How do you hear God's voice? - part 3

Sixth point, don't be disappointed. You've been trying to listen to God for ages now. All your friends constantly get words from Ezekiel, dreams about Zion, visions of angels in their bedroom, and you get...nothing. The most important thing is not to be jealous. A while ago, a major shift in my life took place as I let go of things that had held me captive. It was like shedding an old skin. At the heart of it was disappointment with feeling outside of God's loop. This became jealousy when others were blessed and came out in frustration, scepticism, and even attempting to change my theology. The point is, sometimes the grass does seem greener on the other side. We need to remember that our own relationship with God is unique. God sees you differently to how he sees everyone else - uniquely. And you respond uniquely too. Different things make you tick. Trust is the key. If we believe God works everything for the good for those who love Him (it's in the Bible), then we don't need to think that our relationship is of a lower status. Also, remember that we are all insiders in His family. Jesus has taken care of that on the cross. His death and resurrection has put us in the loop! No matter what we feel.

Seventh, having said all that, it is important to remember there is always more. Yes, don't be jealous of other people's relationship with God. But don't shut yourself off from growth. Allow others to challenge you to pursue God more fervently. Encourage those feelings within you that desire more of God, as this is perfectly natural. On the one hand, God is a God of peace and fulfilment. On the other, He is a God of adventure and sacrifice. If we do not desire more of God, I suggest we have become distracted or set our sights too low. The point is that we want more of Him and His voice not because we're disappointed that He's not doing enough for us, but that we are so overwhelmed by a glimpse of Him that we are desperate for more. When faced with infinite and pure love, it is natural to be so satisfied. Yet it is also natural to want to go deeper.

I believe all these key things about relationship are intertwined with hearing God's voice. We're not talking here about casually asking God for His input in a decision. Nor are we suggesting having a nervous breakdown over trying to hear His voice. Nor anything in between these two extremes.

How do you hear God's voice? - part 2

My third point: when we look in the Bible, we often see God affirms people's identity before sending them out on a mission. This is most clearly seen in Jesus. Before He started His ministry, He was baptised and the Father affirmed His identity - "This is my Son who I dearly love. In Him I am well pleased". And then Jesus started all the cool stuff! (after going to the desert). The point I am trying to make here, is that too often we try and 'cut to the chase' with God - "okay God, what do you want me to do?" "show me the way and I'll go", "what is Your will, God?". Not that these are bad questions at all. But I think we first need to ask God "who am I?" "who have you created me to be?" "what is my identity?". I believe God is more interested in showing us who we are really (how He sees us), than simply giving us endless tasks. I believe what we do must flow out of who we are. Not that God won't ask us to do something that feels unnatural or doesn't seem to fit with our talents. He might well do that. But I believe God is eager for us to know who we are in Him.

Fourth, I believe that we need to look for God's voice. It is true that we shouldn't try to muster up God's voice - He speaks to us. But often He speaks in such a way that requires us to open our "eyes" wider to find His voice, and to give Him the benefit of the doubt. It can sometimes feel embarrassing to say "God told me this", or "God spoke to me", thinking that we'd prefer to believe exclusively in a natural explanation for everything, unless it's miraculous. But I think we should expect Him to be speaking to us, and desire to hear His voice (not out of duty or jealousy of others), but simply because we want to hear Him speak.

Fifth, don't wait around. Use what's in front of you. If you've been asking God what steps to take, and He doesn't seem to be responding, that could mean simply carry on what you're doing. Sometimes we need to see our lives with fresh perspective - to see what's around us and the possibilities and opportunities. And ask questions. Of course, I'm not advocating a purely strategic approach here. Remember that the Proverb compels us not to "depend on your own understanding". However, there are other parts of the Bible which encourage us to use wisdom (especially throughout Proverbs). Just don't depend on human strategy. Be prepared to take risks. Give yourself. The Christian life requires that you give all and don't hold back. Be prepared to do things that don't seem logical. But at the same time don't be afraid to follow your instincts. There's no formula for this one. Sorry.

How do you hear God's voice? - part 1

How does God speak to us? What is God's will? This is quite a popular question for a lot of people, and I have certainly wrestled with this one. Yes, there are the usual answers - He speaks through His Word, the Bible, He speaks through pictures, dreams, other people, feelings, circumstances, etc. This post is not about giving an answer to the question, or a formula to hear God better. Instead, I want to share some of the lessons I've learned when it comes to listening to God's voice.

The first point is this. Some people say you can't know what God wants. You just have to get on and live. My question is - is this idea genuine, or is it due to trying to hear, failing and feeling disappointed? It is very dangerous to build a theology based on disappointment or lack of experience. Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take". Jesus says in John 10:27 "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me". It is clear that hearing God should be part of the normal Christian life. So why do we find that it often isn't?

It sounds obvious but the more we know God, the more we can hear His voice. That's not to say those who know Him well don't go through periods where He doesn't speak much. But sometimes we can treat God as if He's a stranger that we're trying to get answers out of. Some of the questions we have might actually be answered if we knew Him better, rather than Him just telling us the answer. The greatest joy for us is to know Him. Those who have experienced just a glimpse of Him will never be the same, never want to go back, as they have tasted something far greater than anything in this world. Knowing God is a glorious journey, and that alone will shape our entire lives, even without Him telling us some information. It is also important to note that how we see God will affect what we hear from Him. If we see Him as a nit-picker, we will always hear "you're not good enough". So it is very important to know God for who He is.

A forest

Near where I live at home there is a forest. Probably very few people have covered its vast area and know it intimately. It’s a place that I like to go for walks, spending time with God and soaking up the surroundings. After all, what better place is there to have heart-to-heart with God, than the very turf that He thought up and spoke into being? I find myself at home among the wildness and yet warm invitingness of the place. Perhaps it’s partly the fact that both the forest and I were God’s idea. Each time I go I find new scenes; sometimes places I’ve been before feel new also, but many times I end up in a completely new area.

Despite beforehand, believing that there was nothing new to discover, today in my walk I found myself in many new places - one time staring out into a sea of different shades of green, tree trunks and branches curving and twisting like snakes with the warm brightness of the sun lighting up their edges. It seemed to carry on into the distance endlessly, just as the forest seems to have endless places to go and colours to see – greens, browns, oranges, yellows.

It is a good launching pad for God-time as the forest reflects His is wildness and endlessness. There is always a new place in Him; always a new colour or flavour; always a new sound to His voice to be found; always a new part of His heart to be discovered. Each time I visit that forest, at some point in that time I can’t help but thank God for making this place for me to explore and enjoy. And yet sometimes I forget it is there. Each time I wonder why I didn’t go there sooner, why I let everyday distractions or endeavours silence the call inviting me back. And oftentimes it is the same with God. Our own agendas and petty worries can muffle the sound of His call, inviting us back into His presence. Other times we think, just as I thought, that we’ve heard it all before, seen it all before and know all there is to know about our King. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as the funny thing about God is that when He gives you a glimpse of Himself, it’s so satisfying and mystifying that you are left always wanting more, and realising that you have only scratched the surface!

My encouragement today is, don’t be afraid to explore God. And if there is something in this world which you have discovered is like a way into His (like my forest), do it! For me, music is often another way in. Or it could be stories that open up your mind. Pictures, films or plays. Whatever you find draws you to into God and His world. Take advantage of it! But more importantly, take advantage of knowing Him!

Top Priority

"There was also a man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, but he claimed it was the full amount. His wife had agreed to this deception.

Then Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God."

As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. Then some young men wrapped him in a sheet and took him out and buried him.

About 3 hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, "Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?"

"Yes," she replied, "that was the price."

And Peter said, "How could the two of you even think of doing a thing like this - conspiring together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Just outside that door are the young men who buried your husband, and they will carry you out too."

Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear gripped the entire church and all others who heard what had happened."

Acts 5:1-11 (NLT)

First of all, let's look at when this was and put it into context, this is the beginning of the new church, the times when followers gave up everything and shared everything to live as one, "all the believers were of one heart and mind" (Acts 4:32). This was an incredible time of growth and miracles within the church, Jesus had gone from this world but His influence was still clearly visible within the lives of His followers.

Now we come to Ananias and his wife Sapphira, they had joined the new church, they obviously saw that this community formed by the apostles was special, different, blessed and they wanted in on it. They had something that they could give to this community that could help, the money from the field, but instead of giving it all for the Glory of God, they decided to only give part but claim it was all. As Peter says, the field, and the money that came from it, was entirely theirs, do to with as they wished. However, Ananias and his wife decided instead to keep some back for themselves all the while claiming to have given up everything. They wanted to be part of this community but not have to risk everything in order to do that, if it fell apart they would still have some money, they would not be beggars.

How many times do we catch ourselves doing that? Claiming to be wholehearted lovers of God but then put other things higher than Him in our list of priorities? "Actions speak louder than words" is a bit of a cliché but it is so true. It is easy for me to claim that I love God more than anything, that He is my top priority. And yet sometimes nothing is harder for me than to shut down Facebook, put my phone on the other side of the room, shut out whatever else I need to and just be with my Daddygod. It can take some effort but it is so worthwhile and is something I am really trying to get to grips with, I say He is my top priority but I want that to be obvious from how I live my life and how I spend my time and my resources.

We need to be honest with God and with ourselves, as Peter said to Ananias, he wasn't lying to the rest of the community, he was lying to God. Other people's opinion is not important, what is important is our relationship with our God. The field belonged to Ananias, the money got from selling it belonged to Ananias, he could do with it what he wished, the only thing he could not do was lie about it. Peter makes it quite clear that had Ananias only given part of the money and been honest about it that would have been okay, it was the deception and the hypocrisy that was unacceptable and caused God's response.

Here is a prayer that I have been praying recently:

Daddygod, thank you for being such an incredible and loving God, help me to learn how to live for You each and everyday, putting You first in all things, Amen.


I hope this helps you on the way to living out in actions what you claim to believe in with your words :)

An ancient prayer

So, I came across this ancient prayer, a prayer to the Holy Spirit. Sometimes in our modern world and convenient "accessible" modern church we forget the mystery and wonder of our supernatural God and the connection we have with Him. Sometimes we forget the Spirit and reduce Him to being mentioned in prayer, forgetting that He's also God. It's easy to imagine the Father and Jesus, but the Holy Spirit...how do you picture Him? I hope this prayer will inspire you to worship the Spirit as God also.

Come, true light.


Come, life eternal.


Come, hidden mystery.


Come, treasure without name.

Come, reality beyond all words.


Come, person beyond all understanding.


Come, rejoicing without end.


Come, light that knows no evening.

Come, unfailing expectation of the saved.


Come, raising of the fallen.

Come, resurrection of the dead.


Come, all-powerful, for unceasingly you create, refashion and change all things by your will alone.

Come, for your name fills our hearts with longing, and is ever on our lips.


Come, for you are yourself the desire that is within me.


Come, my breath and my life.


Come, the consolation of my humble soul.

Come, my joy, my glory, my endless delight.

- St Symeon the New Theologian (C10th)

Hitting The Wall...

Recently, I was on a plane journey flying from Hong Kong back to Heathrow, and as with most long flights, I couldn't sleep. So I decided to flick through the channels and see what films were on. This one film in particular caught my eye, and so I put it on. It was called Run, Fatboy, Run. At this point in the post, you're probably wondering what this film has to do with title... bear with me...

So for those of you who haven't watched it (you should definitely watch it!), its about a guy who always gives up, but then decides to participate in a marathon... About midway through the film, Simon Pegg's character receives some advice about running from his opponent:

"I'm talking about discipline and perseverance. And all cute little comments aside... there comes a point in every race... it could be the fifth mile, it could be the twenty fifth... but, eventually, you're gonna hit... what runners like to call "the wall." And when you do...you won't be able to breathe or think or even move. All you're gonna wanna do is give up." Whit - Run, Fatboy, Run (Warner Bros. 2007)

After hearing this quote, it kind of provoked me into thinking about God, and actually how similar running is to living a life of faith. You can live for God every day, and it doesn't matter how long you've been a Christian, but at some point, you'll probably hit the wall, and just as above quote mentions "you won't be able to breathe or think or even move. All you wanna do is give up." And a lot of people take the easy way out and give up, but what would happen if they didn't?

Throughout my life, I've hit so many walls, and at times, I literally couldn't move on. Walls can be made up of disappointment, hurt, pain and frustration, just to name a few. It isn't easy, but I would like to encourage you all to carry on because the rewards are just so good. I promise you all that it's worth it.

So, what do you do when you hit the wall? Do you give up, or carry on? I know what I'd do.

How do you approach life?

‎"If you approach life and forget about the atrocities that we commit, then you're not being honest. And if you approach life and simply look at the terrible things and forget about the amazing aspects of what it means to be alive, then you're going to be suicidal. So, somewhere in the middle is honesty and embracing all of life."

Jon Foreman

After I read that powerful quote, I just wanted share it. It made me realise how often I can be at either end of looking at life, and I guess it isn't healthy to neglect one of the world views. So I guess my question is:

How do you approach life?

Album preview: [Unreleased album] - Opaque Nature

Opaque Nature are an extraordinary band, founded by two best friends who met while studying at the University of Warwick. Based in Leamington Spa, UK, most of their gigs have been local, but now they have started expanding their gigs to London too. Despite being relatively unknown, the music they produce is incredible! Mostly driven by gentle acoustic guitar, accompanied by soft keyboard, it blends an atmosphere where forgotten dreams and aspirations can breathe new life. The lyrics themselves perfectly capture the themes of truth, innocence and peace.

The album begins with Fire, which starts with a catchy guitar hook. The song builds into a beautiful melody with lyrics that challenge us to give ourselves in love - "Will you say when you're asked, Will you say I gave my heart?"

The next track, Mixing The Colours, is a lovely song about the beauty of relationships and the God who is the author of relationship and love. There are rich vocal harmonies along with heartfelt guitar and piano hooks which create a great sense of homely intimacy.

The Mourning is an ingenious track with the one-liner, "I was a ghost for a while, but I turned out to be a man". The song is about transformation, with each lyric echoing the realities of the transformations which happen in our lives. The middle part of the song is a journey through the mess of our lives and struggle to be free, bringing back memories of a darker past.

Their last track, Seaside, is soft song filled full of love and innocence. It manages to capture the emotion of a good experience, and shrink it into a six minute long clip. Just as the song reaches a climax, it transitions into a dream-like melody, while Mike Knight's vocals slowly echo the beautiful lyrics "...watching love grow...forever..."

To me, nothing sums up the songs of Opaque Nature like the lyric "Sunshine, there is more than meets the eye" from Mixing The Colours. The songs show me the world around me more clearly, taking me by the hand to show me something that's been there but I've never seen before.

So guys, if you haven't checked them out already click below for their facebook fan page, which has all of their tracks (which are all available to download for free!)

Opaque Nature 

Posted by Jon

Life Shapes: Semi-Circle

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." 

John 15:1-8 (NIV)

The words that really jump out at me about this short passage is "Remain in me, as I also remain in you." At first glance, it may seem a bit cryptic, but after thinking about vines and branches literally, the metaphor is revealed.

As the passage explains, a tree may grow to produce fruit for a season, but in order for the tree to produce more fruit for later seasons, the branches that do not bear fruit must be removed, whilst those that do must be cut back to the vinestock (the main branch or branches where other branches grow off.) This means that when it grows back, the branch will be stronger and be able to support more fruit.

Taking the metaphor away, and placing in our lives means that as we spend with God, we may grow in a particular area (healing, patience etc), which will lead to season of fruitfulness such as seeing healings and miracles. And usually, just as we're getting used to this season of incredible things, it can all just suddenly stop. We can pray for things, and healings don't happen, and impatience can return.

At this point, we will probably start to wonder... "what have I done wrong?" and "God has let me down..." I know in the past I have. However, there is another way to look at it. Instead of thinking of it as a bad thing, think of it as a prompt to spend abide in God. As you begin to rest in God, the cycle starts again, and you will start to grow again.

It is so important to understand this rhythm of life, in order to grow more, and to see an increase in fruit.

Album review: Hello Hurricane - Switchfoot

Switchfoot's number 7 and they have surpassed their previous work in my opinion. Bear in mind, their previous work is fantastic too, just this album is extremely consistent, every song being powerful in connecting with the mess of humanity. It also maintains the high standard of poetry in their lyrics, and is probably their best produced album. As usual, Switchfoot are honest and authentic, reaching deep into the meaning of our lives, our purpose, our mess and our freedom.

The record starts with a high-energy anthem, Needle And Haystack Life which, while embracing the messy honesty of life - "You breathe it in, the highs and lows, we call it living", also points upwards to the ultimate certainty behind it all - "In this needle and haystack life, I've found miracles there in Your eyes". Despite the title track, this song could be seen to sum up the themes of this album and much of Switchfoot's work. Then we have Mess Of Me and Your Love Is A Song, bringing out the darks and the lights. It's been said that in this album, the brights are brighter and the darks are darker than in their previous work.

The Sound is a brilliant track pulsing with passion and energy. It is a cry of desperation, resembling Lonely Nation from Nothing Is Sound, but with more rawness and vigour. The next track Enough To Let Me Go is a wonderful ballad about relationships. John Foreman puts it brilliantly: "...this song is about the dance involved in a relationship the coming together and letting go. The song equates love with breathing - pulling in and releasing", and explains the danger of treating love as consumption. The title track, Hello Hurricane, is another soaring anthem about resilience during life's trials. It reminds me of Jesus' parable of the wise man who builds his house on the rock, so that when the stormy weather comes his house remains.

Always is a beautiful song about a human life from the perspective of a father, probably from God the Father. It is incredibly moving, singing of human vulnerability, but reminding us that "I am always yours". Bullet Soul is another high-energy rocker oozing with life, asking of those who are innovative and creative, "Are you ready to go?". Brilliant!

The last two tracks on the album are a journey in themselves. Sing It Out could easily be a Psalm of David, with all its darkness and desperation - "I'm on the run, I'm on the ropes this time". It describes clinging on to God and singing out despite feeling hopeless. The end trails off with a beautiful string section playing, after which begins the light and dreamy yet surreal start to Red Eyes. In fact the whole song is quite surreal, especially at the end which includes an experimental mix of echoey vocals and drums. The song is about hope for the future in the midst of our broken culture.

Musically, this album is superb - each song is perfectly crafted for its purpose, and Jon Foreman's vocals really shine like never before. The wonderfully varied textures created in Red Eyes, the energy and depth of Needle And Haystack Life and the use of strings in Sing It Out all show a Switchfoot who has not at all run out of ideas but is growing, refining, and keeping the passion and ingenuity alive.

10/10

Compelled By Love - Heidi Baker

When I first started reading Compelled by Love I didn’t really know what to expect from it, I didn’t really know Heidi Baker’s story, all I had heard was a few of the stories from the book. It pretty much blew my mind. As I read it I could feel God’s glory was pretty much pouring off the pages, this book is such an incredible testament to what a strong faith grounded firmly in God’s love and His grace can achieve. Heidi herself is such an inspiring woman, she’s so in tune to God’s vision and purpose for her life.

This book focuses on the eight Beatitudes: blessed are the poor in spirit; blessed are those who mourn; blessed are the meek; blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; blessed are the merciful; blessed are the pure in heart; blessed are the peacemakers and blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness. Each chapter covers one Beatitude, each one filled with Heidi’s own personal experience and stories from her time in Mozambique. The stories are simply written and that simplicity is what makes them so powerful, they are the stories of what can happen when God is completely trusted, when we hand over our own plans for our future and just give our whole lives up to Him.  It’s very reassuring to know that there are people like Heidi and her husband out there, giving up everything to bring the much needed presence of our all-loving, all-powerful daddygod  right into the centre of some of the poorest people in the world’s lives.

I would definitely recommend this book to a friend, it’s easy to read and despite the fact that many of the stories take place in Mozambique you can still apply their incredible messages over to our own lives.

Who are you?

So this is a massive question I've been working on for a long time for myself.... So here it goes:

Who are you?

I mean it's easy to say that you're a human being, state what sex you are, to answer what your name is, and even talk about your heritage... but that still doesn't answer the question. You can start discussing your genetic make up, the chemicals that compose your body, but that starts to delve into what you are, not who.

So we can talk about our jobs, our personality, our habits, but it kinda still doesn't cut the mustard for me. This is just the person I am now. Is this who you really are?

With a world that is always changing, the only thing that seems constant in my life is God. And well, He's known every single one of us, from even before we were born. So I guess if you don't know who you are, why not start by asking Daddy God?

Album review: Church Music - David Crowder Band

"There tends to be a sparseness of production. There are only four or five elements that make up a track. That encourages it to be a disposable thing. Your ear can understand and get to the bottom of what’s happening really quickly, so the thing gets chewed up and spit out... So [the composers] started thinking, 'What’s going to be fun to discover on the 4th or 5th listen?' That’s what we tried to do. We did a lot of layering, and hopefully things can be discovered on repeated listens." - David Crowder

And that's exactly what they did. Musically, this record pushes the boundaries and goes further than much modern worship music. The title track Church Music, is in fact a dance track! Not only that, there is a wide range of styles, from rock, dance, electronic and pop and many fused together. You wouldn't for example, expect an electric guitar solo in an electronic dance track. But that's what we have here!

When listened to all through this album feels like a journey; it plays continuously from start to finish with all 17 songs linking into the next. The journey takes you through a wide range of themes including God's awesomeness as portrayed brilliantly in the powerful rocker God Almighty, None Compares; trusting God through dark and painful times, in Shadows; and crying out to God for greater intimacy with Him in the beautiful SMS (Shine). We also have wonderful renditions of John Mark McMillan's How He Loves, and Flyleaf's All Around Me, full of rich emotion, connecting with the secret place of intimacy with God. The final track , In The End (O Resplendent Light!) is a fantastic 6 minute finale, looking forward to the future fulfilment of God's Kingdom in all its perfection, joy and peace. The track ends with a period of eclectic electronic music experimentation which is all quite surreal. There is a rich depth and feel to all of the songs, each having its own charm, from the warm friendliness of Alleluia Sing to the perkiness of Birmingham (We Are Safe).

Lyrically, this record soars high. It's even clear from the song titles that this album is a wonderful collection of beautifully crafted poetry. The lyrics are infused with life and passion which connect deep into a person's life. From the honesty of Shadows: "Oh the joy and oh the sorrow", the unusual (and ironic) dance track lyrics of Church Music:

"Dance if you're wounded
Dance if you're torn into
Dance broken open
Dance with nothing to lose"

and the poetic We Are Loved,:

"Velvet black night
Pierced with white
Stars waiting quiet
Wide listening sky"

the lyrics on this album rise far above much of what is written about God, us and His world.

I fully recommend! 10/10

Am I not good enough?

So sin is always a pretty huge topic. I'm not even going to begin to start unpacking the why's, who's and what's of it. However, I would just like to point out that nothing can separate us from God's love.

"Yeah, that's all well saying that Jon, but I've sinned. I deserve punishment. I don't deserve God. I can't be a Christian, I sin too much..."

So hey man, chill. Yeah, you don't, but neither do I. Or the next guy along. Or that girl who always goes to church. Or that pastor. Or that church leader. But that's the beauty of mercy. Getting what we don't deserve.

"But Romans 6 says the wages of sin is death..."

Correct, but we also have a loving God. When Jesus died on that cross, He not only took away yesterday's sins. He also took away today's too. And also tomorrow's! Isn't that incredible? And this extends to the stuff the stuff we haven't even thought about doing too! That means the debt of EVERY sin we will EVER do, has already been accounted for. Think of it as an open bar.

That doesn't mean sin all you want. I mean sin is definitely bad. I'm just saying don't beat yourself up over it.

The hardest part of all of this is actually forgiving yourself, and accepting that your debt of sin has already been paid. And acting as though you deserve punishment is like saying Jesus's sacrifice wasn't enough. So I guess we just need to start accepting that God loves us, and start receiving his love.

God's Love

So... Did you know that God loves us? And nothing can ever separate us from that love. It's unconditional! Isn't that great?

"So hey Jon, I forgot to pray this morning..."
God loves you, okay?

"But I went to a party instead of my home group..."
It's totally cool man, God loves you.

"But Jon, I don't go to church any more. I mean I used to..."
It's alright, God still loves you!

"But Jon, I got so drunk last night that I don't even know what I got up to..."
Well... God loves you!

"But Jon, I'm addicted to all sorts of drugs..."
Hmm... well... God STILL loves you!

So if you still haven't got the point yet, God loves you. No buts : )

Encouragement

This is just going to be a very short post to say just how incredibly amazing and loving our daddygod is. This evening I felt down for no real reason, I just felt a bit irritable which didn't even make sense because I've had such a lovely day. So I decided to just rest in His presence and He showed me what I was really stressed about, He told me who to tell about it, how I could start to fix it and then He just soothed me and I just feel so peaceful and comforted. I just feel safe and surrounded by His love, nothing can compare to my daddygod :).