any thoughts?

What do people make of Luke 17v1-10

off to Ullapool

we're off to Ullapool...
but in tiding the house this morning, I found out the sink was blocked.... fun :-)

to do that we had to clear out the undersink cupboard....

and we found a mousetrap... which was empty... but under that was a dried up pool of mouse blood.

good morning :-)


also Page our neigbour... ( a pony) decided to lick my crutch yesterday.

random

Words

Sometimes i have been tempted to think that as long as you have communicated what you wanted to communicate it doesn't matter how you do it - or what words you use.

In fact, even in my band we sometimes communicate with each other in ways that would make no sense to any one else, either using our own words, or just "nothing" words. Like "can you put the thingys in the thingy please before you go" which makes sense in context (Can you put the plates in the dishwasher before you go), but could acutally mean a lot of things.. like can you put the cars in the garge please... or can you put the flames in the fire before you go... or can you put the bullets in the gun... etc.
And while that is fine in that context we mustn't forget that the words we use are so important.

I was at our music workshop night on wednesday and one of the young people called Katie (one of the helpers) a "chief" - now when people swear or use inappropriate language at the club we say stuff like "bryan, language!" ... which in this case I did. He looked so confused, and asked why i had told him off - well to me if you called some one a chief its an insult - but it seems to most other people its a compliment.
Even in my band to some of us its a compliment, and to others its an insult... so i can insult one of my band members while they think they are being complimented... genuis!

But it raises and interesting (and obvious point) that it is important to know what words to use in different places :-)

But so much more than know local meanings etc, it is important to be careful not to (ever) speak the wrong words over people.

Words are so powerful - any one who has been bullied know its.
When i was growing up the word "just" was so painful - i was "just" jeff - "oh look some ones coming, oh its just jeff" etc - and for ages that word hurt me. being "just" jeff made me feel i didn't matter.
Again at school i was called lots of hurtful things - and the problem is, if you tell people enough that they are something, you begin to believe it. And thats not good.

Over the last week or so Jesus has been talking to be about the use of words,

Jeremiah 15:19
Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman.

thats awesome.

Proverbs 18:21
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

and it also says:-

Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
- thats scary.

Have you ever found yourself saying things that you'd rather not say? Ever thought about where they come from?

I think words can come from a number of different places

1) Jesus - when we get those amazing thoughts in our heads/hearts with just the right words to say to bring life and hope
2) Devil - when some words/thoughts pop in your head which are off the wall and not you at all and are wrong

and

3) Your heart - words which come from how you're feeling, and up out of all the things you listen to, and habits and patterns you've got in to.

If you play a computer game with a lot of swearing in it - its more likely you will use those words normally, or when something bad happens. If you are around people who use certain insults or phrases its likely you will pick those up as well.
In fact i've found that a lot here in my band - because we live, work and socalise together we all pick up each others phrases.... its funny... some thing will happen- and now random members of my band will say "you know what that means... it means that Jesus loves you" - which is one of my phrases... but also, if someone says something like "you look silly" then most will reply "your Mum" - because thats one phrase another member of my band uses all the time.

We need to guard our hearts - in fact it says in the bible -
Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
and make sure that we don't get in to habits of speak that tear people down - but get in to habits of building people up - and of praising Jesus.

Another thing happened this week that made me think about words. Some one said to one of my friends that she just likes to think of herself as an artist.

That made me mad. She is an artist - as much as I am a drummer. or a band leader.
but it reminded me of how times i have spoken with people that someone has said something like that to them.
Things like "thats a dead dream" - about someones major passion and dream, which they are gifted in.
or
"you? a musician? you're not serious" - about a guy who is one of the best musicians i know.

In all those circumstances those people have felt totally hurt and rejected, and confused about what they are doing.
They have felt like, am I an artist? Is it a dead dream? Can i be a musician?
Which is exactly what the devil wants people to think - to doubt the gifts that God has given them, to doubt who they are, and to doubt the God who has made them.
The power of these words need to be broken. If i hear stuff like that i will often say this prayer out loud at the moment. "i break the power of those words in the name of Jesus" or something like that. But if you have had stuff spoken over you like that - get prayer.

The habits and the reasons for saying those words also needs to be dwelt with.
IF you have often found yourself saying stuff you don't like, or using certain words you don't think Jesus would like, then stop and think.
where are these words coming from? Do i need to get my heart sorted? And some unhelpful habits broken?

To many of us don't think enough about what we say and whether its right or wrong. And how it effects other people.

Jeremiah 15:19
Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman.

salvation and strength

Over the last few weeks i've found myself getting more and more busy,
and working more and more hours, and getting tireder and tireder.

which is wrong.

it has got to the point when i have felt over this last week totally run down and empty. with nothing to give. and no time to give, or even to refresh.

even my heart has felt empty, when i have come to Jesus, i have nothing to say, or think to him. even prayer has felt empty when i've actually come to pray.

So i've been asking Jesus to give me strength, and wisdom, to get on top of all the work and sorting things out.

and Jesus has kept bringing me back to these verses:-

Isaiah 30v15
This is what the Sovereign LORD , the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it. "

and

Lamentations 3v25+26
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD .

So obvious, and verse I know, and love.
but i had forgotten to practice them. just 1 month ago i was, i would have to spend so much time with Jesus (well what time i had to relax was all spent making sure my strength came from him) and now i feel dead. - i had forgotten to spend the time needed on my knees.

and my gracious Jesus has brought me back to this point. Again.

in repentance and rest - salvation
in quietness and trust - strength

hope in Jesus and wait for him - thats a good thing to do.

a wise thing to do. and for me a vital thing to do.

and a hard thing to do.

This morning Jesus gave me another verse to think about :-

Jeremiah 15v19
Therefore this is what the Lord says:
"If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman."


Repentance.
Rest.
Quietness.
Trust.
worthy words.

another lesson to learn. again and again.

Praise Jesus that this is a journey and these lessons are not rules.
Praise Jesus that he left us his Holy Spirit to remind us :-)

willing? able?

I chatted to a guy yesterday...

and in our conversation he said this.

"Muslims have to give a 1/40th of their earnings
Jews have to give 1/10th of their earnings.
but what does the bible say that Christians have to give?
Everything."

That got me thinking. Would i be ready to give everything?

In taking this job I thought long and hard about this - because to take this job I had to give up my life as i knew it. All my plans, some of my dreams, a lot of my fear and some pride. I had to give up ideas and some ideals. I had to give up convenience. I had to give up some security. I had to lay down some relationships and have the chance of losing some friends.
In a lot of ways i had to give up my life in trust of Jesus to take this job.

and if he didn't turn up i was going to fall flat on my face.
And He has been faithful. totally.

But the question resurfaces now.

am i will to give everything. everything. - that means every (all) thing (ie everything!!!!!)

Am i willing to be totally used and burnt out?
AM i willing to not buy any CD's and give the money away?
Am i willing to be thought of as less than i am?
Am i willing to try and fail?
Am i willing to be hated because of what i believe?
AM i willing to live with out a phone, or a computer or the internet?

Am i willing to be replaced, totally in organisations, and peoples hearts?
Am i willing to be cold, hungry and thirsty?
Am i willing to be beaten, hurt and rejected?
AM i willing to save money and not use a credit card?
Am i willing to give up boasting?
am i willing to give up all my rights? and all my gripes?
am i willing to allow myself to learn all that Jesus wants to teach me. in whatever way He wants to teach me.
am i willing to love someone who has hurt me, and will probably hurt me again?
am i willing to trust someone i don't know is trustworthy?
am i willing to put my life in Jesus's hands?
am i willing?

am i willing to give everything?


what about you?

would you give up all these things :-

dreams?
desires?
hopes?
fears?
skills?
passions?
money?
possessions?
job?
friends?
family?
security?
country?
house?
warmth?
rights?
your breakfast?
life?

scary thing to think about.

could you love anyone enough to be willing to give all of that up?

some hard lessons to learn

Today I learnt somethings the hard way.
I left to go to the after school club at Logos, and ended

up having to go back home, and then i set out again. But

this time was a bit late.
So i drove a bit quicker (60mph), was just slowing down to

go round a corner at the top of a hill(45mph) when i saw

another car coming the other way.
I had a simple choice.

1) To try and break and hope that we wouldn't hit too hard

and that all the air bags would work.

2) to try and go round the car (and stop) and hope that

ROy (the boss of the person who is the boss of my boss)

didn't mean what he said about bashing me up if i hurt the

car.

I tried to go around.
and missed the other car (who was in the middle of the

road....)

and ended up grounded with the left side of the car in a

ditch.

We thanked Jesus that we were still alive, and I got out

and went to see the other person, who had stopped but

hadn't got out to see how we were.
I found out it was an old lady, who was in shock at the

close call.

If i had hit her, even very slightly she would prob be

dead.

Our car was well and truly stuck. But through some miricle

looked to be all in one piece.

and I mean a miricle. We had slid - with the center of the

car being grounded, for about 20 feet.

And Praise Jesus that we didn't panic.

It was quite fun as a team pulling the car out of the

ditch with the van - but in a lot of ways thats just

looking for a silver lining.

to be honest the thought that i could be fired did go

through my mind.
The thought of what was i doing, did too.
The thought of I am an idiot was there as well


Was i being reckless?

No i don't think so, i could have done the corner slower

but it actually wasn't that fast.

was i tired so reacted slower?

Yes i think so. I think the last few weeks have made me

exhausted.


so what have i learnt.

1) i was late. so what... trying to make my self less late

meant that i missed it and have suffered from shock for

the evening.

2) that stuff is just stuff. we got out of the car and

were so thankful that we were alive that actually for a

while we didn't really think about the car.

3) the working together as a team we got the car out of

the ditch

4) that to a local farmer his cows were more important...

he said he'd come back and help after feeding his cows :-)

5) that i NEED time off - proper time off, time to rest,

flying to weddings doesn't count.... I NEED time to sleep.
To lead a team i need to be rested and not stressed.

6) That Jesus is gracious to me, so gracious. the car

should have been damaged beyound repair. and its not.




I text my mum to pray for me... and she sent back psalm

40v2

never has that verse meant so much to me.
and he really did.

now its time for me to learn some other lessons...

how to look after money...
how to look after time...
how to look after myself...
how to look after my team...

another day. another week, another month, another year.

as time moves on

Was just thinking about friends, time and distance.

and the progression of events, relationships and memory.

Focus.

Most things depend so much on where our focus is.