Thursday 26 January 2012
Healing Testimony (26/01/12)
So... it's been a while since I've updated this, however this one is a great one from a few weeks ago. So quite often I'm involved with the prayer ministry team at my church, and a few weeks ago, a girl approached me and asked me to pray for her knee. Basically, she often feels knee around her knee, and she was having a final MRI scan before deciding whether she would need an operation or not. So me and my pastor's lovely wife prayed for this knee and she went away. It was only a few days ago that I bumped into her again. I asked her about her knee and she told that since that day, her pain went away, and she had her MRI scan and no longer needed an operation! God is so incredible!
Tuesday 24 January 2012
Seven Questions: Becky Rosser
1) Tell us your name and how did you become a Christian.
Hi, my name is Becky! I was brought up in a Christian family; going to church, Sunday School, hearing my dad speak in church etc. I felt that I wanted to become a part of this for myself when I was seven and I was baptised in water when I was eight.
2) How does your love for God shine through in your life?
It wasn’t until university that I joined a Christian community of people my own age and really learnt about the cost of being a follower of Jesus. There is nothing we could ever do to earn God’s approval or make Him love us more, but He does want us to share what we have i.e. His love and the news of salvation. I guess the way that I’ve learnt to let my love for God shine through my life is just to see myself how He sees me, and try to see other how He sees them – which is incredibly precious, beautiful creatures. This then changes the way I treat people. Mostly, I just try to be there for people in whatever way I can, as this is what God does.
3) What are the challenges you have or are currently facing?
Learning to say no! God doesn’t want us to burn out for Him. He has given us people to look after but this isn’t everyone! In the past I’ve been so used to wanting to take care of everyone who needs help, I’ve neglected to take care of myself. God has shown me the importance of working AND resting in Him to get refreshed and refilled.
4) How do you find it easiest to spend time to God?
Through sung worship and reading the Bible. I love singing and reading – what better way to do this than to do it for God?
5) What has been the best piece of advice that has helped you develop your relationship with God?
That there is nothing I can do to earn His approval. When I came to Him, it was with nothing and I had done nothing, yet He freely gave. This shouldn’t change now that I’m in relationship with Him! He doesn’t want me to strive to earn His approval – I already have it!
6) Who do you look up to, in terms of your faith?
Mainly my dad – He is such a strong character, so full of faith and trust in God. He is also incredibly wise and such a great teacher.
7) What is your prayer for 2012?
That God would take me to new places in terms of my faith; that He would blow my mind with things that He does this year; that He’ll show me what He wants me to do with my life!
Hi, my name is Becky! I was brought up in a Christian family; going to church, Sunday School, hearing my dad speak in church etc. I felt that I wanted to become a part of this for myself when I was seven and I was baptised in water when I was eight.
2) How does your love for God shine through in your life?
It wasn’t until university that I joined a Christian community of people my own age and really learnt about the cost of being a follower of Jesus. There is nothing we could ever do to earn God’s approval or make Him love us more, but He does want us to share what we have i.e. His love and the news of salvation. I guess the way that I’ve learnt to let my love for God shine through my life is just to see myself how He sees me, and try to see other how He sees them – which is incredibly precious, beautiful creatures. This then changes the way I treat people. Mostly, I just try to be there for people in whatever way I can, as this is what God does.
3) What are the challenges you have or are currently facing?
Learning to say no! God doesn’t want us to burn out for Him. He has given us people to look after but this isn’t everyone! In the past I’ve been so used to wanting to take care of everyone who needs help, I’ve neglected to take care of myself. God has shown me the importance of working AND resting in Him to get refreshed and refilled.
4) How do you find it easiest to spend time to God?
Through sung worship and reading the Bible. I love singing and reading – what better way to do this than to do it for God?
5) What has been the best piece of advice that has helped you develop your relationship with God?
That there is nothing I can do to earn His approval. When I came to Him, it was with nothing and I had done nothing, yet He freely gave. This shouldn’t change now that I’m in relationship with Him! He doesn’t want me to strive to earn His approval – I already have it!
6) Who do you look up to, in terms of your faith?
Mainly my dad – He is such a strong character, so full of faith and trust in God. He is also incredibly wise and such a great teacher.
7) What is your prayer for 2012?
That God would take me to new places in terms of my faith; that He would blow my mind with things that He does this year; that He’ll show me what He wants me to do with my life!
Becky Rosser is a co-founder of the project, "Abide", which is based in Coventry. To find out more, visit their blog at loveandabide.wordpress.com. She is also currently taking a discipleship course called FORM at St John's, Westwood Church which is in Coventry too. To find out more about the course please click here.
The story of Judah
I love the story of Joseph. The kid who was sold into slavery then innocently thrown into prison, but ultimately came the second most powerful man in Egypt and the one who saved the country from the effect of the famine. And how he forgave his brothers and provided for them too. But the story of Judah, his oldest brother, is a bit different.
Judah is well-known for being the one who wanted to kill Joseph (it was only because of Reuben that he survived). But his darkness didn't end there. In Jewish custom at the time, a widow married the brother of her dead husband. However, Judah lost two sons, and was afraid to let his daughter-in-law, Tamar, marry his third son. But Tamar wanted to carry on the family line, so she disguised herself as a prostitute and intercepted Judah while he was travelling, and he slept with her. When he found out Tamar was pregnant he was furious and ordered her to be put to death. Until, of course, the truth came out that it was his fault. So now you see a bit of what Judah was like and the mess this family had become.
Now, from this Tamar gave birth to twins. One of them was Perez, and he was in the ancestry of Jesus. In other words, God, the High King of all Kings has rooted himself in human history in this messy dysfunctional family situation! What's more, one of Jesus's titles is the "Lion of Judah". So not only does God associate with this guy, he's in His list of titles. Forever! Isn't that pretty crazy that such a good and perfect God would do that!
However, there's more. When Joseph's brothers travel to Egypt (for food), before revealing himself to them, he tricks them to test them. He puts his cup in Benjamin's sack, pretending that Benjamin had stolen it and therefore would have to stay to be his slave. At this, Judah offered himself to stay in Benjamin's place. Now his heart had changed. First, he sold his brother into slavery. Now, he was willing to lay down his life for his brother.
So here, in Judah, we have a picture of Jesus - God's redemption. Despite the messiness of Judah's past, Judah's heart is changed and his relationship with his brother Joseph is restored. God's grace on and through Joseph has reached out to Judah. Not only that, he offered himself to save His brother. Sound familiar?
Judah is well-known for being the one who wanted to kill Joseph (it was only because of Reuben that he survived). But his darkness didn't end there. In Jewish custom at the time, a widow married the brother of her dead husband. However, Judah lost two sons, and was afraid to let his daughter-in-law, Tamar, marry his third son. But Tamar wanted to carry on the family line, so she disguised herself as a prostitute and intercepted Judah while he was travelling, and he slept with her. When he found out Tamar was pregnant he was furious and ordered her to be put to death. Until, of course, the truth came out that it was his fault. So now you see a bit of what Judah was like and the mess this family had become.
Now, from this Tamar gave birth to twins. One of them was Perez, and he was in the ancestry of Jesus. In other words, God, the High King of all Kings has rooted himself in human history in this messy dysfunctional family situation! What's more, one of Jesus's titles is the "Lion of Judah". So not only does God associate with this guy, he's in His list of titles. Forever! Isn't that pretty crazy that such a good and perfect God would do that!
However, there's more. When Joseph's brothers travel to Egypt (for food), before revealing himself to them, he tricks them to test them. He puts his cup in Benjamin's sack, pretending that Benjamin had stolen it and therefore would have to stay to be his slave. At this, Judah offered himself to stay in Benjamin's place. Now his heart had changed. First, he sold his brother into slavery. Now, he was willing to lay down his life for his brother.
So here, in Judah, we have a picture of Jesus - God's redemption. Despite the messiness of Judah's past, Judah's heart is changed and his relationship with his brother Joseph is restored. God's grace on and through Joseph has reached out to Judah. Not only that, he offered himself to save His brother. Sound familiar?
Sunday 15 January 2012
Prayer and Faith
Every single day, I know somebody is out there praying. It doesn't matter what the time is, or the language. It could be about world politics, a family member with cancer, a couple wanting a baby or even just a guy praying for right questions in his exams, even if he doesn't believe in God. But how much faith do we actually have that these prayers will be answered?
I know sometimes I don't. It's always frustrating when you know somebody, probably that girl who goes to church, who always has amazing stories about how God answers her prayers. She isn't there to brag or boast, but it feels like it. So we start to feel jealousy, maybe even resentment. Why does God favour her, but not me?
Well my reply to you is this: When was the last time that you honestly trusted that God would hear and answer you? Somebody once told me, "Expectancy is the catalyst for prayers." When we pray and act as though what we're praying will/has happened, we are stepping out in faith that God will answer.
It doesn't have to be a big thing. What you pray doesn't have to change. But your attitude to what your pray does matter. Only you can make that active choice to believe in the words that you pray.
I know it can be a struggle sometimes. I know having faith in the impossible to happen is difficult. And I know how exposed a person can feel. And I know how much it hurts when things don't happen the way you prayed for them to happen. But in the end, I know it was worth it.
I know sometimes I don't. It's always frustrating when you know somebody, probably that girl who goes to church, who always has amazing stories about how God answers her prayers. She isn't there to brag or boast, but it feels like it. So we start to feel jealousy, maybe even resentment. Why does God favour her, but not me?
Well my reply to you is this: When was the last time that you honestly trusted that God would hear and answer you? Somebody once told me, "Expectancy is the catalyst for prayers." When we pray and act as though what we're praying will/has happened, we are stepping out in faith that God will answer.
It doesn't have to be a big thing. What you pray doesn't have to change. But your attitude to what your pray does matter. Only you can make that active choice to believe in the words that you pray.
I know it can be a struggle sometimes. I know having faith in the impossible to happen is difficult. And I know how exposed a person can feel. And I know how much it hurts when things don't happen the way you prayed for them to happen. But in the end, I know it was worth it.
Saturday 14 January 2012
Late night posting...
So this one is just a short one to check if blogger app on android works... If it does work fine, expect more regular blogs! (I normally have my best thoughts at night...)
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