I don't believe

I'm getting increasingly frustrated!

I don't believe in the God I have faith in.

I have faith in a God who heals, yet I don't believe he'll do it.

I have faith in a God who can use me, yet I don't believe he'll do it.

I've heard stories of churches in foreign lands where the people believe in a child-like manner. What is said in the Bible is true, therefore it applies to them. Churches where all new believers are healed of vision problems and no longer need their glasses. Yet in the UK, wearing glasses is seen as normal so we don't even think to ask God for healing of our eyesight. Our expectations about what is normal in life outweighs our expectations of what God can do for us. There are churches where there has been healing of tooth cavities! We have dentists to fill our teeth so we don't expect God to heal our dental problems.

I'm aching! But it's just my age. My eyesight is getting worse each year, but it's just my age.

I have friends suffering from severe migraines. Nothing has cured them. They're even having to try medication which has not yet been accepted in the UK! Is this what God wants? For us to be guinea pigs for a cure? We accept our ailments. We pray that God will heal us, but in reality we don't really believe he will.

I want to believe in the God I have faith in!

I want to KNOW my God, to experience him in my life and to let others see how amazing, loving and miraculous he is!

Witnesses

John 1: 4 - 9

God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

I'm being struck, time and time again at the moment, by the necessity for our role as witnesses. John took his role seriously, he was a full time evangelist telling people about the need to repent and follow God.

It's not feasible that every Christian gives up work and spends all their days out on the streets witnessing. It is feasible that every Christian has a living testimony of what God is doing in their lives and that they talk about it every day.

I was challenged a couple of years ago by a talk I heard. A comment about people who recall what God did in their lives many years ago. Our testimony needs to be current. We need to be aware of what God is doing day to day. Not only the big miracles but the small ways that God touches our lives. The peace He gives in a difficult situation, the speed with which events occur, the friends He places around us, the joy that sings in our hearts despite a sorrow that invades.

Big miracles have their place. They are awesome to recount. If we are to be witnesses for God to ordinary people, to point them to a loving Father, we need to be able to tell them about our everyday lives and the affect He has on them. Sometimes we don't need to verbally tell them. Sometimes our friends know a difficult situation we are going through but they see a strength in us which amazes them. When they ask, we need to be ready with the answer that God is our strength. We must never be ashamed to be a witness for all that God is doing!

John 1: 1 - 5

In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
² He existed in the beginning with God.
³ God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
⁴ The Word gave life to everything that was created
and his life brought light to everyone.
⁵ The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.

Jesus brings light to everyone. We hear amazing stories of people living in isolated places who have never heard of Jesus yet they have encounters with Him and become believers. His light shining brings about change in people. His light shining cannot be extinguished or understand or overpowered. Different bible versions use these different words, but what if the original word meant all three? I'm not a scholar, so I prefer to just use the internet to compare the different versions, it widens perspective.

In our lives we can choose to follow the light or ignore it. We can choose to let it bring life in all it's fullness or just live an existence on this planet. We can choose.

From my own personal experience, I much prefer living when I allow God to be in my life than the times when I've ignored Him and gone my own way. Life with Light is much brighter. We can see more clearly and enjoy life so much more!

Where is He?

I haven't blogged for a very long time but two things I know: God wants to me to read His Word and He wants me to blog. Now please don't think I haven't read His Word since 2008, the two aren't mutually inclusive. I just find that when God speaks to me I want to share it, but I've been lazy at doing so. It's also very easy to read God's word without allowing Him to speak through it. Some of you will read this, skim over it and not give it a second thought, others will read it and agree or disagree, a few may even read it and allow the words to make you think. I want to read God's word and learn. I want to read God's word and it make me think. I want to read God's word and it excite me! When that happens, I want to share those things with others. I want to use this blog to that end.

So what has God been saying to me?

Read my Word. That's fine, but it's a big book and I've made the excuse of not knowing where to start. The beginning is not always the best place. In reality it's easy to find out what to read. If God's told me to read His word, then He knows where He wants me to read and if I ask Him, He'll tell me. Guess what? When I asked Him, He told me. John.

So this morning I took myself into a quiet place. I asked God to show me something new. The problem with John is that most of us know it too well and it's so easy to read it without reading it! I sat down expecting to read most of chapter 1, but in truth, verse 1 was sufficient. ( I read New Living Translation, if I read something different, I'll let you know). So without further preamble, here goes:

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God and the Word was God.

(John1:1)

As humans we need to compartmentalise things and God is no exception. I've always wondered where He is. Where is He? How could He exist before anything else existed? When did He start? By trying to answer these questions we're trying to humanise Him, or even to make Him like everything else around us - a created being. God isn't created, He IS. As He named Himself to Abraham, I AM.

There is no time, or space with God. In our terms He has always existed. We struggle with this because we need a beginning and an end to all things. Everything that is created has a beginning, everything will eventually die and fade away. God does not fall into this category because He is not created. He just IS. He doesn't occupy a particular space, He just IS.

When the Bible talks about "in the beginning" it isn't talking about the beginning of God, it's talking about the beginning of our created universe. God already existed, but not in a physical space or time. He chose to create everything we know, He chose to begin His work.

So now I need to stop imagining God floating around the earth above the atmosphere and allow Him to be who He is. God does not need materials to create something. He does not need time to create it in and He certainly does not need the space in which to do it. God is God, not a human and I need to stop trying to visualise Him and make Him human. I need to stop trying to understand Him. I need to just accept that God IS.

The LORD of Heavens Armies

What an amazing title!

I am loved by a God who is Lord of Heavens Armies.

Ephesians 6:12

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Yesterday was difficult. Yet instead of battling against the spiritual forces, I allowed them to ruin my day. Often we fail to acknowledge the work of satan in our lives trying to prevent us from doing God's will. Satan does not have authority in our lives but he does have the ability to mess things up if we allow him. We need to take the authority given to us and use it to reclaim what it rightfully ours as sons of God. We must learn to fight in the heavenlies whilst remembering that God has the victory. The daily battles we face will not have any effect on the battle that has already been won when Christ died for our sins. The daily battles we face will have an effect on our present day lives if we do not live in the power God has given to us.

We have as our Commander in Chief the Holy of Holies, the Almighty God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. Our daily victories are secure if we put our trust and faith in Him and don't allow satan to rob us of our daily inheritance. When we go in to battle in the spiritual realms we are not fighting alone, but alongside the multitude of God's angels who are under the orders and authority of God. Our victory is assured!

All we need to do when satan attacks is acknowledge the attack and go in to battle with the Lord of Heavens Armies knowing the victory is secure.

Honour God with your sacrifices

Malachi 1

6 "A son honours his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honour? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, 'How have we despised your name?' 7 By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying that the LORD’s table may be despised. 8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favour? says the LORD of hosts.

I was challenged by these verses about my offerings. The offering we should give on a daily basis to God is our worship. Yet how often do I not bother to even give God the time of day? How often do I fail to open my Bible, let alone read it with a view to allowing the Holy Spirit to spend time talking with me?

When I go to church on a Sunday, I love to worship. I love to sing and to be an enthusiastic worshipper. Sadly, I'm easily distracted. I watch others, my mind strays or I just sing because it makes me feel good. My heart and spirit are not always fully engaged. These acts of worship are like the lame and sick animals that were presented for sacrifice.

I've always tried to be punctual and get frustrated if others make me late. I get annoyed inside when people arrive for a meeting after the start time. To me, the meeting start time is when the formal part of the meeting begins, but just as important is the time before when we meet and welcome our friends and catch up on life. Yet many people arrive for church at the start time or later. They chat and go to their seats slowly. The meeting begins late because so few people are ready to begin at the appointed hour.

Isn't this just another form of polluted offerings?

Our corporate time of worship should be as disciplined as our personal time. I show a lack of respect to God when I arrive late or spend time chatting. I show a lack of respect to God when I neglect to read my Bible or talk to him each day.

Father, You are a Holy God and my offerings to you should reflect my love for you. Forgive my lack of respect, forgive my casual attitude to your word. Father, I thank you that you always forgive me when I repent. Your love for me is so immense that you don't condemn my failings when I ask forgiveness, but you open your arms and welcome me with your love. Father, I will make time each day to read your word and to allow you to speak to me. I will begin my day in worship to a holy God who has poured out such love to me. Father, I thank you for your love, your patience and your faithfulness. Amen.