Portadown Christian Centre Blog

Armour bearers?

2010-01-30T15:54:00.001-08:00

1 Samuel 14 speaks about Jonathan's armour bearer. I was thinking about the importance of having someone to relate to when facing battles and tests in our lives. This may be a close friend, your wife, your husband or a relative. In biblical days the “officer” in the Israelite army had an “assistant” known as an armour bearer. The armour bearer would help the officer in fighting and administration of the army. They would often simply carry the armour and weapons of the officer, so they were known as armor bearers. In ancient times they had to be unusually brave and loyal, since the lives of their masters often depended on them. Later, God would raise up a special armour bearer for King Saul: a young man named David. Lord bless those who cover us in the love of God and in the protection of prayer during our times of battle. Together we achieve more!

Be alert at all times!

2010-01-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

Jesus repeatedly warned his disciples during the latter part of his ministry to stay alert and be ready for his return. But what does being ready mean? Does it mean knowing the exact time of his return -- the day or the hour? No, we can't know that. So what does it mean? It means to live with faithful vigilance, expectation, and hope for Jesus' return. He stands near and can return at any time.

Although I did not see Him...

2009-12-30T15:05:00.000-08:00

One of my friends at church wrote this poem after recently walking away from a car accident unharmed! It's totally inspired by the Lord. I hope you are blessed by these words.

Although I did not see Him,
I know that He was there,
For faithfully and lovingly,
He had placed me in His care.

His protection, so divine-
I dare not question why,
He spared my life, while others die
It’s all part of His plan.

I believe His words to me are true
And His actions spoke so loud,
That I should always trust His love,
Instead of being proud.

I’ve gone my own way for so long,
But yet the path was wide,
Now I walk the narrow road,
At least He’s by my side.

I’d like to share my Father’s love,
And show you what I’ve been given,
A gift so precious, none can compare-
Not a secret to be kept hidden.

I want the world to see and know,
Daddy gives me what it takes,
To wear this heart upon my sleeve,
Even though at times it breaks.

So if you don’t know of whom I speak,
Or maybe you’re not sure,
I pray you’ll hear deep down inside,
A gentle knocking at your door.

I pray that you’ll invite Lord Jesus in,
For He does not force His way,
He loves to come to be your friend,
One who’ll never go away.

by Sarah White 2009

If.....

2009-12-04T03:42:00.000-08:00

Someone once said "If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin". This life can be full of what if's? The "if" can be the stumbling block.

Cross formula....

2009-11-26T03:32:00.000-08:00

3 nails + 1 cross = 4 given. Nice!

an unending Kingdom!

2009-11-23T03:40:00.000-08:00

PCC now meets at 6am each Thursday to interceed for our government and all areas of society affected by it's laws and decisions. We also pray for church members, their families and for those in our community who are not in relationship with Christ. We have in particular been seeking the Lord about the mountains of influence eg. health, education, banking, media etc.. Isaiah 2(1 -3) makes good reading as we pray into these spheres of influence. Have a read at them. "...the mountain of the LORD'S house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow into it...". A mountain as a prophetic symbol indicates either a kingdom or a government which amounts to the same thing due to the fact that a kingdom is a form of government. We understand from scripture that the Kingdom of God knows no end!(Luke 1:33).

God is with us....

2009-11-13T03:27:00.000-08:00

Many people ask, "How do I come to terms with my times of suffering, times when it has sometimes felt like God has left me and I have been all alone?" Well, whilst as Christians we are not immune to suffering, God can draw positive things out of our suffering (Romans 8:28). Even if this does not make full sense of our suffering, it does bring a positive dynamic from it, as to some extent it cancels out the sense of waste we often feel from “the years that the locusts have eaten” (Joel 2:25). In Psalm 23 the Lord promises to be with us or as one commentator put it - God our Shepherd "confronts" the pain and trial with us! We were never meant to go it alone. Lean on Jesus today. Whatever the situation, Abba God is with us.

Power for living

2009-11-06T03:24:00.000-08:00

2 Peter 1:3-4 says "3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires". These verses really grab me. Father God has supplied us with His power and knowledge to withstand temptation. Having been implanted with the divine nature we have been given the desire and power to do God's will.

Faith is not a wish!

2009-10-19T03:37:00.000-07:00

I quote from Mick Turner's article on faith, "Faith isn’t so much about having a big idea. Faith isn’t about how much belief you can muster up. Faith isn’t like spiritual childbirth, where you experience the pain of labor. It is not about trying to create the future by believing it will be so. Faith is not the Christian version of a wish. It is not about speaking something into reality. Faith is different. Faith is about substance. It’s about knowing what has not happened will certainly happen. Not because you will make it happen but because God has promised it will be so. It is a conviction about things unseen. It is the promise of a better world, a better future – a better you".

Led into darkness to find the light!

2009-10-12T03:17:00.000-07:00

Exodus 20:21 says "And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was". While the people continued to stand afar off - afraid of God's wrath, Moses drew near unto the thick darkness; he was made to draw near. Moses of himself would not have ventured into the thick darkness if God had not called him, and encouraged him, and, as some of the Rabbins suppose, sent an angel to take him by the hand, and lead him up. So it is with our Christian journey that we are sent into dark situations just to find that we have been called there to discover the light of God's amazing presence.

Faith pleases God.

2009-10-09T03:36:00.000-07:00

Someone once said that faith is not the greatest of gifts but rather love. However Faith is the foundation for worship because you give your all to what you cannot see. Faith is why Jesus could have absolutely nothing in the eyes of the world, yet possess everything in the eyes of God. Hebrews 11:6 claims that it is faith that pleases God.

songs from the heart....

2009-10-02T03:25:00.000-07:00

Psalm 28:7 says, "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song". When your heart leaps it is because your have become excited or have received goods news for example. Does the fact that God loves us still cause our hearts to skip a beat? It is interesting to note that some people that I meet seem to sing to themselves when they are at their happiest. When the heart is glad a song gets released. Perhaps we could work on our spiritual singing even outside the church walls.

Sticking together ...

2009-09-29T03:37:00.000-07:00

For those pondering over the thoughts of marraige or for those married for some time, then perhaps you will enjoy this quote - "You don’t marry someone you can live with – you marry the person who you cannot live without". Love is the adhesion of any strong marriage. Stick together.

Sun Shine!

2009-09-22T03:32:00.000-07:00

"For you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings"(Mal. 4:2, NIV). I read an article that said that sunshine has so many healing properties that it is really one of God's best preventive medicines. Medical science has found it to aid in the reduction of high blood pressure, the normalization of blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and even to help in reducing obesity by stimulating the thyroid gland, which regulates the rate in which the body burns calories. Many years ago medical science discovered that the sun's healing rays helped to cure tuberculosis by destroying disease-producing bacteria. Sunshine lifts our spirits. It truly is one of our God's natural stress reducers. How fitting that the God who created the sun and gave it all its wonderful healing characteristics should Himself be called the Sun of righteousness. Bring on the Sun Shine!

Sweet words..

2009-09-21T12:42:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 16:24 says "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones". The Word of God gives life to us physically and sweetens our soul.

Our part in change...

2009-09-17T03:47:00.000-07:00

Someone once said, "Some make it happen, some watch it happen, and some say, What happened?" Where do we see ourselves?

How big have we made God in our eyes?

2009-09-16T03:52:00.000-07:00

On days when 'our world' seems bigger than God perhaps we should read again Psalm 90:2. It says, "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God". God always was. He is the I AM. God is bigger than the air we breathe and the world we'll leave. God will save the day!

New heart...

2009-09-15T03:19:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel 36:26(TLB) says, "And I will give you a new heart—I will give you new and right desires—and put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony hearts of sin and give you new hearts of love." Stone by nature is hard, cold, senseless and dead. Sin will manifest such conditions in us if we don't yield and surrender our hearts to Christ. Jesus Christ is the great heart-changer. Lord make our hearts new today and let them beat after You and not after the desires of this world.

The Father's Heart....hopes for the best!

2009-09-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

We have just returned from a fantastic residential church weekend with some great people from England and Ireland. We hung out together but most of all we encountered the heart of Father God(Abba). In the story of the prodigal son we discover that the real message is about the Father's heart. Without the forgiveness of a loving Father the son would be still ryhming off his unworthiness. Instead the Father puts a robe and a ring on his son and throws a celebration. Yes, the critical heart made accusations that the party was uncalled for and undeserving of a son who blew it totally. However, the Father accepts us at our worst because He is always hoping for the best.

Shifting sand....

2009-09-02T03:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a great quote by Max Lucado, "Write today's worries in sand. Chisel yesterday's victories in stone". It's interesting to think that sand shifts constantly. The Bible tells us not to worry but trust. Our worries will shift through standing on the "rock" of our salvation Jesus Christ. This Rock is immoveable, unchanging, faithful and able to do the impossible.

God makes something out of nothing!

2009-09-01T03:44:00.000-07:00

I read a quote today that said, "We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing". Faith is working with invisible substance. Yet it has tangible results! Let's concentrate today on the result of our faith. Remember our starting point is nothing. God loves to make something out of nothing, after all is God the Creator!

....the road less travelled by

2009-08-31T04:31:00.000-07:00

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less travelled by. And that has made all the difference." (Extract from "The Road Not Taken", a poem by Robert Frost). Our journey in God will take us down many different roads. Our choice is to follow the road of faith. Well-travelled or familiar roads are not always the correct ones to take. I have found that many people can take the road of indifference. Indifference is basically a state of not caring. I can't imagine being on a more unproductive path through life. Jesus said, "I am the way, The Truth, and the Life.."(John 14:6). We have already been given our direction in Christ and this will surely make all the difference in our lives.

Repeat play!

2009-08-24T03:49:00.000-07:00

Mother Theresa once said "Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless". Sometimes we need to consider the words we sow. Are they blessing or are they curses? I have come to understand more and more that our words have roots and actually grow into something outside of our control. You can't take them back once spoken. They will wound or encourage the receiver. Matthew 12:36 says "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned". Interestingly an echoe has multiple repeats of the same phrase. Lets put good kind words on echoe or repeat play today and everyday with God's help. God loves you! God loves you! God loves you! God loves you! God loves you!

Chosen and adopted

2009-08-19T04:06:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 1:3-8 says "I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding". These verses sum up our identity in Christ. We have been chosen and adopted as sons of the most High. Sonship means that we inherit our Fathers identity. Wow!

Identity crisis!

2009-08-14T03:24:00.000-07:00

The LORD who revealed Himself as YHVH in the Old Testament is revealed as Yeshua (Jesus) in the New Testament. Jesus shares the same attributes as YHVH and clearly claims to be YHVH. In John 8:56-9, Jesus presents himself as the "I AM." When challenged by some Jewish leaders regarding His claim of seeing Abraham (who lived some 2000 years earlier), Jesus replied, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM." Those Jewish leaders understood that Jesus was claiming to be YHVH. This is clearly established when they tried to stone Him to death for what they considered blasphemy under Jewish Law. The Lord Jesus had to cope with His disputed identity. He was not received by many. However for those who receive Him He gives us the right to be called the children of God. Do you know who you are?

Words of wisdom

2009-08-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

Some words of wisdom -
The worst thing to be without is Hope
The deadliest weapon is The tongue
The two most powerful words are Can do
The greatest asset is Faith
The most worthless emotion is Self-pity
The worst thing you can lose is Self-respect
The most satisfying work is Helping others
The ugliest personality trait is Selfishness
The most beautiful attire is A smile!
The most prized possession is Integrity
The most contageous spirit is Enthusiasm
The most powerful communication is Prayer

Light and shadows

2009-08-12T13:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the Lord calms the storm for His child but other times the Lord calms the child in the storm. We sometimes feel that the result of prayer should be the immediate removal of the opposing force. I agree that sometimes this is the case. However, I have also found the words of Psalm 23 comforting when facing a dark shadowey valley in my faith journey. We must walk these valley's but the Lord's light will cut a trail through for us. You can't have a shadow without light being present. I just love to draw comfort from that revelation. Let the Lord light up your path with His word today. Be strong, help is on the way.

Friends who encourage

2009-08-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

2 Corinthians 7:6 says - "But God, Who comforts and encourages and refreshes and cheers the depressed and the sinking, comforted and encouraged and refreshed and cheered us by the arrival of Titus"(Amp.) Has anyone ever come into your life and brought encouragement when you were feeling down? Have you told them today?

Spread a little kindness

2009-08-10T03:21:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 4:32 says “And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” We don’t realize it, but it is easy to neglect people when life becomes filled with routine and mundane tasks. It's easy to get off focus on the real stuff. Paul reminds us here in the book of Ephesians that we are to care for everyone no matter what our situation. It is true that a little kindness goes a long way. Spread a little today.

Healing Rain

2009-08-08T05:17:00.000-07:00

Read an extract from Michael W Smith's song "Healing Rain" -
Healing Rain is coming down
It's coming closer to this old town
Rich and poor, weak and strong
It's bringing mercy, it won't be long
Healing rain is coming down
It's coming closer to the lost and found
Tears of joy and tears of shame
Are washed forever in Jesus' name
Choose today to let the hurts be washed away in Jesus' name. Lord let Your healing rain come down on us. Heal us. We are not afraid.

Putting out the rubbish!

2009-08-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

Phil 3:7-8 says "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ".
Everything in our lives should be like rubbish (literally excrement or poop in the Greek) compared to Jesus Christ. A quick way to find out what is important to us is to look at our calendar, email inbox, and credit card statements. What you spend your time on and how you spend your money will tell you where your heart is and what you are passionate about. It's a question of priorities. What rubbish should we put out today?

Giving back

2009-08-06T03:26:00.000-07:00

I heard a quote recently that said "Your talent is Gods gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God". I believe that everyone has something unique to give or share. If all we do in life is take we become self focused and unproductive. So you ask what can I give? What about some encouragement for those who pioneer on your behalf, a kind word for the person or friend who is struggling, a bunch of flowers for a loved for just being that, a few minutes to have coffee with someone who is lonely or cheering your ministers heart by your presence to name just a few. Let's live our lives as a gift back to God and in the process change someone elses.

Looking for happiness?

2009-08-04T05:17:00.000-07:00

American author Helen Keller once said, "When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us". It is often true that we spend more time on what could have been than on what lies before us today. The Psalmist David gave us a Prescription for Happiness in Psalm 1:1-3. He said that blessed(or happy) is the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the ungodly, or stand in the path of sinners or sit in the seat of the scornful. David is basically saying that we we must position ourselves in order to experience happiness in God. Planted people bear fruit!

Less is more!

2009-07-30T12:49:00.000-07:00

In the words of Henry Beecher, "Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right use of strength". We live in a world that promotes the survival of the fittest or the every man(or woman) for themself culture. It is true to suggest that enemies are made over the parade of the wrong use of strength. The Kingdom of God operates in such a manner that the weak will be made strong and the strong will be made weak . To quote a supermarket slogan - "less is more"! 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says “..9 My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong". The strength of Lord is not a parade of pride or dominance. It is pure and righteous and produces real victory.

God knows our show size!

2009-07-29T15:38:00.000-07:00

Corrie TenBoom said "If God sends us on strong paths, He will provide us with strong shoes". This inspirational quote got me thinking that the Lord has equipped us with the shoes of the Gospel of peace. We can walk in the ordered steps of peace if we are wearing the correct footwear! Life does serve us some strong paths but there is One who has already walked where we walk. Today take comfort from the fact that God knows your show size and He wants you to wear them well.

God is for us!

2009-07-21T03:42:00.000-07:00

How far is the sheep from the Shepherd? How far is the branch from the Vine? God is near you. Psalm 56:9 says "When I send up my cry to you, my haters will be turned back; I am certain of this, for God is with me". Some translations say that "God is for me". One things for certain - God is with us, we are not alone. God knows our whole story from first to final breath. Nothing stuns God. Nothing we will do will make Him think that we were not worth saving. Wow, such grace!

In sickness and in health...

2009-07-17T15:35:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks since a blog update. Life has been frantic with surgery, hospital visits, scans and check ups. My wife and I have discovered that life just keeps going at it's frantic pace but you sometimes have to cross over to the slower lane to heal up. God is our strength and our hope. We thank God for a praying church family and friends outside too who are praying us through. God is faithful in sickness and in health. I recently pondered over Romans 8:11 "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal (Natural, Earthly) bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." This is talking about our natural body. The one we have now, not the one we're going to receive one day in heaven! We praise Him for the NOW promise of health!

What would the neighbours say?

2009-06-26T15:37:00.000-07:00

When God gives us a job to do, He gives us the means to do it as well. God gave Noah the instruction manual that he needed to build the ark. Noah preached repentance to the people but they ignored or scorned him. How difficult it must have been to remain faithful for so long, when all the circumstances in Noah’s life must have made him think twice about his project. God asks us to look beyond circumstances and look to Him instead. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that this is what faith is, relying on what God tells us rather than what we see. Sometimes God has us do what seems really quite against the status quo. Faith requires trust. Trust produces action. Noah didn't get hung up on what the neighbours were thinking! What about you?

Greatness in smallness

2009-06-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

Anthropologist Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has." When I read this I think about the group of 12 men who surrounded Jesus on his ministry. I think about all that was accomplished through the fervent passion of the few yet that passion spread throughout the earth and continues to spread to this day. Never stop at your smallness. Ponder His greatness within your smallness. That is pretty effective.

Jumps of faith!

2009-06-19T03:27:00.000-07:00

I read something amusing today - "Five frogs are sitting on a log. Four decide to jump off. How many are left? There are still five - because there's a difference between deciding and doing." This got me thinking about James 2:26 which makes the statement - "faith without works is dead". James is examining two kinds of faith: one that leads to godly works and one that does not. One is true, and the other is false. One is dead, the other alive. James is simply saying that if you ‘say' you are a Christian, then there had better be some appropriate works displayed or your faith is false. Can the dead ‘faith' that someone has which produces no change in a person and no good works before men and God be a faith that justifies? Absolutely not. It is not merely enough to say you believe in Jesus. You must actually believe and trust in Him. If you actually do, then you will demonstrate this faith by a changed and godly life. Go on - jump off the log!

Hope is alive...

2009-06-18T03:33:00.000-07:00

I came accross a great definition of faith. It said " Faith sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible". Romans 10:17 declares that faith comes by hearing the word of God. When we truely grasp the promises of God's word our eyes and ears are opened to what is possible with God. God turns our faith into substance. We can touch His promises in our lives. D.L. Moody once said, "A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your soul". Activate your faith today. Keep hope alive in your soul.

...an empty cross?

2009-06-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

I read a quote today by Skip Moen that said, "And what words would make the cross worth nothing? How about words like good enough, fair, tolerance, correct, personal opinion, relative, cultural, acceptable or does not hurt anyone? Wherever sin is minimized, the cross is emptied. Wherever God is ignored, the cross is emptied. Wherever you and I refuse to submit to the call of the King, the cross is emptied". Lets never minimise the greatest act of love for humankind. Christ died for sin. Once and for all. He endured to the end and as a result we are saved.

One day

2009-06-09T03:36:00.000-07:00

Psalm 84:10 says, "For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness".
The "house" of the Lord provides eternal dwelling, whereas the wicked dwell in temporary "tents." A single day in His presence is far superior to all of the thousand best days the world can provide combined.

Attitude check

2009-06-06T05:13:00.000-07:00

Philippians 2:3-5 says "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:". Andrew Murray said, "Humility is perfect quietness of heart, It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble". Let's ponder humilty again and discover that perhaps it is time we had an attitude check?

What is acceptable worship?

2009-06-05T03:42:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 12:28 says "Since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, Let us worship God acceptably with reverence and awe for our God is a Consuming Fire." Still on the subject of worship a recent journal discussed the point that if there is acceptable worship then there is also unacceptable worship. What is acceptable worship? The first portrait of worship casts Cain and Able, the sons of Adam and Eve. Cain was a gardener, botonist, a man of the soil; Abel was a shepherd, a man of the flocks. The time comes when they both bring their sacrifices to the Lord, but only Abel’s was pleasing to the Lord, or acceptable. Why? Remember, what Cain brought to the Lord was a beautiful offering of fruit from the ground, most likely with a proud smile on his face, expecting to impress the Lord with his succulent sacrifice. He’d harvested the fruit, tilled the land, nourished the seeds, and now was presenting an impressive buffet to God! Abel brought to the Lord one of his innocent baby lambs. Undoubtedly with tears in his eyes and hurt in his heart, after having to slit the throat of one of his beloved flock. Both were costly sacrifices, but the approaches were polar opposites: Cain went to God with pride in his heart; Abel went with brokenness. Abel's sacrifice was pleasing to the Lord, because it was obedient to God’s design.

Who gets the glory?

2009-06-02T03:29:00.000-07:00

1 Samuel 4(1 - 11) tells us of two consecutive battles that Israel lost to the Philistines. After the Israelites get thrashed in battle on day one they decide to bring the ark of the covenant into the camp with the hope that IT would save them and bring victory. However here we find the mistake that they looked to the ark and not to the LORD of the ark. We must be careful to never put the emphasis on the "tools" of our worship for unless the Lord goes before us we are sure to encounter defeat. Even though the ground shook when Israel recognised the arks presence in the camp they had their eyes fixed on the "thing" and not the "One" who would bring victory over the enemy. God's presence cannot be treated as a "good-luck" charm! God's presence is to be feared and not used for man's glory.

Love God. Love People.

2009-05-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

I read a study recently that lifted the lid on what worship involves. It said - To be a worshiper of God and lover of God is the greatest commandment of God—Deut. 6:5, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart andwith all your soul and with all your might.” Jesus picked up on this when he was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” He quotes the Shema.
Nothing new here, nothing controversial or revolutionary. But then Jesus does the unexpected, he attaches another command to it, this one from Leviticus 19:18: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And this is the genius of Jesus—heshows us that loving God, worshipping God, is intricately connected to loving people. Love God, Love People. Jesus was saying “If you love me, then love people.”

Take my breath away!

2009-05-23T05:13:00.000-07:00

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." Quite an inspirational thought. There will be many moments in life when situations and circumstances will take our breath away like the birth of a child, joining in marraige, the death of a loved one, sickness.... Genesis 2:7 tells us that God breathed life into man. We carry His breath in us and we breathe this same breath back as we worship Him. His gives breath and He takes it away.

The Goodness of God

2009-05-22T03:46:00.000-07:00

The Greek word used for "good" is kalos (kal-oss). This word signifies that which is beautiful, pleasing, acceptable, excellent, attractive, honest, serviceable, that which is good in the aesthetic, physical and moral sense. God’s goodness is perfect. His goodness encompasses His love, grace, mercy, pity, compassion, long-suffering, kindness, and other expressions of a tender and fatherly quality. We find God’s goodness manifested in forgiveness, in His supply and bounty of blessing the fruit of labor, body, cattle, lands, etc. He preserves humankind and animals. He delivers from distress, gives good gifts, satisfies hungry souls, provides rain and sun to all, is slow to anger. Even the unthankful and evil receive from God’s goodness. However, those who would call upon Him, ask of Him, seek Him, wait for Him, desire Him…those who would continue in His goodness…find even greater goodness and blessedness in their lives.

Steps of Faith

2009-05-20T03:38:00.000-07:00

Martin Luther King, Jr once said "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step". Consider the two statements - "what will happen if" and "what will happen now". The first statement remains a question while the latter is current reality. Peter stepped out of the boat, Abraham's elderly wife Sarah conceived, Mary accepted the word of the Lord and birthed the Son of God, Nehemiah built the ruined walls of Jerusalem, Noah built the ark and so on... There are steps we have to take to get our breakthroughs and walk into our destiny in Christ Jesus.I am concvinced that the first step is called obedience.

Seasons

2009-05-18T14:01:00.000-07:00

Eric Butterworth once said "Don't go through life, grow through life". There are seasons of the soul. Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 says " To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance". Within the wisdom of the scriptures discover that life will bring many situations are way, but ultimately we will grow in faith as we look back on the faithfulness of God who always brings us through.

More Lord!

2009-05-16T12:07:00.000-07:00

Psalm 63:1 says "O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water". Jesus is not using "hunger" or "thirst" as we would describe the emptiness or dryness we feel between meals, but a hunger or thirst that seemingly can never be satisfied. With physical appetite, this would be a hunger and thirst that, even after a full meal with plenty of drink, we would still feel as though we could eat and drink much more! One commentator describes it as, "a hunger of the man who is starving for food, and the thirst of the man who will die unless he drinks". Ever been that thirsty? It paraphrases the modern day cry of "More Lord!"

Sheer delight!

2009-05-14T13:35:00.000-07:00

Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." Everyone wants to know how to get God to give them the desires of their heart. "Delight" here in Psalm 37:4 is the Hebrew word oneg, which means "to treat as a delicacy." So, how does one delight in the LORD? Well Isaiah 58:13,14 says that those who stop walking in their own ways and remember to keep the Sabbath holy will delight(oneg) themselves in the LORD. It seems that by obeying the commands of the LORD we will reap Godly benefits. Delicacy by definition is the appreciation of fineness. Let's obey His voice today and by so doing taste and see that He is good!

Is God making a point?

2009-05-13T11:38:00.000-07:00

We all know the story. Jonah didn't think the people of Ninevah should escape God's wrath. Jonah had a "vengeance" issue! Despite Jonah's heart God shows Jonah kindness by providing a great fish to get him out of choppy waters and a plant to shade him from the sun. God then removes Jonah's comforts to make His point by providing a worm to eat the plant and a hot east wind to weaken his strength. There are times when you will feel out of your comfort zone and even weak in your own strength. We need to discern - Is God making a point?

Success?

2009-05-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

Matthew 25:21 says, "His lord said to him, Well done, good and true servant: you have been true in a small thing, I will give you control over great things: take your part in the joy of your lord." This scripture is the best definition of success. The world measures success on a set of completely different principles to that of God's Kingdom. Character is the only thing we bring to Heaven. On that day the pressing issue will not be how "well known" you became on earth. Rather how well you were known in Heaven. Dwight L Moody said "Character is what you are in the dark". Who we are in private justifies who we are in public. That's true success!

Beams and specks

2009-05-06T14:36:00.000-07:00

Matthew 7:3 says, "Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?". The Jewish Rabbinc style of teaching often used exageration to make a point...which makes for quite interesting word pictures, as in this case. It drives the point home. The true meaning of what the Lord Jesus was saying here is that we should not become critical of others in order to lift ourselves higher. There are plenty of places in the Bible that do call us to make judgement calls, and even correct others in a loving, humble spirit. Mother Teresa was quoted as saying, "If you judge people, you have not time to love them." This true statement also warns us of the pre-occupation of sitting in wrong judgement of others when there is so much loving to do.

Courage

2009-05-05T03:20:00.000-07:00

Joshua 1:9 says, ""Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Courage is taken from the Latin Cor meaning heart. Our hearts are strengthened with this promise to Joshua that the LORD is with his servants wherever they go. Someone once said that "courage is often not a loud roar. It simply says that I will try again tomorrow". Don't give up. The Lord is with you. Take heart.

The measure of a life well lived

2009-05-04T04:19:00.000-07:00

Corrie Ten Boon was quoted as saying, "the measure of a life is not in it's duration, but rather in it's donation". We must devote our christian lives to encouraging each other. What we donate will most likely be our legacy which will outlive us.

A place called Rest

2009-04-29T11:25:00.000-07:00

Mark 6:31 says, "And He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while." (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat)". Unless we find a place to rest in the peace of the Lord then we will find that we will become weary in well-doing which is not what the scriptures advise. Let's not neglect the wisdom that the Lord Jesus has provided in these words to his disciples - "come away and rest for a while". It is not implied that you stop living your everyday life. The motivation behind the words is that we gain strength by working out of rest in the Lord. This is easy to quote yet difficult to apply at times when the world places pressures on you. However, the balance must be struck. The Lord cared for his discples well-being too as they had not stopped to eat due to the pressures placed on them by people's needs. Remember that the Lord cares for us both physically and spiritually. Let's find this placed called rest.

Father of Lights

2009-04-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

James 1 v 17 says "every good and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning". God has no variation or shadow in Him. If we could fully look on God there would be no shadow, no dark side, or even hidden part to God. This is because God does not change. He is not fickle. He remains the same and we need not fear a shadow in God. God gives us good and perfect things and we can count on Him to do that in the midst of our struggles. It is not always clear what those good things will be, or how anything good could come out of the trial we are in. But we can't look directly at our situation to give us what is good. Rather, we look to "the Father of lights" who never changes.

The prosperous slave!

2009-04-23T13:57:00.000-07:00

Genesis 39:2 says "And the LORD was with Joseph and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian". Surrounded by the extravagant riches of his master, yet serving as a slave; the word of God declares that Joseph was a prosperous man. This seems to defie all logic. Prosperity is knowing that God is truely with you. It's not based on the riches of man. Joseph operated in faith. He ministered wholeheartedly to meet the needs of others. He was a trustworthy person and was highly favoured. However he also went on to be imprisoned due to false accusations. Yet Joseph did not give up the vision and dream that he had been given. I often wonder was the test of his character more in the success and favour than in the hardships? Whether in success or hardship we must never lose our vision. Galations 6:9 says "and let us not become weary in well-doing; for in due season we will reap, if we faint not". Let's take some lessons from Joseph God's "prosperous slave".

God's delight

2009-04-22T14:55:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 62:4 reads "It will no longer be said to you forsaken, nor to your land will it any longer be said desolate, for my delight is in her, and your land married; for the Lord delights in you and to Him your land will be married". In this passage we learn of Isaiah's love for Jerusalem and indeed the Lords love for His people. She shall be called by a new name, a pleasant name. She shall be married to Jehovah and be under His ownership and protection as is implied by the land being called married. What a glorious relationship we have with our God. We are His delight. His sole property.

Who do we see in the storm?

2009-04-21T05:27:00.000-07:00

Matthew 14(22 – 28) tells us that the disciples were in their boat in the middle of a lake (3 miles from shore) between 3 – 6 in the morning. The disciples were exhausted after rowing for hours against the wind and were probably going nowhere fast. Then Jesus comes along and is mistaken for a ghost. Jesus then says "Don’t be afraid. It is I." The phrase "It is I" also means "I am." It was the normal response of a person identifying themselves, but with Jesus it takes on special significance. Here He is identifying himself to them as the one who can walk on the water, i.e. God. He will use the phrase later on in the Garden of Gethsemane and knock the soldiers back with the power of His words. It always seemed that whenever the disciples got into their boat they were surely heading for a test of faith. We can feel like that too. We are desiring to move forward but the wind of resistance seems to face us. These circumstances raise a cry from our hearts to the Great I Am who by the force of His words; calms the wind and secures our hope. God identifies with us in the storms of life. He comes to remind us that He has full control.

The Shining Ones.

2009-04-20T12:28:00.001-07:00

Matthew 5:14 says, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden". Commentaries on this verse claim that Jesus was making reference to a city called Safed which could be viewed from most of Galilee even in the morning fog and at night it's lights could be seen from a distance. Ancient cities were set on hills as a means of defence and they most definitely were made to be seen. The business of the church is not just to save but to enlighten or give out light. Jesus Christ is the Light and as His disciples we shine His light. The church is made to reflect His glorious light that penetrates the fabric of society and gives hope to those living in darkness. We are called to be the "shining ones". Shine, Jesus, Shine!

Patched Up or Made new?

2009-04-19T01:34:00.000-07:00

I Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, all things have become new". Jesus also said that no one puts a piece of new cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; if it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into new wineskins, and so both are preserved. Matthew 9:16-17. It seems that the condition of the container is of paramount importance. God is always willing to pour out of His goodness. There is no short supply of this divine source. We however, limit the capacity to contain this divine source. If we choose to live with patches instead of being made new then we will never know full freedom. Let's choose to make ourselves ready for the "new thing" by presenting ourselves pure and holy before the Lord our God. Pour over me today Lord Jesus Your precious Holy Spirit.

Now is the time!

2009-04-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

On Sunday 5th April another wave of His glory swept into the hall where we met. Young and old worshipped with a new passion and reverence. Some experienced a burning sensation in their bodies and many lay prostrate on the floor in awe. In particular our young people were greatly impacted with 7 and 11 year olds laying on the floor receiving an impartation of Holy Spirit. We know that we are at a place called "near Him". We must like Moses be hidden in the Rock. Lord we cry, "Less of me and MORE of YOU!". Keep coming Holy Spirit!

Wave of the Holy Spirit hits PCC!

2009-04-03T03:21:00.000-07:00

Hey faithful readers. Just wanted to thank the Lord for a mighty refreshing wave that hit us at our Refresh meeting on Tuesday 31st March 2009. The sermon was about receiving the fulness of the Holy Spirit. At the end of the meeting several people were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. This fresh outpouring is what we are beginning to witness all over our Partners in Harvest network. The Lord is equipping His people and then sending them into action. Keep coming Holy Spirit.

Creative Partnership.

2009-04-03T03:15:00.000-07:00

I was emailed the most wonderful facts about the seahorse. Before you close this blog read on!
The love life of the sea horse is endearing. The couple court for several days. They change colour, swim side by side, hold the same strand of sea grass with their tails and wheel around. At last, letting go of any anchors, and snout to snout, they spiral up out of the sea grass. The female deposits her eggs in the male’s brood pouch. He then nurtures them for the next two or three weeks. During this time the female pays her partner regular visits each day. They change colour, and dance together in the sea grass fronds.Eventually the babies pop out, not from Mum, but from Dad! It was a creative partnership. What a blessing it is to have a creative spiritual partnership where we can pray together, hear God together, and help each other to bring visions into reality. It is not good to be alone, but if we are alone, we can say with Mary "be it unto me according to your will" for it is given to us to bring to birth words which God has put into our hearts.

What does God look like?

2009-03-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

John 14:9 says "Jesus said to him, Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Selwyn Hughes once said that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the best photograph ever taken of God. The Father has shown Himself to the world in the person of Jesus Christ. Such love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, grace. The Father is truely extravagant.

...a Living God

2009-03-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

When Jesus Christ taught us that God was 'our Father in Heaven', and loved us dearly as His children, the religious world was turned on its head. Jesus revealed that God was not some lifeless idol or mythical representation made up by man, but that He was 'the living God' who hears prayer and answers. He showed us that God is aware of even our smallest need, and desires for all men to come to Him believing in His care and provision.

Labouring for Revival

2009-02-27T06:59:00.000-08:00

Amos 9:13 says - "Behold, the days come, said the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that sows seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt". Charles Spurgeon commented on this verse, "Notice the activity of labour which is mentioned in the text. God does not promise that there shall be fruitful crops without labor; but here we find mention made of ploughmen, reapers, treaders of grapes, and sowers of seed. The ploughman does not wait, because the season has not yet come for him to plough, but by seeing that God is blessing the land, he has his plough ready, and no sooner is one harvest shouted home than he is ready to plough again. And so with the sower; he has not to prepare his basket and to collect his seed; but while he hears the shouts of the vintage, he is ready to go out to work". Let's be about the Father's business and reap a harvest in due season.

1859 Ulster Revival - Preparation

2009-02-25T14:06:00.000-08:00

Mr James McQuilkin - who many of you may not have heard of, was a man used of God here in Ulster in the revival in 1859. He was converted in 1856 in Ballymena by the witness of an English lady who just spoke to him about the Lord Jesus, and later on James McQuilkin went on to lead three of his friends to the Lord Jesus Christ. The four of them were saved, very early in the faith, but all four of them agreed and covenanted together to meet every Friday evening for prayer and for Bible study. They chose an old school house near Kells in County Antrim, and during the winter of 1857 and 1858 each of them gathered an armful of peat and made their way to the school house every Friday evening. The peat warmed their bodies, and the fire of God coming down from heaven warmed their heart as they sought God's face for revival.

Intimacy or proximity?

2009-02-14T14:41:00.000-08:00

Luke 10:38-42. Mary chose intimacy with Jesus - being with Jesus no matter what else was going on around her. Martha chose proximity with Jesus - there were in the same house but she was distracted by what she was doing. Jesus didn't scold Martha for working or doing what she was doing. He was scolding her for being distracted. Martha could have been doing all the things that she was doing and still chosen intimacy with Him but she chose to be distracted by her doing. As followers of Christ, we are not called to stop everything we are doing and live our whole lives in only contemplation. Contemplation is an important part of our relationship with God but that is not the ONLY way we can be intimate with Him. As followers of Christ we need to be choosing to be always with Jesus, no matter what we are doing.

Recline and be satisifed.

2009-02-07T14:51:00.001-08:00

I read these comments recently taken from the Bible passage Psalm 23. Green pastures are a reflection of the spring rains. The cold days of winter have passed. This Psalm reminds me a lot of a feast found in Mark 6. In this passage, Jesus tries to get away for a little rest and solitude. (He is unsuccessful in his attempt.) As he gets out of the boat, he sees the crowd that has assembled on that hillside and his heart aches. It aches because “they were like sheep without a shepherd.” They were vulnerable, empty, and unsatisfied.After a brief (but significant) conversation with his disciples, he tells the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. I don’t think it is an accident that the Good Shepherd who is filled with compassion makes the people lie down in green pastures. (It was customary to recline while eating.) And then... The Great Shepherd (Heb 13:20) provides a feast that leads to satisfaction and leftovers!

The Father wants His house back!

2009-02-05T03:16:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 57:6 says; “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”. We also see in Matthew 21:13 that Jesus declared that His Father's house would not be given over to thieves but that it would be a house of prayer. We are delighted to announce our own House of Prayer initiative at Portadown Christian Centre. We are calling our new "prayer space" net316. It is situated at Glenmahon Park on the Tandragee Road(town centre side). We are obeying the command of scripture to Ask in His name. We want to see our land and nations changed. We understand that we can see this performed one soul at a time. Lets give the Father His house back so that every church whether denominational or non-denominational can be truely called a house of prayer.

Demand exceeds supply - or does it?

2009-01-21T14:49:00.000-08:00

In Matthew chapters 14 and 15, two nearly identical miracles where performed under similar circumstances, probably only a few days apart. Yet the disciples remained doubtful, and were surprised to find that the Lord could pull it off! Do we today still doubt the marvellous works of the Lord? Is the need greater than His ability to supply? I believe the scriptures tell us the opposite.

Sacrifice or Obedience - different aroma?

2009-01-14T12:48:00.001-08:00

1 Samuel 15:22 says "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams".
Wesley wrote, "Obedience to God is a moral duty, constantly and indispensably necessary; but sacrifice is but a ceremonial institution, sometimes unnecessary, as it was in the wilderness: and sometimes sinful, when it is offered by a polluted hand, or in an irregular manner. Therefore thy gross disobedience to God's express command, is not to be compensated with sacrifice. Hearken - That is, to obey. Fat - Then the choicest part of all the sacrifice". It seems to me that we can get caught up with the outward and forget totally the inner voice of the Holy Spirit to obey and act on what we are taught from the scriptures. What aroma are we releasing?

Revive or survive?

2009-01-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

The Holy Spirit once again has come like a great refreshing wave on us. Our gatherings on Sunday witnessed healing and reverent passion. The preaching of the Word of God pointed us towards purity and holiness. God gives us seasons of reallignment. He adjusts our walk if you like. We need to keep in step with His steps. We need to remain centred on doing His will. It's our prayer as we enter 2009, that we will see the greater works of the Lord in our day and in our time. Is the church content to survive on programs or is there a pending "revival" of hearts towards the Lover of our souls?

Wild at heart!

2008-12-30T06:16:00.001-08:00

Just thought I would say a thank you to everyone who has read and commented on our blog link from August till now. 2008 has seen some wonderful new things in the Lord. I believe that 2008 was the birthing of some changes in our lives and ministry. It is with even more passion and determination that we face 2009. The adventure has just begun! The "wildness" of our passionate hearts will propell us to see more souls added to the Kingdom of God this coming year. We pursue God and in pursuing Him we discover Him. We discover everything that we are not. We find His beauty and His rest. We find a loving Father. We find a mighty all powerful ruler. It is with friendship and with fear that we approach Him. Lord light our paths with Your living word.

Putting on Christ.

2008-12-22T08:39:00.000-08:00

Romans 13:12-14 says - "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." The idea of putting on a garment was an image that biblical writers used very often. Putting on Jesus Christ is to be cloaked in Christ, to be covered with Jesus Christ. That is, when anybody sees you they see Christ. If we put on Christ-Likeness then surely this will cause heads to turn for the proper reasons!

Our "Christmas" attitude?

2008-12-19T08:08:00.000-08:00

In Philippians 2, Paul recites - ‘Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.’ Theologians debate the precise meaning of these verses, but one thing they all agree on is that some sense of self-emptying is present in them. The technical theological term for this is kenosis. It speaks of Christ’s ‘giving up’ or ‘self-denial’ for the sake of others. I believe that this is the real attitude and principle to model out this Christmas and indeed every day of our lives.

The Power of Thankfulness

2008-12-08T14:17:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is a form of praise. It unlocks the supernatural miracle power of God. In John 6 we read of the feeding of the 5000. Jesus took the food and gave thanks and then He distributed it. All Jesus did was to thank God for what He had in His hand and then act on that. Jesus didn't pray a long prayer. Also in John 11 we see Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Jesus simply said "Father I thank You that You have heard me.” Then He spoke to Lazarus to come out and out he came! Let's begin to truely thank God that by faith He has heard our cry and that many lives will be changed by what we have placed in His hands.

Holy moments!

2008-12-03T14:31:00.000-08:00

I thought that I would just write some personal reflections in this blog. In recent times I have been so aware of the nearness of God. There have been times in the last few weeks when I have encountered His life changing presence and been left breathless and speechless. I have affectionaltley termed these "holy moments". In these moments of divine intimacy everything else fades into insignificance. We are hidden in the cloud of His glory. I often think of Moses being hidden in the bullrushes, the rock and the palace. Yet great favour was to visit Him. Surely the greatest of all is to have an audience with the Holy one, to be in a divine conversation with the Almighty! Lord we desire more holy moments when we can discover more about Your beauty and holiness. We choose to be lost in wonder at the place called "near You".

The Lord is there

2008-12-01T03:27:00.000-08:00

Ezekiel 48:35 says, "And the name of the city from that time on will be:The LORD is There ." Charles Spurgeon said of this text, "It is esteemed by the prophet to be the highest blessing that could come upon a city that its name should be, "JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH, The Lord is there." Wouldn't it be also great for the Lord to speak a new name over our towns, cities and countries that they would be given the highest honour of claiming that "The LORD is there".

The wonder and the mystery.

2008-11-27T03:10:00.000-08:00

Is this not the wonder and mystery, yes, and the power, of Christ's cross? In anguish and sorrow, wounded in heart and soul, still He offered Himself for His executioners' sins. Without visible evidence of success, deemed a sinner and a failure before man, He courageously held true to mercy. In the depth of terrible crushing, He let love attain its most glorious perfection. He uttered the immortal words, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).

Unlimited access!

2008-11-20T03:29:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 10:11-12"Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties, again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God."
JESUS IS SITTING DOWN! Jesus is seated at the right hand of God not only as a place of honor, but because he's got nothing left to do (but reign over the universe!). That's why he said on the cross "It is finished!". There are no more sacrifices left to make, so he can sit down and rest for the rest of eternity!! No priest would have dared sit down in the Holy of Holies, but that's right where Jesus is sitting. He is seated in the presence of God (the Holy of Holies) and that is why the curtain in the temple ripped in two. There was no more limited access to God, no more need for blood to be shed, no more reason to be scared to and of death! ! ALL of the work is done! Today just 'rest' in the fact that what Jesus has done is enough for you and I in order to walk free.

Still Trading!

2008-11-17T06:11:00.001-08:00

Had a thought during worship time last night. While we hear of more economic uncertainty it is true to say that Heaven is still trading. God is not bankrupt! There is still the storehouse of Almighty God that is as full as ever and God is willing to bless His people with abundance of life. This does not necessarily always mean financial blessing. It can mean salvation, freedom, deliverance, healing, joy, happiness, contentment, peace, rest etc... Today let's trade our sorrows for the joy of the Lord. God is able to provide much more than we can ever imagine!

Message in a cup!

2008-11-14T04:11:00.000-08:00

I felt the Lord speak to me today from Nehemiah 1:11 where it says -
"O LORD, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer".
The cup-bearer had continuous access to the Royal presence and carried great infuence. The original interpretation says that the cup-bearer means "to cause to drink".
I got to thinking - what are we serving or bringing to our family, friends, church leadership, government etc.. It's an interesting thought that we could consider ourselves "message carriers" in the form of cup-bearers for the KING OF KINGS. What message is in your cup?

Wild Dance

2008-11-07T04:12:00.001-08:00

Hi again. It's been a while since our last blog but life has been busy with events and conferences. I thought I would share some thoughts that came through a recent conference I attended. It is from 2 Samuel 6 when David danced "wildly" before the Lord. David danced before the Lord with all his might. He didn't hold back anything in his own expression of worship. He didn't dance out of obligation but out of heartfelt worship. He didn't dance to please men. He was glad to bring the ark of the Lord into Jerusalem according to God's word. There is an associated blessings by having "presence of God" filled people in our midst just as it was for Obed to have the blessing of the Ark rest in his house. Watch the people around get blessed as you rest in the presence of God.

Silent Trust

2008-10-30T14:33:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 30:15 says "..In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength". In repentance (in the thorough reformation of our hearts and lives) and in rest (in an entire submission of our souls to God) we shall be saved and strengthened. It must be in quietness and in confidence; we must keep our spirits calm and sedate by a continual dependence upon God, and in his power and goodness. We must rely upon God with a holy confidence that he can do what he will and will do what is best for his people. This will be our strength; it will inspire us and will carry us with ease and courage through all the difficulties we may meet in life.

Sustained

2008-10-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

Psalm 55:22 says "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved". In every trial let us call upon the Lord, and he will save us. He will hear us, and not blame us for coming too often; the oftener the better! David had thought all were against him; but he discovered that there were many with him, more than he supposed; and the glory of this he gives to God, for it is he that raises us up friends, and makes them faithful to us. There are more friends who will stand with you in the gloomiest of days than you somethings suppose. True genuine friendship can also sustain you in your time of need.

The debt of love!

2008-10-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

Romans 13:8 says - "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who has loved his fellow-man has fulfilled the law".
It is easy to build up the wrong kind of debt. However, we find Paul speaking here about a positive debt which requires the giving of love to others and in so doing we fulfill the law. We owe love - and lots of it!

Open Heavens

2008-10-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

............a Quote by Smith Wigglesworth
"God has a special way of satisfying the cry of His children. He is waiting to open to us the windows of heaven until He has so moved in the depths of our heart that everything unlike Himself is destroyed". Lord search us find no wicked ways within our hearts.

Pursuit

2008-10-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:12 - "I know whom I have believed". Once we experience God's glory, we can't turn away from Him or forget His touch. As A.W Tozer once said, "To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love". Be a pursuer. Know whom you serve.

Come and stay

2008-10-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

A.W. Tozer wrote, "ransomed man need no longer pause in fear to enter the Holy of Holies. God wills that we should push on into His presence and live our whole life there". We need to remember that God would ever dwell with His people. He does not want to live apart from them. Yet why is it we pull against this desire for intimacy. What else must we be doing that is so vital that heaven must wait? The call to come and stay remains.

Single Desire

2008-10-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

Psalm 73:25-26 says, "Whom have I but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever".
Let's ask ourselves the question again today, what else is more lovely and satisfying than the presence of God? Lord, You are our single desire.

Distance matters!

2008-10-10T03:02:00.000-07:00

Scientist's say that the Earth's equatorial diameter is 7926 miles - now that is of course going straight through it not around it. That's quite a distance and helps us to determine the enormity of the planet we live on. Psalm 103:12 says "as far as the east is from the west, that's how far He has removed our transgressions from us". What we deduce from this is that there is an 'incalculable distance' to which our transgressions(violence against the law) have been removed from us. Who can determine the size of our universe and the distance between these two points? Only God!

Kingdom of "opposites"

2008-10-09T05:43:00.000-07:00

I'm always captivated by the concept of the "kingdom of opposites". Let me share a few biblical concepts with you from one of my songs.

Rest for the weary
Strength for the weak
Hope for the hopeless
Peace in times of trouble

The first shall be last
And the last shall be first
The least shall be greatest
And the greatest the least

Joy for sadness
Freedom from shame
Beauty for ashes
Healing from our pain

Little is much in His hands
Little is much in His hands

copyright 2007 George Elliott

Divine 'pressure'

2008-10-06T15:26:00.001-07:00

Matthew 26:36 says - "Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, Sit here while I go and pray over there". Gethsemane in the Greek means the place of the oil press. In the Hebrew it is comparable to the word 'Shemen' meaning grease, richness in anointing, fruitful oil. Perhaps the 'oil-pressing' foot of the Father was pressing down on the Divine 'Olive'. There are most definitely times of pressing on our souls when it seems the Father is silent. Yet the response must always be, Lord not my will but Yours be done. Under times of 'Divine pressure' let us release a fruitful oil that will cause others to see the work that God is performing in us.

The greatest privilege

2008-10-04T06:08:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 4:16 says -"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." The greatest privilege God gives to us is the freedom to approach Him at any time. You are not only authorised to speak to Him; you are invited. You are not only permitted; you are expected. God waits for you to communicate with Him. You have instant, direct access to God. Let's remember today that we as His children can call on Him any time, any place, in any situation and He will show us mercy and grace in our time of need.