What is so amazing about Grace?

This Culture of Honour: Is Reflecting Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:46:00 +0000

Many things challenged and impressed me at the HTB Leadership Conference this past week.

All the speakers came for FREE. Including Patrick Lencioni, Bill Hybels & Steven Furtick from the states. Each one of them have diaries that are busting with opportunities that pay big bucks I am sure. But also the host of other speakers who gave their time for free to invest into 1000's of lives.
The incredible stories of people who had faced unbelievable challenges and also presented challenges to society. But Jesus had found them through Alpha.
A new insight to the depth of spirituality and passion for Jesus in the established church through an Archbishop and a Cardinal.
The lack of "slickness" in the event. I don't mean a lack of hard work or professionalism. But for example ordinary people just stood up and shared their story in their own words. Raw, uncomplicated, unpolished and unscripted. The authenticity roared through more than any fancy lit music backed video could. (Not that I don;t like video but its NOT the only way!)

But for me the moment that gave me the biggest insight into the ethos behind the conference was shared by Nicky Gumbel on the last night.

The Albert Hall has a few hundred seat which are owned by debenture holders. For any event these seats must be released by or bought back from the holders before any event can use them.

A number of seats of these type are in the Royal Box. So HTB wrote to her Majesty asking if she would release the box for use at the conference. The reply came back that the palace would be happy to release the seats for "our most distinguished guests".

Now call me cynical but my experience in church life that many denominations and well known churches would "honour" speakers, friends and family with this seat of honour.

HTB said they had placed their most distinguished guests in the box. Ex offenders & homeless!

Tony Morgan recently wrote an article about how the culture of honour that seems to be a little twisted in the church of today is hurting us. I believe the HTB team's view of honour reflected a little bit of Jesus!

Bill Hybels: Party or Vomit?

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:58:00 +0000

Session 2 at the HTB Leadership Conference was hosted by Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Church. I have heard Bill talk many times and much of what he shared I have heard him talk about before. (Doing it is another matter) However listening to Bill is never a head knowledge thing it is always a heart thing which touches my deep rooted emotions.

The passion that runs inside him for the church and lost people oozes out of every pore in his body. So listening to this inspirational man is no mere intellectual process of gathering information it is a passionate emotional exchange of the Holy Spirit.

Here are a few of the notes I jotted down which don't even begin to explain the expanse of what I learned.

The church of Jesus deserves to be FED and LED well.
"I believe the most important ingredient in leading well is VISION."
Vision is a picture of the future that produces passion in people.
The job of a leader is to spend time on your knees to understand where God wants to take you and then humbly take people there.
Our job as leaders is to take people from HERE to THERE.
I have found no matter how well I describe THERE people like to stay HERE. It's comfortable & familiar. THERE means change and people fear change.
I have discovered that it is better to describe HERE. How bad HERE is. What will happen if we stay HERE and let the pressure build.
In the gap between HERE & THERE the most dangerous time for vision is in the middle. After the hope of the start and before the first glimpse of the finishing line. The middle where the the hard graft is done.
Leading, keeping and developing a fantastic team is one of our most important tasks. Leaders never want to achieve a God given dream alone.
In recruiting your team look for four things: 1. Character 2. Competence 3. Chemistry / Culture 5. Calling
If you are unsure if a person should be on your team, imagine you get a text from them today saying I quit. Is your first reaction to party or to vomit?

Watch his session below. Jump to 2 hrs 47 min:

Surprised by the Arcbishop

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Tue, 14 May 2013 05:59:00 +0000

Had a fantastic day at the HTB Leadership Conference in the Royal Albert Hall yesterday. It was a day of great teaching and not a few surprises. First up was Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury. Head of the Church of England.

The "established" church does not carry much positive press and my own opinion, based on my own ignorance, has not been stellar. So hearing from the Archbishop left me questioning some of my views. Here are some of the points from his interview with Nicky Gumbel.

Nicky: What was in your mind when you were being appointed and prayed for as head of the Church of England? Justin: Its not about me, it's all about Jesus.
Asked about his conversion he said: "Nicky you were a very disruptive influence in my non christian life"
My first experience at church was staggeringly boring so it just shows me that God is bigger than this.
Someone took the time to explain the cross to me.
He spent three summers smuggling Bibles into the old communist block. With up to 1000 Bible hidden in a secret compartment in his vehicle.
Leadership lesson: As was given responsibility very early & expected to get on with it
Leadership lesson: Its fun to work with great team
Everyone has a christian vocation its not the preserve of the professional clergy.
You know it is natural for churches to grow.
The extraordinary thing about Jesus is that he never says get into the right place and I will meet you there. He says I am with you and I will take you to the right place.
The quick fix to the quieting of the spirit in your life? Prolonged prayer & fasting.
If Jesus isn't at the centre of the church we are just rotary with a pointy roof.
Fear is dealt with by grace.
It's not what we are but who God is.
We are what we are before God & nothing else - Murray M'Chenye
The cathedral should be a safe place to do risky things for Jesus.
We need to be a risk taking church. There is absolute security in Christ but no safety.
We cannot live for our cause to win we must live for His cause to win.
Take up our cross, bear the hurts, and repay in love

1. Have a passion to do what you do. ( if you haven't got the passion stop)
2. Have compassion ( for the people you work with if not you are a bully)
3. Have empathy ( take care of people) sympathy & empathy are different. Empathy means you are involved
4. Have courage ( courage is not the absence of fear it is the management of fear)

#GothenburgDay

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Sat, 11 May 2013 11:20:00 +0000

30 Years ago today I bunked off of a meeting at Bible College and headed off to a friends house in Retford to watch my beloved Dons.

Exiled in England far from the North East none of my friends understood any of the Doric words I was shouting at the TV for the rest of the night. Barred from attending the Gothenburg night in person because of some crazy college rule. For which I am still searching for the grace to forgive after 3 decades:).

But the piece below describes better than I could ever do the emotions of the night of glory, joy & even unexpected sadness.

GOTHENBURG, 1983: the time and the place, like the memories they evoke, are etched on the consciousness of a city, written through its recent history as though they were the message on a stick of granite rock.

Aberdeen, a band of upstarts from the north-east of Scotland, had come, seen and conquered no lesser a name than the incomparable Real Madrid in the final of the European Cup-Winners' Cup. Had anyone been fool enough to sleep through the drama, they wouldn't dare to have dreamt it.

The surviving images, resistant to the rub of time, are an indelible tribute to what was a momentous triumph. John Hewitt's extra-time winner, Alex Ferguson's stumble and fall as the coaching staff burst from the dugout, and Willie Miller's pose with the cup, an emperor before his people. All have run through the years like the ink from a tear-stained postcard.

They won't forget that night in Sweden, when the Gods smiled down on 13,000 Aberdonians, and grown men cried in the rain. Not this week the 30th anniversary of an achievement they will never repeat. While details are blurred by the years, the most memorable moments have new definition.

The world has changed since May 11, 1983, when 12 home-grown players and a shipyard worker's son from Govan had the audacity to mess with the cognoscenti. Aberdeen are a shadow of their former selves, the Cup-Winners' Cup is defunct and Ferguson has long since departed the Scottish scene, knighted for his services to football, a behemoth to rank alongside the legends of Busby, Shankly and Stein.

Leighton, Rougvie, McMaster, Cooper, McLeish, Miller, Strachan, Simpson, McGhee, Black, Weir and Hewitt.

Their contact may be limited now, but in those days they were friends, their relationship strengthened by a shared adventure. Their other victims in 1983 were Sion, Dinamo Tirane, Lech Poznan, Bayern Munich and Waterschei. The team left no-one in any doubt as to the extent of their abilities.

In a thrilling demonstration of guts and guile, they set about their opponents from the start, Eric Black striking the bar with a portentous volley in the opening exchanges before putting Aberdeen ahead in the 18th minute. Although Juanito equalised from the spot 10 minutes later, Alex McLeish's short passback having forced Jim Leighton into a foul, the advancement of Peter Weir into a more dangerous position subjected Real to an uneasy second half. Their survival into extra time was merely delaying the inevitable. Substitute John Hewitt's header, a bent-kneed collapse at the ball, was followed by the most helpless of celebrations, drenched as he was by rain, sweat and tears.

When Real were awarded a free-kick in injury time, reserve goalkeeper Bryan Gunn, sitting next to Ferguson in the dugout, sunk to his knees and said: "Dear God, please let them miss it." Which, of course, they did. After the unthinkable euphoria of the final whistle, the trophy presentation and the parade of honour, the players retired to the dressing-room.

While the team were living it up in one section of the changing area, there was another room for the staff, where Ferguson was joined by backroom colleagues and club directors, including chairman Dick Donald. "I will always remember what it was like. When Dick came down, it was almost eerie, everything was so quiet. He was crying. He hugged me, and he was not the type of person to be demonstrative like that. He was the old school. He would usually just come up to me and say, 'well done Mr Ferguson, your Boys were good'. But he loved that club. That night ... it was his greatest moment."

There are those who insist that the quarter-final defeat of Bayern Munich was a greater achievement. After a scoreless first leg in Germany, Aberdeen found themselves 2-1 down with half an hour left. Ferguson controversially replaced Neil Simpson with Hewitt and Stuart Kennedy with John McMaster, a gamble that turned out to be a masterstroke.

The now fabled free-kick, a deliberate mix-up between Strachan and McMaster, led to McLeish's headed equaliser. Then, just as he would in the final, Hewitt grabbed a sensational winner. "It was, and still is, Pittodrie's greatest night," says Ferguson. "We had 10 minutes to go, as well as time added on, with a midfield who couldn't tackle, and a front three who couldn't defend. But we were hanging on because, in Willie Miller and Alex McLeish, we had the two best centre-halves in Britain. The ball was like a magnet to Miller that night.

"In terms of leadership and determination, he was Aberdeen's best player at the time. He was the Roy Keane, the Bryan Robson if you like. But the key to everything was the team. Strachan was fantastic during that period, and when Weir was on song, they were a great team. They had a good balance, a real strength about them."

The Bayern Munich match reminds Ferguson that, however low a period it was in the history of Real Madrid, Aberdeen's achievement was huge. "The Cup-Winners' Cup was a competition won by teams who could maybe have a golden spell for two or three games, but I am proud to think back and say that we beat Bayern Munich, who had Rummenigge, Breitner, Augenthaler, some famous names. Without question in my mind, I am satisfied that it was a trophy to be proud of winning."

The triumph was tinged by sadness in at least two respects. One was Stuart Kennedy's confinement to the bench in the final. The injury he had picked up against Waterschei, his last competitive appearance for the club, forced the popular full-back to retire from football at the age of 29.

The other, altogether more tragic, blow was the death of a young Aberdeen fan, Philip Goodbrand, who collapsed at the match and never recovered. "I had a few friends who were with him when he was passed down through the crowd," says Ferguson. "It was terrible. We knew the young lad because he used to come to training. It was a great sadness. When you see what is happening over the next week or two, can you imagine what his family must be thinking?"

Joy has a disturbing capacity to exacerbate pain. Birthdays, wedding days, Christmas, the occasions that are supposed to be our happiest, can be a torment for those who are trying to forget. Anniversaries, for some, just won't go away, returning time and again to demand that we celebrate what is no longer there. For others, they are a comfort.

Few of those old enough to have understood Aberdeen's glory in Gothenburg will not remember where they were and what they were doing that night. Events such as these are the furniture of life, the moments that make us who we are. They may all be in the past, but for as long as there are anniversaries, they will also be in the future.

Stand Free

In Christ - Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:33:00 +0000

Had the opportunity to close off our latest teaching series at Milton Keynes Christian Centre Church - In Christ. We have been going through the book of Colossians.

This message was on Col 4:2:

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."

In Christ - Prayer from MKCCpreaching on Vimeo.

Can't see the video click here

The Birth of Friendship: What you too?

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0000

The other day I came across the post below by Seth Godin on the "Loneliness Epidemic" at the same time as seeing the above photo with a quote from C S Lewis.

"The next time you feel lonely, disconnected or unappreciated, consider that unlike many other maladies, this one hits everyone. And unlike other challenges, this one is easily overcome by realising that you can cure the problem by connecting, appreciating and leading."

"The minute we realise that the person sitting next to us needs us (and our tribe, our forward motion and the value we create), we're able to extinguish their aloneness as well as ours."

"When you shine a light, both of you can see better."

It continues to amaze me that so many people born into this community called the family of God choose to remain in isolation.

As a local church pastor I have lost count of the people who have left one church and joined another with the reason attached to their lack of community.

The words vary but the underlying sentiment is the same:

There is no love in that church.
That church is full of cliques.
The people are so unfriendly.
The church is too big.
The pastors don't care.

The list goes on. And yes, any or all of these can be true. However in 99% of cases I don't believe the answer is found in just changing local church family.

I firmly believe that a combination of selfishness and insecurity keeps us from unearthing beautiful community.

Selfishness, because building friendship is all about sacrifice or should I say investment. Investing your time in someone else's life. An invite for a meal in your home, a coffee at lunch, writing a card of thanks, a phone call out of the blue, remembering a special occasion, a gift for no reason.

Insecurity, because we are all so often scared or rejection. The sooner we all realise that the vast majority of us, if not all, are afflicted with this disease of unworthiness the sooner we can all help each other recover. That person that walks past with eyes fixed to the floor is not being ignorant, the chances are that they too are feeling alone and too scared to connect because they live in fear of their insecurities being confirmed.

Community is assured through our relationship with Jesus lets start to bring his prayer to fruition. Let us blow through selfishness and insecurity and start to love. We might be a little surprised at what will happen.

Catalyst: Leadership Book & London Conference 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:49:00 +0000

I found out two new things that brought a smile to my face.

Number 1

Catalyst Europe is happening in London in November 2014.

I have had the awesome privilege to attend Catalyst Conference in Atlanta twice. I really had no idea what to expect and on attending the pre-conference for the first time already had a notebook full of hastily written notes of wisdom from crazy talented leaders. I was looking forward to more of the same over the next few days.

But nothing prepared me for the crazy roller coaster of emotions that was going to be Catalyst. The laughter started outside the arena at 6 am the next day as we waited to join 12,000 leaders in the arena.

Laughter changed to intent concentration as speaker after speaker dropped out practical pearls of leadership wisdom and on into tears as we heard incredible stories of sacrifice for God's Kingdom that were met with God's compassion.

So although I am heading their again in October with a bunch of leaders from our church. November 2014 will be unmissable for Catalytic leaders here is the UK. Make sure you subscribe for more information as it is released. Here....

Number 2

The book Catalyst Leader has been released.

Brad Lomenick leader of Catalyst has pulled together great wisdom from many of the leaders who have graced the Catalyst stage.

"Are you a high-octane, energising leader with big ideas and the skills to back them up? Do you help shape the hearts and minds of those you lead? In short, are you a Catalyst leader?"
"The reality is that most of us want to be good leaders, but we’re not sure how to build those elements in a way that will deliver the most impact in our leadership."
"The Catalyst Leader lays out the key elements and defines what it means to be a Catalyst and reveals the path for developing these elements in your own leadership skill set."

Get a free chapter here.

What if.... we remembered every day?

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 20:34:00 +0000

Yesterday, I did something for the first time. Believe it or not I attended a church service on Good Friday for the first time. The two churches I have been part of for my 50 years never had a service on Good Friday! I don't really know why but it is a fact.

So yesterday I gathered with over 350 people and "celebrated" Good Friday. Central to the remembrance was the sacrament of communion.

As a group of Jesus followers we took part in a "sacred" act and that dates back to the last supper between Jesus and his closest friends.

The ritual of Communion has been part of my church attendance. But I have always felt that what I have experienced in my church life is at least only a part of what Jesus was alluding to when he suggested that we do this every time we met. I have always struggled to understand how we have got that to mean in the middle of a Sunday morning service.

It feels like we have done with communion what we do with most of our spiritual life. Removed it from our EVERYDAY life and relegated it to a once a week spiritual event.

Thankfully in reading a blog today by Mark Waltz which was originally written in 2005 I find I am not alone.

"This Friday a bunch of us will gather in church buildings to observe Christ's death. Good Friday. In our brief half hour service at noon at Granger Community Church, we'll pause to reflect on the Lord's Supper. It'll be a poignant and sacred moment. Rightly so, the church, years ago, began to practise the sacrament of communion corporately as they gathered for services.

Now, this sacred meal is shared in local churches weekly, monthly, quarterly, on special occasions throughout the year, not just on Good Friday. Some use wafers, others loaves of bread. Some us Welch's grape juice, others drink wine from a common cup.

But, I sometimes wonder, what if Jesus didn't just foresee the corporate sacrament?

What if Jesus looked at his disciples over a meal they'd shared often and suggested, "Every time you do this, that is, every time you eat together, every time you share bread and drink wine, remember me."

What if Jesus really hoped that two, three, four times a day we'd pick up a sandwich and remember? What if Jesus really hoped that several times a day, we'd "break bread" with a friend, a family member, a co-worker and we'd remember? Remember him. Often, every day, throughout the day.

What if every time we talked with our mouth half full to someone across the table, we made eye contact and remembered?

What if we remembered Jesus and the way he loved people, as we sat with other people over a meal?

What if we remembered Jesus and the way he sacrificed for people, as we hoped this time spent over a meal would be win somewhere down the road?

What if we remembered Jesus and the great price he paid for the relational connection we share over this meal?

What if?

I still look forward to the corporate sacrament of the Lord's Supper at our church. I believe it's a practise that honours him and inspires us. But since I eat every day, I want to build a habit of celebrating Jesus every time I taste a food I love, every time my thirst is quenched by drink.

Remember."

Terrible Friday = The Best Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:43:00 +0000

Click here if you can't see the video

50

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:01:00 +0000

Can't see the video click here

My eyes are opening....slowly!

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Daniel Bashta - The Invisible

'The Invisible Journey'- spoken word from Daniel Bashta on Vimeo.

Click here if you can't see the video

Disaster i've swallowed a gnat!

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:31:00 +0000

I think that Seth Godin wrote the below post for me and maybe many more of my Christian brothers & sisters without even knowing it.

"There's always a defect, always a slow drip, somewhere. Every plan, every organisation, every venture has a glitch.

The question isn't, "is this perfect?" The question is, "will this get me there?"

Sometimes we make the mistake of ignoring the big leaks, the ones that threaten our journey.

More often, though, we're so busy fixing tiny leaks that we get distracted from the real goal, which is to go somewhere."

If anyone should get the big picture it is us. But we are world champions at taking the "gnat" issues and making them the world.

Jesus posted about this many years ago when talking to the world experts at this practise:

Blind guides! You strain your water so you won't accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! - Matt 23:24

So often we Christian's are so happy to pick up our Pharisee cousins mantle.

What "gnat" issue are you holding on to with pride that is really making you look a little bit daft in eternity's eyes?

The Holy Spirit - Fruit

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 12:51:00 +0000

My preach from this past weekend at Milton Keynes Christian Centre Church in the series MORE>. The Fruit of the Spirit.

More - The Fruit of the Spirit from MKCCpreaching on Vimeo.

Can't see the video click here.

Lord, let me burn out for You....

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:43:00 +0000

In 1806 Henry Martyn sailed to India as a missionary at the age of 24.

On his arrival, “Lord, let me burn out for You!” Seven year later he died at the age of 31.

But in that 7 years he translated the New Testament into three languages!

His final entry in his journal:

Oh! when shall time give place to eternity? When shall appear that new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness? There, there shall in no wise enter in any thing that defileth: none of that wickedness which has made men worse than wild beasts, none of those corruptions which add still more to the miseries of mortality, shall be seen or heard of any more.

Help me Lord to have the courage to pray and act on that prayer.

What is love?

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Can't see the video click here

Grace Greater than Our Sin

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 16:21:00 +0000

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

Refrain:
Grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin!

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
threaten the soul with infinite loss;
grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
brighter than snow you may be today.

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see his face,
will you this moment his grace receive?

- Julia H. Johnston

Goodbye William....for now!

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:30:00 +0000

I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun. - Charles R. Swindoll

Today I got the news that one of my handful of friends had left this world this morning and gone on to take his place in God's heavenly Kingdom.

I first met William Dillon on a September afternoon in 1982. I had just arrived at Bible College at Mattersey Hall, been dropped off by my mum and dad, and feeling alone and a little apprehensive about what was to happen next.

This guy with a broad Irish accent sat down on my bed and started to talk. That was the start of a friendship that would last till today.

I was proud to stand with him as best man on his wedding day and even prouder when he returned the honour in mine.

And man did we have laughs. His turn of phrase brought a smile to my face. I can still here him say with a twinkle in his eye:

"If you can't be good be careful"

"Would you risk it for a biscuit? What would you do for a packet?"

One night while bunking off the Wednesday night college service we visited a night club which was based in an old church that had been converted.

The next morning William was preaching in the students early morning service. He recounted the story about this church that had been turned into a night club without mentioning the fact that we had both been inside it. Then in his Irish brogue said a phrase which was forever associated with him: "Friends the world is creeping into the Churches?"

He was a great preacher and his favourite book from the Bible was always Jonah. He called him The Reluctant Prophet. One of his quotes was:

"Jonah went down to Joppa, he went down into the boat, he went down into the bottom of the boat, He went down into the sea, he went down into the belly of the fish. Friends when you are running from God its a downward path. Only when he looked up and called up did he come up."

There have been huge twists and turns along the journey for both of us but we both had unconditional love and support for each other along the way.

Maybe one of the funniest things is that for two quite opinionated, red blooded argumentative Celts is that we never had a cross word of disagreement between us.

He would rib me continuously for what he thought was my crazy theology. But hey William you have probably now found out I was right all along.

Words really cannot express what you meant to me William. You made a mark in my life that runs very deep and I am forever grateful.

No man is a failure who has friends - Clarence Odbody (Its a wonderful life)

You had many and I am proud to be one. Till we meet again.

Maybe God could rescue me?

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:56:00 +0000

I have no words to describe this brave lady's story. Just click on the image below to watch it for your self:

Become a storyteller

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Loved this video of The Message author Eugene Peterson being interviewed about his writing. After the rather cheesy intro some great wisdom.

WAITING for the right time?

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 09:00:00 +0000

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. - Gal 6:9

Out TV screens are full with the headlines that the Pope has quit. Maybe the time was right. But so often we quit when the time isn't right.

We quit because we are discouraged, disillusioned, tired & frustrated not because its the right thing to do.

Too often we quit too early. Something else causes us to lose our steam and give up before we can "reap the rewards" of our effort.

Todd Henry from the Accidental Creative Blog calIs it the lag.

"The lag is the gap between cause and effect. It’s the season between planting a seed, and reaping a harvest. It’s the time when all of the work you’ve done seems to have returned little to no visible reward, and there is little on the horizon to indicate that things are going to get better."

Paul in talking to the Galatians realised that our timing and God's timing are sometimes poles a part. It's the continual problem with finite beings trying to grasp the understanding of an eternal being.

But a harvest takes time.

Plough....plant....water....wait....tend....water....tend.....wait....harvest.

Quiting at any stage event at the last step jeopardises the harvest.

So keep on doing good.

This morning.....this afternoon......tomorrow.....next week......next month......next year......next decade......don't stop.

When everything looks hopeless
When everyone walks away
When everyone questions your motives
When no one is watching
When no one says thank you
When it seems like even God has forgotten you
Keep on doing good....

YOU WILL REAP A HARVEST OF BLESSING many just not when you want it but when it certainly is best for you.

Redemption found in the most unexpected place

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:44:00 +0000

George Herbert's poem reminds me again that our redemption is designed & found in the most unexpected way & place.

Having been tenant long to a rich lord,
Not thriving, I resolvèd to be bold,
And make a suit unto him, to afford
A new small-rented lease, and cancel th’ old.

In heaven at his manor I him sought;
They told me there that he was lately gone
About some land, which he had dearly bought
Long since on earth, to take possessiòn.

I straight returned, and knowing his great birth,
Sought him accordingly in great resorts;
In cities, theaters, gardens, parks, and courts;
At length I heard a ragged noise and mirth

Of thieves and murderers; there I him espied,
Who straight, Your suit is granted, said, and died

Jesus had a fatal flaw....

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:26:00 +0000

Read a quote from Michael Yaconelli yesterday that found an uncomfortable home in my heart:

Jesus has a fatal flaw: He can't stay away from failures. He is a friend of failers, a lover of failers. Everyone else has given up, He seeks them out - the woman who failed at five marriages; the blind man by the pool, who had failed to get his timing down for 38 years in a row...the disciple who failed at following; the thief who failed at keeping the law; the adulterous woman who failed at moral purity; the doubting disciples who failed to believe.

The church loves stories failures that have suceeded. Stories of conqured sin. We are open to talk about "past" sin and how we with God's help defeated it.

But when someone is struggling of being defeated by their ever so present sin we get a bit queesy. But Jesus continually steps into the mess. Grabs hold of the failure and shows His power in the middle of our weaknesses.

And i'm still thankful he pursues failures as thats the tribe I identify most with....

Not Afraid!

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000

13 Reasons for a disciple of Jesus not to be afraid:

We will not die apart from God’s gracious decree for his children. James 4:14-15; Matthew 10:29-30; Deuteronomy 32:39
Curses and divination do not hold sway against God’s people. Numbers 23:23
The plans of terrorists and hostile nations do not succeed apart from our gracious God. Psalm 33:10; Isaiah 8:9-10
Man cannot harm us beyond God’s gracious will for us. Psalm 118:6; Psalm 56:11
God promises to protect his own from all that is not finally good for them. Psalm 91:14
God promises to give us all we need to obey, enjoy, and honor him forever. Matthew 6:31; Philippians 4:19
God is never taken off guard. Psalm 121:4
God will be with us, help us, and uphold us in trouble. Isaiah 41:10,13
Terrors will come, some of us will die, but not a hair of our heads will perish. Luke 21:10–11,18
Nothing befalls God’s own but in its appointed hour. John 7:30
When God Almighty is your helper, none can harm you beyond what he decrees. Hebrews 13:6; Romans 8:31
God’s faithfulness is based on the firm value of his name, not the fickle measure of our obedience. 1 Samuel 12:20–22
The Lord, our protector, is great and awesome. Nehemiah 4:14

Not bad eh?

Originally posted by John Piper

You can't love Jesus....

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000

This is of first importance that Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and raised.

Cant see the video click here

To catch the rest of this Matt Chandler message go here

Why would you want to live on Crumbs?

noreply@blogger.com (Billy Ritchie) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:36:00 +0000

The book of Job is set up with a conversation between God and the Devil and the next 40 chapters record the wrestling with the results of that conversation.

But it ends not with what would have been the Hollywood ending of the Devil admitting his failure but with a conversation between Job and his God.

I've got a feeling that this whole book was far more about God's eternal love for one of his servants to discover the ultimate prize in this life and the next - to be FULLY satisfied with God as his greatest treasure.

To stop eating the "crusts of rumour & hearsay" about God and discover the Him for what he is - THE BREAD OF LIFE.

Revelation removes rumours!

Job answered God: "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?' I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.' I admit I once lived by rumours of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I'm sorry—forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumour." - Job 42:1-6