Jesus, all for Jesus

The song "Jesus, All for Jesus" has been on my mind lately. As I aim to glorify God in my final year studies I am constant reminded that my "ambitions, hopes and plans" are for him. It is always too easy to put God on a shelf during busy times. Forget that he is there and occasionally glance up from the computer screen and acknowledge his existence.

However this is not what God requests of us. Jesus should not be an after thought, he should be the reason we live. I have to remind myself daily that Jesus is my greatest friend and wants a relationship with me.

If you are in a busy period of your life, remember that there is a God who loves you and wants a relationship with you.

Jesus says
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest..." (Matthew 11:28)

Why youth work is a Total Adventure!

I have just returned from being a volunteer on a week in the Peak District with an organisation called Adventure Plus (A+).

The week was for teenagers and was an activity week with a Christian ethos. The week was amazing, where young people got to develop their skills at climbing, kayaking and mountain biking (to mention a few). There was also opportunities to discuss the topic of trust and then move onto the topic of trusting God. I want to use this blog to highlight what to me rung so true I had to take a step back.

As youth workers we often have sleepless nights, long meetings and alot of thinking on the spot. It becomes far to easy to focus on what "we" have done to get the meeting running, what "we" have done to get the worship ready. What I was reminded of while away with A+ was that actually it is not about "we" or "us" it is all about God.

While on this week away there was an opportunity for an "extra" worship session. It was optional, the alternative was playing cards / hanging out with your mates. Despite this around half the young people turned up to this session. We sang some songs and then invited anyone to pray. It started with some of the leaders praying, and then the young people took over. This was the moment I stood back.

It was the fact that not only was this an "optional" worship session, but the kids were not asked to pray, they were invited. God was the Youth Worker here. I found myself smiling, amazed that the prayers these young followers of Jesus were praying rung true in my life also. It was so encouraging, and at that point I was in awe of God who can and does do immeasurably more than we can imagine.

Yes, there is a time for planning, yes there is a time for preparation. But we need to leave more time for God, God who cannot be contained, should not be contained. These young people were passionate about Jesus and how he loved them. They were worshipping and wanted more of him. In the middle of a busy, tiring week it was this praising that reminded me that us "Youth Leaders" are also sheep being led by the greatest "Youth Leader" of all.

The sleepless nights now seem worth it.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

 Adventure Plus - http://www.adventureplus.org.uk/

Online Bullying

So I have just sent an email to Richard Bacon (Radio 5 presenter)
Why you may ask?

Well I was blown away by a documentary he presented on cyber bullying.

I found it very innformative and think there should be more things on the TV like it.

The email I sent him simply thanked him for producing such good TV.

I suggest you watch it:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01dwg1n/The_AntiSocial_Network/
(link active on 19th March)

Trust

Yesterday while with a good friend I was saying how the main reason I know I have grown as a Christian is not my knowledge of the Bible or how many worship songs I know without the need for lyrics. No, the most dominant feature of my faith that I know has grown is that of trust.

When I first accepted Jesus and started building a relationship with him my trust was in my parents, my friends and my family. If I had something that required an active decision I would go to those people. However now I look at my life and see that when something is troubling me or a decision has to be made I go to Jesus.

In going to Jesus I am trusting that whatever the decision he has for my life, whatever directions he wants to take me in it is the correct path. This is not to say I find it easy, in fact the exact opposite is true and I often don't trust, but more and more I am learning to Trust Jesus.

I urge you to do the same.

Royal Wedding

Having had it on in the background while working the one thing that really stood out was this part of the address given by the Bishop of London:

"As the reality of God has faded from so many lives in the West, there has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life. This is to load our partner with too great a burden. We are all incomplete: we all need the love which is secure, rather than oppressive, we need mutual forgiveness, to thrive."

This truly sums up what the world and this country are lacking, love and forgiveness. Love and forgiveness that can come only from God.

Evangelism to Billions of people!

Easter

"Without the resurrection Christianity is null and void", this was once said by Richard Dawkins. Today over 2000 years ago, Jesus fulfilled a old testament prophecy. He rose from the dead in order to save us and give us life to the full.

Before you munch on your Easter eggs just have a quick think as to why we celebrate Easter.

The name of Jesus

So over the last week God has been prompting me to acknowledge how powerful the name Jesus is.

"Jesus Christ" is often used as a curse, and in today's society has become common place in peoples vocabulary for such a purpose.

But the same name can be used to drive out demons, change lives and comfort the weary.

How did such a wonderful name get changed into such a derived form of its true meaning.

So I challenge you, regardless of your religious beliefs, to next time you hear someone use the name "Jesus Christ" as a curse, challenge them. Do they know what the name really means?

Prayers of thanks

Just a quick post, have arrived back in York (into a house) and already God is doing some really cool things; people are interested in faith, people are coming to events and the freshers events have not even kicked off.

In general God has got some really exciting things planned.

Just praise to God for being awesome.

Ok its 2:18am...good night
x

Freedom

In today's society I often get asked the question "Don't you feel as though as a Christian you are limited to what you do, your not free do as you please".

Now as a Christian I believe that I am truly free to do as I please. Its not as though I could not get smashed or have sex before marriage, God has given us those choices and they still stand for Christians as much as they do for non-Christians. However, the difference lies in the choice.

I choose not to get smashed because it is abusing the body God gave me and I love God.
I choose not to have sex before marriage because I believe sex is a gift from God and believe it should be saved for one person in marriage because I love God.

It does not mean that my life is free from temptation from these things, or that I find it easy. However God does help us along the way. By surrendering, giving everything up, we free ourselves from the burdens and just love God.

True Freedom comes from surrender.

Inception

Yesterday evening I went to see Inception.

It is incredible. Everything about it. It had laughs, cries (although not from me im far to manly (cough cough)), adventure, music, everything.

It is a must watch and just wow.

That is all
WATCH IT =]

Bibles

So today I received a text with a bible verse in it. Unfortunately I was at work so could not look it up straight away but at lunch time I decided that I was going to try and find a bible.

I work in Ealing which is home to a pretty big library so that was where I headed.

Having found the "religious" section I proceeded to look for a Bible. There were Bible dictionary's, prayer books, guide books ect. But no Bibles. I then decided to check the other religions sections to see if there was one in there (by someone moving it), there were plenty of Quran's and Jewish manuscripts and such like but no bibles...so I head to the desk:

"Hi, Im looking for a Bible I wonder if you can help me"
"Just give me a moment" *runs off to look in the religious section* "Try upstairs in the reference section"

So I head upstairs, and once again reach the desk:

"Hi, Im looking for a Bible"
"Umm follow me" *Takes me to the religious reference section* (once again full of Quran's and other world religions books) "Sorry there are no bibles here"
"Do you actually have any Bibles?"
"Well not many people read it"

At this point, I decided not to tell the man that it is one of the most read books in the world.

Eventually by digging through old books they found me a copy of the Bible.

I was shocked, a library in West London which is home to hundreds of Churches and Church Schools. Schools which teach RE do not have a Bible to hand. The worst part was the librarian honestly believed that not many people own or read a Bible. Something, somewhere has gone horribly wrong.

Bikes

As mentioned in the last post I was camping last weekend. As a family we went on a couple of cycle rides.

I do love cycling, it is the best way to get around as it is free and good for the environment.

The real reason for this post is due to me wanting to say that I managed to reach 34.2mph on my bike this weekend.

That is all

Camping

Having just returned from Swannage with the family I can confirm I love camping. I love the fact that I can really get in touch with nature, not have computers/email to keep me busy. I love the fact I can carry my life on my back.

Most of all I love the fact I can really get in touch with God through nature. It is so amazing how much beauty is in things we just pass by.

Phone happens

So I go to work, put my phone on keylock, put it in my bag.

My shifts started at 2pm and finished at 6pm.

When I finish I find a miss call and a text from a random number: "Hi you rang me, I do not know who this is?"

So I check my call list and hey hey there is a outwards call to this number at 3:14pm.

Now when I finished my shift my phone was in the same place still on keylock.

No-one was in the staff room at 3:14pm, everyone was on the shop floor.

Any ideas?

Sherlock

I must admit I was apprehensive when starting to watch the new BBC series Sherlock. However after the three episodes I am impressed. For a new BBC drama (of which there have been far too few in the last couple of years) it is very well done. Yes it has flaws and yes it can be predictable, however it kept me gripped for a total of 4.5 hours over the last three weeks.

I look forwards to the next season.

Fast Food

Does anyone else have this problem:

So I decide that I feel like some fast food, a pizza or a takeaway or something. So I head into a fast food chain and buy some food.

I eat it, it tastes great.

However six or seven hours later I can still taste part of the the last mouthful...

Please tell me its not just me..

In other news the new Milky Bar TV advert is all filmed in York. The reason being that is the home of nestle in the uk.

Items-2

Following on from yesterdays post about possesions. I had another thought.

If it had been my Bible that had been lost, what emotions would I feel then. In England a Bible is worth around £20 (translation dependant), so in terms of money the loss would not have been great. However to some loosing their Bible would be putting there lives at risk.

In some parts of the world today, Bibles can still not be freely read or traded. So if you lost your Bible, it would not be as simple as going down to your local bookshop to pick up a new one.

The Bible should be our bread and butter. It should be something we depend on and in some parts of world, worth risking your life for. I know I for one would not be willing to die for £20.

I suggest you all read God Smuggler, it is an amazing book which covers a real life example of places where Bibles can not be bought.

Items

Recently I managed to step on my mp3 player. Now at first I thought, "Ah no problem, my mp3 player has been through far worse, a river in the isle of skye, overcharing, factory resets, the works...". Unfortunatly I was wrong, as it so happens my weight ontop of a said device caused the screen to crack. Luckily I found a replacement screen and managed to fix it.

Now if that was not enough, my 22" monitor decided to stop working. Once again "luckily" it was covered by warantee.

But all of this got me thinking, when Jesus says to the rich man in the Bible to give up everything in order to follow him, how much are we willing to do the same. I know that when these two items worth a couple of hundred between them broke I was devistated, however what is a couple of hundred compared to the riches in heaven.

Do we as people living in cosy worlds really understand what it means to surrender to God?

Big Brother

So I am sitting in my Grandmas living room mindlessly browsing the internet...and on the tv is Big Brother.

From just listening to it, it is so bad I cannot believe people actually watch it. But then on the other hand I can because it is addictive rubbish...

On a final note, my Grandma does not watch Big Brother, she is not in the room.

Trains

I like trains. I like the overground variety more than the underground one. This is simply because most times I have been on a underground train has been in London. Ever wondered what a sardine feels like when it is in a tin? Just travel on the tube. Overground trains on the other hand are most likely to be spacious and you get a reserved seat.

But the main reason I like trains is due to the fact you know where to get off, on a bus you do not.