Everything pertaining to life and godliness - 2 Peter 1:3

When we consider the above verse, Paul is adamant that all has been done for the Church and the bride to be all God intended his bride to be. Yet in prayer meetings we hear the strangest of prayers made on behalf of the church. One such prayer that is commonly heard, of which I know I have also prayed, is Lord, sovereignly move in our land. And whilst at it's core is a wonderful concept that God will override those whom He has placed as the authority, at least in regards to spiritual matters, this kind of prayer is contradictory to God's own plan for His bride or body.

Again, I can hear the cry of our Lord Jesus on the cross, it is finished! And whilst he most certainly gave further instruction and will continue to do so throughout the ages, he put everything in place with His resurrection and ascension into heaven that was needed for the church to have the utmost success for the task at hand. We can see this at work in the lives of the apostles and those whom had gathered in the upper room as described in Acts 2. Though ordinary and simple men and woman entered the upper room to tarry for the outpouring of God's Spirit upon them, it was by no means ordinary but rather extraordinary believers that emerged. He we can recount, as I have done in previous blogs, some of the most powerful words ever written in the logos, "then Peter stepped forward", four what we might say ambiguous words but which demonstrate such a powerful change of those present in the room.

As a result of this change which came via God's Spirit, 3000 souls were added to their number that very day. Throughout the ages, it is the same kind of people, ordinary, who enter prayer rooms right across our world, only to emerge changed by God's own Spirit to later go on to do marvellous works in God's name. People whom I have known who dared to believe God by His promises and who were transformed by His Spirit like the very famous Gordon Gibbs who I had the honour of working alongside for a number of years. A profoundly humble man who understood the extent of his humanity but who also understand what God's Spirit more powerfully could do when we dared to believe in Him.

What then should we be praying for in our own upper rooms? We must pray for ourselves, that we will lay down our own idols and desires to do our own will, that we would as Luke says, "take up our cross daily, deny ourselves and follow Him". Do we need a sovereign move of God? Yes, but we need it for ourselves to be all Christ said we could be through Him who strengthens us. Not pray that God should do the work that He asked us to do in His name, not pass the buck or responsibility to the next generation or lay the blame with others, but accept our own personal calling in Christ and corporately as His Church on this earth and fulfil the great commission.

We must pray, Lord use me, send me, empower me, help me, so that all can see You in me!!!

The Mark of the Laodician Church - Revelation 3:14

When we read Revelation through the various messages that the Lord speaks to the seven churches, it is hard to neglect the strongest message of them all to the Church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22.
This church that is Luke warm, Pitiful, Poor, Blind and Naked is a complete contrast to the city in which it is known. Famous for it's thermal hot springs, a rich trading centre, considered to produce some of the best eye salve in the world and renown for their garment making, Laodicea was seen as one of the greater cities of the then known world.

Most scholars would agree that this is the very picture of the end times church and I would add in particular for the church of the Western world who also appears as revelation 3:17 says "You say, I am rich, I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing." And though we understand this is evident of the organised church and not necessary of individual believers, when we are part of one thing, the ideology and thinking of that organisation will always have an effect upon the individual and how he or she thinks. Proverbs tells us "as a man thinks in his heart, so is he".

Jesus told us Matthew 5:3 that the Kingdom of God belongs to the "poor in spirit", which has often been one of those thought provoking ideas that returns to me over and over again throughout my Christian life. What does it mean to be poor in Spirit? I believe this speaks of those have been broken and humbled by life's experience that they know they have nothing to bring to the table that can compare to what Christ has done for us. Simply, they are humbled to the point that nothing will stand between them and God's loving grace towards them.

Jesus also spoke of the possibility of a rich man making it to heaven, though not being impossible, explained that it compares to a camel passing through the eye of a needle. Referring to a gate entering Jerusalem that required everything to be unloaded from the camel and for it to be on it's knees to be able to pass through the gate. Such an incredible picture for what riches will do in hindering our pursuit of eternal life.

Recently I experienced some of the most testing times in my life! And though I would like to say I passed the test with flying colours, the reality is it once again exposed weakness in my life. It is in these testing times James chapter one explains produces perseverance in our lives. A desperation which acknowledges our weaknesses and causes us to call upon His (Christ's) strength for our lives. In the midst of my trials, I struggled to see God's hand at work, though we know in our minds He is there.

Scripture implores us to seek God when He can be found, Isaiah 55:6. It is in our darkest hours that we seek out God's hand of help for our lives, yet it should be in our times of blessing and provision that we really should acknowledge Him. This I believe is the call for the western church today, seek Him whilst He can be found. Buy from him gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so that you can see.

Be - All Christ Called You To Be Ephesians 2:6

 Be!

Introduction

It’s easy to become fearful when read and hear about the various attacks of Isis, Isal & Dash in the media over recent months. In fact, it seems wherever we look today there is some new attack from alkaida or similar group upon innocent victims somewhere in the world. 1Tim 3:1 “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,…”

There is no doubt that this environment is conducive to what Jesus said would take place in the end days Luke 21 “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. "Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory.…”

When we add to this the ongoing natural disasters and environmental mishaps we are seeing it is easy to say the earth is in the “pangs” of birth. “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs” as Jesus said in Matthew 24 says.

What then should be the Churches response to all this if any?...

We naturally can use history to see how the early church responded to such issues, most would know of the persecution of the Church by Nero which ended in the destruction of Rome in AD70, again when the church was persecuted in Acts 6 to 8 which resulted in the church being dispersed throughout the empire.

How did the church react to this persecution? Ultimately they did as they had always done… to pray, break bread together and continue in sharing the good news with those round them. In fact theses very things that Jesus had commanded them to do, they continued to do.

Ephesians 6:10-18 is a powerful chapter for the church under attack, in understanding who the real enemy of God is, how God has equipped us but finally in our last response to attacks from the enemy.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Be-ers Rather than Do-Ers (Mary vs Martha)

So irrespective to the circumstances or situation you can simply say Jesus is commanding is us to continue to BE all He initially commanded us to BE.

Ephesians 2:5-7 says we are seated with Him…

even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.…

Romans 8:11 says the Same Spirit in Christ is now in us…

If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

The same as it has always been…BE in Him

Continue to abide in Him…John 15:4 (He is the true vine), we must get a revelation not only does he desire to live in us, but that we are in Him.

BE Long to him, Paul says in 1Cor 6:20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

The word Belong really is made up of two words Be & Long, when we long to be with Him and in His presence over everything else, then we truly belong to Him.

Be the body of Christ on the earth, see Colossians 18-24 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

I often tell people, you might be the only Jesus that people see today, perhaps ever. Therefore what kind of Jesus are you portraying to the world.

We are the hands, the feet, the arms, the legs, the lungs, the heart of Jesus in this world today. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.

Finally

BE the Bride. A clean bride without spot or wrinkle. Ephesians 5:26-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.…