Sunday 26 August 2007

Children of Celebration!

Today I was preaching and I thought that this might also be a word for anyone else. So here is what I said:


Celebrate means:
To observe (a day or event) with ceremonies of respect, festivity, or rejoicing.
To perform (a religious ceremony): celebrate a wedding.
To extol or praise: a sonnet that celebrates love.
To make widely known. E.g. celebrate or tell of others achievements… exam results!


As Christians we should seek to extol and praise God and to make Him widely know by our celebrating.
How we can celebrate: parties,dancing, clapping, cheering etc..

Different reasons why we celebrate, Christmas, birthdays etc...
Who we should celebrate: firstly God. Secondly people and ourselves.


How we can celebrate ourselves and others and why we should:
God celebrates us- He cannot help but celebrate us, He cannot help but love us, He cannot help but pour out His blessings out on us…

When we celebrate God and others we should seek to be like Him and not be able to not celebrate!


We are called to build people up, encourage people and not to bring them down. We so can so easily get trapped by moaning and complaining about ourselves and others, but we are called to be different from the world and celebrate people no matter what has happened or they have done or you have done. Seek to be like Jesus!


Party People
Children know how to party!
Come to God like children… Matt 18:1-4. We’re too be childlike come like children, not childish- when we bring others down, argue, call each others name etc… we’re being childish, not childlike.
Children are trusting, loving and can so easily celebrate each other.
We are children of God. We should be like children, His children.
Children are dependent upon their parents or the person caring for them etc… Are we dependant on God? Because the bible says without Him we can do nothing. John 15.


Earthly Celebration
Jesus was always going to parties, His first miracle was at a party so people could keep celebrating
Most parables end with some kind of celebration, because God demands we celebrate what He has done and just because God is God! In old testament demanded Israel to celebrate Passover. And now He demands we celebrate Jesus in the same way.


We must celebrate each other, but we must not be mistaken by celebrating people and making them idles, but celebrate by encouraging them, loving them building them up.
Ultimately we are called to celebrate God, just because all our praise belongs to Him, because God is God! ‘Ultimate celebration always belongs to God!’


Heavenly Celebration




that’s what heavens going to be like. Its going to be a constant party.
So if we don’t get used to celebrating now, we’re not going to like heaven!
Revelations tells us how we’re going to party in heaven.

Rev 5:13 that party never stops. We can’t even begin to imagine eternity but that is what we will be doing. Its never-ending. I find that amazing!

If you feel that you’re someone who is trapped by moaning and needs to allow God to free you from that cage. Come to Him now!
If you just want to celebrate God just because God is God, then come and sit, stand kneel before Him.
If you need to be free to celebrate others, come. If you need forgiveness from bringing others or yourself down and that sin holds you back from being a child of celebration come!
If you just need to come, come. Don’t worry about anyone else or anything else. Just come before His cross!

Thursday 23 August 2007

Soul Survivor 07

Well I have to say that God is amazing! awesome and beautiful!
I have been so blessed to be able to have Blandford and Soul survivor and God has done so many things!
I really don't know how to explain it or get across how amazing and how passionate I feel and God is!

God knows what you need and He knows how to provide that. God knows what we want and sometimes allows that. When both our needs and wants fall in God's will, God explodes with love, providence, peace etc... and that explosion falls on us, it pours over us and moves and changes us!

Someone once said 'a change is as good as a rest!' but when God changes you, He gives you rest too!
So you can have the best of both!
God is amazing!

Sunday 12 August 2007

Blandford!

This past week I have been away at a Christian Youth Camp as a leader. I went to this camp last year and I loved it. I wasn't sure if I was going to come back again this year because of many things including my new job, but I decided and went and this year I took my brother as a leader too.
I had so much fun. It was amazing to see so many young people aged 11-14 dedicating their lives to Jesus.

So much came out of this week. For me I was challenged so much by Synergy, because it was right to the point. With my new job I have been so busy with that, that I have been distracted from God. My focus has been on pleasing my manager and being the best I can for her and not spending my time and focus on God. On Jesus who is my saviour and the only person who deserves all of my focus, love and time.

This last week I have made a commitment to myself and to God, to spend more time with Him and to make sure that my focus does not slip from God to the world!

I pray that God will help me with this and give me people who will steer me in the right direction when I get my focus wrong.

There were so many great things that came out of this last week that I could wright it all down in one post so maybe there will be more to come.


'Never stop praying' 1Thessalonians 5:17