|
AcousticJS
|
read my profile
sign my guestbook
Name: Jon
Country: United Kingdom
Metro: Newcastle
Birthday: 7/2/1982
Gender: Male
Interests: God - seeking to know Him, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. I'm also seeking to know more of His Spirit at work in my life making me more like Jesus in word, works and wonders.
Music - I write songs, lead worship, sing, play guitar and have been known to tinker with a sequencer every now and again.
Expertise: Web design and development
Occupation: Computer related (Internet)
Industry: Computers (Internet)
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
MSN: msn@jonsidnell.co.uk
Member Since:
4/28/2004
|
|
| I've just discovered Casting Crowns - literally 30 minutes ago. I'm really liking them - quality music with an Americana-Rock sort of feel, combined with solid words that drip with passion. I've just heard If We Are The Body from their first album, and been impressed with the fact that we have an anaemic ecclesiology. Select lyrics include: But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the Body of Christ What are we doing when we make church just about coming and getting our needs met? Whether that be enjoying the worship, appreciating the teaching or the cosy feel of fellowship. Where amongst us is the aspect of Christ who is the Chief Apostle, Evangelist and Good Shepherd who went seeking the lost? Where is the outreach? Where is the concern for those that are languishing for lack of Him? I'm processing a few thoughts right now, but the safest thing to say is that we need Jesus to train us in how to let His whole ministry operate through the church in these days. Not just the bits we like and make us feel comfortable. It's scary and challenging, but just a little bit exciting too.
| | |
| What is needed today is action. I don't mean "today" in the literal sense. "Today", as in these days we live in. God is supplying boundless vision to His children. We go to our conferences and are inspired to live for God's glory and His mission. Then we go home, reality sets in and our hearts grow cold again.
I've lost count of the good ideas and God ideas I've let slip past me as I've neglected to do anything about them. As though I get to catch God's heart, say "Oh yeah, that'd be really cool if that happened!" and wait for it to happen. Sometimes it does work like that. Sometimes God whispers His ideas into our lives and all we need do is believe, trust and wait.
But sometimes, His call is to do more than believe, but to act. To tell someone who's struggling that there's a God who cares. To offer to pray for someone in their illness. To actually take steps toward seeing what God has whispered about come to pass.
We need action. People who will volunteer freely in the day of the Lord's power. Who will not hesitate to answer the call and do exploits for their God.
I want to be someone like that...
| | |
| One thing have I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to meditate in his temple.
Psalm 27:4 (ESV) I was reading God Is The Gospel on the train to work this morning. I'm being stirred to prize my relationship with God above all other blessings He provides. To see that the true message of the cross is God's love in making a way for me to know Him rather than being a measure of my worth. To focus on the glory of knowing Christ today and forever more above the gracious blessing of Heaven hereafter. It's a good place to be - let's just see it translate into grace-filled action as I seek His face. | | |
| Long time, no post. I guess it's fitting on Good Friday to remember the cross, and why Jesus had to go there. Sin is all-pervasive. An enemy we call our friend. A master we call our lover. A captor we call our freedom. Our blindness we call sight. It cuts us from God, and keeps us from seeing the light of His glory. And yet...
God did not leave us alone. He didn't leave us in our ignorant captivity. He sent His Son to blaze a trail back to Him. He sent Jesus to show us how to live. To teach us who the Father is. To re-connect us with God. But before we could be truly re-connected, there was a barrier that could only be cleared in the most horrific way imaginable. The Son of God, the one through Whom all creation was made, submitted Himself to those He had made and was slain. He died the death our sins deserved, and gave us the life He had earned on our behalf.
As we trust in Him, we are made new. We are entirely new creations. Sin is no longer our captor - we know it to be what it truly is. Sin has no power over us - we only submit to the things we want to do. Which is the problem. We still seem to like our sin. I still seem to like my sin. The very sin He died to free me of. And I'm getting bored. I'm getting sick and tired, and I want to be more like Jesus. I want to hate my sin and love His righteousness.
I wrote this today...
Why have I done it again?
I've chosen to do what I don't want to do
Even though I really do
But I really really don't.
I know how this story ends
Unless I change the course
Unless You change my heart.
The only one I've offended is You -
No-one else is hurt.
Even if they were it would be completely secondary
To the insult I've given You.
I know You love me,
And I know You have forgiven.
But I don't want to keep on and on
Giving You cause to convict
When you just want me to know You.
I want that too.
Bring in Your discipline.
Teach me Your ways
Do whatever needs to be done
To make me more like You and the Son You love.
Thank God today that Jesus paid the price for every sin You have ever committed. That the only thing that stands in the way of you coming to Him is yourself. Jesus is the way to the Father, but He will gladly give you access if you only repent and ask.
Truly amazing grace, Amen.
| | |
| Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you had a great day with friends, family and the Lord. Here's to a great 2007!!
| | |
|
