Oh how my soul is hungry for God. Just as a deer is panting for water. My heart is expectant for God to move in my  life and speak to my heart. Even when all of those around me mock me for my beliefs and ask where is this god that you worship. I look back at the times God has moved in my life and the life of those around me and am encouraged. Lord I am grateful for all those times, thank you. When I go through tough times I remind myself that my hope is in you Lord. I choose to praise you no matter how I am feeling. Lord you consume me, you overwhelm me. Lord direct me during the day and send your presence as I talk to you, as I listen. Lord you are my foundation, I build my life on you. There are times when I think that you have forgotten about me, there are times when I mourn and people around me question your existence. There are times when I am unwell and people around me question your existence. These things can sometimes get me down. But at times like this I remind myself that my hope is in you Lord. I will praise you you are my God, my Savior. Amen (Inspired by Psalm 42)

A few months a go I was at a regional pray meeting. I was not in a great place and was struggling to get into the meeting as can sometimes happen. I felt God lead me to lie down on the floor as many worshiped and prayed. It was at this point that God revealed to me a picture of a white flag. I often get pictures from God and I respond every time with ‘What are you saying God’. It was at that point that I heard the following:

“Lead a life fully surrendered to Christ”

In a battle the last thing you do is surrender. However it is exactly what God calls us to do. There is nothing we can do to win the battle but surrender. As we surrender everything to Christ He can then work through and in us. Its completely unnatural, it goes completely against all logic, it doesn’t make sense.

Christ and how He lived His life on this earth is the ultimate example of surrender! Surrendering His life all the way to the cross. We can often think ‘yep I did this, I have said the prayer. I’m surrendered’ however this is not a one off moment. Its a life style.

I’m not there yet, God continues to move me forward and bit by bit I am surrendering. I can take back what I surrendered and end up back where I started.

But I am convinced as I surrender God will move, shape and guide me. Its white flag living. Its not easy. We can let pride pull us in the direction of trying to win a battle with our own action. The truth is the battles already won! We have our work cut out in just surrendering!

I pray God that you will help us to decrease so you can increase. Oh Lord break through into our lives.

Malcolm Soanes brought this prophetic word to the church on 7th January at our monthly prayer meeting.

From our kitchen window in Holmer we have a view across the city to Aconbury Hill on the south side.  Part of the city has been hidden due to a hawthorn tree covered with ivy which grows beside a brook that runs along the boundary of our property.  Heavy snow had fallen earlier in the week and the weight of the snow caused the tree to fall into the brook (the tree was rotting away).

This had the effect of opening up our view of the whole city including the cathedral, All Saints’ spire, St. Peter’s spire and even St.Martin’s church south of the river.  We could also now see Dinedor Hill clearly to the south.  As I looked at the view now revealed, the Lord spoke quite clearly into my spirit the following words, “I am opening up the city, the whole of it”.  I have lived with these words during the past month, convinced that God desires to open up hearts and minds that so far have been closed up and blinded by Satan.  Although He alone, by the work of the Holy Spirit, can bring a soul dead in trespasses and sins to new life in Christ, we have a task and an obligation to co-operate with Him.

The following scriptures have been a help and challenge to me as we take up our responsibility  -

Is. 62;10-12,   Is. 57;14-15.  Is. 49;22-25.  Col. 4;2-6.  1 Peter 3;15.  Rev. 3;7-8.

On Sunday Morning 7 February 2010 Adriana Mitchell shared with the church what she felt God was speaking to the church. This is what she said.

Isaiah 40:1-5

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.

A voice of one calling:

“In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;

the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.

And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

I believe God is saying to us that He has forgiven us from all our sins and now we can have a relationship with Him, we can be friends. But He wants more, He wants to reveal His glory and it should be remarkable and everyone will see it TOGETHER. I believe God wants to bless us individually, but also as a church. Then, other people will be able to see His glory too.

But God says. Clear the way, make a straight highway through the wasteland, fill in the valleys, straighten the curves, smooth out the rough places. THEN, God’s glory will be revealed.

We need to sort things out in our lives, we need to let few things go, things that are not adding any blessing to us or to others. We need to review our values and principles. We need to make sure we are being good models and teaching people to walk in the right path. That doesn’t mean we are perfect and we are going to get everything right, because that’s not true.

I don’t know what you think you need to change in your life. Maybe you drink too much, maybe you eat too much or too little. Maybe you don’t always tell the truth or you exaggerate things. Maybe the words that come out of your mouth are not the best ones. I don’t know, but God knows and you might know. But if you are not sure, ask God. Let’s not think this word is for our friend or the person sat next to us, or think our neighbour should be here. No. This word is for you and me. I want to receive this word for myself.

I know I want to be transformed to be more like God because that’s the way He designed me to be.

But it’s a work for the Holy Spirit, so we need to invite Him to come and take His place in our hearts. When the Holy Spirit blows, we should be like light feathers to go where He wants us to go, to blow away everything that is holding us back. The Holy Spirit is going to blow and level the mountains and hills in our lives. He’s going to straighten the curves and smooth out the rough places. The curves, hills, valleys are the way we are taking our lives. But, if we let Him take over, the way will be clear for the Lord. And then, the glory of the Lord will be revealed and we will see it together.

Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to do the work. Ask someone for help if you need. If you help someone ask God for wisdom. Our mouths will say what our hearts are full of. So, let’s be full of the word of God. God bless you.

Isaiah 40:29-31

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

The boy had never seen his dad study a map so carefully. He asked his dad “why he was studying the map so long?” His dad replied “This map is of where we are going today, it has all of the roads mark to which we need to take” It was at this point that his dad sighed and said ” I used to never need a map, I always knew where I was going, but the world has changed so much. Today we are going somewhere we have never been before. And because of that we need a map”.

Driving the journey the young boy reminded his dad that it was his birthday soon. He doesn’t usually ask for much but today he asked that his dad would give him one thing. The map!

His dad said “Of course but why the map? The boy replied ” Because I am growing older and the world is constantly changing. I will be going places I have never been before and because of that I will need the map”.

This story is not far from the truth/reality, we will all at many times within our lives be going where we have never been before. Each and every day we face new choices and challenges. How do we navigate through life? You could pop down the local map shop and find a map for just about everywhere. But there is only one map to life itself!

James 4:14 says : “yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

Life goes by so quickly, taking the wrong road is not an option. Because of this how can we make sure that we make the right choices? By finding the map to life, the bible. It makes some radical claims.

It tells us over and over again that it is our makers words, inspired by God. Mose in Exodus (Chapter 31:18) said the 10 Commandments were written by the finger of God. In 33:11 that he spoke with God face to face as we would shat with our mates. King David said that God’s spirit spoke through him in 2 Samuel 23:2-3. Jeremiah 1:5-9 says that Gods word came to Jeremiah and God reached out and touched his mouth saying “I have put my words in your mouth” That is incredible, its true God uses people to get his message across.

Whether you are a follower of Christ or not. The bible is the map of life. It will lead you in the direction you need to take in your life and I promise you will change your life forever. Will you pick it up and follow its direction or will you wonder around not knowing where you are going?