The vine

It's been a week of many thoughts, and no time to blog them in!!

One of my readings this week was on John 15 and I thought it was something that made me really think.

In summary of the passage, verse 5 it says "I AM the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing"

How much fruit are we producing? How devoted are we to being a part of the vine? I think they go hand in hand... I know a few people that are producing good fruit, but it made me look closer at myself!!

How are you connected to the vine? Is it by spending genuine time with Jesus in prayer. Is it by studying the word of God and finding a really good devotional book? Is it by living and using your Spiritual gifts? How is it - please let me know your thoughts on how you're 'connected to the vine'?

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

John 15:7-8

What a day!!

What a day it's been so far!!

I got a message from my girlfriend Tish this morning saying that her employers have offered her full time work compared to her part time work that she has been working!! Praise God for the answer to prayer!

This afternoon I was to have a second interview for a position in Research and Development within my present company, CSL, but when I got there, I found out that I already had the position and the new boss was just wanting to meet me before I'm transferred over from Quality
Control to R&D! What a great suprise - I was expecting to get grilled in an interview again - WOW!

Hallelujah - what else is God going to bless us with today?!?! Maybe a win at Basketball tonight, some souls saved, or a miracle by the hand of God?!

Anyway...

This is the day the Lord has made, we will REJOICE and be EXTRA glad in it!!

(Paraphrase of Psalm 118:24)

Come change the world!

On the weekend we had the Southern Territory's Candidates weekend - my first. What a great weekend of being with like-minded disciples of our amazing Saviour!

I had a few great deep talks with a few good mates and had to stop at 2am when we lost all logic and theology, but all the same, I had the chance to get some things going around in my head out to bounce of someone else - something I don't get to do often.

My main message for the weekend from God was to die to self - I need to have less of me and much more of Him! The theme was - give up our small ambitions and come change the world, based on Mark 8:34-35. A couple of people stated that that's a bit arrogant, but really that's what God asks of us - nothing less, He empowers, and we go.

Major Marney Turner said early on, we say 'SHOW', God says 'GO', we say 'NO', and God says 'GO'! How true is that!

We have some great leaders in Major's Marney and Len Turner - please pray for them, really beautiful people of God that are tireless in their work and are great people of God!

Let's give up our self centredness and let God have all the glory - He deserves it - we don't!!!!

To God be the glory,
Great thing He has done!!

How are you using your gifts?

What are the focuses of your Spiritual gifts? Are you using them to give yourself attention or to give God great glory?!

I've been thinking about the parable of the guys who had a mixture of talents and about the guy who buried his. Why would you bury a gift unless you didn't realise what it truly affected.

God gave us His Holy Spirit to empower us to expand His Kingdom and through that, God gave us special gifts through the same Spirit that was in Jesus to continue His work here on earth. Why would you bury that??

I'd rather be the guy, with say 5 talents and doubled it, either by saving someone else who developed another 5 Spiritual gifts or two people with 3 gifts and 2, or 5 people with 1 talent each....!

What ways can we bring a profit to our King by using what He has given us?

At our prayer day last week, one of the things God told us is that we're not giving Him enough glory and praise that He deserves - so lets take the focus off us and put Him at the centre of everything!!

All glory to God - He deserves it!

"It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up"

Ephesians 4:11-12

Rwanda mission trip

Hi all - I have some news I'd like to share.

I blogged a little while ago about going to 'the ends of the earth' on a mission trip to Africa - well, I got my call last Friday that I have been accepted on a mission trip to Rwanda in January!

I think it was just over a year ago now that God first told me that I was going to go 'to the ends of the earth' to serve Him and tell the world about His Son.

There's still a long way to go in getting ready and I'd appreciate knowing that some people were praying so that His will be done and that many would come to know Jesus through this trip and as a repercussion of it.

I'm excited and not sure if I'm nervous yet, but I know everything is in God's hands and that He will be with the team and all we do!

I'm in His hands,

I'm in His hands,

Whate'r the future holds I'm in His hands

The days I cannot see

Have all been planned for me

His way is best you see,

I'm in His hands

To God be the glory!