May 2009 has been our Holy Spirit month at C3 Crawley. We are very aware that the Spirit is our everyday connection with the Almighty God – the Spirit IS God!

One of the goals for our church is that we would see 50+ people filled with this Spirit in such a way that they speak in tongues for the first time. Speaking in tongues is not like a Scouts badge – some form of achievement – instead it is simply an intimate method of prayer. As we have made space in our services this month for the Holy Spirit to minister to us and through us, many people have been abundantly blessed.

Here is a testimony from one of those meetings:

The two questions I get asked the most are:

1. How do I walk with Christ in a more powerful way?

2. I don’t know what to do with my life – where do I go for direction?

These are questions not easily answered. Short clichés rarely suffice. I can say that the best way to address them is to speak with the One who knows.

I am aware that prayer is a discipline. But the practice of prayer is one that reaps unlimited rewards. We discover that our inadequacies are more than compensated for by Christ’s abundance. As God spoke through the writer of Chronicles, “If my people would humble themselves…and pray…I will…” (2 Chron 7:14). God promises action when we act. God responds to faith-filled action.

'One of the giant redwood cedars of California, is 270 feet high, and weighs 6,300 tons. It came from a seed weighing three thousandths of an ounce'.

Hanging out in the playground as I minded this great kid, the question hammered my heart more than ever of why does bad things happen to good people? This kid I was minding had a drug-addict for a Mother and child petefile for a Father. Both parents had been arrested several times and this poor little guy had been chucked in the backseat during armed robberies, faced the full brunt of his Mother’s addiction and his Fathers immorality. With all this rushing through my mind this little boy starts telling me that he’s a superhero like all these Bible characters and how God is the one that gives him all the strength. At almost 10 years old, he’d seen so much hurt yet had so much faith.

Have you ever seen a beautiful sunset and not been able to sit still until you go and get someone you love to share it with. The beauties of life are best when they’re shared with those you love. Like when people get married and have kids to share in all the good stuff of family so God made us to share in His awesomeness. In this awesome whirl of majesty God creates the Heavens and the Earth in what we rather blandly call creation and the pinnacle of his wondrous work, was us. Walking in paradise with Adam and Eve God got to hang out with those he loved like any loving Father loves hanging out with his kids.

For those of us who aren’t really the science whizz it’s easy to just assume that those much smarter than us have developed super theories that must be in conflict with belief in God. I can’t help but wonder where this stereotype came from.

The first core origins of science came from Christian roots. Science arose out of a belief of a rational God and therefore for His creation to make sense.  The greatest scientific discoveries of our time have been made not by skeptics but by great Christian minds that publically devoted their work to the glory of God. Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Galileo, Michael Faraday and Leonardo DaVinci we’re not only renowned as scientists but influential Christians; they were powerful men of faith. As a great man of faith Albert Einstein once said “I want to know Gods thought, the rest are just details”. As a rock founder of modern science who shaped the very views we say oppose God saw science as merely the details of how God made such an awesome creation.

You may not be able to verbally express the pain you feel inside, and for you, cutting is the only option. You are not alone. Jesus also was in such pain and anguish, he actually SWEAT blood!

After leaving his disciples, Jesus walked away and knelt down and prayed, “Father if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

The cup of suffering Jesus was referring to was this: Jesus knew in a very short amount of time he would be handed over to die for the sins of all mankind!
In your agony, you CAN pray just as Jesus did! Look at this passage: It says Jesus prayed in agony of spirit. Even if you can't tell anyone how you are feeling right now, God knows your heart and your pain.

What else can you do?

First, believe that God knows you better than you know yourself. Know that at any time you are angry, you can pray silently and ask for his help even when there are no words. Ask him to show you how to express what you are feeling when the time is right.

Second, understand that as far as blood is concerned, Jesus shed his blood as a sacrifice for you. When Jesus died on the cross, he said, “It is finished!” He paid the penalty of death for your sin and my sin. Guilt no longer has a place in your life if you believe that Jesus took your sins upon himself on the cross.

Christians are all hypocrites!

This is a common objection stated by people justifying why they would never contemplate Christianity. In part it is true – some Christians have been known live opposite to the Gospel they preach. History has many occurrences where bad things have been done in the name of Christianity. We must remember though that plenty of bad things have been done in the name of medicine too – but that doesn’t mean we don’t ever go near a doctor again!

Quote - 'Leading is primarily paying attention.' - Lincoln On Leadership, Executive Strategies for tough times, By Donald T. Phillips, Warner Books, 1992, P24

Quote - 'Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.' - Vince Lombardi

Quote - 'Gratitude is the mother of all virtues.'

As I look around at all the people coming to church today, I see in each one an amazing story. God has done wonders in a life there; and created beauty from ashes in another over here. He has not only redeemed our souls, but given our lives an amazing reason for being.

It reminds me of a familiar but old story:
A man is sitting on his porch in Kentucky. He's just retired from the post office. His first Social Security cheque arrives. He's very, very discouraged. He thinks, "Is this my life now - sitting on the porch waiting for my cheque?"