Pressing On

The following is an extract from an email that WEC sends out each week to facilitate prayer for the nations. If you would like to receive these directly you can subscribe here and receive them by email every Sunday morning! "When man works, man works. But when man prays, God works!" Patrick Johnstone, Operation World. The emails are intended to provide us with key information that will enable the growth of an informed, sustained and persistent wave of prayer. Please join with us! Praying for the muslim world. In Islam there are five pillars: Declaration of faith Prayer Giving to the poor Fasting Pilgrimage or Hajj Hajj should be performed at least once in a Muslim’s lifetime, provided they are physically and financially able to do so. In 2012, about 3.5 million Muslims gathered in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. Of a number of rites that pilgrims perform, one is celebrating the festival of Eid al-Adha with the sacrifice of an animal. “Whoever performs ...

  I enjoyed a very refreshing two weeks holiday during August in Italy just outside of Rome. One day trip which was particularly sobering was to Pompeii - a bit of a trek to get to from where we were, however it was well worth the effort! Of course, as a site it is very spectacular and I would recommend it to anyone - it is not a “UNESCO world heritage” site for nothing! Whilst you can only see approximately 30% of all that has been excavated over the years, what remains open for the public to walk around still overwhelms the visitor. Walking through the streets, visiting the amphitheatre, temple and houses it was easy to imagine the way of life. As I was walking around it, marvelling at the architecture, art and layout of the place there were a few thoughts that came to me ... Which, whilst true for all, seem somehow crystallised in the lives and story of residents of Pompeii, which might help to focus our thoughts aright. Firstly, the transience of life. Nothing in this ...

Available  here as a free .pdf. A quick book summary for those interested in what he, and others, call the “higher life”. I feel this is a poor name as it implies something that is perhaps for a select few - whereas my conviction would be that it is rather the “normal Christian life” for all, and it is the “fulness of life” that Christ came to accomplish for all His children. He writes “The condition of God’s blessing is absolute surrender of all into His hands. Praise God! If our hearts are willing for that, there is no end to what God will do for us, and to the blessing God will bestow. Absolute surrender to God is the one thing. The condition for obtaining God’s full blessing is absolute surrender to Him." God Expects Your Surrender - He is worthy and expects the creation to acknowledge who He is both in words and actions. God Accomplishes Your Surrender - God comes and offers to work this absolute surrender in you, as the Holy Spirit draws us through hungering after...

The following has been adapted from a prayer by the monastic community Jesusbruderschaft, and communicates the daily process of consecration and motivation to rest in, yield to and serve God empowered by the Holy Spirit. For your reflection.... Holy Spirit of the living God I thank you that, by faith, I know That You are alive in me. In the depth of my being, Deeper than all my thoughts, Deeper than ally feelings, deeper than my will, You have made your home. I praise you, I worship you, I love you I thank you That you have made my body your home, That you even call it your temple. I thank you, first and foremost,  That you have revealed Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour to me,  And all the blessings of his atoning sacrifice are now mine. I offer myself to you for this new day, Your purposes and your guidance, And hold nothing back. Lead me, And prepare me for every opportunity to experience your mighty power. Give me a special opportunity  To put to death my selfish natur...

I have been fascinated recently at the increase in attention given to what I have always taken/assumed to be the fundamental purpose of the ministry of the Church ... discipleship. In a recent article I read of five changes that the author believes the Church need to make. From Reaching to Making From Teaching to Modeling (from Leading to being Led) From Attending to Participating From Connecting to Transforming From Attracting to Deploying An article that is worth reflecting on to see what changes could be made to any current practice. At the same time I was somewhat amused by the initial comment ... "God is doing a new thing with Christians around the world and it’s finally coming to the United States. Of course, it’s not really a new thing, its actually an old thing. It’s called “making disciples.” A very godly man said to me recently "God is always doing the same thing differently!" So how is good doing this today?   I have been pondering th...

The New Testament book of 1 Peter provides us with a description of characteristics that should typify the people of God – perhaps the ‘standard’ to which we should aspire. We should be a people of hope, holy, chosen by God, submissive to Him and righteous. In chapter 3 we read: 8  Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10  For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11  They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. 12  For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 13  Who is going to harm you if you are eager t...

In 1 John 2:3 we can read "We know that we have come to know Him (God) if we obey His commands." The Christian life is a life full of choices that we have to make at many levels ... but each time we are faced with a choice we want to be in that place where we choose well - we choose obedience. As another author once wrote "obedience is my gift to God!" Genesis 32 and 33 give some food for thought as we reflect on Jacob's journey: We can have the conviction that we serve a God who speaks to His children ... Ps 25 encourages us that He confides in us! What a precious statement, we tend not to confide in people we don't trust ... so, as the Lord confides in us that should encourage us that He is entrusting something to us! When  this revelation, instruction or direction comes, however it might come, it comes with clarity. Which means that we will both understand and have a personal conviction that the Lord has said this! Once the revelation has come...

Those who walked with Jesus found they could not plumb the depths of His nature. They discovered in His friendship a quality enhanced by death, and a fathomless ocean of love. One word is clear in the testimony of those who walked with Him: "This man speaks with authority."

I like chocolate ... this is a statement not a confession. However, the other day I had an experience that got me thinking.    I have more than enough money to go into a shop and buy myself a bar of chocolate. In fact this is something I have been known to do from time to time - that's not the story here. My youngest Daughter came to me with a bar of chocolate that she had just purchased with her pocket money, which I had also given to her. Whereupon, she proceeded to give me some of her chocolate. It was such a delight to receive this gift from her, because I had not asked for it, and indeed did not expect it.   So what's the point?   I like chocolate and I can afford to buy my own chocolate. However, the chocolate that I received back from my daughter, even though I had given her the means to buy it the first place, brought me much joy.   What can I learn?   All I have in life, I have been given as a gift from my Father in heaven, t...

  On Saturday, we celebrated 100 years of WEC International with a meeting here at the UK Headquarters - below is a summary of what I shared in relation to the next 100 years!  100 years ago ... what happened? Al Capone was expelled from school, Albert Einstein works on new theory of gravity, Houdini begins upside-down straitjacket escapes, Emily Davison, suffragette, runs in front of the Kings horse at the Derby and is killed. At the same time ... C T Studd, Pioneer missionary, felt God calling him to pioneer a new mission in the Heart of Africa. At that time, Central Africa was considered as one of the neediest and most difficult spots on earth. Even though he was 53 and in terrible health, he obeyed. With a confident statement of faith ... “This journey is not merely for Central Africa, but for the whole unevangelised world.” Thus, WEC International was born ... Here we are 100 years celebrating God's faithfulne...

How should one feel having hosted 2-3,000 people over one weekend at an event borne out of a vision to work together, with other missions and Churches, to provide opportunities for Churches and individuals to explore missions, be equipped for missions and engage with the work of missions? My initial reflections are as follows; 1/ I'm tired ... As an introvert the shear energy required to engage with large numbers of people is very draining. But, who said serving the Lord was not costly, exhausting and requiring us to operate outside of our preferences or comfort zones! But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. Php2:17 2/ I'm drained ... This is different from physical and emotional tiredness. For me, over the three days each year I experience an intense spiritual battle even when I can see the fruits of our endeavours around me with my own eyes. Waves of dis...

I love the book of James . As a very pragmatic person I enjoy thinking through a theological truth convin ced that it must somehow express itself in lifestyle and practice. T he book of James is intensely practical and incredibly blunt in places , I might not find it easy reading but I find it accessible and readily applicable. Chapter 4 deals with one key issue and ' submission' - W hat in our lives do we submit ourselves or yield to? For e ach of us there must be something, or someone, who i s enthroned and who will act as the catalyst / initiator of what we do, the decisions we make , and w ho will shape our thinki ng.   I t might be that we e nthrone self, its 'me' who makes all the decisions about what I say and do. I t may be another person, perhaps a parent or significant other. It may be some conversation we had as a child, a word spoken to us or over us that we still allow to shape our lives. Perhaps we choose a direction so that we do...