Jesus begins to tell of a story about a man who had two sons, this story is directed to the pharisees (the older son); I want to focus on the Father, and His relationship with his sons.

The younger son decides that he wants his inheritance and a few days later; he leaves and squanders his wealth after he has nothing and is alone, he goes and gets a job working with the pigs. he then comes to his senses realising his fathers goodness and decides that he would rather be a servant in his father household than to work with pigs.

For a younger son in those days to ask his father for his inhertitance was like saying to the father “it would be better if you were dead” and for his insult the father should of disciplined him, the younger son has no rights to the inheritance. But lovinlgy the father gices his son half of his wealth, he grants his sons request. the son made a choice and the father respected the choice. Why? Love demands a choice. The younger son who is like us in a way can sometimes represent the attitude of the flesh (wanting God out of our way. We want His wealth but not Him) this is an attitude of the flesh.

Now when the son was returning and was a long way off his father spots him and runs out to him embraces and kisses him. and the younger son is ready to say he isnt worthy of being called a son. But for the father he sees the repentance and has compassion on him.  repentnace is a change of mind and attiutde the son demonstrates this. the father was waiting for the return of his son depsite the insult made-he runs to him, hugs kisses him, give him a ring authourity, robe-distinction, sandals-sonship.

Even though the son had sinned, the father accepts him as is own again, gives him grace, shows him mercy, the son didnt derseve it the son knows this, but the father loves him. The father always loves-there is nothing that serprate the love of a father from his son. And this is what we have as believers in Christ, acceptance, and the abillty to call God our dad.

When God offers grace, we don’t deserve it, it can’t be earned it can only be received; something that the son had a hard time grasping, and our flesh wants to be something to God, but all God wants is for His Kids, for us, to enjoy Him and Him with us.

God forgot our past like the younger son, so we shouldn’t be focused on the guilt of our past and the mistakes.

Author: Joel Childs

I am loving going through the book of James with some dear friends. The Lord is teaching me so much, for starters, I hadn’t really thought it through that the James who wrote the book of James is in fact the brother of Jesus! I kind of felt embarrassed to be admitting that to the group of ladies but when I did, a couple of them said they hadn’t made that link either. That brought me to tears, realizing how little I know God’s Word and how little I know about Jesus, and who influenced his upbringing- his parents and his sibblings… That is why I have been enjoying going more in depth with this book.

James is very honest and straight to the point. As I was going through James 2 last week, the Lord opened my eyes to these verses: ” My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favour some people more than others? For instance, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in shabby clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one,”you can stand over there, or else sit on the floor” - well, doesn’t this discrimination show that you are guided by wrong motives?” (James 2:1-4) And that’s where the Spirit convicted me, that’s where it hurt: who are the people I give attention to? Who is it that I like to spend time with? Do I admire people for their talent (preaching, singing,social skills) & position and give them preferential treatment because of that? Who do I invest in and spend time with?

Let us be sensitive to the Spirit’s prompting, when He is pointing someone out to us that He wants us to reach out to and to spend time with. Let us obey His law, which is to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Lev 19v18). This is what gives Him joy…

Author: Esther Bieber

First what do you do when you don’t know what to say or when you are scared to walk in the task God has given you? Moses was in this predicament.  In Exodus 4 his problem was that he didn’t believe he was qualified to speak the words God had given him or lead the children of Israel. Moses is terrified and he tells God that he is not eloquent and is both slow of speech and tongue. God’s response is found in the next verse. ” Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I the Lord? Now then go, and I, even I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” (Exodus 4:11-12) God answers his fear by saying Hello do you doubt me? Didn’t I create you the way that you are?  The person we are, the gifts we have been giving are all from God and it is simply arrogance to believe that if sends us to a task, he has given the ability to accomplish it. He told Moses that he would teach him what to say. To teach someone involves a desire on their part for learning. A teachable heart. As followers of Christ, it is important that we also have this desire. To be willing to learn what He has to teach and then to rely on this wisdom to move in the direction God asks.

But what about when we don’t know which direction to go? When there are so many things to do? How do you decide?  Psalm 90 says this “Let your work appear to Your servants, and Your majesty to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of your hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands.” In other words, God gives us the direction we need. When we are surrounded by different directions and different tasks to perfom, it is imperative that we rely on His direction to proceed forward. Of course, this requires a constant communion with God and a willingness to not only wait for His direction, but to proceed when it is given. This verse also seems to suggest that we can not do everything but that rather a focused attention on the specific tasks God gives us is a better approach than just simply diving into anything and everything that is pushed in front of us.

Both of these steps require that we be aware of what His will is. So yet again the conclusion is: Be in the word. Be in prayer. Stop worrying about who or what and where and start relying on the wisdom that has been promised to direct your ministry.

Author: Grace Slowik

~ Jeremiah 1:7 – 10 (NIV)

Lately I’ve really been learning what it means to be bold and to just follow as the Lord intends. In Jeremiah, the Lord tells Jeremiah to go wherever HE leads. I’ve been very challenged by this lately, and I have been praying for a willing attitude to go where the Lord sends me. It can be so difficult for us to go where the Lord leads us because it can be unknown and uncomfortable. We are afraid. However, Joshua 1:9 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (NIV)

We have a great big God behind us, on our side, who promises to be with us and to give us all we need to do the task to which He has called us. I often forget this and find myself consumed with fear and I forget the promises God has given me.

During our spring break, I was blessed to have the opportunity to go on a tour with a music team from Capernwray and go to different churches and youth groups almost every night. These 2.5 weeks were a huge lesson to me in boldness and about being intentional in where I go, who I talk to, and in what I say.

One day in particular we were sitting in the Safeway parking lot and there was a lady beside us having troubles starting her vehicle. I really felt that the Lord wanted us to stay there until she got it going, and even though I was completely terrified I got out and began talking to this lady. Long story short, her car didn’t start, but I had the opportunity to pray for her, and then we gave her a ride home. If I hadn’t obeyed the Lord’s leading, I never would have gotten that chance back. There are so many other stories like that from our trip, and sometimes it was as simple as a thing as saying hi to someone we randomly passed on the street.

I think we often feel that if God is calling us somewhere, it must be somewhere far away. However, according to God’s word, this isn’t how it happens. In Acts 1:8, Jesus says to His disciples, “…You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (NIV)

Jesus first said they would be witnesses in Jerusalem. That was home. Next they would spread to Judea and Samaria, and eventually to the ends of the Earth. Being a witness isn’t a switch we turn on and off, it’s a noun. We ARE witnesses. It’s not just something we do. God doesn’t need to send you to Africa to use you. You have neighbors, friends, family. You go to the grocery store. You have opportunity to say a kind word, or to help someone with a practical task. Witnessing doesn’t always mean telling people about Christ with our words; sometimes the most powerful witness is in our actions.

In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul speaks about the great glory and riches that are to come, and I love the way verse 12 says it: “Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold!” (NIV)

I will go Lord. Send me.

Where is He sending you?

Author: Jessamy Unger

In Luke 7 we have the account of a pharisee having Jesus over for a meal, a woman who is from that town known as a sinner, learns that Jesus is at the pharisees house, she gets an alabaster vail of perfume, and standing behind Jesus weeping she begins to wet His feet with her tears, and wipes them with her hair, she then begins to kiss His feet and anoint them with perfume. Its a beautiful picture of a woman who loves Jesus. The Pharisee who had invited Jesus to his house for a meal said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”

And that is the thing, Jesus did know what sort of person this woman was, He knew exactly what sort of person she was, in far more deeper ways than the pharisee knew, He knew the darkest dirtyest thing about her, and yet Jesus says to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” …….. “Your faith has saved you; go in peace”

I don’t know if you can comprehend that, or understand the weight that, that carries. Jesus forgives her, she doesn’t even ask Him, He forgives her, a total release, all that she has done has been forgiven, this woman who has been tagged a sinner and probally with good reason, has been forgiven. Thats powerful. Jesus does not keep this woman at arms length, but rather knowing full well who she is and what she has done, Jesus sees her repentance and faith, and fights her corner against the religious leaders of the day. Its not that Jesus forgets her sins but rather He chooses to remember it no more, its not that its okay because it’s definatley not, sin is never okay, but its forgiven, He no longer holds it against her, and thats powerful love, its not merely a one off emotional response, Jesus means what He says. Next time Jesus sees this woman walking down the street He doesn’t a dirty sinner, He sees His cleansed daughter.

Maybe you read this and you are trapped in guilt and shame, in turning to Jesus in repentance and faith there is forgiveness, and if you have already turned to Jesus and yet you are still trapped in a self made prison of guilt and shame, then turn to Jesus and walk out, yep the things in your past were wrong and shameful and no its not okay, but its been forgiven, or it can be.

But possibly the most dangerous position of all is that of the pharisee, who did not see the need for forgivness in his own life, and that is sometimes a trap I fall into, and if that is you then I encourage you to ask the Lord in His kindness and gentleness to expose your own heart to you. Don’t settle for being religous, but enjoy rightousness, being in right standing with God because of who He is, and then you have every reason to go in peace.

Author: Ben Ellershaw

What does an unsubmissive and disrespectful wife look like? She can either be too silent and compliant, always agreeing with her husband just because she doesn’t dare speak up or because she considers her husband’s opinion as being more important than the Lord’s Word. The Lord submitted to His Father, and yet He was passionate and vocal. Submission doesn’t mean we need to be silent without any opinion…

Or she can be loud, mouthy and contentious. She disrespects her husband through gossip, intimidation, quarreling, manipulation, mockery, flirting with other men.

In Proverbs 12v4 we read: “An excellent wife is the crown to her husband, but she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.” What a challenge that is to me Today, to honor and submit to the Lord by respecting and submitting to my husband. This is by no means weakness, it is being partners in the high calling that the Lord has intended for man and woman through marriage, to reflect Christ and His Bride, the church, and give us insight into the beauty of His immeasurable and unconditional love for us.

Author: Esther Bieber

In Numbers 13 God tells Moses to send men out to spy out the land of Canaan, which He was going to give to them, that is all God said to him. Moses sends the spies to see if the land is good or bad, to see if the inhabitants are weak or strong, see if the cities are fortified or open camps. So the spies go out and they see the good land and that it is indeed a land flowing with milk and honey, but they also see the greatly fortified cities and that there are giants in the land. Ten of the spies bring back a bad report and Joshua and Caleb see the same problems but they see them believing that, Numbers 13 v 1 God was going to give them the land.

Ok so going back to Joshua 14v 7 and Caleb bringing back word to Moses according to what was in his heart, (this is what i really want to look at with you), on the basis of this Caleb said that he followed the LORD fully. So does this mean then that in order to be pleasing to the LORD we need to follow our hearts and go with what is in our heart? No its not what the passage is saying.  Caleb was not the only one to bring back word according to what was in his heart, do you know who else did???? The other eleven spies who accompanied him, they all brought back word according to what was in there hearts.

Its not a matter of following your heart, its a matter of following Jesus and of testing the things that come into your heart to see whether they are of Him or not. I realize that this might seem really basic to you and that I am stating the obvoius, but this has been something that I have tripped over for some time now. When Caleb went to spy out the land he went prepared, he went the trusting God, intentionally trusting God, reminding himself of the truth. God said that He is going to give us this land, and I think that he left base camp with that in mind, when he saw the grapes of eshcol what was he thinking, God is going to give us the land, when he saw the strong people that inhabited the land and the very large well fortified cities, and he was maybe tempted to doubt then he remembered God is going to give us the land, when he was hiding in a bush and a giant walks past him and the ground shakes as he walks by and he is tempted to give in to fear, amidst the fear he remembers God is going to give us the land.

Its not that Caleb went with what was in his heart that made him pleasing to God, its that Caleb believed God. He chose to trust God, and in that he had a reference point for everything that came into his heart, which then enabled him to bring back a good report to Moses, and moreover live a life pleasing to God. Caleb learned to live under God’s Lordship.  He learned what it is to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Caleb did not just stumble across this good report that he brought back to Moses, it was an overflow of a faith lifestyle that he chose to live.

We have so many thoughts, ideas and emotions that go along with them that run through our hearts daily, we don’t have to nor are we meant to follow them all, but we follow Jesus, trusting in who He is and what He has already shown us. Caleb brought back word according to what was in his heart. What/Who is in our heart, Jesus. And who is He, Jesus is Lord. Don’t get carried away or  troubled by every thought, idea and emotion that runs through your heart but rather, bring them all under the obedience of Christ.

Author: Ben Ellershaw

The persecution of christians had scattered them from Jerusalem to Cyprus, Phoenicia and Antioch. And these scattered believers were spreading the Good News. Beth Moore gives this insight to Herod’s persecution of the believers: ” Amazing, isn’t it? The very thing meant to stamp out the fires of Christianity only kicked the coals across the land and set a parched forest ablaze. Imagine how often Satan has to reconsider his schemes in light of how they could backfire on him.”

A great number of people were turning to the Lord, and when the church in Antioch began to grow, Acts 11:22 tells us the Apostles in Jerusalem decided to send Barnabas there to help the new church out. Barnabas true to his name, encourages the new believers in their walk with Christ. And the verse that stands out to me is v 23 ” He encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.” How do we remain true to the Lord? We need to recognise the distractions and sins that are taking our attention and focus off the Lord and repent of them. We need to abide in Him, prioritize our relationship with Him, and remain rooted in Him. This is how we will remain strong in our faith in the Lord and cause the Lord to delight in us…” Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted beside waters, that stretches out its roots to the stream. It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green. In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.”" Jeremiah 17 v 7-9

Author: Esther Bieber