Tag: Jesus

Giving up Everything

Luke 14 New International Version

The Cost of Being a Disciple

²⁵Large crowds were travelling with Jesus, and turning to them he said:²⁶“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. ²⁷And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Image result for surrendering all for jesus

²⁸“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?²⁹For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, ³⁰saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

³¹“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³²If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

³⁴“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? ³⁵It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Surrendering All

Luke 14 New International Version (NIV)

The Cost of Being a Disciple

³¹“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³²If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

³⁴“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? ³⁵It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live

All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me, Jesus, take me now,

I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all

All to Jesus I surrender
Make me Savior wholly thine
May Thy Holy Spirit fill me
May I know Thy power divine

I surrender all
I surrender…

The Church will let you down

Jesus will never ler you down.

He is comletely trustworthy.

However, let me be very clear about this, the church will let you down

Your local church and individual Christians will let you down!

Ask, Seek, Knock

Matthew 7 English Standard Version

Ask, and It Will Be Given

⁷“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Ask

I wonder can you remember as a child when you had been naughty were you given what you asked for by your parents? Chances are you wouldn’t have. You like I would probably only get what we asked for by our parents if we were good

As humans we must remember to be Christ like to get what we ask for from our Lord.

Seek

Ever mislaid your car or house keys, mobile phone, TV control etc and can’t find them when you need them? Fortunately I’m not that type of person except for maybe the TV remote.

So that w can “seek, and you will find” We must be Committed to Jesus

Knock

We must let Jesus knock at the door of our hearts to let him in to our lives so that we may be saved

New Year’s resolutions

Philippians 3:12-15

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

What can I say about Resolutions, some of us choose to live a healthier lifestyle (cut down/out cigarettes our even alcohol), others choose to diet after the festive period because of the amount of food we have eaten not just on Christmas Day but at our work’s Christmas party and any other parties we attend in this period.

On a personal note I don’t do resolutions basically because a couple of days into it and I literally crash.

As it says in today’s reading It is important hat we forget what was behind us and move forward toward the goal of the call of God.

The tune in this video is called ‘Let there be peace on Earth’

The Birth of Christ

Luke 2:1-7New International Version

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

The birth of Christ in a manger exemplifies the essence of servant leadership. As Christians we are called to serve rather than be served. A servant leadershipstyle involves putting the needs of others first, empowering members and helping them reach their full potential.

In the midst of challenging circumstances, Mary & Joseph exhitbited grace and compassion towards each other and the new born Jesus. As Christians we are bound to encounter obstacles & uncertainties, and how we respond to these situations impact’s our teams morale & resilience. By leading with grace & compassion, we create an atmosphere of support and understanding, fostering a culture of growth & resilience.

Prayer

Father, we are humbled by the life of Jesus’ humble birth, which teaches us the value of servant leardership. Help us lead with humility,grace and compassion always seeking to serve. May our lives reflect your love & humility, creating a culture of trust, growth & resilience. Guide us to identify with the needs of our members and provide support and empowerment they need to thrive. May we flourish finding strength in humble beginingsand reaching their full potential. Amen

The shepherds’ response of gloryifying and praising God reminds us to give thanks for His guidance in our Christian journey. As Christians we may often focus on the future goals and plans, forgetting to pause and express gratitude for the present moment. Like the sheperds who praised God for the wonderous news of Jesus’ birth, we too should cultivate a heart of gratitude for the oppertunities and blessings God has provided in our lives

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before you with hearts full of gratitude for your giudance and blessings in our Christian journey. Help us to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness in our hearts and attitudes. May we be quick to praise and give thanks for the opportunities and successes you have granted us. Let our Christian lives be a testimony of your goodness and grace. Amen.

Silent Night

1 Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round the virgin mother and child;
Holy infant, tender and mild,
Rests in heavenly peace.

2 Silent night! Holy night!
Guiding star, lend thy light.
See, the eastern wise men bring
Gifts and homage to our King,
Jesus Christ is here.

3 Silent night! Holy night!
Wondrous star, lend thy light.
With the angels let us sing
Hallelujahs to our King,
Jesus Christ is here.

The serene lyrics of ‘Silent night’ hold a timeless message of stillness, wonder and the guiding light that led to the birth of Christ. In the midst of our fast paced and often chaotic world, these words invite us to pause and find solace in the profound peace that Christmas brings. As Christians, we can draw valuable lessons from that holy night, recognising the importance of creating moments of calm, reflection and guidance for ourselves.

Prayer

Father, as we meditate on these lyrics, we are reminded of the holy tranquillity that surrounded Jesus’birth. As Christians, help us to intetionally cultivate moments of stillness and reflection in our Christian journey. May we be guided by the wonderous light that leads us to your precence and wisdom. Lord, grant us the wisdom to lead with serenity and peace, creating an enviroment where our members can find solace and encounter your grace. Guide us, O Lord, to lead with humility and grace, reflecting your lov and compassion in all we do. Amen.

Treasuring the events of Jesus’ birth

Luke 2:19 New International Version 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Like mary treasured the events of Jesus’ birth, Christians should learn from the busyness of Christmas, It is crutial to take moments of reflection and contemplation, just as Mary did. These times of reflection allow us to gain insights from our experiences, learn from our mistakes and grow as Christians. By cherishing the lessons we’ve learned, we can continually improve and become more effective Christians.

Prayer

Gracious God, We thank yo for the valuable lessons we’ve learned through our Christian journey. As we reflect on our experiences, help us to gain insights and wisdomthat will make us better Christians. Grant us the humility to learn from our mistakes and the courage to grow from our challanges. Amen

Jesse’s Tree

Isaiah 11:1New International Version

The Branch From Jesse

11 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

The prophecy of the shoot from Jesse’s stump speaks of the emergence og new and unexpected leadership. Just as the seemingly lifeless stump produced new growth, God has the ability to raise Christians from unexpected places. As Christians, we should be open we should be open to recognising and empowering emerging members of our church fellowship. By nurturing and empoweringthem we participate in God’s transformitive work in the world.

Prayer

Father, We acknowledge that you are the one who raises up Christians from unexpected places. Help us to nurture the potential in those around us. May they grow and flourish with your guidance. Use us, O Lord, to be instruments of your work in the lives of others. Amen