I feel like i have been saying that a lot lately and i'm going to continue. As i look back on this last weekend i'm thankful, thankful to my beautiful girlfriend Naomi for journeying over from Spain to meet my friends and family oh and to see me of course (lol). i'm also thankful to all who took part in making my leaving concert on saturday night a great event.
We took an offering and raised £1.048 pounds which will be winging its way to elim HQ shortly, again i'm thankful to all those who gave so generously.
i'm thankful to all those who came to see me from Coventry and other parts of the UK, i truly am blessed to have some great friends and family.
I, of course i'm thankful to God for putting his hand upon all that has happen this weekend, he has and is continuing to bless me in so many ways.
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and now into my final 3 weeks in the UK and my final week in Coventry, please keep me in your Prayers. thanks again, Dave
Dates: Sunday 1st feb: my final day in coventry, Chris Jones (speaking am) myself (speaking pm) will be preaching.
Saturday 7th back in cov for a few hours speaking at an 18-30s conference at the assemblies of God Church.
16th feb leave on a plane to Spain.
Monday 26 January 2009
Friday 28 November 2008
invitation to the party
I heard this story years ago and i recently came accross it again i hope it will inspire you too.
In the opening of his book, The Kingdom of God is a Party, Tony Compolo tells of a trip to Hawaii. When you travel from the east coast to Honolulu, your biological clock runs wild for a day or so, and the first night there, Compolo was both hungry and awake at 3:00 a.m. He went off to find an open restaurant., but the only thing open was a greasy spoon diner run by a guy named Harry. So he sat down and ordered a donut.As he was beginning to eat, a group of prostitutes entered the diner and sat at the counter, trapping Compolo among them. One of the prostitutes mentioned to her friend that the next day was her birthday. Her friend said cynically, “Why are you telling me? Do you want a party and cake; is that what you want?” The first prostitute, named Agnes, said, “Why do you have to be so nasty? I was just telling you. No, I don't expect a cake and a party; I've never have had a birthday cake in my life!” There was something about this woman that touched Compolo. After they left, he asked Harry if these girls came in every night. When he found out that they did, Compolo and Harry decided to give Agnes a party. Harry did the cake, Compolo did the decorations and Harry's wife got the word out.The next morning at 3:15 there were crepe-paper decorations, a huge birthday cake and about thirty prostitutes and street people in the diner. When Agnes walked in, everybody yelled “Surprise” and they sang happy birthday. Agnes almost collapsed, and she began to cry uncontrollably. She was at her very first birthday party, and the party was for her! She didn't even want to cut the cake; she took it back to her apartment so she could look at it for a couple of days.After Agnes left to take her cake home, something just prompted Compolo to say, “What do you say; let's have a prayer for Agnes.” It just seemed like the thing to do at the time. After the prayer, Harry said, “Hey, you didn't tell us you were a preacher. Why kind of church do you belong to anyway?” In one of those flashes of inspiration where you to say exactly the right thing at the right time, Compolo answered, “I belong to a church that throws parties for prostitutes at 3:30 in the morning!” But it was Harry who told the punch line to this story; he said, “No you don't. There are no churches like that. If there was, I'd join. I’d want to be a part of a church like that!” You know, who wouldn't?Who was it with whom Jesus spent his time? Why was Jesus criticized by the religious establishment in Luke 15:2? He ate with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus wasn’t refined or discriminating enough in his selection of companions. He threw parties for prostitutes (metaphorically if not literally). Has the church become too refined and sophisticated to walk where Jesus walked? Maybe we need to throw a few more parties for people who have never been to the party.
In the opening of his book, The Kingdom of God is a Party, Tony Compolo tells of a trip to Hawaii. When you travel from the east coast to Honolulu, your biological clock runs wild for a day or so, and the first night there, Compolo was both hungry and awake at 3:00 a.m. He went off to find an open restaurant., but the only thing open was a greasy spoon diner run by a guy named Harry. So he sat down and ordered a donut.As he was beginning to eat, a group of prostitutes entered the diner and sat at the counter, trapping Compolo among them. One of the prostitutes mentioned to her friend that the next day was her birthday. Her friend said cynically, “Why are you telling me? Do you want a party and cake; is that what you want?” The first prostitute, named Agnes, said, “Why do you have to be so nasty? I was just telling you. No, I don't expect a cake and a party; I've never have had a birthday cake in my life!” There was something about this woman that touched Compolo. After they left, he asked Harry if these girls came in every night. When he found out that they did, Compolo and Harry decided to give Agnes a party. Harry did the cake, Compolo did the decorations and Harry's wife got the word out.The next morning at 3:15 there were crepe-paper decorations, a huge birthday cake and about thirty prostitutes and street people in the diner. When Agnes walked in, everybody yelled “Surprise” and they sang happy birthday. Agnes almost collapsed, and she began to cry uncontrollably. She was at her very first birthday party, and the party was for her! She didn't even want to cut the cake; she took it back to her apartment so she could look at it for a couple of days.After Agnes left to take her cake home, something just prompted Compolo to say, “What do you say; let's have a prayer for Agnes.” It just seemed like the thing to do at the time. After the prayer, Harry said, “Hey, you didn't tell us you were a preacher. Why kind of church do you belong to anyway?” In one of those flashes of inspiration where you to say exactly the right thing at the right time, Compolo answered, “I belong to a church that throws parties for prostitutes at 3:30 in the morning!” But it was Harry who told the punch line to this story; he said, “No you don't. There are no churches like that. If there was, I'd join. I’d want to be a part of a church like that!” You know, who wouldn't?Who was it with whom Jesus spent his time? Why was Jesus criticized by the religious establishment in Luke 15:2? He ate with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus wasn’t refined or discriminating enough in his selection of companions. He threw parties for prostitutes (metaphorically if not literally). Has the church become too refined and sophisticated to walk where Jesus walked? Maybe we need to throw a few more parties for people who have never been to the party.
Monday 24 November 2008
Heart 2 Heart
I have many favourite bible verses, one of them is found in the book of proverbs: Proverbs 4:23Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. another version says, keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it flow the issues of life.
the original language talks about a military garrison, thats how we are to guard it with diligence, intent and purpose. One commentator described our hearts as "the citadel of man" and "the seat of his treasure" in other words our very essence and fibre.
We need to know our hearts in order to guard them. Its not that we are to focus on our weaknesess and allow them to make us feel bad. We must however be aware of them, if we are aware we can put armour in our weakest places in order to protect ourselves. Our enemy is ruthless we too must be ruthless too in protecting ourselves, never allowing hearts to be unprotected. We don't fight in our own strenght we have Gods powerful Holy Spirit with us and he is fighting for us and with us.
So My prayer is Lord help me to keep clean hands and pure heart.
the original language talks about a military garrison, thats how we are to guard it with diligence, intent and purpose. One commentator described our hearts as "the citadel of man" and "the seat of his treasure" in other words our very essence and fibre.
We need to know our hearts in order to guard them. Its not that we are to focus on our weaknesess and allow them to make us feel bad. We must however be aware of them, if we are aware we can put armour in our weakest places in order to protect ourselves. Our enemy is ruthless we too must be ruthless too in protecting ourselves, never allowing hearts to be unprotected. We don't fight in our own strenght we have Gods powerful Holy Spirit with us and he is fighting for us and with us.
So My prayer is Lord help me to keep clean hands and pure heart.
Thursday 30 October 2008
Please Pray
Hi just a quick note to ask you all to pray for a young girl called Kelsey who is nine years old she is linked to our church, as she used to come to a toddler group and we know her parents. Kelsey has cancer and has had Chemo-therapy in the past which made her go blind for a time. Anyway she was nominated by a west midlands health authority to recieve a prize because she has been so brave. she, amongst other kids was given an all expenses paid trip to disney land florida. unfortunatly she became ill on the day of the flight and the doctors that were there took the decision that she was to ill to fly. she is suffering from shingles, please pray that she would be healed and that would be a witness to her and her family. none of which are christians yet. please pray that Sue our family worker will have the right words to say as she continues to support this family. thanks
Tuesday 30 September 2008
in thee oh Lord will i put my trust
The big news in the Uk at the moment is the Economy. the Rejection by the house of representives on capitol hill yesterday is sending shock waves through financial markets in asia and Europe alike. World leaders appear to be at a lost as to what to do next and just this weekend the goverment nationalised the Bradford and bingley building society. its in times like this where many of those who have put there trust in the financial systems will be asking questions of themselves. maybe the same question the alpha course advert asks "whats it all about".
Maybe as a Christian you are worried about your Job or the sheer cost of living here in the worlds 4th richest economy. Now we live in this world and we cannot get away from that fact, however our dependance is not wall street or canary warf, our dependance is upon God.
I'm reminded of the widow in 2 kings 4 when the debt collectors came and threatened to take her sons as slaves, she cried to the prophet Elisha and through a step of faith God met all her needs. in the natural it was bad but God show this widow that he was a true source of dependance.
In the natural its not a great time to do anything that requires finance but in the supernatural there has never been a better time. because Gods economy is on the up!
Maybe as a Christian you are worried about your Job or the sheer cost of living here in the worlds 4th richest economy. Now we live in this world and we cannot get away from that fact, however our dependance is not wall street or canary warf, our dependance is upon God.
I'm reminded of the widow in 2 kings 4 when the debt collectors came and threatened to take her sons as slaves, she cried to the prophet Elisha and through a step of faith God met all her needs. in the natural it was bad but God show this widow that he was a true source of dependance.
In the natural its not a great time to do anything that requires finance but in the supernatural there has never been a better time. because Gods economy is on the up!
Thursday 25 September 2008
ready for an adventure
i was prompted by an email i recieved to read the story of Gideon again. a story most us will know really well. but it reminded me that God saw something in Gideon that he could not see himself. God called him a mighty warrior or in a another version a man of valour! which is cool especially in the context of where Gideon was, he was hiding from the midianites in the winepress. A scared man hiding away from the enemy and then the angel tells him he is a mighty warrior. every now then when fears creep in and we are tempted just to hide away and let history just go on without us, God has the ability to remind us of who he has called us to be. not just that but he reminds us who he is and that its not about our strength but its what he can do with a life dedicated to him.
i needed that reminder today!
i needed that reminder today!
Tuesday 23 September 2008
the provision of God
I was reading a great passage this morning and something jumped off the page and reminded me a great truth about God. in an exhortation at the end of the letter the writer to the Hebrews says (whom i believe to be Paul) may God equip you with EVERYTHING GOOD for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him through Jesus Christ. for me that exhortation/prayer served as a reminder that God wants to provide everything good for doing his will. the night i was ordained into the ministry i said in a speech the only reason i am here is because of his amazing grace. So i realise that if he has provided in the past he will also provide in the future and i must remember to thank him for everything he has given to me in my life up to this point. what an amazing God we serve he doesn't just call us he also equips us.
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