This I do...

My Story 1 (Beginnings)

2009-11-14T08:01:00.002Z

I guess my Christian story starts like many others do. I was brought up to go to church from the age of about 6 when my parents were converted at a Billy Graham rally. At least my mother responded first and then Dad a little after. I have a memory of waiting anxiously outside our first church whilst Mum went inside to investigate the possibilities of Sunday School. That Baptist church remained our home for some years. Here, my parents and my brother and I were baptised and stood to proclaim our faith in Jesus Christ. I know that for my parents it was a time of great spiritual growth and preparation for all that was to come later. We might say that in those days (the 70's) the things of the Spirit were still slowly emerging, and although my parents began to taste a little of it, I did not experience the Holy Spirit for myself in a real way until later in my life. By that Holy Spirit experience I mean the experience of knowing God's power and presence; hearing his voice in a tangible way. Nevertheless my experience of God as a child was real and natural, although I was very shy and rarely talked about it with anyone. My prayer life consisted of daily chats with God on my walk to school. My desire to be baptised was genuine and in my own way I loved God and wanted more of him in my life.

After my baptism at the age of about 14, I began to have a crisis of faith, perhaps like many others at that age. As a teenager I had too many questions and struggles and church for me was frankly boring! I remember during the extended time of prayer in the service, which seemed to cover most of the world and last for hours, I found the hymn book extremely interesting reading! I stopped going to church and simply retreated into myself. I could not reconcile the fact that God loved me and yet I was struggling with so many issues as a teenager. On reflection the next few years were perhaps the most unhappy of my life. Of course I never stopped praying. But I have found in my life that I pray most when I am in trouble and running away from God. When I'm close to Him I don't feel the need to say very much. During this time my parents also left the Baptist church with a few others and started a house church on their own. I was not part of that, and had no desire to be, but God was obviously doing a great deal there and I have no doubt that they were praying for me.

At the age of 18 I went to college and found myself living in halls with all the joys of college life, as well as the temptations. Although being at college was a wonderful experience, my feeling of spiritual unease persisted and I was continually struggling with my faith. I remember being at a party one night having drunk a little too much, and all this anxiety and frustration came flooding out as I tried to explain to my friend what I was going through. She knew very little about the Christian faith so I explained all that I knew and poured out all my struggles to her. She listened patiently and seemed very interested but I was left having come to no conclusions about the way forward. Imagine my surprise when I learned that after hearing all I had said she had decided to become a Christian, apparently against all my advice! Looking back it seems to me to have been an extraordinary experience, but I still held out against God, and struggled on.

It was not until my second year in college that the struggle finally came to an end. One weekend I found myself away with 3 others on a gig somewhere in the country, giving musical entertainment in a rather posh manor house. Our college was very good at getting us jobs like this, if rather measly fees! As the weekend progressed the subject of religion came up and it transpired that these 3 were all Christians, of the Roman Catholic variety. Now, I was brought up in an evangelical church that was suspicious of Roman Catholics, and I was absolutely certain that God wasn't going to speak to me through one of them! I'm glad to say that my outlook has changed now! However, God did speak to me through them and that weekend turned out to be a milestone in my life. No miracles happened. They didn't even try to convince me or evangelise me. They just were who they were. I saw peace and integrity in their lives, when I had none. They had Jesus and just shone with a love that was so attractive to me. Sounds corny doesn't it? But it was true. I knew then that it was something I wanted back in my life. I had to actually do something to get started again, so the following Sunday I slipped into the back row of the local baptist church and made my commitment to God. I spoke to no-one. I remember nothing about that service except that I was there, that God saw me and that it was important. To be honest, looking back over my life, I'm not sure of the exact day I became a Christian. I had been christened as a baby, fully immersed as a teenager and during my childhood I can't remember an appeal after an evangelistic sermon when I didn't say 'yes'. But I think maybe that slinking into the back row of a local church that day was very significant and I'll be surprised if it isn't written in a book somewhere in heaven.

From that day on things started to change and peace came back into my life. Things were about to happen that I would never have believed. I was about to discover a God who was beyond anything I had imagined. A God who was close to me. A God who would heal me, challenge and test me, and a God who would give me the most wonderful joy and purpose in my life.

My Story 2 (Led by the Spirit)

2009-11-14T08:00:00.002Z

As I explained in part one of my story, the church that I had attended as a child was very traditional and as far as I remember there was little teaching, if any, given on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian and therefore I had no ideas of Him doing anything specific in my life. However, I was to find out that God had more of a hand on my life than I had expected! At the time of my finding faith again, I was a student at the Royal College of Music in London and very close by was the church of Holy Trinity Brompton. In late 1985 I began to hear of something called the Alpha Course, which has now become worldwide. I forget the exact details of how I got there, but very soon I was attending weekly classes on the basics of the Christian Life, and slowly I became aware of a dynamic that I had not heard of before; the baptism of the Holy Spirit. That was 23 years ago but I still remember the great anticipation and excitement I felt as I found book after book talking about this wonderful experience of being filled with the Presence of God and speaking in other tongues. One day whilst at my parent’s house my eyes fell on a book called Nine o’clock in the Morning by Dennis Bennett, which talked about how this experience of the Spirit totally transformed the author and his church. As I read this and other books on the subject, God gave me a strong desire to seek Him for this baptism of fire. John the Baptist said of Jesus:

I baptize you with water for repentance,
but the One who is coming after me
is more powerful than I.
I am not worthy to take off His sandals. He Himself
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Matthew 3:11

Again, like my conversion, this awareness of the Holy Spirit’s power was a gradual awakening, but it did begin with a remarkable experience. After reading many books and seeking God, I realised that I actually had to ask God for this gift, and in order to speak in tongues I needed to open my mouth! So one day, late at night, I sat on my bed and prayed to be filled with the Holy Spirit. I still remember the sense of quiet awe and anticipation. I opened my mouth and as I spoke just one syllable I immediately felt something light enter the top of my head and then for a second I felt I was actually being lifted up out of my body. In fact the experience so took me aback that I stopped and went to sleep! The next day I furtively tried to speak again, this time without the same feeling but sensing that the Lord had indeed answered my prayer.

A few weeks later I was on the Alpha Course Holy Spirit weekend when we all gathered to ask Him to fill us. Some fell to the ground under God’s power, others gently cried and others laughed. All the time we sang and worshipped. I was aware of the air being ‘thick’ with His Presence in a way I have never experienced since, and I was touched with a holy laughter. With my friends, I returned from that weekend absolutely full of joy and walking on air! I describe these things not because they are experiences to seek after in themselves, but simply to show that the Holy Spirit is a real Person and when He touches us, we react spiritually, emotionally and sometimes even physically, just like the day of Pentecost. This dynamic of the Spirit in my life has given me a joy in worship and a hunger for God that I believe I would not have had otherwise.

It was a while after this time when God taught me something more about how the Spirit wanted to touch me with healing and forgiveness. I was coming up to my final exams and had an irritating problem with my ear which, with my final recital looming, was causing me anxiety. One day, a friend from Holy Trinity Brompton invited me to a prayer group and as we were praying (there were maybe 8 of us), the lady on my right asked if there was anyone present with ear trouble. With amazement I admitted it was me and I was prayed for. After the meeting this lady spoke to me privately and said she felt I might be suffering because I was holding unforgiveness towards someone. I knew immediately that she was right as I was having a very difficult relationship issue at the time. There was someone I needed to approach for reconciliation. In the following days I was able to forgive this person and God gave me the amazing opportunity to talk to them. The very morning after this meeting I woke up and put my hand up to my ear to feel a discharge that had come out of my ear and run down the side of my face during the night. From that moment, my ear began to improve. This is just one example of how the Holy Spirit gave a word of knowledge through another that resulted in forgiveness and healing.

In 1994 there was a worldwide move of the Holy Spirit that originated from a small church in Toronto. That very year I had been in Israel and had been struck by the passage in Ezekiel 47 where the amazing image is given of fresh water flowing from the temple in Jerusalem down into the Dead Sea, bringing life in its path. Some believe that this will one day happen in reality, but as the year progressed it became evident that God was using this picture to show what He was doing spiritually from Toronto. His Spirit was being poured out bringing spiritual life and restoration to all who would receive. This move touched many churches in the UK and I was blessed to receive the Holy Spirit in a new way with some of the most intense experiences of His love and Presence I have ever had. It was also at this time that I was given a strong desire to study the Bible and I launched into a series of courses with great enthusiasm.

Some of my strongest experiences of God’s Presence during the Toronto Blessing had been of physical shaking and I believe, in retrospect that this was a sign of what God was going to do next. In the Bible we are told that when God comes He refines us like fire. But who can endure the day of His coming? And who will be able to stand when
He appears? For He will be like a refiner's fire Malachi 3:2.
He also convicts us of our sin. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and
righteousness and judgment. John 16:8 .
About a year following the time of the Toronto Blessing I went into one of the darkest times of my life that lasted about 3 years. I felt like a ton of bricks had landed on me. Absolutely everything was a huge effort. I was plagued by constant tiredness, feelings of guilt, desperation and hopelessness. By the classic definition, I was depressed. Although my work life was severely disturbed, it always amazes me as I look back, that I was actually able to continue working during that time. God had provided me with a wonderful counsellor and it seemed that one issue after another came tumbling out of me for healing. Events from my past, even from childhood, threatened to crush me, and the feelings of guilt forced me to make confession of things that I had buried long ago. All through this time I was aware of God speaking to me, particularly through scripture, and as time progressed I realised that I was a different person. I felt that I had being given a thorough spring clean! I share this because I believe that it was a work of the Holy Spirit in my life. Part of being open to the Holy Spirit is allowing Him to cleanse and refine us so that we can be equipped for greater service in His Kingdom. During this period the Lord also led me to a different church and has since given me a ministry in worship leading that has completely amazed me! And the story continues!

Led by the Spirit means many different things for me. It is essentially giving God the whole of ourselves and holding nothing back. This can be started simply, but not easily, with a prayer of relinquishment of all that we hold dear. As we pray; Lord , have Your way in my life, whatever the cost, He will respond and take us at our word. He will take us on a journey through difficult places if necessary, but in it there will be the most intense and unspeakable joy and the destination will be the heart of Jesus. For that is what the Spirit desires for us; an intimate and holy passion for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Skywatch #75

2009-11-12T21:28:00.007Z

Battersea, originally uploaded by duopastorale.

This photo was taken very close to Battersea Park in London. The building in the forefront looks like a temple but is in fact the home QVC shopping channel. The flats behind are typical of the expensive blocks in this area, and I often cast covetous eyes on them!

Let God's Word Settle It!

2009-11-09T08:25:00.006Z

Image by patrícia soransso  via Flickr

'...Your word is settled in heaven.'
Psalm 119:89

Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes: 'It is the spirit and the word, the spirit upon the word, and the spirit in us as we read the word.'

1. You say, 'It's impossible.' God says, '..."What is impossible with men is possible with God." ' (Luke 18:27 NIV).

2. You say, 'I'm exhausted.' He says, '"But those who wait on the Lord, Shall renew their strength..."' (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV).

3. You say, 'Nobody loves me.' He says, '..."I have loved you with an everlasting love"...' (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV).

4. You say, 'I can't go on.' He says, '..."My grace is sufficient for you"...' (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).

5. You say, 'I don't know what to do.' He says, '..."And He shall direct your paths."' (Proverbs 3:6 NKJV).

6. You say, 'I can't do it.' He says, '"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."' (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).

7. You say, 'It's not worth it.' He says, '...we will reap a harvest if we do not give up' (Galatians 6:9 NIV).

8. You say, 'I can't forgive myself.' He says, '...in Christ God forgave you' (Ephesians 4:32 NIV).

9. You say, 'I can't make ends meet.' He says, '...God shall supply all your need...' (Philippians 4:19 NKJV).

10. You say, 'I'm afraid.' He says, '...God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power...' (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV).

11. You say, 'I can't handle this.' He says, 'Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you...' (Psalm 55:22NIV).

12. You say, 'I'm not smart enough.' He says, '...if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it...' (James 1:5 NCV).

13. You say, 'I'm all alone.' He says, '...I will never leave you nor forsake you' (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV).

Billy Sunday said, 'I stand on God's Word, and if the book goes down, I'll go with it.' Today, let God's Word settle it!

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Holy God

2009-11-08T07:28:00.010Z

Holy God - Brian Doerksen

Romancing, pursuing, Reclaiming to restore, Releasing hearts, transforming lives

At the moment I am rediscovering the voice and worship music of Brian Doerksen. Hope you enjoy this one from the album Holy God. I have always found Brian's voice touched with the gentle Presence of God. Have a blessed Sunday!

October Retro

2009-11-06T09:34:00.003Z

October here was warm, often reaching over 20 degrees! Perfect for walking and snapping :)

Birthday time came and went, with concerts, shopping and meals out with friends.

Autumn arrived...

Time for meeting friends met on holiday, and a wander around London...

The first time I have witnessed a pelican crossing the bridge in St James' Park!

Anish Kapoor & Wallace & Gromit exhibitions....

And how did this man's leg grow instantly? God did it!

Richmond riverside...one of my favourite places...

Meditation

2009-11-05T08:47:00.003Z

Image by jamelah via Flickr

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Joshua 1:8

Andrew Murray says of scriptural meditation that it is, "holding the word of God in your heart and mind until it has affected every area of your life". I love this, although the challenge of disciplining the mind is considerably difficult for most of us, and certainly for me!

Recently a friend reminded me that the biblical idea of meditation is also very much linked to our speech. We all know that there is great power in our tongues! Speaking out God's Word can have a significant effect on our minds and can even interrupt those destructive thought patterns that we might battle with. During crisis times in my life this has been a necessity to survive. As someone who has suffered from depression and is prone to be overwhelmed by negative thoughts, speaking out God's promises of hope, peace, forgiveness has been hugely important. I carry around scriptures on a small piece of paper in my back pocket and from time to time take them out and read out loud.

Do you have any ideas for scriptural meditation?

The Power Of Encouragement

2009-11-02T12:45:00.005Z

Image by justus.thane via Flickr

Pleasant words are...health to the bones
Proverbs 16:24

Everybody needs encouragement. None of us achieves anything without help. The great achievers in history became all that they were because of the people in their lives.

We've seen The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. But did you know that their authors, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien, were professors at Oxford University and maintained a close friendship? Every week they'd meet to eat, talk about their fiction-writing endeavours and read passages of their yet unpublished works. It was Tolkien who encouraged Lewis, an avowed atheist, to explore Christianity, ultimately leading to his conversion. And it was Lewis who encouraged Tolkien to continue writing fiction and to seek publication. Were it not for their friendship and mutual encouragement, the world wouldn't have received the finest writing in apologetics of the twentieth century, nor one of the finest fantasy works ever written.

Everyone, young and old, successful and less-than-successful, famous and unknown who receives encouragement is changed by it. Mark Twain said, 'One compliment can keep me going for a whole month.' A word of encouragement from a teacher can change a child's life; a word of encouragement from a spouse can strengthen or even save a marriage; a word of encouragement from a leader can inspire a person to reach his or her potential. Zig Ziglar says, 'You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.' The Bible says, 'Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones' (Proverbs 16:24 NKJV).

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Follow Brighton

2009-11-01T07:49:00.003Z

Holy Trinity Brompton is a vibrant church in the centre of London, and the home of the Alpha Course. This year they are planting a church in Brighton on the South Coast.

Skywatch #74

2009-10-29T18:39:00.003Z

Evening Walk, originally uploaded by duopastorale.

Healing

2009-10-28T09:26:00.015Z

Image by lepiaf.geo via Flickr

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed...

Genesis 20:17

After my previous post about witnessing amazing healings in Oxford, I thought I'd share a few sound bites from Mark Marx's seminar. They are simply scribbles from my notebook so please take or leave them. By the way, my friend R whose leg was lengthened during healing prayer, has experienced continuing improvement with her back pain. Praise God!

1. The Kingdom of God goes wherever you go.
2. We are handicapped in the West because of what we have been taught about the Kingdom.
3. Exercise authority!
4. When Jesus and his disciples prayed for healing, they never prayed petitionary prayers. They commanded healing and drove out spirits with a word. Asking God to do it is like asking the boss to do a job he's already told you to do yourself!
5. Always begin prayer for healing with affirmation of God's love.
6. No one sickness is more difficult than another.
7. You can hinder what God is doing by believing the opposite.
8. In the Kingdom of God, nothing is impossible.
9. Even Jesus was unable to do many healings in Nazareth because of the unbelief.

What 'Sells'

2009-10-26T23:56:00.014Z

Image via Wikipedia

Another Jesus...a different spirit... a different gospel

2 Corinthians 11:4

In an old Peanuts cartoon strip, on the first day of the new school year students are told to write an essay about returning to class. Lucy wrote, 'Vacations are nice, but it's good to get back to school. There's nothing more satisfying or challenging than education, and I look forward to a year of expanding knowledge.' The teacher was pleased and complimented Lucy on her essay. In the final frame of the cartoon Lucy leans over and whispers to Charlie Brown, 'After a while, you learn what sells.' The temptation to preach 'what sells' is always with us. Paul warns the Corinthian church to be on guard against anyone who preaches 'another Jesus...a different spirit...or a different gospel.'

Like Jonah, we are called to preach to people who'd rather hear something different. But running away didn't work for Jonah, and it won't work for us. 'The Lord sent out a great wind on the sea...so that the ship was about to be broken up' (Jonah 1:4 NKJV). If He has to, God will shipwreck our plans in order to get us to go where we need to go, and to say what He's called us to say. One pastor recently acknowledged that his message was attracting big crowds but not turning people into disciples, so he changed direction. The first thing God told Jonah to say when he reached Nineveh was, 'Repent.' The Gospel does two things: It comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. The truth that sets us free will make us feel bad before it makes us feel good. God's goal is not our comfort; it's producing in us the character of Christ so the world will be drawn to Him.

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

He Is Here

2009-10-24T21:30:00.011+01:00

Brian Doerksen - He Is Here (album Holy God)

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

Doing Your Best For God

2009-10-23T09:52:00.008+01:00

Image via Wikipedia

So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!— to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others. When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did. A soldier on duty doesn't get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders. An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere. It's the diligent farmer who gets the produce. Think it over. God will make it all plain.

8-13 Fix this picture firmly in your mind: Jesus, descended from the line of David, raised from the dead. It's what you've heard from me all along. It's what I'm sitting in jail for right now—but God's Word isn't in jail! That's why I stick it out here—so that everyone God calls will get in on the salvation of Christ in all its glory. This is a sure thing:

If we die with him, we'll live with him;
If we stick it out with him, we'll rule with him;
If we turn our backs on him, he'll turn his back on us;
If we give up on him, he does not give up—
for there's no way he can be false to himself.

14-18 Repeat these basic essentials over and over to God's people. Warn them before God against pious nitpicking, which chips away at the faith. It just wears everyone out. Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won't be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple.

2 Timothy 2:1-18 (The Message)

Skywatch #73

2009-10-22T21:12:00.004+01:00

Snooze Zzzz, originally uploaded by duopastorale.

Resilient People

2009-10-22T08:23:00.005+01:00

Image by wallyg via Flickr

We are hard pressed

2 Corinthians 4:8

Traits resilient people share are:

1) They allow pain to spur growth: At the peak of her career when photographer Linda Joy Montgomery learned she was going blind, an inner voice said, 'This isn't the end; it's the beginning.' She began writing poetry, discovered her calling as a motivational speaker and created the True Vision Institute, teaching kids to tap into their inner resources. The Bible says: 'Though good people may be bothered by trouble...they are never defeated' (Proverbs 24:16 NCV). Finding purpose in your pain isn't a new idea. Survivours of life-threatening illnesses, natural disasters and the Holocaust, and parents of chronically ill children continually demonstrate how over-comers find the proverbial silver lining by reinventing themselves. Paul talks about being 'battered by troubles, but...not demoralised...thrown down, but [not] broken' (2 Corinthians 4:8 TM). Meeting challenges helps develop confidence and a can-do attitude that says: 'I've been there, done that, and I'll survive.' Michael Jordan once said, 'I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career...lost over 300 games...26 times I've been trusted to make the game-winning shot, and missed. I've tried and failed over and over again. That's why I succeed.'

2) They insist on changing what they can: Paul says: 'Whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord' (Ephesians 6:8 NKJV). Workers digging through the rubble to help rescue survivours of the Oklahoma City bombing, though understandably distressed, showed fewer symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder later on. In concentration camps POW's who routinely gave away their last morsel, proved that you can choose your attitude in any given set of circumstances. How? By drawing strength from God and learning to control the one thing you can control - yourself.

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Healed!

2009-10-19T09:00:00.008+01:00

Image by duopastorale via Flickr

Yet I will certainly bring health and healing to it and will indeed heal them.
Jeremiah 33:6

Two days ago I visited Oxford and attended a training day with Mark Marx who pioneered the Street Healing model which is spreading around UK churches. Our church has been involved with this ministry for about 6 months so we were eager to hear from people who had more experience than us.

The day began with some inspiring and faith building teaching and also some hands on training. Mark asked if anyone present had lower back problems and R from my group stood up with some encouragement from those sitting near her. She has been suffering from back pain for some time and we have prayed for her healing before. She sat on a chair in the middle of the group (about 80 people) and she was asked to stretch her legs out in front of her. As we looked, we saw that one leg was longer than the other, the likely cause of lower back pain. The leg was simply commanded to be healed and people began to gasp as we saw the short leg move until both legs were completely the same length. It was like watching the hand of a clock move, very slow but definite.

Later on on the streets, this man in the photo received very lengthy prayer. You can see how serious his problem was. He began to draw a crowd as he was holding up his shoes and telling everyone that he had been healed. The proof was that he was standing quite normally and had needed to go to the nearest shoe shop to buy some new shoes!

A similar healing was witnessed by a BBC reporter in April 2008. Here is the video.

Listen to this girl's testimony as she was interviewed on the BBC afterwards.

Throne Of Praise

2009-10-18T13:47:00.004+01:00

Throne of Praise - Don Moen

As long as I have breath
I'll find a way to say that I love You
Ev'rything may change and the world may pass away
I'll still love You

What a wonderful song of worship! Things are changing in my life, waves come in and go out and the storms blow. My head hurts trying to work out what He is saying to me, what even my own heart is saying to me. But here is where I find peace. Saying to Jesus, "I love You. I don't understand and I'm tired. Take me Lord, to that place where I can see You, touch You, embrace You and that will be enough for me!"

Failure Is Not Final

2009-10-16T10:04:00.007+01:00

Image by KevinLallier via Flickr

Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.

Luke 22:31

I once heard the quote "God never gets disillusioned with us as He never had any illusions in the first place!" There is a reassurance that God, knowing all about us with all our faults and weaknesses, still chose to save us and comission us in His service.

It's interesting to note here in this scripture that Jesus prayer was not that Peter wouldn't fail, but that his faith would not fail. Jesus had confidence in Peter that he would respond to the trial with an unfailing faith and that he would be restored.

I have a real problem with failure. I have the feeling that I have surprised and shocked God yet again with my inadequacy. But the truth is He knows me better than I know myself. He knows every word before I say it and every action before I make it. I have been encouraged recently to recognise that failure is never final and that these times of trial and temptation are to sift us. They have a very important purpose. I wonder if Peter would have been able to stand up on the Day of Pentecost and be so wonderfully used of God if he had not been through such testing?

Satan wants to remove faith from me but every time I get back up and learn from my fall, he is defeated yet again.

Skywatch #72

2009-10-15T21:23:00.002+01:00

Autumn Skies, originally uploaded by duopastorale.

For who in the skies can compare with the LORD?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?

Psalm 89:6

Autumn Trails

2009-10-14T18:25:00.002+01:00

Autumn has begun, with some lovely colours already. We still have several weeks of turning to go here in London. Yesterday I found two leaves performing a ballet for me right on cue. When I walked back half an hour later, they were gone. I love this season :)

Lessons From Lazarus

2009-10-12T12:02:00.004+01:00

Image via Wikipedia

But even now I know

John 11:22

Lesson one: Jesus knows how you feel. At Lazarus' funeral, 'Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, 'See how He loved him!'' (John 11:35-36 NKJV). This story proves we serve a God who can not only raise the dead, but can 'sympathize sympathise with us' (See Hebrews 4:15 NKJV). So if you're grieving today turn to God and allow Him to comfort you.

Lesson two: Jesus can give you back what life's taken from you. He can 'restore to you the years' that life has stolen (See Joel 2:25). Claim that promise; take it to the place where you've lost so much, and ask God to replace and renew. Martha said, 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You' (John 11:21-22 NKJV). Instead of saying 'if only,' pray 'even now I know.' It's not too late, God can move on your behalf.

Lesson three: Jesus can set you free. 'He cried...'Lazarus, come forth!' And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes...Jesus said...'Loose him, and let him go' (John 11:43-44 NKJV). God's Word is greater than the thing that has bound, limited or enslaved you. Even though your mind doesn't fully comprehend it, let your spirit respond to God. Pray with the Psalmist, 'Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it' (Psalm 119:34-35 NKJV). When you pray such a prayer your faith will grow, and the circumstances that seem impossible will be changed by God.

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Only Grace

2009-10-11T12:54:00.003+01:00

This one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Phil.3:13-14

Skywatch #71

2009-10-08T19:09:00.004+01:00

Bushy Park, originally uploaded by duopastorale.

He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
Psalm 23:2

They Did Not Thirst

2009-10-08T09:10:00.003+01:00

Image by Hamed Saber via Flickr

They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts; He made water flow for them from the rock; He split the rock, and water gushed out.

Isaiah 48:21