I’ve had a week of so many confirmations that this is a word in season. So many people needing to Battle to Build. Some quiting their dream, some going off track, others fighting for it. You must fight for it…
Paul reminds us that “You are Gods building” (1 Corinthians 3:9) – God has a plan for your life, and if you get that God-dream for your life, you have to learn to hold on to it and to fight for it. Recognise that you have an enemy, and that if faith in Christ is your foundation, then you are more than a conqueror. You CAN stand through the storms that come from within & without, with your life counting for Him. Read the full context of the above scripture here, then say “ouch!” followed by: “I need to battle to build.”
In this 3 Part series we’re going to see that there’s only one foundation on which to build: Christ. And using one of the great Old Testament builders as an example, we’re going to learn that to build is going to take amongst other things: REVELATION (of the plan, and the Planner), REMOVAL (you cant build on rubbish), RESTRAINT (empower your yes & no’s), and RELATIONSHIPS (there are some battles you are just not going to win on your own.) Nehemiah knew that its one thing to be moved to want something, but its a whole other thing to battle till you see the fulfilment, and he knew that uou have to fight for it.
In the end, when all the dust has settled on this life, there’s a great promise for those who have built right: If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. (1 Corinthians 3:14)
YOUR BATTLE TO BUILD… Sunday 5th, 12th, & 26th July @ Every Nation in Hammersmith & Slough
We had our summer staff barbeque yesterday. As I heard someone say recently: Its one thing to have a “dream team,” but whats even more powerful is “a team with a dream”…
I sure thank God for each of our amazing team members here, who sacrifice hugely in many ways to support and empower our volunteers & leaders to fulfil our mission to “make disciples of all nations.”
From left front to back: Dina (finance), Lydia (youth), Tami (Hi!Team/Kids), Andrew (Finance Director), Jon (Youth), Tosin (Campus), Stephanie (Pastoral/Outreach), Jenni (Pastoral), Javed (Campus), Simon (6PM Pastor / Engage/ Partnership ministry), Charl (Pastor, Brentwood in Oct), Yvette (Slough pastor/Begium), Dan Smart (Pastor, Hammersmith), Richard (Partnership ministry), Me, Amanda (Pastor, Hammersmith), , Traci (Pastoral), Greg (Operations, Stratford), Ali (Senior Pastor), Graeme (Hi!Team /Kids), Dan Lees (Central Services Operations), Trevor (Pastor, Slough/ Belgium), Gerald (Kids)
Missing from the action due to holidays (yes, we allow a few of those now and again!) are Andrew & Berna (Pastors, Stratford Congregation), Michelle (Worship Stratford) , Darren (Operations, Hammersmith) – (Jacqui Parker finished up at the end of June – thanks for your contribution Jax)
I’m super passionate about a new 3-part “Your Battle to Build” message series I will be preaching in July at our Hammersmith morning and 6PM services… Here’s a plug for it from outside our Every Nation church in Washington DC where I attended our North America conference this week…
Sunday 5th – Part 1: A great building starts with a “Revelation”, and don’t forget to remove the rubbish…
Sunday 12th – Part 2: You’ll never build much without “readiness” & “Restraint…”
Sunday 19th – We have Tim & Maz Walker from the Thembalitsha Village of Hope as guests in Hammersmith am service
Sunday26th – Part 3: There are some battles you’ll never win alone, and there are some things you’ll never build alone…
1 Corinthians 3:10-11 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Nehemiah 4:17 Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.
I’m in Washington DC for a few days at our Every Nation North America conference.
My daily reading the day I arrived was from Acts 13, and verse 14 caught my attention, where Paul arrives in Antioch, goes into the tabernacle on the Sabbath day AND SAT DOWN.
I dont often find myself in Christian meetings without any responsibilities, or a day without a long do do list. As a Christian / pastor / leader / preacher / visionary-type-who-has-more-ideas-than-resources I am seldom just walking into anywhere and just SITTING DOWN. But that’s what I’m doing here. I’ve got no specific responsibilities here, and besides a few key conversations I need to have and connections I need to make in preparation for some key events in the next 12 months, I am just SITTING DOWN and soaking it up. Its great (but I do itch just a little bit to…)
I have a fairly healthy habit of sitting down every morning with Jesus and His Word before all the other demands of the day begin to drive me, and without this my getting up would soon wear me out. I set my desire on those times. I pray that I’ll keep growing the habit of SITTING DOWN. We do need to become better at sitting down. Jesus said to Martha that this was the “one thing that is needed.”
It’s interesting that after Paul had SAT DOWN, that the next verse tells how the synagogue leaders soon asked Paul and his friends to SAY SOMETHING, and the result was tremendous revival. Often we want to SAY before we SIT. Sitting down first helps you to:
Listen, so you understand the real questions / context
Be “slow to speak” so that you only say that which really builds up and is helpfull
Receive from others who are speaking
humble yourself
Also, this reminds you that you don’t have to push your way to prominence – God will make a way for your ministry opportunity in his perfect timing. Just make sure you’re not sitting down when you should be standing or walking…
So join me…and SIT DOWN at the right time and place with Jesus…And when you do get to SAY something, it may be just a little buit more impacting… it could be your launching pad to the great things you’re dreaming of.
King David wrote in the Psalms that he was “glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord!” (Psalm 122:1) Here’s a glimpse of what that may sound like today, as non-church-goer Chris Moyles, well known UK broadcaster/ author/DJ gets onto the topic of “church” on his popular Radio One talk show… imagine what would happen if we were that excited about our churches…
Friday & Sat in Madrid was just great. Here’s a pic of Mel with some of the team…Vision Madrid is alive and well and ready to gain some
momentum!
We went out onto the streets on Sat doing a “are you interested in spiritual things” survey, which was great for the team to get some good conversation going and to stretch their Spanish. I went with Mel and was very impressed with how his Spanish was getting on.
Do pray for our church plant there – its a great city with a great need for spiritual revival…
God makes some amazing promises about the power of unity, all the way from His observing those building the tower of Babel and His comment that “The people are one… now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” (Genesis 11:6) Of course in that instance God was against them, which teaches us that no matter what we do, if God isn’t in it, its a lost cause. But when God IS in it, and we are together in unity, He commands a blessing (Psalm 133), and when 2 or 3 (or more!) get together in His name, there He promises to be with us, and to answer and do whatever we ask in His name (Matthew 18:18-20). There is incredible power in unity and agreement.
What does “Together” look like for Christians and for churches? How highly do you value it? In Acts at Pentecost we see the early disciples were “all together in one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1), and look what happened! Jesus never gave us as His followers the option of not loving one another and doing whatever we can to “gain our brothers.” He also strongly prayed that we “may be one.” (John 17). I know that there are many questions and issues here, and we definitely don’t pursue unity at all costs. But here’s the truth: Its so much easier to divide than to unite. Its easier to walk away than to work through. Its easier to break than to build. If we held on to “the truth” as much as we hold on to our reasons and rights to be offended, we’d be in the super-faith league all the time!
Local Churches getting together uniting around Christ and His cause is sadly also a rare thing. We seem more committed to reaching the nations than reaching out to our neighbours. For this reason I’m excited about the “Hammersmith & Fulham Borough Prayer Gathering” happening in the Town Hall here tomorrow (Thursday 11th) where I have been priviledged to facilitate this meeting of churches from all sorts of streams getting together in united worship and prayer for our local area. As far as we know this has never been done before, so maybe we could expect results which we’ve never seen before!
Here’s a thought: When the disciples were out fishing and had caught nothing, Jesus instructed them to “throw the net out on the other side,” and there was a huge catch, so big that they needed to call their partners in other boats to help. Could it be that until we have built partner relationships, we are not ready for the harvest God has in store for us?
Question: Who are you walking “in agreement” with? Are you harbouring offence which keeps you divided? Are you really “loving one another” like Jesus commanded? What position/pride/prejudice are you willing to let go of in order to live more united? Let go. Repent. Forgive, Reach out – and see God do amazing new things!
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. For by this will all know that you are My disciples.”
I’m expecting this “God is…”series to be seriously life-changing! On the four Sundays of June in all of our 4 locations in greater London we are joining in with the global OnePrayer initiative and presenting four compelling and life-giving messages by some great communicators via video from around the world right into our venues.
Check this out as a taster:
Sunday 7th – “God is… For You”
Sunday 14th – “God is…Able”
Sunday 21st – “God is…Love”
Sunday 28th – “God is…Waiting of you”
Together with inspiring worship and powerful personal ministry, these are Sundays not to be missed. Bring your friends and come with HUGE expectation believing that GOD IS ABLE TO DO MORE THAN YOU CAN PLAN…
PLUS pray/give/go opportunities in June:
Madrid Church Plant Support Trip – 12& 13 June
11-14th June – “PrayerParation” mission to Gent, Belgium in preparation for our church plant there in summer 2010
13 – 20th June – “LoveUkraine” mission to Lviv and poorest of Europe in the Carpathian mountains
What an amazing EXPAND year its been so far here in London! and now we’re off on a weeks holiday down in Sunny Spain… will get back on the blog when in a week or so – some exciting things coming up including
Pentecost Sunday – cant wait to preach here…
Our June series partnering with “OnePrayer” on the Theme of “God is…” – bring your friends to any of our services in London for a great God encounter…
The Hammersmith & Fulham Borough Prayer Gathering in the Town Hall on Thurs June 11th, where I’ve been priviledged to lead an initiative to get all the churches in our area to pray for our borough this evening… I believe this unity will release a significant spiritual breakthrough…
34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God.” – Luke 1
We’ve had four weeks of great teaching and ministry looking at “the other side of Jesus” here in London. Unfortunately most peoples understanding of God is a misunderstanding, but Jesus said that “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father,” so one clear way to know what God is really like is to consider some of the words and actions of Jesus, which is what this series is about. We looked at “Jesus partied”, “Jesus cursed”, “Jesus slept” and this past Sunday we literally whipped it up with “Jesus whipped” . This by the way was not about how angry God is, but about how passionate God is to clear the way for you to know Him like you can and should and want to (Definitely worth a listen to on the download of my message here) Once the dust had settled on Jesus’ whipping in the temple, all that was left for us today is the bread and the cup, which we do in remembrance of Him who died for us and who will come again…
We’re adding another part to this series this coming Sunday 17th May, entitled “JESUS HEALED”, because we firmly believe that Jesus was and is more than a man or a great teacher or a significant prophet: He is God and therefore by definition He works supernaturally, including miraculous healing, miracles, supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit like prophetic words of insight, knowledge & wisdom which cannot be known by the natural senses.
I invite you to come to any of our four services in London this weekend and trust Jesus for a supernatural touch of healing and ministry. Pray with us for entering into a fresh season of signs and wonders following and confirming the preaching of Gods word, resulting in disciples being made…
Have you got a testimony to share? If you do have a healing testimony, or any other testimony of experiencing God supernaturally in any way, please write it as a comment below, or as a message on my Facebook this week sometime. If Gods done something for you – tell us and tell the world!
Paul reminds us that “You are Gods building” (1 Corinthians 3:9) – God has a plan for your life, and if you get that God-dream for your life, you have to learn to hold on to it and to fight for it. Recognise that you have an enemy, and that if faith in Christ is your foundation, then you are more than a conqueror. You CAN stand through the storms that come from within & without, with your life counting for Him. Read the full context of the above scripture here, then say “ouch!” followed by: “I need to battle to build.”
Posted by weckleben 
Posted by weckleben 
Posted by weckleben 
peoples understanding of God is a misunderstanding, but 
teacher or a significant prophet: He is God and therefore by definition He works supernaturally, including miraculous healing, miracles, supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit like prophetic words of insight, knowledge & wisdom which cannot be known by the natural senses.
How to be excited about church in the UK!
June 15, 2009King David wrote in the Psalms that he was “glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord!” (Psalm 122:1) Here’s a glimpse of what that may sound like today, as non-church-goer Chris Moyles, well known UK broadcaster/ author/DJ gets onto the topic of “church” on his popular Radio One talk show… imagine what would happen if we were that excited about our churches…