Go!

If you have watched the above video, I hope you were moved by the pictures and challenged by the message portrayed by the words of the song. The song is entitled "God of Justice" and was performed by Tim Hughes (one of my favourite Christian singer/songwriters).

God has a role He wants each one of us to carry out, it's up to us whether we accept that role or not. The role God has for you may be completely different from the role he has for me or your neighbour, but in God's eyes each task/role is equally important.

Each of us are important to God, and each have a role to perform.

Have you accepted the role God wants you do?

If not, it's not too late to accept it today.

Spiritual Home

What kind of weekend have you had? Have you been busy or have you just been relaxing and chilling out?

Well I've had a busier weekend than I've had for a wee while, having been a 3 meeting at the Salvation Army - 1 at Bellshill and 2 at Rutherglen!

For those of you who have not been reading my blog here's a wee bit background - I attend the Salvation Army at Bellshill, but I was brought up at the corps in Rutherglen and transferred to the corps at Bellshill in 2002.

My cousin and his wife are the Salvation Army ministers (officers) at the corps in Keighley, and this weekend they came "home" with the Keighley Salvation Army Community Band, to lead the services at Rutherglen Salvation Army. As I don't see my cousins and their family very often, I went along to Rutherglen last night (Saturday) and this afternoon (Sunday).

Although I've been back at Rutherglen Salvation Army since I left, it was still strange being back there, particularly as I played in the Rutherglen band! It was just like old times, especially with a number of my family also being there.

There were several times during the two meetings I attended at Rutherglen when I must admit I felt a bit emotional, not just because my cousin was back home and leading the meeting, but because spiritually this was my home too. So much of my Christian learning and experiences happened at Rutherglen, it was where I committed my life to God and publicly declared my love and desire to serve Him all my life.

This weekend, I've found myself reflecting on past times, but also the present and the future. I realised for example that without the basis to my Christian faith that I gained while I grew up attending Rutherglen Salvation Army, I would not be the person I am today. While I am happy in my service at Bellshill Salvation Army, I will be forever thankful to those at Rutherglen who taught me all able God and influenced/inspired me to be who I am today. Some of these folk still attend Rutherglen Salvation Army, others are now with God in heaven, others no longer worship at Rutherglen.

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation

So today, take a few minutes to think about those people who have had an influenced on your life (for the good of course!). If you are still in contact with them, thank them for the impact they've had on your life, after all they may not be aware of it! Say thank you to God too for these people as He is the one who is responsible for it all.

Have you influenced anyone or had an impact on their life?

With God's help and guidance each one of us is capable of making a difference in someones life.

I pray today God will help you to make a difference in someones life.

Home

You've read the title of my today's blog post, so what images or memories has that conjured up to you?

To many of us, we will have thought of our home, a happy, warm, safe place where we live with our loved ones. Or maybe you thought of a specific occassion from recent times or from your childhood, which made you feel "at home".

Here is the dictionary definition of "Home":

• a house, apartment, or other shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family, or household.
• the place in which one's domestic affections are centered.
• an institution for the homeless, sick, etc.: a nursing home.
• the dwelling place or retreat of an animal.
• the place or region where something is native or most common.
• any place of residence or refuge: a heavenly home.
• a person's native place or own country.
• (in games) the destination or goal.
• a principal base of operations or activities: The new stadium will be the home of the local football team.

While we are all sitting somewhere in relative comfort and safety reading this blog, there are many people who have no place to call "home". Therefore, can I ask you today to spare a thought for those who are homeless. No matter what circumstances have resulted in someone ending up homeless, noone deserves to be homeless. No one should have to be homeless.

Please pray for those who are homeless or living rough in our streets. Pray that they will find a safe place to stay and that they get the help they need to change their fortunes.

There are many people who work with the homeless either full time or part time, many on a voluntary basis, so I ask for your prayers for these folk too. Please ask God to continue to help and guide these wonderful people as they try to help the homeless.

With God's help, we can end homelessness. God will help lead the homeless home.



There are so many people in need in our world, so today I just wanted to focus on the homeless. In the coming days I'll ask you to join with me in focusing on/praying for some other needy people in our world.

Thank you.

Come See

So yesterday I said God was my everything (yesterday's blog), but why should you let God be your everything too?

God can be everything you need him to be. He can show you what He wants you to do, what He needs you to be...It's all about God and what He can do for you.

God watches over all of us every minute of every day. He is waiting for each of us to give our lives to Him, so He can use us to spread the great news that He is alive and living in each of us.

God's arms are open and He's waiting for you...

The above song is called Come See and was written and sung by Michael W Smith

Everything

What does God mean to you?

Well to me He means everything...



What a fantastic song. The words and the passion of the song to me just emphasise how wonderful God is, and how much he care for each one of us.

No matter where we are, no matter who we are with, no matter how we are feeling, no matter how much we've sinned, no matter the depth of our despair or the height of our joy, how much we feel we need God in our lives, or how much we know about God...no matter what, God is there with us every minute of every day.

God is the answer to everything we could every want or need in our life.

Let God draw closer to you, so that He can show you how much you mean to Him. (you may find my blog from yesterday helpful too - Draw Me Close)

Let God become everything to you.

Everything

(by Tim Hughes)

God in my living

There in my breathing

God in my waking

God in my sleeping

God in my resting

There in my working

God in my thinking

God in my speaking

Be my everything

Be my everything

Be my everything

Be my everything

God in my hoping

There in my dreaming

God in my watching

God in my waiting

God in my laughing

There in my weeping

God in my hurting

God in my healing

Christ in me

Christ in me

Christ in me the hope of glory

You are everything

Christ in me

Christ in me

Christ in me the hope of glory

Be my everything

Visit Tim Hughes website at http://www.timhughesmusic.com/

Draw Me Close

"For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up." - John 6:44

God is all we need. He is all we'll ever need. We must come before God in prayer and ask for His help to to be more like Christ in all we do.

Draw me close to thee.

Draw Me Close (by Kutless)

Draw me close to you
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear you say that I'm your friend

Help me find a way to bring me back to you

You're all I want, You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want,
Help me know you are near

You are my desire
No one else will do
Cause no one else
Can take your place
To feel the warmth of Your embrace

Help me find a way to bring me back to you

You're all I want, You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know you are near

The Kutless website is: http://www.kutless.com/

Broken

My poor car is broken. It went into the garage today for an MOT and a service and it failed it's MOT! :-( Not only did it fail but it needs a new part which they didn't have in store so have no car tonight, as I had to leave it at the garage to they can fix it tomorrow when the part comes in.


Not looking forward to the bill tomorrow when I collect the car, but at least I'll have a working car again!

I've heard it said many times before, and it's so very true...car are great when they're working and a pain when they're not!

As I said, my car was in for an MOT and a service today - for those not in the UK, the MOT needs to be done yearly and for my car the service is ever 2 years.

How often is your car scheduled to be serviced?

All this got me thinking today (always a bad sign!), we service our cars regularly and I'm sure there are other things round your house or office that get serviced on a regular basis, but do we service our relationship with God? Should we?

I'm sure you have your own opinion on what the correct answer is to these questions, but let me share my thoughts with you...

We spend a lot of time, and money, servicing our assets, but to God what is his most important asset...US! I for one find I can slip easily into a rut as far as my relationship with God is concerned. i.e. I can find myself going through the motions doing the same things I've been doing for a while without really considering whether it's still what God wants me to do, or whether I'm actually still doing it for the right reasons.

For these reasons, I feel it is important to "service" our relationship with God on a regular basis. Take a step back and actually just let God talk to you, instead of what I find can happen, I talk to God about my fears, my stresses, my worries and all the other things I'd like him to help with, and not give God a chance to talk to me and direct me where he now wants me to be.

So try and make sure you regularly "service" your relationship with God, listen to him as well as talking to him. Don't wait until you are broken or your relationship with God is broken before you "service" your relationship with God.


Here's a song by Steven Curtis Chapman entitled Broken that talks about how we are all broken and need a saviour and ends with the triumphant words that we have a saviour, that we have Jesus!

Hallelujah!

And finally...
for those of you whose have a car that is due an MOT and/or service soon, I hope no problems are found with your car and it sails through the MOT/service without any additional expense.