A to Z of Christianity : 'B'

When I was 17, God began to call me to Him. Before this point in my life I had never truly experienced the reality of a personal relationship with God before but I knew it was Him, and I knew I had to seek out the answers I needed from Him. I turned to a book, and that book changed my life. Every question I threw at God, I just happened to turn to the right page with the answer every time I looked. This book is well over a thousand pages big!! I was amazed and it was a part of my decision to become a follower of Jesus, the best decision I have ever made.

In case you are wondering what book I am talking about, I am talking about THE BIBLE!

A collection of 66 books, written by 40 different authors. It is amazing for correctly predicting a lot of things, most notably the coming of Jesus and the things that happened in His life. It also stated medical (water and blood in a body), scientific (the world had a beginning) and cosmic (the world is round) facts well before they officially became known!

Timothy describes the Bible in 2 Timothy 3:16 as 'God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness'

Hebrews 4:12 states 'For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.'


Romans 10:17 says 'Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.'


If we need motivate to pick up your Bible, there it is...it changes life's, it is the truth, it is breathed by God, useful to us, living, convicting and inspires more faith in us!


Pick up your Bible today :-)

The way to success?

It's a important time of the year. Exams are coming up, essays are due, the football season is entering the final month! Just one extra bit of effort can make all the difference. The pressure is on, you feel as if life doesn't go beyond that final deadline. Everyone has their advice, their techniques to handling all of the work & pressure...it can feel as if there are so many different ways and you don't know which way to take so you sit there and hope that whatever you do end up doing, it is enough!


I'm not here to tell you which way is right when it comes to exam and essay work and I am no Jose Mourinho, so no football teams will be ringing me up for advice!


Whatever you do, however you do it....cover it in prayer. Soak it in it, don't let any part of this journey escape without being completely immersed in God.....


Why?


1. Because God wants to help
1 Peter 5:7 - Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.


God is our Heavenly Father, He doesn't want us to sit here and suffer, He wants to strengthen us and assure of us that He has a great plan for us and He will see us there! (Jeremiah 29:11 guys :D)


2. Because Jesus did it
Jesus constantly was in prayer, He made a point of going to the Father and spend hours at night with Him. The night before He was crucified, where was He? He was giving all of Himself to God, so that He would have the strength to do the Lord's Will. Jesus lived by prayer in His Ministry, this is shown in His healing of many illnesses and sending demons away from the possessed.


3. Because other Bible characters do it
In Nehemiah 1 & 2, Nehemiah's passionate prayer for Israel is noted as well as his prayer before responding to the King (he had a scary job, to ask a King who could kill him to let him re-build this wall in Jerusalem which he may not have been pleased about). Nehemiah went and re-built the wall under the blessing of God. Everything amazing that happened on Mt Carmel in 1 Kings 18 was due to God answering Elijah's prayer.
I believe, to change this world, we should concentrate more on prayer than actions, not that actions are not important...they often seem to be the response of prayer anyway. 


4. The Bible says so -  Phillippians 4:6-7....Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


Lastly, always remember this wonderful verse in Proverbs 16:3, the book of wisdom...


"Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
   and he will establish your plans."


God isn't blind to your suffering, He wants to hold your hand and get you through everything. Let Him in today. I have been realising more and more myself the power of prayer. God answers it so often, and when He doesn't you end up seeing why and being thankful! 


Give it all to Him today :-) 

Psalm 46

I love my life, I sometimes think it cannot be any better. I believe that some might read that and think 'What? But how you can you enjoy your life? You are not having sex, you don't go out getting drunk every weekend, you are not cool!'

I have realised that the times when we as human beings enjoy our lives most are times of dependence.
I, Michael Woodington, cannot fulfill myself by myself. Buying a flashy car will give me a bit extra short term happiness but not JOY. Having a girlfriend might give me extra happiness for a few months but not JOY. Success in my exams might feel good, but it won't give me JOY.

I was having a hard time the other night. With all of my revision and other responsibilities plus really missing friends of mine...I was a bit down in the dumps.

I get complacent in my faith at times, when God gets me on top of things I'm like 'Thanks God, I can take the wheel from here', and funnily enough every time I end up needing Him again, sometimes even more than before.

I think this was such an occasion so I prayed and God said something to me, He said that He was with me in this, all the way.

I know what life is all about. I know where true happiness (aka JOY) comes from. It comes from surrendering all of my dreams, ideas, hopes and troubles and giving them straight to God and living life hand in hand with Him. When Jesus said He came to give us life to the full (John 10:10)..He meant it! Instead of worrying and trying to make our own way. Let God sort out our problems, trust His guiding Hand over our lives (Jeremiah 29:11) and let God instill in us His Spirit, His Joy, His Peace so that we can fully appreciate the wonderful life He has mapped out for us. God never lets us down.

The next morning my daily devotion book led me to this verse...it met me so much where I was (definitely a GOD-incidence!) and I felt God urging me to send it to a friend, who also said the same thing...so maybe it will really bless you as well today.

Psalm 46

    For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song.
 ¹ God is our refuge and strength,
   an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
   and the mountains quake with their surging.
 ⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
   God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
   he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
 ⁷ The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.
 ⁸ Come and see what the LORD has done,
   the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
   to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
   he burns the shields with fire.
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth.”
 ¹¹ The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Thank you Lord that you don't stop caring about us. That you love us so much. That you have promised to never let go of us.

"Take my life, let it be, everything, all of me. Here I am, Use me for your Glory."

Picture of the Day!

Today's picture is a tribute to the pastor of my Church, Mr Phil Lewis!

Phil has been a wonderful inspiration to me ever since I began coming to my parents Church in Talbot Green. He is someone whose passion for the things of God has rubbed off on me over the years and his Bible knowledge and belief that it is truly the Word of God (which I share!) has encouraged me to get to grip with scriptures more. I have taken so much from him, having been a part of the Church, Genesis Youth Group & the Boys Bible Study for many years.

As you can see from the picture above, he is also a lot of fun and he is one of the few I know to share an interest in Football & Formula One racing.

Thanks for everything Phil!