Prayer For Unity

Lord Jesus we prayed that your people would be one, forgive us Lord and take away the pride and arrogance which divides your church. Break down the walls that separate us; unite us by your spirit ant teach us how to love each other.

Help us to humbly kneel before you and surrender all, Please guide us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds as we seek to find your good and pleasing will, Amen.

My Thoughts 💭 

The church I attend on sunday mornings has been without a pastor for well over a year now, so I post this prayer to try and help the body of believers unite and stay faithful to our awesome God.

I'd also love prayers from all of my amazing sisters and brothers here for this church as we seek to find a spirit filled, mature and wise pastor.

Happy 1st Anniversary To iChristian

This feels weird to me as I registered on WordPress July 2012 and spent the next several months messing about with themes and trying to figure out the interface. I didn't have any friends/community as I didn't post anything worth reading.

Then I posted this in September 2012:

"If you speak to God in private, He will speak through you in public"

This Quote really helped me when Phil at Church asked me to share my Testimony to the congragation. I was terrified as i'd never spoke in front of anyone before, and i'd not shared my story at all, and as I hadn't been at this church a year yet not many people knew me. After Praying lots i checked my twitter feed just before church and the quote above was waiting for me.

I only just managed to get through my talk without breaking down and it was received well too. They wanted me to get "My Testimony" written down so they can share it in the local magazine. I also hope to share it on here too with a separate 'About' page.

February 2013

I really didn't want to share my story to everyone as even my family and friends didn't know how dark my world had become. But in February 2013 (7 months after registering) I added my testimony, and I wasn't prepared for the explosion of love, fellowship and a vast amount of people who could relate to some of my feelings. I never dreamt that God could use my little story to inspire and encourage others swell as help grow and uplift me. This still blows my mind! :)

July 2013

Today i'm so blessed to have so many amazing sisters, brothers & friends who have walked alongside me, encouraged, inspired and continue to teach me the word of God and how to apply it day to day! I jump out of bed each morning to spend time with your posts and I always pray individually as my screenreader reads them out.

So i'd like to end with a massive THANK YOU to all of you!!! :D

Is Your Church Showing Unity?

John 17:20-26  (NIV)
Jesus Prays for All Believers

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you[a] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

My Thoughts 💭 

How united is your church body?

Unity Is vital for us to carry out God's will to be one united body. The world is watching us, so lets make known the unity and love of Jesus and show the world that they have a saviour and he loves them.

There's No Ceiling To Hope

This is a post for all of my sisters & brothers out there who are struggling at the moment. I just wanted to try and inspire you with some of the Songs/Poems i've posted on here. Some will have already read them, but its really on my heart to try and help you as you fight with your day to day struggles. Peace be with you.

page links for my Songs/Poems: 

• Captivity Of Negativity
• Depression
• Not Afraid To Die
• Rest In Piece
• Shadow of the Beast
• The Prodigal Son

I Hope these songs will reach out to people who can relate to some of the feelings i went through on my Journey! But i want you to know that you are never alone and a new Life of Love, Joy & inner Peace are waiting for you. Check out my “About” page to read a little more about my journey.

There's No Ceiling To Hope

This is a post for all of my sisters & brothers out there who are struggling at the moment. I just wanted to try and inspire you with some of the Songs/Poems i've posted on here. Some will have already read them, but its really on my heart to try and help you as you fight with your day to day struggles. Peace be with you.

page links for my Songs/Poems: 

• Captivity Of Negativity
• Depression
• Not Afraid To Die
• Rest In Piece
• Shadow of the Beast
• The Prodigal Son

I Hope these songs will reach out to people who can relate to some of the feelings i went through on my Journey! But i want you to know that you are never alone and a new Life of Love, Joy & inner Peace are waiting for you. Check out my “About” page to read a little more about my journey.

Praise God

My Thoughts 💭 

Last night at our evening meeting, Ruth (one of our ministers) led us in an hour of praise and prayer to God. Ruth started with the prayer below and Sarah and I played 8 songs, and in-between the songs Ruth would say a prayer or a reflection which flowed beautifully for the whole hour.

It was deeply moving and I wanted to just share with you this opening prayer.

🙏 Prayer 4 2day! 

Praise God for: mountains and oceans, planets and stars
Praise God for big things
Praise God for: seeds and spiders, petals and drops of dew
Praise God for small things
Praise God for: rolling thunder and the crashing waves
Praise God for loud things
Praise God for: a breath of wind and a whispered prayer
Praise God for quiet things
Praise God for: soaring eagles and hairy gorillas
Praise God for strong things
Praise God for: snowflakes and cobwebs - a tiny baby
Praise God for fragile things
Praise God for: the flash of lightening and a humming bird's wings
Praise God for fast things
Praise God for: the growth of a tree and the erosion of cliffs
Praise God for slow things
Praise God for: the moon, the sun, other worlds
Praise God for far away things
Praise God for: the person sitting next to me, my own heartbeat
Praise God for close-by things

Thank you that though you are so big,
you become small enough to meet us here on earth
though you are so strong, you show your love in gentleness
though you are loud as thunder, you speak to us in the sound of silence.
Thank you that though you could be faster than the speed of light
You choose to walk at our pace and to hold our hand.

Amen

War And Violence Are Not Entertainment!

"War And Violence should not be entertainment!"

These were the words I received from a spirit nudge yesterday whilst trying to find PS3 games suitable for Vini (12 years old) to play at my home when he visits with my brother Ben and his wife Rosie.

My background with video games...

I've played video games my whole life, starting with 'Pong', then my Dad bought a 'ZX80' & a 'Video Genie System' and all I remember playing on it was 'Space Invaders'. Then came the 'Commodore 64' and we broke many joysticks playing 'Way Of The Exploding Fist' and many more fighting and shooting games, then the 'Commodore Amiga!' This was a fantastic games machine in the late 80's & 90's and really stepped up the quality and quantity of these genres.

Now The PlayStation...

Since I was a boy i've always wanted the most violent and brutal shooting and fighting games but nothing could be made as there just wasn't enough processor speed or memory to do the job. 

I've always thought playStations are amazing, I've owned a 'PlayStation 1 & 2' and I currently own a 'PlayStation 3' used as my DVD player for bible studies (this still makes me smile).

Since the release of the 'PlayStation 1' I've loved playing 'Tomb Raider', 'Resident Evil', 'Silent Hill' and 'Grand Theft Auto', GTA was especially brutal and pushed the boundries of just how wrong can we make a game, but I loved it!

📖 Verse 4 2day! 

Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Back to childhood...

For the last couple of years, God's been cleaning out over 36 years of pollution that controls my thoughts, actions and tongue. Now with this latest message I hope to put the final nail in this huge coffin and be free of this addiction.

War and violence are horrific, brutal, destructive and uncaring, it leaves a trail of devastation through generations. It doesn't matter which side you're on, it still kills husbands, wives, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and on, and on, and on….

Are we that tangled up in the worldly culture that we have been deceived and we don't even know it?

Is God trying to steer you away from something you know you shouldn't really be doing?

Are you just a fan of Jesus? Or do you know him? Do you trust him to transform your life with the renewing of your mind, and turn you into the person that God wants you to be, and not the person the world wants you to be?!

🙏 Prayer 4 2day! 

Father, please help us to be aware of the world and its destructive popular cultures. Help us to be the people you want us to be and not the people that blindly put idols on the throne where you belong, Amen.

The A21 Campaign

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stxmmQqKL0E

At our church meeting on sunday morning i was moved by  Rebecca West and her talk about the A21 Campaign, and how she is running a 10k run to help raise money and more awareness for this great charity. Rebecca started by playing the video above then told us a little about what she was doing to help.

Rebecca's message:

Hello, me and two other friends are doing a 10 k run on the 18th of May, called We Own The Night, in London Victoria Park!

We wanted to use this opportunity to raise money for an amazing charity called A21. (More details below)

The charities aim is to abolish sex slavery across the globe and provide medical care, life skills and job training so those that have been effected by slavery.

There are more slaves in the world today than at any other point in human history, with an estimated 27 million in bondage across the globe. Men, women, and children are being exploited for manual and sexual labor against their will.

BUT! we can start with one life and the little amount you can give will release a life of slavery into a life of freedom.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you so much for your support!

Rebecca West

Heres how you can find out more about A21 and donate through Just Giving. How you can donate on the Just Giving Site

http://www.justgiving.com/Rebecca-West2?utm_source=emailvision&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FR_page_creation

Related post:

My Own Little World

My own little world

This video really challenged me to look at the mission field between my own two feet. I hope it will challenge you too to realise that there is such a huge need right on our own door steps or in our own town/city. It helps show that if we really loved these people around us instead of judging the way they look, act or the situations they find themselves in, then we can understand and show the compassion, grace and love of Jesus and help transform lives!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuVSe1Cz4Es

Related posts:

• Christy Nockels
• Yet I will Praise You
• Britt Nicole

 

My Testimony by Steve Rebus

 

 Broken

Psalm 116:3

The cords of death entangled me,
    the anguish of the grave came over me;
    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.

 

 

Another day, another attempt! .... Oct - Nov 2000

 

I kneel down in the centre of my living room. Tears stain the blade I hold to my chest. “Come on Steve, don’t fail again!  All you need to do is throw yourself forwards and thats it!” 

 

I’d been doing this every morning for the last couple of months and still I waited, willing myself to do it. Then nudge...nudge.. my three month old Boxer dog “Bruce” pushed against my leg with his nose. His whimpering cries pierced my very soul. “He relied on me for everything and I had no idea I would be relying on a furry angel to help me through this dark period in my life.”

 

After three months of failed attempts I felt more useless than ever .... I couldn’t even manage the task of killing myself. I realised I  didn’t even have the strength to do this properly. I just didn’t know how I could get lower than this!!! -  I’d been registered blind at 25, after loosing my sight quite suddenly. in the same month my mum finally died after a 12 year debilitating and demoralizing struggle with progressive MS. Missing her added misery to my own struggle to come to terms with the isolation and insecurities of managing life with sight loss - I’d lost my job, my custom car, the ability to drive, my girlfriend and nearly all of my so called friends! 

 

My answer.... 

 

To throw myself into binge drinking, womanising, dark depression, and raw anger. I felt that this was what I had to look forwards to for the rest of my life.

 

Then I met Sarah...... July 2004

 

She wasn’t like the other girls I’d met. Sarah too had suffered sight loss and depression because of her uncontrollable diabetes but no matter how bad things got for her, she always had comfort in someone called “Jesus”. Oh no I thought not a Christian! She suffered all of my taunts, jibes and nasty comments but worst of all my coldness and my inability to show love. I made it a personal challenge to show her that everyone will let you down and no one can be trusted or faithful! I felt that if I could make her hurt as much as I did then she’d hate this Jesus and know that he wasn’t real!

 

Then HE came to visit ME....

 

Hope

Psalm 116:4

Then I called on the name of the Lord:
    “Lord, save me!”

 

I’d seen a guitarist called Eric Bibb on the music show ‘Later with Jools Holland’ and called Sarah up to see if she had heard of him too. She hadn’t but as a lovely gift she booked tickets to go and see him in London. I’d only ever been to Metal concerts before so i didn’t know what to expect.

 

It was Eric Bibb’s “Friends” tour and when Eric started the song “Needed Time” and sang the words

 

“I'm down on my bended knees, I'm on my knees, praying want you come back, come back here?

Even if you don't stay long, oh my Jesus, If you don't stay long, I'm praying, Come back here.

Singing Right now is the needed time, I know you feel the needed time right now. Bless us!”

 

This was the moment when I asked Jesus to save me saying “I can’t fight any more. Please help me!” From that moment something happened inside me and I just felt an outpouring of my entire being.  My heart seemed to clear itself of all the darkness, hatred and anger I’d filled it with replacing this with pure love. I couldn’t stop my river of tears for the rest of the show.

 

February 2013 - Now and into the future....

 

Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

My eyes are filling with tears as I write this section. I just can’t believe I’m sat here typing this. If it was up to me than I’d be dead. I’d have missed God’s amazing grace and a living relationship with Jesus along with the countless blessings I simply didn’t know existed! He’s transformed me in so many ways and I’m no longer held captive by drinking, swearing, anger, lack of compassion and self loathing, along with much much more.  I’m also getting a long way to overcoming my ever big struggle with over eating. (see Diet or Die✞)

 

Two Souls Entwine.....

 

I‘ve been married to Sarah for nearly six years now and I’m really struggling to put how I feel into words! My heart overflows with love for her. She has encouraged, inspired and loved me and is the sunshine that warms me along my journey. 

 

My love of music....

 

Since being registered blind I’ve learned to play the drums and guitar. This is amazing in itself but being able to play alongside Sarah every Sunday to assist myself and others in worship is just mind blowing. I play in two churches - drumming in the morning and playing guitar in the evening and I feel so blessed to be able to come before God and thank him with the gifts he’s given me. Gifts that give me great joy too!

 

Blind Photographer??

 

“You don’t need sight to see, you need vision“

 

“I strongly believe that Disability doesn’t have to mean inability or lack of creative talent!”

 

I used to enjoy photography when I was sighted, taking and developing photos in my Dad’s darkroom, When I lost most my sight 13 years ago I thought this would put a stop to my hobby but I have learned that my camera can act as my eyes allowing me to see what my own eyes will not. 

 

I am proud of the fact that I have been able to produce photographs despite my visual impairment– and like to think that although I may have lost my useful sight I have not lost my vision and instinct for a good photograph. (see Rebus Photography on Flickr)

 

My Hope

 

My hope is that my short testimony will help those who feel lost in despair and no longer want to choose life. I know that there really is HOPE and God has a plan for your life as he has for mine. He simply wants to love you and welcome you home. 

 

Luke 15:32

The Message (MSG)

This is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’”

If you want to chat to me about anything please Contact Me

Diet or Die✞ - Part 1

Diet or Die✞ - Part 1

We see and hear all around how the world tells us about "Another fantastic new Diet that will transform our lives and bring us happiness." 

Is this true? 

I know from personal experience that any diet is very short lived. Whilst growing up I was encouraged to overeat so I've always had this particular struggle. After seemingly endless attempts at dieting over the numerous years I've tried losing weight. I've always managed to put on more weight than I lost! 

Things finally changed for me on New Years Eve 2012. I read Pete Briscoe's 'Experiencing Life Today' where he was talking about people always making New Years resolutions but failing all the time and then repeating this each year. He said that you need to have an inner "Revolution" NOT "Resolution" - resolutions rely on your OWN strength! 

So I jumped straight into Prayer and asked God for an inner REVOLUTION and as I'm in Christ, for him to grow the fruit of self control within me. It's now the beginning of February and a few days ago I had a Vision/Dream (the photo at top of my post is the picture I designed to help me remember it). 

I felt God was telling me that if I continue to live in the flesh and follow worldly Diet's, then I'd be caught in this cycle for the rest of my life. But if I crucify my flesh as Christ did for me then what Paul said in Galatians 5:24 is the path he's given me to follow.

Galatians 5:24

New International Version (NIV)

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:24

The Message (MSG)

Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good - crucified.

I was told by my lovely wife Sarah and my true friend and Christian brother Ben to post this on my Blog. I am not a writer by any means but my hope is that this may help you as it's helping me. 

I've tasted the self control fruit - as it's freed me from alcohol abuse, stopped me swearing and ended the uncontrollable anger and rage that I felt whilst I was coping with loosing my sight at the age of 24.  Now I Pray that I'll finally knock down this giant that has been taunting me my whole life! 

" If you focus on the giant then YOU will stumble but if you focus on GOD the giant will stumble."

 "Are you allowing the Holy Spirit, who is inside of you, to have His way with you and your body? Or are you trying to control things yourself? The answer to these questions can make all the difference in the world for you today!" (Pete Briscoe)

✞ Prayer                                                                                             "Jesus, I thank You for my body. Thank You for giving me this temporary vessel to live in on this earth. Today, I offer myself to You. All of me. Take my body and make it an instrument of Your righteousness. I surrender and ask that You would take control of it. Use it for Your glory as an instrument of worship, prayer, and loving service to those around me. Amen."

Follow up Posts

i am working on follow up posts to hopefully help explain how this is applied practically in every day life and to share what has happened(is happening) in my life as i learn what it means to "Die Daily" and to "Pick up the cross and follow Jesus". 

My Testimony by Steve Rebus

 

 Broken

Psalm 116:3

The cords of death entangled me,
    the anguish of the grave came over me;
    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.

 

 

Another day, another attempt! .... Oct - Nov 2000

 

I kneel down in the centre of my living room. Tears stain the blade I hold to my chest. “Come on Steve, don’t fail again!  All you need to do is throw yourself forwards and thats it!” 

 

I’d been doing this every morning for the last couple of months and still I waited, willing myself to do it. Then nudge...nudge.. my three month old Boxer dog “Bruce” pushed against my leg with his nose. His whimpering cries pierced my very soul. “He relied on me for everything and I had no idea I would be relying on a furry angel to help me through this dark period in my life.”

 

After three months of failed attempts I felt more useless than ever .... I couldn’t even manage the task of killing myself. I realised I  didn’t even have the strength to do this properly. I just didn’t know how I could get lower than this!!! -  I’d been registered blind at 25, after loosing my sight quite suddenly. in the same month my mum finally died after a 12 year debilitating and demoralizing struggle with progressive MS. Missing her added misery to my own struggle to come to terms with the isolation and insecurities of managing life with sight loss - I’d lost my job, my custom car, the ability to drive, my girlfriend and nearly all of my so called friends! 

 

My answer.... 

 

To throw myself into binge drinking, womanising, dark depression, and raw anger. I felt that this was what I had to look forwards to for the rest of my life.

 

Then I met Sarah...... July 2004

 

She wasn’t like the other girls I’d met. Sarah too had suffered sight loss and depression because of her uncontrollable diabetes but no matter how bad things got for her, she always had comfort in someone called “Jesus”. Oh no I thought not a Christian! She suffered all of my taunts, jibes and nasty comments but worst of all my coldness and my inability to show love. I made it a personal challenge to show her that everyone will let you down and no one can be trusted or faithful! I felt that if I could make her hurt as much as I did then she’d hate this Jesus and know that he wasn’t real!

 

Then HE came to visit ME....

 

Hope

Psalm 116:4

Then I called on the name of the Lord:
    “Lord, save me!”

 

I’d seen a guitarist called Eric Bibb on the music show ‘Later with Jools Holland’ and called Sarah up to see if she had heard of him too. She hadn’t but as a lovely gift she booked tickets to go and see him in London. I’d only ever been to Metal concerts before so i didn’t know what to expect.

 

It was Eric Bibb’s “Friends” tour and when Eric started the song “Needed Time” and sang the words

 

“I'm down on my bended knees, I'm on my knees, praying want you come back, come back here?

Even if you don't stay long, oh my Jesus, If you don't stay long, I'm praying, Come back here.

Singing Right now is the needed time, I know you feel the needed time right now. Bless us!”

 

This was the moment when I asked Jesus to save me saying “I can’t fight any more. Please help me!” From that moment something happened inside me and I just felt an outpouring of my entire being.  My heart seemed to clear itself of all the darkness, hatred and anger I’d filled it with replacing this with pure love. I couldn’t stop my river of tears for the rest of the show.

 

February 2013 - Now and into the future....

 

Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

My eyes are filling with tears as I write this section. I just can’t believe I’m sat here typing this. If it was up to me than I’d be dead. I’d have missed God’s amazing grace and a living relationship with Jesus along with the countless blessings I simply didn’t know existed! He’s transformed me in so many ways and I’m no longer held captive by drinking, swearing, anger, lack of compassion and self loathing, along with much much more.  I’m also getting a long way to overcoming my ever big struggle with over eating. (see Diet or Die✞)

 

Two Souls Entwine.....

 

I‘ve been married to Sarah for nearly six years now and I’m really struggling to put how I feel into words! My heart overflows with love for her. She has encouraged, inspired and loved me and is the sunshine that warms me along my journey. 

 

My love of music....

 

Since being registered blind I’ve learned to play the drums and guitar. This is amazing in itself but being able to play alongside Sarah every Sunday to assist myself and others in worship is just mind blowing. I play in two churches - drumming in the morning and playing guitar in the evening and I feel so blessed to be able to come before God and thank him with the gifts he’s given me. Gifts that give me great joy too!

 

My hope is that my short testimony will help those who feel lost in despair and no longer want to choose life. I know that there really is HOPE and God has a plan for your life as he has for mine. He simply wants to love you and welcome you home. 

 

Luke 15:32

The Message (MSG)

This is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’”

 

Diet or Die✞

Diet or Die✞

We see and hear all around how the world tells us about "Another fantastic new Diet that will transform our lives and bring us happiness." 

Is this true? 

I know from personal experience that any diet is very short lived. Whilst growing up I was encouraged to overeat so I've always had this particular struggle. After seemingly endless attempts at dieting over the numerous years I've tried losing weight. I've always managed to put on more weight than I lost! 

Things finally changed for me on New Years Eve 2012. I read Pete Briscoe's 'Experiencing Life Today' where he was talking about people always making New Years resolutions but failing all the time and then repeating this each year. He said that you need to have an inner "Revolution" NOT "Resolution" - resolutions rely on your OWN strength! 

So I jumped straight into Prayer and asked God for an inner REVOLUTION and as I'm in Christ, for him to grow the fruit of self control within me. It's now the beginning of February and a few days ago I had a Vision/Dream (the photo at top of my post is the picture I designed to help me remember it). 

I felt God was telling me that if I continue to live in the flesh and follow worldly Diet's, then I'd be caught in this cycle for the rest of my life. But if I crucify my flesh as Christ did for me then what Paul said in Galatians 5:24 is the path he's given me to follow.

Galatians 5:24

New International Version (NIV)

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:24

The Message (MSG)

Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good - crucified.

I was told by my lovely wife Sarah and my true friend and Christian brother Ben to post this on my Blog. I am not a writer by any means but my hope is that this may help you as it's helping me. 

I've tasted the self control fruit - as it's freed me from alcohol abuse, stopped me swearing and ended the uncontrollable anger and rage that I felt whilst I was coping with loosing my sight at the age of 24.  Now I Pray that I'll finally knock down this giant that has been taunting me my whole life! 

" If you focus on the giant then YOU will stumble but if you focus on GOD the giant will stumble."

 "Are you allowing the Holy Spirit, who is inside of you, to have His way with you and your body? Or are you trying to control things yourself? The answer to these questions can make all the difference in the world for you today!" (Pete Briscoe)

✞ Prayer                                                                                             "Jesus, I thank You for my body. Thank You for giving me this temporary vessel to live in on this earth. Today, I offer myself to You. All of me. Take my body and make it an instrument of Your righteousness. I surrender and ask that You would take control of it. Use it for Your glory as an instrument of worship, prayer, and loving service to those around me. Amen."

Follow up Posts

i am working on follow up posts to help explain how this is applied practically in every day life and to share what has happened(is happening) in my life as i learn what it means to be "Dead to Sin" and to "Crucify the Flesh" 

Diet or Die✞

Diet or Die✞

We see and hear all around how the world tells us about "Another fantastic new Diet that will transform our lives and bring us happiness." 

Is this true? 

I know from personal experience that any diet is very short lived. Whilst growing up I was encouraged to overeat so I've always had this particular struggle. After seemingly endless attempts at dieting over the numerous years I've tried losing weight. I've always managed to put on more weight than I lost! 

Things finally changed for me on New Years Eve 2012. I read Pete Briscoe's 'Experiencing Life Today' where he was talking about people always making New Years resolutions but failing all the time and then repeating this each year. He said that you need to have an inner "Revolution" NOT "Resolution" - resolutions rely on your OWN strength! 

So I jumped straight into Prayer and asked God for an inner REVOLUTION and as I'm in Christ, for him to grow the fruit of self control within me. It's now the beginning of February and a few days ago I had a Vision/Dream (the photo at top of my post is the picture I designed to help me remember it). 

I felt God was telling me that if I continue to live in the flesh and follow worldly Diet's, then I'd be caught in this cycle for the rest of my life. But if I crucify my flesh as Christ did for me then what Paul said in Galatians 5:24 is the path he's given me to follow.

Galatians 5:24

New International Version (NIV)

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:24

The Message (MSG)

Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good - crucified.

I was told by my lovely wife Sarah and my true friend and Christian brother Ben to post this on my Blog. I am not a writer by any means but my hope is that this may help you as it's helping me. 

I've tasted the self control fruit - as it's freed me from alcohol abuse, stopped me swearing and ended the uncontrollable anger and rage that I felt whilst I was coping with loosing my sight at the age of 24.  Now I Pray that I'll finally knock down this giant that has been taunting me my whole life! 

" If you focus on the giant then YOU will stumble but if you focus on GOD the giant will stumble."

 "Are you allowing the Holy Spirit, who is inside of you, to have His way with you and your body? Or are you trying to control things yourself? The answer to these questions can make all the difference in the world for you today!" (Pete Briscoe)

✞ Prayer                                                                                             "Jesus, I thank You for my body. Thank You for giving me this temporary vessel to live in on this earth. Today, I offer myself to You. All of me. Take my body and make it an instrument of Your righteousness. I surrender and ask that You would take control of it. Use it for Your glory as an instrument of worship, prayer, and loving service to those around me. Amen."

Thank You!

I would like to say a Huge Thank You to everyone who read's/follows my Blog! When i started my Blog earlier this year i had no idea that anyone would read it never mind follow it. I am so Blessed that you take a little time to read some of the posts i upload and i hope that you are inspired and continue to follow as i try to make it more interesting in the future.

God Bless you all! :D

Don't Believe Like the Demons Believe!

i have been attending an Alpha course for the last few weeks and i have been struggling to put into words how, once you have asked Jesus to take over your life and the experience of change that happens from the inside and things that you were doing just seem wrong or just not funny anymore! So when i read this article by Probe Ministries i just had to share it! :D

Don't Believe Like the Demons Believe!

One of our pastors shares a favorite story: a young man in Sweden, while trying to get rid of the watermark on his trial software so he could use it illegally, did some online research that led him to a YouTube film clip from our church (Watermark Community Church) making the case for waiting to have sex before marriage. The twenty—something had never heard of such a thing, and while it sounded crazy to him, he continued to watch more clips, which intrigued him further, and he did more research that led him to the conclusion, "Wait a minute, there's something really different about these people."

So he called the pastor. From Sweden. "Hey man, I don't know your God, never heard of your Jesus, but I want to know Him. I've been tracking with you guys online, watched a ton of sermons, and I want to know that God." J.P. led him to the Lord, and he trusted Christ over the phone in Swedish.

He called again some time later. "Hey, we always go out and get drunk, and I'm having a hard time doing that all of a sudden. Yeah, we always pride ourselves on taking some girl home that we don't know, and all of a sudden that doesn't feel right to me. What's wrong with me? This isn't any fun anymore. Something happened!"

That's what lifechange looks like. That's the kind of transformation that happens when someone puts their trust in Jesus Christ and surrenders their heart and their life to a new kind of supernatural God—life. The New Testament talks about two kinds of life—the merely physical, and the supernatural, eternal, abundant life Jesus said He came to bring us (John 10:10). This eternal life invades our merely physical life.

I've been engaging in an email conversation with a dear man who is wondering why he hasn't experienced any lifechange stories like the new Swedish Christian. When I asked his understanding of what it means to be a Christian, he indicated he had prayed a prayer that Christians had told him to pray. But nothing had happened, nothing had changed. In decades. When I asked him who he thinks Jesus is, he said whoever Christians told him He was. He's now considering that all this time, he hasn't been a Christian after all, and I think he's right.

His dilemma illustrates a heartbreaking truth: there are a lot of people who think they are Christians because they have prayed a prayer or they mentally assent to some spiritual truths. But then they don't see anything different in their lives, because they have been offered a false gospel of "say this prayer" or "believe these things" and they think they've got their going—to—heaven ticket punched. But they continue to live the same way, simply adding Jesus to their mental cubbyholes, ready to call on Him at the moment of death.

The people who saw radical changes in their lives in the New Testament were those who opened themselves to being invaded by Jesus Christ's startlingly different, supernaturally powerful eternal life. As the true gospel spread, fueled by God's Spirit manifested through Jesus' lifechange in these people, the world was changed forever. I love how Dallas Willard writes:

So, C.S. Lewis writes, our faith is not a matter of our hearing what Christ said long ago and "trying to carry it out." Rather, "The real Son of God is at your side. He is beginning to turn you into the same kind of thing as Himself. He is beginning, so to speak, to 'inject' His kind of life and thought, His Zoe [life], into you; beginning to turn the tin soldier into a live man. The part of you that does not like it is the part that is still tin." (The Divine Conspiracy, San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998, p. 20)

Why do so many people not experience the kind of lifechange of our Swedish friend? I respectfully (and, to be honest, somewhat fearfully) submit that their belief is that of demons. They believe the same thing the demons subscribe to, but it's not a saving, life—changing kind of faith. Biblical faith is about trusting our entire self into Jesus' hands, not merely nodding in intellectual assent or saying the words of a prayer. James 2:19 says, "You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear" (emphasis mine).

"I believe in God." So do the demons.

"I believe Jesus is God's Son." So do the demons.

"I believe Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world." So do the demons.

"I believe Jesus rose from the dead." So do the demons.

What the demons don't do is repent, turning 180 degrees from going their own way to surrender to Jesus, receive His love, and follow Him in obedience. They don't entrust themselves into Jesus' care. They don't receive Jesus into the core of their being (John 1:12), as a response to Jesus drawing them into the core of His heart.

But we can. We must.

Biblical Christianity is about relationship. The Father, Son and Spirit invite us into Their circle of mutual love and affection, glory and grace. Jesus made it possible for us to be reconciled to God by taking our sin, that horrible barrier to relationship with His Father, out of the way at the cross. Biblical Christianity—being "injected" with eternal life—is SO not about mere intellectual assent or praying a prayer. It's about surrendering to an amazing love and an amazing relationship.

Make sure your faith is about trust, and surrender, and joining the circle of God's family. Make sure your faith is so much more than what the demons believe!

Don't Believe Like the Demons Believe! Don't Believe Like the Demons Believe!

i have been attending an Alpha course for the last few weeks and i have been struggling to put into words how, once you have asked Jesus to take over your life and the experience of change that happens from the inside and things that you were doing just seem wrong or just not funny anymore! So when i read this article by Probe Ministries i just had to share it! :D

Don't Believe Like the Demons Believe!

One of our pastors shares a favorite story: a young man in Sweden, while trying to get rid of the watermark on his trial software so he could use it illegally, did some online research that led him to a YouTube film clip from our church (Watermark Community Church) making the case for waiting to have sex before marriage. The twenty—something had never heard of such a thing, and while it sounded crazy to him, he continued to watch more clips, which intrigued him further, and he did more research that led him to the conclusion, "Wait a minute, there's something really different about these people."

So he called the pastor. From Sweden. "Hey man, I don't know your God, never heard of your Jesus, but I want to know Him. I've been tracking with you guys online, watched a ton of sermons, and I want to know that God." J.P. led him to the Lord, and he trusted Christ over the phone in Swedish.

He called again some time later. "Hey, we always go out and get drunk, and I'm having a hard time doing that all of a sudden. Yeah, we always pride ourselves on taking some girl home that we don't know, and all of a sudden that doesn't feel right to me. What's wrong with me? This isn't any fun anymore. Something happened!"

That's what lifechange looks like. That's the kind of transformation that happens when someone puts their trust in Jesus Christ and surrenders their heart and their life to a new kind of supernatural God—life. The New Testament talks about two kinds of life—the merely physical, and the supernatural, eternal, abundant life Jesus said He came to bring us (John 10:10). This eternal life invades our merely physical life.

I've been engaging in an email conversation with a dear man who is wondering why he hasn't experienced any lifechange stories like the new Swedish Christian. When I asked his understanding of what it means to be a Christian, he indicated he had prayed a prayer that Christians had told him to pray. But nothing had happened, nothing had changed. In decades. When I asked him who he thinks Jesus is, he said whoever Christians told him He was. He's now considering that all this time, he hasn't been a Christian after all, and I think he's right.

His dilemma illustrates a heartbreaking truth: there are a lot of people who think they are Christians because they have prayed a prayer or they mentally assent to some spiritual truths. But then they don't see anything different in their lives, because they have been offered a false gospel of "say this prayer" or "believe these things" and they think they've got their going—to—heaven ticket punched. But they continue to live the same way, simply adding Jesus to their mental cubbyholes, ready to call on Him at the moment of death.

The people who saw radical changes in their lives in the New Testament were those who opened themselves to being invaded by Jesus Christ's startlingly different, supernaturally powerful eternal life. As the true gospel spread, fueled by God's Spirit manifested through Jesus' lifechange in these people, the world was changed forever. I love how Dallas Willard writes:

So, C.S. Lewis writes, our faith is not a matter of our hearing what Christ said long ago and "trying to carry it out." Rather, "The real Son of God is at your side. He is beginning to turn you into the same kind of thing as Himself. He is beginning, so to speak, to 'inject' His kind of life and thought, His Zoe [life], into you; beginning to turn the tin soldier into a live man. The part of you that does not like it is the part that is still tin." (The Divine Conspiracy, San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998, p. 20)

Why do so many people not experience the kind of lifechange of our Swedish friend? I respectfully (and, to be honest, somewhat fearfully) submit that their belief is that of demons. They believe the same thing the demons subscribe to, but it's not a saving, life—changing kind of faith. Biblical faith is about trusting our entire self into Jesus' hands, not merely nodding in intellectual assent or saying the words of a prayer. James 2:19 says, "You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear" (emphasis mine).

"I believe in God." So do the demons.

"I believe Jesus is God's Son." So do the demons.

"I believe Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world." So do the demons.

"I believe Jesus rose from the dead." So do the demons.

What the demons don't do is repent, turning 180 degrees from going their own way to surrender to Jesus, receive His love, and follow Him in obedience. They don't entrust themselves into Jesus' care. They don't receive Jesus into the core of their being (John 1:12), as a response to Jesus drawing them into the core of His heart.

But we can. We must.

Biblical Christianity is about relationship. The Father, Son and Spirit invite us into Their circle of mutual love and affection, glory and grace. Jesus made it possible for us to be reconciled to God by taking our sin, that horrible barrier to relationship with His Father, out of the way at the cross. Biblical Christianity—being "injected" with eternal life—is SO not about mere intellectual assent or praying a prayer. It's about surrendering to an amazing love and an amazing relationship.

Make sure your faith is about trust, and surrender, and joining the circle of God's family. Make sure your faith is so much more than what the demons believe!

Bad Things

"Does God Cause Bad Things to Happen?"

A Great article by Probe Ministries

My Thoughts….

The only thing i know is that i Trust God and if it was his plan for me to go Blind at 24 so i would stop my Profligate life of Drink, Women, Vanity & Fighting so that i could have a personal relationship with him and enjoy life to the full, then i would not have it any other way!

When Jesus talked about the Blind man in John 9:3 he said "This(the blindness) happened so that the power of God can work in his Life" This helps me so much!

 

 

Bad Things

"Does God Cause Bad Things to Happen?"

A Great article by Probe Ministries

My Thoughs….

The only thing i know is that i Trust God and if it was his plan for me to go Blind at 24 so i would stop my Profligate life of Drink, Women, Vanity & Fighting so that i could have a personal relationship with him and enjoy life to the full, then i would not have it any other way!

When Jesus talked about the Blind man in John 9:3 he said "This(the blindness) happened so that the power of God can work in his Life" This helps me so much!

 

 

A Good Rule For Reading

It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. - C. S. Lewis

 

My Thoughts:

As i am registered Blind i read a lot of audiobooks and found myself getting distracted and missing little bits as its easy for your mind to wonder when listening rather than reading. So i tried this rule and it has really helped me in remembering!