Welcome to StevePrescott.org http://steveprescott.org Aspiring Christian Leader, Father, Friend and Theology Student blogging about life, challenges and my personal faith journey Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:29:42 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Steveprescotthttp://feedburner.google.com New Year – New Start – Relationships Will Make or Break Your Year http://steveprescott.org/life/new-year-new-start-relationships-will-make-or-break-your-year/ http://steveprescott.org/life/new-year-new-start-relationships-will-make-or-break-your-year/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:17:05 +0000 steve http://steveprescott.org/?p=771

Its funny often this time of year we all hear it, New Years Resolutions galore!  These New Years Resolutions lasted about 7 days and we are back to our own ways.

What New Years Resolutions have you got?

I have decided that this year I am going back to basics.  6 years ago on a New Years Day I walked into Kings Church for the first time knowing nobody other than have a brief phone call with the Senior Pastor Derek Smith.

I decided to throw myself into Kings Church and inturn built new Godly relationships with people that wanted the best for me, but would challenge me to live bigger and stronger.

Relationships are God’s idea!

We were made so that we could be in relationship with God, but it didnt stop there.  Adam walked round the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day and god realised that it still wasn’t good.  eve was created for Adam to be in relationship with another like him so they could be in relationship with God together.

It is not good to be on your own.

The Right Types of Relationships

We have established that it is good to be in relationships but it is also devestating to you and your relationship with God to be involved with the wrong relationships.

3 Tips For Choosing The Right Reationships

  • Choose someone that knows Jesus well.
  • Choose someone that is encouraging
  • Choose someone that will challenge you if yo start to move off course.

My New Years Resolution

I have some fantastic relationships in my life, but I also have some relationships that take my time, wear me out and yet do not add to my walk with God but detract from it.

]]> http://steveprescott.org/life/new-year-new-start-relationships-will-make-or-break-your-year/feed/ 0 If Jesus was tested and tempted, you will be too! http://steveprescott.org/blog/if-jesus-was-tested-and-tempted-you-will-be-too/ http://steveprescott.org/blog/if-jesus-was-tested-and-tempted-you-will-be-too/#comments Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:21:42 +0000 steve http://steveprescott.org/?p=741

I recently re-tried to read the entire New Testament in 30 days, inspired by Elevation’s New Thru Thirty.  I started off on the first day of reading pretty well, matthew 1-3 pretty smooth.  I then opened Matthew 4 – This caught my attention and I have spent the entire week meditating, pondering and digging deeper into this passage!  Let me explain!

Matthew 4

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.Jesus was led by God into a place that would highlight any vunerability.  This place was soon to be surrounded by darkness or evil.  Jesus had been positioned by God for victory but the devil in that moment tried to hijack the victory.

That was all I read but through that passage I was totally taken on a  journey into scripture!  Something happened that had never happened before.  I believe God revealed an English word that I didn’t understand and I would have to dig deeper.

This word was testation and came in the following sentence!

Temptation can lead to testimony or testation!  I thought what the heck does that mean testation??

Testation is the giving away of property of inheritance freely or without care.  So what does this mean?

Whenever God positions us a dark and vunerable position its to glorify Him and His purposes within our life and to somehow further His Kingdom.  We have a choice in that moment of testimony, we can choose to deny self and build Him or lose something by freely giving it away.  In other words in every situation we are tmepted we can either choose to give away our royal victorious inheritance or claim a great testimony that God is for us and not against us and His purposes will be fulfilled.

Philipians 1:6

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

 

]]> http://steveprescott.org/blog/if-jesus-was-tested-and-tempted-you-will-be-too/feed/ 0 Understanding the authority of Jesus http://steveprescott.org/blog/understanding-the-authority-of-jesus/ http://steveprescott.org/blog/understanding-the-authority-of-jesus/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 09:03:10 +0000 steve http://steveprescott.org/?p=731

Matthew 8:1-3

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

1 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him.2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.

Questions and Thoughts

  • The Leper knew that He had the ability but the questions was ‘Is He willing?’
  • The story doesn’t say Jesus laid hands on him but he just said he was willing.
  • Our God is a willing God!
  • The recognition of the authority and sovereignty of Jesus gave the leper his miracle!

Summary

Sometimes we go to God with the attitude if you want to.  Breakthrough and the miraculous will always start with the acknowledgment of how small your request is to a massive God.  Understanding that the name and the words of Jesus carry such authority.

]]> http://steveprescott.org/blog/understanding-the-authority-of-jesus/feed/ 0 Reflections on This New Republic http://steveprescott.org/life/reflections-on-this-new-republic/ http://steveprescott.org/life/reflections-on-this-new-republic/#comments Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:53:45 +0000 steve http://steveprescott.org/?p=690

So this last Thursday and Friday I went to the very first This New Republic conference for College Students / Uni Students and Young Adults aimed at 16-30′s. Whilst I was expectant, there are many conferences and churches that cater for this age group across the nation but this was the first conference aimed at this age group.

As I went over for a leaders breakfast with a guy called Andy Gourley from Red Frog Ministries. I knew he was an Aussie, he was good at University ministry but I had one of those moments where the light bulb went on in my head and my heart. The rest of the crew from Kings Bolton came across and I was so excited and my brain was in overdrive.

On my way to the conference I could feel God already getting me ready for something amazing to happen. As the conference kicked off and worship started there was something in the air. A generation knowing that their time to build the Kingdom of God is NOW! As I continued to worship I felt the Holy Spirit start to speak to me and He started to totally break my heart for the Young Adults. I have always felt ‘called’ as such for this age group but God messed me up. My heart was broken and I knew that something had been imparted from heaven into my heart!

A Prophetic Word

As Pastor Jurgen was preaching on the opening night, there was one sentence that roared in my spirit like a lion.  He used the story of Moses, telling Pharaoh to let God’s people go.  As that was shared in my spirit I had a rumbling, an excitement, non like before.  I felt it was a prophetic word for my town.  We live in a world of alcohol, drugs and sex and these ‘idols’ are having more of an effect on Young Adults than the local church is and this is WRONG!

What Next

I am meeting with my Senior Pastor to process this a little more and plan what we can do immediately!   I can safely say this

Doing nothing is not an option.

]]> http://steveprescott.org/life/reflections-on-this-new-republic/feed/ 0 The Elephant Room http://steveprescott.org/blog/the-elephant-room-what-the-heck/ http://steveprescott.org/blog/the-elephant-room-what-the-heck/#comments Sat, 16 Apr 2011 09:48:35 +0000 steve http://steveprescott.org/?p=665

Its not often we have the opportunity to have 7 prominent church leaders, discussing church leadership and get openly opposed on TV by their peers!

As the event said themselves

See what happens when seven influential pastors get in a room, under the bright lights, and fight for the truth. Welcome to The Elephant Room

Here is a clip of The Elephant Room

 

The Elephant Room from Harvest Bible Chapel on Vimeo.

Anyone wanting the DVD’s can get them here

]]> http://steveprescott.org/blog/the-elephant-room-what-the-heck/feed/ 0 This New Republic http://steveprescott.org/conferences/this-new-republic/ http://steveprescott.org/conferences/this-new-republic/#comments Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:48:24 +0000 steve http://steveprescott.org/?p=649

This New Republic is a new conference for 2011 aim at 16 – 30′s.  College Students / University Students /  Young Adults

I have often asked the question, what is happening specifically for Young Adults?  What happens when someone hits 16 and they don’t want to be a Youth Leader but they want to live for Christ?  How do we support people through the area of their lives when most of their big decisions are about to be formed?

This New Republic Trailer

Trailer for the upcoming youth, student and young adults conference of Hope City Church.

Tweets About The Conference

“@ThisNewRepublic: 10 days.”

By steveprescott at 04/11/2011 22:00

By Rebecca_Senior at 04/12/2011 11:40

]]> http://steveprescott.org/conferences/this-new-republic/feed/ 0 Faith v Circumstance http://steveprescott.org/blog/how-loud-is-your-circumstance-screaming-at-you/ http://steveprescott.org/blog/how-loud-is-your-circumstance-screaming-at-you/#comments Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:59:48 +0000 steve http://steveprescott.org/?p=613

Over the last week I have been doing lots of reading about a story right at the start of 1 Samuel.  I was serving in our Kids Church a couple of weeks ago and a lady started to share from this story.  God started to ask me some questions.  The day after I started a new reading plan on Faith from You Version and the same verse was on day 1.

I started to study this story and passage from a lady called Hannah.  God started to speak to me on the following

  • Circumstance
  • Identity
  • Faith
  • Breakthrough

As we build our lives these 4 areas, our perception of them and how we respond to them seem to be key in what God has for us.

Hannah’s Circumstance Was Lack!

Often we look at what we haven’t got in comparison to what we have got.  There seems to be a hint of comparing to the other wife.  I am sure that happens today in all walks of life.  Do we ask ourselves questions like  “I wish I had that!”  “If only I had that like Dave!”

Hannah at the start of 1 Samuel 1 did not have a child and that circumstance was screaming at her.  It seemed to define her and she seemed to compare herself because of this apparent lack!

1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphitet from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah.  Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

Hannah now has an identity crisis

Hannah now is looking at her circumstance and what Peninnah is saying about her.  Its easy to do isn’t it?  especially in today’s culture.  We are driven by a culture of get the next toy, keeping up with the Jones and if you don’t you are inferior and are lacking something.  Lets break that thinking today – YOU LACK NOTHING! Hannah bought in to her identity coming from what she does or does not have.  Your identity does not come from what we produce yet rests in our creator.

3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord.4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”

Hannah starts to use FAITH and look to the Lord

Its so easy in life to lack at circumstance, get our identity from the wrong place.  I find it interesting when it says

“Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb”

When we read this, do we read it was a permanent closure or a temporary closure?  When we go to  a shop and its closed, we don’t expect that its closed forever.  Its just closed for now.  That was the same for Hannah, her womb was closed but in order for it to become open, faith was required.  She seeked God with all of her heart and when

Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house.10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.11 And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth.13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

A Word Of Encouragement

As the story moves on, Hannah’s spirit seems to be lifted by a word of encouragement from a Godly man.  In today’s context that word of encouragement doesn’t have to come from a Senior Pastor but from a man or woman who is in tune with the Spirit and Gods heart for His people.

17 Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

Hannah leaves encouraged, upbeat with fresh hope.  No longer fixed on circumstance but from God.  Her identity has shifted from her lack and now resides in the Living God!

Hannah’s Breakthrough Also Relates To HER Actions

Imagine if Hannah still looked at the circumstance, her identity wasn’t in God instead it was from her lack.  What if she decided not to go up the mountain and worship God.  God requires obedience to trusting in Him through Faith.

19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,t saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

What would have happened if she concentrated so much on what hadn’t happened in comparison to what could have happened.  Imagine if she decided to stay in her pity and decided not to get intimate with her husband!  She wouldn’t have recieved her breakthrough.

Application

  • Whatever we are faced with our identity doesn’t change.
  • We are Sons and Daughters of the King.
  • Faith overcomes circumstance
  • An encouraging word lifts a situation.
  • In order to receive breakthrough we need to position ourselves and be ready to take action.
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