he brought his son down to earth to save us from sinning and sent the holy spirit to live in us. He brings hope to our lives and gives us meaning and purpose. God gaves us this world and we are to be stewards of it, we should care for it and praise him because its amazing.

I love to stop for a while during a busy day to admire God’s works and it’s beauty and on the way home from school once, I wrote this poem:

The trees are tall
As i ride the road in the mid-afternoon
i see a picture that is everchanging
i see tall giants of green towering over all grounds and seas
i see rolling clouds that like human are unique in their shape and size
the warm blanketing candyfloss that floats past on summer breeze
the shimmering sun that glues this orbiting universe together in a blaze of orange light and in this, i see you

At one of the Good Morning big Top services at Spring harvest, every person there was given a red sticker to remind us to stop for a moment and give some time to God. I had mine stuck on the back of my phone for almost two years and it really helped me give some time to god each day. I have some silver star stickers here for us to do the same. When we see it, it will remind us of what I have spoken about tonight, about how big and beautiful the universe is and how God has given it all to us to look after and explore.
Now to end, we are going to have a time to reflect and thank God for our beautiful universe, The song called You by Tim hughes is going to be playing and some pictures of our worlds natural beauties will be on the screen. I’ll pass rounf the stickers during this time. Stick them on your phone, your ipod or your bible, anywhere that you will see it regularly to remind you of how amazing God’s work is!

The windowsill

2010-06-03T20:37:00.001+01:00

New blog!
My musings, random blahhh
'follow' it, if you have time to waste!
http://joelleyysarah-thewindowsill.blogspot.com/

Cell Group 20th April

2010-06-03T13:27:00.000+01:00

Galatians 5:1
do you believe everything you hear?
do you believe what people say about you?
-why do we listen to insults?

People say things about us and we take them onbaord, if they are repeated, they become believable.

if you want to love other people, you need to love yourself!

Joking insults?
-Trigger thought process -negative
-built up - becomes focus -believe, stronghold
-when everything seems negative, you will become a negative person

I AM BEAUTIFUL
-tell other people they are beautiful
-Yes we can!
-we love ourselves - positive
-Goals
-Not physical

Thoughts
-can you control them? -stop them?
-what happens to them after?
-about others
-about ourselves
-outweigh negative insults with positive thoughts

Captivate the thought and give it to God
-2 corinthians
-persistent
-fighter
-holyspirit

Spring Harvest 2010 Morning Six

2010-06-03T13:06:00.000+01:00

Psalm 22

John 19:28 -
confirms that he fulfills the earlier prophecies

Luke 23
jesus is being brutally beaten - he is dying
the gaurds mock him
then offer him a drink?
- merciful? No.
White wine on a sponge - excrement of humans
They trampled him

Never get fulyl comfortable with the cross
he died for you.

Clinging to the cross - tim hughes

Spring Harvest 2010 Evening Five

2010-06-03T13:02:00.000+01:00

Esther 7:1-10
Timing - when??
Wait

Justice - makes way for more justice
Pleb - we are human

Esther was very poor and she was an orphan

Notes From Sean:
HIS POWER!
aMEN
2 samuel 23:9-10

We are the hands and feet of God ---> What happens when we mess up an feel rubbish?
-We are only human
-we struggle
-God knows!

Jesus
-died at 33
-human
-average
-rejected
-doubted
-hung out with plebs
-no one believed

Esther felt the same
-abused
-broken
and she saved the whole jewish community

Desperate to be successful
-failiar
-feeling useless

PERFECTION

Adventure-bring justice to community

CHRISTIANITY ISN'T JUST CHURCH
-don't understand
-boring
-not exciting?
ITS WHAT WE DO ALL WEEK
-bring justice + jesus to communities

God knows we struggle, that we're flawed but he still wants to use us

Spring Harvest 2010 Afternoon Five

2010-06-02T15:44:00.001+01:00

If God is going to love me anyway, even when i do something wrong, why should we live right?

Its a two way relationship
how can i please God because i love him?

Innocence

Heaven - Mind Blowing!!
Relationship - Don't push it

Euthenasia
-A good death
- Die well + peacefully

LOVE

God still uses the weak

When your in pain, turn to God not death

GOD -Love -Freedom from pain

murder?

Spring Harvest 2010 Morning Five

2010-05-03T19:15:00.002+01:00

John 1:1-18
The wisdom of God

God acts!
V.14 - the word became flesh and blood

if it doesn't look like God, its not God

limitless love!

Spring Harvest 2010 Evening Four

2010-05-03T19:10:00.000+01:00

What do i do when something doesn't pan out like you thought it would?

- hide it
- be annoyed

we should trust god!!
it's not the situation that defines us, its how we respond.

such a time as this

take a risk ---> trust God

its easier to be annoyed at God or be upset or ignore the problem
but god wants us to trust him and put our faith in him when we take a risk

TAKE A STEP OF FAITH

be willing for god

i'm counting on your name to save me, i'm trusting your the way, jesus

two different directions
-god's way
-our way

God's way and plan and purpose for us over our wants

movies
-goodies and badies
we can think, 'how is it possible that this situation will end up well
we always know it will in a film because it is a film
we should always know it will end up right because god's involved.

Haman - gutted ---> Esther - chapter 6
God's plan wins over human's plans
god will work in the background
esther took a risk and she could of perished because of it!
its not about me, or what i want
its about god's plan

it doesn't feel like God is with us sometimes
God has got you :) (leona lewis song)
God's love is dangerous!
-live dangerously
-sent jesus to a cross
-will take over the world -infectious

you will never leave me
sacrifice what we want

even if i don't get what i want - don't fit god around our lives

its not god being a part of our lives it is us being a part of his amazing plan

you've got to hope when everything is hopeless
oh no you never let go.....

I'm still choosing you

Spring Harvest 2010 Afternoon Four

2010-05-02T21:57:00.000+01:00

Come as you are culture
Romans 3.23
James 2.10
Matthew 7.12

We are all sinners!
Homosexuality:
Old laws
Desire - lust
Action
Sin
Reproduction
Orientation
Heaven
-if all sins are equal, and homosexuality is a sin, then homosexuality is equal to a lie. Everyone sins and therefore no one will go to heaven ?

Yes or No? - sides?

How to minister to gay people?

its not a big deal
Don't say they're a sinner
don't judge them

Hate the sin. love the sinner ??
No. Hate only the sin in our own lives

holy spirit's job: to convict
God's job: to judge
Our job: to love ♥

What to say to a gay?
God Loves You!!
this is who i am. This is what i believe. This is how i live
But don't forget that God loves you.

Sexual sin

Church has to be with community. jesus isn't just in church. how many times did jesus preach in a church?
very little
the church is out there!!

What would jesus say?
identity routed in jesus
You can be gay, but your indentity is still in christ

You who were once far away are now close through his blood
Destroy the dividing walls --> barriers!

How do you preach and evangelise stuck inside a room with four dividing walls that seperate you from those who need to know jesus

the people who made horrible videos aout andrew aren't looking at homosexualty in the right way, we eed to look at in a
different way - through different eyes

Spring Harvest 2010 Morning Four

2010-05-02T21:43:00.000+01:00

1 samuel 12:1-25
God needs to be in our descisions
Faithful even when e do things wrong
-the people's needs -sinsecure, risky (they ask for a king)
-god's response - grumpy parent - hassled by children
-the people's response - turn to God, trust in God, walk with him, be faithful

its hard to trust someone you cannot see
God is in control
For us:
-our needs - pressure. friends. social. clothes. school
-God's reponse - trust me. i love you
-our response - trust only God

The lord will not reject the people because he made us and he loves us

Spring Harvest 2010 Evening Three

2010-05-02T21:20:00.000+01:00

Esther 4:12
From death comes life when jesus is involved
Jesus came to show us how to live right
The bible - out of date text? - bring it alive for the next generation
its not about the day you die, its about the life you live.
Pick up your tool kit and help with the rebuilding of this broken world!
Do something? Do nothing?
Sometimes making the right descision can look like we're losing.
Take up the cross = die to ourselves and let jesus be resurrected in us.

A believer is not a disciple
there is going to be a cost to discipleship
jesus came for the bettered and the bruised
therefore, these are the people i will help!

challenge desperate to see change

Spring Harvest 2010 Afternoon Three

2010-04-24T23:13:00.001+01:00

Tne commandments are not rules - they are boundaries for our relationship with God

The one we worship humiliated himself for us.
Chosen = perculiar
What does jesus look like? - How should we look?
In certain situations, we should look in a different way - WWJD

Take money for granted?
Jesus centred ethics
What would jesus do with £20?

100 Jellybeans!! --> The share of wealth in the world

1 jellybean = the poorest
97 jellybeans = richest

How would jesus feel about this?? discusted?
What would he do?

Its Just Money!!!

What would you do with one million pounds?
What would Jesus do with it?
-give it to people who need it not want
-help
-bibles
-charity
-poor
-health

Spring Harvest 2010 Morning Three

2010-04-24T23:06:00.000+01:00

Exodus 3:1-15
The Justice of God
Life story - Good things and bad things

Burning Bush - God steps in to help us see things in a different way

Dead end? - God will change that!
God gives moses a new understanding of who he is
V.6 reminds moses that he is the God of history
V.14 Reveals a new name: yhwh

God show moses that he is an active God vs 7-8
-God has seen
-God has heard
-God was concerned
-God came down to rescue

And for us? we can too!
-see and hear - see the things that are bad - sad ---> respond
- Have compassion
- Respond with action

what is going on around us?? Dont miss it

Cry. then respond.

Spring Harvest 2010 Evening Two

2010-04-21T20:37:00.000+01:00

Esther 3
Take Responsibility
When it's personal we want to do something about it.
What does God want me to take responsibility for?

Scrunched up and ripped up money still has value - we can feel like rubbish but we're still loved.

Change

Mordecai refuses to bow to Haman.
do what everyone else does?

Live Distinctively

Reflect Christ where-ever we go!

We are different!
Swim up stream!
Don't just think about yourself!

Jesus came for the outcast

Love of power -destroys
Power of love - builds and transforms

Don't try to impress

Love ♥

Spring Harvest 2010 Afternoon Two

2010-04-18T21:57:00.000+01:00

Virtue Ethics
We are designed to be holy
War?
Holy anti-septic = God

Spring Harvest 2010 Morning Two

2010-04-18T21:56:00.000+01:00

Building up a picture of what God looks like.

If we are followers of Jesus
-How will people know?
-What makes us different?
-How should we live?

What sort of person should i be? - Our examples is God and Jesus.

ALl around the world, there are different examples of how to live.
We should only look to God.
The character of God.
Bible - The story of God
Genesis 12:1-9
1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5 He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth—his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran—and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites.

7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.[a]” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshiped the Lord. 9 Then Abram continued traveling south by stages toward the Negev.

Generosity of God
God could have given up, but he didn't. He acted
Life isn't a path. Its stepping stones. God might want us to leap - Gt yourself onto the next stone
The scary bit is the gap in he middle - but god will get us to the next stone!

Verse 1
The Call
-Leave your country, relatives and father's house
-Go somewhere you do not know

Verse 2 and 3
The Promise
-To make Abraham's descenants a great nation
-To bless Abraham materially and make his name great.
-To protect Abraham

Verse 4-9
The Response
-Willing to step off the stepping stone

Agents for change
We are all here because God called Abraham
God calls Abraham to be the father of the nation that will bring blessing to all people on Earth, not exclusively to hemselves.

GIVNG
John 3:16
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

Romans 5:6-8
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Ephesians 1:3
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

Mathew 7:9-11
“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

The dead sea -has inputs but has no outputs
-Going to be dried up in 2015?
God blesses us - but we need to give the blessings to others or we'll dry up.

Spring Harvest 2010 Night One

2010-04-18T21:21:00.000+01:00

I'm the chosen one
King Xerxes
Queen Vashti - Dignity, Respect
Esther was an orphan - no rights, no parents - All she is is beautiful
When your 12 weeks old, your fingerprints are fully formed
God had planned and chosen all of us.
We have a sepcial role to play in God's Redemption plan

the world will say:

You're the least likliest person to make a change

You have no power

They are wrong

We are special and unique!
Significant because we are going to make a difference!
we have gifts and skills!

Stop the record. Put on a new tape. Lets change the song, change the voice. Let that voice be God's

Its not an accident
A mother could forget her child shegave birth to but God won't.
What am i made for?
We are mde for such a time as this
Identity-fingerprints

I know what i want in the future but what do i do now to get it?

Easter for God

2010-04-02T22:12:00.000+01:00

There's a massive group on facebook for the campaign to download History Makers by Delirious to get it number one for Easter. I think this is a really great idea because sometimes the meaning of religious events can seem to dim away because of all the commercial stuff! This can help people remember that Easter isn't for the chocolae and the bunnies, its for God, it was when Jesus ded and rose again. So if you can spare 79p on your ITunes account, go and download it, because its a great song :)

Free Will

2010-03-07T21:33:00.000Z

Things go wrong right? We do wrong things. Other people do wrong things towards us. things don't work out right.
some people say god must hate them
because these things happen. Everything can be going well and then SMACK. it goes wrong.
God does not hate you
the things above ar mostly human actions
God gave us something called Free Will
this means that yeah, we can give our life to him, live our life for him and he can tell us to do things
however, we have the will to choose what to do
If a friend lets you down, god is upset too! he didn't make it happen, and he couldn't of stopped it happening either! because he gave your friend free will.
DOn't blame god for these bad things
just ask him to forgive your friend for what they did
live your life freel, but live it well, and live it for god

Friendship

2010-03-01T17:48:00.000Z

... Is like Herbert Spencer and Charles Darwin's theory of the Survival of the fittest.

Its a test to filter out all the friends that aren't true to you. that have let you down. that don't stick up for you. that aren't loyal to you.
A friend can let you down, but the test is whether you can bring it back together afterwards, if you can forgive them.
In the end, like the theory, you'll have the people left who are best at their job.
And they'll never leave you.

YOUTH SERVICE

2010-02-26T17:51:00.000Z

CRANBROOK ST DUNSTANS CHURCH
SUNDAY 7TH MARCH
4.00PM - 6.00PM
Youth Service
11+
JoelleJackCharlotte are playing with friends; Lachlan, Megan and Charlie!
Free entry!
Bright Dancing, Diary room, Prayer tent, Worship, Band, Music, Food.
BE THERE
OR
BE SQUARE

Admiration for Creation

2010-01-31T13:52:00.000Z

As i ride the road
In the mid-afternoon
i see a picture
that is everchanging
tall giants of green
towering over all grounds
and seas
i see rolling clouds
that like humans
are unique
in shape and size
the white candyfloss
that blankets us
with warmth
the shimmering sun
that glues this orbiting
universe together
in a blaze of orange light
and in this
I see you!

Hatred. *inspired by city and colour

2010-01-20T19:04:00.000Z

Now you still speak of day old hate

Do you hate
someone?
something?
somewhere?

listening to City and Colour, a great artist, on my way home today
i listened to the lyrics closely and there are some great meanings behind them!!
Some people hate things for an hour, a day, a week, a month, a few months, a year, a bunch of years or their whole life!
but why? it just burdens people.

So there goes my life, passing by

another qutoe from this band
So, you spend your life hating people, it'll just pass you by
i read this the other day
http://www.thebridgemaker.com/finding-faith-and-a-message-of-hope-in-the-unexpected/
make the most of every moment you have on this earth,
even though the time is insignificant compared to our time in heaven, doesn't that encourage you to make the most of it?
I get emails everyday from the Scripture Union Scheme 'WordLive'
which i have recently opted into.
today's email was about loving and not hating

If you have any hate, ask God for the light to dissolve it and blow it all away.
1 John 2:3–17
John connects his themes of light and love. He refers back to the ‘new commandment’ Jesus gave his disciples (see John 13:34,35). As we live more and more in the light Jesus brings, so our love grows and darkness begins to disappear.

Tough love
There are some tough things said here about loving our fellow Christians. It is a clear consequence of becoming a child of God that we have new brothers and sisters in the family of God and we are to love them.

How seriously do we take this? John addresses particular groups and manages not to leave anyone out!

How loving are you?
What is your church congregation like at loving one another? Is your community free from bitterness, rivalry, gossip, jealousy and strife? What part do you play in stirring up trouble?

Before you get offended by this question, please remember we are seeking to be those who live in the light!

Breathtaking love
We are to resist being seduced by all the world offers. We are to be countercultural by displaying a love in our Christian communities that will take people’s breath away.

Elaine Duncan

try not to waste your time hating, and start to love.

Christmas

2009-12-21T18:30:00.002Z

Whoever Takes the Son Gets It All

Years ago, a very wealthy man shared with his devoted young son a passion for art collecting.

Together they travelled the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection.

Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and many others filled the walls of the family estate.

The widowed father looked on with satisfaction as his only Son became an experienced art collector.

The son’s trained eye and sharp business mind caused his father great pride as they dealt with art collectors around the world.

In 1914 as winter approached, war engulfed the nation, and the young man was called up to serve his country.

After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram that he had been dreading.

His beloved son had been killed in action.

Distraught and lonely, the old man faced the upcoming Christmas holidays with anguish and sadness.

The joy of the Christmas season, that he and his son had so looked forward to, was gone.

On Christmas morning, there was a knock at the door.

As the old man opened the door, he was greeted by a young soldier with a large package in his hand on leave from the Western front.

He introduced himself to the man by saying,

"I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you."

And as the two began to talk, the soldier told the old man how his son often talked about his father’s love of art.

"I’m an artist," said the soldier, "and I want to give you this."

And as the old man unwrapped the package, he saw that it was a portrait of his son.

Though the world would never consider it the work of a genius, the painting showed the face of the old man’s son in detail.

Overcome with emotion, the father hung the portrait of his son over the fireplace, moving aside millions of dollars worth of art to make space for it

The old man then sat in his chair and spent Christmas gazing at the gift he had been given.

The painting of his son soon became his most prized possession, far eclipsing any interest in the pieces of art for which museums around the world clamoured.

Ten years later, the old man died and the art world waited with anticipation for the upcoming auction.

According to the father’s will, all the art works were to be auctioned on Christmas Day, the day he had received the greatest gift.

The day soon arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world’s most spectacular paintings.

The auction began with a painting that was not on anyone’s list.

It was the painting of the father’s son by the young soldier.

The auctioneer asked for an opening bid, but the room was silent.

“Who will open the bidding with £100?” No one spoke.
Finally someone said, “Who cares about that painting. It’s just a picture of his son. Let’s move on to the good stuff.”

The auctioneer responded, “No, we have to sell this one first. Now, who will bid for the son?”

Finally, a neighbour of the old man offered £50. “That’s all I have. I knew the boy, so I’d like to have it.”

The auctioneer said, “Going once, going twice…gone.” The gavel fell.

Cheers filled the room and someone exclaimed, “Now we can bid on the real treasures!”

The auctioneer looked at the room filled with people and then announced that the auction was over.

Everyone was stunned.

Someone spoke up and said, “What do you mean, it’s over? We didn’t come here for a painting of the old man’s son. There is millions of dollars worth of art still in here! What’s going on?”

The auctioneer replied, “It’s very simple. According to the old man’s will, whoever received the painting of his son…would get all of the rest.”

And that is the real meaning of Christmas too. He or she who receives the Son of God – Jesus – the baby in Bethlehem - gets all that God has to offer us!!!!

isaiah 9.6-7

2009-12-21T10:49:00.001Z

This verse keeps popping up, and i guess it is christmas so that would probably be why!
I've heard it in a song and i've heard it read out like 5 times in the last couple of weeks!!
Just thought i'd share it with you!

6 For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,[a] Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen!

Prayer

2009-12-01T20:49:00.000Z

Being Brutally honest with god.
Tell him exactly how you feel
Question him with the questions that are in your mind
You cannot hide anything from God, but it makes it easier if you just tell him straight!

Prayer Requests!

2009-12-01T20:47:00.002Z

Anyone who has any prayer request, comment on here, email me, facebook me or text me and i'd be happy to help!
I have one to start off!!
The youth of our service is doing the service on 6th, please pray that it goes well and that we all have confidence when we are doing our part and that we will invite god into the room! Thankss!!
x

God Speaking....

2009-11-08T16:04:00.000Z

I have heard many stories about how god has spoken to people, and i know that me and my friends are like 'well i don't think God has ever spoken to me' 'How do you know God is speaking to you?' 'How does God speak to you?'

Well, i have kinda deiscovered a few answers to these questions over the past couple of years.
I think God can speak to you anyhow, anywhere, anytime!
God spoke to me last summer, and i recieved that through a feeling.

Today it was a little different!
i got up this morning (a little bit late) so i had to rush a little to get ready for church, i threw some clothes that looked ok, but i wasn't too sure about it as it was a little outrageous... (i usually am anyway, but this was a little experimental!)

I carried on getting ready and i still wasn't sure whether i looked good, i even asked my sister.
So i walked out the house, and put my hand in my pocket to find a packet of love hearts, pretty usual for me now!
I got one out, and it said
'looking good'

i think this love heart was from God!!
It made me feel much better about how i looked, and i know this is a bit random and wierd!!

Maybe you don't think this was from God, and that God speaks to people in normal ways... but i disagree, God can talk to you anyhow, anywhere, anytime!
So watch out!

Amazinn'

2009-11-01T18:54:00.000Z

Its funny sometimes how you come across amazing things.
I made a real good friend recently, he is a great guy, he has an amazing faith and we have talk every single day for the last month. He has built me up so much in faith. However, i have never actually met this guy!
(No worries, he isn't some creepy wierd person, i checked!)
We met on the spring harvest forum, we started chatting because we had attended the same week of spring harvest.
Thats just some website that usually is filled with random chats about wristbands and occasionally a need for prayer, but we started talking via it.
We hadn't really talked much since april time this year, but then he started talking to me on facebook chat this october.
He said to me that his friend, who he was very close to, had moved away to work with a special company, and he prayed that someone else would come along into his life and not replace this friend of his, but fill the role of him. He asked God that it would be the next christian he talked to.
And guess who that was?
I was a little taken aback when he first said that, but now i look back, it was so true. God brought us together, and now we encourage each other so much its unreal!
He is amazin'

Today, i was on facebook, (just like every other day) and just doing the normal thing you do on facebook, chat to friends, waste time whatever really.
And then on the side of the screen pops up this advert for a webstie called 'Christ Questions'
it basically said that this website was a whole load of people asking questions related to christianity and God and people answering them.
i thought, ooh this looks cool, lets click on it.
It didn't SUDDENLY show that this webstie was going to show something amazing, it just looked like a pretty average website.
On the homepage it showed 'recent questions'
One of these recent questions was titled 'Halloween'
And seeing as that is a pretty recent event, and i wanted to know more about why christians don't celebrate it.

So i click on it.
http://www.christquestion.com/Christian-Living/halloween|47

Isn't that answer amazing??
It just made me realise, yeahh, somethings are bad, people should have morals about what is right and wrong, but sometimes it just comes down to one thing.

If i do this will it
OR
When i am doing this does it
OR
When i have done this before has it

has it made me loose sight of God?

Will it weaken your faith?

If yes to any of these, i would advise to not do it!
but i guess this doesn't apply to all cases, but i just thought it was a truely amazing thing to think.

Also, i'd just like to encourage you to look in random places, to go on random christian advertised pages because soemthing truely unrandom and amazing may be shown to you through it!

Make the most of it.

2009-09-07T21:38:00.002+01:00

I started my Gcse courses today. And in my citizenship lesson we started talk about Human rights. It is our right to have an education! We get to go to school for free. And ok, it is a legal requirement, but if you look at it from the other side, we can learn so muchh for free, people are allowing us to have that oppurtunity.

It got me thinking, and discussing too, that in our lives we can dream so much. I knwo i have! There are so many things we dream about doing! And a good friend of mine said, Whats the point in having dreams, if you don't chase them?
and thats IT.
Why dream it, if you don't do it?
If you dream it, you can do it!

I now am taking a whole other approach on life, on school, on my relationship with God, on all the things i can do to make me a better person.
I'm really taking an interest in these things!
i think i might actually work in school this year, and try hard! I want to get really really great results, and i can't get that without any effort!
I have so many things i want to achieve, and i'm now going to start trying to do so!
And The god thingg? As i said in my last post, Why should anything even be thought of overpowering God in our minds, when god is there all the time. He loves us all the timeee! So make the most of the most amazing relationship you will ever have, with anyone!
I really pray that in the coming days, weeks, months and years, you will work hard and make the most of this life, the ony life you will have!

Dreaming means Achieving.

Be My Everything.

2009-09-03T15:59:00.002+01:00

Wel, i have tried writing this post about three time now! But its been hard because its a bit personal, but there's such a massive message that i have realised, i couldn't keep it in! Basically, i actually considered giving up on the whole chirstianity thing, following god and living my life for a stupid reason! But i listened to the song Everything by tim hughes a couple of days ago and it hit me on the head.
Here are the lyrics:
God in my living
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping

God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking

Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything

God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting

God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
You are everything

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
Be my everything

God is there throughout absouletly everything you go through! When you are laughing, when you are crying. When you are happy, when you are sad. When you are waiting for something or when you are content!
Sometimes you consider giving up on the christian thing for reaons such as
- a boy?? or girl?? - Well, having a relationship with someone is good, but are they there all the time? Every second of your life? Sometimes that can be a relief that they aren't, but although they say they love you, their love is no-where near as big as God's love.
- Friends? Their opinion on God - Every human being is absouletly unique, No one at all has ever been, is or will ever be exactly the same as you! You have your own opinion about everything! Ok, your friends muight disagree with you on somethings, but if they give you a hard time about it and pressure you to not believe it, should they really be your friends? Are they actually letting you be yourself? or just a mould of them?

the second thing is that if you are feeling a bit weak, remember Christ, the most powerful creator, lover, writer and saver is in YOU! Your heart should be filled with the biggest hope in the world because your future is full of God's Glory if you Let him Be your everything.

God is with me whatever i am doing. No-one else is.
God always loves me. Other people sometimes hate me.
God will never leave me. Other people have already left.
God made me completely unique and he made this beutiful world. Humans made sin and war.
God loves me more than anyone else in this world.
God is my everything.

The Shack

2009-08-18T14:42:00.003+01:00

I recently read a book that my mum recommended to me, called the Shack.
This book was an amazing inspiration to me, it made me think of different things in many different ways! It shows a whole other side to, not christianity, but to God, Jesus and the Holy spirit!
Its only £4 on Amazon, and is totally worth the buy!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shack-William-P-Young/dp/0340979496/ref=pd_ys_ir_all_2

Buy it for yourself, your friend or whoever, just spread the word of this book, because this book shows a path to god, and that needs to be well known!
http://theshackbook.com/

Waiting

2009-07-25T10:06:00.002+01:00

I spend most of my life thinking about the future, whats going to happen next?
I think about what great things i'm going to do when i grow up and the great people i will meet along the way.
I think about all the people i going to tell about God.

Then, from various talks and sermons comes across the message in my mind,
How are you going to reach the great heights and achieve your goals, if you spend all your time now, just thinking about them?

We can think about our hope for the future, our goals and our aims, but we have to think about now too...
We have to act now, tell someone about God as often as you can, and begin to process in the education of giving your life to God.
To get to a high hope or aim, we can't just jump from the floor to that high place,
we have to climb the stairs, rather than taking the lift.
What strength do you gain if you staying standing still, whilst all the ropes and wires do all the straining....
Start to take the stairs, and if you fall, you know who is going to be there to catch you.

Read the footprints poem to give you strength.
http://wisdom4u.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/footprints-in-the-sand.jpg

Lover

2009-07-11T17:27:00.003+01:00

Two of my best friends have recently mentioned setting me up with one of their friends.
Sometimes i think that i feel lonley and i guess sometimes i do.
One of them always has their eye on someone and the other is in a relationship.

But when i pondered this, i thought, i don't need a boyfriend or any sort of 'lover'
Usually, i have this rule in my life that friends always come before boyfriends
This is because your friends always stick by you, and boyfriends can come and go....
Then i thought, sometimes your friends don't always stick by you... but we know someone who does.
God!

It should be God before any other relationship because god will
always always always always stick by you forever and ever even if you don't do the same for him!

jesus is our best friend and the best lover we will ever find!

Cheats

2009-07-01T21:23:00.002+01:00

As i watched one sister playing Super Mario and the other playing Sims 3, and them getting rapidly frustrated and they kept relying on the intwernet cheats to help them through the game i realised, inspiration for a new blog post!
Throughout any game you can be so challenged that you almost give up, but you have the pillow to fall back, the cheats.
Our life is like a computer/video game.
It can get so frustrating because you can't complete just one level because there are monsters and shells and things that keep killing you.

We can be walking through life, and then get to a situation, and we can't get thorugh it, as soon as we see a glint of hope flashing through the darkness, another insult, downfall or comment might take place and BAM. the hope has gone.
we don't have cheats, we can't look up on the internet
'Cheat for getting thorugh debt' or 'cheat for getting through an argument with my friends/parents'
we just have to get through it.
Although, we have a pullow that we can fall back on, it isn't a cheat, but someone without may not get through.
God.
He is our constant glint of hope, at times he will shine bright as the sun, but at times he like seem like a spec of light, but as long as we can see that light, we will get through..
so remember, during this week...
That even if you getting poor on the sims, can't complete yoshi's island on mario...
Know, that you will complete this level, and you will complete the game...
If you have your best friend, your loyal compainion beside you, he will walk with you always.

Reply to 'Smile' Post

2009-06-16T20:44:00.003+01:00

From recently talking to a very good friend of mine about god, christianity she has really supported me and i have supported her ( i hope) and our relationship has become even stronger.
When she asked me how i was doing because i had been a little down a couple of days ago i told her most things in the Smile post i wrote a day or so ago...
she replied with this (not her own i know but it is really great anyway!)

A smile costs nothing, but gives a lot.

It enriches those who receive it without making poorer those who give it.

A smile takes only a moment, but the memory of it can last forever.

No one is so rich, or so mighty, that they can get a long without a smile.

And no one is so poor that they cannot be made richer by a smile.

A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters goodwill in business and is the

counter sign of friendship.

A smile brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the

sad and is nature's best cure for trouble

Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen
for it is of no value to anyone until it is given away.

Some people are too tired to give a smile so give them one of yours as no one needs a smile so much as he who has no more of his own to give.

Really useful verses!

2009-06-16T20:39:00.003+01:00

I would write them in, but i want to encourage people to start reading the bible properly! if you don't have one... tap in www.biblegateway.com :)
Leviticus 19v12
Swearing
Psalm 16v11
Psalm 18v3
Psalm 18v6
Cry to lord when you are in need, He will answer!
Psalm 18v19
God delights in you
Psalm 18v30
God is pretty cool!
Psalm 30v5
God!
Psalm 40v8
I want to follow you!
Psalm 46v1
Psalm 86v1
I need you!
Psalm 103v8
Psalm 107v2
Your free? Go tell people!
Psalm 138v3
Psalm 139v13-15
He knows you better than most people!
Proverbs 18v24
Friends
Proverbs 19v1
Proverbs 28v7
Ecclesiastes 4v9-12
Isaiah 41v10
Shows gods true characteristics!
Isaiah 43v2
Whatever you go through, he will be with you!
Isaiah 44v22
He cleansed you, so go back to him!
Jeremiah 29v11
God's plans for you
Lamentations 3v22-27
God is good!
Micah 6v8
What God would like of you
Matthew 5v13-16
Amazing! really makes me want to show everyone how amazing god is!
Matthew 5v27
Really makes me think about how you look at people and to discourage lustful looks
Matthew 10v5-7
Tell everyonee who is lost in the ways of rubbishness abnout the fabbest friend we know!
Matthew 10v8 (second bit)
one of my favourite verse of all time, in a favourite song also...!
Matthew 10v10
Matthew 10v16
People will put you down, but God knows that!
Matthew 10v32
If you loves god, and acknowledge ghim, declare it!
Matthew 22v34-40
God's amazing love and knowledge!
Matthew 28v18-20
Discipleship
Luke 5v12b
"Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
Luke 8v42-50
a good story!
Luke 11v28
a good christian rule
Luke 15v32b
He was lost and is found.
John 15v5-8
Fruit
John 20v29b
Faith
Acts 2v42-47
discipleship!
Acts 15v28
making decisions with the holy spirit
Acts 20v35 (the end of it)
Romans 5v1-8
Romans 10v6-13
Romans 12v6a
Romans 12v11
1 Corinthians 6v18-20
teaches us about sex
1 Corinthians 13v4-8
amazing love
Ephesians 1v15-17
Give thanks for each other
Ephesians 2v4+5
God's love and sacrifice for you!
Ephesians 3v12+13
Ephesians 3v17
Be rooted to Jesus
Ephesians 4v28
Stealing
Ephesians 6v1
Parents
Ephesians 6v10-15
Armour of God: Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation and the Bible.
Philipians 2v14+15
Colossians 1v9-10
1 Timothy 1v2 (the end of it)
2 Timothy 1v8
Do not be ashamed of god!
The whole of 1 and 2 timothy is a great read!
Hebrews 10v24
Motivate each other!!
James 1v19b
Anger
James 4v8-10
1 Peter 3v15-17
Answering questions about God
1 Peter 5v7
1 John 2v3-6
Revelation 3v10-13
Revelation 22v20-21

The read comments are to guide you to what verse you should because it is related to you, or your situation! Read them, and be encouraged by them! If you think a verse relates to someone you know, share it with them so they can feel encouraged! Reading the bible is a fab way to gain strangth in God!

Winning

2009-06-16T20:27:00.004+01:00

(these post are getting alot more frequent i know, but i am becoming more confident- for various reasons)

Someone walked past me earlier in the street as i was making my way through town and they said
'Thats the thing isn't it, you can win can you?"
and i thought.. actually you can

You might be in some sort of complication, arguement, situation...
and there are sides, either you come out knowing you beat the other person, or the problem.. or you result in being depressed, upset and defeated..
When you know god, i think there is an inbetween...
God will help you through the probelm, and you will win, you will always win when god is on your side... but that doesn't necessarilymean that the opposition is defeated. you will come out on the better side... however you may be crying or smiling.. but whichever way it was it was god's plan..

So you may be down, in a really bad situation or complication..
but ask God to be with you.. and you will win...in whatever way God wants!

Smiling

2009-06-15T21:56:00.002+01:00

After walking through a massive group of grammar school kids everyday i realise how different they all are, how different i am to them. i notice that so many thoughts must be scanning through their brain as there is in mine. i see the buildings staying up on the strongest foundations. i see a beautiful sky filled with rain or shine. I see my parents, minds filed with care and love. i see my friends who don't know much of the type that i do in some ways but know so much more in other ways. i see my face reflected in the window and i see that people love me, and i love myself. i see that i may not like my spots, or the way my hairy gets a kink in it after i put it up.. but i don't care.. i know that the smile on my face makes it look so much better.. makes me feel so much better and makes me want to do so much better.
God
has done.
Is doing.
Will do.
Wonderful things...
If we don't smile, how will he knwo that you appreciate him?
Smiling makes everything else seem so much better... and god will smile with you!

Revelations from the Unexpected

2009-06-14T18:03:00.003+01:00

Whilst reading the book 'Knitting' by Anne Bartlet which is about two women who meet unexptedly over a guy who collapsed on the floor. These women have both had their husband die. They come together and eventually make a textiles ehibition on Women's work.
One of the women has just started a cleaning job in a church.
here is the paragraph where my inspiration sprung

'At this time of day, with the sun shining as it was now, it was light and warm. The front pew was right it the sun, and Martha sat down in the middle of it. Cliff had shown her a verse in the bible that said walk in the light, so you might as well sit in it too if you had the chance. in you could lie in it. '

When i read this i thought about this and although this book is not a 'religious book' and as far as i know, the author isn't either, i still found a revelation..some new idea in this crazy brain of mine.

To me it means to much..

Isaiah 2 v5
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=29&chapter=2&verse=5&version=31&context=verse
Psalm 89 v15
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=89&verse=15&version=31&context=verse
1 John 1 v7
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%201;&version=31;

Walking in the light is mentioned multiple times in the bible as seen above.
I interperet it as walking in God's glorious glory, his shining presence and his gentle glow...
Living your life shining like he does...
The passage from this book told me that yes you can live in it, and walk through your life in it... but you can enjoy it to..
You can walk on and on reflecting, like the moon, the glorious light of God's sun (or son) but will you rest in it? will you laugh in it? will you smile in it? will you sleep in it? will you cry in it?

Relax in the light of the Lord.
Be quite. Be silent. God is gentle and so is the silence..god wants you to slow down, be quite and wait for him... then he will talk.

(Thanks Dennis for inspiration)

bible notes!

2009-05-11T18:21:00.002+01:00

Recently i have been trying to read the bible, but not in order.. it has sort of worked! i have started making notes too... which i will post here!

Lamentations:
-The lord is good to those who depend on him/ to those who search for him
-Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
-Unfailing love
-He doesn't enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow
-I called on your name from deep within the pit and you told me 'do not fear'
-Lord you are my lawer, plead my case!
be my judge, prove me right!!
-Lord you remain the same forever

Joshua
-No one will be able to stand against you because i will be with you as i was with moses
-I will not fail you or abandon you
-be strong and corageous
-Do not be afraid or discouraged for the lord you god is with you wherever you go. For the lord your god if the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below!

Suffering

2009-05-02T14:09:00.002+01:00

If you tell people about God and the put you down, laugh at you and make you suffer..Hold your head up high because our time on this earth and in this life is nothing, we will be living in heaven happy for eternity.
be confident in telling people about God because it is part of who you are, and who your character and identity is. if people laugh at you they aren't your friends, if you hide the fact that you are a christian, you aren't keeping a constant chrisitan character!

Psalm 18

2009-04-26T18:19:00.002+01:00

A really powerful and favourite verse that i have re-written so i can understand it!

I love you lord. You make me strong. You're my rock, my fortress and my saviour. You are my sheild and the power that saves me and you are my place of safety. I called to you, because you are worthy of praise and you saved me from my enemies.

Death and destruction tried to get me and trap me but in my distress i cried out to you. I prayed to my God for help. he heard me, my cry reached his ears.

The earth trembeled and the mountains shook because of his anger. He opened the heavens and descinded and he stode on dark storm clourds. he hid in the darkness as it thundered from heaven. when it was raining i heard the Lord's voice.
The enemies scattered
Then everything became clear.

He reached forn and rescued me and stopped me from drowning. He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me. They struck out when i was weak but the lord supported me. he took me to a safe place because he thinks i am good!

He gave me a reward for doing the right thing and made me new because of my innocence because i keep to the lords ways!

Spring harvest 20.04.09

2009-04-26T18:07:00.002+01:00

(one of the talks that inspired me to start this blog- origin of name!)

Where-ever You Are, What-ever You Are Doing

I AM WITH YOU!

He is worthy

Don't stay in a bubble with you + god

Expand the bubble

Let people know about God and come into your bubble

it is supposed to get bigger!

There are more people who need to know about God

There are more people outside of Spring harvest, your church, your youth group, who need to know about God!

POP! - Burst the bubble!

Jesus, Peter and James on the mountain top

(Luke 9/ Mark 9/ Matthew 17)

'i'm not so bothered about the holy moments on the mountain top'

The wonderful things you experience with God can be shared bt

BURSTING THE BUBBLE

Shine like stars for god!

Spring harvest 18.04.09

2009-04-26T13:11:00.011+01:00

Where there is no vision, People Perish!

Vision
=Hope
=Goals
=Intentional
=Having a plan
=Knowing what you want in the future -->helps you know what you need to do now!
=Aims

Perishing
Not physically dying, but dying on the inside

Being intentional and having goals helps you:
-Understand your value
-Apple energy to the right places
-Break down your dreams into practical and achievable steps
-Evaluate your progress
-See the Big Picture
*Starting something with the end in mind.
*Helps you see the reasons you are doing something.
-SUCCEED!

1 Corinthians 9

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%209%20&version=65

Who would you be in a years time?

What would you looks like?

What would you have overcome?

What would you have acheived?

Spring harvest 19.04.09

2009-04-26T13:11:00.009+01:00

Look back - A moment or person that defines you (thank god for them)
Look at now -Are you resisting being rescued by god?
Look forward

Open up to god! ---> Rescue

Jade Goody- 5 June 1981 – 22 March 2009 (died when she was 28)
Make the most of life because it can be cut short and we do not know when it will end!

The dash on the gravestone is the most important thing
Date of birth - Date of death
That dash represents all your achievments, friends, all the people you loved, what you did and your whole life!
So live your life to the full!

Spring harvest 18.04.09

2009-04-26T12:54:00.003+01:00

Pragmatist Learning
How is it that you earn the authority and right to be able to talk and stand up for god?
Turn your weaknesses into strengths!
Doing your job with Jesus is being similar to him!
Not doing things in your job or school that do not glorify God + Christianity
Make space for God!
You need friends who you can be honest with
Ephesians 6
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%206;&version=65;
At your job, you are not doing it for your boss, or for money or to fill your free time. You are doing it for God and working is a way of worship!
Honesty!
We need Constant Christian Character

Spring Harvest 17.04.09 Evening

2009-04-25T21:41:00.005+01:00

Love Actually
Live a high deffinition life
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2022:36-39;&version=65;
What is the greatest and more important commandment?
You must Love the lord your god with all your heart and all your soul and mine
This is the frist and greatest commandmant
A second is equally important
Love your neighbour as you love yourself!

Love is not something you can measure!

Being a disciple is about growing, living, loving and learning

You decide all the details
but all else hangs on these two commandments!

Your neighbour is everyone you come in contact with
You do not choose them
God Loves you!!
Before you can love anyone else you have to love yourself

You want to be happy, succesful, loved, cared for and safe
----------------------------->
If you love other people, you want this for them too!

Undivided, Whole Hearted Love!

Spring Harvest 17.04.09

2009-04-25T21:36:00.004+01:00

What do we believe?
Why do we believe that?
Acts 15
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2015;&version=65;
Converting people you wouldn't want to associate yourself with!
treat them the same as yourself or other chrisitans!
Activist learner- acting
Reflective learner -Reflects/responds
Theorist Learner -think -why?

Jesus can be seen as a guy of grace not law
Remember how we have seen god work in the past!

Hang Out!!
With wise people -Discusion
With God- Prayer (what is god doing?)
With the bible-Know the bible
With the holy spirit- Acts ch15 v28
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2015:28;&version=65;

Spring Harvest 16.04.09 Evening

2009-04-25T21:30:00.004+01:00

Matthew 16
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206;&version=65;
Who do YOU say i am?
Jesus Christ, Son of the living God!
Have you been a disciple?
The enemy loves it when we make a mistake
He loves it more if we push it to the back of our minds and hope no-one finds out!
God loves you!
Tell him your mistakes!
Do not let your mistakes define you!
be what God wants us to be!
The things that take you away from God need to stop!
Stop wallowing in th past and move on
When everyone seems to be against you
God loves you! Choses You! accepts you!

Spring Harvest 16.04.09 Seminar

2009-04-25T21:14:00.003+01:00

Girls For God
Who do you say you are?
Who do other people say you are?
Labels, how you talk, how you walk, who your friends are
Being secure
Being confident in who you are and who you like

Matthew 4 When the devil tempts jesus
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204:1-11&version=65
the devil will temptyou and rob you of your identity
1. what are you made of?
If you are who you say you are...Prove it.
its a fight to be happy with how you look
your looks can not be the most important thing!
we see the things that are bad about us
the things we don't like
But god doesn't
he just loves you for who you are
Man looks at the body but God looks at the heart
Accepted with Jesus Christ
I'm set free
Alive in jesus Christ
All my needs are set in jesus
Refocus
2. what can you do?
What do you have to offer?
Do not text the lord your god
when you are certain with or in something, you do not need to prove it
relationships should not be based on what you can do (a guy/girl shouldn't like you for what you can do) , just on who you are!
'i knew you before you were born!
we hadn't had any successes, styles, gcse's, relationships (daughter, sister, son, parent...)
the person who God knew before they were born
Find that person. That is your identity *
You are precious
God's work manship
Blest.
Chosen
3. who do you do it for?
i worship and serve only god
trying to please other people won't work
Pick your audience
what people think of you and what expectations they have of you should not consume you
Who are you doing life for?
Who are you living for?

*The woman, hannah, who did this seminar for us told us an exsercise you can do to try hard to find your identity. if you go to a quite place and either think or write down the things that make you you. if you take away all the labels (emo, scene kid, chav..) , all the relationships you have with people (sister, daughter, son, parent, aunt, neice, friend, boyfriend), what people think of you, your physical appearance and look at what is left

The things you like and don't like, the fruits of the spirit you have, the qualities you have (shy, friendly, listener..) this is your identity!

Spring Harvest 16.04.09

2009-04-25T21:04:00.002+01:00

Acts 10 v9 and Acts 11 v1-18
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2010:9;&version=65;
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:1-18%20;&version=65;
What it means to be a reflective learner..
They are good at changing their minds
Courage to change
Being scared of things
Courage to pioneer

The bible and change
When culture, languages, fashion and styles change, the word of god /the bible stays the same!

Respond. Don't react
Dealing with criticism
What can you learn from criticism?
Respond to the suggestion not the tone of voice
Take the way they have spoken to you out of it but keep the words
Value criticism
Truth: what can you take from it?
Don't take it personally
Don't respond immediatly
Don't say something when it first comes into your head
Think. Trust
People may crisicise you because they love you and want the best for you
Smile :) and say 'i'll take on board what you're saying'
have grace
Take time to explain then people will understand.

Spring Harvest 15.04.09 Evening

2009-04-25T20:34:00.002+01:00

You need to get out more
I want to follow jesus but where is he going?
Matthew 10
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2010%20;&version=65;
-Discipleship lives in communtiy
Disciples work in groups
-Discipleship lives in action
You have to act to be a disciple
-There is no such thing as a stationary disciple
How can you follow someone if you don't move?

How did jesus disciple?
he gathered them, he teaches them, he sends them out to apply what they have learnt, then he brings them back to reflect.
Don't reach out on your own
Go out with hope and expectation
Gives as freely as you have received
Don't get weighed down in the things in the world
travel light
be faithful
If they refuse to listen, shake the dust of your feet, take peace, leave fear.
You will be put down but tell them about God
Do not worry about your response or what you are going to say
God will give you the right words to say at the right time
it will be the spirit talking through you
people may get hurt, killed, betrayed or whatever and you will be hated but everyone who endures to the end will be saved.
get involved
Christianity is not a spectators sport
There is not a certain number on a team...Everyone can play!

Spring Harvest 15.04.09

2009-04-25T19:04:00.004+01:00

Who?
-The Holy Spirit
-First mentioned in Genesis
-Inspires Prophets
-Lands on jesus when he is baptised (the dove)
-is mysterious but beautiful
-Heals
-Gives gifts
-Unpredictable Power

What?
-The Spirit works on you before you know God
-Baptism 'Dunked in the spirit'
-Gives power when you feel afraid

Gifts

-Fruits of the spirit - Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self control

-Of knowledge, arts, evangalism

Acts 1 v1

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%201:1;&version=65;
All the jesus BEGAN to do
acts is the story of Jesus carrying on his works.
Jesus started it, you carry it on!
Disciples share the good nes and heal people and we all get to do that too..

What 'job' has jesus given me to do?

Acts 24 v14

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2024:14%20;&version=65;
Stand up = getting noticed, being visible
church should be visible, noticed so that people know where to go to speak to God
Through what a church looks like, God is saying
'Here i am, This is where i hang out'
Advertising: they want people to know where you can get hold of things
God is advertising through us!
Bravery and boldness
Raise Your Voice = be audible
Ways to be audible?
Address the crowd = Being understandable
talking sense, saying the right thing
'everyone who calls on the name of the lord will be saved'
Not shouting at people
Talking with them in a way they understand
connecting with them
use something that is culturally relevant use something that everyone is into

When you step inside the story what would you have done?
Be wise in the way you act to outsiders, and take all opportunities
have the right response for everyone
turn problems to opportunities

The crowd disrupt the meeting. Peter took the opportunity to preach
Be looking for them
Be ready
Be prepared
be ready to share God's word
You make the descision before the opportunity comes
Being prepared to do something at the B of the Bang
Don't wait, do it NOW
being prepared - Packing your suitcase
Always be ready to give reasons for what you believe
Always having something to say
look for the opportunity
What would you say if someone asked you about god?
Think of problems and change them into opportunities!