We celebrated Easter on 31st March this year: remembrance and praise for Jesus’ sacrifical death, His glorious resurrection and His gift of new life to all who believe He is living Lord. Perhaps you accompanied your celebrations with a chocolate Easter Egg or three as well!

But of course, this focused celebration isn’t just something to enjoy for one day of the year. Nor is choosing His life isn’t a one-off decision to guarantee a place in heaven; it’s a quality of life to be enjoyed now. A Spirit-led and Spirit-infused life over a barren flesh-led existence.

If you don’t feel you’re experiencing His abundant fullness of life (also promised in John 10:10), take time to prayerfully reflect on what might be distracting you from engaging with & responding to it:
– Haste, hurry & tech dependency?
– Disillusioned by unanswered prayer?
– Sidetracked by personal dreams, a want of ‘ease’ or perceived ‘security’?
– Overwhelmed by problems that overshadow faith?
– Pursuing ‘gung-ho’ this transient life in the world as if it were going to last forever?
– … any other promptings that come to mind ???

Dwell with this invitation to choose His life: to know and receive in progressive measure His peace, wisdom, guidance, provision, enabling and much more, as you align yourself to walk in step with His word and Spirit.

He doesn’t promise a problem-free life but He does enrich it with His dynamic, creative, transforming, envisioning & equipping… LIFE.

I’ve been mulling on this question for four months, so I thought I’d introduce it here. It popped up in my bible reading back in November, then reappeared in a couple of books I’ve read since. It’s definitely got my attention – or perhaps, God has been getting my attention! I’ve journalled pages in response which has proved immensely helpful.

So over to you. If God were asking you these two questions, what might be your response? Take the first, “where have you been?” and mull on it for some time before moving onto the second, “where are you going?”. Allow yourself as much time as needed.

Be transparent and honest with God about the highs & the lows, the hopes & uncertainties, the fruit & the failures. Hold your thoughts before Him in prayer, What have you learned? How have you changed? Listen for His response. The way He speaks into your past & your future is always for your good, so be reassured.

Jesus was faced with temptation after forty days without food in the wilderness – yes, forty days! Weak as He was physically, Jesus declared these words before proclaiming God’s truth to defeat His spiritual oppressor.
We can use them too when discerning God’s word in spiritual battle, but they’re also a helpful prompt to declare God’s truth, love, character & promises, in and over unsettled feelings, anxious or doubting thoughts and challenging circumstances.

Not that we take God’s word out of context, but as we proclaim
i) foundational truths regarding His character, purpose, presence or power that are true for us all in all circumstances, or,
ii) scriptures that He prompts to our minds for a specific reason or season,
we can believe for God to fulfil His living word, in His perfect way and time.

Which truth from God’s word is resonating in your spirit as you read?
For example:
If you’re worried for provision, you may like to declare: It is written [Matthew 6:33]
If you’re feeling alone, you may like to declare: It is written [Matthew 28:20b]
If you’re afraid, you may like to declare: It is written [Isaiah 41:10]
If you need guidance or wisdom, you may like to declare: It is written [Proverbs 3:5-6 & James 1:5]
If you’re struggling with a difficult situation, you may like to delcare: It is written [Romans 8:28]
If you’re faced with your own temptation, you may like to declare:
It is written ‘Choose life’ [see Deuteronomy 30:19]

It’s not essential, we don’t have to pre-empt speaking truth with these words and we certainly don’t do it ‘by rote’. But when we declare these truths in faith it brings a pause into the moment. It helps to still racing thoughts, settle unruly emotions, build up our heart to believe the truth, strengthen our resolve, and so open our soul to receive.

I am continually amazed by the priceless gift God has given us through His written word. Messages and teachings about Himself and our life in Him, right from His very own heart. God would never give us a book that we could not trust; He breathed its words into being, and by His Spirit, He breathes their divine life into our being. 

Whatever resolutions, aspirations or ‘words for the year’ that are meaningful to you at the start of 2024, can you make room in your heart and mind to receive more of God through His living word? To yield to its transforming and enabling power?

How might that look like in practice?

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There are many opinions about who Jesus is,
but who do you say He is?

It’s a good question to keep in mind during these weeks of preparation for celebrating His birth. It’s a good question to be mindful of if you feel overwhelmed by the frantic pace &/or financial implications; if you’re haunted by memories of missing loved ones no longer sharing your Christmas; if you’re crushed by hopes for 2023 that never materialised; if you’re fearful about the times in which we live; and, if you’re excited, filled with anticipation for the festive season.

Whatever you’re feeling, facing or enduring, knowing the answer to that question, knowing who Jesus was – and is – will lift the eyes of your heart and soul to Immanuel – God with you – and infuse His peace and measured pace into the days lying ahead.

If you’re not sure who He was – or is – do reach out to ask someone who does.

With my warmest wishes to you all
for a Christmas filled with Christ’s presence, peace & perspective.

“What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.” Psalm 104:24 [TM]

So many species of dragon fly to enjoy in our garden this summer. This one even posed for a photo shoot on its clothes-peg platform. A few days later I watched – totally distracting me from prayer – a woodpecker scurrying up a tree, then another & another in a hunt for breakfast bugs. I could go on…

In Genesis 1 we read how “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good”; a creation that reveals its Maker and invites our loving delight and care (Psalm 19:1-2; Romans 1:20).
How might you pause to delight in creation in your town, city, countryside or coastal setting this month? Keep your heart open to how God might reveal some aspect of Himself to you, or whisper an inspired word to your soul.

Is there another small step you can take to help care for and maintain this beautiful, life-giving world?

Isaiah 43:18-19
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

I love gardening, though growing veg is my thing. I’m not very good with flowers.
But a new thing has happened to our ‘flower garden’ this year, all because we had to chop down a large but diseased Eleagnus shrub last summer. I was sad to see it go as it inspired how we shaped the garden around it. Besides a couple of small plants in front of it, however, the ground beneath was sparse. Nothing but weeds would grow.
It looked like a raw scar earlier this year, a blotch of brown, but as spring turned into summer, the soil sprung up with all kinds of new growth. Some were plants I popped in at random, but many came up of their own accord having lain dormant until new conditions prevailed, giving them space, light and water not just to grow, but to flourish.

And that’s what’s inspired our August “Word for the Month”.
Some of us need to keep pressing on with what we need to do right now. Head down, focused, step by step moving forward. We can’t force God’s hand out of season.

Others of us, however, may be sensing a sparse brown wilderness blotch in the landscape of our lives. If that’s you, take time this month to pray into and over the ‘new thing’ that God is preparing to raise up.

What a pleasure and I must say, a privilege, to be invited to be one of a number of speakers at this year’s national conference for the International Christian Chamber of Commerce, UK & Ireland. As it ‘hit’ the weekend I would normally prepare a Word for the Month, I couldn’t help but reflect on this verse.

ICCC is a fabulous organisation envisioned to help us see God’s love and power manifest in the business marketplace. If you’re not aware of them, do check out their website(s) (https://iccc.net/ or https://uk.iccc.net/)

Meanwhile, you might like to reflect on Paul’s words to the Colossians:
What is the “whatever” that I do?
Do I work at it with all my heart? If not, why not…?
What inspires me to work conscientiously and with integrity?
How am I infusing my work and workplace with God’s kingdom love and values? Is there greater scope and opportunity for this, and if so, how might I pursue that?