How does God love you? The Bible tells us that love is the very essence of who God is (1 John 4:7). So if you don’t believe that He loves you unconditionally, you’ll never really know Him or have genuine peace about your relationship with Him.

How do you define “love”? It is Jesus unselfishly reaching out to mankind, giving Himself to us and bringing good into our life regardless of whether or not we accept Him. Romans 5:8 tells us that His care and concern are so immeasurable that He laid down His life for us while we were still His enemies. In fact, the Bible says that He first began to express His love toward us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-5). That means your actions had absolutely nothing to do with His love for you!

God’s commitment to us has absolutely no conditions or restrictions and isn’t based on whether we love Him back. Nor does He have more love for “good” people who may strike us as more worthy. He loves us even in our sin, even when we don’t repent. Does that give us license to disobey? No. It gives us power to live holy lives, walk obediently with Him, and learn to love Him the way He deserves. To follow Him is to receive the love He has been offering all along.

Every single moment, whether awake or asleep, we all live under the canopy of the Lord’s wondrous, absolute love for us. But to fully experience that love, you must receive it. Say yes to this amazing gift that God wants to pour out on you. Bask in it, and let it overflow to those around you.

Those who level such accusations certainly mean it as an insult. According to Jesus that’s the only way to walk if we want to experience abundant life now and eternal life with Him in heaven. It requires a deliberate choice on our part no one automatically drifts onto this pathway.

The broad way is easy to find. In fact, unless you make a conscious choice to avoid it, you’ll find yourself on it. Most people like this wide path because it encompasses all philosophies and belief systems. Everything is acceptable, and everyone’s “truth” is valid. It even seems like the loving path because no one is left out. There are no restrictions, and freedom is unlimited. Or is it?

What those who travel this road fail to realise is that it’s a downward descent into destruction. All the promises it gives of satisfaction and fulfilment end in disappointment because it’s a path without God. But those who enter by the narrow gate of faith in Christ find the peace and joy of a relationship with Him that satisfies the heart. The gate is small because truth guards the entrance. The way is narrow because the Lord protects us with wise boundaries.

Which path are you travelling? You can’t have one foot on each path because they’re going in opposite directions. When you tolerate everything, you’re headed for destruction. But when you choose the narrow way, your life truly begins. You’ll walk with Christ day by day until He walks you home to heaven.

Some shoes can be a bit of a problem. Take trainers for instance. Most of them have a deep tread which gives you a good grip when running. But they also have a habit of picking up small stones and depositing them in your house. And then there are those work shoes with black rubber soles and heels. But sometimes, these innocent looking shoes leave black scuff marks on your nice new laminate flooring. And what about stilettos which look so beautiful and yet make nasty indentations in everything except carpet?

But consider what it would be like if we all had to wear sensible leather-soled, flat lace-up shoes ... or no shoes at all? Bare feet would be no good for running; or working on a building site; or for going out to a posh dinner. So we need more than one pair of shoes because each pair of shoes needs to be suited to its purpose. They are all important in their own way.

People are like shoes – all different and all with a purpose – and each of us is important. Do you know what your purpose or ministry is in the church? We don’t need everyone in the church to be exactly the same or to all do the same tasks and ministries. It wouldn’t work. It would be like the church only having one pair of shoes. Each person needs to be guided by the Holy Spirit into the work that is right for them. Because we are all unique we all have different things we can offer.

Ephesians 6v15 says: your feet should be fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Let’s understand that Paul was encouraging us to wear the right shoes – shoes that are ready to help spread the gospel. We all have our place in the scheme of things and together we can encourage each other and build the church up as we use our individual talents.

There is a common misconception that believers should be perfect. Pretending to have our lives in order, many of us wear happy faces and speak words that sound acceptable. At times we’re ashamed to admit our shortcomings, as if they should not exist. Salvation through Jesus, however, doesn’t change the fact that sin is present in our life. When we’re born again, God forgives us and sees us as righteous. Yet our battle with sin continues till we arrive in Heaven.

In fact, striving for perfection actually can be a trap that pulls us away from living a godly life. Functioning in this way is a form of relying on our own capability. Jesus said that He came to heal the spiritually sick because they recognised their weakness. With an awareness of our inadequacy comes the realisation of our need for Him.

The world sees successful individuals as powerful and self-sufficient, but Jesus didn’t care about these qualities. Instead, He wants people to be aware of their own brokenness. This is the foundation for godliness.

We should accept our neediness and seek God passionately. Doing so allows the following attributes to develop: a hunger for God’s Word, faithful service, deepening trust, and decision-making based upon principle rather than preference. Patiently and mercifully, God matures us.

Be careful not to cover up your sins in order to look like a “good Christian.” Without recognition and confession of our sinfulness, we are unable to rely fully on God. It is only with this awareness that we can passionately seek Him, obey in His strength, and confess with repentance when we miss the mark.

Let me tell you a few of the things that happened to me as a child: I was born at home, in a house with no inside toilet; I was frequently left outside shops in my pram while mum went inside to get her shopping; I walked to school from the age of 5, unaccompanied, along a busy main road; I climbed trees; I wandered alone in the fields near our house; I travelled in a minibus intended for 12, with about 20 other children, without a seatbelt; I rode a bicycle without a helmet; I helped the farmworkers with the harvest, and was driving a tractor at the age of 13; I ate food that had been bought from rather unhygienic market stalls. I could add many other instances of activities which would not now be permitted in our current risk-averse culture. I’m sure many of you can identify with these, and could add other reminiscences.

I survived!! I also enjoyed many exciting adventures during my potentially lethal childhood. It is not my intention to discuss the values or drawbacks of health and safety legislation; I simply want to point out that living is a dangerous business! If it were possible to eliminate all risk, we would be left with a very dull existence, and there would be no possibility of adventure.

Becoming a Christian is an adventure. Jesus offers us forgiveness, and the assurance of eternal life in God’s presence, completely free of charge, and all we have to do is ask him. However, there are many who are too afraid to take the risk. ‘What would my friends say?’ ‘How would it affect my social life?’ ‘What if I find it doesn’t suit me after all?’ They know it would be the best decision they could ever make, but are so worried about side issues that they keep putting it off. Accepting Jesus into your life is a step of faith, and the Bible tells us that, ‘Without faith it is impossible to please God.’ (Hebrews 11 : 6). It involves saying, ‘Okay, God, I’m in your hands now; I trust you with my life and future.’ You will survive, not only now, but for eternity. It is an exciting life, but don’t expect it to be dull, because, as it has often been pointed out, ‘faith’ is spelt ‘R-I-S-K’!

When I get up in the morning the first thing I enjoy is a nice cup of tea. Eight hours sleep may well be good for my mind and body so that I wake refreshed, but my dry mouth tells me that refreshment of a different kind is needed. Just a few hours without liquid has an effect on me. I may be rested, but without a hot drink I’m not ready to face the day.

Biologically, we are all made up largely of water. All the processes in our bodies require it. Lack of water – dehydration – can have a marked effect on our ability to function properly. How long can we go without water? The fact is, if we had no water for several days we would gradually cease to function altogether.

The Holy Spirit is as vital to our Christian lives as water is to our bodies. We need him every day and throughout each day in order to function well spiritually, because our spiritual life gets dry and suffers if we don’t frequently ask God to fill us anew. Being aware of being filled with the Holy Spirit enables us to cope with whatever the day throws at us. It enables us to be bold in our Christian witness, it enables us to resist temptation, it enables us to be used for God’s purposes.

And just as a nice cup of tea or coffee brings pleasure, or a long cool drink of water on a hot day brings refreshment, so the Holy Spirit fills us with joy, keeps us renewed and helps us to know that God’s presence is with us. So, when you have your morning cuppa, why not take a few minutes to ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and refresh you so that you will know his presence as you start your day.

As we enter this new year, we will be looking at the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and the prayer of the ministry team is that we will all know the impact of the Holy Spirit’s anointing upon our lives. Each month we will cover a different theme, as we look together at the work of the Holy Spirit revealed throughout the Bible. We will cover from the moment of creation in Genesis 1 when the Holy Spirit hovered over the waters and was involved in the creation of life, to the call of the Holy Spirit in Revelation 22 when he bids those who are thirsty to come.

On our narrow boat we have a solid fuel burner and it is always my delight in the cold weather to light the fire. Sometimes this is easier said than done. There have been times when, due to either damp wood or coal, the fire has sprung briefly into life only to be extinguished. On other occasions too much paper has been used and it has choked the life out of the fire. In cold weather we try to keep the fire in overnight, but if too much ash builds up then it cuts off the oxygen supply and the fire dies down and goes out. Also, if the coals become separated from one another, slowly each one cools and loses its flame.

This all illustrates how important it is to maintain the fire of the Holy Spirit in our lives and how easily we can quench the Spirit. When we allow things into our lives which take priority over the things of God the fire is dampened down and may go out; when our relationships are not right with each other the fire will die down; when we are no longer open to the wind of the Spirit blowing through our lives and the church, the fire can be extinguished.

However, when the fire burns brightly there is warmth as the love of God is seen and felt; there is life as the Holy Spirit speaks, inspires and impacts people’s lives; and there is the revelation of God’s power and glory as the kingdom is revealed, not in words spoken, but in the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

In the words of the hymn writer: God of Elijah, hear our cry: "Send the Fire!"

The Bible tells us of people who had been waiting for the fulfilment of God’s promise to send a Saviour into the world. Some had been waiting many years, but when they finally saw Jesus they were filled with joy and excitement. They understood that the promise had been fulfilled; the waiting had been worth it all. Here was the baby who would grow up to become the Saviour who would offer those who receive Him the gift of forgiveness and salvation.

At this Christmas time I do not know what you may be hoping for, but I trust it will be worth the wait. However, I do hope that you won’t wait to take the opportunity to receive the gift that God offers of forgiveness and eternal life, because I do know that He, in His love, is waiting for you.

Then, finally, December the 1st gets here and I panic, all those plans now seem impossible under the stress of shopping, packing, wrapping and planning our Christmas celebrations. So they get put off till New Year. Then we start again, and on it goes.

God doesn’t ask us to be the perfect housewife, husband, cleaner, parent, carer, friend or party planner. He does tell us to have fun! That’s right... The Bible tells says “Eat your food with gladness” and “Enjoy Life” (Ecclesiastes Ch 9).

I don’t remember my children ever saying “I remember how wonderful the house was when it was clean” or “Didn’t we have a lovely Christmas when you wore that dress”. They do laugh and tell me about the snowball fights in the lounge, or the people we have shared our Christmas Dinner with.

This year let’s get our heads straight. It’s about celebrating the coming of our King with those we love and care about, family, friends and neighbours. Not the impossible lists of chores we can never actually get done. So you are all let off the cleaning till January!!

And we’d do it all again. We are at our best when we are giving. In fact, we are most like God when we are giving. Have you ever wondered why God gives so much? We could exist on far less. He could have left the world flat and gray; we wouldn’t have known the difference. But he didn’t.

He splashed orange in the sunrise and cast the sky in blue.

And if you love to see geese as they gather, chances are you’ll see that too.

Did he have to make the squirrel’s tail furry?

Was he obliged to make the birds sing?

And the funny way that chickens scurry or the majesty of thunder when it rings?

Why give a flower fragrance? Why give food its taste?

Could it be he loves to see that look upon your face?

If we give gifts to show our love, how much more would He?

If we love to give gifts, how much more does God, pure and perfect God, enjoy giving gifts to us? Jesus asked, “If you hardhearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won’t your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them?” (Matthew 7:11 TLB).

God’s gifts shed light on God’s heart, God’s good and generous heart. James tells us: “Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light” (James 1:17 MSG). Every gift reveals God’s love but no gift reveals his love more than the gifts of the cross. They came, not wrapped in paper, but in passion. Not placed around a tree, but a cross. And not covered with ribbons, but sprinkled with blood.

20, 30, 40, 50 more milestones and celebrations too. 60 now the new 50; 65, the age we have always considered to mean retirement - but not for all!

John Clayton is 100 years old. He has lived through 2 World Wars. Having been in Ministry for 75 years, he has preached more than 4000 Sermons. Some of the many changes in this nation he has seen are : Benefit System introduced; Education reform; Politics!; Housing; Recession and its repercussions. So many changes, but Jesus never changes.

In the 1930’s times were so bad that one Christmas John himself purchased a gift for every child in his Parish and then delivered them to the local Schools. This is true faith expressing God’s love to people needing to know they are not forgotten.

John says we need to be salt and light in our Communities. Today, he says, the biggest challenge to the Church is for people to realise that this life matters, for there is another life for which we are in training. Has he any regrets? “Only that it would have been to be bolder in speaking out when it comes to the Good News of Jesus Christ”, he said.

This story encouraged me to keep going, I hope it encourages you too, for what is Retirement?—Just a word? And the age we are is really only a number.

As I reflect on John’s amazing story I am reminded of Jesus’s words in Matthew 28:18—20 “Go, therefore, and make Disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I will be with you always to the close of the age”

When Christians first started practicing an Advent time in the fourth century, they viewed it not only as preparation for celebrating Jesus’ birth but also as a time of looking forward to His second coming. They found hope and cheer in the sure promise of His return.

The gospel of Luke describes “the glory of the Lord” that shone around the shepherds when the angel announced the Saviour’s birth (2:9). Luke also records Jesus’ promise that He will return “with power and great glory” (21:27). These two events frame the purpose for which the Son of God came into the world.

In Latin “Advent” means “a coming.” The weeks before Christmas can be a wonderful season of repentance and expectation as we celebrate our Lord’s first advent in Bethlehem and anticipate His second advent when He returns in glory. Remember Christ has come! Christ is coming again!

A Christian songwriter include these words in one of his songs:

The first time Jesus came to earth,

Humble was His story;

But He has promised to return,

With power and great glory.

Take time this Advent season to reflect the wonder of Christ’s first coming, thank God for sending His Son to our Saviour, but live also in the expectation of His glorious second coming

But in life we are not always in control of everything, for instance we are not in control of the weather, as I was writing this Devotional Southend Elim nursery called me on the phone, they were in a panic, there was a burst water pipe leaking water everywhere. Sometimes things don’t always go how we would like them to.

If you are a Christian, sometime in the past you would have made a commitment to Jesus whether this was many years ago or just last week. When we make this decision we are saying to God, “Please forgive me for all the things that I have done that offend YOU, I want YOU to come into my life, mould me, melt me, help me to be more like YOU. I give my life to YOU.” Well something like that.

So we are supposed to hand everything over to God!

But do we really hand everything over to God? If we really have handed everything over to God then we wouldn’t want to be in control of our lives.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight (Proverbs 3: 5-6 NIV)

This is wise advice from our heavenly Father, like children we do not always listen.

God sometimes allows life to get tough for us; the Bible calls this adversity (when various trials come our way.) In James 1: 2-3 it says consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

In layman’s language God knows how to gets our attention.

You see God loves us so much that He corrects us when we need correcting:

It will make us grow spiritually.

It will bring us closer to Him.

It will assure us of His Love.

So next time something happens to you which is totally out of your control, hand it all over to your heavenly Father. Because He cares for you.

(Psalm 105:4,5,8)

Remembrance Day is set aside to remember those who have given their lives for the freedom of others. Sadly for many the day will pass without them even giving any thought to the real meaning of the day.

Remembering does many things. It brings us back to the reality of what actually happened. It encourages us to see the dedication of those who fought and died. Remembering should stir within us a sense of gratitude and appreciation, and it should strengthen our own resolve to do our part in serving God and others.

Throughout the Bible, God’s people are instructed to stop and recall what He did for them. Psalm 105 is a song of remembrance of God’s goodness to His beloved ones. It traces His direction, provision and protection through their history and the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. As believers in the 21st century, we can look back over a much longer history and see how God’s plan has and is unfolding, and observe His incredible goodness to us.

Psalm 105:1-5 shows the natural progression of what happens when we pause to remember—we give thanks to Him and continue calling on Him. We sing of Him, and talk with other believers of all He has done. Then we must go tell others of His greatness. When you stop to trace the work of God’s hand in your life and in the world around you, these things should just come naturally.

But the key to being able to rejoice in the past is not found in counting the number of good things that have happened, but in remembering that God remembers! You can rejoice because He never forgets His plan and He never forsakes His promises. Even when life is tough and things don’t seem to make sense to you, rest assured that He is in control and He is working out His plan. He has your best interest at heart. Knowing this should encourage and strengthen you to do your best to live for Him.

Does change, change who we are? No I don’t think it does. It is all part of growing in God. Recently I read “Learn to build your life around your person, not your role, otherwise when you make changes your will lose your sense of worth”

In chapter 1 of the book of Ruth we read about the circumstances Naomi found herself in. She had lost her husband and her two sons and so she changed her name to Mara, which means bitterness. Naomi was sad too, her role in life had gone.

But God still had a lot for Naomi to do. She would in due course mentor Ruth, her daughter-in-law. Later Ruth’s son would grow up to be part of the lineage of King David and our Lord Jesus.

What is your next assignment? Discover it and gather up your assets. Keep living and giving. However young or old we are we can never say “I have seen it all”

Naomi’s story is so encouraging, as she proved God can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

We don’t know what God will do with our lives in the future, but He has a way of saving the best for the last. Remember the new role He blessed Naomi with?

CHANGE IS EXCITING !.

During such troubling moments, we can rest on this essential truth: The Lord is perfect in His love. Consider verse 5 from 1 John 1: "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." In other words, everything our heavenly Father does is righteous. And if He is a God of love, then it is impossible for Him to mistreat any of His children. We can be assured that whatever He places or permits in our lives is good and that His motives are perfectly pure.

Jesus demonstrated this deep care for us when He offered His blood on the cross—there exists no greater display of love than giving one's life for someone else (John 15:13). Our sin debt could be paid only with a flawless sacrifice (Deut. 17:1). Christ, the perfect lamb, was willing to die in our place so that we could have an eternal relationship with the Father. If God gave us His Son—the most precious and amazing gift possible—to take care of our greatest need, then we can trust Him to provide for all areas of our life.

When difficulty arises, remember how much God loves you. He proved this by willingly giving His Son to take the penalty for your sin. Even when circumstances are painful, you can be confident that you are held in the capable and caring hands of your heavenly Father, because of His love.

• How often did we talk about ourselves and our needs?

• How often did we identify the needs of others?

• How often did we refer to the Lord?

• How much time did we spend talking to the Lord?

• How many kind words did we speak?

• How many judgmental things did we say?

• Was our speech full of thankfulness ...

• ... or were we complaining and ungrateful?

If we think about these points we can probably identify our priorities in life, the people or things that are most important to us. Do our thoughts and speech revolve around ourselves, or others, or the Lord? When I was very much younger we were taught that the way to know joy in your life was to make an acronym of that word JOY. So that JOY equals:

JESUS

OTHERS

YOURSELVES

– in that order. It is not always easy, especially if we have a lot of pain and trouble in our lives, but it is true. Look at some of the joyful Christians in our fellowship and work it out!

Often people think there must be a large financial resource , talented manpower and boundless ideas, however God does not see it like this But look at these two men how God used them. Shamgar (found in Judges 3) delivered Israel from the philistines single handed. Killing 600 Philistines with only his ox goad( a stick sharpen on one end to drive slow moving animals).

Moses was afraid that people wouldn’t listen to him or follow him when God asked him to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt What’s in your hand asked God A rod came the reply God used that rod to turn the Nile into blood, to bring plagues on Egypt , part the Red sea and to perform miracles in the wilderness.

When the rod and ox goad was given over to God they became mighty tools. So what is in your hand, what can you give over to God to become that mighty tool for Him to use. Not many walk around with a goad or a rod but we do have pens to write letters, phones to use and bring encouragement to someone, we could bake a cake or mow a lawn. We could use our home for hospitality.

Whatever God is asking of you he will have given you the means to do it, we just need to be obedient. Believe that He can though you.

I have often heard Christians talk about how things should be, how we need to reach out to people. Unfortunately, sometimes the biggest obstacle to people finding God is Christians, who have so much to say with their mouths and yet so little to show with their lives.

The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of my favourites. Essentially, a man is beaten and left for dead by the side of the road; a Priest and a Levite walk by; then a Samaritan stops and takes care of the beaten man. As far as the religious leaders were concerned, Samaritans didn’t keep the laws and their doctrine was unsound. Because the good man in the story was a Samaritan, Jesus is drawing a strong contrast between those who knew the law and those who actually followed the law in their lifestyle and conduct.

God is just as likely to work through a Samaritan or a prostitute as a Priest. There are many examples in the Bible of God using very ordinary people like the prostitute Rahab or an adulterous king named David. God even speaks to Balaam through his donkey.

God can make use of the simplest situations. Had it not been for a cup of coffee and chat one Tuesday morning Annie and I may never have become members of this Church.

In Matthew chapter 20, Jesus relates a parable, which at first sight could cause us to cry “It’s not fair!” A landowner goes out early in the morning and hires workers for his vineyard offering them a normal day’s wage. During the course of the day, as the sundial moves through 9am, 12 noon, 3pm, he continues to engage extra workers. He agrees to pay them whatever is right at the end of the day. Finally, at 5pm, he sees some more people standing around and offers them work for the remainder of that day.

That evening the landowner instructs the foreman to assemble the workers and pay them, starting with those hired last. Although they had only worked a very short shift they received a full day’s wages.

When those workers, who had slaved away in the hot sun all day, received their wages they expected to receive much more. They only received the same amount (which is what they had agreed to).I’m sure they felt and probably said, “It’s not fair!”

So what can we learn from this. God’s gift of eternal life, through Jesus’ death on the cross is for everyone. Maybe you’ve been on the Christian road, slaving away year after year, like the first workers in the story. If you have, praise God for keeping you over the years. However, when someone new comes along, gives their life to God and He starts blessing them, don’t say “It’s not fair,” rejoice with them. They may have only recently found The Lord, but God wants to pour out His blessings on all of us, young and old, new convert or long time Christian. That’s fair isn’t it?

"I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry." Psalm 40:1

Practicing patience is hard work! This is especially true when we are waiting upon the Lord, who keeps to His own timetable. But believers who trust God to deliver are richly rewarded with the desires of their heart.

A person’s willingness to wait reveals the value of what he or she desires. No one goes wrong waiting for the Lord to send His best in His perfect timing. Of course, believers don’t receive everything they request. At times God simply says no. In other cases, He adjusts our desire to match His own.

In our humanness, we can’t possibly know all the details of a situation. So we ask for what we think we need, based on our limited information. A submissive heart accepts the omnipotent Father’s gentle redirection. When the awaited object of desire comes, it may not look like what the believer originally requested, but it will be exactly what he or she needs.

Waiting patiently on the Lord is an awesome witness. When He responds, others see the reality of God, His faithfulness, and the wisdom of our commitment. In addition, our own faith is strengthened. Fools rush to seize their prize. But wise believers know that blessing will come in God’s good time.

‘Buy one, get one free!’ ‘Free dinosaur keyring with every purchase!’ When I spot a sign advertising something that is free, I tend to think, ‘Can’t be worth much,’ or, ‘So, what’s the catch?’ David, on the other hand, cannot resist anything that is free. He may not want a dinosaur keyring, but it’s free, so he mustn’t miss out. We recently took our daughter Linda to the cinema. Having purchased our tickets, David discovered that we were each entitled to a free soft drink and a large bucket of popcorn. Now, I can’t stand popcorn – it never ceases to amaze me that something so smelly and messy has become the standard food to eat in cinemas – and Linda doesn’t like it either. David will eat it, but I have never known him buy any. I also dislike fizzy drinks. However, David was adamant that he was not going to miss something that was free, and proceeded to request the three buckets of popcorn and the three large cardboard cups of Pepsi to which we were entitled. At this point, Linda and I, very embarrassed, decided we were having nothing to do with it, and went to find our seats in the cinema. If you ask him nicely, he might tell you the rest of the story – with appropriate exaggeration. Shall we just say that now, nearly three weeks later, David is still eating stale popcorn!

The salvation that Jesus offers us, the forgiveness and peace of heart and mind, the assurance of eternal life, and all the joy of belonging to the family of God – it is all completely free! The price was paid when Jesus died on the cross, taking the punishment for our sin. So, why are people not queueing up to take advantage of it? For many people, there is the suspicion that anything that is free must be of little value, or that there is some catch involved. In fact, many people would much rather pay for their salvation, or earn it in some way by doing good deeds. But the Bible says, ‘It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no-one can boast.’ (Ephesians 2 : 8-9) In fact, it is not worthless, but priceless. We could never earn or buy our salvation. So don’t miss out – it really is free!

When we were walking in the Peak District several years ago, we arrived at a place where it began to get distinctly wet underfoot. Wondering why, we consulted our Ordnance Survey Map. We found we were standing in a place marked “springs”! And sure enough, when we looked around, there were places where we could see the water literally bubbling up out of the earth. We had stumbled across the source of a river. And it struck me that the river’s source seemed very small compared to its outflow into the sea. As a spring feeds a stream (which naturally widens into a river as other streams and tributaries flow into it) so the amount of water increases. Together, the accumulation of water can become a mighty force: cleansing, refreshing and sustaining everything in its path.

The Holy Spirit is like a spring, bubbling up in each of us. As we allow it to flow out from us it touches the “ground” around us. It is noticeable to any who come near. And as we worship and work together in unity, so our small stream joins with others to become a rushing river, which can bring cleansing and refreshing to everyone it touches. The river of God’s Holy Spirit is the place of life and sustenance, not just for Christians but for all the areas it touches. Are we a part of that glorious river? All we have to do is to be willing for the Holy Spirit to “bubble up” in us, and then simply let it flow out from us. Jesus tells us in John chapter 4 verse 14 that the water he gives us will become in us a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Don’t let us bottle it up – as some do with spring water to make money – but may it be a continuous outpouring that we enjoy, and that we freely and generously share with others.

It was the first week at my new job in the city. I’d never worked in London before and was getting used to the hustle and bustle of the City of London. Even the train journey was exciting – a whole hour to sit down and read a book, and the best bit, you got to do it all over again on the way back. It was heaven for me (well, pretty close anyway!). Work was ok, and I got on well with most of my team. I even had a namesake, another Simon in the team, but he was nothing like me. He had waist length hair, an earring and very different tastes in music. It was just a shame that there weren’t any other Christians in the team. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Simon, like me, followed Jesus. Over time we became good friends, our love for Jesus overcoming the differences that I’d initially focused on. It taught me a lesson that when we say ‘Yes!’ to God, he’s looking at what’s in our heart, what’s inside, not how we look, what music we like or how long our hair is!

“Accept one another then just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” (Romans 15:5-7)

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” (Isaiah 55:1-2)

Have you ever found yourself standing in front of the fridge, trying to find something to satisfy a vague sense of emptiness or discontent? You aren’t looking for anything specific, but you know you want to fill a longing. Whatever you choose will probably not do the trick, because the empty spot is not in your stomach but in your soul.

Whether the substance is food, career, possessions, or relationships, our souls are continually trying to find satisfaction. But nothing in this world will fill the void. Since we were created for relationship with God, He placed deep within us a yearning for Him. Though we may not recognise it as such, everyone knows the feeling of dissatisfaction that at time seeps into our souls. Whenever we attempt to find fulfilment with worldly substitutes, disappointment and disillusionment are sure to follow.

There are two possible menus from which we can choose to fill our empty souls. The world’s menu is long and full of enticing things that seem to promise fulfilment and pleasure. These could include relationships, prominence, acceptance, riches, or recognition. But God’s menu is quite small. In fact, it lists just one “item”—Jesus. He is the only one who can fill the void.

What are you pursuing in life? Have you found the satisfaction you seek, or is there always a vague sense of discontent in your soul? If you will allow Jesus a bigger place in your life and spend focused, quality time with Him, He’ll satisfy you as nothing else can.

Our calling as Christians is to imitate Jesus Christ, but what big footsteps He left! The heavenly Father attested several times in the Scriptures, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Matt. 3:17). How can we live up to that?

God does not expect us to be perfect like Jesus. He sees us as children who are still learning. Just like a parent who rejoices over baby’s first steps, so our heavenly Father delights in our steps of obedience as we seek to walk with Him.

The goal is growth. Once a toddler masters walking, his parents’ delight shifts to more mature achievements like running. As long as we keep growing in our faith, we will never cease learning new ways to please our Father. He loves us and patiently cheers us on at each new level of maturity.

What’s important to the Lord is our hearts. Amidst all our frailties, failures, and temptations, He sees the desires of our hearts and knows how much we love Him and want to be obedient. Even in our stumbling, He helps us up and encourages us with His Word.

You are far more pleasing to the Lord than you think. Learn to see yourself through His eyes. He’s waiting to help you develop into the person He designed you to be.

What is the relationship between the Fruit of the Spirit and the Gift of the Spirit?

The fruit of the Spirit is your character. Your character is defined “habitually doing the right thing in the right way.” “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance (self control)” (Galatians 5:22, 23).

The gift of the Spirit is your ability to serve the Lord in His strength. I like the way the Living Bible explains it: “Now God gives us many kinds of special abilities, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service to God, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are many ways in which God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work in all through all of us who are His. The Holy Spirit displays God’s power through each of us as a means of helping the entire church” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).

God will and does use your character (spiritual fruit) even when you serve God where you are not gifted. God will and does use your spiritual gift, even when you lack character. God’s blessing is on those whose gifts and character are a perfect match.

Did you know that the A-Z street map books are all down to the work of one person? A certain lady, called Phyllis Pearsall, got lost in London one day back in 1935 when she was trying to find her way around using only an outdated street map. Borne out of her frustration was the determination to design and create a newer, better one. Her father, who coincidentally owned a mapping business, lent her the wherewithal to embark on what turned out to be a massive undertaking.

With commendable endeavour she walked every street in London, rising at 5a.m. every morning in order to fit in an 18 hour day. To achieve her goal she steadfastly walked, little by little, a total of 3,000 miles. When she had listed every single street, she proof-read the book herself and had 10,000 copies printed. What an achievement! This initial success has been replicated over the years and has been extended to cover many other towns and cities, too.

We may feel that the little we do doesn’t amount to much, but all the little bits add up. Ethel West used to painstakingly soak stamps off envelopes so that they could be sold to help our Elim missionaries. She may have only made a few pence in a day. But over the years, she made hundreds of pounds for the work of God. Maureen now continues this valuable work in a different format by selling people’s unwanted goods on Ebay. Sometimes the amount raised is small compared to the amount of work involved. But over the last few years, little by little, she has raised a total amount of £9,873!! (£5,835 to Elim Missions and £4,038 to Bulgaria)

In the book of Zechariah it tells us we should “not despise the day of small things”, because when we are working for God he can, and will, help us achieve great things for him. This was in relation to the rebuilding of the Temple. Be encouraged because the little things you do – offering friendship, caring, sharing a word from the Lord, praying for one another – are the small things that God will use to build his Temple, his church today. So don’t give up. Be like Phyllis Pearsall and Maureen – keep going until your work is done!

Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal. Ruth 4:7-8

In Ruth 4, we are presented with an interesting custom from the days of the Old Testament. If a man’s brother died childless, it was the responsibility of a near kinsman… a brother or another close relative… to redeem the wife. That is, to purchase the land that her husband would have enjoyed and to become her husband and carry on the line of that man.

Boaz was a near kinsman and wanted to redeem Ruth. He loved Ruth… and he wanted to take her as his bride. But according to Jewish law, there was a nearer kinsman, someone who was closer to Ruth, so Boaz had to deal with this nearer kinsman. He had to make sure that this man signed off in order that he could marry Ruth.

This is part of the scene we see in the verses above. When a redeemer was unwilling to redeem or to transact business, it was the custom of the man to take off his sandal and give it to the man who would redeem; and the man who would redeem would slip on that sandal as a sign of his willingness to stand in that man’s shoes and to redeem and purchase what was rightfully his.

What Boaz did for Ruth is a vivid illustration of what Jesus Christ did for you and me on the cross. We, the near kinsman, cannot save ourselves, so we take off our shoe and give it to Christ. Praise God for the salvation we have as believers: Jesus standing in our shoes and us standing in His!

When I travelled to Bulgaria a couple of weeks ago, I and the other volunteers had been given a programme. We knew where we were going, which children we would be entertaining, and what each day’s schedule would be. Within minutes of meeting with the Director of Star of Hope at Sofia airport, we knew it would all be changed. At first it was just that we would be dealing with a different group of children, but as the week progressed, more and more of our programme had to be abandoned, as we had to adjust to constantly changing situations. At the end of it, we were all convinced that God had been at work, and that our visit had achieved what he had decided needed to be done.

Many Christians wait for some direct indication of God’s guidance before they step out to do anything for Him. I would argue that, just as it is impossible to steer a stationary ship, the best way to experience God’s guidance is to start doing something! God is quite able to redirect us, to close doors, or to open different opportunities, if we are genuinely wishing to serve him. As a church group, we are involved in several outreach projects. These are sometimes successful in reaching people who are not yet Christians. However, some of the people who are coming into our fellowships at the moment are making contact of their own accord, and we are just amazed at how God is leading them to us. I am convinced that, as long as we are doing our best to reach out to people, even if our own ideas do not bear fruit, he can steer us in some way to the people who are seeking for him.

The worst thing we can do is nothing. Have dreams and ideas, go for it, then be flexible!

Saul of Tarsus underwent a radical transformation—the zealous persecutor of Christians became a passionate follower of Christ. Later known as Paul, he dedicated his time, energy, and talent to spreading the gospel message.

What motivated him to surrender his life wholeheartedly to Jesus?

Jesus’ sacrifice of love. Before salvation, Paul had opposed all who believed in Jesus as the Messiah. At his conversion, this persecutor of Christians realised that Christ willingly died on the cross because of His love for mankind. Jesus left His heavenly home, suffered, and died so we might be reconciled to God. The Lord’s sacrifice on the cross motivated the apostle to tell others about His all-encompassing love (Eph. 3:18).

Gratitude for salvation. On the road to Damascus, Christ’s enemy became a member of His family. Paul called himself the worst of sinners, acknowledging that he was unworthy of salvation and undeserving of mercy or favour (1 Tim. 1:15-16). It was gratitude for salvation that fuelled his devotion and dedication to the cause of Christ.

The power of the gospel to transform lives. The apostle’s own experience made him long to see others rescued from slavery to sin so they might experience God’s grace. He wanted many to benefit from the saving and transforming power of the gospel

We’ve been entrusted with the responsibility of spreading the gospel. When inadequacy, doubt, or complacency keeps us silent, let’s remember what motivated Paul. Then imagine a day when loved ones will experience the peace of God, the love of Christ, and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

Recently I met a man who had been addicted to drugs and was leading a hopeless life when he had a coversation with a friend about Jesus. He said that one conversation led him to place his trust in Jesus. The man was saved, and God transformed his life.

Every believer has a story. The more we surrender to God, the greater our ability to see His hand in our life. And the more we watch Him work, the stronger our desire to share with others all that He has done.

The same was true of the early disciples. A small crowd gathered around Jesus before His ascension. They heard His command to spread the gospel around the globe, making disciples and baptising people from all nations. Surely this seemed like an overwhelming task for a handful of followers, but they obeyed. Their personal experiences with Christ undoubtedly motivated them to share the good news, and they also must have gained confidence from Jesus’ promise of His presence and power.

We, too, should be taking Christ’s command seriously. One of our highest responsibilities as believers is to tell others about Him. As was true for the early Christians, our own experience with the Saviour is the most exciting and convincing story to share.

Are you passionately telling others about Christ? Loving God involves not just having a personal relationship with Jesus but also sharing Him with others. The world around you needs the power of Christ. Let the Holy Spirit guide and enable you to share effectively with those around you.

The people served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel. After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. (Judges 2:7,10)

God has handed to each of us a torch to carry for him. That torch is the light of the Gospel, the knowledge of God and His ways, and the Word of God. It is put into our hands and our hearts by the Holy Ghost and the fire is ignited so that we may burn as lights in a sin darkened world. Each of us are to let our light shine that all men can see Jesus in us and then we are told to run with it and to pass it on to the next generation so that we will not forget God.

How could a nation that had experienced all of the miracles that God had done for Israel, and had seen the presence of God in the pillar of fire and cloud, and had known the power of God in such greatness, not pass along the torch of the knowledge and love of God to their children?

It seems so impossible that the very next generation after Joshua’s generation, would completely forget God and not know about anything that God had done in the past. Could it be that Israel failed to talk about God in the home? Were they so worldly minded that they failed to even teach their children that God existed?

I believe that Joshua’s generation tried to turn around. God honoured them, but the damage to their children was already done. Though the words of their parents praised and honoured God, the children saw their actions. Actions speak louder than words.

We can talk about Jesus, claim to know and love him, and say that we are serving him, but are our actions proving it to be true. The next generation will learn from what we do more than from what we say. Are we passing the torch?

We can’t allow the light of the gospel to be extinguished. We must do everything we can to be a torchbearer and then to try to pass that light on to the next generation as well.

For everyone (Acts 10:34-35) – God will accept all who repent and turn to Him.

From God (Acts 10:36) – God is the one who initiated this reconciliation between Himself and mankind. We could do nothing to change our fate.

Through Jesus (Acts 10:36) – Jesus is the Lamb which God promised to take away the sins of the world. There is no other way.

Evidenced by the Spirit (Acts 10:38) – The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus ministry in the flesh just as He empowers us to continue that ministry today.

Witnessed by the apostles (Acts 10:39) – The apostles saw the things which Jesus did up to and including His death and resurrection. We are witnesses to great things as well by giving testimony to the way He has changed our lives and the lives of those around us because of His death and resurrection.

Provided through crucifixion (Acts 10:39) – Our salvation comes through Christ’s death on the cross for our sin. God’s justice was satisfied completely.

Proved in resurrection (Acts 10:40) – While the work for salvation was finished on the cross, the proof that it was really finished is given in the resurrection. Death, the grave, and hell have no power over those who are in Christ. We have assurance and hope as a result.

Preached by believers (Acts 10:42) – We are commanded to proclaim this good news to all people just as the apostles were.

The only way to receive forgiveness (Acts 10:42-43) – We are to accept the message of the gospel and trust in Jesus.

In Jesus alone. Praise God “that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43)

‘Consuming Fire, fan into flame a passion for your Name.’

These are some of the words we sing in one of the newer songs we have learnt. As I was singing it recently, I started to think about what it would actually mean to have a ‘passion’ for the Name of Jesus. Perhaps I already know – because, quite unexpectedly, at the age of 60, I developed a passion for the cello! Let me tell you what that means:

1. I will spend as much time as I possibly can practising and playing the cello. Sometimes that means choosing not to do other things that I enjoy.

2. When I am not playing it, I am very often thinking about it, working out fingering and harmonies.

3. I will go out of my way to hear others play the cello, and find myself listening specifically for it if I’m listening to orchestral music.

4. I’m prepared to spend money on cello equipment, music, and lessons.

5. Even physical discomfort is acceptable – sore fingers being an example!

6. I just love talking about it & will try to steer a conversation around to it if I can.

7. Even though I know I will never be a virtuoso cellist, I will take any opportunity to demonstrate the skill I have so far achieved.

Do you get the picture? That is what passion looks like, and even as I write this, I am challenged about how my passion for Jesus matches up with this description. But this article is not intended to send anyone on a guilt-trip. If you feel that your enthusiasm for God and what He means to you has waned – or has never been particularly strong – the answer is found later in the song. It is a prayer which, if prayed with sincerity, will be answered, as the Holy Spirit comes to:-

‘Stir it up in our hearts, Lord, A passion for your Name’

The pictures on the television showed vividly the effect of the drought. The farmer tried to push his spade into the soil but it was rock hard. The crops were stunted and would not produce the expected yield and in some cases were dying from the lack of water. In my garden cracks have appeared in the lawns and to keep the pots from drying out I need to keep watering them.

We are celebrating Pentecost which reminds us of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Christians gathered in the upper room. The Apostle Paul reminds us that being filled with the Holy Spirit should be an ongoing experience. The Holy Spirit refreshes us and renews us. Our lives are impacted when the Holy Spirit comes and fills us. If we do not continue to receive the Holy Spirits filling we enter a spiritual drought. We find that our spiritual growth is stunted, our fruitfulness is limited and our lives fail to reflect the image of Jesus as we become hardened to the move of God. Failing to be open to the Holy Spirit over time can lead to our spiritual life shrivelling away.

God longs for us to be a well watered garden where He as the Gardner tends to us, waters our lives with His Spirit and enables us to grow and mature so we might reflect His glory.

Today come again and be filled with Gods Holy Spirit and if this has never been your experience like the Christians waiting in the upper room request God to come and fill you with the Holy Spirits refreshing life.

God bless you

We recently had a window installed in the ceiling over our staircase. It is wonderful, providing much needed light to the dining end of our main room downstairs. However, that extra light also showed up all the imperfections in the surface of the wall by the staircase. We hadn’t worried about it before because it was hardly noticeable in the dim light, but now, it was obvious something had to be done. We had a choice: either we could go to considerable expense and upheaval to have the entire wall replastered, or we could compromise by papering over it with a good textured wallpaper to hide the uneven bits before painting it. Yes, we decided to take the cheaper option, and that is how I have been occupied this week, wallpapering and painting the stairwell, with quite a good result, I have to say. However, we know that the irregularities are still there, hidden under the surface.

When we meet up with Jesus, who described himself as the ‘Light of the world’, it shows up our imperfections. We think we are not too bad until we compare our sinful lives with his absolute perfection. Then we realise that something needs to be done. It’s a radical step to take, allowing Jesus to come into our lives and completely remove our sin so that God will consider us suitable to enter his Kingdom. The alternative is to be like the Pharisees. In Matthew 23:27-28 Jesus describes them as, ‘Like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.’ Strong words! Jesus was not interested in how people pretended to be, by putting on a show of good works. He was more interested in those who showed genuine repentance, and asked him for the real forgiveness and deep cleansing that only he could give.

Don’t settle for a coat of whitewash! Remember, ‘The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’ (1 Samuel 16:7).