Get Informed
With the advance in worldwide communications, the "global village" of which we are a part has never been more accessible. The worldwide web, and numerous other technological advances, have brought the world to our living rooms. As Christians this presents numerous benefits if used wisely, and should inform and enthuse us into action about the injustices that exist in the world that we live in. No longer should we have the attitude that we "keep our own house right" and thats all we need to do. We need to be God's hands, feet and voice in whatever situations God is placing on our hearts regarding the state of the world we inhabit. We now have the ability to get informed specifically about situations throughout the world, and as a result pray and give specifically to causes worldwide. So get informed and get active !!

RELATIONSHIPS MATTER

This should be the soul aim of our lives, and everything else will fall into place. God has created us in His image, and he has created us to be in relationship with him. That’s what life’s all about, and that’s the only way we’ll find fulfillment in life. If our relationship with God is healthy then our relationships with others (friends, family, loved ones) are healthy also. The reverse is true also of course, and if we let our relationship with God suffer, relationships with those around us suffer also.
Relationships are an integral part of our lives, and maintaining good relationships is a big part of our daily lives. Indeed as we look at creation, God created mankind to be in close relationship with fellow man, and indeed with God himself. And until sin entered the world, relationships with God and fellow man existed in perfect harmony. But since man’s fall into sin, the breakdown of these relationships has been a big part of the fall of mankind.
So then, following Jesus example, surely a major part of our lives today as Christians should be that of developing, maintaining and restoring relationships with fellow mankind. This may take many forms : reaching out in love, offering the hand of friendship or forgiveness, helping brothers in their time of need. Often this will involve laying aside self in order to put others first, and this is where the difficulty comes. But in Jesus Christ we have the perfect role model, and as we see the priority He gave to maintaining His relationship with God the Father, and how that transpired into His boundary-breaking relationships with fellow man, that should show us how to go about it today.Heavenly Father, help me to remain close to you and to cut out the sin that breaks and separates my closeness to you. Help me to develop characteristics that will enable me to be like Christ in the relationships I have in this life. In the busyness and whirlwind pace of life, enable me to keep you at the center, making my relationship to you that I entered by the blood of your Son, and seek to maintain by your Spirit, the priority of my life. And by this I pray that the relationships I have with others daily would develop and deepen as I grow closer to you.

IN THAT PLACE AGAIN

So here I am, in that place again, realising that it’s been ages since I’ve written down my thoughts, wondering why I’m falling into old sin’s again, wondering why the initial passion that I had is now fading somewhat, realising I’ve let my quiet times become fleeting and often rushed.
Renew me afresh Lord, restore the passion into my life, revive my soul, and draw me back close to you again. I’m sorry for falling into old sins, allowing the temporary pleasures distract me from the eternal glories you have promised. I’m sorry that I’ve gotten so busy doing stuff that I’ve forgotten who I’m doing it for. Take this broken spirit, drained and weary, and fill me afresh with your spirit. Give me the passion and urgency again to communicate the gospel of Christ through my life, and in the work you have called me to do with a new generation in your church in Boardmills.
Help me to make you the priority in my life again, to run from sinful desires and thoughts that the Devil will place in my way to distract my focus from the goal. Give me a fresh encounter with Jesus that I may have that initial urgency and passion to tell of the grace and redemption of Christ like those shepherds many years ago. As I look back on a year that has been, and look forward to the year that is to come, help me to learn from the mistakes of the past, and move forward in the year that is to come, freshly enthused and inspired to draw ever closer to you, growing in knowledge, wisdom and stature as I seek to learn how to be Christ in all aspects of my life.Thank you Father for your forgiveness, mercy and grace, revealed in Christ that has saved a wretched sinner like me, and for the hope I now have as a child of the most high and holy God: creator, sanctifier and friend.

Bruchko

Just finished reading the above book about Bruce Olson, a teenager who followed his God given dream of bringing the Good News of the gospel to the Molitone tribe in the South American jungle. Amazing story of a guy who passionately pursued Gods calling in his life, no matter what the personal cost. An interesting point when reading that struck home with me : others had tried in the past to reach the tribal peoples with the gospel with limited success. Olsons approach was to spend time learning the language, investigating the culture and customs, and only then did he attempt to present the gospel to the people. And when doing so he didn't present it in a way that was threatening, he used customs and legends familiar to the tribal people in order to present te key elements of the Christian faith, the breakthrough coming when he found a way of presenting Jesus as a molitone who walked the jungle trails.

Struck me heavily that as we carry out our youth ministry programmes, we need to find new ways of presenting unchanging biblical truth's in a format relevant to the culture of our day. This is where the challenge begins!!

Been a while

Well its been quite a while since i've updated this, thing are pretty hectically busy at present and I haven't been taking the time to jot down my thoughts. But while i've got a few minutes at present i'll jot down a few things that have been on my mind recently.

MAKING TIME
Part of the reason i've been more hectically busy than usual is that youthwork responsibilities have increased over the past month or so, and will be that way for a while. Jill, a fellow youthleader who was heavily involved in youthwork has had to take a step back due to the many other stresses she is facing right now, so that leaves me with taking bible class and youth club responsibilities until she is well enough to come back on board. She has been so devoted and passionate over the past year, but it has got to the stage where she simply has to take a step back or face burnout.
Its a stark reminder to me to be careful how much I take on, and in my willingness to serve and tell our young people of the savng grace of Jesus, to be careful not to push myself too far. Learning to gain strength from God, dwelling in his presence regularly and listening to His voice are all disciplines I need to make a priority in my life.

TRADE JUSTICE
This is what i'm currently looking at with our young people, and hope to use for our youth service in a couple of weeks time. Tearfunds Lift the Label campaign resources have been great and have certainly opened my eyes to the tremendous injustices that exist in the area of internetional trade. The campaign seeks to highlight the need for ethical trading standards, where the worker receives a wage they can live on in working conditions that are hospitable.
The following comment sums it up perfectly
"Jesus asked us to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, but today it is the poor who are feeding and clothing us."
As Christians we should be voicing our concern's over the injustices in this area, indeed being a voice for the poor, and adopting a spirit of compassion as demonstrated by our Saviour