Off to Ireland!
We're off to Ireland on Monday for a 2 week holiday or 'vacation with a mission' as we take our Gaelic Bibles, prophetic scriptures and letter of blessing into Ireland as part of
'Mission 193'.
We're really looking forward to a relaxing break and seeing what the Holy Spirit will do as we proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom into the nation of Ireland.
See you in a couple of weeks!
Labels: Family, Holidays, Ireland
What are you wearing today?
"You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high" - Luke 24:48-49 (NIV)My wife sometimes makes comments about what I am wearing. Comments like 'You can't wear that with that!' or 'Why don't you try wearing this?' are quite common in our household!
Jesus also takes great interest in what we wear. He wants us to be clothed with power from heaven. He spoke of the coming Holy Spirit in terms to do with clothing when he told his disciples to stay in Jerusalem after his resurrection. Jesus wants us to be clothed with His power. He wants us to be clothed with the Holy Spirit in every moment, on every day, and whatever the season! He is our 'power' clothes for every occasion, every season and every activity in our lives.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of garments of salvation for God's people. These garments speak of what God has done for us, and also what he will do through us as we minister His message of salvation, grace and love to the world around us.
Don't go out today without any clothes on! As Christians, Let's allow the Holy Spirit to flow from within us. He is the life-giving river that flows in our lives to bring health, healing and salvation to a dying and needy world all around us. He is mighty to save. He is the God who wants all men to be saved and none to perish. Let's get dressed properly every morning!
"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels" - Isaiah 61:10 (NIV)
Labels: Clothes, Holy Spirit, Power
Old Moat Park Family Fun Day
We had a great time in the Park on Saturday 'Making Jesus Famous' with the residents of Old Moat & Withington. Members of King's Church were able to pray with and share about Jesus Christ both one on one with people, and publically on the PA system.
I was able to talk to the local MP a bit more about our vision and mission as a Church. It was great to be so high profile and visual at the event. We also had plenty of fun with a giant jenga and a few 'comic' wigs being passed around!
For more picture of the event, click
hereLabels: Church, Community, Old Moat
On the Streets
"The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there" - Zechariah 8:5 (NIV)I've been greatly moved tonight by hearing the parents of Rhys Jones'
speak about his final moments of life after he was shot dead last night at the age of 11 on the streets of Liverpool. Every young life lost to a gunshot is a terrible loss. What has caught, shocked and touched the nation today is the young age that this has happened at. No-one should lose their life to an act of violence like this, let alone a boy aged just 11 like this. These awful news stories are not God's plan and destiny for the streets of our nation.
God's plan of restoration is one of peace and prosperity for our cities. His destiny for our communities is one that will lead to crime being reduced, families being restored and the city streets being filled with young people playing - not being shot at and killed. The gospel of Jesus Christ can reach and change the toughest neighbourhood, the roughest estate and the hardest of hearts.
We prayed tonight at Open Home for restoration on our streets in the UK. We prayed that we would see peace and prosperity in the lives of those around us as they hear and respond to the gospel message that we proclaim and live out as christians in this time.
God's hand of history and destiny is on us as His people. This is our time. This is our moment of opportunity. We have a nation to change and a gospel to proclaim.
On saturday, together with friends from my church family, I will spend time with over 1,000 people from the Old Moat and Withington community at a Family Fun Day in the local park. This event was started by King's Church in 2000 as a way of helping the community come together and to give the members of King's Church a focussed opportunity to meet and talk to local people about the good news of the gospel. I can't wait! - It should be great and the events in Liverpool yesterday give me a fresh sense of purpose and direction for the fun day. The gospel of Jesus is the hope for our streets, for our neighbourhoods, and for the nation.
Labels: Cities, Peace, Youth
When God meets a need, he also gives a seed!
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower & bread for the eater.” Isaiah 55:10 (NIV)God is so good to us. He is such a faithful God. As a Church, we’ve been hearing the word of God to us recently about how God wants to provide for us, prosper us, and enable us to meet the needs of others as he pours out his blessing upon our lives. His prosperity is our destiny. It’s our inheritance in Christ.
God knows our needs, but he also knows the nature of seed. Seeds contain the potential for life, increase, & multiplication. However, if a farmer keeps the seed in his pocket, it will never increase or grow. Seeds have to be sown. They have to be planted for increase to come. The farmer has to let go of the seed and sow it. The farmer puts their faith in the provision of rain and the nutrients of the soil for that seed to grow.
Seed is a part of our future. Like any farmer, we understand that our future is as bright as the seed we have in the ground, not how full our barns are. God doesn’t just know about our needs, he looks at the seed in our hands and says: ‘Sow into your future, Give it to me and let me increase and multiply what you have’
The blessing of God was never destined just to roll into our lives & gather dust. Moths start to eat anything that gathers dust! (Matthew 6:19). God meets our needs & wants us to be blessed. In that provision for our need, there is always a seed that he wants us to sow.
God is a generous sower, and in his likeness so are we! As we sow finance, time, love, friendship & faith into the Kingdom of God, we will reap the blessing and harvest of righteousness. I believe this is people’s lives being saved, healed and radically transformed by Christ, the ‘true riches’ that Jesus talks about in Luke 16:11. Look to God for your need but also ask him for seed!
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness” 2 Corinthians 9:10 (NIV)
Labels: Faith, Harvest, Sowing
Living Life to the Full
"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full"
Labels: Jesus Christ, Life
Francis Schaeffer Quote
"It is hard to understand how an orthodox, evangelical, Bible-believing Christian can fail to be excited. The answers in the realm of the intellect should make us overwhelmingly excited. But more than this, we are returned to a personal relationship with God who is there. If we are unexcited as Christians, we should go back and see what is wrong"
Francis A. Schaeffer,
The God Who is There, IVP, Pg. 190, 1968
Labels: Francis Schaeffer, Quotes
First in Manchester!
Just thought I'd post a few facts about the City of Manchester and it's rich & diverse history - Rachel thinks that I'm full of useful facts about all sorts of things - I quite like things like this - brings out the true geek in me!
Anyway, the following list all happened for the first time here in Manchester:-
· Rutherford split the atom here.
· The world’s first computer was built here.
· The world’s first passenger steam railway was based here.
· The first Rolls Royce car was built here.
· The first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean left from here - with Mancunians Alcock and Brown.
· The first public health legislation was drafted here.
· William Sturgeon invented the first electro-magnet here.
· John Dancer inventor of micro-photography studied here.
· James Joule the great physicist, after whom the unit of energy is named, worked all his life here
· The first table of the atomic weights of the elements was published here by John Dalton.
· The first public radio transmissions came from Manchester.
List taken from Manchester Prayer Breakfast Web-Site - Click
here for more info.
Labels: Facts, History, Manchester
Rhythms of Grace
"...the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter..."Ecclesiastes 8:5-6 (NIV)
I've been reading through the book of Ecclesiastes recently. It's got quite a bit in it on the subject of time and how that time is used in our daily lives in our work and leisure.
God has given us all the time that we need for achieving and fulfilling all that he want us to do. I was sharing with our amazing King's Church staff team on monday about how we use our time in our daily lives and work for God. As it says earlier in Ecclesiastes 3:1: 'There is a time for everything'
I love how the message translation renders the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30. Here, Jesus talks about walking with him and working with him. He calls us to watch him in all that he does and learn the rhythms of grace that Jesus lived according to in his earthly ministry.
When we flow in the timing and flow of the grace of God – it feels great – it doesn’t feel at all forced or false. The rhythm of grace is the timing of heaven for our lives here on earth. The timing of the Holy Spirit is our divine destiny to live our lives by
"Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)
Labels: Jesus Christ, Life, Time
Without Borders 07: Fun in the Mud!
I can't believe that it's a week since we got back from Stafford Showground from our week at Bible Week 2007. It was a great week with loads of amazing things happening as God moved in power. People were saved, baptised in water, & baptised in the Holy Spirit. People were physically healed and radically impacted by the ministry that came throughout the week.
The weather, like it has been most of the summer, was pretty poor, but that didn't spoil the week or restrict what the Holy Spirit wanted to do in and through his people. I really enjoyed the teaching and ministry that came. It carried an anointing and direction that really inspired and challenged me greatly!
Some of the other highlights of the week for me were:
- A wonderful BBQ with the 250 people on site from the Manchester Church - we all broke bread as we fellowshipped together over some burgers and sausages!
- Playing with my son Daniel as he enjoyed the camping experience with his little mates
- The Sowing & Reaping DVD which showed how giving had been sown across the world into various nations and projects for the advancement of the Kingdom. 'One man's gift is truly another man's miracle'
- Seeing God at work in the Kids Venue with the 5-7 year olds - a truly memorable experience
The great news is that without borders 08 is happening between Saturday 19th July & Thursday 24th July 2008 - I'm sure it will be a great event once again!
(Dave Emmett & Mark Lawrence enjoying fellowship and loving being photographed!)
Labels: bible week, Community, ministries without borders
"You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high" - Luke 24:48-49 (NIV)
The prophet Isaiah spoke of garments of salvation for God's people. These garments speak of what God has done for us, and also what he will do through us as we minister His message of salvation, grace and love to the world around us.
"The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there" - Zechariah 8:5 (NIV)
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower & bread for the eater.” Isaiah 55:10 (NIV)
The blessing of God was never destined just to roll into our lives & gather dust. Moths start to eat anything that gathers dust! (Matthew 6:19). God meets our needs & wants us to be blessed. In that provision for our need, there is always a seed that he wants us to sow. 
"It is hard to understand how an orthodox, evangelical, Bible-believing Christian can fail to be excited. The answers in the realm of the intellect should make us overwhelmingly excited. But more than this, we are returned to a personal relationship with God who is there. If we are unexcited as Christians, we should go back and see what is wrong"
"...the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter..."
(Photo Courtesy of Sam Dungey, Bible Week 2007) 
