Friday 20 July 2018

One Way. Jesus

It's a been a while since my last post, I do apologise, life has been rather hectic.
I head off to Keswick then Maidwell for three weeks tomorrow but before I go I wanted to share this with you.

I've been writing a talk for the Keswick Youth this week about Peter's address to the Sanhedrin in Acts. My highlight has been Acts 4v12:

"Salvation is found in no one else, there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."
I'm sure most of us have read that before and know that truth. However, I was challenged by Peter's attitude. He says MUST. And I briefly wanted to bring a challenge it's given me.

I don't think I approach my evangelism and urgency that Peter has here. He says we must be saved, we live in a culture where your approach is fine for you and mine is fine for me. Peter doesn't agree. He sees that all MUST be saved in Jesus name.

SO next time you have the chance to share the gospel, I challenge you with the challenge I have brought myself. Do you have the urgent, desperate need that Peter sees in that we MUST be saved in Jesus name?

Monday 12 February 2018

Can we be an Island?

I had my playlist on this morning whilst I was making my breakfast and a song came on called No Man is an Island, and it made me think, can we be an Island? Do we have a capacity to be alone?

Sometimes we can end up going through stuff in life that makes us feel alone in what we stand for. Standing firm in the truth of the gospel can feel really lonely. But I don't think we can be an island.

As the chorus of the song says:

No man is an island, we can be found 
No man is an island, let your guard down! 
You don't have to fight me, I am for you 
We're not meant to live this life alone


We're not meant to live this life alone, Paul spends most of his new testament letters instructing the church in how to live together, to love and support each other, to share in each others sufferings and joys.

So can we be an Island? By no means,

If you're finding yourself standing alone as an Island, pray with your church family, on your own and find a way to get stuck in and share life with your church family. We're really not made to live alone, God says in Genesis 2v18, it is not good for man to be alone, so I will make him a helper.

Don't be alone, call on your brothers and sisters for support and love. And be that sister your family may need.

Tuesday 6 February 2018

Equipping Ourselves

Society is changing so fast. 

What's right? What's wrong? Who gets to decide that? How do we speak to each other? Where is it okay to say something to someone? 
There are an endless list of questions and it can feel like structuring a sentence means tiptoeing carefully across stepping stones so as not to offend anyone. If you hit the wrong one, you sink, it's over, the trust is lost and you're sinking.

How can we make sure we're equipped for this? 
How do we make sure what we're saying is Godly, Biblical, Christ-like?

I've been thinking through the importance of equipping ourselves for what society is asking and I quite quickly came to the conclusion that of course it's important! (that took about 30 seconds) 
Over the next few months I'm attempting to write a basic level training course for Christian women in Church. 
But to do that I've been attending conferences, training courses, reading my bible, by myself, with others, listening to sermons online, going to church, reading blogs, christian books and praying. 
I encourage you to do the same for the sake of the world around us, our friends and family want to know where Christians stand, the truth of where we stand on issues. SO be prepared.

No matter what our church is like or what our ministry is like I think we need to step up and read, listen, pray, and read again.

So let me urge you, please, equip yourself, because 1 Peter 3v15-16 says:

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

So that is my prayer for you sisters, be encouraged, wise and Godly men and women have answers, but ultimately your heavenly Father will equip you with everything you need.