1 man and his guitar

No Hoodies in Church?

2011-08-12T16:56:00.003+02:00

I wonder what the world would look like if we really believed what we say we believe and behave like what we say we believe we think it's right to behave like!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK there are way too many 'believes' and 'behaves' in that sentence but if your still reading this then my point is...........................................................(trying not to sound too angry) what the heck is the church's response to riots in Manchester, Birmingham, London and ???????? places
There is SILENCE, not a WORD and whats worse is that the media don't even bother asking.

Have we, the church, really become that irrelevant?

Have we lost our conversation with papers, TV, Radio?

When did we stop being the moral commentators on society?

Who took over?

Yep I have twitter friends (@Cephas535 seeing as you ask!) Facebook friends all saying it's aweful.

Some enjoying seeing the Police kick in the hoody doors and arrest the culprits. Some saying we should be tougher on criminals ............... even saying they should join the army! Ok, so now they know how to kill someone and use guns to batter down shop fronts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look at the results of conscription in the USA and the rise of the Black Panther movement in the 60's?

I get amazed how quickly people put down their Bibles and reach for their newspaper when there are looking for answers to disorder in society.

How with one breath we ask for compassion from our Father and with another pick up a stick to beat up those who, we are rightly, angry with.

With one voice we pray 'forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us' and with another follow the clarion call of the Red Tops to 'take away their benefits and put em out on the streets'.................they are rubbish after all!!!! (and I'm not referring to the Newspapers. Oops sorry I am ).

We cry Revival but have nothing constructive to say to the 'Hoody' planning his/her next raid.

We shout "where are the parents?" and I want to shout WHERE IS THE CHURCH?

I've even heard that this is a sign of the end times. So lets not bother praying for peace then!!

People are angry, me too.

People have lost their daily living and don't know how to start again. The Government will make new laws and do anything they can to increase the chance of being elected at the next change of Parliament. People really don't know where to turn..............................and the Church?................mmm?

I phoned the Rector of my home church in Manchester and told them that people in Belfast where praying for them. I asked what we should pray for and she (the Rectors wife) said "for those who are afraid to go into the town centre and those whose buisness has been wrecked"

Fear and anger are being expressed in so many different ways.

My prayer is that the church will find it's voice once again and follow the call of Jesus to be a light set on a hill and to be Salt that brings a pleasent flavour.

It's what I believe. It's how I want to behave

Shoot With Your Eyes Closed!

2010-01-04T17:29:00.012+01:00

It's a goooooooooooal..........................OK all girlie's don't click off .............this is not strictly a football blog just a good illustration.

They say to score a goal you need to keep your eyes open and on the target.......................

.......this should happen in a football match in fact it's the whole aim of it......to out score the opposition.

I'd like to say that if we kept our eyes shut more often and tried to shoot we'd probably score a lot more!

Let me explain

I had the privilege of listening to a guy called Chad Dedman who came over from the USA. He gave this wonderful illustration about prayer.

When we pray (Christianeese for a conversation with the God!) we need to have the attitude of a footballer.

Every time he/she shoots toward goal they never aim to miss but to score.

If you have ever watched a football match you'll realise that scoring though vital doesn't happen very often....................however it never stops each player trying.

I wonder if we had that attitude to prayer.........healing particularly.......... whether it would change how often and what we prayed.

We talk about faith ................maybe we need the faith of a top striker ............with the ball at their feet they aim, they shoot and they........................

miss by a mile or a millimetre but at the next opportunity, they aim, they shoot and they............

miss by a mile or a millimetre......maybe even hit the post.........but at the next opportunity they aim, they shoot and.................well you get the idea!.............at some point they score.....they were bought because the Manager knew they could score!!

I believe God NEVER gets fed up of us trying to score.

I wish He'd help direct the ball some times but that's my next blog!!

The picture I have is Jesus passing the ball and you receiving the ball and trying to score. There's an opposition trying to stop you but hey you're on the winning side....God promises you that! ( see 1Corinthians 15 vs 57 and 1John 5 vs 4)

He will continue to pass the ball to you.........it's all He ever wants to do...in fact He loves doing it, He sacrificed everything so He could!

Even though at times we want to walk off the pitch or substitute our selves He never ever calls us to come off..............We only come off when full time is called and after that......... its Heaven!

So..............lets aim to score and not to miss.......... put on your number 9 shirt (the centre forwards number) and wait for those balls to come flying across for you to head, shoot with any foot or any part of your body as long as your desire is to score....................I just know you will bust the net!!!

Honestly don't break My heart!!

2009-11-18T17:07:00.012+01:00

Which of the following statements can you honestly say?

Next year I am going to do the London and Belfast marathon and the Great North Run

This Christmas I am going to give everyone I know a bar of Chocolat

I am never ever going to make errors at work again

I will listen and remember everything people tell me

I want God to break my heart for what breaks His

My point.................it's so easy to pray and sing with out really thinking of the consequences.

I prayed recently "God, take me to a deeper level of Your love for me" and I have found that I have had to face things from my past which I have been avoiding for years.

I have not had the opportunity to serve God in the way I enjoy. Opportunities that used to came my way have seemed to take a 45 degree turn just before they reach me.

When we recently sang 'God break my heart for what breaks Yours' I thought, if we all got the answer we asked for the place would be awash with tears, cries, moans and randomly placed people on the floor!

Maybe thats what the song writer was hoping for (I might ask him!) though I don't think it was what the Leader of the meeting would want!!

Oh that God would break us and challenge us and mould us and fill us with His love to go and heal a broken world...............but lets step back sometimes and say

"God .............I do want this but it's not as easy to experience it as it is to sing it .

Save me from mouthing words which mean so much, which at times I treat with

contempt by letting them loose and not considering just what I am asking You

to do!

Relationships are wonderful and hard

2009-06-26T16:24:00.021+02:00

I have a relationship with a tree!

Every time I look at this tree it speaks to me.

It says "You hate me don't you? You sneer at me every morning and you moan and groan about having to take me outside and water me." ..............Yeah, what I call a tree is actually a large plant!

Please don't think I have gone psychotic and hear voices but the 'tree' speaks to me in the voice of my wife!

I have many relationships with lots of things. My car.............. er sorry wife and daughter our car!! My mobile phone, my computer, my bed, my guitar...........ask my wife about that one!

Relationships, in reality, have to be two way and that is where the problems start.
Thankfully if I ignored the 'tree' in our living room it wouldn't cry or get angry with me, unlike those with whom I have a real relationship.

I believe that we were created to be in relationship.

Because of the type of work I do I have to read alot of self help books and study more than a few self help techniques. Everyone of them, without exception, at some point, explain that we need to be in relationship to grow as a human.

It's amazing how many of them also acknowledge the need to have a relationship with someone or something beyond our human understanding. Now that excites me!

Even a relationship with an animal is seen as therapeutic. That unconditional love and undying commitment, fulfills some of our deepest needs.

Jesus needed relationship.

From the creation of the world there was the Triune God. The Community of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God was placed in a family. Mary and Joseph, mother and father and then after, brothers.

Jesus sought out relationship with 12 other men and also a few women. Not all who were close friends. Not all who were faithful but all who Jesus spent time with.

To be like Jesus, the highest calling of our life, we must face the challenge of relationships. This means taking risks to love, when it feels like the last thing we want to do.

I believe that broken relationships break the heart of God.......and I speak as one who has gone through divorce.......... for relationship is what He created us for.

Because God loves us He seeks a relationship with us. From the day we were born...........and before!................He has sought to draw us close to Him.

It seems to me that alot of what divides the church is about relationship.

The clear division in healing, for example, seems to be about the emphasis on who has responsibility in the relationship.

For some it's all about letting God do what He wants to do. Playing His part in the relationship. He'll heal or He won't. He'll help us in our suffering or help us escape. We don't have to do much, just let God be God................. cos He is in control.

For others it's all about our faith. Our responsibility in the relationship is to exercise faith. To be active not passive. To make our step of faith. To 'walk out' our healing or in other words, we believe we are healed even though we do not see a physical sign. "Do something you couldn't do before" is the call. It becomes all about my part in this relationship with God.

For some reason these two views seem to be exclusive and find it difficult to relate to each other!!

I wonder if we looked through the lens of relationship were at times to show my love, my commitment in the relationship, I have to give of my self and the other person receives and for the other person to show their commitment to me they have to give me something whether it's time or gifts or conversation, that we can get some perspective.

A relationship is two way. Unlike my relationship with that rather large plant!

Surely, we do what we can...................exercise our faith and God does what He does......................poures His love out on us, however that is expressed.

There is an irony in the fact that what God meant to bring restoration and a blessing is in itself bringing division.

I can only see the enemy at work here.

I think that over 2000 years, the followers of the One who brought absolute restoration between man and God have still alot to learn about just how God and those He loves relate.

conviction assurance trust confidence reliance

2009-03-27T17:37:00.023+01:00

In Bangkok I walked into a room of 200 people and saw David Bekham or was it Alex Ferguson or maybe Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Barack Obama no! no! it was Jesus but he didn't look like the Jesus I've seen in paintings and Fresco's and statues and he didn't speak a word of English!

He stood out........he glowed...........his demeanour was counter to what his cultural expression was, which would be to hide away in the back ground. He wasn't shouting or being in any way extrovert, in fact he was just talking to the man sat next to him................................but he stood out like someone was shining a spot light on him.

I'd never seen the man before. I didn't know his name ...............hey I can't even spell it!!........but there was something special about this man and I had to find out what it was.

My pride wouldn't let me go up to him so I asked a friend. He told me this man had been jailed by the authorities for 30 yrs

How can I look into the eyes of a man, locked away in jail for 30 yrs for saying that Jesus is more important to him than a political regime and not feel humbled...and not think my faith is minuscule and not be impacted by standing next to him?

In Belfast I walked into Church and saw 2 men from the same Continent and heard them tell their own stories of Governmental oppression and stories of how some Pastors have had to choose between renouncing their love of Jesus or resigning their children to being orphans for as long as they are jailed for.

It would be so easy to conclude that we in the west need to be put under pressure for our faith (Some people think that the eroding of Christian values in our country puts them in that persecuted category.. I don't think it's the same tho.) Or that somehow we are not oppressed enough and that's because we are not as radical or as on the edge as we should be.

I want to take inspiration from these people.

As a teenager I prayed for the suffering Church and I can see now how God has answered prayer.

Thank You God!!

Talking to the visitors from Asia they said they didn't know how they would cope with all the temptation of materialism and consumerism they see here in the rich West

It all becomes relative.

God has me where He has me and has you where He has you.

We are called to exercise our faith in the circumstances He places us in.

We are called to pray for our brothers and sisters who put their lives and the lives of their family on the line every time they pray or worship or open up a Bible.

We are called to GO and show Gods love and favour to the suffering church as well as pray for those who persecute them.

My faith may look so small next to someone who has had to hang on to God in circumstances I can only have nightmares about ( and would probably want prayer for!!)
But I need to exercise my faith in every circumstance and not duck the opportunities that God affords me to trust Him more. I need to take that risk that might cost me money, or worse my pride(!!!) and to say with Paul "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1 vs 21) or in The Message "Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can't lose."............We all need other believers to look upto, to be inspired by!

Finding out........... why God loves me?

2009-02-16T17:05:00.013+01:00

It's snowing! It's snowing! ...............so I catch a snow flake and it melts in my hand. I had a quick duke / butchers (depending if you're English or not!!) before it melted and it looked nothing special, quite simple really, just a bit of white(ish) ice.

However

Look up pictures of snowflakes and you'll see every flake is different ,apparently, (for the geeks here is a web page)http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/faqs/faqs.htm

Hey, a snowflake is a snowflake is a snowflake to me. Its simple.

So if I told you I KNOW why God loves us.............. what would you think?

" no way! I'll never understand it's too profound and deep" or "no chance I am too ...........(fill in the blanks) He never could"

It aint that simple!

I was reading a J Piper book the other day, getting a bit bored as he banged on about the election of the Saints!!................... and he commented on a passage from Deuteronomy 7 vs 7-8. .................you know the famous passsage ?? !

" The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; 8 but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. " (New King James)

His conclusion was........................

'God loves us cos He loves us'............... WOW! .....................

Cue flashes of lightening...........Pete falls to the floor ..........sees Angels.........hears the Saints singing above.............dreams dreams .........has visions...........bursts into heavenly toungues...........is healed of all his memories, scars and wounds and is raptured!!

....well not really but it DID hit me in the gut and ring around my head all weekend and is still soaking into me. Yeh!

"He loves me cos He loves me"

So profound yet so simple.

I don't deserve it

I can't earn it

No matter what I think about my self , it's still true............. I may not even feel like a child of God or believe I'm not a Christian (follower of Jesus)

........................ still He loves me cos He loves me.

This is bread to my hunger and water for my thirst.

Simple eh.............like a snow flake!

And a PS.............for those who may have followed my scribblings over the past while and picked up some financial challenges..........faith journeys.........and moans
God has come thru for both a course I am studying and a short term mission trip combined with a wedding anniversary holiday.

He IS faithful.........and thanks for your prayers and thoughts.

Pete

Come for a walk with me!!

2009-01-05T17:27:00.013+01:00

Ok I'm walking home from an aborted Bank raid!! (it was shut) during the Christmas hols and I turn to walk down Clonlee Drive from Upper N'ards Road ...................................................

and all of a sudden behold

there was a blinding light and a voice spoke from the heavens and said "Pete, my child, cross the road, get out of the shadows and walk in the light"

....................mmm ...well it wasn't quite like that but almost.

What really happened was:

As I was walking down Clonlee, one path was covered in light and the path on the other side of the road was in the shade. I thought..........the light looks good over there but I can't be bothered to cross the road I'll just stay walking in the shade..................then I felt God say:

"This year if you're going to walk in the light you'll have to decide to cross the road. You'll have to BE bothered"

He then took me on a whole train of thoughts that went something like this.........................

What are my shadows?

.............impending change in family circumstance i.e.my daughter going away to Uni................inability to let go of some of my past.......................frustration with God over healing......................my ideas of how church should be ................lack of discipline in my life...........

and then God says "Pete cross the road, into the light!"

.........and hey, it's not that easy is it?

The weird thing is, just as I crossed the road, I turned a corner and I am back in the shadows again!

I DO want to walk in the light and I know I make good (God) choices but sometimes life happens and I end up back in the shadows and God says "cross the road Pete...walk in the light!"

I often find myself contrasting my western Christian values with that of the rest of the world. How easy I have it. How everything is so instant so I don't have to try very hard to get what I want. To tell you the truth I can't see this 'take the easiest road' thing changing. So when God says "Cross the road" my immediate response is to look at the effort I will need to do it.

If I lived in China...............Zimbabwe.............Tajikistan even, the challenge to cross the road would come more often and I would be so much more motivated to do it. It costs some people to 'cross the road'

They see the value of living in the light or not living in the shadows whichever way you want to look at it.

I know sometimes we're called to 'walk in the shadows' see Psalm 23 and that He is with us...well His Rod and Staff are anyway!

I know that His light lives in me and that in the shadows I can bring the Light of the world to others in the shadows.......................... but I believe that God wants us all to take up the challenge to decide...be intentional...put some effort in!!...........and cross the road to move forward into the Light...the sunshine (no not doing Son shine!)........the daylight

the bizzare thing I find is when at night and it's really dark and I'm walking home I ALWAYS walk in the light.........I hate walking through dark un-lit streets

So it's time.

Hear the call.

Cross the road.

Walk in the light HE has given you and when you turn that corner and find yourself in the shadows again

cross the road to walk in the light.

Cruuuuuuuuunnch

2008-12-12T21:21:00.014+01:00

Crunch ,crunch ,crunch.

The sound of footsteps walking thru a white Christmas?

The sound of kids eating their high fat dinner of crisps biscuits and more crisps?

The sound of the City Walls of Capitalism coming down.

Me eating cornflakes!...................................... or the sound of heavenly swords breaking chains of bitterness, hatred, greed and poverty.

I bet you thought I was going to use the CREDIT word didn't you?

Well now that you've mentioned it!?

What have we built our world upon?

Have we finally been found out? The focus of our lives is earning money to buy stuff?

Is it true that 'life's a pitch and then you buy'? Psalm 151 vs 2

The Church has bought (pun intended) into the lie that acquiring things equal satisfaction. The big churches in various parts of the world are built on the verse

'God is going to bless me so I can go out and buy more' Psalm 151 vs 1!!

'Money attracts money'....that's verse 3

'Christianity began in Galilee as a fellowship of men and woman centred on Jesus Christ

It went to Greece and became a philosophy

It went to Rome and became an institution

It went to Europe and became a culture

It went to America and became an enterprise

We need to get back to our roots'

(Richard Halverson former Chaplin to the US Senate)

Jesus said I have come to bring you life and life to the full (John 10 v s10)

Or maybe He quoted that Psalm again... I have come to give you credit, to get as much a you can and then the extra you don't need you can give away to the poor! vs 712!!!

As we moan about the 'Crunch' people are dying of Cholera in Zimbabwe. They're looking for food in so many parts of Africa it seems that any one of our Tesco stores could feed a nation.........and Ikea could furnish it!!!

Check out the crunch in N Korea, Myanmaror the streets of Delhi. They will have never heard of it!!

We in the rich West make guns, bombs, Tanks and planes to sell (never directly cos it looks bad!) to poor nations to secure their national borders from invasion of other political systems or relgious beliefs, ie the ones that aren't western

It's ok for Christians to invade by the way, there are biblical precedents!!

'All religions of the world aren't under threat from fundamental Islam but more from global consumerism from forces that emenate.................from New York and Hollywood that make religions equally superfluous, trivial compared to the lust for a new car or pair of jeans (
B Mclaren 'General Orthodoxy' pp 254)

We see headlines about the Sale of Woolworths and our fellow human beings, who the Bible tells us, were created equal to us, die of starvation or lack of medical care because that same banking system wants to prop up some Gas guzzling Multi National.

We couldn't free up debt for the poor but now it hits the rich in their pocket...................?

We have succumbed to the spirit of Capitalism as much as the Chinese and the Russians submitted to the spirit of Communism. The only difference is that their chains are/were obvious and ours are covered in gift wrapping paper.

So crunch!!!

Re focus. Is life not about relationships?

I heard a true story today of a friends neighbour who won the Lottery. He has become a bitter and twisted old man estranged from his wife threatening to sue my friends children for sweeping up the leaves in his driveway!! Yet he is very very rich!

Should the Church not be setting the example?

I want to hear stories of people coming to Christ because they have seen His love in action in my life. Whether that means me giving away more than I have in material wealth (it's all God's anyway) or just that I have spoken a word of encouragement or act of kindness that cost me time and maybe a little pride.

Or stories of churches with different views on some doctrine reaching out a hand of love to support a God vision without any agenda other than His loving expression.

'Faith is a way of life in submission to God's will not a shortcut to getting what we want'

(M.Hodson - Closer To God)

There's no credit crunch in relationships when Jesus is at the centre.

There's no me first when 'Christ stands between us and we can only get to our neighbour thru Him'(D Bonhoeffer)

Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness (meaning right relationships) and all these things will be given to you as well' Psalm 151 again.......no only kidding Matt 6 vs 33.

I think we got crunched cos we sought first the things He will 'give to us as well'

LOVE AND HEALING

2008-11-21T16:49:00.007+01:00

I am so tempted to write a controversial blog to push people to debate and be open about what they do or don't or are unsure (that's me!) what they believe in regard to healing. Is it so black and white? Does it have to divide? Do we show our lack of maturity in not being able to fellowship with others who hold opposite views on things like healing? Is it a secondary issue and NOT a primary issue. I guess for those who are suffering and maybe dying, healing for them is definitely a primary issue. It is a major not a minor.

What I want to do is to communicate God's love to those I meet and am in relationship with. If they're sick I want them to be healed and to be honest I don't care how. If they are in want I want to be able to help or facilitate the help. I wish I was more like Jesus so I could always do both those things but the reality is I am NOT!!

Should that stop me trying? No! no! and no again! Never!!

A wise man said "The momment you step into the immpossible you risk humiliation".....yeah that's what stops me. Call it lack of faith, call it fear of man or call it not loving enough.

..........and if I get it wrong then all I've tried to do is love.

Is it not more important to love than be right?

Can I step out in faith in the promises of God and not see results straight away and still believe God is loving thru me.

He is faithful..I know He has proved it. I've given away and He has given me and my family back more than enough. I hear His call and He meets my need ...............eventually.

He loves, He heals......................but He always loves all the time.

God Defrosted My Shoulder!!

2008-10-31T16:34:00.004+01:00

Time for a change?.................yep time to be healed!!

There is a lot of debate about at the momment regarding healing. I think it's wonderful but in the midst of it there's a potential for the enemy to get in and divide the people of God. I have no doubt that the debates are not new and always seem to revolve around why God does not heal ALL the time. I don't have an answer but what I DO know is that God DOES HEAL! I was sat listening to Melanie Fields at a meeting where her husband Roy had just led worship for 2 hours ( the time flew in) She started preaching about God sending His Spirit of fire on the church telling of what God had done in her life. As she preached she started shouting Fire, fiiiiiiiiiiiiiire! Fire, fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiire! That day for the first time in months my shoulder had begun to freeze up. At the time she started shouting fiiiiiiiiiiiiire! I felt a tingling (not like a tingling I have ever felt) go over my shoulder and then ....no pain. None whats so ever.

On Sunday night 2 of my fellow ministry guys prayed for my legs which get sore at night so as I can't sleep. Every night apart from 2 nights this week I have slept thru (those 2 nights were nothing to do with my legs. 1. I felt the call to pray and the other I felt the call to empty the washing machine!!)

God is amazing. He continues to heal, will continue to heal, maybe not all the time but that's not going to stop me praying. Do I need to have my theology all worked out...........Did the disciples when Jesus sent out the 70?

Sorry to all those who spend years debating , writing books and hours of teaching. At the end of the day we are called to do as instructed in Mathew 10" As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a]drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."

I WILL NOT let my lack of biblical knowledge, poor education or under developed theology prevent me from praying for those who asked to be healed. I will continue to be compassionate to those who have not recieved their healing yet and when they find it hard to believe for them selves will believe for them.

God has moved in my life why can't He move in yours?

C'mon God. Yes! YES! Yeee ES or Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiire!!

2008-10-17T16:38:00.000+02:00

Time for a change
I wonder some times if its time for a change?

People talk about seasons and God working within them. I don't know when one season begins and another ends, apart from a retrospective look!! Hind sight is a great thing an'all that. These days I've been turning up at church and thinking 'Hey God whats going on?' His people are becoming less engaged with Him. I sense a withdrawing, a fear almost that God is asking too much. Are we living in the days were God is upping the anti?!! Is He expecting more from his people now than before?

I find myself becoming more and more sensitive to God which means a bit of an emotional rollercoaster where I am trying to figure out what is God's heart and what's just my plain old desires?In our relationships do we go thru times when one(One) of us becomes more demanding. Does God withdraw a bit to challenge us to look for Him with more effort ,zeal,passion etc? or does He draw closer and we step back a bit cos He is a bit much? Oh to know the ways of God!!

Is this the season of crying out or the season of reflection?

Recently we (the church I attend) have been praying for a boy with serious illness. We/I prayed passionately, we prayed long, we prayed often, we fought declared and proclaimed. He died and has gone to be with Jesus..............and we're left trying to support the family and get our head around what's happened.

Is this not the season for healings?

We prayed for a mother in hospital who couldn't breath, a worship leader with Kidney stones and have been praying for a woman with cancer for a long time now. All have received full or partial healings.

Is the season for healing now?

I've been trying to exercise faith for finance and God has provided half!! An influential couple from church are no longer around .It feels as though we're going thru change and its scary, not complete, not there yet.Something is changing and if God is in it WATCH OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cross Tomb Throne

2008-09-08T16:02:00.007+02:00

Whilst I was worshipping the other night God dropped this phrase into my head.

The Cross is empty

The Tomb is empty

The Throne is NOT empty

I thought God might be trying to remind me of a few things.

He has died and has risen and now sits on the throne (Hebrews 12 vs 2)

In these days of uncertainty He is in control cos He sits on the Throne.

I heard a sermon recently on getting Heavens perspective on what is going on here on Earth. We can only get that from someone who totally understands humanity i.e. the Creator and who can look in from the outside. JESUS is the one who has died here on earth was buried here on earth rose again here on earth (with a short visit to hell see 1Peter ch 3 vs 18 - 23 ) but ascended into Heaven to give us that perspective. How easy it is to look around for answers, to look within for answers but not to look up.

I believe the Throne also reminds us that we need to see things with spiritual eyes. Jesus, no longer physically here on earth, sits at the right hand of the Father on His throne Matthew 19:27-29 and 1 John 2:1-3 praying for us, has left us His Spirit the Holy Spirit to see things with His eyes, with spiritual eyes.

It makes me just want to worship the unique God, Lord of Lords and King of Kings who sits on the throne and showers us with heavenly love and blessing.

Wow! Wow! Wow! (there's not enough wow's in worship songs!!! don't you think?)

The Weather Report

2008-09-04T16:16:00.008+02:00

I can't see the sun for the clouds!!!........................I want to step into what I believe God has for me but I begin to doubt, 'is this what God has for me?'

I can't see the sun as my windows need cleaning!!.......................... I proclaim I want to be a man of faith but then when steps of faith are needed, I realise how weak my faith is.

I can't see the sun with my eyes closed............................"Lord develop the fruit of the Spirit in me" Ahh but then the Gardener prunes....... it hurts, so I close my eyes with frustation (the opposite of patience!)
"When are you going to come thru God?"

I can't see the sun but I can see and feel it's effects.............................No matter what happens
............if I don't get what I hope and dream of getting,
I know the sun is there and will continue to shine
(even at night it shines somewhere!!)
and when the clouds have gone.............................. it will be a glorious day!

But for now, I will continue to look thru the clouds

........................ to try to see the sun!

.............................and may the Praises from my lips be the wind to blow away those clouds of doubt........... weakness......... frustration as I begin to see
....................... that clouds come and clouds go
but the rays of the sun are constant.

It's a War

2008-08-19T17:30:00.004+02:00

He's called David and he is a superstar. He's known all over his part of the world as one of the most powerful men there is. He's a wonderful musician and a songwriter and he is a man of God. He's broke religious rules and the Spirit of God just seems to be all over him. His enemy's have been warring with him for years but he always seems to have the backing of God. He's married, has children and has been mightily used by God. However he met a woman and decided to be unfaithful to his wife. God judged him for it but didn't remove him from his place of influence or take away what He had done through him. Thankfully he repented publicly ....you can read all about it in Psalm 51.

We're probably going to read all about Todd Bentley in the Christian press and all his enemies are going to say "told you so.............it wasn't of God, we were right, you were wrong, he's of the devil" blah blah blah.

It IS so sad. What Todd Bentley has done is ...............well we don't know the details and frankly I wouldn't trust any Internet sight to give me the truth but we do know he is filing for divorce and there is someone else involved but we don't know for how long or on what emotional level.................. but this can only drive us to pray for him and his family and trust those like Bill Johnson ( http://www.ibethel.org/ ) Redding California and John Arnott ( http://www.johnandcarol.org/) who are counselling Todd at the moment.

(If you are really interested then listen to Bill Johnsons podcast Battle For Grace 18-08-08 . Hear a man who is desperately trying to keep the integrity of the God's Church in tact whilst not condoning the actions of a mighty man of God.)

What it reminds me of is that relationships are precious. Being unfaithful (using the word 'affair' just waters it down. It is called being unfaithful!) changes all the other relationships you have. Exposing the weaknesses of your marriage to the opposite sex makes you vulnerable and opens the door to unfaithfulness. I have to say again I don't know the details of what Todd has done but I'' guarantee that at some level he has exposed his relationship with Shona his wife and now suffers because of it. Indeed others along with him suffer also.

When all this was happening last week the impact of the Lakeland Revival (not the Todd Bentley Revival!!) was hitting me ...see my previous blog. Thank God He does not limit himself to one man and that He is a God of grace. My prayer is that His Church can respond like the loving family it says it is.That we realise we are in a war and it's when we stand united that God releases the greatest blessing.

May God increase His blessing and this wave of His Spirit surprise us all by it's increase.

God told me a joke and I laffed so hard......................

2008-08-15T16:16:00.008+02:00

Ha Ha Ha Ha Haaa Ha Ha Ha Ha haaaaaaaaaaa................................. there's way too much laughing going on ............... I don't know what's happening to me but this week God seems to want to bring out the fun element in our relationship.
He keeps making me laff!!
I've tried to return the compliment and tell Him a joke, but He always knows the punch lines!!!
That's the problem with hanging around Someone who knows everything!

It started (the most recent incident anyway) with- to quote Paul Reid - (www.cfc-net.org/paulblog ) -"one of our young men who has just returned from Lakeland " praying for me on Sunday at church. I didn't even ask him to. I was innocently praying at the front of Church when, like some Angelic appearance, there he was stood in front of me. He took hold of my hands and said "Here Pete, take some of this!" Electricity went through my arms I fell on the floor and began to laugh.......jerk a wee bit... laugh some more..growl...and then laff some more.

The following Tuesday, Jen (read my profile for more info!) and I were out with about a 20 or so other Jesus like people, bringing food, drink and some of Gods love to homeless or lonely looking people in Belfast City centre. We were late back but returned to the upper room of the Church we had set off from. God was already at work with the rest of the group who were in various positions of laughter, some laid out with peaceful expressions on their faces, others praying and prophesying over people and some others just sat enjoying God's presence. I took my guitar out and did some worship which ended with a couple of the leaders praying for me and.......................... well what do you think? ha ha ha haaa ha ha etc again!!

Thursday night at the healing rooms that same 'young man', (by the way he's not that young!!) was praying for the those who lay healing hands on people. He invited me to worship whilst God did His stuff thru him. It began as normal but then I began to struggle to stand, like there was an invisible wind trying to blow me over, other times I couldn't sing for laughing. When he had finished praying for the healing team he came over to me and prayed like he had done on Sunday. No electricity this time but..............me on the floor roaring with laughter and even when I tried to get up to lead some worship.......... no it wasn't happening. Laughter and more laughter...... "My presence is more important than you leading worship" I heard God say.
I was laid out for about an hour.

I have no idea what God is up to but there's this certainty that I'm feeling that Gods love is deep and lasting and that what He calls me to do will all work out to glorify Him.
Amazing love, incredible intimacy, beautiful presence, fantastic joy...............that's what my Father has and is and seems to want me to enjoy.
Wow! wow! wow! (sorry for my limited linguistic expression but this is God we're talking about:0) )

Post script to last blog

2008-08-11T14:42:00.002+02:00

How funny.........................Colin Stitt( http://www.colinstitt.wordpress.com ) led worship on Sunday with his new song
Break our Hearts”

Living in a world with so much pain/When so many live in despair/What can I say Lord, what can i pray?

When we see so much suffering/When people live and die in poverty/What can we do lord /what can we pray

But turn our eyes and look to you/Giver of Life and the binder of wounds/Hear our prayer to you

Break our hearts lordwith what breaks yours/Let justice and mercy flow out/Like a river from here

Break our hearts lordwith what breaks yours/Lord send us out with courageous hearts/to bring hope to your world.

We will go to the broken/We will stand with the least/Shining light into darkness/Comforting those in need.

© Colin Stitt 2008 (no permission asked again oops)

.............and then Paul Reid stood up in the middle of the song and asked us to pray for the nations!!!!!!!!!! exactly what my previous blog has said we don't do!!
that's God having a laugh with me and reminding me who knows His church best!!!!!!!!!

ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz!! Ha! haa

2008-08-07T16:52:00.004+02:00

"No man is an island" who said that? I am unsure but what I have been discovering recently is that conversations with other people have inspired me to move from ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzz to Ha!haa!
"One of the spirits over Northen Ireland is apathy" Someone told me that yesterday and I reflected on it and thought 'yeah that's so true!' Some areas more than others, but generally it's true. (Check out peoples reaction to pray for mission! grrr!!)
I know that apathy can creep up on you till there is an echo in your head that says "I can't be bothered... I can't be bothered......I can't be........... zzzzzzz!
I find it facinating that recently God has been reminding me about what the Bible calls Fruit (by the way that's singular not plural) of the Spirit (Galatians Ch 5, vs 22 and 23) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law" That I need to learn how to 'be'. That I am a human being not a human doing but at the same time I am challenged to not be passive and fall under this spirit of apathy. All those pieces of the fruit are characteristics of Jesus and that is who I pray Gods Spirit will mould me to be. Yet each one of those can only be developed in action. I'll never develop patience asleep!
What has inspired me recently is having conversations with people who are not from NI and don't suffer from this apathetic spirit that I, all to easily, come under.
Try to get an outside prespective. Mix with people who God has inspired. People who have a vision for their life, their friends, their nation even.
I talked to an American guy this morning and came away all fired up. Ok he prayed for me and the Spirit of God fired me but I experienced kindness, love, joy, faithfulness in his prayer and our conversation, inspiring me to go and be the same.
(Don't get me started about the churches lack of desire to pray!!!!!!!!)
My prayer is that I too can be that inspiring person through the power of the Holy Spirit though there may be a cost in that. The last 4 guys I have done some morning prayer with have ALL gone to either Tajikistan, Spain, Engalnd or New Zealand!!
Morning prayer does something ...it takes you fromZZZzzzzzzzzz to Ha Haa!!

Knock knock Who's there?

2008-07-03T17:12:00.003+02:00

Its all about His presence..............................Christ In Me The Hope Of Glory (Colossians 1vs 27) sounds like a song title to me!
Recently ( my recently is like the last 2 or 3 months) I've been challenged by the song In Your Presence by the great Jason Upton. I was thinking about the whole healing thing and when in the Bible God didn't heal....................healings a big thing at the mo and I'm doing healing room worship tonight............. I remembered it was when Jesus was away up the mountain with Peter James and John ([Mark 9) He was not PRESENT!! the boy was NOT healed. He said to the father of the sick boy this will only be healed by prayer ( some versions say prayer and fasting) Prayer and fasting brings us into the presence of God. Miracles happen were Gods people are. We carry His presence within us 2 Corinthians ch4 vs 7 "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us" and vs 10 "We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body"
It makes sense to me that when we come together that His presence is increased. It also makes sense to me that God wants to heal the broken thru us thru His presence in us. Oh that His presence would increase! Oh that my jar would be so full of Him that others would be healed, set free, saved even because they met Christ in me the hope of glory!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a Satanic Revival(ahhhhhh!)

2008-06-27T16:59:00.003+02:00

The following is a response to a very, very long blog by a someone called Jessica who has no blog but randomly contributed to our lead Pastor's, Paul Reid's, blog. www.cfc-net.org/paulblog
I was too polite to say just how flippin angry I am that I am flippin sick of people quoting flippin verse after verse after flippin verse (did I say I was angry!) from the Bible concluding that what is happpening not just in Lakeland now but all around the US and the UK ( prob other places too but I've not heard as yet) is a Satanic Revival. This has got to be the biggest most public and most condoned move of the enemy since the so called Dark Ages. If Jessica and the likes are right then there is very little hope for Church. There have been literally thousands of healings in Jesus Name (as I write I am listening to Bill Johnson from Reading US calling for healing amongst those in his Church) and if she is right then I am listening to.......... ok Iam sick of focussing on the enemy here's what I wrote

I some times wonder whether my TV is showing a different revival!! I have watched the Lakeland feed on God Channel on and off for about 6 weeks and am still to get offended by too much talk of Angels or lack of scriptual references in worship.
I hear more 'in Jeeesus Name!!' than any talk about Angels. I suppose this highlights the lack of teaching about Angels in every strand of Christian tradition. Jessica re worship
.....if you use the same criteria for Matt Redman, Paul Balouch, Tim Hughes, Brian Doerksen never mind Aaron Boyd, Jonny Parks and Robin Mark you might have to ditch alot of your worship CDs. I find the worship up lifting, challenging and inspiring.
I get angry and sad that people are saying we are being deceived and this is satanic. I guess Jesus was also condemned for not being scriptual- disciples harvesting on the Sabbath- and performing out of the ordinary miracles ( I still can't get over those poor pigs being sacrificed to demons or Jesus spitting at people!!)
There are now many Church leaders like Peter Wagner; Ché Ahn, pastor of Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, Calif.; John Arnott of Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship in Canada; Bill Johnson, pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, Calif.; and Rick Joyner, founder of MorningStar Ministries in Charlotte, N.C. who have publically backed Todd Bentley but as Christian Leaders are saying "wait and see" only time will tell. My problem is I am hungry to see people being healed, delivered and become followers of Jesus as they experience the love of God and I am willing to risk being wrong to see all this happen. I want to get my feet wet and if I sink then I know Jesus will lift me up cos He is the one I am trusting in.I hear about revivals in India and Africa where people are being healed and I want to see it here in Belfast.

INSPIRATION !!!!

2008-06-13T16:41:00.003+02:00

With no permission at all !!!!!!!I have copied these faith building statements from an old(as in long time ago, old!) friend who's blog is worth checking out but be careful you might get something unexpected.

'Say these statements out loud right now!
I am strong!I am healed!I am in a period of uncommon favour. I am a millionaire! I have no fear!I have power to get wealth! God has healed all my diseases I have the strength of a teenager! I am free from every addiction the devil put on me! By His wounds I am healed!

... the steps to your miracle are:
1. Hear from God's word and meditate on that.

2. See the vision of what it will look like to get your miracle or healing

3. Act on the vision and walk towards it as though it was already yours

4. Take what God has already given you' http://doneganonstuff.blogspot.com/

Right now I believe God is doing an amazing thing in the Church. I am sooo excited. For me He is challenging me to increase my faith and view of just what He can do thru me. I know it's cos of his LOVE for me. One thing that can not be emphasised enough. HIS love. My problem is that I seem to have believed that Gods love is passive (No I don't know why either) It has not activated my faith to the point were I can believe He can speak thru me and act thru me every day. Don't get me wrong I know He wants to but I don't believe He can. I shy away from people looking at me. I even won't wear certain clothes cos they draw attention to me. Now those who know me may say "is this the guy who has stood up in front of 500 people on a Sunday and said what he felt God was saying to people?" Yep thats me! My faith rises in worship but seems to diminish after. I am really really hungry for God to change me and for Him to impact on others thru me.
My verse of the week is Exodus 8 vs 1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me" Thats what God is calling us to do. Proclaim "let my people go" to all those who are in slavery to the enemy (Pharaoh) so that they may worship God who alone is worthy of our worship. I know I need this in my life. I need to hear those words of life spoken over me (go to the top of the page). I wonder what the Church will look like in a few months/years when we finally begin to proclaim the promises of God to a lost and broken, blind and hungry world? I can hardly wait to see it!

Why did I fall down?

2008-05-16T16:55:00.002+02:00

This is amazing, this is fantastic I don't believe what I am seeing. I don't believe what I'm hearing? Can this be true. I have been blown off my feet and knocked over, so has my wife and some friends - and I am NOT talking metaphorically. It's scarey and exciting all at the same time. I saw someone jump up and down who said she had been in a wheelchair for years. A woman was asked "where was the lump on your neck that you said was as big as a golf ball?" People are saying they have been healed of cancer- why would they make something like that up?! People have travelled across the world to go to a meeeting, have come back carrying what they were given (christian language is impartation!!) by God.
Ok I confess I have been watching the God channel and God has spoken thru a man, called Todd Bentley but he is just a man! (another man to look out for is Bill Johnson) He has spoken 'words of knowledge', in other words he's heard from God about a particular sickness. The Spirit of God seems to be more present in some meetings around the world than at any time since that weird Toronto thing. ( It could be argued this is bigger cos of TV and the internet) And hey, you can be stood doing the ironing, listening to a broadcast from Lakeland Florida on the internet, and be knocked off your feet. I know, cos I was that man. I had to put the iron down and sit/lie on the floor cos ..... well I couldn't stand up.
What is going on? A group of us went to an Elim church in North Belfast http://www.elimcc.com/ They were a great bunch of ordinary people nothing special except that the Holy Spirit was there in a more powerful way than I have experienced Him for a long time. A guy prayed for me, just touched my forehead and that's me on the floor. Wow!
Why did I fall down? Why do I begin to laugh? Why do I bend over like some one has punched me in the stomach? I do not know. What I DO know is that I have a great hunger for God. Not just for that experience but to pray, worship, read the scriptures. They say it's all about the 'Glory'. It's all about 'His presence'. All I know is that God has touched my Spirit and something has changed. All I know is that loads of people are experiencing God in a new (for some) and a more powerful way. Some men have been picked out by God to tell others and show others. Some one called this the 3rd Wave. I know we are living in very exciting times.
People are being healed on a scale I've never heard of before.
If you're sceptical then challenge yourself to be a little bit open. I don't think anyone will want to miss this move of God. This is Goodnews.

I don't want to be a Christian

2008-04-07T17:56:00.002+02:00

I don't want to be a Christian
The Christian in me is dead
I'm laying down Christianity
And following Jesus instead

Can't wait to get to heaven
Don't want to go to hell
I only want to go to heaven
Cos Jesus is there as well

I don't want to be a Christian
Or be part of Christianity
Only love the One who said
"Take up your cross and follow me"

I won't follow Bush or The Pope
Paisley, Matt or Terresa
Just worship Jesus my friend
Lover, Saviour, Redeemer

I was never really a Christian
Don't know what that was about?
I've always wanted to follow Jesus
Just took a while to work it out!!

Just an amateurish poem but I want to make a point.
Have we so tarnished the 1st century term Christian (Christ means annointed One so we are the annointed ones) that it now has become an insult to be associated with it? Has the actions of Christians become so far removed from the actions of Jesus that it is just another religion like Muslims, Hindus, Budhists? When we ask people to become Christians what are we asking them? To be part of a church, a denomination? Become a Charasmatic or an Evangelical?
How about if we asked them to become like Jesus? Have your sins forgiven, ask Him to become the most important person in your life then with the strength He gives you start to become like Him. Instead of warning people they are going to Hell how about encouraging them that they can be like the Man Jesus. Hey it will mean they might want to find out more about Him so they might start reading the bible? They might see the compassion and love He had for the poor, the rejected and the sick. They might want to know why we don't see the miracles He did, done today. They might start coming to our churches and asking questions like why are we singing and chanting and reading and building and meeting and praying and giving and eating bread and drinking wine/juice!? They may see being like Jesus a long way off of being like a Christian.
I doubt a one man campaign on getting rid of the term Christian is going to make any impact but I find it a challenge.
What do I want people to become, a Christian and all that that term is loaded with or be a follower of Jesus? I find the latter a better option!

He's Dead!!

2008-03-04T17:22:00.003+01:00

It was hard to believe that on Monday of last week I flicked thru the Guardian Newspaper and saw a picture of my teenage idol Larry Norman. What was shocking was that it was in the obituaries page! I knew he had been unwell but didn't know he was so close to death. Larry died on Sunday 24th of Feb. I began googling him and checking out various web sites. It was great to hear some of his old tunes and his social commentries but the saddest thing of all was that on many of the radio recorded sites the concluding statement was "you can buy Larry Norman CDs from your local Christian book shop and all procedes will go to pay for Larry's medical fees!!" He even released a Christmas album which was cheesily intoduced as Larry's favourite time of year... it was so obvious that he released it to make money to pay for medication to keep him alive. I have heard various stories about how Larry would give his appearence fee to some needy person and walk away with nothing for his nights work yet the christain music scene obviously don't have a fund to help physically ailing arists like Larry. Lets get this in context too. Larry Norman was not just another singer/songwriter. When churches were struggling (and I am trying to be kind here) to accomodate the Jesus freaks who wanted to go to Church in jeans and sing a song that you could tap your feet to (at least!) Larry was singing that Jesus was the Rock That Doesn't Roll. He was asking the question that General William Booth of the Salvation Army asked, Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music? He single handedly (and please, please correct me if I'm wrong) dragged the Christian Music scene from its dying folky Pete Seager type songs into the Electric Rock/Blues music that today is the background for the likes of Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin. Yes Larry could do folk and was just as comfortable with an acoustic as an electric (see 'The Outlaw') although check out his late youtube songs and he vocally adds an electric lead riff in betweeen verses www.youtube.com/watch?v=BznsjIe5sMk
He tackled issues of drugs and sex "Gonorrhoea on Valentines day VD" from the song 'Why Don't you Look Into Jesus' which was radical for the church then and he even wrote about UFO's
"If there's life on Other planets then I'm sure that He must know
And He's been there once already and has died to save their souls" !!! No one else was (or even is) writing like that. He commented on the Vietnam war, racisim and other issues in 'The Great American Novel' Let me add that no one was tackling those issues in my church or publically in Christian events. There was billy Graham doing his stuff, Mary White house doing hers David Watson challenging Conservative Christianity but in their own way they were not connecting and maybe even sidelinning the people Larry Norman was reaching
He did seem to be a little Bob Dylan esque and did a great impersonation of Mick Jagger on some of his rocky stuff but Larry got slated for it. He admits to falling out with fellow rock artists like Randy Stonehill and further admits (again youtube helps me out) that it was not until 1990 that he understood that God loved him unconditionally. He tells us that up until then he did not understand that God would love him no more if he was good and no less if he was bad.
Many of his songs ended with the thoughts of this world not being were we belong. Famous lines like "This world is not my home" and "I'm only visiting this planet" and "In another land"
Its hard to sum the guy up and his influence on me and on people like Keith Green, Bob Dylan and others.
I find it hard to beleive that there will be any one like Larry Norman.
His best song, I Am A Servant, sort of summs the guy up and makes me reflect on how unlike Jesus I am!!

Shush! Worship corrections

2008-02-18T17:50:00.002+01:00

Of course that should be Romans 12vs 1 NOT Romans 8 vs 1 and bizarrley that is what was preached on in Church on Sunday!!

Shush! Worship

2008-02-15T16:27:00.003+01:00

I recently loooked around on a blogg by Chris Tomlin. Some of the contributers (mostly worship leaders)were thinking about stopping the music and the singing and being silent so they can hear from God. They complained that at the end of their personal and co orporate worship that they had done alot of worship but not heard what God has said to them. Their conclusion.......stop worship. Listen in the silence. They were honest worshippers because they admitted that as soon as they 'become' silent a load of other noise fills their heads and they have to fight to put it aside to listen to God. I felt kind of sad. Don't get me wrong... there is space for silence. There are not alot of spaces that are silent!. If I want to be silent, I have to get up at 2am but the night is still not totally silent. We do not live in a silent world. The garden of Eden was not silent and imagine being there at Creation!! ............noise like we have never heard. Even when I retreat to my favourite space to relax ...Murloch Bay... I still can't find silence. There's the waves, there's the wind, there's the birds, there's the distant sound of cars, there's my wife singing, there's no silence! .....but I do hear God in His creation yes even the noise of the cars (but not in my wifes singing!!) My question is why do I have to have silence to hear God? God is not dumb. He speaks.......in the whisper some times but as we know the whisper can sound like a shout if there is no other noise to compete. My sadness for the worship leader who has to "stop worship" to hear from God is that, the type of worship they have been partaking in may have been hmmmmmm can I say less than worship? Hey I don't know, cos I was not there, but surley, surley, surley if worship is not about connecting with God in a two way conversation then what is it about.?!!
"Hey God just shut up a minute I want to sing and shout and bash my guitar and when have finished then You can tell me what You think." Yes I have done that, but I know I limited God in it all.
In a loud song or in a quiet song.
In a long song or a short song.
In a fancy lead break or a soft repetative one line meditation
In a Chris Tomlin song or a made up on the spot song..............we can hear from God if we are open.
We all know that we play around with the word 'worship' probably cos of traditional language but the common interpretation of worship is the Romans 8 vs 1 where our whole life is about worship. Surley our whole life is about hearing from God, being in His presence allowing Him to touch every one of our senses as He communicates His Love to us. It's about a constant dialogue where we listen and respond. what is God saying thru this blogg? What did He say at work/home/school/college etc ...................... and maybe I need to go and read the book on God not speaking for 400 years?!!!

Who Am I ?

2008-02-07T16:51:00.000+01:00

I am part of a group of people doing a counselling course. We do various exercises and one inspirational exercise was pairing off and asking each other 5 times the simple question "Peter.............Who are you?" We then were challenged to get away from "I am a father" "I am a husband" etc and more into "I am someone who is both gracious and ungracious" or "I am some one who loves " or " I am a person who wants to be like Jesus" focusing more on values. So we went back into pairs and asked that most profound of questions another 5 times.
Try this with a friend. It's amazing how quickly you begin to see who you are!
I know this could get all philosophical but it helped to focus me and realise just what my proiorities in life are. Who do I want to be? Yes I want to be like Jesus but then, who is He?
(for more information read the gospels!!)

I heard a sermon recently by Andy McCourt(hear it http://www.cfc-net.org/ )on Moses and the burning bush. He said that the conversation went something like this

God says "Who are you Moses?" and then He says "Who am I?"

God says "Who are you Pete?" and then He says "Who am I?"

Its about identity. Even this blog says some thing about who I am.... what I am interested in, books and music etc. Probably the reason your flicking through bloggs is that your interested to find out who people are and more deeply who you are !! But I know I am MORE than books and music, more than this even.

I suppose in many ways I am the product of my parents. They were fallen, sinful people so am I too but maybe being born again into a new family gives me hope that I can start to reflect and adopt the characteristics of my Heavenly Father (and mother ?... thats another blog)
I am the product of my environment/culture etc but when I chose to follow Jesus I became part of another Kingdom and now my values have changed and I am becoming a product of a whole different culture.

The same preacher said the two biggest events in my life are the day I was born and the day I found out why!! So why was I born? Were do I find the answers? .......... back to Jesus again and what He says. "Salt and light".........."to go into all the world"........ "to lay down our lives for each other".....
Does that mean that I was born?............for such a time as this? ............... to receive from and give the life of Jesus to all my friends and family, the stranger , the enemy?.................to worship Him 24/7................to set an example to my children of how to live a life like Jesus............. born to die(like Jesus!!) and then be resurrected (like Him too!)......................................................

Maybe you can add your 'Why was I born?' statements...................... go ahead I dare you!!

Reward not Gift

2008-01-31T16:04:00.000+01:00

It occured to me recently that one of the reasons why I find it hard to exercise and/or ask for gifts that God has for me is because I think I deserve them!! I think I deserve them because we live in a 'Reward Society' were gifts are looked down on. A gift is given unconditionaly. You can not earn a gift yet we are surrounded by societies message that nothing comes free. Even Christmas presents are conditional depending if you've been "naughty or nice" Some people are casigated because they have indulged their child or loved one. Surley they didn't deserve all those gifts! We earn all that has comes to us either by sweat at work or good behaviour with our friends. I say to myself that if I have not been nice to either my wife or children work collegues or friends that I am unlikley to get any gift from them because I don't deserve it. It used to be that even if I missed church or slept in and didn't read my bible that I would predict a bad day or a difficult day cos God's favour (potential gifts ) would not be on me.
So now the gifts I do have, I some times think that God has given them to me cos I have been a 'good boy' or I have worked for them. It's no wonder then that when I use my gifts and it 'appears' to go well, I am fighting thoughts of pride or feeling of puffed up and superior. "Yeah God was with me cos I deserve it!!" Oh no!! or it didn't 'appear' to go well so I start searching my soul to see where I went wrong. Who am I not in fellowship with? What have I done wrong? Oh no again!
I am begining to realise that God has given me a gift totally undeserved and I am to use it at any opportunity that He asks me to. I offer my gift, worship, tongues words of knowledge,prophecy and if others don't like it then I refer them to the One who gave it to me. I need to respect others gifts and allow them to use them and not judge them on the 'how much do they deserve it' scale.
One of the latest gift ideas is Random Acts of kindnesss, or ARK if you've seen Evan Almighty!! Totally undeserved 'gifts' (I think it used to be called charity!!) sometimes given anonymously, is a classic case of how gifts should be used. The challenge has been for those on the receiving end because ............. they want to know what they've done to deserve it! !

Why the heck are you flying that flag?

2007-11-08T17:54:00.000+01:00

C'mon you have asked that question. I have. I ask it of my self at times, especially when I am stood within a row of worshiping people and I feel the call to go and pick up a flag and start to wave it. Squeezing past up raised hands, children playing on their hand held Nintendo's (I remember when it was a colouring book!!), others kneeling, I am asking myself why am I doing this? I get to the front of church. I Choose a flag that will inspire me, both in sound and vision, and begin to feel God's Spirit rising up within me. I find words, both in English and in another tongue, bursting from my gut and spluttering out of my mouth. I find myself both worshiping and praying. Praying for Gods Spirit to come, responding to the words that are being sung and feeling very self conscious that the worship leader may be being put off! But to be honest I generally feel the tempo and volume rise in the song (not always but sometimes). There are times when the volume drops and the sound of the flag and others can be heard above everything else. This has to be a unique experience for many people, as I can't think of many, if any, places were you would hear the sound of a flag(s) being shook so that it makes the sound of a strong wind. I remember when I first heard it at church. Pricilla was waving this flag and I couldn't believe the impact it had on me. It totaly distracted me from the 'oh now we've stopped singing' attitude to a sense that God, in some way, was making His presence felt.

There are 18 referrences to banner or flag waving in the bible. Many of them referr to waving a banner for the nations. It does inspire to think that there is something going on in the Heavenlies whilst I do it. It is also just a vehicle for me to pray for the church and worship at the same time. Maybe you've always wanted to wave a flag but have always asked why. Well why not? Use it as a cover to call out to God in a loud voice for His people. We certainly need it. Do warfare. Do intercession(standing on behalf of). Do worship. Give your whole body in worship rather than just up raised arms and head. Worship Him with your heart mind AND strength. I need to get over my fear of man and stand as the warrior God calls us to be. If you do it blog me and we can share the experience and encourage each other but most of all do it or you can do eeeeeeet!! as a friend of mine once said

update to previous blog

2007-11-08T17:41:00.000+01:00

It wasn't as bad as I thought on the night. I think the fact that the funeral for Carola had happened the previous day(the same day I blogged) had helped move people on in their greiving process. The leader of the healing rooms really helped by emphasizing his belief of were Carola was now and that she was a warrior leaving the battle. I did feel I was worshiping into a void at times and whilst normally, I would try to pick up were people were at, it was definitley about me leading and being confident that God was doing His bit in the hearts of those present. That week I was particularly tired so for me and more so for others it was a sacrifice of worship. I suggested some times we need to choose to worship rather than wait until we feel like it!!
It's not something I would look forward to doing again but if called.....................

worship in pain

2007-10-10T16:54:00.000+02:00

When anyone asks me "Do I lead worship?" I say "Yes but only in small groups". I really feel that is what God has called me to. I sit right now wishing He had called me to doing the 'big' services/meetings. Why? Because its easier! I have often, very often asked God for opportunities to lead worship, it now feels like one of those prayers I wished I hadn't prayed. About two years ago I lead worship for a group of faithful warriors who were praying for healing for a wife and mother who was dying of cancer. Though the official meeting was held fortnightly a smaller group met each week. I thought it right to continue to call out to God in song and to keep worshiping with them despite the circumstances. The family were given a good few months grace before she sadly died and went to continue that time of worship to her Lord and Saviour for eternity. I found that hard but God gave us all the grace to cope.
For the last year I have been leading worship on a monthly basis at the Healing Rooms at church. They meet 40 mins before the sick arrive and I have always had the most amazing times. Its been a privilege and such a blessing to aid 'healers'(for want of a better word, as it is God who does the healing!) closer in to Gods prescence and they are always up for it. The worship bit only lasts for about 20 mins so after that I pack up my guitar and songs and go home. Recently I was challenged to stay the evening and join the intercessors who back up the healing group in an adjacent room. Last Thursday we had a great time for about 90 minutes. No big prophecies or words of knowledge but still we really felt we entered Gods prescence in a special way. I came away thinking God had really filled that place and for those 90 minutes we had supported the healers in prayer.
On Monday night I received a phone call from one of the other worship leaders asking if I could swap weeks so I lead this week instead of him. I agreed. On Tuesday morning I was told by a regular 'healer' that one of the other 'healers had committed suicide that weekend!!!
So now I am - I don't even want to use the phrase- 'leading worship' for a group of healers who themselves will be broken, confused, angry and upset at the loss of one of their own. I don't understand how I could spend 90 minutes with a couple of other prayer/worship warriors and not have any sense that next door there was a daughter of God one day away from taking her own life. I just had no sense of God leading us to pray, even generally, about the sprit of death or people with suicidal thoughts!
So tomorrow night I am to step up to the plate and say this is what God has called us to. To worship Him despite our circumstances. To 'Come just as you are before your God' that 'He gives and takes away/Blessed be Your Name' and that He is the 'Faithful One' that 'His grace is enough'
Will I hold it together. I am known for my emotional outbursts. I want to be real. I don't want to hide. I just ask for strength to lead and be sensitive in this very difficult time.
For me there is a real sense that she has been stolen from the group. How much more her husband and family!!
If you read this please pray for her family. For comfort and reliance on God, who alone has all the answers.
The intimacy of small group worship can be powerful. I pray that tomorrow this might be a time for healing for the healers and a closness to God none of us has experienced before. We need it.

Children are god!!!

2007-09-28T16:29:00.000+02:00

David Crowder wrote a song with the line 'I'm so tired of little gods'. Lately I've been thinking about 'little gods' I know in my life there has been many little gods that have usurped Jesus as the centre of my life. Read any of my blogs and you'll see how relationship is a major part of my life and how I 'do' my life. I think that's ok but the down side to that is that if I am not aware I can make little gods out of people. Now if you talk to people who love me and know me they will list a few people who I have put on a pedestal (and if you want to know who they are then you'll have to ask them!) In my life my children have been put up there as little gods. As a single parent for many years it was very difficult not to............I mean what else did I have to live for?
I read a very sad article this week in G2 about a mother who took her own life in the very same way as her daughter had done some months previously. My sadness was deepened by the writer of that article who was herself a mother and who's daughter had also took her own life and who said that her whole life had fallen apart and some days she had nothing to live for................ yep like me. Its so easy to put those who we love so much as the foundation on which we build our lives. I shouldn't need to say this but for clarity's sake I've got to say that if I lost either of my children I would be devastated but my life is not built on them it is built on Jesus. I am recently married and when it came to choosing our wedding vows and choosing our songs for the service Jenny and I were adamant that everyone would know that Jesus would be the centre or our marriage. If either of us died we both know that the other would still be able to continue in life ,living for God, because He is the rock in our lives and not each other. I do believe that the society we live in makes little gods out of many things but am certain that children are the number 1 for so many people and that includes lots of Christians. Even for those who don't have children wanting them can still make them into a god.
It's not easy and God has to keep us in check but what we build our lives on is what will hold us up at the time when we feel like we're going to collapse. I pray not to be tested in this area but I always want to be aware and declare that I have no other god before the great I Am that only thru Him can I live and that on the rock of my relationship with Him is my life built.

Rant about prayer

2007-09-19T16:47:00.000+02:00

Where have all the pray ers gone? What kind of prayers are we now offering to God ? Is prayer for our benefit or for God's . Is it not just a way of communicating with our heavenly father ? Does He Listen? If our answer is Yes then why do we only talk to Him about certain things?
I have been involved in praying for a country called Tajikistan for a long while now. A friend of mine and his wife went out to church plant . They're back now in N.Ireland but just before they came back, we amalgamated a few prayer meetings for missionaries so we'd be more encouraged. We met about three times before it faded ....Why?. I keep telling myself that people are praying at home, in small groups etc. My problem is that I don't really beleive it (sorry if you have -please leave a comment to encourage me). Maybe things have moved on. Maybe we don't do the official 'lets meet together just to pray for one situation' anymore. I just get so discouraged that God's passion for the nations(other countries or people groups) is not reflected in His Church. Come to think of it what about His other passions ............for the poor , those whose faith has gone those who have no faith . The great and wonderful Erwin McManus (check out his podcasts at www.mosaic .com 'Prayer spiritual activism') speaks about us being the answer to our own prayers. He says don't pray if you don't want to be part of the answer. Thats a challenge.
So pray ....more....longer...louder...quieter....deeper......with more thought............with more spontaneity.... in the morning.......at night........in work................at home..............in bed................at church..........in the middle of the night.............in tounges..............with silence...........on your own............with your wife/son/daughter/mother/father/grandparent/friend...........enemy.........boss........work colleague..............stranger.......pastor..........with a child............whilst reading the scriptures..............singing..........playing an instrument................ and listen with your heart and head for He speaks and He says...............................................?

It's all about ME!!!

2007-09-10T17:37:00.000+02:00

It's all about Him. It's all about the One who was there at creation and the One who died and rose again. it's all about the One who heals us of our dis - ease.
So often, recently, I feel at dis-ease. With my self ,with family ,with church(that comes too easily!) ............and the last person I turn to for healing is the One that it's all about. I surprise myself at how I can get so caught up in worship, so caught up in loving Him and expressing it but then I take my eyes off Him and begin to focus on my dis-ease. "Take it to the cross" they say............ what? I wish I knew what that really meant!! I suppose they're trying to tell me to give my dis-ease to the One who died for all my dis-eases and that means..................? Jesus died that I might not have any dis-ease? I know my life will continue to have dis-ease. May be its about bringing one dis-ease at a time? Maybe its about separating my sinful attitude and God's burden for his people? Maybe things are not as black and white as I want them to be.
I keep coming back to the relationship thing. None of my relationships run smoothly. All of them need me to do my part. But then I realise just who I am trying to have a relationship with. I heard God call me to share something in church on Sunday but I wouldn't go up to the mike Why? cos I was afraid of making a fool of myself. I didn't have it all clear in my head. (Sometimes I am that elder brother who won't celebrate with the Father because it's not done my way) Who am I most afraid of man or God? What's bigger my pride or God's call? I don't fear God enough! I do forget who I am having a relationship with. It's all about Him the creator. Thankfully, so thankfully, He is a gracious God who is willing to listen to my dis-ease and wait for me to call on Him. Like many of us I get impatient with my self and want to change now!! It takes a life time (though 1 day is a thousand years etc) but always ,always its all about Him

Time for a change

2007-08-13T15:50:00.005+02:00

I wonder some times if its time for a change?

People talk about seasons and God working within them. I don't know when one season begins and another ends, apart from a retrospective look!! Hind sight is a great thing an'all that. These days I've been turning up at church and thinking 'Hey God whats going on?' His people are becoming less engaged with Him. I sense a withdrawing, a fear almost that God is asking too much. Are we living in the days were God is upping the anti?!! Is He expecting more from his people now than before?

I find myself becoming more and more sensitive to God which means a bit of an emotional rollercoaster where I am trying to figure out what is God's heart and what's just my plain old desires?

In our relationships do we go thru times when one(One) of us becomes more demanding. Does God withdraw a bit to challenge us to look for Him with more effort ,zeal,passion etc? or does He draw closer and we step back a bit cos He is a bit much? Oh to know the ways of God!!

Is this the season of crying out or the season of reflection?

Recently we (the church I attend) have been praying for a boy with serious illness. We/I prayed passionately, we prayed long, we prayed often, we fought declared and proclaimed. He died and has gone to be with Jesus..............and we're left trying to support the family and get our head around what's happened.

Is this not the season for healings?

We prayed for a mother in hospital who couldn't breath, a worship leader with Kidney stones and have been praying for a woman with cancer for a long time now. All have received full or partial healings.

Is the season for healing now?

I've been trying to exercise faith for finance and God has provided half!! An influential couple from church are no longer around .

It feels as though we're going thru change and its scary, not complete, not there yet.

Something is changing and if God is in it WATCH OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

faith is nonesense!!

2007-07-20T22:24:00.000+02:00

It seems like I am going thru a nonesense faze!!

I've just been hoking around a few blog sites and found myself getting ,frustrated,angry,confused,dismayed,fascinated and bewildered all at the same time. I wonder where God is some times and just how He reveals Himself and how He chooses to whom He reveals Himself. There are so many seekers out there who just want to grasp hold of Him yet seem to reason their way into some philosophical cul-de-sac were God becomes god (g-d even) and some idea 'out there' and were church history and the journey of christian belief seems to be written off with a few quotes from Nietzsche or Sartre. I get angry at God because He's not explained Himself well enough!? angry at the church because they don't seem to engage very well with those who like the intellectual stimuli and angry at myself cos I can't articulate this faith I have in a God who desired to create a world were people have the choice to have a relationship with Him or not. Were all my experience seems to say He loves me, yet all their academic arguments seem to conclude, prove it!!
It all must come down to a revelation.
I've been listening to Snow Patrol and worshiping/praying
'Give them a chance to hold on
Give them something to hold on to oo hoo
Its so clear now that You are all that I have
I have no fear cos You are all that I have'
To sort of quote Brian Houston(Rollercoaster - You Are Mystical - the talki bit at the end) 'we just complicate things were all God wants is to have a relationship with us.
Today I have felt so burdened to pray for those who talk themselves into a non/un belief who find it so difficult to make that leap of faith, to put their faith in a Heavenly Father who sacrificed His only Son to show us He loves us unconditionally which makes no sense at all to me but then when did undeserved love make any sense!
I pray for more revelation of all this.

worship is nonesense

2007-06-06T16:29:00.000+02:00

I've just read a book with the above title or something like it by a journalist called Nick Page. It's all about worship songs, the writing and singing of. At times i wanted to throw it across the room at other times I wanted to hug it!! It challenges us to really think about what we sing in worship and what worship really is giving the usual quote from Romans 12 'give your bodies as as your spiritual act of worship'. We do seem to have a problem with the term 'worship!' "lets have a time of worship" and worship leaders or lead worshipers - so do we say "lets have a holy sing song" or "lets play some praise songs" or "Pete start singing and if we know it we'll join in !!!" and thats the point I wanted to throw the book at the wall!!! How ever He made some very validpoints about language in somngs and how exclusive we are. How many of us know what the phrase Blessed Be Your Name means or Hallelujah or Hossana even and the classic 'my Ebenezer' He writes about the likes of John Newton (Amazing Grace and How Sweet the Name Of Jesus sounds etc) using the language of the day. He even challeges us to stop using biblical phrases particularly Hebrew ones like Jehova or paste and copy songs, as he calls them, like These Are The Days Of Elijah (fair point). For someone like me who has grown up in the Church surrounded by this language it aint a problem but for those coming from a none church background it must be. I am so guilty of making assumptions that the church is full of Christians even when I am praying for non beleivers to come to church (now that IS nonesense!!) He is so right. So I am off to make my contribution to the none exclusive christian- none- biblical- phrases- don't- mention- the- word- worship - song- writing song if you know what I mean?

Old Rugged............... romantic

2007-04-30T16:37:00.000+02:00

The Old Rugged Cross. Just what is it?

We sang this in Church the other Sunday. When I was about 4yrs old an old couple used to look after me and this was their favourite Hymn. I never really thought much about it until I heard it again a few years ago. So I started thinking about it. I find it so hard to find a way to worship in this song when the focus is NOT Jesus but the cross he died on!!! 'so I'll cherish the old rugged cross..... apparently the writer (George Benard) inspiration was Galations 6:16,17 where Paul talks about boasting/glorying in the cross. Maybe this Preacher had missed the point(he probably didn't when he was preaching) but we are not meant to cherish it ,romantasize it nor worship it. Paul was talking about living a free life away from the jewish tradition of circumcision(a particuler prob for the Galatians) and he wants to boast that he has been crucified to the world i.e the world no longer has any hold over him(see Romans 6vs6) No cherishing the cross!!
I guess I just want to air my frustration that we as worship leaders/lead worshipers need to make sure we focus on Jesus and who He is and NOT any objects cross, empty tomb etc that we associalte with Him. Hmmmm!

Colossians 1:27

2007-04-05T16:24:00.000+02:00

Have ben reading my daily notes about the fullness of the Godhead within us from Col 2vs 9 and 10 and they referenced Col 1.27 `Christ in you the hope of glory` then the phrase was repeated on a song from a summermadness album I was listening to and again the follwing week the notes(S.U. by the way) referenced it and again today on a revivalists web site a guy called Leonard Ravenhill mentioned it and I am thinking "God what is it your telling me?" Yes I know Christ is in me and yes I know I will share in His glory but what more is there. I suppose a am dull of hearing but if there is anyone who can shed some light on this pleeeese let me know

Harp and bowl

2007-03-30T14:13:00.000+02:00

Has anyone out there heard of Harp and Bowl(Revelation Ch 5) type worship. I want to hear about peoples experience of how they 'do it'(hopefully God is doing it but you know what I mean) I lead worship with a group of Intercessors,people who have a passion for prayer but target their prayers on specific areas, and I do the worship but try to leave gaps for prayers. Some time I don't know what I am doing but have heard about Harp and Bowl and it seems to be close to what I do. So any come back would be helpful

Hi its all new!

2007-03-29T16:58:00.000+02:00

Not done this before so I welcome any questions, poetry, controvertial ideas etc. Let me start with why do we is worship?