A River Flowing

italker — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:45:34 +0000

I’ve been thinking about rivers recently, well the truth is I think about the river everyday. My house looks out on the River Forth. The thing is the river never stays the same it changes everyday in life. I believe its such a great privilege to live so close to a river. There are so many exciting analogies about tour spiritual life , to be learned from a river. Here’s a picture of the River Tweed in full flow this afternoon, Monday 7th September.

A couple of Sundays ago i was preaching on the text from Psalm 46. ” There is a river that makes glad the city of God. What a wonderful thought. I wonder what the city of God “being glad” sounds like ? Its a wonderful image.

There is a River

I think this river is

Laughing with me

It too has a place in the city

God has given rivers a future

Now i know why it’s singing in tune with the stones and the fish

Its presence lifts your spirit

It really knows how to move

It never stays still

A river is always going somewhere

Flowing

Faster

Slower

Deeper

Broader

I want to move with the river

I want to to race the river

I want to swim in the water

I want to catch a fish in the river

I want to flow like the river

Lord let the river of life flow through me

Today

Yesterday

And forever

Get Read Get Set TEXT Bible 40 to 80806

italker — Sun, 03 May 2009 22:37:40 +0000

Just back from Sanctuary First. the theme was all about moving from one space ro another . It was about helping us see that the way to bring about change in the life of the church is to be prepared to make the appropriate sacrifice.

Although it was a Bank Holiday weekend we were delighted to have a number of friends join with us in the worship. We were pomoting the C40 programme. this is our made up Discipleship programme. So if you want to join the Challenge text Bible 40 to the following mobile number 80806. When you do this it will cost you £1.50 per week. I hope you join in he challenge and then return to tis blog with yourown questions and answers. So look out for the first C40 post tomorrow morning.

The Discipleship Challenge

italker — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:34:36 +0000

I’m not sure what happened last night. When making my post I lost the article entitled ” Discipleship Challenge”. So here it is back again. This is material which will be part of the Sanctuary First service on Sunday evening. The last time I made this post James invited me to set a 40 day challenge as part of the response to this article. Having considered his suggestion I’m going to rise to the Challenge. If you text on your mobile the word BIBLE 40 I will text to your mobile if you so desire a challenge that will be designed to help you grow in your Christian experience. You’ll receive your first text on Monday 4 May the cost will be £1.50 per week. Sorry we can’t keep the freebees going. I intend to use the blog over the next forty days to reflect upon the actions in which you will be invited to take part. I also hope that this will generate a considerable amount of interest and comment.

The article below is based on Christ inviting us into the desert place – to the place of testing, not so that we can fail but rather so that we can be toughened up to face the many difficulties that present themselves to us in our lives. Here is the audio version that people will hear on Sunday on the MP3 players. It is an edited version of the meditation below. I want to say a big thanks to Alec shuttleworth who came over during the week to record it, and of course thanks to Rae for her editorial skills. Both Rae and Alec added to the meditation. a lot Oh and James make you comment again so that we can get folks taking up the challenge! AUDIO

Come with me

Leave all this behind

Just for a short time

I know what your thinking

What is this place?

Where am I going?

I’m going to help you to

take the discipleship challenge

I heard you say you wanted to move to a new place

You said you wanted to find a cross shaped space in your life

`I wonder if you really meant what you prayed

I know you’re very busy

Watch your footing

There’s a huge

Chasm on your left

Lots of loose stones

Falling debris

Its easy to drop

Ideas

Hopes

And even dreams

In this place

Once they fall over the edge

They’re gone

Can I say something to you

When you move round the corner

I will have to leave you on your own

Look I’ll be with you

But you won’t see me

You have to face your own struggle

You know there is a voice of evil in this place

Within you

When it speaks you can choose to obey it

Or challenge it

If you do nothing

You will end up obeying the voice

Keep your eyes on the path

Don’t try to see my face

We will meet one day

But Its my feet

you need to look after at the moment

Feet washing is something I’m into

Just follow my footprints.

Come closer

I want you to hear this

I don’t want you ro misunderstand.

There are basically three fundamental temptations

And I suppose seven deadly sins

These are common to every human being

In life – its as simple as that

You humans are not all that complicated

I made you I should know

Funny complete things often come in 3s and 7s

Anyway

You have choices to make

It boils down to

Popularity

Wealth

And

Love of self

Discipleship is all about

Serving others and denying self interest

Do you know the problem with most relationships?

People love themselves

Their image

Their look

Their sexuality

Their singleness

Their definition as sexual beings

The greatest denial of love

Is to make love to yourself

It is to exclude the other

The greatest lie is to believe

You must love yourself first

Before you love another

The truth is if you love yourself

You will leave no room to love another

Discipleship turns everything on its head

Makes for an upside down world

It suggests its only when you love another first

That you come to love the self

You know It sounds impossible to love someone

You don’t know – but its not

True love is not based on knowledge

Its based on unconditional acceptance

To truly love is to make that someone

An indispensible part of your being

It is to deny self love

And embrace service

It is to lose yourself and find your meaning

In caring for an unknown child

An unknown beggar

An unknown person

Your about to turn the corner

Get ready to make

Your choices

iTalker » Add new tag

A River Flowing

Get Read Get Set TEXT Bible 40 to 80806

The Discipleship Challenge