Category: Devotions

Can you imagine not able to go shopping without being recognised?

Yesterday I was privileged to spend time with some of the leaders of the Church of Pentecost from Ghana and the UK. In Ghana they number 2.1 million people. One in twelve people are a member of the Church of Pentecost. The question above was one of the difficulties the leaders faced within such growth!
Whenever this leader goes through the town he is meeting members!
72% of the Ghanaian population is Christian.
The challenge that they face is discipleship and the fact that possibly only 55-60% attend church. In the UK the figures are around the 10% mark so we are lagging behind even on their challenging figures!
How do we get people to connect into Church?
Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church in 2007 realised that discipleship was low. He wrote:
“Some of the stuff that we have put millions of dollars into thinking it would really help our people grow and develop spiritually, when the data actually came back, it wasn’t helping people that much. Other things that we didn’t put that much money into and didn’t put much staff against is stuff our people are crying out for”.
What we think is important sometimes isn’t.
When getting people into Church is not focused on the Church (an indicator of its success) and becomes focused on the person attending then maybe they will come.
When Church leaves its 4 walls and establishes Church where people are then maybe they will come.
When Church focuses on loving God then maybe they will come.
When Church focuses on loving people then maybe they will come.
When Church addresses the reality of life and becomes relevant then maybe they will come.
But most of all when the Church has a bigger world-view, even of its own town and city, then maybe they will come. See what kind of work Paul appointed his elders to in this verse: Titus 1:5 “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you”. Leaders of the city know their city and are known by their city. May we all be recognised in the shops today!!

A letter to friends …

Only the kind know the disappointment of harshness.
Only the gracious are shocked at the response of selfishness.
Only the hospitable get taken for granted.
Only the givers stand out amongst the takers.
Only the generous see the greedy.
Only the Christlike are like Christ.
Sometimes it hurts.
But the alternative was not an option.
To do nothing was to turn out your light.
To ignore was to ignore who you are.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ”.
Colossians 3;23-24.

Help me

Last night I was visiting a friend in hospital and in the bed next to him was a poor old man consistently shouting “Help!”

He wanted help to sit up, help to find someone and help for his tablets.
I of course felt completely helpless.
But I called the nurse and she met his every request.

If you need help today, make sure you are asking the right person.

1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Psalm 86

God is our helper !

People focus

I was moved yesterday on reading of the 92 year-old who committed suicide this week. She was the UK’s greatest fundraiser for the British Legion selling poppies every year for the majority of her life. But after believing the Post Office had lost a cheque gift sent in the post and on top of that then being bombarded by charity begging letters she committed suicide. Her daughter said “she just lost faith in people”.

How sad!

But it will happen.
What will we do when people disappoint?
When they hurt us?
When they take and not give?
Do we write off humanity?

Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” (‭1 Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭18‬ NIV)
Elijah you are not the only one left. I have 7000 in the city. Have faith in people.

God would say don’t focus on those who bring you down.
There are so many more who build you up.
Spend time with those.
Don’t categorise everyone in the same way.
There are still great people around your life.

The missionary

This week I had the pleasure of once again meeting a few of Elim’s missionaries. It was Elim UK’s Centenary conference and although it would have been wonderful to have had all of them I was thankful to see the ones that could make it.
They are incredible people and I am again thankful for the privilege of being their leader.
I was moved especially by what I observed:-
1. Their Friendship
Though they come from different backgrounds and work in different continents they came together for a lunch meeting and had pictures taken. Obvious friendship was there built through Skype contact but now being experienced face to face.

2. Surrender
I commented how one of them had lost lots of weight, They told me they had fasted for 40 days and were now seeing incredible answers to prayer, miracles and salvations were taking place. They were in a new day. Look what happens from a surrendered heart!

3. Determination
Though only recently being diagnosed with a severe disease here in the UK this person was desperate to return to the ‘field’. They were determined not to allow their circumstances dictate their commitment. They said to me they were determined to go back and so they are doing!

May we all carry these 3 things today whether serving as a missionary or not and may the following verse be our prayer.
For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield. Psalm 5:12

Giant killing 4

What’s it going to take to kill the giant?
Don’t give up – Sling

Used both by the military and shepherds for hurling stones with power and accuracy. The idea would be to swing the stone around to gain momentum.
Momentum is ‘the impetus of a body resulting from its motion.’
All that we do is building momentum. Keep on doing what you’re doing. Even if you can’t see the stone come out yet, just keep on going, worshipping, receiving, reading the Word, praying, witnessing, inviting people, speaking positively. As you keep on you will build momentum.
When the sling is in momentum, there is only one thought – that stone is coming out at any moment. If I slow down now, it will be all a waste of time. If I don’t keep focused on the target now all my effort will only mean a missed target.
Now is not the time for the old ones to slow down and let the young ones have a go. The Bible says now is the time for old men to dream dreams – to keep looking into the future.
Now is not the time for the young ones to keep quiet until they are old enough to get a hearing. The Bible says they will prophecy and declare God’s Word.

Giant killing 3

What’s it going to take to kill the giant?
Paying the price – Shepherds bag
It was simply used to carry provisions. What’s it going to take to kill the giant? We need to take responsibility. The bag had a responsibility to carry the very things that would fulfil the vision. It had to recognise it had a part to play. You have a responsibility to the church you attend.
To pay for it. Compare this verse “Do not take a purse or bag or sandals” (Luke 10:4) and “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered. He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag.” (Luke 22:35-36)
Jesus was saying before, you were reliant on the generous hospitality of people. But now that I’m going, opposition will come and you will have to pay your own way, so take your bag.
You can’t own something without it costing you something.
Churches need to get to grips with money and fast. Actually people in churches need to let go of money and fast. There are worshippers trying to worship on the cheap.
To carry it. The success or failure of any church will fall down to whether the members have the character to carry the vision.
Forgetting what is behind and straining to what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:13,14
There is very little difference in people – little difference in the churches that succeed and churches that fail. But that difference is attitude.

Giant killing 2

What’s it going to take to kill the giant?
Know it will take work – Five Smooth Stones from the Stream

“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.” Psalm 46:4
The river, the Holy Spirit is moving across the whole world. There is a stream running from that river throughout our churches. The stream contains all that we need for our empowerment and happiness. But you have got to come off the banks of spectatorship and get into the stream itself and for yourself. You receive nothing on the banks.
David chose 5 smooth stones. What does that tell us about David?
There was no pride in this situation. He could have chosen only one, thinking it will only take one. “I’m a pretty good shot so that’s all I need.” We don’t approach our giant in that way. This is not about us, but HIM. There’s no time or room for personal agendas. There’s no place for any person wanting to make a name. This is not the place for the declaring and showing off of gifts and how good we are – it’s all about how good HE is. It only took one shot, but David was not so full of pride that he expected only to take one shot.
He was prepared to see the job through. “If it takes one, fine, 2,3,4, I’ll take 5 just in case. This giants coming down and if it take 5 stones to do it then that’s fine. I’m not here to fire one shot and then I’m off. I’m here to see the job through.”
Paul tells Timothy “keep your head, endure, do the work, discharge all the duties” 2 Tim 4:5 If you’re in a ministry area of the church then finish the job, bring it into something, take it further than when you took it on. Build on it, develop it and persevere until you have arrived with it.
Roll your sleeves up, work.

Giant killing.

There are people today that are facing their toughest battle. You may be one of them.

What’s it going to take to kill the giant?

Knowing you are CHOSEN – A Staff

The staff was a branch of wood that had been stretched and shaped, it was made of hard wood, weather-beaten, it had seen life.
The staff would represent who that man was, his status and authority. In a sense he didn’t choose his staff, he was chosen for the staff. To know you are a chosen vessel in the hands of God is the first step in killing your giant.
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” John 15:16
Be willing to submit to the shaping of God in your life. You may go through some hard times or you may find yourself in new situations that cause for you to do something you have never done before. All this is to stretch and extend you.
The chosen, submissive life is:
a) a life that will not sit back but be actively involved in doing what cannot be done in your own strength. “Take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it.” Exodus 4:17;
b) in believing for breakthough in impossibilities, “Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water” Exodus 14: 16;
c) in causing others to be refreshed, “Take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Exodus 17:5-6;
d) in opening heaven so that the enemy is defeated, “Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands… As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning .. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” Exodus 17:10-16

YOU ARE CHOSEN.

VE

Victory in Europe

1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

5 things I know about victory:
1. There has to be a challenge for a victory.
2. You need to know what victory looks like for victory to come.
3. Victory comes to those who hold on.
4. Victory follows thankfulness.
5, in victory remember those not there.