Romans 8v28 Is it really Good?!

I've been working through the book in my quiet times and the writer of the notes has pointed us to Romans 8v28 today and I have been wondering; What on earth is the "good" in this verse?

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

This is all very well, but my life isn't always "good" it doesn't always seem to work out for "good".
However this morning I was shown something new, God revealed a bit more understanding to me! (What a joy!)

The purpose this verse is talking about is transforming us into the likeness of his son! 

So to shape us and grow us in that, God may put us through to difficult times. In the book of Ruth, Naomi, loses her Husband and her Sons and her country is broken by famine, but she still calls on the Lord for refuge, she looks to him for comfort and recognises that her heavenly Father has her in the palm of his hand and cares deeply for her. 
It may be tough, but he's definitely shaping her and moulding her to become more like Christ. She just needs to trust.

And that's where I'm at now, I'm learning that through small trials and pains, or even large ones, God is shaping me and growing me to be more like his son, the king of the universe. That's where he's getting me to. I'm thankful he can see the bigger picture and truly is transforming me into the likeness of his son.

God works for the good of those who love him even in the tough stuff, transforming us into the likeness of his son. We just need to trust.

One to Ones

I've just recently started meeting with another one of the Young People in my Church Family and realised that yet again I've been struggling to remember the sort of helpful things to ask before getting stuck into the bible or the book we're reading together.

So I decided to compile a list of standard questions that I thought might be helpful and share them with you all in case any of them are helpful.
I'd love feedback of more I can add if you have more!

Blessings!

One to One Basic Questions:

·         How are you?

o   In yourself

o   At school

o   With friends

·         How is school?

o   Grades

o   Friendships

o   Joys and struggles

·         How are friends?

·         Church?

o   Attendance?

o   Understanding?

o   Joyful or a struggle?

·         Personal Christian life?

o   Quiet Times?

o   Prayer?

o   Is it fun?

o   What are you studying?

o   What are you praying for yourself?

·         Home?

o   How is life at home in general?

o   What do you do in your spare time?

o   How are you getting on with your family?

o   Do you get your own space?

o   Do you get family time?

·         How can I be helping you? Praying for you?

Giving God the Glory

In my home group we're looking at 1 Corinthians 12-14 all about Spiritual gifts and our first session we looked at 12 v 1-11. 

The thing that struck me the most about this passage was how the Holy Spirit determines exactly what gifts each church needs and how they should use them. The most striking thing about that to me was how people thought that some gifts are better than others. 

This is a total misunderstanding of verse 11, the Holy Spirit is the one who determines the gifts we are given, he shows us how to use them and gives us the discernment, and most of all every gift no matter how large or small is a gift from God and is a blessing on His children!

Let's use our gifts to build each other up and grow His kingdom for His glory!

God meant it for good!

A while ago I put this verse on my Instagram page from Genesis 50 v 20: 

"You meant it for evil but God meant it for the saving of many!" 

So often I feel we can look around this world and ask How can God allow this to happen? But this verse reminded me that God looks after his children, he is shaping us and growing us to be more like him. We as humans have a heart problem, we are unable to be perfect, we are sinful people who need rescuing.
But who can rescue humanity? Clearly not a human because we are all messed up right?

Well, God came down from heaven as a man, fully God and fully man and lived a perfect life, he defeated death and was raised to the Father's right hand. Who better then to take the punishment for our wrongdoings?

If God wanted that much to save us that he would be able to send his only son to die to save us, then how can you think that he would want to hurt us? God surely just wants to shape us to show us what it looks like to be one of his people.

Hebrews 2v11 is one of my favourite verses in the bible and I'm going to leave it with you to ponder and reflect on but I hope you find it as encouraging as I do!

"Both the one who makes people holy and those who are holy are holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters."

Reflect, Receive, Respond

Reflect: It's the end of a term and a great chance to reflect on some on the great things that have happened this term! I have had the brilliant opportunity of going into local schools and getting them to look at the evidence and see for themselves. The kids have all engaged with this so well, interviewing the eyewitnesses (who tell the story from the eyewitness accounts in the gospels) and deciding who rolled the stone. 

Then to finish we read the passage where it says, the Angel rolled the stone and sat on it! What an amazing image, this super heavy stone that probably took 10 men and kit to move it and this angel just pushes out the way effortlessly and sits on it! It was such a great chance to really get my head round the events of the Resurrection because you have to know the accounts inside out!

Receive: In thinking through the Easter story so many times to present in so many different ways this term I've come to this point totally in love with the Lord Jesus and in awe and wonder of how painful yet miraculous this time would have been for him. 

The biggest act of love ever shown, and it's for me and for you! It's such a personal thing and I am so incredibly thankful I don't think words exist to describe it.

Respond: My prayer this week as we run up to Easter is to be: Thank you Lord Jesus for your wonderful sacrifice demonstrating your complete and holy power. Lord help me to submit to your power and kneel at the foot of the cross leaving all my cares and worries with you. Jesus help me follow your example of humility as I serve you and work for the growth of your kingdom!

Singing and Serving

Have you ever looked at your worship leader and thought, wow they seem so together and good, or, they're such a good performer. Or maybe you're that worship leader or band member.
Is this the question that should arise from our worship? Or should we not notice this and be thinking of praise instead?

Well I've been trying to think over this, as someone who sings in the church band, and work out just what our role is.

The first thing to remember is that as a member of a band we're there to serve the congregation, not as a performer. There is a time and a place for performing and I think it's a wonderful thing. But if you're in the band and you feel like you're performing, maybe you need to pray about your motives for being there.

Secondly, this is your opportunity to praise God! So remember who you're singing to, remember why you're doing it. This is an opportunity to spend time in prayerful reflection on your Heavenly Father.

Thirdly, read Colossians 3v1-17, especially verse 16 "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts." We are to sing praises to one another teaching and charing wisdom, even in singing! So sing with your brothers and sisters, sing to them! 

Praise the Lord with all your heart, loving and serving your congregation. 
You have a gift. Use it for God's glory.
Raise your voice and praise the Lord.

Our Father

At the start of this month I had a wonderful opportunity to go to the 9:38 conference with a whole group of Ministry Apprentices just like me, and spend three days looking at our prayer life and what the bible teaches us about prayer.

One of the highlights, for me, was hearing Richard Coekin speaking on the Lord's prayer, showing us how the prayer our Lord Jesus taught us can structure our devotional prayer time.

Now before I continue this post, I want to make sure you know my prayer life is a constant battle that I am trying to turn into a joy! And this is all stuff I'm trying to work on and want to share with you! But it's hard and I have by no means got an answer to making it easier, remember it's literally a spiritual battle, Satan will do literally anything to distract you while you pray. Did I put the Dog out? Did I turn the oven off? That was a lovely program I watched today. He tries anything, to stop you talking to your Heavenly Father.

So, why have I entitled this blog post, Our Father, well, the Lord's prayer begins with this and I was shown that it is the most wonderful reminder of the privilege of prayer and the power of the one we pray to. Just stop and think for a moment, how amazing is it that you get to call the creator of the universe Father. The King over everything, the most powerful one ever known, Dad. We get to come to Him in times of Joy, sorrow, weakness, strength, love, heartbreak, anger and compassion. He doesn't change at all, His love-o-meter is fixed at maximum love. 

Our phone-line to Him is never engaged, faulty, out of service, or in a queue. It's instant and always open.

So, next time you make an excuse to pray, just remember, your Heavenly Father is always listening. He delights to hear you pray to Him. He longs for us to find treasures in His word and ask Him for them. 

He longs for us to speak to Him as our Heavenly Father, to embrace the privilege of prayer.