Just For You!

Great song by Lionel Richie which I came across the other day, great voice... but there is also a line in the song which says and my heart is breaking just for you.... and my arms are open just for you...and these tears I'm crying are just for you... ....can just imagine God the Father singing that to us.

Andy

DNA of Growth

As I look out of our kitchen window I can once again see the signs of Spring (see picture). As we emerge from winter the trees begin to produce the wonderful colours of blossom.

Blossom has suddenly been produced as the conditions are right. Temperature, sunlight, water and the root system have all played their part.

Quite simply if the right conditions are in place, growth automatically happens. It is part of our natural and spiritual DNA. We have been made to grow!

We can apply the same principles to our own life. If we 'put' ourselves under / in the right conditions growth will happen, in and through our lives. Take away the right conditions and growth stops.

We need to think about our lives and the right conditions we need. Maybe we need to make some changes, some that may be quite challenging to make. We need courage.

Examine your life over the last 12 months, audit what has happened. Nothing 'just happens', there is always cause and effect. Be honest with yourself, be rigorous. Employ the help of a trusted friend.

Set yourself some goals for the next 12 months, but don't just think about the goals, think about what is needed, what are the right conditions, that will ensure you fulfill them all.

Finally be prepared for change, your life will not be the same. If you stick at it I am sure when you look back you will be more than pleasantly surprised!

Andy

You Alone

Awesome song....be blessed.

Andy

The Need to Make a Difference

There is an intrinsic part of us that needs to know our life makes a difference.We all need to be needed. Some have this feeling too much and maybe some not enough.

Those who have this feeling too much are often called needy, those with too little can be called aloof. Those refereed to as needy often define themselves only by what they do and not by who they are. For those refereed to as aloof it can often be the opposite.

So back to my starting point. The truth (as many times) is somewhere in the middle.

We are defined by both what we do and who we are. There is a rather a bad cliche that says we are human beings and not human doings but this missies the point of the need to make a difference.

Why do so many people ask why am I here.....what is 'it' all about......is this all there is? These are all valid questions and are linked to the inbuilt need for our life to mean something.

We have all been created with a purpose, we are all predestined. We are not a mistake, we all have something that only we can do, we all have a unique piece of the overall jigsaw!

Making a difference is not only about the big but just as much, if not more, about the small. By taking a small step each day we can eventually conquer a nation!

This is exactly what God said to Joshua when he told him how he would posses the promised land. Everywhere the sole of his foot went ie) one step at a time (Josh 1: 3)!


Lets look for the small ways we can make a difference each day. 


Andy

The One Who Saves

A song for our time!

Andy

Japan

Our prayers and thoughts and  are with the poeple of Japan at this time.

As a nation the Japanese people have always struck me as honourable, always appearing polite and respectful, hard working, determined. I am sure it is these qualities that will bring them through this dark and difficult time.

The death toll I am sure will rise dramatically over the next few days. Maybe we have not really taken on board some of what we have actually seen, within the buildings, cars, boats even, being swept away.
I can remember watching 9/11 unfolding before my eyes, watching the first tower collapse and at that point not really registering the number of people still trapped in the building.

It has felt the same watching the footage from Japan.  It is only now 24 + hrs after the earthquake and consequent tsunami,  with images of people being rescued that I am beginning to realise the number of people that will not be rescued!

Maybe I am being naive but I pray, maybe hope being a more appropriate word, that at those final moments people were able to cry out to God who ultimately rescued them, maybe not from the tsunami but from something far worse.

I will continue to pray, pray for the people trapped, yet to be rescued, pray for the rescuers, pray for the government, pray for the bereaved, the homeless, all affected....pray that God will give strength courage and help to those who desperately need it.

I have always wanted to go to Japan, a desire to go and minister. Funnily enough having seen all that I have it only wants to make me go more!

Finally it is interesting to note how each nation responds in its wishes. Here in the UK Mr Cameron expressed our thoughts and condolences. In America President Obama expressed their thoughts and prayers.

How different and indeed how sad that our nations leader cannot express, as I am sure many thousands  have in this nation, that we are praying. We need God more than ever in our world...that is something we all need to pray for....even Mr Cameron!

Andy

The Sun of Righteousness.......

....shall arise with healing in His wings....Malachi 4: 2. Love this image

A Prayer

This is a not a post as normal but a prayer.... a prayer for some people that I know and love but also a universal prayer that can be used for anyone we know that needs our God to intervene, help, support, touch ....whatever is needed.

God we know that you are our Father, a loving dad who cares. A God who sits not in judgement but love and grace. God I ask that you would hear a prayer on behalf of my friends, my family, those I love....maybe they can't or are unable to pray themselves, so tonight God I make a request on their behalf.

Lord touch them this evening, let them feel your presence.....your touch this evening. Let them know your peace this evening, today.....let them know that you have heard every cry, seen every tear. Even in the darkest hour that you are always present, never absent. Lord remind them that you have never nor ever will take your eyes off them.

Lord I ask that you remind them of your word to them, the promises that you have spoken over them and declare....not just past but today...that your mercies and grace are new every morning.

Lord heal them, provide for them, minister to them. Lord we remind the enemy that your blood that was shed still speaks today. That no matter how they feel they have been washed in your blood and stand clothed in your righteousness.

Lord release this prayer to them, for them today.

Amen.

Andy

Defender of the Faith

As you may know when a monarch of the UK is crowned one of the statements they make is that they will defend the faith, although it is widely rumoured that if and when Charles takes the throne that he will become defender of (all) faith as opposed to defender of the faith i.e.) christianity, but that is another debate entirely!

My point is this, too many times the church and Christians are on the defensive, we become as our monarch does,  defenders of the faith.

I would much rather we become offensive of the faith. This is not that we become offensive i.e.) rude, obnoxious etc but that we become proactive and active with how we live our lives. We stop waiting for something to happen and make it happen.

Our faith does not need defending, it will speak loud and clear when it is active.

This once again brings me to the point of our faith being offensive....there is a reality that if we are active with our faith it will be offensive to some. We cannot hope to be active with our faith and nor upset one or two people. Our faith requires and in fact demands change. Mark Stibbe has a great quote to sum this up, he says Jesus declares come as you are but don't stay that way.

An active faith will challenge many,  their attitudes and beliefs.  Jesus did the very same in the temple. We cannot hope to gently woo everyone into the the kingdom, sometimes confrontation will be involved. It is how we confront, that is the issue.

Our faith should not be about hanging in there but about being out there.

Andy

Bad!

I have tweeted this today and wanted to expand the thought. I tweeted that someone doing a 'bad' thing, however we define bad, does not make that person 'bad', by our definition.

My reason for this thinking is something that I want to be very honest and very real about...my driving. For those that know me they will tell you there are times when I can be very impatient, this is often at it's worst when I am driving. If someone cuts me up, doesn't let me in, doesn't say thank you for me letting them in ....the list goes on, I can get very impatient and sorry to say, angry!

My point is this. As soon as this happens I will make a judgment about that person because they have done something, that I deem to be 'bad', I assume them to be bad as a whole. Wrong I know, but that unfortunately is how I can think in that instant.

The key here is judgment, and in that instant, how quick I am at making that judgment. The thing with judgment is that really we are in no position to make it.

As a Christian I am saved by grace, but when I sit in judgment I am crying out for justice, but if I want justice it has to work both ways. If I want justice for myself by the very nature of justice itself, I have to want it for everyone. If I apply that to my relationship with God then justice can only end one way....my eternal death!! As scripture declares we all fall short and in so doing I am in effect a condemned man.

I need to stop making a judgment, or as many have said to try and see the best in each person, give them the benefit of doubt. It's time to walk in grace not justice!

Andy

The Power of the Cross

Fantastic song....enjoy!

Andy