The Bible is alive!

‘the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. *13*And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.’ 
Hebrews 4:12–13.

The Word of God is ‘living and active’ - what does that mean to you, and does it effect the way you approach the Bible?

The fact is that the very words you read within the Bible are alive. They are the active words of God; The printed out words that we see on a page, or glowing from a screen, are actually alive, they have breath in them. That seems strange, doesn’t it?
The fact that these words are ‘living and active’ shows me that they are; constantly applicable, relevant, able to bring life, change, challenge and a new perspective. These words can; inspire, direct, convict, comfort and grow new life in you. Isn’t that incredibly powerful?!

Not all printed words have life, only the words of scripture do because they are the very words of God himself. God who is living and active right now has given us His living and active revelation throughout the Bible.
What a privilege it is then to be able to hold these words  in our hands, to have access to these God-breathed utterances and read them! Do you feel the privilege and weight of what you are accessing when you read God’s words?
These words can actually breathe life into your life, they can bring refreshment, comfort, restoration, conviction. In short, these words can alter your life - and you have free and easy access to this.

I think, really, the Bible should come with a warning. Something like, ‘open at your peril, are you prepared for your life to change?’!
The Bible is a living work. It contains God’s words, which we all know are powerful - I mean, they separated the light from darkness, created the world, speak life and death, bring healing, separate seas, transform minds, I could go on…. And you can find out for yourself many more incredible things God’s word achieves when you read it.
Bearing this in mind - when you are reading your Bible; are you prepared?
Are you prepared to meet Jesus?
To hear from God?
Be convicted by the Holy Spirit?

God’s words have the propensity to change you. They can pierce your heart and mind and interpret your innermost thoughts and intentions, and no matter your excuses -  your true nature will be revealed. As you read God’s words, it’s like you are laid bare before Him. Nothing hidden. All of your; bumps, bruises, wounds, pain, comfort, passions, lies, responsibilities, strengths, sins and weaknesses are laid open. Completely exposed.
Does that scare you?
In some ways it should - if you have something you want to hide, then yes, be aware that the living and active word of God will highlight it - He is good at separating light and darkness! But in the most part being exposed before God shouldn’t scare you. God is a loving, nurturing Father. He wants to heal your wounds and diseases, to remove the pain and discomfort, to revel in your passions and your strengths. He wants to be your strength in your weakness, to be with you in the difficulties and reveal truth in your life.

So, next time you take hold of this living word in your hands - take a moment to prepare yourself.
Beware when you open your Bible - there’s no hiding from God when you do, He is ready to talk to you and He’s ready to; transform, challenge, renew, energise and cleanse you - are you prepared for that?

Oh God I need you

Oh God I need you…

Is that the cry of your heart?

It has been mine this week.

It is easy to see our need of God when things seem to be falling apart, when we are stuck in sin or desperate circumstances, when we have nowhere else to go, in those times it is easy to see that we need God. When we can’t do something; we are emotionally drained, exhausted with effort, tired, struggling alone - then it is was to cry out to God in desperation, fear, as a last resort. It is when we are aware of our limitations that we have no shame in saying, “oh God, I need you”.

But, how about the rest of the time?

It is easy to realise our limitations and inexperience when times are tough, when there’s a struggle, but how abut when things are fine? When life is good even? Do you have the same cry of your heart then - “oh God I need you”?
I’ve got to confess, I don’t. I mean, I know I still need salvation and forgiveness, and I do love God, and talk to him about stuff, but I don’t think I really recognise my need of Him in the same way. Normally, I just get through life, tackle challenges and daily occurrences without much thought of the Most High - is that your experience too?

So, this week, as things have been tough, I have needed God. I have been aware of what is lacking in me, and what God can provide, I have leant on Him afresh. I have cried out many times, “oh God I need you”. So, why don’t I do that the rest of the time? Usually, I just get carried away with the false idea, that when things are ok, I can actually manage this life alright by myself. Is it the same for you?

If it is, then we are both mistaken. God is so involved in every intricate detail of our lives, it’s great really that He gives us these trying times in order for us to recognise our weakness and His strength, our ineptitude and His ability. Are the hard times opportunities for us to renew our dependence on God? To cry out again that we need Him? For God to remind us, that actually, haven’t you got this yet - you need me all the time?

There’s a song that has been going round my head this week that includes the phrase “oh God I need you”. Here are some of the lyrics;

“Without you I fall apart……..Oh God I need you….Every hour I need you…… oh God I need you….My one defence my righteousness….oh God how I need you”

The bit that really impacts me, is that ‘every hour I need you’. Are you and I aware that our need of God is so huge, that every hour we need Him? Every hour God is caring for you, every hour He is there for you, every hour He is putting the very breath in your lungs.

I think I want to end this blog with a prayer this week, if you, like me, get so distracted with life and your own abilities, rather than your need of God, why not pray along with me:

Oh God, Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your forgiveness, and your incredible love. Thank you for wanting to share our little lives with us.
Sorry that I don’t always realise your presence. That I don’t recognise my need of you when life is alright. Thank you for giving me those tough times to remind me that I am not enough, but you are. For allowing me to realise again how much I do need you. Help me God, to see you evident in my life, and build in me an every day awareness and dependence on you. Help me today to rely on you not myself.
Thank you for your kindness, forgiveness and presence. Thank you that your love never runs out, and that you want to share not just this life with me but eternity.
You are so good, and I Love you.
Amen

[Chris Tomlin - Lord I Need You - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rR_Rdb1CTE)

sinfulness of unbelief

*12*Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. *13*But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. *14*For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 
Hebrews 3:12–14.

Are you walking free from sin? Or are you getting tangled up in it?

These verses tell us that the root of the deceitfulness of sin is because of, ‘an evil, unbelieving heart’. It makes sense that sinfulness and disbelief go hand-in-hand - Evil stems from unbelief. Think of it this way - someone who has never believed in God has no knowledge of Him, so they go about their life and get up to all sorts of wrongdoing, yet they do not have a sense that it isn’t right because they have no experience or knowledge of anything different - their unbelief has led to sin. This gradually infects the heart, causes it to be hardened and increase in evil, all because of unbelief.

So it follows then that those who DO have belief should be free from sin. This is true in the fact that Jesus has died in order to wipe away our sins when we turn to him and turn our hearts away from wrong, but you and I know, that we still get it wrong. we still fall for temptation and sin. So, what do the verses above mean for us? Well, if you are a believer in Christ, and you continue to wilfully sin, do you realise that you are choosing to, ‘fall away from the living God’? If you purposefully sin then you are wilfully separating yourself from God. I hope that causes you to pay attention! It is scary, but it is true. When you purposefully do what you know is not right, you are turning away from God in unbelief and falling away from Him - have you ever considered it like that before?

If you are convincing yourself that your wrongdoing is actually not that bad, that everyone does it anyway, that it is not hurting anyone else, then aren’t you just making excuses and trying to downplay sin? This is the ‘deceitfulness of sin’ and the ‘unbelieving heart’ will make excuses and allowances where none should be made. If your belief in God is not strong, then nor will your tolerance for temptation be.

As we can see, sin is not an isolated problem, nor even the root problem itself, unbelief is.

Somewhere along the line your vision of who God is has waned. At some point your trust and security in Jesus has dwindled, and you have allowed your own ideas and temptation to win instead. That is why these verses encourage us to keep our 'original confidence'.
Do you remember the heart-leaping times with God where your spirit is overwhelmed by His love? when you smile just because you are alive and God is with you? Do you remember those times that Jesus felt closer than your brother?
If you have lost that sensation, that assurance and confidence in who God is, then be aware that unbelief can sneak in and steal your heart. You can start to look about for other ways to satisfy. Sin seeps in when belief dips. Maybe you feel let down by God so your trust in Him has dwindled, or maybe things have felt a bit flat recently. I am here to tell you God hasn't changed. He is still the same God that mets your needs, hears your prayers and died for you on the cross. He is still the same God who gave up his majesty, strength and rights to give you a place in his kingdom. He is still the same God who created your innermost being, who has planned your life with purpose and walks with you in it - have you lost sight of Him? Do you consider that God is in your life everyday?

Keeping a focus on who God is squashes unbelief. Doing things that increase your faith like; speaking with Godly people, spending time in prayer and Bible study- these things will increase your belief and will give you power to fight sin.

Are you ready to do that?

It is not too late to deal with you wrongdoing.
Today is a new day, and can be a new step forward for you to escape sin. Jesus has made it possible for you to live a life free from 'the deceitfulness of sin', and stay connected with God. Are you choosing to live that life?

I exhort you to recognise your share in Christ, recapture your confidence in who He is and denounce afresh the deceitfulness of sin. Jesus has paid the price. He has freed you. Is your belief big enough to walk in that freedom?

Take Care

‘Take care, brothers’ 
(Hebrews 3:12)

Are you taking care of yourself?

Are you purposefully looking after, not just the state of your body, but also that of your mind, heart and soul? We can get focused on being healthy meaning to make sure our body is in good condition, but our wellbeing is much more than that. Are you actively looking after yourself, and guarding against what can make you unhealthy?

Are you ensuring your mind is healthy by checking your thoughts? Are you mindful of the media you are exposing yourself to, and are you taking your stray thoughts captive when they descend into chaos, depression or depravity?

What about your heart health?
Do you allow emotions to dictate your actions? Are you giving time to things that give you peace and contentment, or is your heart filled with pain and frustration?

Then, how about your soul?
How is your standing before God right now?
Are you forgiving as Christ forgives?
Are you free from sin?
Are you making an effort with your relationship with God and other believers?

Hebrews 3:12 instructs us to ‘take care,’ so, are you taking good care of yourself as a brother or sister in Christ?  Today, take time to check the healthiness of your heart, mind and soul. Ask God to reveal what it is you need to start or stop doing, then be brave and the change. It may be difficult, but the end result will be a healthier state of wellbeing for yourself, a renewed reassurance of your standing with God, and an uplifted spirit.

What is God telling you today?

What is God telling you today?
Are you positioning yourself to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying?

*7*Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
*8* do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness’

Hebrews 3:7–8.

Are you hearing God speak to you? If not, why not?
Are you positioning yourself to listen?

With children, we instruct them to; to stop, look and be still to show they are listening, do you do the same to listen to God?

When you pray do you give time for God to answer, or are you already onto the next topic? Do you rest a while when you’re reading the Bible to see what the verses mean to you? Do you have christian friends that speak into your life? Do you listen to preaching? These are all ways God can speak to you, and there are more, so are you allowing yourself to hear the words of God? And are you taking what He says seriously?

When you do hear His voice, ‘do not harden your hearts’ - Obey the word, follow the teaching, take onboard what you know God is saying, let it influence your life. The warning at the end of these few verses in Hebrews, is that those who rebel, ‘shall not enter my rest.’ (V11) You don’t want to be one of those, surely?!

God is speaking to you, but it is easy to miss it if you are not listening. Today, why not position yourself to listen, you may be surprised what He says to you, or what He gives you in return.

What is God telling you today?

why are you worried?

As we sit in our own houses pondering life and isolation, what are your innermost thoughts?

Do you come up with a seemingly endless stream of ‘to do’ jobs around the home? Are you concerned with getting enough food to eat? Do you worry if your job is one that is going to be lost or furloughed? Are you slipping into cabin fever, feeling the most lonely you’ve ever felt? Or are you worried about your own health and that of those you love?
All of these are legitimate concerns. Most of us have had similar thoughts cross our minds.
Across the world we are all facing the same crisis, but how are you managing?
Do these concerns consume your mind or are you making peace with your situation?

I love walking, and last week as I wandered along I was considering the reality of the impact the corona virus is and will have on life as we know it. It’s a series of unknowns and a sequence of worries that run through my mind. How will we manage as a family being at home with only one outing a day? How will my kids futures be effected with reduced social interaction and educational access?
As I walked along pondering these things, I  took in the environment around me; the warm morning sunshine, bright blue sky, chasing chaffinches and lovely little lambs, the beauty of the red breasted robin and bouncing bunnies, spring-time blossom swaying in the breeze -  what a beautiful world we live in! Being around nature brought a smile to my face and I felt peaceful and grateful - what a wonderful world this is!

As I pondered these beautiful things, I realised that my worries vanished, as I began to consider the natural world I realised that none of the birds or bunnies are fussed about this virus, none of them even know what is occurring across the world. They are not consumed with the corona crisis that we are facing, in fact they are quite oblivious to it. These creatures are just living their simple life; playing, eating, resting, totally unaware of the concerns of our human minds.

So, it made me question myself - why am I concerned? Why am I distracted and allowing worry to enter my mind?
Throughout all the wars, plagues and disasters that have occurred, the birds still sing, the bunnies still bounce and the lambs still bleat. They live and appreciate their existence each day at a time. Maybe this is a time for us as humans to take lesson from the world around us.
Consider the birds, look at the lambs, and like them appreciate each day, whatever it may bring. Allow yourself to consider nature and the simple pleasures and necessities of life. Rediscover the daily joys, take your time, be present for others, take a glance at nature and see things from a new perspective.
Why not take this time as an opportunity to reflect on your life. What are the daily delights you have? Are you able to eat, rest, sleep? If so, then why worry about anything else?

‘Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?’ Matthew 6:26