Jesus Saves the Day

It's amazing that the disciples, after watching Jesus heal so many and being there when Jesus pointed out the amazing faith of the centurion, still got scared when the storm came. And yet how like our lives, when the storms come, when we are in trouble, we get frightened. But do you know what? They still went to Jesus. They didn't try to go it alone. And Jesus may have had something to say about their faith but he still saved them.

And at the end they were stunned and marvelled at who He was and is because He is pretty awesome.

Lord, when I reach out to you for help and you do something amazing to change the situation I am in, open my eyes so I can see and marvel at you and what you can do.

Concerned about the Right Things

Thinking about these two potential followers they are like opposites. One takes too little concern for the spiritual world, being caught up in the moment, in the passion, and the other takes too much concern for the natural world. He worries about his father, who will look after him, who will bury him when he dies.

Jesus tells them - don't concern yourself too much for this world, if you follow me I will take care of things, but do have concern for the spiritual world. Realise that it is important, it needs thought and also sacrifice to become spiritually alive.

Jesus help me to be concerned about the right things and help me to listen when you are warning me because I need to be put right.

Laura

Matthew project

FRI 17th FEBRUARY

MATTHEW 8 verses 18---22

Kenny reporting in Hey guys there's amazing things happen out here. This guy Jesus he's healing the sick casting
out demons telling people if they believe that he has the authority and is the son of God your sins are forgiven and
are forgotten.I was thinking about being one these disciple but it comes with cost, you have to give up the old
live you lived. Probably having to give up some of the gang you use to hang about with but I think this will be
worth it. I have heard years ago Isaiah the prophet saying, He himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.
Ok were play acting here but there would be a great buss around the towns People having great debates about
what was happening. I think the big question I have, do I believe that I can have the same authority as Jesus has
and that he is eager to give it to me thorough his Holy spirit.

Stuck on the Centurion's faith!

I still haven’t moved on from the story about the centurion.  As a stepping stone to another scene I think this is how it is: 

Jesus, the King of King’s in His throne room, over His earth and His subjects, wanting the absolute best for all and Him all powerful to effect every change, to make every provision, to provide every help…and I have an audience with Him, as did the Centurion…and I point out to Him an area of concern that relates to His Kingdom.

It’s not about me but about someone suffering great pain, someone without a name…just that he’s my servant…but before he is mine, he is the King’s!  A citizen of His Kingdom.  And before he is my concern, he is the Kings concern.  So, I point this out! 

King of Kings, that lad is suffering greatly.  He is Yours.  I’m here to tell you he’s not doing well. 

Now, I could phone in on NHS24, I could go to my local doctor, or my MP, or even Alex Salmond.  But I’m going to the top!

I know, that as the all compassionate, all powerful, all concerned, the King of Kings is going to do something because it’s His Kingdom and He runs it perfectly well.  He cares more than me…it’s His Kingdom, His boy, His reputation…so I trust Him with His concern and I expectantly wait to see what He will do.  And He will do something and it will be nothing short of complete and perfect for the situation.  He will do because He is the King of Kings!

 

Brian

Words

Thank you to everyone who has been blogging away. Here are your words in black and white. The bigger the word the more you've been typing it.

Laura

Saviour of the World

I would never have read Isaiah 53 if you hadn't mentioned it but you are right it gives all these miracles an added dimension. For when I read Isaiah I think of the work done on the cross and yet all these miracles were carried out before then. It helps you to understand what those people must have had faith in. Not just faith that God exists, and that Jesus has been given the authority, although it is that. It is that Jesus has been given the authority to be our saviour - to take our worries, concerns, illnesses away. So all these people believed that Jesus would save them in some way or another and He honoured that. They all had to believe that Jesus wanted to help as well as that He had the power and authority to do it.

But here's the big question? Did the centurion's faith heal his servant or did his servant need to believe as well? Or maybe the question is do we need to personally allow God to change our lives before He will do it?

Lord help me to see you as a saviour - to ask you for help when I need it. And also help me to be like the Centurion. So that I come to you when I see others in need, knowing that you have the authority, power and will to change their lives for the better.

Laura

More of You....... please God

Why are more people not miraculously healed in our church?  It makes me remember an old song from Casting Crowns - if we are the body, the words were

If we are the body why aren't his hands healing?

I know there are some healings taking place in our church, and I know and understand why God lets doctors and medicine do their work and lets the body heal in time not over night.  I know these are acts of God I have no doubt of that, but why don't we see more and bigger things happening?   Surly nothing is impossible??  

 

Fraser

Matthew chapter 8 verses 1 to 17

I like these verses 5 to 13 here this centurion has great concern for his servant he starts to plead to Jesus to heal
his servant. You can almost feel the anguish of the centurion. All you need to do Jesus is speak he could see
the great authority Jesus has. And Jesus see the great faith centurion has now something is happening here
Faith meets Authority. What happens next healing amazing time and time again through the years when faith meets
Authority bang the Kingdom of Heaven opens up. I wonder if the Disciples new or even gave it a thought that
that they would be given the same authority as they came down form the mountain.

I visited a leprosy hospital in Ghana in 1974 and saw the results of many people who had suffered this debilitating disease.
 
Leprosy eats into peoples hands and feet resulting in the loss of fingers and toes. It is a contagious, debilitating disease that corrupts its victim and makes him essentially dead while alive. Isn't that so like sin? We are alive but dead.
 
Leprosy robs people, not only of their limbs, but of the blessing of community and family life. They were cast out of the towns and villages to live on rubbish dumps.
 
Sin robs us of Gods blessing on our lives, certainly when I sin I feel cast out, very alone, without peace, feeling as though the Holy Spirit has left me. But when I come and confess my sin Jesus forgives me, cleanses me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1v9). I feel whole again, restored to relationship with my heavenly father.
 
The leper in this story asked for cleansing and Jesus touched and healed him.
 
Jesus still heals physical diseases in people today but the greatest miracle is when soul turns from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.
 
Lord help me to reach out and touch those that are in such desperate need of you.
 
Ian R
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

God, I must know Your heart!

It started before the leper bowed before Him, before the centurion entreated Him, before He saw Peter’s mum-in-law, before they brought Him their sick and possessed.  God wants to and He says “Yes!” from before the foundation of the world.  He has always wanted us…He prompts us…He waits for us…believing…to ask so He can say “Yes!”  I just love His heart!

 

But reading verse 17 in the context of Isaiah 53 challenges my interpretation of His heart.

 

Lord, if I’m to follow right behind You, I need to understand Your heart.  I’m not praying about my uncleanness, me paralysis, my illness or deliverance…I’m praying about my knowing Your heart.

 

Brian

Freedom to Choose the Right Path

Well I think our small group has been chatting all night so I'll try to keep it short and sweet.

I really feel that I need to remember that I have been given the freedom of choice in all things and that I need to remember that everything I do has an impact on what path I follow, broad or narrow, and the fruit that I will bear. And although I may not like the idea of it I can easily veer off and get lost, maybe even forever.

So Lord help me to focus on you, the gift giver, and help me to put you at the centre of my choices. To realise that all my actions are meaningful to you and that I am living in the Kingdom now, not sometime in the future. What I do now counts and if I fall then I need to remember that I am poor in spirit and mourn so that I can repent and keep moving forward. Let me be honest with myself and you like David was.

 
I must examine my own motives and conduct before judging other people. Mmmmmm, not so easy when I may have been upset or hurt by someone.
 
I can identify with what I read in my notes this morning that, the traits that bother me in others are often are often the habits I dislike of myself.
 
Ask, seek, knock and keep asking seeking and knocking on our heavenly fathers door and He will provide us with what we need to walk the the narrow path and HEY it leads to life eternal!
 
Lord Jesus help me to run all my thoughts past you before I act upon them.
 
Ian R
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Seeking the Kingdom

Today, again, all I can focus on is 'Seek first the Kingdom of God'. It is amazing because this is the exact phrase that I have been thinking of since Sunday.

But to keep with the job analogy reading today was like Jesus saying....
Ok so you've got the job - first things first you want to be meek, be humble, you want to meet your objectives and inherit the promised land, to find the Kingdom? Well here is your to do list. You've got to pray, you've got to fast and yes you've got to give, but do it quietly and do it for me. You don't get a promotion or bonus from your colleagues, no you get that from your boss. So if you want the real deal you have to put in the work.

God I pray that you mould me to be like you, selfless, with no pride. When I do something for others let me do it so I focus on what they are receiving and not what I am giving.

Matthew 6

Matthew 6 14th Feb

This chapter reminds me of the time when I was a wee boy and getting dragged to church I can still hear mum singing
with a very high voiceThe Old Ragged Cross My mouth was full of pan drops (a very large white sweet) that was to keep us
from making a sound. Then the sermon which was THOU SHALT NOT so any one asking what church do you go to
the reply THOU SHALT NOT CHURCH Joking aside in these days the seed was getting planted all though I did not
at that time really appreciate mums perseverance.Getting back too the present it is more likely I would want to say I
shall and try and walk the path of righteousness by seeking God's Kingdom it is the path way of miracles Reading his
word is the first step. second watch for the little things,the little signs along the way, not in the great wind,or fire but
rather in the still small voice I have fond it is often the small insignificant things or events that determine my
destiny.
God's Blessings Kenny

Salt and light

I was struck by how challenged the institutionalized Judaism of the Pharisees and Sadducees must have been by Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 and 6. 

 

The Pharisees were thoroughly pernickety about the outward expression of their faith:  their dress and public prayers, their loud offerings and public piety.  They were sooo different, sooo separated…and yet they weren’t bringing salt or light into their community. 

 

It is the disciple with a heart that says “yes, Lord!”  The disciple who knows his spiritual poverty, who mourns over sin, who wrestles against lust in his heart though no one sees…that’s the one who is salty, who is different, out there, remarkable…at odds with his community. 

 

Lord, I want to be salty!

 

Brian

Christ's Thoughts - What was He thinking?

Hi Everyone, just to share my thoughts after reading and thinking on Matthew 3v13-17. Sorry it’s a bit late, but this is my third attempt to blog, hoping I’ve got it right this time. After reading that Jesus walked from Galilee to the river Jordan, I wondered how many miles had He walked. I discovered it was a days walking which is about 20 miles. Then I thought what was it that made Jesus decide to go to the river on that day. I was seeing Him with His carpenter tools, thinking as He worked on wood, did His Father speak and say now, was He hearing the villagers talking and discussing that something unusual was taking place at the river  Jordan, that a strange man was asking the people to REPENT and turn. Then when He was walking, what was Jesus thinking about, was He just enjoying the walk, maybe others were joining Him on the way, there may have been excitement. Was He meditating on scripture, was He praying and speaking to His Father, was the Holy Spirit ministering to Him? All these questions I found was making me think, trying to see how it was back then, the people living under the heavy yoke Roman occupancy, heavily taxed. burdened by  their spiritual leaders, not being fed spiritually and Jesus would have been aware of the people needing some Good News. So these were my thoughts that I was asking our Father, I felt on Sunday whilst Brian was speaking that I was given the answer, I saw a scene of Jesus walking on a desert road and coming from Heaven were myriads of angels ministering to Him. I felt God say this was the time that Jesus took up the position He was to play, and on that walk He was being prepared and ministered to. The culmination of that walk was His destiny to be baptized when He had no need to be baptized,  The Trinity, the Fathers voice from Heaven, the Son being baptized and the Holy Spirit on the earth for that brief and precious moment. Blessings Louisa

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DISCIPLES WANTED - see attached job description

I think there is so much in today's chapter that you could read it for days and still not do it justice! But there are 3 things that have struck me.

1. I have so often read the beatitudes in isolation. If a person has a meek character then they get this blessing or if another person has deep soulful regret and mourn for their past wrongs then they will get this other blessing.

But today is the first day where I have realised that these are the characteristics of a true disciple. You are meant to have them all and you are meant to get all of the blessings attached to them. It is Jesus job description but with great incentives. A truly great bonus package for the job of disciple.

2. Also there is no lesser or greater sin and if you live your life that way you are just kidding yourself and others. Living the right way, God's way, does not mean choosing what elements you want to and twisting God's word to ignore the areas you don't fancy taking on board because you find it too hard or don't want to give something up. It is living it completely, perfectly as God does.

3. Finally, a disciple does not live their christian life in isolation - in their heart, separate from their everyday life. Following Jesus means touching others lives. It becomes our whole life, not just when it suits us. And only then will others begin to see what is different in our lives and only then will you build the right reputation for God and give Him glory.

Just like before actions speak louder than words for a disciple of Jesus.

God I pray that I am up for the job.

Laura

Matthew Project The Beatitudes Mon 13th February

Matthew five
Here we see Jesus seated on top of a mountain with his disciples can you see them lessening to every word what would
they be thinking? Whats this he telling us poor in spirit, meek, merciful, mourn,pure in heart, righteous, and then on top
of all that we to be peacemakers what to all these sinners. Turn the other check he,s having a laugh. these guys where
working class probably had to fight for about everything they had.What would Jesus be thinking oh Father are you sure
these guys are the right disciple for the job in hand.How many times do we think we are not right for the job ahead but
hey folks we are He has pick ever one of us yes to be peacemakers.

Kenny

Success at last!

Hey guys, I did it…I commented and it went through!

 

Do you know why?  It’s all in the cookies!  That’s it Kenny…my bloggy bloggies cookies were all wrapped up under lock and key in my i.s.pee’s pantry!

 

Brian

matthew

Well first week of the Matthew project is under my belt and I am enjoying it as answering the questions makes me think that little bit more about what I read.

• Things I have seen about God this week -He has a plan for us and we need to open our eyes and not be blind, he loves us and wants to eqip us spiritually but he also cares for us as whole people physically and emotionally. 
•  Challenges to being a disciple  - obedience,listening to him, fasting? (perhaps this will make me spritually more aware and stronger)  John came to prepare the way for Jesus and pointed to him is this what I am doing? Do I need to do more?
• questions - how did john not recognise his cousin? Why did Jesus wait so long to minister to people?
• Praying for myself to have more of John's dedication and passion for telling others about Jesus, make your priorities Lord  my priorities and continue to fill me with your holy Spirit and to hear and be obedient to God's voice.

God bless you fellow bloggers

Sharon Liptrott