Praying For Change

How easy it is to think "I've had enough of that, now I'd like to move onto the next thing." or when crisis comes we pray for change or the opening of doors. We can then get a little frustrated when nothing seems to be happening. When crisis comes we must see it as an opportunity to glorify God with our reaction and faithfulness, rather than run to the nearest exit.

I am a firm believer that most things happen or don't happen for a reason, especially if your root desire is to serve God.

When praying for change, or doors to be open, a question to ask ourself is "Have we fulfilled the purposes of God in the present situation, or is there still more to do?"

I've recently been asking God for wisdom in a certain situation of my life which I wanted to change and have not really seen a way forward. This has caused me to believe that God has not finished with me yet and I have not yet seen the fullness of why I was put here in the first place.

Change is good and exciting when it comes at the right time and is clear that it is part of the purposes of God. Lets not rush onto the next thing but see what fruit if any we are meant to be producing. Even though I wanted to move on I can see I've not yet produced the fruit that God had intended, therefore I must get my focus back to the here and now.

If I am not faithful and fruitful now in what has been given me then why would God trust me with a new and exciting venture. If it's a crisis that's pushing for a way out, see it as an opportuinty to be used by God. Having success will set you up for even greater things.

We can still look to the future with excitement, knowing that God has amazing things in store for his children. We are his children if we love him and are obedient to him. When it is clear that there is no fruit to be produced we should take care not to waste our time and energy and the right doors will open.

Lets "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:33-34 NIV).

As soon as we have allowed ourselves to be used to fulfill Gods purposes by being obedient and shown willingness to serve. Then He will use us again. God is in control of every situation. Nothing happens without his agreement. Our obedience to his commands could be the key to unlock the door so that we can move on.

Now when I am praying for change in my life, I'm praying it with faith that I will accomplish all that God has for me to do now!

M6 Toll Road v M6

We are faced with so many choices. Have you ever made a choice and thought, maybe I made the wrong decision. When we go to visit Richards parents in Leighton Buzzard, we go onto the M6 Toll. Before you get to the junction that goes M6 or M6 Toll you need to have already decided which one to take. If you carried on with the flow you would automatically go onto the M6 Toll road, and end up paying the price for an easier run. It's sometimes easier to think well if there is a cost involved then it must be better, or "we are on this road now, might as well carry on!"I sometimes think it might not be busy on the other road and we could pocket the few pounds we would have spent. I wonder how many people go through life not actually realising that every action we take, first there came a choice. A lot of our choices and decisions could be the same old ones we make time and time again. It could be that we go with the flow and just do what is expected. However we make a choice there is always a cost involved.

Richard preached a great word a couple of Sundays ago. One that will challenge anyone who hears it What Will You Choose. I really recommend anyone that's not heard it to listen to it, or even listen to it again if you have.

I am challenged not to always make the same choices just because that's what I always do. I'd like the choices I make to cause those around me to be challenged by God. There is always a cost involved. If we decided not to go down the same new route of the M6 Toll, and decided to go down the M6. We would save paying the money, but would the cost be a busier route. We are faced with so many choices, like what mood am I in this morning. I can choose to change that mood or stay in it. Or do I witness today or shall I just leave it and wait for an opportunity. Richard in his word pointed out a fundamental truth that if we always wait for an opportunity we may never ever witness. There came a point where we chose to witness or not regardless of opportunities. Do I watch this film, everyone else is sat here watching it. Or we choose not to stop something because its a habbit we've allowed ourselves to get in. Or we choose not to start something because we've not got round to it. I've only touched the surface of the word that came those sundays ago. Listen to it and be prepared to change in the way you choose.

Full When Overflowing

This weekend has been a fantastatic weekend. I went to a conference in Manchester at Kings Church where I enjoyed hearing Keri Jones our apostle talk about the things of God around the world. As a people we are ministries without borders. When there is a place God wants us to go there is absolutely nothing or no one that can stop us from entering, no matter how humanly impossible it looks.

We must contstantly be full of the Holy Spirit, so that we can be an effective people of God. I took a picture (above) to illustrate that we are not full until we are overflowing. Which means our source must constantly be filling us up again and again. It never stops pouring in.