Hopeless Rebel…?

We hold David up as an example, a paragon of virtue and as a type of Christ. And he is – but he is still a sinful human being and even godly men can err. David recognised his own weakness as a sinner; a rebel by nature from birth. But it is a great encouragement and relief to us that we can call upon a loving, merciful God when we mess up.

Sit, Walk, Stand – Every Spiritual Blessing

One of the most fundamental things for a Christian to grasp is who they have become in Christ. We can easily see the benefits of being in Christ: eternal security through the forgiveness of sins, a relationship with the living God and the hope that sustains us through our earthy pilgrimage, but what is it that underpins it all?

We have been given ‘Every Spiritual Blessing’ to keep us and to help us to stand in a world which is very much at odds with us.

In this series on Ephesians, I will explore these spiritual blessings, the heavenly weapons we have to fight with and the reality of sitting, walking and standing in-Christ.

More from this series:

https://notrecommendedforministry.wordpress.com/tag/sit-walk-stand/

Further Reading: https://www.reachtheisles.com/post/my-hope-is-built-on-nothing-less

Be Ready for Mission – Stepping Out with Confidence (5/5)

There will be times when you feel less than confident in following your calling, and this is understandable – the task can at times seem overwhelming – some days you may even struggle to get out of bed to do what you have been called to do, making all sorts of excuses. You will also inevitably face all sorts of opposition, not only from within, but also from without.

How can we be confident going forward?

The fifth part of series about Calling and Missions called ‘Be Ready’.

More from this series: https://notrecommendedforministry.wordpress.com/tag/missions/

Be Ready for Mission – Let God Lead (4/5)

It can be very tempting when engaging in ministry to get ahead of yourself, where the temptation is to ‘hit the ground running’, but, if we limit ourselves to our own efforts and imagination and work within our own comfort zone, we do exactly that: we limit ourselves and will fall short of what He has called us to do!

The fourth part of series about Calling and Missions called ‘Be Ready’.

A Good Pruning Brings New Life

A friend asked the question, “Is it okay to prune my shrub back hard because it has become unruly and leggy?” I double checked online and then answered in the affirmative. My friend was concerned it would look dead and woody, so I assured them that they will get some nice fresh growth when it grows back.

Does your life need any pruning to encourage ‘fresh growth’?

Explore Further: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPm1d8kBhT30qtoh6uTbg9i2ZVJGePo12

Be Ready for Mission – Preparing your Heart – The Wilderness Years (3/5)

In order to get us to the place where we can completely rely upon God and trust in His Word, our hearts must be prepared… the third part of series about Calling and Missions called ‘Be Ready’.

The third article in the series Be Ready…

Other articles in this ‘Be Ready’ series:

https://notrecommendedforministry.wordpress.com/tag/missions/

Fulfilment

I often refer to the sentiment: “It’s not just pie-in-the-sky when you die; it’s also steak-on-your-plate while you wait.” It may be rather crude and unscientific, but I like the simple way it encourages us to realise that although we know we ought to live with eternity in mind, we also need to understand that life was always meant to be a fulfilling prospect too.

Some excellent material on Worldview:

https://youtu.be/49_M-hYw7hs
(1st in a series of short clips on Worldview)

Being Perfect?

Mankind’s insatiable appetite for progress, improvement and perfection drives us to seek great achievements in fulfilling that appetite. One can easily become obsessed with things like accumulating knowledge, attaining athletic prowess or taking extreme measures to maintain our youthful good looks. But does this really achieve what it sets out to do…?

“I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.” (Jim Carrey)

Worship of the High Places

Worship can take many forms but the stipulation from Scripture is to worship in ‘Spirit and in Truth’. There is, however a danger of us committing idol worship. There can also be a tendency for us to add something to the simple worship of God. Let’s see what Manasseh, King of Israel did once he realised his mistake…

Left To Our Own Devices?

During the Covid19 lockdown period many of us had a lot of time on our hands. I don’t know about you but I made many plans to catch up on all the things I complain I don’t usually have the time to do. It’s surprising how difficult it can sometimes be to motivate ourselves to get on with things sometimes, we are creatures of habit… but there is hope – we are not left to our own devices!

Be Ready for Mission – God Equips the Called (2/5)

In my last article I tried to reassure us that when God calls a person to a specific work, the calling is unmistakeable. Notwithstanding this certainty, even once called we can still be plagued by a feeling of inadequacy: will we have the ability to carry out that which we have been called to do?

The second part of series about Calling and Missions called ‘Be Ready’.

More from the series Be Ready:
https://notrecommendedforministry.wordpress.com/tag/missions/

Hope Beyond the Grave – Luke 24 (24/24)

Death hangs over us all whether we like it or not: It’s the one thing we cannot escape or have any control over. Jesus death was hanging over the disciples as He lay in the tomb, all their illusions shattered at the Cross. But it’s not over yet.
The Resurrection is the most important event in human history bar none.

https://youtu.be/AqulLQtfPX4

https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/bethanypwllgwaun/sermons/42620112277491/

Stay Calm, The End is Nigh – Luke 21 (21/24)

The account of the widows gift to the temple may seem out of place just prior to the discourse about end times, but talking of its future highlights the contrast between how devoted the people were to this institution which became redundant long ago and its imminent destruction (which happened only 40 years later in AD70). We must not be overly engrossed in how things are going to go before the end; be on your guard, don’t be overly distracted by the pleasures or the worries of life.