OCF MIKE

Trusting God Job 42 v12

2012-01-10T13:05:00.000-08:00

By Samantha Reed from Proverbs 31 Ministries (sent to me by a friend so I'm publishing it here for all who read this blog as it encouraged me)

“Then Job replied to the LORD: ‘I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.’ …My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” Job 42:12, 5 (NIV 1984)

Sometimes I don’t fully trust God has prepared good things. For me, for family, for friends, for others.

This past year was riddled with home foreclosures, loss of businesses, empty cupboards and gas tanks for those I love. They’ve faced suicide attempts, drug overdoses, passing of loved ones. Family and friends alike have endured marital affairs, children sentenced to jail, a second year of unemployment, cars breaking down, churches falling apart and the list goes on.

I’m not sure He can redeem the pain, recover what’s lost, heal all that’s broken. Can He truly fit the pieces of this past year into a hopeful future?

Right now, circumstances suggest otherwise. And if I rely on what circumstances currently imply, I’m apt to believe the answer is no, the Lord is not able.

But circumstances tell tales that are prone to change in a moment.

And the truth of the matter is: God never changes. His power to give a future and hope never change. His Word never changes. So when life weaves stories of doubt and hopelessness in God’s authority over circumstances, I reread accounts of His faithfulness and redemption. I refer back to the Truth…

All the while Job’s family, home, crops and health demolished…God was preparing to give him double of what was killed, stolen, lost and damaged.

The time Joseph was a slave and prisoner…God was planning for him to be second in command over Egypt.

When Ruth was a homeless, barren widow…God was creating a home in Boaz’s heart for her to be a wife, and mother, and great, great, great-grandmother to His Son.

As Lazarus was bound in grave clothes…God was forming the breath that’d give him new life.

The moment David laid down in adultery…God was laying the groundwork for him to rise up in repentance.

Every time Saul crucified Christians…God saw Paul preaching the crucified Christ.

With each strike that Sarai beat Hagar with…God saw Sarah beating her jealousy, pride and doubt with the birth of Isaac.

When Esther was an orphaned girl shaking in fear for her life…God made a way for His daughter to shake a kingdom and save His people.

As Rahab welcomed men into the shelter of her bed…God saw her sheltering the spies on her roof.

When Peter lost faith and denied Christ…God saw him bringing many to faith as he proclaimed Christ.

As Moses killed an Egyptian with his hands…God saw him chiseling the Ten Commandments with those same hands.

At the time Mary saw Jesus die…God saw Jesus resurrected and seated on His heavenly throne!

No matter what the dire, dreary circumstances, God turned each into a hopeful future.

Our key verse assures us, none of His plans can be thwarted. Despite what is happening in life, these stories of redemption and hope speak the truth. God can and will reverse, restore, revive and renew. He sees beyond the present troubles and is sparking a fire to light up the future with hope.

As we begin this New Year, let’s be on the lookout for His plans to come to pass. And trust Him that He can take any circumstance and use it for our good and His glory.

Dear Lord, I’m so grateful You not only see my future, but You’ve planned it. Thank You for Your faithfulness last year. And for recording these stories of lives You turned dreary pasts into hopeful futures. I ask that You do the same for my circumstances this New Year please. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

What has God been saying?

2011-12-18T21:22:00.000-08:00

In Acts 13 it gives us a description of the church at Antioch: 'there were prophets and teachers....they were worshipping the Lord and fasting......they placed their hands on them and sent them off' - what a great picture of church!
A church where they listen to the Spirit and to the Word, where they praise and pray, where they commission and send.

I have been catching some of the things God has been saying recently to us in OCF. I am certain there are other things God is saying to you personally but here are some of the things I have picked up:-

- we can have a clean slate with Jesus
- there can be a rainbow in front of us (a Biblical symbol of God's protection and promises) but we can't see it: God IS there, in front of you!
- 2 Corinthians 5 - we are called to be ambassadors for Christ: ministers of reconciliation and healing
- the power of the promise is real and is for us: 'I am God and I continue to work'

- are we building our lives around ourselves or are we building our lives around God?: He is before all things and in Him all things hold together
- we need to be so full of the Holy Spirit that we 'overflow and glow' - be sensitive to Him
- the faithfulness of God never fails but its our perspective that needs to be renewed
- put the sails up and catch the wind, stop drifting aimlessly with your sails down

- we need to be like a brazier that is full of heat, energy, fire: be filled with the Holy Spirit
- God has a deep affection for you: just as a perfect loving Father
- God doesn't want the church to be 'nice' or 'pretty' but dangerous (bulbs that burn brighter? or bulbs that explode and have an impact?!)

- Father, Son and Holy Spirit sit on a 3-seater throne!
- The Holy Spirit is the Ruach of God - the mighty wind: He can make dead things come to life. When 160 mile an hour winds blow then things move!
- God can do the impossible and all we need is grace sufficient for today

Increasing the blessing

2011-09-09T12:43:00.001-07:00

As we gear up for a new year of ministry when I believe God wants us to step out in healing, prophecy and a bold witness to the glory and joy of knowing Jesus I sense God wants to do us good first!

In this age of austerity and cut backs God wants to do the opposite. He wants to increase abundance, increase hope, increase blessing. Let's stop living an 'it'll do' existence and begin to see there is so much more God wants to bless us with.

Let's 'press in' to the joy and healing and blessing that the Holy Spirit has for us and not put up with anything less. Get to the prayer times and the conferences and the meetings and the Life-groups and the worship times and seek His immense blessing.

Just being with the people of God does me good - I don't know why except that it's the Spirit in them that resonates with me and equips me for the next step of the way.

Chris had a picture a while ago of a street where windows overlooking the street were closed and people were looking through the windows (at the church) but as the season changed and it became warmer then they opened the windows and could hear the message of the church.

We are in a time which I believe is a 'window of opportunity' not just in OCF but nationally and globally when people are opening their windows to hear the gospel as we go out.

This coming year requires a people who are committed to their walk with God, who are seeking Him daily (we cannot glide on yesterday's winds or the hope of tomorrow's winds - only on the wind of the Spirit for each day).

Let's begin to listen again to what the Spirit is saying NOW in this moment and declare it and encourage each other with it and even challenge each other where it is needed.

The window of opportunity will only be open for a while - NOW is the time to listen and hear what God is saying. NOW is the time to speak out the message of a loving and powerful and risen Saviour.

Let's not put Him off to another day but let's choose today who we are going to serve.

What do we do?

2011-07-29T23:33:00.000-07:00

What do we do when our heads and hearts become distracted by the cares and worries of this life?

What do we do when it's so difficult to hear and respond to God's voice because so many other voices have been given permission to be louder?

I have had a time when I've found those other voices overwhelming. Not because I've rebelling against God but just life itself has been allowed to be louder.

It becomes 'life in the red zone' and it's so easy to slip into a pace of life that is about pleasing everyone else and meeting the daily pressures, but ignoring the One who can help us through it all.

Just before he was thrown to the lions, Daniel's enemies found him praying and asking God for help – it was his normal experience to come before God three times a day despite the stressful position he had in Babylon and despite the opposition he constantly faced.

Daniel had aptitude for every kind of learning, was well informed, quick to understand and distinguished himself so much that the king was planning to set him over the whole kingdom (pressure!)

Yet Daniel did not fall back on his own abilities or fall out under the pressure but fell down before God and sought His help daily.

I have learnt some lessons through this:-

'get together' – I recently went to Lifegroup with some friends and found a refreshing as we talked together about prayer and studied the Word of God as a group – it revitalised me to be with others who love God and who also face life in all its ups and downs
're-align' – just because I can't reach the high expectations I set for myself don't give up. There are times when I will read 5 chapters a day and other times when 1 chapter is all I can manage. 10 minutes of crying out to God is better than ignoring Him because I can't do my usual 30 minutes.
'fix your eyes' – on Jesus but also on those who struggled in the faith. When Peter walked on water with his eyes on Jesus it was a 'high' that not many would experience, yet so quickly it turned into an all time 'low' as he became distracted by the wind and the storm. What happened? Did Jesus ignore him in his failure? No, Jesus reached out and lifted Him.

As a church we are busy. There are many ministries happening and great things are going on. People are passionate about serving Jesus and making a difference.

But let's not forget what Daniel and Job and Peter and countless others had to realise, and which I have realised many time over - that we are human and God is God, and without Him the centre will not hold.

Filled with the Holy Spirit (summary of Acts 2 talk)

2011-05-22T00:33:00.000-07:00

Jesus said in Acts 1 "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

We need the Holy Spirit to touch our ministries.

So the great things that we are already doing FOR God can be anointed BY God and the things we are doing which are OF God will be done WITH God.

The Holy Spirit is for witnessing and to enable us to reveal Jesus to others as we are filled with Him.

The Holy Spirit is God and when we are filled with God everything else (moaning, complaining etc) gets out of the way because something greater has arrived in the person of the Holy Spirit.

We need to pray with anticipation and desperation just as the disciples did at Pentecost and the Holy Spirit will come, in His own time and in His own way.

We need a 1st hand experience of God - not just watch everyone else doing it.

As we are filled with the Holy Spirit we won't need to struggle or strive to be witnesses anymore because the Holy Spirit will overflow from us and when He does then we are:-

re-positioned and new things begin to happen

able to speak other languages - the languages of those around us. Our work colleagues, those we meet in the pubs and clubs, university lecturers and young people, whoever we think we can't speak to now - we will be able to speak to them as the Holy Spirit enables us.

part of something that attracts a crowd - church becomes interesting and noticed instead of something people see as irrelevant or obsolete

provocative! - people ask 'what does it mean?' - a great question and we have the answer in Jesus!

Without the Holy Spirit we cannot grow, witness, understand, experience joy or do anything to the full measure that God wants us to.

Yet when we are filled with the Holy Spirit all these things can be done and more!

Letter from Ellise

2011-05-02T02:10:00.000-07:00

To my beautiful OCF family,

It's truly astonishing that a mere 8 months ago I had never had the pleasure of meeting any of you. Now I can't imagine life without you.

When I came to England I prayed and prayed that I would find a home away from home.

God answered my prayers in an unimaginable way.

He blessed me with all of you. Ormskirk Christian Fellowship is what God's fellowship is meant to be.

From the very beginning every single one of you has been so very welcoming and loving. I want to thank you for that.

It has been such a blessing to be a part of your family over the past year. I have loved getting to know you and seeing you grow as a church.

Your zeal for God and for His people is overwhelmingly beautiful. You have inspired me. Know that I go home refreshed and energized to live each day for God, as I have seen many of you do.

I have grown closer to Him in the past year than I have over my entire life.

Thank you all. God has influenced my life through you more than you will ever fully know.

I am so thrilled where God is leading OCF. He has grand plans for this church and this town.

I offer up my prayers and encouragement to each of you.

I can now appreciate the difficulties of living in a largely non-Christian community and pray for your continued strength. This place and the people desperately need God.

I have confidence that you will be paramount in their hearing and receiving of the Gospel.

Please keep me updated on your endeavors and successes!

You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Until me meet again!

All my love and God's blessings

Ellise Williams

Knowing the will of God for your future

2011-02-13T06:43:00.000-08:00

At this time of change for so many, whether through redundancy or coming to the end of a course or relationship, or regime change in Egypt, the question is - what next?

In Genesis 24 v1-27 we see some challenges that, if we truly determine to meet them, will draw us closer to the will of God for our lives.

We must 'believe God' as Abraham did - in verse 1 of Genesis 24 it tells us that the Lord had blessed Abraham in every way. Abraham believed that God loved Him and wanted the best for him even in the middle of Abraham's failure and tests. Abraham continued to beleive even when he heard God tell him to sacrifice his son. Abraham continued to believe even when his wife didn't have the child that had been promised. Abraham continued to believe even when his wife was taken from him. Blessing does not depend on us but on God in us and for us (Romans 10 v12)
Abraham knew the next steps because he knew and remembered what God had said. We too need to spend devoted lengths of time reading the Bible - it is a lamp and is alive and is active. The more we read it the more we will be able to discern the will of God. The word of God reveals the ways of God, the character of God and the trajectory of God's will.
Follow the Holy Spirit and love Him. Patiently get to know Him and spend time with Him. Talk to Him as you go about your daily walk.
Prayerfully watch - Genesis 24 v21 'without saying a word, the man watched her closely' - God answered his prayers in the midst of praying - as we pray and live in a constant place of prayer then God will answer our questions and guide us into HIs ways.
The will of God for our lives is God - what is the next step for you? God - delight yourself in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart - lean not on your own understanding but acknowledge Him - He will direct your paths.

Such basic challenges - the question now is will we do it?

Frankincense

2011-01-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered why you are here?

Did the wise men wonder why here? Why now?

They simply followed and when they got to the stable they must have thought – why here? Why now?

The answer to why here, why now, why you is found in the gifts we can bring when we are walking close to God.

Gold announces the Messiah, it proclaims the rescuer-King: Jesus Christ. We need to bring the message of Gold to the society we live in, to the people we live and love amongst.

Myrrh is a gift of sacrifice: it speaks both of healing and of death – ultimately it’s fulfilment came at the cross – we too are called to carry our cross and be part of what God is calling us to do and to be for others.

But Frankincense is the main gift for here and now.

It is the gift we must bring no matter how hard the journey is in bringing it, no matter how far we have to come to bring it.

Frankincense is the gift for here and now, and you and I are being called to bring it.

It stands for intercession, a deep and determined connection with God.It stands for the prayers that go up from the saints into the heavenly places.

There are 3 things we need to understand about this gift:-

Exodus 30 v34:.

Intercessory prayer comes from time at the Testimony.

The Testimony were the commands of God – the words of God from the mouth of God received by Moses in the presence of God.

Our intercession for our community must come from the same place – Frankincense is only Frankincense because of the tree it comes from. If it came from any other tree it wouldn’t be Frankincense.

Effective intercessory prayer comes from time at the Testimony – spending time with the commands and the words of God – no other tree will do.

Do we as a church have a word that we have found in the testimony that we are praying in and claiming for ourselves and our community? That we are allowing the Holy Spirit to wield for us in our intercession for those we are called to, here and now, to pray for.

In Psalm 141 v2 the psalmist says: ‘May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice’ - prayer is intercession when it is in the presence of God: in the thin places, in the worship places, where God-encountering connections take place.

In Revelation 8 we see the incense of the prayers of the saints on the altar before the throne of God. Intercessory prayer is not something we do to God or apart from Him or towards Him but with Him.

God does with our prayers what He wants. There is a process that happens that we offer our prayers and then leave it to God to move in His sovereign power.

Prayer is not wish fulfilment, intercessory prayer is not about always getting what we want, it is summoning the power of God to have His way and pour out His sovereign and majestic judgement. It is aligning our heart with His.

We can call on Aslan but we cannot contain Him, we cannot tame Him – all we can do is trust Him.

We are determined that this year we begin to truly pray – to join with other churches and begin to intercede for our community.

We now have a prayer room in the middle of Ormskirk which we are calling the boiler room and we will be having 24 hour prayer events there.

We have lifegroups to pray for each other and our mission fields.

We have a RiSE meeting at 9.45 every Sunday in E7 to prepare our hearts for encountering God.

We have Barnabas club where we will be words of God for each other.

We will be spending times seeking the power and leading of the Holy Spirit in prayer events in homes and venues around the area.

Prayer that comes from in front of the Testimony of God out of the presence of God in the power of God - for here and for now.

Life groups are coming!

2010-10-29T00:53:00.000-07:00

Life groups (by Mark Hudson)

The mission of ‘Life Groups’ is to enable discipleship through learning about God’s living word.

Having done a bible study course for two years it has shown me that scripture is multi-layered in the fact that you can never stop learning about God - whether you’ve been a Christian for 100 minutes or 100 years!

Once a fortnight, Life groups made up of 6 – 8 people, will give you an opportunity to learn in an informal environment. In essence the studies will run parallel with the sermon topics, enabling the small group to study in more detail a particular subject, a specific point raised and how it impacts our everyday lives and walk with Jesus.

Apart from a deeper understanding of scripture, time will also be given over for prayer, encouragement and fellowship for each person as they grow in God and his Word.

Mark and Wendy are heading up this initiative - I'm excited by the possibility of people inspiring each other to engage with God's word in order to be changed by God's word so we can reach out to others with God's word.

Life groups are voluntary for anyone who wants to get inspired and be transformed and support each other in our desire to become more like Jesus (Romans 8 v29).
A list will be circulated very soon for anyone who wants to get involved.

Let's do life together

Be conformed

2010-10-09T00:08:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to live like Jesus?
I mean 4 things which I believe are crucial if we are to grow as Christians to 'be conformed to the likeness of his son' (Romans 8 v29)

Jesus has mission at His heart: He came to proclaim the kingdom of God, the love of God and to draw everyone towards salvation found only in Him at the cross. He went anywhere to anyone at anytime to do this.

Jesus lived in faith and obedience. He was not limited by circumstances but in the face of overwhelming opposition and disappointment He carried on.

Jesus was full of the Spirit and was 'led by the Spirit'.

Jesus lived with purpose and got stirred to oppose those things that opposed God's kingdom. The poor, the imprisoned, the blind, the oppressed. He lived with calling and wasn't afraid to follow it.

How about us? What about me? What about you? Do these things describe us? Let us make sure today that they do because I believe they will determine our fruitfulness.

Making Muffins with God

2010-09-19T01:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday it was just me and my 6 year old daughter Grace together, so we made muffins.
It was dead easy - I bought a packet mix from ASDA and followed the instructions (just crack an egg, add milk and mix it all together!)

I loved it.

The reason I mention this is at the end of this blog.

This year there are already many things we are doing and about to do:-

Street pastors - to 'be there' at the messy times for people in a mess: starting in January - apply now if you want to be on the team - see Dave Mutch.

Boiler room (next to the Buck I'Th Vine) - to 'be there' as a place of prayer within the community - from which will flow so much more that will be inspired by God at the right time: Andrew and Adrienne are leading this up with support from others who they will be approaching - watch this space & speak to them about when it will be open.

Cafe church - to 'be there' (at Costa coffee on a Sunday once a month) chatting about Jesus & life. A different theme each month but always coffee! - 26th September is our next one at 4.30

Barnabas club - to 'be there' for each other. Listening to God and sharing what is on His heart for 2 people each month. To encourage and equip; to heal and build up - see Ruth or Karen S about venues and times and who is next!

Life groups - about to be launched at the end of this month (see Mark H if you are interested - there will be sign up lists too) - for Bible study and friendship - to share life and encourage each other: fortnightly.

Animate - a course of teaching and experiencing God in a new and fresh and intimate way. Highly recommended for those who want to re-engage with God - see Karl Williams for details.

Encounter (prayer) events - monthly alternating between worship & intercession in a different venue each month & 6am prayer gatherings (starting 25th September at McDonalds)
RiSE = intercession for the Sunday worship meeting; every Sunday 9.45 to 10.15 in E7

Student liaison - Dave & Jayne are 'there' for all students. To mentor and listen and link with.

Synergy - to reach out in mission together, achieving what we could not achieve alone. To 'go there' - see Dave Smith for more details.

Men's Curry Nights - 1st Monday each month at the Shamrat. See Russell & Mark

Teaching - This year we are exploring 3 key passages:-
October to December: Genesis 12-25 (Abraham - faith & obedience)
January to February: Luke 1-5 (Jesus - our rescuer)
March to May: Acts 1-5 (The Holy Spirit)

Our desire is to Live like Jesus - this must permeate everything we do.
Closer to God, Closer together, Closer to others.

Community Action - to 'be there' for our community. Whether painting a friend's house or joining other churches in a community action weekend in June.

Social connecting events - 1st one is 1st Saturday in October: bowling & pizza. Every month - see Graham or go to OCF events website

Other ministries opportunities are still happening:-
worship team; drama team; book & film club (see Chris M); Compassion (sponsoring a child in a community in India - see Sam Smith for details); short term mission; mentoring; & many more things

So why the muffins?
We can make muffins and produce great muffins (ours were!) but what made it great was making them with Grace.
God loves all that we are doing but more importantly He loves doing it with us. It is about His love and our love for Him above everything else. If all we do is make muffins and not love then we are a clashing cymbal.
I love making muffins not because I love muffins but because I love doing it with God and with you.
Let's live like Jesus who loved even to death, who showed us what love is all about, who was not ashamed to call us friends.

OCF - what are we thinking?

2010-09-10T14:50:00.001-07:00

This leader's blog will be much more about what is on the horizon in OCF. Not fully developed yet but where I believe the Spirit is leading us.
Imagine living this year like Jesus! (Romans 8 v29)
Mission was the heart of Jesus ('son of David') and must be at the heart of all we do as a church (individuals together). That is why the synergy vision is still strong. That is why we are continuing with men's curry nights, cafe church, serving the community (painting homes and moving debris!).
That is why we are launching into Street Pastors (anyone interested?) - we walk the streets and claim them for Christ and be there for those who don't yet know Him.
That is why we are renting a prayer centre, a 'boiler room' in the heart of Ormskirk - to be there and not hidden away - next to the pubs.
That is why we will be serving the community with impact weekends.

Faith and obedience was a hallmark of the life of Jesus ('son of Abraham') and we cannot do this without each other. Jesus surrounded Himself with disciples and spent time with Father.
That is why we are continuing with Barnabas, with Animate/Animation.
That is also why I want to encourage 'Life groups' - 6 to 8 people meeting anywhere together fortnightly to talk about how to apply scripture to our lives, to be friends, to encourage, love and inspire one another in this one life we have (anyone interested?)
That is why we who are mature must begin to take responsibility for each other and mentor those whom God has sent our way.

Conceived of the Holy Spirit - Jesus was filled with the Spirit and only ministered with the Spirit. The Spirit that guides us into understanding, the Spirit that comes alongside us when we are struggling, the Spirit that empowers us in our witness, the Spirit who is our friend.
That is why we too must seek to be filled with the Spirit in our quiet times but also at the encounter events we will be having bi-monthly (praise, intercession, and seeking) and at the bi-monthly 6am prayer events (how full is your bucket? - what will you do about it? what can we do together?)

There are so many things that we will be exploring in OCF - who knows what the Spirit will lead us towards and what will happen? - imagine living like Jesus

time out and time in

2010-08-13T08:02:00.001-07:00

I've had a bit of time out recently and I've deserved it!

I have to say that because as leaders and Christians so often we feel every second counts for the Kingdom and we have only one life to change the universe and we want to leave a legacy that is eternal and guilt overwhelms us if we dare to sit back and do what the Bible tells us to do and rest!

Time out for rest is good. But there is another kind of 'time out' when we're lost - Peter was doing that in John 21 when his hopes had been dashed, he had denied Jesus and his friend had been crucified.

All he wanted to do was to go back to what was comfortable and what he knew: "I'm going out to fish!".

Even then he wasn't left alone cos the others said "We'll go with you" (did Peter groan?)

verse 4 has really come alive to me in all the recent busy chaos of life and maybe apathy and disappointment and self-doubt: 'Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus'.

He is still there, He will always be there, He has never left there but sometimes we don't realise that in our circumstances He is waiting, waiting for us to realise that He hasn't left.

Now I am putting my nets on the RIGHT side of the boat and I have realised it is Him and I am leaving the boat and I am swimming to shore and I know He has lit a fire and I am excited at the thought of being with Him and the inspiration He is going to bring to feed His sheep.

I am becoming excited once again about what God is wanting to do through us this coming year. Thoughts are coming which are Holy Spirit inspired (believe me I've known the difference!) and my emotions are stirring again to see God's people get provoked (more on that another time!).

My cry is to live like Jesus in the fullness of the Spirit, obedient to the point of sacrifice, loving life and people, finding joy in serving. He is on the shore and I am swimming to Him again.

Let us each be like the disciple that Jesus loved and turn to each other and point to the shore and say 'It is the Lord!' - how much we need each other! How much the enemy wants to isolate us (his main strategy for destroying our faith and the church). How much will He never let us go!

Why bother?

2010-03-21T23:53:00.000-07:00

Peter had been fishing hard all night and was now cleaning his nets. Probably wondering where the next meal was coming from or whether his small business could survive another disasterous outing like the one he'd just come back from.

He was tired and fed up and then Jesus comes along and asks him if he would take the boat out again just so Jesus could teach.

When Jesus had finished saying all He had to say He turned to Peter and said 'let's go out into deep water and let your nets down for a catch'.

Peter, the fisherman Peter, the expert, the one who had been fishing hard all net and letting nets down all night and hoping all night and trying again and again and again said to Jesus 'we've already tried that and haven't caught anything'.

What was it that made Peter obey? Desperation? Hunger? Need? Was it to do with the words he had heard as Jesus sat in the boat teaching those on the shore? Was it simply the presence of Jesus Himself?

Whatever it was Peter says 'because you say so, I will let down the nets.'

Judging by Peter's later reaction to what happened I don't think he was hoping for much.

We have prayed and witnessed and tried to overcome and knocked on doors and hoped for breakthrough and imagined a catch that will meet our needs and the needs of others and we have pulled up our nets each time and each time the nets appear empty. So we sail into shore and begin to clean our nets and think about going to bed and wonder why bother any more.
Then Jesus gets into the boat and asks something of us: 'put out a little from the shore' - away from where you are now. Then listen. Then obey. Return to where you have no hope but this time return with Jesus. Then put down your nets - again.

When the messenger came from the house of Jairus to the synagogue ruler and said 'Your daughter is dead...don't bother the teacher any more' Jairus's world was about to collapse and then Jesus speaks - 'just believe' and 'Her spirit returned'.

At each of these points we see desperation and need. At each of these moments we see re-determination and trust. At each of these times we see Jesus.

We must put down our nets again. There are 100s who can tell of times when they had lost all hope and now are testifying to the glory and love and healing and majesty of God who had broken through. A God who made a way where there was no way. A God who has filled nets to overflowing and conquered death.

Lift up your heads o you gates that the king of glory may come in, who is he this king of glory? The Lord strong and mighty!

learning to ride

2010-03-08T23:04:00.000-08:00

Grace learnt to ride her bike at the weekend.
It was remarkably easy to be honest - I held her for a while, directed her for a bit, stopped her from falling, gave her some instructions and then, when I felt the time was right, I just shoved her as hard as I could across the soft grass and she did it!

At OCF I want us to be mentoring each other into more of God and a deeper, healthier, more 'abundant' life than before.
We need to hold, direct, give instructions and then, when the time is right, just shove!

I've been shoved many times. My first sermon, my first meeting leadership, my first praying for someone, my first worship leading time, my first job, the first time I witnessed to someone, my first assembly at school etc etc
We all get shoved from time to time and it does us good when it's at the right time.

In OCF I want to encourage shoving (at the right time). On Sunday Kevin spoke of 3 principles:-

Walk in the spirit of trust (1 step at a time)
Praise in the spirit of faith (with internal disciplines)
Step out of your comfort zones and shout (when God tells you to)

'We can't come into our tomorrows until we're out of the shadow of our yesterdays'

If I never let go of Grace then she would never have learnt to ride on her own. Yet now she decides where to go. She can travel a straight line across all kinds of terrain. Best of all is the smile on her face from the feeling of freedom she has found in achieving something wonderful.
Who are you mentoring, holding, directing, instructing, shoving?

Take a pier walk

2010-02-20T08:12:00.000-08:00

I went on a retreat (advance?) recently to Southport.

I was walking along the shore line at 9 a.m. and the sea seemed miles away. Just a line along the horizon. On the beach there was evidence that the tide had once been there with pools and channels and small streams. Things had been left behind by the sea.

Some people can look at the 'tide' of God and live as though He's never returning, like He's a distant line on the horizon. They satisfy themselves with the pools that were left behind by the last outpouring but don't expect more than that.

Others think He will come in and flood us again but not in our life-time. It's so far out and so far away that we don't live as though it's ever going to affect us. And so they build castles on the sand thinking they are safe and their 'buildings' will last forever.

Some however take a walk along the pier.

In this year of seeking God and praying to see Him I want us to take a walk along the pier.
At the end of the pier you can see the sea. You can see what it's doing. You realise that things are moving, that the sea that seemed so far away is actually coming in faster than you first thought. You can see the movement and the direction and the force and the awesomeness of what the sea is doing and about to do.

As we walk along the pier this year and reach out for revelation and a vision of what God is doing then we can return with a better understanding of the urgency of our ministry.

The tide is coming in and the direction it's taking is towards us and those we love.

We have a choice to stay at the end of the pier and just watch, or wait on the shore where the rest of the church is waiting and preparing itself for Jesus, or we can turn towards those who don't yet even know there is a sea or a tide or a return.

When the tide comes in it won't stop at the shore-line or be hindered by the barriers or walls or buildings. The Lancashire flood plain will be exactly that and those who thought there was no sea will be drowned by it unless we prepare them.

It tells us in Matthew 9 v36 that Jesus 'saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harrassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.'

Are we ready for the flood? Are those we love and live near ready? Are we on the shore waiting for our redemption or are we spending our time drawing others to the tide of love that God wants many more to experience?

In Organic Church by Neil Coles he says:-
'It is when we are in deep intercession for freedom of souls that we are closest to the heart of God ... Pray first, pray last, and in between pray hard.'

I don't believe we are anywhere near the level of prayer that God is calling us to as a church but I do see hope rising and a stirring of the Spirit in people that creates faith in me.

Lord we 'beseech' (Luke 10 v2) you to raise up and send out the workers, that You may anoint us again to witness to Your name and Your return.

stop the bus

2010-02-06T11:55:00.000-08:00

I was travelling in to Ormskirk by bus this morning. There was a thick mist on either side of the road.
Now and again I caught glimpses of trees and farm machinery but they soon disappeared again behind the mist.

Many say they don't believe in God because they can't see Him.
Some say they can't see God from where they are and so don't believe in Him.

Did the trees not exist because I couldn't see them? Had the fields and landscape left me becuase my vision of them was hidden by the fog I was travelling through?

I could have walked through the mist and eventually seen what was there but I was on a bus heading in a direction I had paid for along a road where there were no stops.

The truth is that God is with us. We may be travelling through a mist at times and yet God is with us. The bus we are on may be travelling in a direction we've paid for but God is there and it's time to press the bell, shout at the driver 'stop!' , and jump off - to get to God.

Why do we worship? Why do we pray together? Why do we bother meeting? Because we are all travelling together and from time to time someone shows us the way that lifts us again.

We need each other's wisdom and encouragement because these are gifts from God that He has invested in others for the sake of us all.

Thank you to the people of OCF who move in those gifts and who care enough to be there and who are brave enough to ring the bell, shout 'stop' and lead the way back, sometimes through the mist, to see God.

You shall be rebuilt

2010-01-14T13:04:00.000-08:00

Have you read Word for Today today (Thursday 14th Jan)?!
' I have loved you with an everlasting love.. I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt..' Jeremiah 31 v4
'What life has torn down, God can rebuild.'

As I watched the news yesterday morning of the earthquake in Haiti it caused my heart to go out to those people who have lost everything. Here I am bemoaning my fate because it's cold outside and there's snow on the road, whilst people's lives and homes have been destroyed!

Suffering is always comparative yet Jesus said 'Fear not, I have overcome the world.'
Sometimes we look around and we wonder what is happening. Why it is happening. And a frustration grows within us for things to be different - good.

Out of frustration and out of yearning and out of hopelessness God will plant and rebuild.

It was so exciting to hear of baby Daniel Burgess being born yesterday. A new life in the middle of now, a new person here, someone who is unique - in all this there is hope because each of us is called to be rebuilt, to be reborn and though we may be in a time of frustration it is just the birth pangs of new life.

As we continue to pray and seek Father He will, at the right time, respond to our desire and our yearning (get your big boots on and start standing and stomping - the enemy will NOT have his way much longer!)

We have started a new series on the prayers of Jesus and Russell spoke of a God who is accessible, available and loving. Steve Hepden on Wednesday night spoke of the divine favour of God as we speak to the rock (Jesus).

Next month we are calling the church to a night of piercing the darkness when we will intercede throughout the night for God to break in with His light to situations we are yearning to see God move in and seeking God for the things He wants us to move in!

We shall move into a year of healing as we persevere in prayer. God will build us and rebuild us because He loves and He calls us to love Him and share this 'everlasting love' from the overflow.

For

2009-12-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

Sue Latham came to speak to us on Sunday:-
We are called to walk in the newness of life; forget the former things (Isaiah 43v18)
Out-work the old and work out the new - but do we like the old better? Are we hanging on to the past.

Take everything to the cross - not just the bits that WE think we need redeeming but everything - even the bits we think are OK, that we judge to be acceptable - bring it all to the cross and let God be the judge - for fruitfulness.

Why does God want to do this in us? Because we are priceless in His sight and He loves us.

knock and stay!

2009-12-02T09:43:00.000-08:00

When we lived in Birch Green near one of the many subways we would often be sitting in our living room when there would be a knock at the door.
We would leap up to answer it only to hear the feet of children running off into the distance or under the subway.
We'd settle down again and then another knock and as we got up to answer it once again the feet could be heard dashing off to safety.

D.L.Moody said "Thus is it often with us. We ask for blessings, but do not really expect them; we knock but do not mean to enter; we fear that Jesus will not hear us, will not fulfil His promises, will not admit us; and so we go away........ A great many people pray in that way; they do not wait for the answer."

Yes I believe that we are in a season of openess to God and a time when God is responding to the prayers of His people, yet that does not mean it is always in the manner that we expect or desire.

God is sovereign and in faith we must come to seek His living, rhema word knowing that He is speaking and acting continuously for us. Knock and then wait for the answer - enter in and see what God wants to say and do.

Ask, seek, knock.

Increasing

2009-11-30T14:32:00.000-08:00

'It is for increasing degrees of awareness that we pray, for a more perfect consciousness of the divine Presence.' - A.W.Tozer (The Pursuit of God)

'Where is our sustenance coming from?' - the sluggishness and emptiness that besets us all from time to time cannot be overcome by anything other than feeding ourselves on God's word and prayer.
An army marches on its stomach and we need solid food - let's soak in His true love.

Philippians 3 v12 - we press on because our citizenship is in heaven and so let's make our life here on earth count. May we be small men and women who are full of a big God.

Death and suffering and doubt and misery and discouragement and pain are intruders. The tomb is empty and the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in us too. So we too will be and can be raised.

These are some of the things that were shared this last Sunday in church.

Let's get encouraged by what God is saying and this Christmas see that He can make a way where we thought there was none, as we also prepare a way in our own hearts and have the privilege of being used to prepare a way in others.

imagine

2009-11-21T11:44:00.000-08:00

At Christmas we are reminded that Jesus, who once had been the unimaginable, who once had dwelt in majesty and glory in a dimension beyond our understanding, became imaginable to us in His incarnation.

He took on flesh so we could see Him and so He could be with us and for us.

Imagine:-
His IMAGE IN Earth
His IMAGE IN Eternity
His IMAGE IN Everyone

What a wonderful message. Jesus, born in Bethlehem in the image of man who had been formed in the image of God.

We too must carry the image on. Be image-bearers of the once unimaginable.

To enable others to imagine the glory of a God who was and is and is to come.

The God who came so that we could behold Him, behold His image, imagine the truth of who He is for us now and for who He has always been for us at every twist and turn of every breath of our past and will forever be there for us now and always.

Christmas is the unimaginable at last imagined, revealed and experienced. For us to know and see and share.

here, now, you

2009-10-30T02:03:00.000-07:00

I can remember when I was a child going to the beach in the Summer holidays with my family.
We would be laden down with deckchairs and windbreaks and picnic blankets and towels and buckets and spades and food in baskets.

The first thing we always did was to find somewhere to 'camp' - one bit of beach looked the same as another to me and yet my dad would take us on a long trek to find the perfect place to stake our claim. For miles, it seemed, we would walk when I just wanted to stop, get my trunks on and jump in the sea.
Strangely, now that I have a family of my own, I do the same thing as my dad - looking for the perfect place for the perfect beach experience.

God is calling us to stop looking for the perfect 'somewhere else, sometime else, someone else' - pitch your tents and set up camp because it is here and it is now and it is you that God has called you to.
Your 'here' is the place where you are - maybe not forever but certainly for today. Your work place, your home, your course, your friendships, your area where your living now, your family, your region, your church. Your location of all the places in the world is where God has called you so immerse yourself in it and celebrate it and be 'incarnational': become part of your community rather than looking for the ideal community elsewhere to set up your deckchair.

Your 'now' is the 21st century - you cannot live yesterday. Society has changed and we must change with it if we are to be relevant with the gospel. To bring the eternal values of God into the context of today.
At this time of redundancies and terror and post-post-modernism what is the church saying and more importantly what are you (the church in flesh) saying - how are you impacting the now - is it with the strategies of the past?

Your 'you' is being the best that you are in God. Fearfully and wonderfully made. No-one is like you and therefore God chose here and now for you to be - it is a perfect fit. Take all that God has made you to be and be it where others are - incarnationally present here and now reflecting all the glory of God that He has placed deep in you for this time and for this place.

What are you doing on a Friday night? Where are you going on a Monday evening? Who are you with in the middle of the week? What difference have you made this week in the eternal salvation journey of those around you?
Here, now, you.

cutting edge

2009-10-25T00:20:00.000-07:00

It was great seeing so many people at the Encounter prayer for our community gathering on Thursday.

Here's some of what God said through Steve (& others):-

-'more of the same' (i.e. keep praying and growing in God)
- we need to rediscover/find our cutting edge personal vision for our lives
-re-energise vision and stir it up
-vision needs relationship with God and with each other

-walk together and know each other's hearts

-like a virus we need to spread the gospel (infiltrate and influence with the power of God)
-we are in a time of preparation
-we need to expand
-establish vision, purpose and significance
-not where is the God of Elijah but rather where are the Elijah's of God?

Others:-
-go against the grain
-keep tapping like a chick on the egg and we will break through
-each prayer is a turn of the combination on the safe into the treasures of God
-God will crush satan beneath our feet
-we have authority: understand our position
-a forest may be dark and damp but if you rub the wood together you can make fire: light and the dismissal of fear

created

2009-10-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

Why a year of seeking God? Why prayer? Why hungry for Him?
These are not stupid questions. 'Why' is an important question - one we should be asking constantly.
Genesis 1 v1 says 'In the beginning God...'
God was here first. He was present first and has first rights on us. He is our source, our beginning and everything flows from Him.
God created - His presence is a creative place to be.
To be in His presence is to be created.
I want us as a church to be a creative community that has an impact on those around us by being close to this creative presence and drawing others to that same presence.
Why are we praying this year and seeking God? - because it's fun, adventurous, creative, joy-filled, the best thing we can do with our time, a foundation for everything else we will BE

While all the world is sleeping

2009-09-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

While all the world is sleeping
And everybody dreams
We can't rebound the echoes
That bleed into our peace
Our buildings lack foundation
Our roofs are leaking shame
We need an intervention
That moves these stones again
An ocean forming impact
That changes what we see
A flooded river flowing
And the healing touch of leaves

Why do we need to have a year of prayer?
Because God wants to break in through us and an increase in authority comes from being with the One who has authority.

We need an intervention and where the intervening river flows everything will live..fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river..their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.

What do we want from God?
For Him to flow without limitation.
What do we want from God?
Nothing except what He wants from us.

I'm reading Alan Hirsch at the moment and for those interested in church development and leadership I believe he's saying important things which we need to engage with.

But this is firstly a year of prayer - not pointless purposeless prayer but prayer that commands angels and destroys strongholds. Prayer that occupies the hill-tops and brings down the avalanches of God. Where deep calls to deep and where we know the inclined ear of the healer.

God will revolutionise His church - all He asks is for us to listen and let Him flow, intervene, interfere, have His own way - then we will see all His dreams and more fulfilled.

Living in a thin place

2009-09-11T14:23:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited by so many things rising up in the church at the moment. Both in OCF and across the world. I see hearts turning away from schemes and towards God.

Not that there's anything wrong with schemes, ideas or plans but without God they are fruitless.

I heard of something during the Summer that I'd not heard before. In Celtic Christianity there is/was a saying that the distance between heaven and earth is about 3 foot (i.e. not much) and in the 'thin places' it is even less.

I want to live in a thin place. I want to pray that my friendships are thin places, that my home and my marriage and my family are thin places, that OCF and the wider church is a thin place. That Ormskirk and the surrounding community is a thin place where heaven touches earth.

How does this happen? Hosea 2 v21 says "In that day I will respond," declares the Lord - "I will respond to the skies, and they will respond to the earth...."

We are entering a time when God is declaring that He will respond to the cries of His people like never before. What do we do? - we cry out.

Does this mean we do nothing else? - no, but I recall the verses I was given over 20 years ago when I first came to really know Jesus - from Isaiah 55:-
"my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord

I have a favourite character at the moment from scripture. Moses was a murderer who ran away and went to live in the desert after being in the courts of Pharaoh. Then God called from a bush and sent him back to where he had run away from.

Before we can do great things we need to hear the call of our great God and know that our schemes and the exciting things God has for us to do can only be fruitful in the thin places where we lay down our ways and submit our lives to His.

The difference

2009-08-26T15:25:00.000-07:00

"If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here........What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"
(Exodus 33 v15-16)

Amen! God always first, His Presence always above everything else, connecting with Him paramount, nothing else matters more.
We can organise, prioritise, socialise even revolutionise but I'd rather let God arise.

What does that mean in reality?
It means we spend more of our time only with Him.
It means we get to know what He is thinking by listening only to Him.
It means we overflow to others with more of Him.
Time in His Presence makes a difference - it 'distinguishes' us, for God and His glory.

Hungry for God

2009-08-25T23:42:00.000-07:00

'The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent' Exodus 33 v11
WOW! face to face! Joshua, the future leader, could not retreat from the presence of God.
Did he have friends or family or other things to do? No doubt.
Could he leave the presence of God? Not when it's been 'face to face'

How hungry am I for God?
Is it above every other hunger? Hunger for acceptance, for love, for wealth, for material possession, for family, for church growth, for friendship, for justice, for peace, for respect, for healing, for comfort? Is my hunger for God above all these things?

When it is these things will be added to us but even if they are not what is our perspective? Are we hungry enough to cry out with the prayer of Hannah? Do we hunger for the one who thought of light when everything was darkness all the time?

Church has some interest but far more interesting and exciting and wonderful is God Himself, for Himself and as Himself 'face to face'.

mike is blogging

2009-08-25T12:13:00.000-07:00

Hello welcome to Mike's first blog.
I will be letting you know why I'm doing this at some point in the future.
Love you all
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