http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008 Thoughts, reflections and insights from some of the TWCF team. AdvancedMinistry We had an amazing day on Sunday thanks to the whole of the TWCF church community's generous and sacrificial giving and to our amazing God who orchestrated things in such a way that we received exactly the amount we estimated we needed for the whole project (including the gift aid reclaimed). This is an amazing outcome, and encourages us in so many different ways: God knows EXACTLY what we need before we ask (Matt 6:8) God prompted each of us to give just the right amount (and we listened!) God provides to us so that we can be generous givers. Every gift was vital and meant that together we got to the total we estimated we needed for the building works. God provides at the right time and in the right way. We are part of an amazing community of people who want to see God's kingdom come. Together we can accomplish much - We Are Church! I'm sure you'll be delighted to know that we've since received verbal confirmation that our second planning application (for banners on the front of the church) has also been accepted, we've also received written confirmation of the acceptance for the main application, and as write this, our builders are on site and work has started already! God is so good! http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=28083 28083 Thu, 13 Oct 2011 05:40:00 +0000 This Sunday we are coming to gather together expecting something great. We should always have an expectation of something great, but all too often we are distracted by other things to really take the time to think about what we are doing as we gather as church. This Sunday is different though. We are asking the church to come ready with much to give and with great excitement and expectancy, and with no sign of a selfish motive anywhere. We believe in creating and being in community. We believe that Jesus made it possible for us to be in community with each other and to not be broken apart or separate, but united in our devotion to Him and to each other.  We also believe that we are here with purpose and calling to serve and reach our community in Jesus' name.  This Sunday we are taking up an offering which is an awesome expression of our devotion to our community. For this offering will not result in comfier chairs for the congregation, or an even more splendid church “sanctuary” whatever one of those is, but will be an expression of our commitment to the call of reaching our community for Jesus, sharing faith and providing opportunities for discipleship in new and creative ways. The challenge this time is to come to give on behalf of the whole community. Believing that our town needs Jesus, we come to give on Sunday so that as a result of our giving our facilities may become radically more inclusive and provide many more opportunities for outreach, mission and acts of service. We want to take up an extravagant offering which reflects us hearing from God and devotedly counting the cost of obedience to His call.  Our community is worth it! We ask for generosity without fear, shame or trying to provoke any sense of guilt. We will gather to give cheerfully, extravagantly, sacrificially and joyfully in the confident expectation that as we do so we are taking the next steps in becoming the people that God wants us to be: a community of God's people who are reaching our community for Jesus. This Sunday will be another demonstration of divine altruism at work. Kindness on display and faith in action as we unite to give and serve those around us. http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=27828 27828 Fri, 7 Oct 2011 10:50:00 +0000 We’ve been looking at making the most of the Bible in recent weeks.  We saw at first  that God wants to reveal himself,  that the whole of the biblical revelation points toward Jesus, the ultimate expression of God’s revelation to us. Last week we saw that the Bible as God’s “breathed out word” contains truths which require us to take notice of what we are reading through simple steps: Expecting God to reveal himself Prayer Reading Asking questions about what we are reading and through, Imagining the scenes we are reading about This week we looked a little more closely at correctly handling God’s word and specifically at how we interpret the words we’ve observed as we think of its relevance to our lives.  As well as choosing a good translation of the Bible and understanding how this works we also saw what it means to read passages in context with the whole Bible as well as with the immediate setting that the author is writing into.  We saw that whilst it may very occasionally be appropriate to lift a verse out of its context where: we’ve not changed the meaning of the passage, and where the sense and meaning of the passage match the message of the rest of the Bible We also saw that it is very dangerous to twist the meaning of verses, or to try to change the meaning from that held in the original context.  Hopefully we will be better equipped to carefully assess the teaching that we watch, hear and read to see if the Bible is being used appropriately or if it is being forced to fit a particular agenda – as we only want to be led by what God is saying, not the latest or greatest twist on God’s truth. Where Next: Application So where next? I hope that we will begin to put God’s word into practice with a renewed expectation that God is speaking clearly to us and with a new found confidence that  we are able to hear and understand what he is saying even without the benefit of specialist help. Application is the last part of seeing God’s revelation in the Bible: Observation       (What does it say?) Interpretation   (What does it mean?) Application         (What do I do?) In order to apply God’s word we can ask similar questions to those which formed part of the Observation phase e.g.  What is God saying to me? What lessons can I learn from the examples I’ve just read?  What instructions or actions is God prompting me to take after reading this passage? Getting started with the Bible But what of the Bible itself ?  We know that God wants to speak to us through his word in the Bible and will try to reveal himself to us as we come read and meditate on His word.  Where do we start?  For many people, knowing how to approach the Bible is a difficult process and one which causes some consternation, yet help is at hand.  Below are links to several different Bible reading plans, each of which can be a great resource and each of which reflect different styles of reading and learning.  E100 Bible Readings  [DOWNLOAD]  If you’d like a quick overview of key Bible stories and events, filling in some gaps and providing you with some confidence as to how the whole thing holds together a great place to start is with Scripture Union’s recently published E100 Bible reading plan.  In 100 readings of two chapters or less each time (approx 10 minutes) the E100 plan covers many of the main themes and events in the Bible.  This is a great plan to read on your own or with someone else so that you can keep track of your reading and discuss what God is saying.  The readings are not dated, so you can proceed at the pace you choose. Bible in a Year Plan  [DOWNLOAD] If you’d like to read through the whole Bible in a structured way then there is a plan for you too.  The TWCF Bible in a year plan enables you to read through several chapters a day whilst allowing for some rest days each month too.  Because this covers the entire Bible this is a more intense plan than the E100 readings and will take around 20 minutes of reading each day. New Testament  in a Year Plan [DOWNLOAD] If you’d like to read through just the New Testament in a structured way then there is a plan for you too.  The TWCF NT in a year plan enables you to read through a chapter a day whilst allowing for some rest days each month too.  Because this covers only the New Testament this is a less intense plan than the Whole Bible plan. Bible Anytime Plan [DOWNLOAD] If you’re reading the Bible already and would be keen to read all the way through but don’t find that a systematic approach works for you, please use the TWCF Bible Anytime plan, in which you simply cross off the chapters and books you’ve read in any order and at any time.  Read a whole book in one go? Cross it off.  Read just a single chapter? Simply cross it off. With any plan or help to read more of the Bible, please remember that God wants to reveal himself to you much more than he wants you to complete a plan or tick a box.  It is all about Him!!! Also, please be aware that if reading is difficult for you, there are audio Bibles available online as well as on CD/MP3.  It doesn’t really matter what the format is as long as we are discovering more about God and how exciting his revelation is! http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=27084 27084 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:40:00 +0000 This morning we looked together at being positioned to receive God’s best, believing together that God wants to pour out so much more into our lives!  We saw from Joshua’s life that to receive God’s fullness we should:  Hold on to God  - We move forward in His strength.  (Joshua 1:1-6) All that we do is of his grace. Stay longer – Joshua displayed a hunger for God’s presence.  God honours and responds to spiritual hunger.  Linger in His presence.  (see especially Exodus 24:13 & 33:11) Waste more – When called to give a city to God, Achan kept some goods back for himself (Joshua 6:17, 24-25; 7:1) After all, it would have been a waste to destroy everything wouldn’t it?  Whenever we hear God’s prompting to step out in Him we will be challenged to ‘calm down’, ‘shrink back’ and be less ‘extravagant’.  The disciples fell into this trap too.  (Matt 26:6-13). This morning I focussed on our response to God in worship and in our giving, but would have liked to take more time to rightly extend the thought to include all that we do in response to God’s prompting- let us be more extravagant in all that we do for our saviour, not just in our meetings but in every way. Step out – Joshua was called to be obedient and to have courage as he trusted God.  As we step out for God he goes before us, fulfilling His promise faithfully. I believe that God longs to move among us in new measure and will lead us forward in the work of the Spirit as we seek Him together.  I look forward to what God will be doing through the work of his Spirit throughout the weeks ahead as He prompts us to seek him and be utterly devoted to His cause.   Throughout the summer let’s press in to all that God has for us and be directed by Him in every way... extravagantly!  We'll catch the wave of God's Spirit, provision and purpose as He fulfils His purposes among us and as His Kingdom comes. http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=25089 25089 Sun, 17 Jul 2011 09:12:00 +0000 It is time. The war cannot be put off any longer. No more sitting on the fence. I must join one side or the other, and that really narrows the option down to a choice of one decision. To enlist. This is a battle that I’ve entered often, but always with the sense that I would gain some ground, and probably lose some ground too.At times I’ve felt victorious, but it has soon become apparent that somewhere some ground has been stolen from under my feet. I’m talking of course of the battle with sin and its effects in my life. The battle against sin cannot remain un-fought. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not keen on sin. I don’t set out to go against God. Usually. But I’m not sure that I’ve ever really gone to war against sin and set out to win. Completely. To annihilate sin and its influence. To hate sin with every fibre of my being. I’m not terribly good at hating. Even writing “not terribly good” implies that doesn’t it? Yet to love God automatically means to hate other things, including sin and its effects. I wonder how much we allow sin to remain with us. Allowing its tendrils and roots to take hold of us. Allowing it to have a hold on us because we are too nice to it. Sin is not nice to us. It destroys us. It robs us of intimacy with God. It breaks the purity of our relationships with others who are seeking God. It steals away peace, hope, joy, and the best that God has for us. We’ve been too soft on sin. As we look at the gospel stories we’ve painted Jesus as being kind and generous to sinners. And He is! And yet his teaching on sin is so much more radical than that of the most eager Pharisees. Jesus leaves no place for sin. Soft on sin? Not any more. Let the battle commence. Bring it on.    Stuart http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=21282 21282 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:01:00 +0000 I love it when God does something which completely takes us by surprise.  We've feel like we've got life all worked out and suddenly everything changes.  Where our world is expanded and our horizons changed in an instant.  Luke records the reaction of a watching crowd moments before Jesus brought a young girl back to life. He writes "They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead." (Luke 8:54). They were so sure of what they believed.  So certain in fact that they laughed at Jesus for suggesting anything different.  Just minutes later EVERYTHING changed.  Luke, the New Testament medic, simply goes on to write these words "But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!"."   With those simple words, nothing could ever be the same again.  Yes, the crowd had seen this sort of thing thousands of times before. They clearly knew what to expect.  They knew how the story was supposed to end, and yet everything the crowd knew was overturned in an instant when Jesus decided that this story would end differently.  That God would step in and change everything. That this day was going to be marked by a divine "but". We may be facing situations which we think can only go in one direction. Stories where we know the ending already.  A prognosis given by a doctor, a relationship soured by years of neglect, another job lost, a friend headed down the wrong path.   We've seen it all before and the ending is not a happy one.   And yet, any moment now, another monumental declaration of "But God" can be breathed out in our lives.   This is the day when God steps in.  When God changes the status quo, the ordinary, the expected into something quite different.  When we are able to say, 'I thought it would go like this....but God...'.  Look out for that day and be ready to give thanks when it comes. Jesus, help us to see you even when our sight fails us.  Lead us close to you that we might be ready for the "but God" moments whenever and wherever they come. http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=21243 21243 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:33:00 +0000 Jesus was far from boring.   Controversial, extreme, challenging & outrageous; but not boring. With him around life often consisted not only of healings, lives being changed and miracles but also of parties, celebrations and feasts. "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?" (Luke 5:34) Jesus said, clearly referring to himself as the bridegroom and his disciples as the guests.  The answer he's expecting would not have pleased the religious people of the day.  Now is a time of feasting.  Of enjoying Jesus' presence.  Of gladness and joy.  In the middle of a devout religion very much on display, Jesus presents another way to worship.  An altogether more inclusive and freeing way of drawing near to God, surrounded by revellers doing the same.   Jesus seems far less concerned about the mess that parties leave behind than he is about people being near to him and so also being brought near to God the Father. What about us?  Have we joined the party or do we secretly dislike parties for containing too much fun, too much enjoyment and for creating too much mess?  Maybe we are just not sure to stand or who to talk to? Perhaps we find them all a little shallow? Today Jesus invites us to feast with him.  It might be messy.  It will be far from shallow.  It might even be fun.   I'm sensing a new call to enjoyment in churches up and down the land.  We can do "serious" very well and have mastered "spiritual" and "devout".  I fear that we have been like a new breed of Pharisees - all religious and very, very earnest.  Perhaps this is one of the reasons that God has watched from a distance at times, waiting for us to realise that he needs to be at the centre, and that where he is there is so much joy, release, and even some fun! Today we're invited to a party.  Coming? http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=21066 21066 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:46:00 +0000 Psalm 1:1-2 "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." The choices set out in the Bible seem so clear cut.  So simple.  Avoid sin, follow God. It's all so neatly cut and dried.   I love Psalm 1, partly as it was one of the passages I had to try to memorise once.  I seem to remember being asked to quote it half way down an abseil off a bridge. I know - slightly bizarre. I also love this psalm because it deals with very real issues and offers hope.   We rarely set out to walk in the counsel of the wicked, or when looking for a place to stand go and select the way of sinners, nor do we plan to go and sit with those who are mocking.  But sometimes we do find ourselves there, no doubt because we've edged closer than we should have done.  We've lacked the strength to find somewhere else to go, another path to walk, or some other less mocking friends to sit with.  In fact, as we know it is not just where we sit, stand or walk, but what we do when we are there that matters.  The writer of Psalm 1 presents a better way.  To fill ourselves up with God's Word.  To delight in it.   I love reading the Bible, though I've often not felt very good at it.  I have sort-of followed Bible reading plans on a number of occasions  and have often come unstuck because one verse has stopped me in my tracks.  I find myself pausing and reading a phrase again and again, allowing the words to fill my mind and roll around (there's not much else in there!).   This Psalm encourages us to do the same.  To allow God's word to be our delight. To feast on it.  This doesn't mean that it is some "eat as much as you can" contest.  That's got nothing to do with about delighting and savouring. That's just trying to prove a point. As if we've found the finest of wines, or the tastiest meal, the writer of this psalm encourages us to meditate on God's Word.  To let it fill us up.  To delight in it. Today, open your Bible.  Find a passage to read, ask God to speak to you and go for it. There's no rush.  Savour.  Enjoy. Delight.  As we join in God's feast we'll find ourselves equipped to avoid the ways, seats and counsel that we'd rather not enter into, and even if we do find ourselves there we'll be able to bring a change in those already there as we share the feast with them. Stuart http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=21027 21027 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:18:00 +0000 Just as I write this some won’t be reading it.  At least not for the next 40 days or so. It’s that time of year again when people give up chocolate, sticky buns or even Facebook in the season that runs up to Easter.  Lent.  Time for fasting of a sort and for taking measures to cut out certain pleasures.  All of which  seems rather at odds with the world around us today.  If there is no immediate benefit  to health or to looking better, some people will be incredulous that co-workers, family members and others have given up something without a benefit that can be observed straight away. Abstinence. Withdrawal. Lack. At the present time feasting has also got somewhat of a bad name.  Needless extravagance, waste, and excess are frowned upon.  Haven’t we heard about the economic downturn?  Yet feasting is as much part of Lent as fasting.  For every fast or practice of abstinence there is the anticipation of that period of time coming to an end.  With many types of fasting this happens in the quiet with a gentle return to eating normally.  With Lent however, the processes of reflection and abstinence that accompany people’s journey towards Easter Sunday are held in tension with the abundant celebration which awaits on that day. Just as water tastes so much better to the thirsty, so the events of Easter Sunday are heightened to those who have gone through the experience of Lent in the preparation of that great day.  I’ve not often followed Lent. It has not been a practice I’ve adopted.  I’m not completely sure that we need to mark out spiritual seasons in advance on our calendars, even though I can see some benefits in doing so. But this year I will be fasting AND feasting in the run up to Easter.  As each of us asks God individually I expect him to show us areas of our lives which might have some benefit, but which we can safely leave to one side for a few weeks.  Things from which we can fast.   Equally, I fully expect God to show us areas of our lives in which we need to feast.  Maybe for us that means positively overflowing with kindness, grace, love and mercy.  We will also quite probably hear God’s call to feast on him, his word, his life, his presence and his life changing power. We are often good at doing one thing or another thing.  Our personality types seem wired to enjoy one or the other.  To be people who fast or feast.  I wonder if this year we might try to do two things as we fast and feast as God directs us.  Maybe then Easter will be more than another highpoint on our proverbial “Spiritual Journey” but will be an integral part of God’s abundant, unfolding revelation of himself. God is calling us so much deeper in him and fasting AND feasting are part of that process.  May we enjoy and know God in a new way each and every day as we simply fast and feast as he directs us.     http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=20983 20983 Wed, 9 Mar 2011 07:40:00 +0000 Luke 5:1 “One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God...” This verse ends with the people listening to the “word of God”.   Luke no doubt means exactly what is recorded here, that the crowd was listening to the “word of God”, i.e. preaching about God.  Yet it is also true that whether the crowd realised it or not they were also listening to the “Word of God” i.e. Jesus – the one who is the very Word of God itself (see John 1:1-3).  As you’d expect, I’m all for preaching; especially great biblical preaching which points people to Jesus and which presents people with words of life and hope.  Yet even the very best preaching is a pale reflection of the One who is the very Word of God. On Sunday I encouraged our church to download any sermons that people had missed in previous weeks so as to hear what God had been saying to us through the preaching.  That's a great thing to do and those talks can be found here .  I'm going to encourage more people to do this and will be giving the web address more often.   Yet it is not enough just to hear people speaking from the word of God and about the word of God even if this is done really well.  As we speak, or listen to the “word of God” we must also be seeking out the “Word of God”.  He is Life.  He is Hope.  He is the One who saves, redeems and sets free.  He is the One who wants to speak to us today.  I'm challenged afresh to draw near to him and receive all that He has to share with me today.  I need to hear from Him. May you be blessed as you seek the Word. May you hear from God himself words that fill you with life and hope. May you come ready to hear the word of God preached knowing that the Word is speaking too and that you've heard from Him. Stuart http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=20655 20655 Tue, 1 Mar 2011 07:40:00 +0000 “But the man who makes me his refuge will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.” Isa 57:13 Where is my hiding place? When the storm comes I run into or away from God? As images from around the world fill our newspapers, TVs and computer screens, I’m reminded of the many storms of circumstances which come into people’s lives at different times. This verse encourages us to run towards God yet so often we find ourselves running away, or at least coming to God after we’ve exhausted all the other options.    To make God our refuge implies that we devotedly and intentionally seek God out.  That we go to Him first for our place of safety from all that rages around us.  Equally, it implies that we go to that same place in God to celebrate our successes and joys too.  Sadly, some people find that they are no longer sure of whether God wants them to come to Him, as if perhaps their invitation is out of date, or has somehow been revoked.  Running to God requires we put aside our primary desire to work everything out ourselves, or our need for human affirmation and the sense of wanting  to gather around us people to understand or side with us.  Instead we choose to sprint headlong towards our God first. When we begin to do this first, above all other options, we find that not only do our perspectives change, but also the situations around us change too.   One of the greatest aspects about coming running to God is that he is not far away.  He is always near and even if we feel very far from Him, turning ourselves around means that we find ourselves right next to Him.   Lord, we’re coming.  We’re running into you.  You are our refuge, our strength, our delight.   http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=19589 19589 Thu, 3 Feb 2011 13:14:00 +0000 I like “New Year”. I like it a lot.  It’s not so much the fireworks, parties, Jools Holland on the TV or all that, it’s the hope that people have at this time of the year. We want a new start.  We want the opportunity to begin again, to hope again.  I guess you could say there is a redemptive theme running through our celebrations.  I always used to like the feeling that I got when I started a new exercise book at primary school.  There was always the (groundless in my case) hope that my handwriting would be better this time – and it was for the first page or two...  But even though I knew that it would all get messy later on, I liked the hope that was present as I started all over again. Turning a page of a calendar over doesn’t really offer a completely new start for us, any more than starting a new exercise book could work a miracle for my handwriting.   We could say that it is just an arbitrary date, devoid of any special significance, but we would find ourselves missing another opportunity for grace to be manifest. Let us make the most of it rather than decrying it. This New Year, let God highlight some of the things from 2010 that we need to leave with Him.  The  sin, mistakes and patterns of behaviour that we have slipped into during the last year.  God knows them already, and there are some things which we certainly don’t want to carry forward into the next day let alone the next year.  He is ready to forgive, to wash us clean and to give us a new start. Then as an equal part of our preparation, let God highlight areas for 2011 which he wants us to focus on: aspects of our lives or our circumstances which He wants to develop and shape, challenges and opportunities which He wants to bring our way.  We can ask now for God’s strength for the journey ahead, for faith to move mountains and for His Kingdom to come. I’m giving thanks for all that God has done over this last year and for His continued grace which enables us to look back with thankfulness and look forward with hope. The Bible says it like this: “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1).  Jesus said “follow me”.  That remains our calling as we transition from 2010 into 2011. This coming year can be amazing because God is!   Happy New Year, Stuart http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=18349 18349 Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:07:24 +0000 Reading through the book of Jeremiah today I read a couple of verses which I had not noticed before in which God completely redefines the history of the nation of Israel and in doing so rewrites not only their past but also their hopes for the future. In Jeremiah 23:7-8 we read these words;  "So then, the days are coming," declares the LORD , "when people will no longer say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,'  but they will say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.'” In this one statement God is completely rewriting the story of the history of Israel.  For generations they had celebrated Passover, for generations they had told the story of the Exodus of Israel from Egypt and in this one passage God says that soon they would be telling a new story. That soon there would be a new high point to mark their history. A new reference point by which all experiences must measure up and which could be used at any point in the future to demonstrate God's faithfulness. The Exodus story defined the people of Israel up to that point and yet God says in this passage that he will do a new thing, a greater thing, a more amazing thing. God can make a new reference point today. He is able to do that which we've never seen him do before. He is able to rewrite our perspective on history by superseding it in our present and in our future. Let us believe together not for the glory days of yesterday to be repeated  but for fresh experiences in God which would reshape and redefine our  approach to our history as well as giving us renewed hope for a brighter tomorrow. Lord Jesus, please begin today.   http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=15920 15920 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 11:53:57 +0000 How many moments in our lives to we have the thought ? I was born for this!? ?We face a huge number of choices from a young age. Which school to go to. Which clubs to join and which activities to pursue.  Options, courses, universities, jobs, relationships, houses, locations, etc. etc.How often do we feel like we?ve arrived?Not arrived in the sense that we?ve got everything sorted out.Or that we are suddenly now achieving perfection in our job.  That our 2.4 kids are growing beautifully, our mortgage is paid off, and all is well with the world.But that we?re in the place we?re meant to be. Doing the things we are meant to be doing.If you?ve got that sense now, or if you?ve had it in the past, it is not an accident. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."God has prepared a work for us to do. Often it is not just the career, or the course that we choose. It is found in who we are in the middle of those things. How we act with those around us, how we respond when God speaks, what our actions are when God calls.  It is not even about what position, title or role we fill at church.It might be a word spoken to a fellow passenger on a train, a moment in a worship event, a discovery of something new, an adventure had, an act of service.Often these are echoes of what God is calling us to do and to be.In the midst of the joy. In the middle of the chaos. Whilst we are confused, doubting, tired, refreshed, happy, sad, surrounded, alone.A moment comes, and we sense something more. Something we were born for.Today let?s discover something worth living for.You were born for this.  A good work, prepared by God in advance. Thank you Jesus that we are created in you to do good works, and we don't even have to make them up, you've prepared them in advance for us.  Whether these works seem vast or minuscule, help us to notice them and delight in serving you.  Stuart  http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=14527 14527 Thu, 9 Sep 2010 13:09:43 +0000 Across the country as children and young people are going back to school bizarre hobbies and games will be filling the nation?s playgrounds again. Games with strange rules and excited participants will again be occupying break times, unless of course it's raining.Today I?ve been reminded of one particular activity that some kids always seemed to get involved in, and that's collecting things and then swapping them with each other. I remember kids coming to school with bundles usually of cards or stickers, mini collectors? items which were ready to be swapped with their friends.Watching on, the trades that went on seemed quite disciplined with items graded according to their rarity (and in our case if they were shiny!). One item might be really sought after and command a huge value and others were just be not worth very much at all. Some kids seemed to end up with huge piles of ?swaps? which were the kind of cards that neither they nor anyone else wanted much.I was never particularly disciplined at completing these kind of collections. I did try once. I think it was a football sticker album. Probably one of those Panini ones. I remember giving up, frustrated that so many of the cards I needed to fill the album never seemed to be available. In the end I had a football album with a few stickers missing on each page.  Not a great triumph! Before I became frustrated with the whole exercise I?d have swapped all my spare stickers and paid get good money to get those missing ones, the stickers which would complete the set.In 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul writes "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God".I stopped in my tracks reading this verse. I found myself marvelling at this great exchange.This transaction of love which was conducted for us. That so much had been given to make such a difference in our lives.That God should make one who had no sin become sin FOR US.That we might become the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.I am stunned again by the miracle of God's grace.  His endless kindness to us and his love demonstrated in going through with the greatest swap of all.  Lord as we think about the great exchange, the amazing swap you?ve done in our lives, we thank you. Please help us never to take for granted the awesome miracle of new life.  Lord, thank you for your great grace.  http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=14415 14415 Tue, 7 Sep 2010 06:53:51 +0000 Whilst doing some madcap late night decorating earlier in the week I got our an old stereo (the one covered in paint) and some old tapes (now that ages me...) to listen to (quietly). Rummaging around behind all the CDs I came across a recording called "Justice" by Steve Camp and I remembered being really challenged by the words years ago. Listening again I was struck by the passion of the lyrics and his heartfelt cry to action.In one particular song, "Living Dangerously in the Hands of God" the words are "To live dangerously is not to live recklessly but righteously, and it is because of God's radical grace for us that we can risk living a life of radical obedience for him."I thought of my own life and was challenged again by this thought of living dangerously for God.Radically.Is there any other way to live for God's "well done"?Lord may we never settle down into being average. Help us to discover new ways of exploring your radical grace for us and please keep stirring us that we might live lives of radical obedience to you.   Stuart  http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=14223 14223 Thu, 2 Sep 2010 13:35:45 +0000 ?It?s not fair?Most parents will have heard this cry at some time, and most of us will have said it at some point.Injustice.Lack of fairness.We haven?t got what we deserved.Sometimes it is just as well that things are not fair. That justice is not done.That we don't get what we deserve.Psalm 103:10 shows us that God ?does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities". It goes on to say; "as far as the east is from the west, so far as he removed our transgressions from us." Lord , thank you for your grace without which I would be lost, and in which I have great hope. Thank you that you do not treat us as we deserve, but that in Jesus there is great grace available today.  http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=14117 14117 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:12:12 +0000 I found out yesterday that our neighbours have been placing bets about the new barrier outside church. Strange? Yes indeed!As we are next door to a supermarket, last week our friendly county council installed a barrier outside the front doors of the church to help protect those who are entering and leaving the church buildings, especially the children.Last week, having offered & provided the necessary cups of tea, the KCC workers asked if we got vehicles reversing up in front of the church. Hearing that we did they added some red tape to the barrier to make it more obvious to the lorries which manoeuvre up and down the street. So far so good.And then the betting began. Three months was the agreed limit. Our neighbours reckoned that the barrier would last three months before being crashed into.They underestimated.They hadn't reckoned on the destructive power of a reversing lorry!The barrier actually lasted less than a week. And now it is gone altogether, removed by the end of the day yesterday, with a promise that a new one is coming soon.All that remains now is photographic proof:So no major theological point today (though I'm sure we could stretch one out of this). Just a wry smile for the day! Stuart   http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=14097 14097 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:21:20 +0000 What is it that we find so socially unacceptable about people talking to themselves?  In popular culture it is considered to be a sign of mental instability, of being unwell, or strange, or dangerous. Perhaps this is because none of us listen to ourselves when we are talking to ourselves, either giving a gentle encouragement or chastising ourselves for our latest mistake.Personally, I?ve always thought that talking to yourself was far less worrying than having a full on argument with yourself.  That has got to be a bit concerning hasn?t it? I wondered again today if there could be some benefit in this whole business of encouraging ourselves.  I know we are meant to encourage others, and that  is a great thing to do, but I think there might be something in encouraging ourselves too. King David, Israel?s greatest king, writes some very interesting words when he gives us an insight into his private conversations with himself.   He writes; ?Praise the Lord O my soul, all my inmost being praise his holy name. Praise the Lord O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases..?(Ps 103).  He?s talking to his own soul, to himself, and encouraging himself to look to God in all circumstances.  Perhaps it is a good thing to encourage ourselves, especially in an environment when others aren?t.  Or maybe David just spent too long in fields surrounded only by sheep? Whatever we think of David?s state of mind, when we find ourselves in a situation where we need correction, encouragement, direction or to have someone state the obvious, according to him, it may just be us that needs to do the talking. If we were going to give ourselves a bit of a talking too, what would we say?  What encouragement would we give?  What challenge would we bring? Whatever it is, we might as well start with something encouraging.  At least then we'd be following a good example. http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=14077 14077 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:44:25 +0000 I?m not double jointed. I?m not even sure if I can still touch my toes. I can still see them, it?s just that they seem further away than they used to. Yet despite this possible lack of flexibility I?m still brilliant at opening my mouth and putting my foot in it.In fact it happened again the other day. A simple comment, just a few words, and I had blown it again.Sometimes when things are going well we somehow manage to hit the self-destruct button and salvage a defeat from the jaws of victory.At other times, through no fault of our own, stuff happens. Circumstances change. The unexpected occurs.For example see 2 Chronicles 32:1 ?After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib King of Assyria came and invaded Judah.?Anyone who?s read through some of the stories of the Old Testament knows that things aren?t meant to work like this.For the good kings things are meant to go well, and for the bad ones things are meant to go badly. That?s the deal. That?s how it works. You don?t mess around with the system. There are no exceptions, no get outs, no excuses.And then we get to Hezekiah. He?s worked wholeheartedly, he served faithfully, and still the invasion comes, still the enemy attacks.It is vital to realise that whether we have tripped ourselves up, or whether circumstances have taken us by surprise, God has not forgotten us.Hezekiah?s situation gets worse, but God delivers him and the people of Judah from terrible time, and Hezekiah doesn?t lose sight of whose in charge. He encourages the people saying; ?Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the King of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.? (2 Chron 32:7-8)It is incredibly reassuring to know that whether I?ve been taken by surprise by my own stupidity by something outside of my control and is available and willing to step in and deliver us.Lord, I thank you that you always see us and know what circumstances we face. Thank you that you are not taken by surprise either by our own stupidity or by the events of the day. Lord please help us not to panic or to think something has suddenly gone wrong when our circumstances change, but to continue to trust you. Always. With everything we have.Stuart http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=14049 14049 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:47:56 +0000 I?ll never forget the response on the young people?s faces as I began to explain that God knew all about them. That he knew their thoughts, their experiences, their joys and their pains. I had meant to encourage them at the thought that they were never alone, yet they were mortified at the concept of a voyeuristic God watching their every move.Hanai, described as a ?seer? in the Old Testament describes the way that God watches us like this: ? for the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.? (2 Chronicles 16:9).This beautiful image is not of God watching,but of God looking.   Searching.Seeking out those he can bless. Those that can hold the blessing of God. Those whose lives can cope with God showing up to strengthen and stand beside them.God I thank you that you are looking. Looking for those you can strengthen and bless. Looking for those whose hearts are completely yours. http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=14022 14022 Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:09:43 +0000 It started so well. Uzziah aged just 16 years old was made king of Judah and reigned for 52 years in Jerusalem. The Bible records that he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, seeking God and listening to instruction. Yet after building up the city, establishing towers on the wall, training the army, establishing more defences, and seeing his fame spread as far and wide, things began to unravel.The Bible describes his downfall like this, "his fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful. But after Uzziah became powerful , his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense." (2 Chronicles 26:12)It may not sound like much to go into the temple to burn incense, especially when you are the king, but that was not his place. He crossed the line.God had established priests for ministry in the temple - to be there was their place, their role, their calling before God.Uzziah's pride led to his downfall. He felt he was above correction and above reproach because in his own heart he had listened to the stories of his own fame and become proud. What did it matter if he did this one thing? He was the king after all.As the incident recorded in 2 Chronicles 26 unfolds Uzziah ends his life leperous and separated from the people. Cut off from the temple and from real power and authority. After he dies he is buried in a field rather than being buried in the city with the kings.What had started so well ended with disappointment and dishonour.  What a challenge to me today! I'm so glad that these stories are recorded for us so that we can learn the lessons of those who have gone before us.  Lord please guard my heart. If ever circumstances should arise that mean that I gain someone's admiration and respect please let it not affect my heart and make me proud. Lord keep us humble, walking with you that we might do what is right and so fulfil your destiny for us. You deserve all the honour and glory. http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=13998 13998 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 05:02:41 +0000 The bear approaches snarling and everything in you screams at you to run away.Yet somewhere in the recesses of your mind is stored the nugget of information which tells you that you should stand still. Or least you think it was bears that this applied to.It could have been lions.Or was it crocodiles?No, that was something to do with their eyes wasn?t it? Poke them in the eye. That?s right, that?s what you do it crocodiles.Maybe I do have to stand still in front of a bear after all.Right now it is not so much your life that flashes before you, but your hit and miss knowledge of pub quiz trivia. Anyway, you stand, and live. For now.To ?stand firm? is a challenge for us. Not just in the heat of the moment with a ferocious animal bearing down on us, but also in the heat of the day.Anyone who?s seen a military parade will also have seen pictures of one or more wilted soldiers fallen over in the heat.Whether the heat of the moment, the heat of the battle, or the heat of the day, the heat gets to all of us at some point, and it is then that we need to stand firm like never before.Paul goes on to write ?let nothing move you?. Nothing!?Immovable? ,?unshakeable?, ?steadfast?.One of my favourite quotes from the film Gladiator is not the most famous one ?what we do in life echoes in eternity?, it is the much simpler phrase ?hold the line? which grabs me. Early on in the film riding into the forest Russell Crowe?s character calls out to his soldiers ?hold the line?, ?stay with me?.If they can keep their battle formation, they stand a chance of running through the enemy and being successful.Standing firm affects others not just ourselves. Other people?s future, other?s success depends on us being able to stand.In the heat of the battle, in the heat of the day, in moments of temptation, trial or danger, Lord help me stand. Firm.Stuart http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=13976 13976 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 04:27:13 +0000 Just recently I have been experimenting with some new technology. No, not a super telescope, jet powered super car or a particle accelerator, nothing that awesome.Quite simply, on the recommendation of a friend I have been trying out some voice recognition software for my PC. It's my fault really. I said I might be quicker dictating than typing, so I've got no one else to blame.It appears that either I have a problem speaking or my computer has a problem listening. I'm not really sure which is true!I think I have managed to speak a sentence or two without having to add major corrections. In fact the last sentence was completely correct!One benefit is that every word is spelt correctly, which for me is a huge bonus. However, whilst the words may be spelt correctly, choosing the right word seems to be a completely different issue. I can't actually repeat some of the words that the computer has chosen for me and which it thinks I have said. I was very glad that I double checked one particular e-mail prior to sending it as the computer had managed to convert a simple thank you note into something containing rather graphic language!I'm sure it will soon have me churning out documents with no problems. In the meantime however, I will need to be editing my words very carefully.All this misunderstanding set me thinking. What must it be like for God, attempting to communicate with us?Many times I've heard people say "God told me" and use this as a justification for all sorts of actions, occasionally even ones which contradict last months? instruction by God.Others claim never to have heard from God and struggle with the whole concept that He might want to speak to them. Why would he? After all doesn't he only speak to special people?God assures us that he is attempting to communicate with us. He?s given plenty of evidence in the past, with Jesus being God?s most powerful and enduring word to us.How amazing! The King of Glory wants to speak to you and me. At times His word comes quietly and other times comes powerfully. God?s word is always radical, challenging, life changing and far more profound than our finest thoughts. Never insipid, never bland, his word is true enough to build our lives upon.We just need to ensure that we are listening. Properly. Not twisting His words, or hearing only what we want to hear.I am told that I need to train my computer to get used to my voice (as well as learning to speak properly). Which will mean a little more investment of time spent looking like I work in a call centre.Allegedly this training, through constant honing and correction, will help my computer to understand everything I say, and in doing so will save me hours of typing. That's if I haven't thrown the headphones out of the window by then.More fundamentally I'm challenged to train my ears too, so that when God speaks I might hear clearly what he is saying. Without mistake. Without misunderstanding. Without trying to convince myself that He means one thing when really I know that He means something very different.Then I pray I may be bold enough to put it into practice.Go on. Have a go. Get listening.You'll be amazed at what God wants to say. Stuart  http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=13628 13628 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:46:59 +0000 We've had an awesome weekend at church this weekend and have been blessed to have David Reidy (Hillsongs, Sydney) and Paul Iannuzzelli with us working with our musicians and singers. Not only has the level of their competence been excellent, their encouragement was an enormous blessing to us. We've seen healings and God working in other amazing ways.I?m aware that we are all tempted to put people on a pedestal and idolise them in some way or just to think that they're better than us. Yet this is often profoundly unhelpful.This weekend one of the things that is most encouraged me has been to see our worship team growing in confidence and ability as they been taught to step out and try new things. Given the right support and mentoring, input and encouragement we have seen them being stretched and yet thriving and enjoying themselves at the same time.Undoubtedly without the support of David and Paul we would not have made such significant progress, but it was our team who led worship on Sunday. They were the ones, led by David and Paul who were playing and leading. Using their new confidence and skills it was our team who made it happen under Paul's direction.Once again we saw that the kingdom of God is built when we all take our place and serve. In the body we each have a vital part to play just as God has ordained it. Today we must take our place not look to a spiritual superhero to do it for us. We thank God for the input we can have from people around the world and we thank God for them. Yet as Monday comes again Jesus is still entrusting his work to us. Our calling hasn't changed. Let's rise and take our place. Stuart http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=13478 13478 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:00:47 +0000 Listening to a speaker recently I heard the story of Bill Havens and researching some more into his background, it?s a story well worth hearing!In the Olympic year immortalised on film for Eric Liddell?s uncompromising stand in regard to running on a Sunday another little celebrated event was taking place.The favourites to win the four man Olympic canoeing race that year included a young man by the name of Bill Havens. As the Olympics drew closer Bill?s wife broke the news that she was expecting a child. Bill was faced with a difficult decision. He could travel to the Olympics by ship and miss the arrival of his child or he could stay at home and miss taking part in the Olympics.Contrary to what we might expect today, Bill stayed with his wife, forgoing his place on the team that year. The US team, with a replacement drafted in for Bill duly won the gold medal that year, but Bill maintained that he had no regrets.The story doesn?t end there. And no, Bill didn?t come back and win several more gold medals in the following Olympic games to make up for his ?loss? in 1924!It was twenty eight years after Bill?s choice in 1924 that he received a message, all the way from Helsinki.The message, sent by Bill?s son Frank simply read ?Dad, I won. I?m bringing home your gold medal.?It was in 1952 when in Helsinki Frank had won his own Olympic canoeing gold medal in honour of his father, Bill.Bill stuck to his principles and still got his medal.May we learn to know the difference between what is important and what just looks like it is important.May we be blessed with wisdom to see the choices we face for what they really are and with the courage to make the right ones. Stuart http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=12767 12767 Sat, 22 May 2010 06:07:36 +0000 Citizenship is a subject which matters. It really matters. You only have to ask those who are going through the process of applying in any country to discover this.People move and settle, take up residence and begin the application process. Citizenship confers upon us rights and responsibilities, access to privileges and a shared sense of ownership in our adopted home.We want to belong. We want to play our part. We want to share the responibilities and the rights of those around us. We want to walk around as if the land we walk on belongs to us, as if it is home.If becoming a citizen matters so much, if it changes our perspective about where we fit amongst those around us, what should we make of Paul's mind-blowing statement "our citizenship is in heaven" (Phil 3:20)?What if we reflect that we have this citizenship without a qualifying test, without exams, without endless application forms?What if we think a little further and realise that Paul is talking about here, and now, not just some kind of future hope for when we die? Wherever we are, wherever we live, we are citizens of heaven through Jesus.The place we belong, the place where we are truly at home is in God's kingdom, in his reign and rule both now and in the future. Here we are at home. This is our land. We are citizens.That changes everything. Stuart http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=12752 12752 Fri, 21 May 2010 05:37:21 +0000 Back in January I started a plan to read through my Bible in the course of the year. The inevitable has happened and I am behind schedule already! Taking a little time to catch up last week I found myself stunned once again by the Bible (I love those moments!) as I finished reading the book of Numbers and started reading Galatians. Shifting gear from Old Testament to New Testament - collections of individual books separated by hundreds of years – can feel like a massive dose of culture shock as we jet from one way of relating to God to another completely different one. I left the book of Numbers full of thoughts of the law and of ways of worship given by God to the people of Israel in order that their relationship with him could be maintained. Numbers is full of feasts, festivals, laws, boundaries and a talking donkey that pre-dates Shrek by a few millenia. Arriving in Galatians blew me away. The churches to whom Paul was writing Galatians were coming under attack. The new Christians there were being told that it was not enough for them to have faith in Jesus. That they also needed to add to this faith by doing something for themselves. Specifically, the men were being pressurised to conform to the Jewish ritual of circumcision. Paul (the author of Galatians) writes a stinging rebuke as he warns them of the danger they face in adding rules and regulations to their faith. The Galatians needed to hear again that faith was enough. That no action on their part could rescue them. That they could do nothing to earn a relationship with God. Nothing. Jesus saves us. He makes a way for us to have a relationship with God. Yet somehow something within us tells us that this is not enough. That we should be working hard. Making God love us. Being good enough for God to be kind to us and accept us. Paul takes time to write convincingly to the early believers in the various churches around the province of Galatia that there was nothing they could do to add to their salvation. He emphasises that as followers of Jesus, their lives had been changed by faith rather than by their own efforts. That God’s grace is enough. Today we stand free of the need to earn God’s favour. There are no requirements for us to follow in order to earn God’s forgiveness. In fact there is no way we can. Jesus paid the price for us to be free. As I re-read Galatians I was reminded that we really shouldn’t listen to the inner voice that tells us that we are not good enough to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. That we must refuse to heed the call to work harder in order that God might love us a little more and must ignore the temptation to imagine that God is only really interested in using other people in doing amazing works in His kingdom. Jesus’ work on our behalf has made us “good enough” to follow him with everything we have. God’s grace enables us to live out our lives as those who are devoted to serving him, not to earn his favour, but because we already have it. I’m reminded again today that the culture of grace Paul speaks of is the one I’m designed to live in so I’m not planning to jet off anywhere else soon!   Stuart http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=12290 12290 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 07:05:35 +0000 The General Election is everywhere. At least it feels like it is. As the UK election approaches we find our attention increasingly directed to discussions of style and the perceived personalities of three party leaders. Apparently in the recently held TV debate one of the candidates "won" and the subsequent swing in the polls has been used to confirm this early victory. I'm not sure how frustrating this must be for the politicians, campaigners, civil servants and others at the sharp end of the political process, but I suspect that they find the weight of the focus being on style less than ideal. Their work thinking, reflecting, campaigning and implementing policies and changes to support their beliefs and values suddenly all boil down to how one of their party looks on the TV or on the internet. In response to this, the message of recent days has been the emphasis of the party leaders themselves that we should look at the substance of the issues not just the style. However, it is difficult to hear this message when the methods used to communicate this need to focus on substance are performed using oratorical style, managed mannerisms and sound-bites for the watching media. I guess there is much to support the emphasis on style in the Christian church where we are finally waking up to addressing an often tired and outdated image. However, replacing all that is out of date and dull with all that is new and shiny is not a process to be undertaken without thought, vision and strongly held values. After all, it doesn't take anyone long to see that a projected image doesn't quite match up to the hidden reality. We find no descriptions of Jesus' image or appearance in the accounts left to us by his early followers. The only hint we have are in Old Testament passages that he prophetically fulfilled and which speak of a man with "nothing in his appearance to attract us to him." Jesus attracted a crowd, but not through his appearance or managed mannerisms. The crowds who came to see Jesus did so because his style and substance connected. Jesus taught about the coming of the Kingdom of God and the new era of change that was coming, and at the same time ushered it in himself. The sick were healed, the dead were raised to life again and those on the margins of society were welcomed to join with him in the great adventure of kingdom living. Jesus’ style was an outworking of his substance. Our style should flow from our substance too. The projection of what we want others to see should be consistent with what we believe and the values that we hold. Despite the perceived wisdom that the church has no style at all, I fear that the church around the world actually has a long history of dressing up its presentation to cover over its powerlessness. Whether through recently acquired skills of slick presentation or conversely through the pomp and pageantry of religious ceremony our style seems to have taken on a life of its own. Christian groups have defined themselves on the basis of style for millennia. For example, it was in the church in Corinth that Paul had to deal with a church split into factions centring around various leading personalities and there that he faced challenges to his own style and presentation. Coming back to politics, we might wonder how we move beyond just getting "swung" along with whoever looks best on the night? How do we choose how to cast our vote? Style or substance? Actually both matter. With regard to our own lives, our style should flow naturally from our substance. If we believe that God is powerful, loving, committed to us, generous, awesome, majestic and wonderful then others ought to be able to see this by the way that we live out our lives. Our style of living should be affected by the substance of our beliefs. Jesus demonstrated a lifestyle which matched up to his teaching. God’s kingdom was ushered in. Lives were changed. People were set free. And that sounds good to me.   Stuart http://www.twcf.org/index.cfm?i=12145&mid=25&blogid=4008&comments=12218 12218 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 04:35:04 +0000