Nearly setting off again-just a thought on encouragement...

As the title says-we're not setting off yet back to the Beatitudes but I just wanted to give a little thought on encouragement.
On Sunday I ran in the Edinburgh Marathon festival as part of a relay team to raise money for CAP (you can still sponsor me at www.justgiving.com/Hannah-Pamplin0 ). Whilst I was running the shortest leg-4.7 miles this was a massive undertaking for me as I developed a dislike for running at school...Anyway...I was staying with Flick and Drumm (my best friend from University and her husband) and meet up with my fellow relay team mates at various points. Something really struck me during the weekend that I wanted to share with you all.
As I ran my leg of the relay I ran with a lady called Lisa who was lovely. I don't normally run with anyone but it was great to have someone there. Being on the final leg it also meant that there was a lot of crowds along the way. This leg was hard, there was a lot of strong winds that were blowing right into your face which meant you had to run twice as hard to go the same distance...I'm not ashamed to tell you-it was tough. But when I saw the finish line-I just went for it. When I came to the end I had managed to do my leg in 45 minutes, in training I had run it in an hour. I was so so happy and we had photos with the rest of the team and we were to celebrate how much we had raised.
But what did I learn through this - as I walked through the chaotic crowds at the end the scripture came to mind

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, Hebrews 12:1

We are surrounded by a group of people who have gone before us , who have run the race and now they are cheering us on...to keep going. I know that I only ran the time I did because I had the people around me spurring me on. Yes, I had to put in the training and we need to put in time in the 'quiet place' to be with God as HE is the ultimate in encourager but He calls us to encourage others...it is one of the gifts that he gives us.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Romans 12:6-8

Whilst it may be that some are more gifted than others at encouragement I do firmly believe that these are ALL things we are called to do by God even when it is not our gifting. You have no idea what a different your encouragement is making.

As I was running there was a lady called Fiona running near me-the reason I know this is because when people who cheering they would shout things like, 'come on fiona' and I thought Wow-I wish I had my name on my shirt-to receive that personal encouragement. I stayed with my best friend university as I said and to be able to spend the weekend with them was great. Drummond ran the whole marathon (which he managed to do in 32 mins better than his PB-AMAZING) but he was so encouraging to me about how I had run-I couldn't believe it, I ran like a 5th of what he had done yet he encouraged me and through that and the texts and money that people sponsored putting faith in me - I'm contemplating doing a 10k run later this year. Whilst encouragement is amazing when we read the letters Paul and others wrote, they often spoke of the personal encouragement the recipients gave like in Philemon 1:7

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

I realised again on Sunday how important encouragement is...let's not hold back. An inspirational friend of mine called Anne Young once put on her status update..."To encourage means "to add courage to" When we encourage someone, we add strength to them so that they can face the challenges they are coming up against. I'm ready to add courage to those who need it" That's what it is all about...

Little pause in the journery...ponderings about 'church'

So we're going to have a little pit stop in the journey through beatitudes and Sermon and the Mount as I've been thinking about a few other things as well as Matt 5-7. I ask that you'll forgive me as this isn't maybe as structured or coherent as usual...I've just decided to write as I think, I hope that's ok.
Over the past few weeks and one of those things I've been thinking is 'church'. What is church, what it means to be part of church and what should the church look like??
Over the weekend I had the chance to go over to Northern Ireland to visit one of my favourite families having agreed to go other a do a talk on CAP at a church over there. I am not going to mention the name of the church or denomination as this blog isn't about victimising or black listing any group or church. During the weekend I was a 2 different services as the church I was speaking about CAP at took place on Saturday and during the previous week I had the opportunity to go to evangelistic speaker training-in the same building as a church that takes in Bradford and there was art work on the walls from one of their interest groups-some absolutely stunning and the rest-simply beautiful.
But when I look in the Bible-apart from the instructions of the letters to the churches which are to specific churches at a specific time, there's not a lot of description really apart from in Acts 2 and Acts 4...

Acts 2 42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 4 32-34 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

These are descriptions of the first churches. There is nothing in these about a church building-it says they meet in the temple courts but had nothing claiming as their own, an order of service-they had teaching but nothing of a structure of how that was done or a specific time to be together...it just said every day.

I count it a great privilege to be brought by parents who know the Lord and who took my to church every Sunday but I think through that I have allowed this to blinkered my view of what church is and how it should operate and how it should grow and work together. Since coming to uni my preconceptions have been ripped apart and I find myself asking - why should church be the way I think it is? The truth is, it doesn't need to be - its what God wants it to be. I believe I have belittled God so often thinking His family, His body had to be a certain way...all you have to do is look at your friends physic and see-God makes bodies in all shapes and sizes. The church is Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. That's Colossions 1:24.
I do know that in scriptures like 1 Cor 12 that give instructions about service and also about the 5-fold ministry in church but nothing says it has to be Sunday morning, between 10-12, all sitting in rows etc etc...
I was talking with my friend Ed in Bradford and I came out with this phrase and I realise that this is conclusion that I have come to about church (think I told him that it's what I concluded a while ago but actually it came out my mouth as we spoke and realised then it's what I realise...didn't mean to lie Ed-sorry) I realised that every single church should be unique, some may look incredibly similar to one another but because everyone is unique, therefore uniqueness should characterise the church because all these unique bodies are coming together to make one-none will look alike. So why for so so many years have we tried to reproduce what has happened else where?
I think I've realised that a lot of things that I have looked at and said 'that's church' hasn't been - its been a club and institution and things where I've looked at and not thought it was church, didn't think it was anything has actually been church-church how God intended it to be.
From what I know church is called to establish the Kingdom of God/Kingdom of heaven here on earth. I think there is another reason why the scriptures in Acts doesn't mention about service or structures particularly is because the church is the people-its all the individuals within it that make it.
The church means an ending of an individual person because you become part of a body - the body of Christ.
Oh Lord, would you break off our blinkers of our hearts and minds about what your church is, what your body is. Father God - teach us what your church is like, how you want your body to be.

I don't have a neat conclusion for today's blog...these are just the spilling of my mind about what I'm thinking about-see what you think-leave a comment...email me...lets learn together. Christ died so that the church could be His body in this world,the church is His plan A...I want to see it.

Blessed are those who mourn...

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.Matt 5:4

As we take our next step of the journey through the beatitudes we come to a verse which-quite frankly a few years ago I would have told you to stuff it where the sun doesn't shine...to put it bluntly. As you will know from the blog, my bro went to be with the Lord 13 years ago and in those years following this death the reality of mourning was something I was struggling to cope with but what an amazing joy we can receive from this passage-that for those of us who know and love the Lord Jesus-He is our comforter HE is our strength and will see us through-we WILL be comforted.

However when you look through the beatitudes there is a much deeper spiritual element to all those who are 'blessed' so I'm not entirely sure that Jesus is simply talking about those who have someone die...that this kinda out context-when you read the passage as a whole. In Matthew 9:14-15 it says

Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

Jesus, the bridegroom at this point was still with them but when he had gone there was a space for mourning his departure, for mourning the lack of the presence of God in their lives as they had known Him before-right there with them. I believe this is the kind of spiritual mourning that Jesus is actually addressing here. We are not as close to Jesus as we could be...no matter how long we pray or spend time reading the Bible we are not going to be as close to Jesus as we will be one day in glory and there is (or should be) a deep, desperate longing in our hearts for that day so whilst we are given fullness of joy in His presence (psalm 116) I believe there is room for grief and mourning for the day when we will see Him and the fact we are not there yet! But what a promise...as we mourn for that separation we are promised we WILL be comforted.
It says in proverbs-hope deferred makes the heart sink but a longing fulfilled is a well spring of life. When we see Christ there will be a well spring of life that will come from within us because we will no longer be mourning because we shall see Christ face to face.
THAT'S why is it blessed are those who mourn...for the one who mourns the deepest here on earth will be the one who receives the greatest joy when he mourning is healed through seeing Jesus.

Blessed are those who mourn...

'Blessed are the poor in spirit...'

'Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven' Matthew 5:3

I have to be honest here, when I came to this verse despite the number of years I read this I actually TOTALLY didn't understand what it meant..."Poor in spirit?what, the Holy Spirit??surely not-we are blessed with the Holy Spirit-how can we be poor in spirit??Does it mean people who don't have the Holy Spirit but then how are they called blessed?" So what on earth does it mean?? From what I've been listening and reading (in particular reading 'The culture of The Kingdom' by Billy Humphries-you may be hearing a lot from that) I've realised it's much more about your realisation of being poor. In John 15:5 Jesus says,

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Without Jesus we are spiritually bankrupt. In our flesh we are in spiritual poverty, we are nothing without God.
But Jesus says that this is a blessed place to be...what??I'm thinking, 'are you serious Jesus?' Working as a debt counsellor I spend all my time telling people that they need to get out of poverty and now I've been told to embrace poverty...

But as I have prayed and spent more time with God I have begun to discover how spiritually poor I actually am without my Saviour. To be spiritually poor is to truly be blessed because you realise how much you need God than anything else in your life.

We see again how upside down this kingdom actually is to what our world has become...the more we receive of God and His Spirit, the more we see how spiritually poor we are. The deeper into spiritual poverty we sink...the more blessed we become...

Blessed are the poor in spirit...

Lets begin a journey together...'blessed'

Do you ever get the feeling that God is trying to get something through to you?? It's like wherever you turn a particular subject or topic or person is mentioned and it gets to the point where you cry, 'Ok God I get it...what do you want to teach me??' Well God's been trying to get my attention focused on the Matthew 5-7 or as it is commanly called The Sermon on the Mount. It seemed everywhere I listened and read and people I spoke to, it would come up.
This is Jesus's first ever 'sermon', lengthy teaching that is recorded in Bible-in Matt 4 it says Jesus began to teach but this is first sermon where its written to a full extent. So after 30years of living and preparation and time with the Father-I believe we should take this message very seriously. Billy Humphrey says in his book, 'The culture of The Kingdom'page 11- 12

"In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was establishing the value system for all who would be citizens of His kingdom. Some today believe the Sermon on the Mount is a 'high bar' of Christianity not attainable in 'real life.' They believe it simply serves as a standard of conviction for us. Yet the truth is that it is intended to be the norm for Christian living. The principles of the Sermon on the Mount are not simply good ideas or something to try for a season. They are the prescribed lifestyle for all who are subjects of the kingdom of God.Jesus' intent for expressing the values of His Kingdom was to set in place the culture for all believers should not only embrace with their minds as truth, but also walk out in their daily lives."

So I was wondering if you wanted to take a journey with me?A journey to learn the value systems of the kingdom of God which, if we call ourselves disciples of Christ, we are now part of...
The first thing that Jesus in this message is 'blessed'.What a beautiful Saviour. He is about to tell about the life that is offered in the Kingdom and yet from the first word we are told 'if you live out what I am about to tell you...You will be blessed.' wow. There is a danger here tho. We might think that 'blessing' means abundancey of possessions or easy times or constant smooth running of everything in our lives. Jesus never told us that's what blessing means...It can include that but if we think that is that exclusively then we are in danger of missing it.The true blessing is knowing and become more intimate with Jesus. That is a truly 'blessed' life.

So are you coming with me? Are you ready or prepared to become a 'blessed' one?

You ready?Here we go...

The danger of writing a blog...

I've realised this week something quite profound...writing a blog like this is a very dangerous thing. What do I mean by that? Well, when I share on my blog about things that God has been teaching me, the enemy also reads it and its like he goes, 'you've think you've arrived in this area-let's test that shall we??'
Since writing about our freedom from sin, this week I have allowed-well have bond myself up more than I have for along long time. Allowing the shackles to snap shut, thinking it was fine. It's not. I have been brought with a price and I realised that is why the WHOLE verse is important.I shared Gal 5:1,

'It is for freedom for Christ has set us free....'

but the 2nd half is crucial...

'...Stand firm, therefore, and do not let yourselves be yoked again with the burden of slavery.'

We are free...we ARE free but God knows and He knew that we would be tempted to be burdened again that is why the 2nd half was written...don't let it happen!!
The Bible says that the enemy is prowling around like a lion ready to devour...but actually do you see the verse-it is not say the enemy will come and attack (but he will) but it says Stand firm...its a comment for the reading. We may not be able to stop the enemy attaching but we can stand against him. But praise God we have the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to stand.

So be aware that sometimes...writing can be a dangerous thing, speaking can be a dangerous thing, sharing can be a dangerous thing...

Stand firm...

This is how it feels to be feel...

This week I've been thinking about freedom. It says in Galatians 5:1

'It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.'

It stuck me, I think for the first time, that this is a present tense...it IS for freedom. I don't know about you but when I have heard that verse I would often hear it WAS for freedom...but its about having freedom presently-Now.
You may not be like me...and Praise God for that but me, being honest with you here - i don't always feel free-I feel bound up and when I sin, its not that I have deliberately chosen to in my mind, its like an impulse that I can not shake. Paul's puts it brilliantly in Romans 7:15

'I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.'

But is quite clear - We are free but that freedom is a choice...look again at the 2nd half of Galatains 5:1 ...'Stand firm and do not let yourselves be burdened again...' We have a choice in whether we put the chains back on or not. Each time we sin its like we voluntarily put the shackles back on but then I realised a follower of Christ I am free, the shackles are in my mind...the blood of Christ not only unlocked them, it desecrated them so they have no power or substance any more, unless we allow ourselves to be bound. It is OUR choice, as followers of Christ we are free...
In my gospel choir we had the opportunity, as one of old soloists was back, to sing one of the songs he sings which is called This is How it Feels to Be Free and it hit be (as I had been thinking about freedom) that although this song is designed for non-Christians its so important to take the truth as we walk with Christ, I'll finish my post with the lyrics of the song, originally by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir (copyright)

There Is A Wall That Has Been Standing
since The Day That Adam Fell
sin Is Where It Started
and Sin Is Why It Held
speakin As A Prisoner
who Was There And Lived To Tell
I Remember How It Fell

I Can Here The Sound Of Freedom
like A Distant Voice Who Called
and Beckon Me To Follow
where I Had Never Gone
and Though My Heart Is Willin'
I Just Stood There At The Wall
prayin Somehow It Would Fall
But In A Cross I Found A Doorway
and A Hand That Held A Key
and When The Chains Fell At My Feet
for The First Time I Could See

chorus:
This Is How It Feels To Be Free
This Is What It Means To Know That
I Am Forgiven
This Is How It Feels To Be Free
to See That Life Can Be More Than I Imagined
this Is How It Feels To Be Free
this Is How It Feels To Be Free Yeahhh!

there Are Days When I'm Reminded
of The Prison I Was In
like A Livin Nightmare
burning within
I Can Feel The Voice Of Evil
I Can Hear The Call Of Sin
But I Wont Go Back Again

see, Once I've Tasted Freedom
then The Walls Could Bind No More
since Mercy Gave Me Wings To Fly
like An Eagle I Can Soar


somewhere There's A Prison
where The Chains Still Burn
if Not For The Grace Of God
those Walls Could Still Be Mine
so for all the Captives I say