SEPTEMBER 4-5 - A Majority of One

“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are....They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size....We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them” - Numbers 13:26-33

Have you ever met a man like Caleb? Oh, they’re out there all right. All you have to do is look around. Think of your neighbor down the street who has taken it upon himself to replace his entire kitchen. He’s done the homework, learned from others and bravely undertaken the demolition with a seeming fearlessness that you admire. Think of a boss you once had who was wildly optimistic in the face of competition and adversity. He strategized with an enthusiasm that inspired you and your coworkers. Think of the disabled young girl in your community who refuses to let her physical disabilities keep her from a normal life with her friends.

All of these people face obstacles with a courage that defies the circumstances they face. Their drive seems to gather momentum despite adversity. Do they always succeed? No, but they don’t let fear stop them in their tracks before moving ahead.

Caleb faced similar pressure to despair after his spy mission in Canaan. Ten of his fellow spies panicked when they saw the size of some of the people living in Canaan—enemies the Israelites would need to defeat in order to claim the promised land. “There’s no way we can beat them,” the other spies assessed. “They’re too powerful.”

Caleb’s scouting report reflected a different perspective. He wasn’t impressed by the size of the Anakites—he was bowled over by the power of the One who had held back the waters of the Red Sea. He didn’t fear the fighting force of the Amalekites—it paled in comparison to the artillery of the One who had brought Egypt to its knees. He brushed aside doubts that God would protect the Israelites—this wasn’t any more of a challenge for God than the manna, quail and water he had provided in the desert. Caleb surveyed the obstacles in front of him and concluded that nothing else was a match for God’s power.

Have you reached the same conclusion regarding the obstacles in your life? Perhaps the financial crisis that seems hopeless? The coworkers who are hostile to your Christian faith? The medical crisis that is turning your world upside down? The destructive habit no one else knows about?

Instead of allowing the problem at hand to overwhelm you, think about the Resource at your disposal. Make a mental list of past situations in which God protected you, provided for you and cared for you. Refuse to be intimidated by your spiritual enemies—no matter how enormous they seem. Remind yourself of the One who is on your team. And be the guy in your neighborhood whose optimism in the face of adversity inspires others.

Acknowledgements Crosswalk.

Bryn has selected “Through the Fire” - sung by the Crabb Family as our music today. Click on the picture to listen.

SEPTEMBER 3 – Look to the mountain

“For the Lord is the great God, the great king above all Gods. In Hid hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, because He made it, and His hands formed the dry land” - Psalm 95:3-5.

Sue had fired her doctor, was served divorce papers by her husband, alienated her friends and lost her leg below the knee to an aggressive cancer. And she asked me “Where is God?”

A widowed friend, Anna, is trying desperately to be self-sufficient. It's difficult, if not near impossible, to get her to speak of her pain. She seldom admits she is in over her head – although it's obvious to everyone around her. It's hard to help her because her hands don't reach out for help; they cover up her wounds instead. The most she verbalises are the words, “Why, why me? Why has God taken Tom from me?”

Both of these women won't 'cry out' because they think it's a sign of weakness. God brings helpers to their doors, but they turn them away – they don't want to be a burden.

Perhaps the most painful part of suffering and loss is the perceived absence of God - “Why, Lord, do you reject me and hide your face fom me?” (Psalm 88:14). Life-threatening illnesses, and sudden loss can tear the heart of, not only the people directly affected, but close friends and family also. How do we help these people?

Pray for them. Be there for them. Cry with them when they cry. Let them know you are with them throughout their crisis, no matter how long it may last. When the moment is right, as they go through the grieving process, take the opportunity to pray with them. Gently lead them to the light at the other side of the dark mountain.

Dave and Jan Dravcky write: 'But in the mountains, after the storms pass, the air is fresh, the sky is a clear translucent blue. Wildflowers that are watered by the rains paint the fields with brilliant colours as far as the eye can see. Like Solomon, I can say, "See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come.”'

Through the valleys of depression and the storms of tears, the promises of God will prove true in Sue and Anna's lives.

SEPTEMBER 1 – Activate God's Word (2)

‘…if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.’ - 1 John 5:14

While you are waiting for God’s Word to be fulfilled in your life, do these three things:

1. Verbalise it. The most effective way to pray is to speak God’s Word. The patriarchs, prophets and psalmists regularly reminded God of His promises in prayer, confident He would keep them. The surest indicator of God’s will is His Word. ‘This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us…we know that we have what we asked of Him’ (vv. 14-15 NIV). God always responds to His Word, always!

2. Obey it. God’s plan for us is not just to speak His Word, vital as this is, but that we obey it (James 1:22). The hymn-writer said: ‘When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way; while we do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey.’ Obedience—faith in action—aligns us with God and He responds by fulfilling His promise to us.

3. Share it. Parents and grandparents, ‘Take to heart these words that I give you today. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re at home or away, when you lie down or get up’ (Deuteronomy 6:6-7 GWT). You needn’t be a qualified teacher, just a sincere teller.

Sharing God’s Word will produce fruit in the lives of your family, friends, relatives, business associates and neighbours, and also increase your own grasp and understanding of it.

Our music today reminds us that we all have a part to play - “Each One, Reach One” - sung by the Motivators.   Click on the picture to listen.

AUGUST 31 – Activate God's Word (1)

‘Let Christ’s word…live in you’ - Colossians 3:16

Making the right decisions and choosing the right actions are the crux of living successfully. If you are the source of your own wisdom, or you’re looking to others, your odds are not good. Paul writes, ‘Let Christ’s word with all its wisdom and richness live in you.’ If you do, you’ll have the winning strategy for your life. But you must:

1. Read it. You don’t have to understand it all; it’s not an intellectual exercise. Reading it prayerfully brings power and wisdom because ‘…the Word that God speaks is alive and active… [penetrating] to the place where soul and spirit meet’ (Hebrews 4:12 PHPS).

2. Meditate on it. That means ‘chew on’ it. Let your spiritual digestive juices process God’s Word until its nutrients become part of you: strengthening, energising and directing you. 3) Believe it. ‘My word…always produces…It will accomplish all I want it to’ (Isaiah 55:11 NLT).

There’s only one thing that can short-circuit God’s Word—unbelief. ‘The message…did them no good, because they only heard and did not believe as well’ (Hebrews 4:2 PHPS). ‘Hearing’ opens the door; ‘believing’ walks through it and activates the promise.

3. Receive it. No matter how strongly you believe in God’s promises and His intention to give them to you, they’re not yours until you receive them by faith. ‘Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours’ (Mark 11:24 NIV).

So believe your answer is on the way, and keep your faith strong until it arrives.

(Acknowledgements UCB)

Today's music, once again from Bryn's collection, is “Seek Ye First” - with lyrics to sing along with. Click on the picture to join in.

“Sing out your thanks to him; sing praises to our God.” (Psalm 147:7 TLB)

You’ve probably noticed that music and love go together, because music comes from the heart. It’s not something you do intellectually. It’s something that comes out of your soul, your emotions. If you do love to sing, it's likely to be so deep in your subconscious that you find yourself bursting into song at the most unlikely times and places, such as the park, the supermarket....

Rick Warren is also of the opinion that there are many love songs in the world. In fact there are radio stations that are dedicated entirely to the love song format. But did you know that more songs have been written about Jesus Christ than any other topic in the world? Christianity is a singing faith. Why? Because it’s not about religion. It’s about a love affair. It’s about a relationship with God, who loves you so much that he sent his Son to die for you and who wants you to love him back.

Psalm 147:7 says, “Sing out your thanks to him; sing praises to our God” (TLB). Nothing will make you more aware of God’s love and presence in your life than singing and praise.

You may be thinking, “But you don’t understand. I can’t sing.” The Bible says to make a joyful noise. I know you can do that because probably when you go to a sports game or when somebody’s getting married, you make a joyful noise. So just let it out! You don’t have to hit the right note. You just have to make a joyful noise.

Can you worship God more than just at church? Yes, because worship is simply expressing your love to God. That means you can worship in the shower. You can worship in your backyard mowing the lawn. You can worship washing dishes. You can worship driving to work and making a deal or on the golf course. A confession. Every now and then, my neighbours are 'treated' by my melodious tones around 3am in the morning . I am singing with such gusto that I wake myself up – at least by now they will know the words of “When We All Get To Heaven”

Yes, we can express our love to God anywhere and everywhere. And that means you and I can sing everywhere.

Today's music is from Bryn's selection - “I Came To Praise the Lord” (LIVE). Click on the picture to listen.

“But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love” (Psalm 33:18).

I was looking out of the window at the leaves already falling from the trees in the garden as I flicked through some articles, and came across the following, by Alan Bullock who writes in Daystar, breaking the thoughts running through my mind.

As Christians we often wonder what it would have been like to have walked along the shore of Galilee with Jesus and hear him teach, heal the leper, open the eyes of the blind and turn five loaves and two fish into enough food to feed five thousand. What was it like to stand next to Him as He said, “Lazarus come forth” and a man who had been dead for days came back to life? While it is true that you and I weren’t there to see these miracles nor stand at the foot of the cross and witness Him suffer and die for our sins, we can travel back in time to experience these life-changing events by reading the Bible — the most important book ever written. (Our Beacon of Hope)

I did not see Him die on the tree
Or touch the nail-scarred hands.
Nor see the leper healed of his disease,
Or walk with Him on Galilee’s sand.
Yet, I believe that He is Lord
Though I didn’t see the empty tomb;
Or stand by Him at Golgotha’s ford,
But I sense His presence in my room.
For I see His face in every flower,
And His blood in every rose.
He is the light in my darkest hour,
A beacon of hope that glows.

We can read about Him in one of the six billion Bibles that have been published just as we can envision Him radiating through the universe of our daily lives. The tree laden forests, oceans and streams, billowing clouds and ominous thunderstorms, roses and lilies, breathtaking mountains and delicate snowflakes all eloquently argue for the existence of a Master Creator.  Roses are the color of the blood He shed for us at Calvary.

Mountains are a sign of his strength. The sky represents his expansive and endless love. The air we breathe sings of his ability to sustain us in the most difficult of situations and the rainbow, in its unique multifaceted beauty, tells us He is here for us no matter how daunting life might become. The clouds whisper that our storms will pass because He cares for us.

A tree reminds us of the Cross and a graceful sparrow, circling overhead, reminds us of His compassion for even the smallest of creatures. If you are experiencing a wintery season in your life and spring has yet to bring fresh flowers of hope and peace, why not take a moment to pray? Ask the Lord to fill you with His presence and know that His light of love will shine as a mighty beacon of hope, penetrating the darkness and granting you victory over insurmountable odds. Christ is our Beacon of Hope!

Hope is the supernatural strength God grants us, allowing us to move forward during our darkest hour.

What other music could there be but “O, The Wonder of it All” -

AUGUST 21-22 – Not giving up

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” - Hebrews 12:1-2

In 490 B.C., the Athenians won a crucial and decisive battle over the forces of King Darius I of Persia, on a plain near the Greek coastal town of Marathon. Upon delivering the important message of their victory, the Greek soldier who came to tell the good news died -- he had completed the 26 mile course running and bearing good news, and did it totally unreserved until the moment he died. Today marathons are run all over the world, commemorating that very event 2500 years ago.

Anyone who has run a marathon can tell you how difficult the race is. No matter how good you are, how well trained, how prepared, there are times in the race you just want to quit. But those who persevere till the end receive a prize. Back in King Darius' day, one would win only a crown made of laurel leaves. Today, athletes compete for trophies and medals. But in God's race, we win something far more precious -- a crown that is incorruptible.

I bet you're tired today. You are overworked, overstressed, overwhelmed ... DONE! Be encouraged! Just when you think you can’t run any further, you can! C'mon! Press through and press on for the great prize! God is with us, strengthening our feeble knees and moving us in the right direction!!

(George Whitten)

“I'm Not Giving Up” - (LIVE) is our music, chosen by Bryn. Click on the picture to listen.

AUGUST 20 -What would you choose?

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16 (NIV)

The approach roads to Wollaton Park yesterday were packed with people dressed as Superman, wearing masks – and for some unknown reason, rubber gloves! I was listening to Radio Nottingham this morning when this was announced. As a result one of the phone-in topics for the morning was the question, “What super-power would you like to have?”

As I had a shampoo-blow dry, this got me pondering. My thoughts kept returning to God's conversation with Solomon. 'The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, "Ask what you wish me to give you"' – 1 Kings 3: 4-5. Solomon replied: “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

Solomon asked the Lord for wisdom. “The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life. (9-14)

Ask God for the right thing and He will bless you abundantly with the gifts you truly need to serve His people.

God wants you to teach someone who can then teach someone else.

• He wants you to teach others about the spiritual insights he’s deposited in you

• He wants you to teach others about the practical steps you’ve taken to become more   and more like Jesus

• He wants you to teach others about the ways he’s stretched your faith.

• He wants you to teach others how they can discover life in Christ.

• He wants you to teach them the skills necessary to go on mission.

God’s plan calls for us to tell others about Jesus and then to disciple them so they can disciple others.

You may be wondering if you’re capable of doing this, but the apostle Paul says you can make a choice to “let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom . . .” (Colossians 3:16 NIV) It is God who teaches through you, giving you a supernatural wisdom and confidence to tell others about Jesus.

Frankly, you have more knowledge, training, and resources at your disposal than believers did in the first century Church, and yet they were able to be a witness to the world (2 Timothy 2:4). More importantly, God is with us in the same way that he was with them.

Trust the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to flow from you and give you the words and the wisdom you need to tell others about Jesus.

(Acknowledgements Jon Walker)

Yes, discernment and wisdom sound good to me!

“Thank You Lord for Your Blessing (LIVE) is our music for today. Click in the picture to listen.